Chapter 289: The Snow Empress Appears

Qian Ran's eyes gleamed as he focused his formidable spiritual power on the Divine Sealing Platform. The intricate array of countless soul tool formations within the platform left him awestruck.

"A ninth-level soul tool truly is in a class of its own. Compared to sixth- and seventh-level soul tools, it's incomprehensibly complex. No wonder such tools require such advanced cultivation to create," Qian Ran marveled.

For someone with low cultivation, just looking at the endless layers of formations would likely cause dizziness and disorientation.

"This soul tool is indeed exquisite. If the Snow Empress was in the middle of reincarnation and was sealed within, it would make sense," the Ice Empress remarked, a tinge of gratitude in her tone.

She was thankful she had followed Qian Ran into the human world.

If she hadn't seen how far humanity had progressed, she might still have been as arrogant and overconfident as before.

Now, with ninth-level soul engineers creating tools powerful enough to seal soul beast embryos, what would stop them in the future from developing tools to seal a hundred-thousand-year-old soul beast directly?

Without the perspective she had gained from traveling with Qian Ran, the Ice Empress believed that even if she had survived her 400,000-year heavenly tribulation, humanity's advancing technology would have eventually turned her into a soul ring within a millennium or two.

"Should we release the Snow Empress now?" the Ice Empress asked.

It had been a long time since she had last seen the Snow Empress.

For soul beasts, with their long lifespans, it wasn't unusual to go hundreds or thousands of years without seeing one another. But now, living a fulfilling life with Qian Ran every day made it feel as though her last meeting with the Snow Empress had been eons ago.

"Can you handle the Snow Empress?"

"What if she mistakes us for enemies the moment she's released? If her aura leaks out, everyone will know she's here."

"And if her identity as the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion is revealed, even more people will covet her," Qian Ran cautioned.

"No problem. As long as the Snow Empress senses my presence, she won't attack. Even if some of her Ultimate Ice aura leaks out, no one will suspect her. After all, I'm already known as an Ultimate Ice user," the Ice Empress reassured him.

"That's good to hear." Qian Ran breathed a sigh of relief.

Carefully channeling his soul power, he began unlocking the Divine Sealing Platform. A wave of white frosty air poured out, plunging the room into an intense chill so biting that even Qian Ran felt its impact.

Qian Renxue quickly unleashed her martial soul, forcefully suppressing the Snow Empress's escaping aura.

"Snow Empress, it's me," the Ice Empress called out, urgently trying to communicate with her. If the Snow Empress lashed out, their confrontation at an Ultimate Douluo level would immediately draw unwanted attention.

"Ice… is that you?"

The familiar voice of the Ice Empress caused the Snow Empress's aura to recede. Moments later, a small, white figure shot out from the platform.

It was a tiny girl who looked no older than two or three, with snow-white, tender skin wrapped in a delicate white dress. Her chubby little form seemed impossibly innocent.

Seeing the Snow Empress's current appearance, Qian Ran was stunned.

He had anticipated witnessing the Snow Empress's ethereal beauty, only to be greeted by a childlike figure.

"You're telling me… this little girl is the Snow Empress?"

"Ice, have you reincarnated too?" the Snow Empress asked, her eyes narrowing in confusion as she failed to sense the aura of a soul beast from the Ice Empress. Yet she was certain this person was the Ice Empress. The only explanation was that she too had reincarnated.

Had the Ice Empress also found a ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus? Otherwise, how could she possibly have reincarnated after nearly 400,000 years of cultivation?

"Yes, but I'll explain everything later. What about your injuries? Are you alright?" the Ice Empress asked, concern evident in her voice.

For a hundred-thousand-year soul beast to reincarnate, the process was fraught with danger. If interrupted, even such a powerful beast could be gravely wounded.

"I'm severely injured, but at least I'm still alive. Better that than becoming a human soul ring." The Snow Empress smiled bitterly. Becoming a soul ring for humans would have been the ultimate humiliation. Her injuries, by comparison, felt trivial.

Still…

Even without reincarnation, she had stood a slim chance—perhaps ten to twenty percent—of surviving her 700,000-year heavenly tribulation. Now, in her weakened state, that hope was completely gone.

"But… before I die, I will not let those despicable humans off so easily." A trace of murderous intent flashed in the Snow Empress's eyes. Though her temperament was usually calm, her current fury burned fiercely.

"Snow Empress, don't worry too much. I've already found a way for soul beasts to survive their tribulations. Actually, I haven't reincarnated either—I've just been cultivating with a special technique," the Ice Empress explained.

"Really?" The Snow Empress's eyes widened in astonishment. Was such a technique even possible?

"Hehe, I have no reason to lie to you. In fact, I didn't even know you'd been captured—it was Qian Ran who told me." The Ice Empress smiled, wrapping her arm around Qian Ran and pulling him forward.

Only now did the Snow Empress notice the two humans in the room: a woman whose immense power even she found impressive, and a man whom the Ice Empress seemed to treat with extraordinary intimacy.

What was going on?

Could it be that these two had worked together with the Ice Empress to rescue her?

The Snow Empress doubted the Ice Empress could have freed her from the human world alone. These two were clearly her allies.

What surprised her most, however, was the Ice Empress's attitude toward Qian Ran.

After living together in the Extreme North for so many years, the Snow Empress knew the Ice Empress's personality all too well. With her pride, how could she ever associate so closely with a human?

Could it be…

"That's right, Snow Empress. It's exactly what you're thinking. His name is Qian Ran, and he's my husband. Without his help, I wouldn't have been able to rescue you." The Ice Empress blushed slightly as she explained.

"Thank you," the Snow Empress said sincerely.

Although she didn't fully understand the situation, the fact that Qian Ran had saved her was enough to earn her gratitude. As a being born of nature, she harbored no prejudice against humans for the sake of it.

"It was nothing. You're the Ice Empress's friend—I couldn't just leave you to die. Besides, the greed those soul masters have for soul beast embryos is simply unacceptable," Qian Ran replied.

"After reincarnating, the Snow Empress has taken the form of a human embryo. Normally, she would continue cultivating until she turned six, but she's only partially completed her reincarnation, which is why she appears like this," the Ice Empress explained, noticing Qian Ran's confusion.

"Her current power is less than a third of what it would be in her full state."

"Oh, I see." Qian Ran nodded in understanding. It made sense—once the Snow Empress regained her strength, she could return to her original form.

(End of Chapter)