Meeting

Xue Di was proud, but she was not inflexible. Entering human society in the form of a transformed soul beast and proceeding with caution would never be a disadvantage.

The Icefield Wolves, initially intimidated by Xue Di's aura, whimpered in fear.

However, their eyes soon turned blood-red, showing no intent to flee.

After all, they were merely thousand-year soul beasts without intelligence.

In their hunger-driven frenzy, Xue Di's aura at most made them hesitate for a moment.

"Hmph, courting death."

Initially, Xue Di, as the ruler of the Extreme North, had only intended to scare away the five Icefield Wolves, considering they were also creatures of this frozen land.

However, since they refused to back down, she wouldn't show mercy.

Humans killed each other all the time, soul beasts doing the same was nothing unusual.

Behind Xue Di, a phantom resembling her adult form, the Ice Snow Maiden, emerged and transformed into a streak of white light, merging into her body as she activated her martial soul possession.

Her already shoulder-length white hair instantly grew longer, almost touching the ground.

A snowflake-shaped mark appeared on her forehead, and as her first soul ring lit up, two beautifully crafted ice swords materialized in her hands.

First Soul Skill: Ice Shard Twin Swords.

Xue Di's twin swords danced through the air like the wind, their sharp sword aura slicing effortlessly.

As she swung her sword downward, the gathered sword energy slashed through the air like a bolt of lightning, piercing an Icefield Wolf's body.

A deep, bone-exposing wound appeared, blood gushing out.

The pain only fueled the wolves' aggression. The injured lead wolf roared and pounced at Xue Di once more, its razor-sharp claws slicing through the freezing air, leaving five deep marks in the snow. Its attack was swift, aiming directly for her vitals.

Meanwhile, the other four Icefield Wolves weren't idle either.

They gathered ice spikes in their mouths, sharp, frigid projectiles that howled through the wind like deadly arrows, shooting toward Xue Di at high speed.

The chilling cold contained within these ice spikes further strengthened the encirclement against her.

Xue Di danced amidst the storm of wind and snow.

If not for her youthful appearance, one could only imagine how breathtaking her movements would be in a fully matured form.

Amidst her elegant sword dance, sword light raged, and her figure flashed like a streak of lightning through the wolves.

One by one, the Icefield Wolves fell under her blades, their agonized cries echoing through the snowy plains.

Scarlet blood splattered onto the snow-covered ground, creating an eerie yet mesmerizing contrast, like an artistic masterpiece painted in the frozen wasteland.

The pack leader, barely clinging to life, let out a long, mournful howl, its eyes flashing with a fierce glint.

Xue Di's expression darkened. She knew the lead wolf was using its final breath to call for the Icefield Wolf King.

She could not afford to hesitate.

Facing five thousand-year Icefield Wolves had already drained most of her soul power.

If she were to be surrounded by an entire pack, her chances of survival would plummet.

The Icefield Wolf King, capable of leading a wolf pack, was at least a ten-thousand-year soul beast, far beyond what she could handle in her current state.

Not to mention, she had no idea how many more wolves were out there.

Without hesitation, Xue Di deactivated her martial soul possession.

Her ankle-length white hair reverted to its original length, and the Ice Shard Twin Swords in her hands dissipated into cold mist.

Wasting no time, she gathered soul power into her legs and dashed toward Dragon City at full speed.

She was decisive and swift, yet she was still unable to escape the encirclement of the wolf pack.

Half an hour later, staring at the massive wolf blocking her path, Xue Di's face darkened.

The beast before her was nearly five meters long and three meters tall, its majestic white fur gleaming in the snowy landscape, an unmistakable sign of a ten-thousand-year soul beast.

At this moment, Xue Di's hatred for Luan Yu deepened.

If she had retained her original strength, how could she possibly fear a mere ten-thousand-year soul beast?

She wouldn't have been reduced to such a state, cornered by Icefield Wolves that could only survive at the fringes of the Extreme North.

The battle was inevitable. The Icefield Wolf King's eyes glowed red, its nostrils flaring as it caught the scent of its fallen kin's blood.

The scent of fresh blood enraged not only the Wolf King but also the surrounding dozen or so thousand-year Icefield Wolves.

They growled deeply, exuding an overwhelming sense of menace.

Xue Di took a deep breath and once again activated her martial soul possession, gripping her Ice Shard Twin Swords tightly.

She was prepared for a bloodbath.

She had survived heavenly tribulation and had evaded human powerhouses.

How could she possibly die at the fangs of a mere pack of Icefield Wolves?

If she were to fall to these beasts, she, Xue Di, would never rest in peace.

Just as the Wolf King leaped forward to strike—

Boom!

A dazzling ice-blue divine light suddenly descended from the sky, striking right in front of the Wolf King.

The resulting explosion sent the enormous beast hurtling backward dozens of meters, while the rest of the wolf pack immediately froze in place.

Xue Di, who had just gathered all her remaining soul power for a desperate battle, also halted in shock.

"Beasts, cease your assault!"

A gentle yet commanding voice echoed from the sky. Xue Di instinctively looked up, only to nearly grit her teeth in fury.

Hovering gracefully above, Luan Yu stood in midair, exuding an aura of absolute power.

Dressed in a flowing white gown, her attire fluttered in the wind, revealing a pair of slender, elegant legs.

Her cold gaze swept across the Icefield Wolves, carrying the unmistakable dominance of a Titled Douluo.

Their location was at the very edge of the Extreme North. Here, Luan Yu had no reason to hold back.

Turning her attention to the Wolf King, who had just crawled out from the snow, Luan Yu softly commanded:

"Begone."

Her voice was gentle, yet when it reached the Wolf King's ears, it sent an icy chill down its spine.

The beast let out a final, reluctant howl before decisively turning away, leading the remaining Icefield Wolves into retreat.

Within moments, silence returned to the snow-covered land.

A ten-thousand-year soul beast had already developed some intelligence.

While not as smart as true sentient beings, it was not as mindless as thousand-year soul beasts. It understood the importance of survival.

To the Wolf King, the oppressive aura of a Titled Douluo was no different from that of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.

Challenging Luan Yu was simply not an option.

As the wolves retreated, Luan Yu's cold expression softened.

She descended gracefully from the sky and stood before Xue Di, her voice filled with warmth.

"It's okay now, little girl. Are you hurt?"

Xue Di struggled to suppress the urge to stab this despicable human with her twin swords.

Her expression remained stiff as she forced out a response:

"I'm fine. Thank you for saving me."

Her tone was unnaturally rigid.

Luan Yu, misinterpreting her demeanor, assumed the little girl had been terrified by the previous battle.

After all, she appeared to be just eight or nine years old, despite wielding two ice swords and bearing two yellow soul rings, which made Luan Yu take notice.

"Little girl, why are you here alone? This place is not meant for you."

Luan Yu carefully observed Xue Di, definitely not a transformed soul beast.

Her appearance resembled Liuxing and Liuying, and her cultivation was at the Soul Grand Master level.

Her martial soul…?

Wait. No. Something was wrong.

Luan Yu's eyes widened as she focused on the cold aura emanating from the twin ice swords.

The extreme chill made even her uneasy, and a faint pressure from Xue Di sent waves of shock through her mind.

"You… You have the Ultimate Ice Martial Soul?!"

At that moment, memories of Liuxing and Liuying from her last visit to the Extreme North resurfaced.

Luan Yu looked at Xue Di.

Then back at those memories.

And stood there, utterly confused.