A vast expanse of the Extreme North Plains stretched endlessly as a solitary figure emerged from within.
Silver hair cascaded freely, and clad in pristine white robes, the figure moved with an ethereal grace. Though his pace seemed unhurried, in the blink of an eye, he had already traversed a hundred meters.
This figure was none other than Chen Xiaoming, having completed his seclusion. After searching the Extreme North for quite some time, he failed to find any trace of Snow Empress and Ice Empress. Remembering the small gifts he had given them before entering seclusion, he deduced they must be in closed-door cultivation, refining them.
Thus, he did not linger and instead departed from the Extreme North.
Previously, when he had slain the Titan Snow Demon King, he had left in a hurry, forgetting to retrieve its soul bone. By the time he returned, it was long gone—vanished without a trace.
But what was a mere hundred-thousand-year soul bone to him?
He, Chen Xiaoming, was not someone who lacked soul bones. Forget one hundred-thousand-year spirit bone—
Chen Xiaoming had scoured the snow-covered land for an entire day, nearly overturning the entire terrain, yet still found nothing.
Because of this, he could now boldly proclaim:
"A hundred-thousand-year soul bone? If it's lost, it's lost. No big deal!"
Leaving the Extreme North behind, this time, Chen Xiaoming opted for a more scenic route.
He had yet to decide on his next destination—should he head to Star Dou Forest to find Di Tian, venture across the seas, or visit Tang San and the others?
"Forget it. I'll just wander for now."
The vastness of the Douluo Continent was something Chen Xiaoming had never truly explored. This journey had yielded great gains, so it was the perfect opportunity to relax and experience the culture and life of the continent—not its debauchery! Ahem, rather, its rich customs and traditions.
Heaven Dou Empire, Extreme North City.
Extreme North City was the northernmost city of the Heaven Dou Empire, perpetually shrouded in wind and snow due to its proximity to the Extreme North. The entire city was covered in a thick layer of frost, a picturesque winter wonderland of the northern lands.
The city was vast. After all, it bordered both the Extreme North and the Icebound Forest, two major soul beast territories. As the only major fortress in the northern frontier of the Heaven Dou Empire, its size rivaled even that of Heaven Dou City.
After all, the northern lands were vast, yet largely barren—except for the abundant soul beasts that roamed them.
Where there were soul beasts, there was a thriving market—a market for soul masters.
Extreme North City thrived due to its proximity to these two soul beast habitats. Many soul masters resided within the city. While the Extreme North was perilous, the Icebound Forest was a viable alternative for hunting.
At the northern gate of Extreme North City—
Chen Xiaoming strolled forward with a calm demeanor. The towering city gate bore the characters "Extreme North," weathered by years of icy storms. Layers of frost had formed over the city walls, seamlessly blending them with the snowy landscape.
Upon entering the city, he found it more bustling than he had expected. Shops lined the streets, far livelier than he had imagined. Soldiers patrolled regularly, and the streets were packed with people, creating a constant flow of movement.
Alongside the shops, intricate ice sculptures unique to Extreme North City adorned the streets. Their forms varied—some depicted soul beasts, others soul masters, and a few were creations Chen Xiaoming simply could not comprehend.
For example, a lone pillar towering skyward, or an ice figure pushing a cart—utterly indecent. In any case, Chen Xiaoming had no interest in such things.
Leisurely strolling through the city, he enjoyed the rare moment of relaxation.
Meanwhile, at the city gate, another figure hurriedly dashed into the city, making a beeline for a particular destination.
Extreme North City's Spirit Hall Main Hall.
The influence of Spirit Hall extended across all major cities of the Heaven Dou Empire. As a crucial fortress in the north, Extreme North City naturally housed a main hall.
Not only did Extreme North City have a main hall, but a Red-Clad Cardinal was stationed there.
Given its proximity to two major soul beast habitats, Spirit Hall needed a formidable figure to maintain order.
At this moment, within the Spirit Hall's main hall, a hurried figure entered, knocking lightly on a door. A deep voice came from within.
"Enter."
Pushing the door open, the visitor stepped in. Seated behind the desk was a man who appeared to be in his sixties. The newcomer approached and whispered a few words in his ear, causing his eyes to gleam with sharp light.
"Are you certain?"
"Cardinal, I am certain."
The visitor answered respectfully. The man immediately stood, his gaze filled with excitement.
As if realizing something, he hurried back to his desk, personally penning a letter before passing it through a hidden passage.
"Order all personnel at the city gates to keep an eye on him. I don't care what he does within the city, but the moment he leaves, I must know his whereabouts."
His tone was grave. To be doubly sure, he summoned his personal guards.
"From this moment onward, increase security at the city gates."
"Yes, sir."
The two guards answered in unison before swiftly departing. Left alone, the Cardinal paced back and forth.
Spirit Hall had long since issued a portrait of Chen Xiaoming, instructing personnel everywhere to be on the lookout. He had never expected the man to appear in the Extreme North, much less within his very city.
As the Red-Clad Cardinal of Extreme North City's Spirit Hall, Scott was well aware of Chen Xiaoming's significance to Spirit Hall.
This was a joint order from both the Pope's Hall and the Worship Hall. Anyone who reported his whereabouts would be granted access to the Spirit Hall's training grounds—along with a soul bone as a reward.
The reward was overwhelmingly generous, almost terrifying.
At sixty years old, Scott's soul power had reached level 78. Despite guarding the Extreme North for years, he had been unable to break through further.
But this reward was an opportunity—a golden opportunity.
With access to Spirit Hall's training and a soul bone, breaking through level 80 would allow him to contend for the position of Platinum Bishop.
Just the thought of it made Scott's heart race with excitement.
His message had already been sent, though given the remoteness of the Extreme North, even at top speed, it would take a few days for reinforcements to arrive.
According to Spirit Hall's intelligence, Chen Xiaoming possessed seven hundred-thousand-year soul rings. That was why the order was to report his location, not to engage him.
Scott was well aware of his own limits.
He hadn't even assigned anyone to monitor Chen Xiaoming. Trying to surveil such a terrifying Soul Saint would only alert him.
As long as he secured every exit and ensured that Chen Xiaoming remained within the city, once Spirit Hall's forces arrived, his merits would be unquestionable.
Meanwhile, still unaware of the silent schemes against him, Chen Xiaoming continued to wander the city leisurely.
But even if he knew—would he care?
In the face of absolute power, all schemes amounted to nothing more than sending oneself to the grave.
By the time he had finished strolling, half the day had already passed. Night had fallen, and the city was illuminated by twinkling lights. The interplay of celestial stars above and glowing lanterns below created a picturesque scene.
Stopping before a particularly vibrant tavern, he noticed its green lighting. His expression froze.
"A place of debauchery using green lights? Are they trying to remind people that to survive here, one must be cuckolded? Or that entering means getting cheated?"
Scoffing, he turned away and walked toward a more respectable establishment.
"Tch, how shameless!"
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