"Consider this my gift to you. If fate allows, we shall meet again."
As these calm words fell, Chen Xiaoming lightly tapped his foot. The space around him trembled slightly as a ripple of spatial energy spread outward. In an instant, both the Snow Empress and Ice Empress' expressions changed drastically.
In the blink of an eye, the space before them rippled gently, and two distinct waves of energy surged into their bodies.
Their eyes glazed over as they entered a peculiar state of enlightenment.
The wind and snow swirled as the Snow Empress and Ice Empress remained immersed for a long time before slowly regaining their senses. Exchanging a glance, they turned to look at the spot where Chen Xiaoming had stood.
The Azurewood Platform and its thick branches, having lost Chen Xiaoming's reinforcement, had already been frozen into an ice sculpture, standing silently upon the vast plain—silent proof of his presence.
"He..."
A flicker of something unreadable flashed in the Snow Empress' ethereal eyes. She uttered only a single word before falling into silence. Without another word to the Ice Empress, her figure vanished into the snowy mist.
The Ice Empress watched her disappear, then turned to look at the place where Chen Xiaoming had vanished. Her gaze was filled with complex emotions—her instincts told her that the Snow Empress might soon leave her side.
But when she thought of the mysterious energy that had surged into her mind earlier, she fell silent.
"Sigh..."
Letting out a soft sigh, she cast a final glance at the Titan Snow Demon King's corpse beneath her before losing all interest.
If she could fully comprehend the insights hidden within that energy, she might be able to survive the next great tribulation.
As snowflakes danced in the wind, a flash of emerald light streaked across the icy wasteland, and the Ice Empress' figure disappeared into the vast snowfield.
For a time, the once-great battlefield of the frozen plains was left with only the massive corpse of the Titan Snow Demon King, faintly radiating residual soul power. A hundred-thousand-year soul ring floated above it, its crimson glow flickering like blood against the pure white snow.
If any Soul Master were to witness the very thing they had dreamed of—a hundred-thousand-year soul ring—simply abandoned here, they would surely despair.
At the fringes of the Extreme North, soul beasts stirred restlessly. Sensing the weakened aura of the battlefield, many powerful soul beasts began to cautiously approach.
With the Titan Snow Demon King's death, the Extreme North was thrown into turmoil, a savage battle unfolding to claim its throne. Only time would tell which soul beast would rise from the carnage, surpass its limits, and take the Titan Snow Demon King's place.
But none of this had anything to do with Chen Xiaoming.
Somewhere in the Extreme North, Chen Xiaoming's figure appeared. He glanced down and made a decision.
With a step, thick Azurewood trees sprouted from the snow, swiftly forming a square wooden cabin. In a flicker, he entered.
Rumble...
The Azurewood Cabin slowly descended. Within moments, it had sunk below the snow's surface, and before long, the whirling blizzard covered it with another layer of frost.
Inside, Chen Xiaoming sat cross-legged, entering a state of seclusion. His mind surged with inspiration, as though a floodgate had been opened. His comprehension of his bloodline power had expanded wildly during the previous battle, flowing freely and without restraint.
It was this very realization that had prompted him to end the fight so hastily—and why he had so generously gifted the Snow Empress and Ice Empress with his energy.
Wasting no time, Chen Xiaoming closed his eyes, his spirit diving into the depths of his bloodline origin.
The moment his consciousness touched the silver radiance, he felt his head spin. Space around him shifted wildly, and he seemed to ascend infinitely. The once-distant starry sky drew closer and closer, and what were once mere specks of light now expanded before his eyes.
Within moments, he found himself suspended amidst endless galaxies, looking down upon a cosmos of twinkling stars.
Buzz...
His ascent continued. Finally, with a soft hum, he arrived in a realm of dazzling brilliance.
Around him, lights of every hue shimmered—some were pure silver, mysterious and ethereal; others flickered with dark radiance, appearing and vanishing like illusions. Faint, soundless waves permeated the air, while ephemeral points of light flickered ceaselessly, impossible to grasp.
Lost amidst this endless luminescence, Chen Xiaoming became fully immersed in enlightenment.
...
Time flowed by in a blur. The Extreme North slowly returned to calm.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed since that battle. The wind and snow remained relentless, but the Snow Empress and Ice Empress had vanished without a trace. They had not been seen in the Extreme North since.
Many soul beasts assumed that the two had perished in that battlefield—after all, a hundred-thousand-year soul beast had already died. It wouldn't be surprising if two more had followed.
Meanwhile, the Titan Snow Demon King's corpse had ultimately fallen into the hands of a Ninety-Five-Thousand-Year Frostwolf King. By absorbing the Titan Snow Demon King's immense soul power and bloodline essence, the Frostwolf King successfully broke through the final threshold—ascending to the rank of a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
It had now become one of the Three Kings of the Extreme North.
During this period, many other significant events had unfolded.
The Shrek Seven Devils, under Flender's guidance, had traveled to Heaven Dou City, where they settled at Blue Sunshine Academy. The legendary Golden Iron Triangle was reunited once more.
As expected, Tang San was taken away by Poison Douluo, but with his protagonist's fortune, he faced no danger. Instead, he used the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to rapidly improve his strength.
The remaining six members of Shrek continued their intense cultivation in Heaven Dou City, their power rising swiftly.
Meanwhile, Spirit Hall had finally taken notice of the battlefield near Shrek Academy. As reports filtered upward, the matter eventually caught the attention of Spirit Hall's higher-ups, who quietly launched an investigation.
The colossal machinery of Spirit Hall began to turn. Chen Xiaoming had finally entered their sights.
After all, his previous battles had caused massive disturbances. Moreover, with Shrek Academy housing so many civilians, numerous witnesses had come forward with descriptions. Spirit Hall soon became aware of this enigmatic figure—a suspected Titled Douluo.
However, what truly caught Spirit Hall's attention were the witnesses who had seen Chen Xiaoming's seven crimson soul rings.
When this information reached the highest ranks of Spirit Hall, Chen Xiaoming's name instantly became a sensation.
Yet, deep in seclusion, he remained unaware.
He had no idea that within Spirit Hall, he had become the most talked-about "red-hot" figure.
...
Somewhere in the Extreme North
Whoosh.
Beneath the thick snow, something shifted. A figure shot up from beneath the frozen ground, rising into the air. A faint, powerful aura surrounded him, keeping the snow at bay.
"Phew... Finally, I've grasped the fundamentals. I haven't seen sunlight in far too long."
Lifting his gaze, he saw a faint sliver of sunlight breaking through the storm, and he exhaled deeply.
The figure was none other than Chen Xiaoming, emerging from his long seclusion.
Gazing at the vast, snow-covered expanse, he smiled faintly.
"I wonder... how well they've comprehended their gifts?"
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