In the eternal, silent curtain of white snow, a translucent hand smooth and flawless like jade suddenly appeared. It caught a single drifting snowflake in its palm. As the view pulled back, a graceful figure in a long white gown stood proudly amidst the snowfall. Her gaze was distant, lost in the far horizon, as if searching for something.
Amid the raging blizzard, her long, white hair fluttered in the wind. In her sky-blue eyes, though hollow, a subtle and inexplicable tremor stirred. Then, in the blink of an eye, the Snow Empress vanished once more. The snowflake in her palm slipped free and drifted away on the wind.
A hundred meters outside the perimeter of the Extreme North.
A violet vortex appeared out of thin air, and four figures stepped out from within. At the head, Starshatter Douluo opened a map, studied it briefly, then turned and asked:
"Shu, are you sure you sensed the Snow Empress's aura?"
Shu Yan gently set Xu Jiujiu down from his arms and nodded.
"The moment my bloodline awakened, I felt a unique resonance from deep within the Extreme North something only those of the same origin can perceive. If I could sense it, the Snow Empress certainly could as well."
Starshatter Douluo fell silent for a moment, then said gravely:
"We're already at the very edge of the Extreme North. Less than ten kilometers ahead is the border of the Heaven Soul Empire. Even if the Snow Empress felt your presence, she likely wouldn't pursue us beyond her domain. Still, next time we try to hunt soul beasts here, things will be far more complicated…"
Shu Yan held Xu Jiujiu's hand but couldn't find the words to respond.
He had long expected this day to come just not so soon. On their last expedition here, his bloodline hadn't stirred, and his martial soul's aura had been fully suppressed by Starshatter Douluo. They hadn't ventured too deep, so they emerged safely.
But this time was different. Awakening a domain talent would inevitably trigger his martial soul's bloodline, and he couldn't contain its aura. The Snow Empress, ruler of the Extreme North, never missed significant events let alone the appearance of another Ice Snow Maiden's aura on her lands.
Then, after a long silence, Xu Jiujiu suddenly spoke up:
"Since we've already left the Extreme North, I doubt anything else will happen. Right now, the most important thing is returning to Star Luo City as soon as possible. The longer we stay outside, the greater the danger. For at least five years, Ah Yan must not return here."
Starshatter Douluo nodded in agreement.
"Her Highness is right. We're about to enter Heaven Soul territory. I'll get us back as fast as possible. Barring any surprises, I'd say this mission was a success."
With that, the four exchanged a few words and prepared to continue their journey. As they left the bounds of the Extreme North, greenery slowly returned to the landscape. Forests became lush once more, and the aura of life surged through the mountains and streams. Their once-tense hearts finally began to ease.
Birdsong echoed through the woods, a stream babbled gently by, and the distant cliffs sent back a clear, melodious chime. Everything felt peaceful and beautiful again, as if the prior danger had melted away with the snow. The group finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Their figures blurred into streaks of light across the sky. After so long without incident, even lighthearted banter returned. No one noticed and perhaps no one could have noticed the pale, ethereal figure standing silently atop a distant peak, watching them coldly.
It happened in an instant.
At the front of the group, Starshatter Douluo suddenly stiffened. A wave of overwhelming, tyrannical power crashed down from the sky. The forest below them froze into a deathly world of snow and ice in the blink of an eye. Starshatter Douluo and Nebula Douluo hadn't even processed what was happening before they lost control and plummeted.
Shu Yan's breath caught, his soul power freezing up as if locked in ice. With Starshatter Douluo's energy no longer supporting him, he and Xu Jiujiu also began to fall. Instinctively, Shu Yan grabbed her hand. As they plummeted, he caught a tree branch mid-fall, using several flips and rolls to slow their descent before landing safely.
The forest had frozen still. A chill unique to snow and ice lingered in the air. Even birds suspended mid-flight were locked in place. Time itself seemed to slow.
In Shu Yan's arms, Xu Jiujiu clutched her throat, struggling to breathe. Even with his support, she was forced to kneel to ease the pressure.
Holding her steady, Shu Yan scanned the area. Within him, the Ice Snow Maiden bloodline surged, echoing with another bloodline so similar, yet overwhelming. His heart pounded. He could hear the rush of blood in his ears in the utter silence.
And then she appeared.
A white figure stepped forward, radiating noble, glacial majesty. Shu Yan's pupils shrank. He knew immediately who she was.
The first among the Three Monarchs of the Extreme North—Snow Empress.
Draped in a pure white gown devoid of ornamentation, her beauty was unearthly. Her gaze locked onto the boy before her, sky-blue eyes filled with emotion—deep, unspoken tremors, soon replaced by confusion.
"A human… with the same bloodline and life force as me? Impossible…"
Her voice, crisp and echoing like mountain spring water, held a hint of curiosity—yet spoke more like a declaration than a question.
Unexpectedly, facing the Snow Empress in person, Shu Yan felt more tension than fear. Her presence stirred an inexplicable familiarity in him, a pull born of blood and origin. Though he knew her power, something in him longed to draw closer.
As she stepped forward, Shu Yan instinctively moved to shield Xu Jiujiu and retreat. But in a blink, she had already teleported right in front of him.
Their auras collided. Shu Yan's scalp tingled as a subtle, cool fragrance filled his nose. Forcing his eyes open, he met her gaze—now less than half a meter away. He could feel the cold aura surrounding her body.
In that moment, the Snow Empress released the frozen space around them, allowing the world to return to normal.
Xu Jiujiu gasped for breath, drenched in sweat from fear and strain. Golden strands of hair clung to her brow. Yet she still held tightly to Shu Yan's hand, even with the Snow Empress—ranked third among the continent's Ten Great Ferocious Beasts—standing barely a meter away. A being who rivaled even peak human Limit Douluos.
Starshatter Douluo and Nebula Douluo rushed over. Seeing the figure before them, both felt a chill in their throats. With power like this, the only candidate could be the Snow Empress.
Starshatter Douluo clenched his fists and stepped forward, his voice hoarse.
"Respected sovereign of the Extreme North, we meant no offense. Regarding the three soul beasts we hunted, we're willing to offer compensation. Please, for the sake of the Star Luo Empire, grant us your mercy this once…"
He knew well: before a being with strength rivaling a supreme Douluo, even if all four of them self-destructed together, they wouldn't land a scratch. Their only hope of survival was to surrender and beg.
But the Snow Empress didn't even glance at him.
Her eyes remained fixed on Shu Yan. There was hesitation in her gaze, as if weighing how to deal with these four insignificant humans. After a long silence, she finally spoke:
"Human, tell me where did you get the bloodline that shares its origin with mine? Why… do I sense the aura of the Ice Snow Empress within you?"