Jing Shengyu scowled, eyes narrowed. "Run? And just abandon the embryo? If the Snow Empress power explodes here, who knows how many people will die!" He wasn't so altruistic—but some deaths just shouldn't happen because of him.
Tianmeng Bingcan clicked in amusement. "Humans always worry about this and that. For us soul beasts, the only thing that matters is surviving! With your talent, no need to die for others."
Jing Shengyu turned to Huo Yuhao and called out, "Ice Empress—help!"
Huo Yuhao shook his head helplessly. "She's still asleep."
At that moment, a humanlike figure of icy beauty formed above the embryo—the Snow Empress, one of the mythical Ice-snow Maiden soul beasts, now taking a humanoid form. She stared at the duo coldly, glacial aura crackling around her. Then she struck a palm forward.
A blast of snow and wind surged toward Jing Shengyu and Huo Yuhao—but Huo Yuhao's Ice-Scorpion spirit responded instantly. A shimmering green-blue frost barrier formed, blocking the Snow Empress assault.
The Snow Empress paused, surprised, her voice cool: "Bing'er?"
Tianmeng Bingcan's eyes gleamed. "The Ice Empress has awakened?!" he exclaimed, looking at Huo Yuhao.
A delicate female figure emerged from Huo Yuhao's spirit sea. She rushed forward, filled with relief: "Snow Empress! It's really you—but how did you end up like this?"
The Snow Empress icy expression softened slightly, but she remained vigilant. "Don't ask—why are you inhabiting a human body?" she demanded.
The Ice Empress and Tianmeng quickly explained the situation. The Snow Empress icy gaze drifted between them, thoughtful. At last, she said, "I didn't expect that after chasing that insect so long, you'd have such courage and a plan."
Tianmeng opened his mouth to speak—but wisely stayed silent.
The Ice Empress stepped forward: "Why did you regress to this embryonic form and appear here?"
The Snow Empreas said bitterly, "My time is near. If I can't break through at the next tribulation… so I transformed into an embryo to begin anew. Upon awakening, I saw this damned human trying to absorb my snow-essence." She glared at Jing Shengyu.
All eyes turned to Jing Shengyu. Huo Yuhao spoke softly, "Cousin, what's really going on?"
Jing Shengyu sighed and recounted the story—how Jing Hongchen discovered the Snow Empress embryo in the Extreme North and gave it to him. The Snow Empress eyes flashed cold rage. "That damned human, daring to covet my soul rings!"
Jing Shengyu hastily protested, "No, Snow Emperor—I don't need to hunt beasts to get soul rings!"
Huo Yuhao backed him up. "Yes! My cousin doesn't need to harm soul beasts."
The Snow Empress snorted. "Think to deceive me? Humans need soul rings from beasts—how else?"
Tianmeng chimed in, "Snow Empress, he truly doesn't need to hunt beasts. His soul rings appear naturally with his power."
The Snow Empress paused, absorbing that. Surely she couldn't dismiss a soul beast's own words so easily.
Then, without warning, she stepped forward and slapped her palm against Jing Shengyu. A massive surge of soul power blasted into him. Water-in-Moon—his spirit weapon—reacted violently, and three spirit rings glowed into existence beneath him.
His body surged with energy: in moments, his power shot from level 31 to 41! The caused pain and soul‑force overload made his meridians burn—but another dark ring appeared, bringing the total to four.
Overwhelmed, he gasped, "I can't take it—another soul ring and I'd burst!"
The Snow Empress withdrew her palm, eyes widened in shock. "So you truly can acquire soul rings from nowhere! Could… could you be a re‑cultivating soul beast?"
Jing Shengyu panted and shook his head. "Sorry—I'm pure human."
Both the Snow Empress and Ice Empress stared at his glowing rings, astonishment clear in their eyes.
"Ice Empress" the Snow Empress spoke softly, "there really is a human who doesn't need to hunt beasts for soul rings?"
The Ice Empress nodded. "Yes—what is your name?"
Jing Shengyu said, "Jing Shengyu."
The Ice Empress asked after a moment, "Jing Shengyu… and what's your relation to Jiang Qingtong?"
"We're siblings," he answered.
"Brother and sister…" she nodded thoughtfully. Even from their brief encounter in the Extreme North, she'd sensed Jiang Qingtong's rare talent.
Then the Snow Empress interjected, "Still, you need soul bones to enhance power—unless that appears from nowhere?"
She assumed Jing Shengyu coveted her bones. He shook his head again firmly: "Sorry, Snow Empress, I don't accept making my bones from soul beast bones. Then—are we still human or soul beast?" He flinched, voice trembling.
Seeing his earnest expression, the Snow Empress frowned. "Then why carry my embryo with you?"
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