DD Black White [161-170] (Patreon)

Chapter 161: The Snow Empress's Overbearing Might

It wasn't just Xuan Zi—every powerhouse of Shrek Academy was enraged by the Snow Empress's arrogance.

Their soul power surged uncontrollably, and their furious, hostile gazes shot toward her like blades.

To them, Shrek's ten thousand years of heritage and prestige could not be violated by anyone or any force.

Yet this soul beast dared act so brazenly on Shrek's own grounds—utterly intolerable.

"Hmph!" The Snow Empress snorted coldly. She had never intended peaceful negotiation—her goal was simple: take Huo Yuhao by force.

"Snowy Dance of Ultimate Ice!" Her eyes flashed cold as icy-blue light expanded from her, instantly freezing thousands of meters into a domain of ice and snow.

Terrifying cold erupted, driving out all elements but ice.

Within this domain, the temperature plummeted, as if the world was frozen in eternal winter.

"Sigh…" Mu En sighed helplessly. He could never hand over Huo Yuhao.

He had high hopes for Yuhao as a disciple, but more than that, as a member of Shrek, handing him over to a soul beast would destroy the Academy's dignity and trust, built over millennia.

If this precedent were set, Shrek's prestige would be ruined—utterly unacceptable.

"Snow Empress, go back. I will never hand over a student of the Academy!"

Mu En's expression grew grave. A dragon's roar sounded as golden light burst from him, shining like the sun, resisting the tide of cold.

Nine soul rings appeared on his body: two yellow, one purple, three black, three red—a configuration even more luxurious than Du Busi's.

"If you won't hand him over, then you'll die!" The Snow Empress's voice was icy and emotionless.

As she spoke, the air's ice elements boiled, and freezing winds swept the city, intent on freezing it from the continent.

"Shrek Academy, prepare for battle!" Yan Shaozhe shouted, his voice ringing out as a phoenix cry sounded and his soul power erupted. Instantly, he transformed into a radiant Light Phoenix, bathed in warm, bright flames.

The phoenix soared above Shrek City, a barrier of warmth circling to fend off the cold.

At the same time, the other Titled Douluo of the Academy released their martial souls and rings.

The mingled lights and soul power filled the area.

Those below the Titled Douluo level had already retreated—they knew this would be a clash of superpowers, far beyond what they could endure.

Against the Snow Empress, Shrek had no need to hold back. They prepared to join forces, defending the Academy's honor.

"It's started!" Far from Shrek City, Du Busi watched the snowy chaos.

Above Shrek, dark clouds gathered, cold clashing with soul power in a spectacular scene.

He landed on a high hill to watch the upcoming battle with interest.

…

"It's started!"

In distant Hayuan City, Lu Jingming and Herta watched the tense situation unfold through a projection.

Lu Jingming looked surprised that Shrek would choose to fight despite the Snow Empress's terrifying strength.

"If you don't show strength when someone comes to your door, you're useless," Herta said, arms crossed.

"Indeed. It's their home base, after all—Shrek can't back down," Lu Jingming nodded.

Besides defending their dignity, the battle's location on Sea God Island gave Shrek a strong advantage.

"Let's see if Sea God Tang San left any tricks in the Golden Tree!" Lu Jingming smiled subtly, sipping the black tea Herta made for him, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

The Snow Empress attacking Shrek was all within his expectations.

Helping her wasn't just about past-life sentiment; probing Shrek's trump cards was his real aim.

He wanted to see if Tang San had left any tricks in the Golden Tree—after all, as the world's core, it couldn't be replaced easily.

With the Snow Empress's current strength, she might still struggle against a God King's avatar, but Lu Jingming believed she could escape if necessary.

Mobius was ready to assist from the shadows, so he wasn't worried about her safety.

Currently, Tang San was tightly constrained by the God of Destruction and couldn't act boldly.

So, at most, Tang San could send an avatar; as long as the god's true body didn't descend, everything was still in play.

…

"Empress' Sword, Absolute Zero!" The Snow Empress raised her right hand. Instantly, the cold around her surged into a massive ice-blue greatsword.

Carrying a terrifying chill, the sword seemed capable of freezing all creation.

She swung the sword fiercely, sending it slashing towards Mu En and the others.

Wherever the icy sword energy passed, space itself froze, leaving clear icy scars.

"Sigh!" Mu En sighed again, but in the next instant, his eyes became resolute.

Suddenly, Shrek's massive Golden Tree erupted with golden light, a torrent of life energy pouring into Mu En's body.

With this, Mu En's previously hunched body straightened, his wrinkles faded, and his white hair turned black and full of life.

In a flash, the aged Mu En was gone, replaced by a heroic, imposing man whose features closely resembled Bei Bei's.

"Ancestor!"

Within Shrek, Bei Bei looked at the rejuvenated Mu En, feeling a sense of foreboding.

Xu Sanshi stared in shock between Bei Bei and Mu En, not expecting Bei Bei's background to be this strong.

"Old Mu! Why go so far?" Seeing this, Xuan Zi's expression changed to sorrow and worry.

He knew well the price of forcibly restoring Mu En's peak state with the Golden Tree's energy.

Originally, Mu En might have had at least five years left, but after this, he was doomed to die regardless of the outcome.

"To face such a powerful foe in my final battle—no regrets!"

Mu En looked at the frozen sword, eyes full of pride and determination.

His right hand transformed into a golden dragon claw as a deafening dragon roar rang out. A massive golden dragon claw, nearly a hundred meters long, appeared and struck at the ice greatsword.

"Radiant Dragon Claw!"

Chapter 162: Herrscher Transformation

"Boom!"

The ice-blue and golden light collided violently, like two stars crashing together, releasing unparalleled energy.

A massive energy storm erupted from the collision, sweeping across several kilometers.

The shockwave slammed into Shrek's protective shield, causing it to shake violently, as if it might shatter at any moment.

Seeing this, Xian Lin'er and the others rushed to the city walls, working together to raise soul power shields to protect Shrek from the devastating aftershocks.

Xuan Zi, seeing this, roared and transformed into a massive, godly taotie bull, its four limbs like pillars, each step threatening to shatter space itself.

It charged straight at the Snow Empress, white lightning gathering on its sharp horns.

"Out of my way!"

The Snow Empress's eyes flashed with impatience, disdainful of Xuan Zi's attack.

She raised her jade hand, gathering cold into her palm, and waved lightly. Instantly, a massive ice-blue palm appeared, slamming down on Xuan Zi.

Space shattered under its power, the giant palm like a moving iceberg, heavy with chill, smashing into the divine bull.

"Boom!"

White lightning and ice-blue light clashed, but against the Snow Empress's ultimate ice, the lightning was quickly frozen.

The giant bull was instantly encased in ice, sent flying for thousands of meters before crashing into a hill, shattering it to pieces.

The freezing cold spread, turning the area into a hell of ice, everything frozen solid.

Du Busi, watching from afar, couldn't help but flinch.

Though he looked down on Xuan Zi, he had to admit Xuan Zi's strength was top-tier in the Douluo Continent—few could defeat him.

Yet the Snow Empress had sent him flying and frozen him with a single blow. If it had been him, he doubted he could fare much better.

After all, both he and Xuanzi were level 98; while there was a gap, it wasn't insurmountable.

"Xuan Zi, sigh…" Mu En shook his head helplessly.

He'd seen that the Snow Empress had already stepped beyond a key threshold. Though still a level 99 Titled Douluo, her power had half-stepped into the divine realm.

Such terrifying strength was far beyond Xuan Zi's ability to resist.

Mu En knew his battle with the Snow Empress was now beyond anyone else's ability to intervene.

With the Golden Tree's power restoring him to his peak, Mu En felt a long-lost surge of ambition.

"To think someone could really take that step. Let me witness the realm all soul masters dream of!"

He burned with passion. Though he'd never reach that realm himself, to cross swords with someone who had, even at life's end, was enough.

Golden light shone like a blazing sun, illuminating the sky.

Mu En's seventh soul ring flashed, and with a dragon's roar, a golden dragon soared into the sky.

This dragon radiated gold, its scales shining, golden horns sharp enough to pierce the heavens, over a thousand meters long—majestic and imposing.

It roared, spitting a beam of golden dragon breath like an arrow, splitting the air with deafening booms.

The Snow Empress narrowed her eyes. Without her Herrscher core or surviving her tribulation, she might have struggled against Mu En at his current strength. Humans truly were favored by heaven—less than three hundred years of life could still produce such power, not much less than her tens of thousands of years of cultivation, and without the tribulation dangers. The world was unfair.

The Snow Empress's icy-blue soul power surged, freezing all water in the air. With a series of cracks, an ice dragon formed before her.

It roared, spitting a blue beam like a giant sword, shooting at the golden dragon.

Blue and gold, the two beams crossed thousands of meters to collide.

The world changed color. With a deafening boom, black space cracks spread like spiderwebs across the sky.

The energy storm swept out, tearing clouds and shattering the land, as if the apocalypse had come.

Within Shrek, the shield barely held, but the lands outside were devastated—hills erased, forests uprooted, trees splintered, dust and debris everywhere.

"Sovereign's Descent!" Mu En roared as the dragon claw, wrapped in spiritual will, tore through space, leaving black fissures as it struck at the Snow Empress.

She frowned, ice-blue light wrapping her right hand, exuding endless chill.

She struck back, shouting, "Empress' Palm!"

Her small hand, packed with terrifying power, collided with the massive dragon claw.

Space couldn't bear the force and cracked explosively.

Black-red lightning raged, venting terrifying energy.

The shockwave pierced the clouds, splitting the sky in two—a stunning sight.

Blue and gold light exploded, like two suns shining together, blinding all present.

"Boom!"

With a tremendous blast, energy waves spread wildly from the collision.

The Snow Empress was knocked back by the force, pushed away from the golden dragon.

She frowned—physical strength wasn't her forte as an elemental being, whereas Mu En's golden dragon form was tough and powerful, giving him a clear advantage in close combat.

"Human, you are impressive. You are worthy to see this form of mine!" For the first time, the Snow Empress looked at Mu En with a trace of admiration.

Though she disliked most humans, she respected true strength—and Mu En was a worthy opponent. She decided he deserved a dignified death.

As she spoke, though there was no obvious change in ice elements, the temperature dropped again.

The sudden cold seemed to spread from the depths of the world.

Soon, heavy snow began to fall, beautiful yet hiding deadly chill.

Bathed in ice-blue light, the Snow Empress's figure began to transform.

The light swirled around her, reshaping her body, her aura erupting like a volcano. The pressure made everyone feel as if a mountain pressed on their hearts.

Du Busi swallowed hard. He thought the Snow Empress had already shown her full strength, but now realized she hadn't. The true terror was only just beginning.

"Come, let me see the power of gods!" Mu En showed no fear—instead, he laughed heartily.

His eyes were resolute. Even if he could save himself and Shrek by surrendering Yuhao, he would not. Dignity and conviction meant more to him than life.

"As you wish!" the Snow Empress's cold voice sounded, as the ice-blue radiance surrounding her faded into countless particles.

When the light dispersed, the Snow Empress had undergone a dramatic transformation.

She wore an icy-blue crown inlaid with gems that sparkled with the power of snow and ice.

Her snow-white hair fell like a waterfall, the tips turning to mist.

A pair of magnificent ice wings sprouted from her back, spreading chill with every beat.

She wore an ice-blue suit of armor, smooth and gleaming, as if forged from the hardest ice.

This was her Herrscher form, her armor representing divine gear—Ice God Armor.

In this form, the Snow Empress was the ruler of ice and snow, her power and presence on a whole new level: truly the strength of a demigod.

Previously, she hadn't used the Ice Herrscher's power at all—otherwise, Mu En would have stood no chance.

Chapter 163: Sorry, I Couldn't Let You Enjoy Yourself!

At this moment, the Herrscher-form Snow Empress radiated an overwhelming aura, her pressure far surpassing Mu En.

Fierce winds howled as blizzards raged, and within an instant, the vast area within several hundred miles of Shrek City was completely covered in snow and ice, turning into a dead, frozen land.

Snow Empress gripped an ice sword condensed from snow and cold, looking at Mu En with cold eyes before swinging her sword without hesitation.

The slash seemed casual, yet contained terrifying power.

It was like an icy blue line gently drawn across a pristine white sheet, leaving a shocking blue scar between heaven and earth.

Wherever the sword's path passed, space itself was torn open, emitting a chilling crackling sound.

Faced with this sword that seemed to split heaven and earth, Mu En's pupils contracted violently, and a chill of death welled up inside him.

The power of this attack was simply too terrifying—he had no way to resist!

In this life-and-death moment, Mu En didn't hesitate. With his authority as Pavilion Master, he activated the hidden power of the Sea God Pavilion.

Shua!

A beam of blue-gold divine light shot up from Sea God Island.

This light surged like a vast tidal wave, continuously pouring out, carrying the aura of a true deity.

The next moment, Snow Empress' sword slashed fiercely into the blue-gold light.

Light burst in all directions as the two mighty forces clashed, letting out deafening thunder.

However, in the end, the sword light was gradually worn away by the blue-gold divine light and failed to break through this barrier.

"The Light of the Sea God! They actually used the Light of the Sea God!"

From afar, Du Busi stared in shock. The Body Sect had fought Shrek Academy before and had records of some of their hidden cards.

In the Body Sect's historical records, the Light of the Sea God was detailed as the strongest trump card of Sea God Island.

The Light of the Sea God carried the power left by Tang San, who had ascended to the Divine Realm ten thousand years ago—a last resort for Shrek Academy in times of desperate crisis.

Every use of the Light of the Sea God meant the Academy was facing life-or-death peril.

In the past, Shrek used it against the Body Sect. During the beast tide and the terrifying Beast God Di Tian, the Light of the Sea God had also appeared.

Now, once again, this mighty power shone forth to resist a deadly enemy—the Snow Empress.

"The Light of the Sea God, huh." Snow Empress frowned slightly. She'd heard of its power, knowing that even the Beast God Di Tian feared it, and that it was Shrek Academy's key to survival.

But in her eyes, this wasn't enough to stop her. Even if it was power left by the Sea God, he'd ascended for ten thousand years—how much could really remain?

Expression cold, Snow Empress raised one hand to the sky and the other to the earth, declaring icily, "Above all heaven and earth I alone am the honored one!"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried unparalleled authority, echoing across the battlefield.

The next instant, white ripples spread outward from her, sweeping over thousands of meters in the blink of an eye.

Where the white light passed, space itself was frozen—everything fell into silence.

Whether it was the mighty Light of the Sea God, Mu En's giant golden dragon, or Yan Shaozhe and the others below, all were immobilized in that instant.

Mu En's eyes filled with horror. His mind was still awake, barely able to think, but his body couldn't move at all.

Even his soul power seemed frozen, unable to be summoned.

Aside from his struggling thoughts, his body was completely out of his control—he was utterly trapped.

"It's over, Dragon God Douluo Mu En. I'll remember your name," Snow Empress said coldly, her voice emotionless.

She gathered the surrounding icy energy, forming a huge ice bow.

Snow Empress gently drew the bow. In the eyes of all those from Shrek Academy—filled with grief and despair—an ice arrow formed instantly.

As she released the string, the arrow became a dazzling white streak, flying like a meteor with a deafening sonic boom.

In an instant, the white arrow pierced the golden dragon's heart.

Puchi!

With a dull sound, golden blood sprayed out like a fountain, staining the sky.

The frozen space returned to normal.

At the same time, everyone regained their mobility, but they could only watch helplessly as the tragedy unfolded, powerless to stop it.

"Teacher!"

"Old Mu!"

"Ancestor!"

Cries of grief echoed across the sky as everyone stared in shock and sorrow at the golden dragon, now pierced by a gaping hole, golden blood raining down, hearts full of despair.

It all happened too fast—from Mu En's decisive use of the Light of the Sea God to block the killing blow, to Snow Empress freezing space and finally delivering a fatal blow. All these changes took place in less than a minute.

Yan Shaozhe and the others wanted to help, but Snow Empress's overwhelming power left them no chance. They could only watch their respected Mu En be killed, powerless to intervene.

Suffering such a fatal wound, Mu En's mighty true body could no longer hold.

The golden dragon's form faded, and Mu En's body dropped from the sky like a severed kite.

Everyone saw clearly—a gaping hole in his chest, his powerful heart gone, blood still pouring out, soaking his robes.

Mu En felt his body grow cold, his consciousness fading.

The howling wind seemed to play his final requiem, the cries of Yan Shaozhe and the others reaching his ears, filling him with guilt and helplessness.

He forced his heavy eyelids open and looked at the aloof Snow Empress, a bitter smile tugging at his lips: "So this is the power at that level? Truly awe-inspiring! Sorry, Snow Empress, I couldn't let you fully enjoy yourself!"

Even after giving his all, using the Sea God Pavilion's hidden strength and the Golden Tree's power to briefly return to his prime, against the Herrscher-form Snow Empress, he was still so small and powerless.

As cold spread rapidly from the hole in his chest, Mu En's entire body became encased in ice.

In his final moments, he looked back at Shrek Academy one last time.

The familiar buildings, filled with memories, now seemed more precious than ever.

His eyes were full of worry and reluctance. Shrek Academy, the place he had protected his whole life, now faced an unprecedented crisis.

Xuan Zi was competent but not a leader, Yan Shaozhe and others only average, and the younger generation like Ma Xiaotao had not yet matured—none could support the Academy's future.

He was truly uneasy. The Snow Empress's sudden attack was completely unforeseen.

He'd thought he had time to arrange things, to prepare Shrek's future.

But death arrived like a storm, shattering all his plans.

He could only pray silently that Shrek would survive this disaster.

The next moment, Mu En's thoughts faded into eternal silence, his consciousness dissipating.

His body became a crystal-clear ice sculpture, which, under the grieving eyes of Yan Shaozhe and the others, shattered into countless ice crystals, drifting down to cover every inch of Shrek Academy—like a sorrowful silver mourning veil.

"Dragon God Douluo… has fallen!" Du Busi stared blankly, his face full of terror and disbelief.

He looked fearfully at the Snow Empress, like a demon god in the sky.

Because he was far enough away, he'd avoided the spatial freeze, but even so, he deeply felt that terrifying freezing power.

Even the Light of the Sea God, Tang San's trump card, was helpless against this.

Dragon God Douluo—a peerless Limit Douluo—had no power to resist Snow Empress's attack.

Such terrifying power made his heart tremble with fear.

"Go! Now! Back to the Sect!" Du Busi didn't dare linger, shouting desperately.

The Snow Empress was so strong—who knew if she'd wipe out the Body Sect next?

After all, the Body Sect had once hunted hundred-thousand-year soul beasts en masse and had deep enmity with many soul beasts.

Facing such a powerful soul beast, the Body Sect felt no sense of safety.

No further urging was needed—his followers had already fled in terror.

Hearing his order, they turned and ran, desperate to get away before the Snow Empress noticed, fearing they'd share Mu En's fate.

Curious as they were about Shrek's fate, their lives were more important.

…

"Nothing happened?" Lu Jingming frowned, full of confusion.

Mu En had just fallen, but the back-up he expected from Tang San never appeared.

"Looks like your Sea God doesn't really care about that Academy," Herta smirked, mocking.

"Probably. The important thing is the Golden Tree, not Shrek Academy. As long as the Golden Tree's untouched, he won't act," Lu Jingming analyzed after thinking.

In his view, Tang San had left many safeguards, but, being tightly guarded by the God of Destruction, could only use them with great risk—so unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn't act.

To Tang San, Shrek Academy was just a tool to guard the Golden Tree.

Just like the Tang Sect he'd built, where all the secret skills and medicines were just nerfed versions—only the Clear Sky Sect, his blood relatives, got special treatment.

From the matter of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Lu Jingming saw Tang San's different attitudes toward the three powers: the Tang Sect, Shrek, and the Clear Sky Sect.

Both the Tang Sect and Shrek had no clue about the Well's location, while Clear Sky had a detailed map.

So, even if Shrek was in crisis, unless the Golden Tree was threatened, Tang San's hidden hand likely wouldn't activate.

Thinking this through, Lu Jingming became curious about Shrek Academy's next choice.

Now that Mu En had fallen, and with the terrifying Snow Empress present, Shrek's ability to resist had been destroyed.

In such desperation, would Shrek fight to the death, or hand over Huo Yuhao?

Lu Jingming was eager to know the answer.

Chapter 164: Shrek's Choice

At high altitude above Shrek, the Snow Empress quietly looked in the direction where Mu En had vanished, a trace of emotion in her heart.

Another top powerhouse gone from the Douluo Continent.

But this sentiment faded quickly, and she cast Mu En from her mind.

She raised her hand to her chest, quietly feeling the Herrscher Core's power, and recalled the move she just used, her eyes filled with amazement.

"Above all heaven and earth, I alone am the honored one"—this was a move she'd developed after fusing her own powers with the Herrscher Gem.

Just now was its first real battle test.

Though she'd anticipated its power, the actual effect far exceeded expectations.

Freezing space was something she'd imagined, but that even Limit Douluo couldn't resist it, and not even the Light of the Sea God could withstand it, was shocking.

The terrifying power brought by the Herrscher form—even Snow Empress herself was amazed.

She slowly floated down, eyes icy as she looked at Yan Shaozhe and the others blocking her.

Yan Shaozhe's eyes were bloodshot, burning with hatred and anger.

Behind him, more than a dozen Titled Douluo were tense, radiating anger and vigilance, watching her as if facing a mortal enemy.

"Hand over Huo Yuhao, or you all die!" The Snow Empress's icy voice swept over everyone, laced with chilling killing intent.

As she spoke, a cold tide swept over the group.

All the Titled Douluo felt a wave of death threaten them, making them shudder.

They knew—even with numbers, against Herrscher Snow Empress, they were far too weak.

Just her divine armor alone was beyond their ability to even scratch.

Yan Shaozhe's lips trembled; he wanted to refuse her to defend Shrek's dignity.

But the bone-chilling cold strangled his throat, and he couldn't get the words out.

All the Sea God Pavilion elders looked deeply troubled.

They knew handing over Huo Yuhao would betray Mu En's last wish—Mu En had fought and died to protect him.

To hand him over now would destroy Shrek's prestige.

But if they refused, with her terrifying power, Shrek might truly be erased from the continent.

That power to freeze space made them shudder.

And with Mu En dead, none could wield the Light of the Sea God again.

Shrek Academy was in unprecedented peril.

If they'd had time to prepare, with their deep foundation, they could have summoned over fifty Titled Douluo to besiege the Snow Empress.

But her attack was too sudden, and with no time to prepare, Mu En had to face her alone—and died.

"My patience is limited. You have three minutes. If you don't hand over Huo Yuhao, this city doesn't need to exist," Snow Empress said coldly.

She released her divine sense, pressing down with soul power like a mountain.

Yan Shaozhe and the others felt their bodies sink, as if carrying a ten-thousand-pound weight, and tumbled helplessly from the sky to the snowy ground.

It was a brutal, direct demonstration of the vast power gap.

Numbers meant nothing before absolute power.

"Let's fight her!" Xian Lin'er, always hot-tempered, was instantly enraged.

She gripped her spear tightly, glaring at Snow Empress with determination.

"Lin'er, don't be rash!" Her mother, Elder Song, quickly stopped her.

She knew her daughter's temperament, and that charging Snow Empress was suicide.

"What else can we do? Give up Huo Yuhao? Old Mu died rather than hand him over—should we betray his wish?"

Xian Lin'er's words stirred a storm in everyone's heart; all fell silent under the weight of her question.

Betraying Mu En's will would be a blow to Shrek's honor and glory, built over ten thousand years.

"Then we fight her, all or nothing," Beast King Douluo Gong Changlong was equally fiery.

He clenched his fists, ready to die fighting.

"Cough…" At that moment, Xuan Zi's weak voice sounded.

Everyone was relieved to see him; after being struck by Snow Empress, they'd feared for his life.

Now, with Mu En dead, Xuan Zi was the most qualified to take charge.

But Xuan Zi was in a sorry state, clearly seriously injured.

He coughed hard, showing the cold had badly damaged his organs.

His eyes full of sorrow, Xuan Zi looked around at the now frozen Shrek Academy and then at Yan Shaozhe and the others before shaking his head and saying heavily, "Our decision concerns the life and death of Shrek City itself. Are we really going to risk all our students' lives for one disciple? Is that fair?"

Everyone was stunned—Xian Lin'er and others looked at him in disbelief, hearing a hint of giving up on Yuhao.

"Elder Xuan, if we give up Yuhao, where is Shrek's dignity? Are we to let it be trampled?" Xian Lin'er couldn't accept it.

"I agree with Elder Xuan. We can't sacrifice all our students for Huo Yuhao. We may die, but the Academy must survive!" Yan Shaozhe closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and said.

"Yan Shaozhe!" Xian Lin'er glared at him, full of contempt.

"There's no time—the Academy can't fall in our hands. Shaozhe, go bring Huo Yuhao." Xuan Zi's face was grim.

He was furious and unwilling, but reality left no room for pride—if even Mu En at his peak died, what could they do?

So long as Shrek survived, there was still hope for revenge.

But if the Academy was destroyed, all would be lost.

With no other choice, he made the painful decision—to sacrifice Yuhao, even if it meant betraying Mu En's will.

No matter Snow Empress's reason for taking Yuhao, Xuan Zi didn't believe Yuhao could survive in the soul beast hands.

Some, like Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo, still opposed this, but with Mu En gone, Xuan Zi's authority was highest, and with most supporting him, before the three minutes were up, Yan Shaozhe brought Yuhao out.

Everyone's eyes flashed with complicated emotions.

There was guilt for sacrificing Yuhao for the Academy's survival, and some blamed him for bringing disaster.

To many, Yuhao was the root cause of this calamity.

Yuhao himself was expressionless, strangely calm.

He'd guessed the result when Yan Shaozhe came to find him.

Mu En had died to protect him—Yuhao felt endless gratitude and guilt.

He knew why Snow Empress wanted him—most likely for the Ice Empress inside him.

He'd intended to step forward himself, but was stopped by Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao—before he could act, Mu En had already died in battle.

It all happened too fast for him to react.

No sooner had he begun to grieve than Yan Shaozhe came to get him.

Chapter 165: Ice Empress and Snow Empress

When Yan Shaozhe came, Yuhao already knew what choice the Academy had made.

He didn't blame Shrek Academy; he knew this was all because of him.

If he'd stepped out sooner, Mu En might not have died, and Shrek wouldn't be in such peril.

Even if Yan Shaozhe hadn't come, for Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and all the teachers and classmates who'd cared for him, Yuhao would've stepped out on his own.

Thinking of Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, Yuhao couldn't help but smile faintly.

He had people he cared for here, and relationships he treasured—so his sacrifice didn't seem meaningless.

Snow Empress curled her lip in mockery, full of disdain.

In her eyes, this supposedly righteous Academy, when faced with absolute power, revealed its true, base nature.

To save itself, it chose to compromise, sacrificing Yuhao to save the rest.

Although Snow Empress came for Yuhao, he was still a member of the Academy.

This act would chill the hearts of some students, but she didn't care.

In her eyes, only Dragon God Douluo Mu En was worth respecting in Shrek; the rest were nothing.

Yan Shaozhe and the others clenched their fists in anger and humiliation, but before Snow Empress's might, they could only swallow the bitter pill.

Meanwhile, watching Yuhao being taken away, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were frantic with worry.

Bei Bei was in disbelief; he never thought the Academy would surrender.

Mu En had died to protect Yuhao, yet the Academy made this choice—what was Mu En's sacrifice worth?

Han Ruoruo, Wu Ming, Ling Luochen, and other inner court disciples also felt disappointed.

They understood the decision was for the majority, but still, it was disappointing.

In the outer court, those who disliked Yuhao—Wufeng, Dai Huabin, and Zhu Lu—wore schadenfreude on their faces, seeing this as Yuhao's just deserts, oblivious to the real tragedy.

Ning Tian, as heir to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, was deeply concerned for Shrek's future and her own sect's fate.

As Snow Empress led Yuhao away, the storm abated, but the thick ice on the ground lingered, like the cold in everyone's hearts.

…

Far from Shrek, in an empty field, Snow Empress tossed Yuhao to the ground. "You know why I came."

Her eyes were full of killing intent, making Yuhao shiver.

"I know, you came for the Ice Empress, right?" Yuhao forced a bitter smile and stood up, dusting himself off.

"Xue'er!"

As he spoke, green light shone from Yuhao and coalesced outside—an almost transparent figure appeared before Snow Empress.

With green twin-tails and a petite figure, it was the Ice Empress.

"Bing'er, you really aren't dead!" Snow Empress's icy look melted instantly, replaced by a gentle smile.

"Snow Empress, long time no see!" A flash of white light revealed the Skydream Iceworm as well.

"You're… that lucky bug?" Snow Empress frowned, recalling the Iceworm's identity.

"Bing'er, what happened? Why are you attached to this human—did they use some despicable trick? I'll kill him for you."

She didn't care about Skydream Iceworm; before, she envied his luck, but now she didn't care about his million-year cultivation.

"No, Xue'er, let me explain!" Ice Empress quickly blocked Yuhao, afraid Snow Empress would kill him in a moment's rage.

She wasn't attached to Yuhao, but since she'd become his second martial soul, if Yuhao died, so would she.

Ice Empress then explained how the Skydream Iceworm lured her out, how she was drawn into their god-making plan, and how she chose to become Yuhao's second martial soul.

Snow Empress frowned upon hearing this.

The so-called god-making plan seemed logical on the surface, but was full of holes.

As a member of World Serpent, she now knew many secrets: in this era, neither humans nor soul beasts could become gods on the Douluo Continent, because all divine positions in the God Realm were filled.

Unless someone actively gave up their godhood and passed it to Yuhao, even with the Skydream Iceworm and Ice Empress's help, he'd have almost no chance.

Even if Yuhao could condense a god seat, without a place in the God Realm, it would all be futile—he wouldn't gain immortality, and might even live less than Ice Empress after her tribulation.

"Bing'er, I've already found a path to godhood. There's no need to pin your hopes on a human. Come back with me."

As a World Serpent member, she knew about the hidden power of the Stigmata. Once the Stigmata Space was opened, it could accommodate god positions.

She'd already received a Stigmata from Lu Jingming, and was collecting faith power in the Extreme North to prepare for condensing a god seat.

She also planned to get one for the Ice Empress—so she, too, could pursue godhood.

Since Ice Empress had abandoned her beast body, if she could reconstruct a physical form, she'd escape the soul beast curse and be free of tribulation.

Ice Empress's eyes lit up at this.

Compared to staying with Yuhao and the annoying Iceworm, she'd much rather be with Snow Empress.

But then her eyes dimmed. "Xue'er, I can't leave Yuhao. If I do, my spirit origin will quickly collapse and I'll die."

She explained that she was now Yuhao's second martial soul, her rings and bones bound to him.

To be free was almost impossible.

Snow Empress frowned—this was a tricky problem.

She was unmatched in battle, but Ice Empress's situation was complicated.

Quickly adjusting, Snow Empress called out, "Mobius, I know you're there. Help me!"

"Heh, you want my help? Are you ready to pay the price?" With a faint ripple in the air, Mobius appeared, smiling slyly.

"Xue'er, who is she?" Ice Empress looked at Mobius warily, feeling unprecedented danger.

Though the threat wasn't strong, her instincts screamed that Mobius was at least as strong as Snow Empress.

So many new powerhouses—what kind of organization had Snow Empress joined?

"Don't worry, Bing'er. She's my ally—you can trust her."

Snow Empress reassured Ice Empress, then looked to Mobius. "Help me, and I'll get you any experimental materials you want, even capture fierce beasts for your research."

"But I'm more interested in you," Mobius said, tapping her lips, eyes gleaming with amusement.

"Don't even think about it—and don't touch Bing'er!" Snow Empress snapped, instantly understanding Mobius's meaning and warning her.

"Heh, I'm always tolerant of allies," Mobius said, snake eyes narrowing, secretly cursing Lu Jingming for making all her lab mice so wary.

"Her spirit origin has merged into this kid's spiritual sea. While it can be separated, she can't last long outside. But as long as her body is rebuilt in time, there's no problem—you know who to ask."

Mobius glanced at Ice Empress and Yuhao—she'd been watching Yuhao for a while and knew his situation well.

"Don't worry, Bing'er, I can help you rebuild your body," Snow Empress said confidently.

She knew exactly who could help with this.

Yuhao remained calm, while Skydream Iceworm hesitated to speak, but the fear of Snow Empress silenced him.

Ice Empress looked at Yuhao, eyes hesitating.

She knew her decision would greatly affect Yuhao, and after a moment said softly, "If I leave Yuhao, how will it affect him? I chose to follow him willingly—I hope you don't hurt him, Xue'er."

Snow Empress frowned; it seemed living in human society had changed Ice Empress.

Before, she'd been proud and cold—when would she ever care about a human's fate? But now, she actually considered Yuhao.

Thinking further, Snow Empress realized she herself had changed too after dealing with humans.

She turned to Mobius.

After all, separating Ice Empress's origin was Mobius's job, and she wasn't sure if it would harm Yuhao.

"Don't worry. At worst, he'll suffer some spiritual damage, but with the Iceworm's origin, he'll recover in time."

Mobius smiled innocently, but a strange light flashed in her eyes.

If Lu Jingming were here, knowing Mobius as he did, he would have sensed something off.

But the others present didn't know Mobius's nature, so they noticed nothing unusual.

Chapter 166 – Separation from the Ice Empress

"Yuhua, I'm sorry, I have to leave now, but I sincerely hope you and Skydream will succeed." The Ice Empress looked at Huo Yuhao, a flash of guilt in her eyes.

She had originally chosen to follow Huo Yuhao, embarking together on this path full of unknowns in pursuit of godhood. But now, she had no choice but to make the decision to leave.

In her heart, Snow Empress' importance outweighed everything.

Compared to gambling on the almost impossible chance of becoming a god with Huo Yuhao, she'd rather believe in Snow Empress.

After all, the power Snow Empress had just demonstrated far surpassed even Limit Douluos, shaking everyone present.

Shrek Academy, renowned across the continent, was utterly powerless before Snow Empress, suppressed by her overwhelming force.

If not for the fact that the aura on Snow Empress was still somewhat lower than the divine power released by the gods during the great battle ten thousand years ago, the Ice Empress would have thought Snow Empress had already become a god.

"There's no need for this, Ice Empress. I should be thanking you for choosing me back then. Without you, I could never have made it this far. If you want to leave, that's your freedom. I have no right to interfere."

Huo Yuhao shook his head lightly. Though his expression showed regret, it was clear he understood and accepted her decision.

Deep down, he knew the Ice Empress had her own choices to make. Without her help, he would never have been able to shine so many times, defeating Dai Huabin, and even forcing his rival to kneel and admit defeat.

"Just separate my spiritual origin. As for the soul ring and soul bone, I don't need them anymore." The Ice Empress turned to look at Mobius. Although she instinctively felt this woman was dangerous, since Snow Empress trusted her, she chose to let go of her doubts and place her trust as well.

She knew clearly that her soul ring and soul bone had long since merged with Huo Yuhao. Forcibly removing them would be no different than killing him.

"Alright, little guinea pig, get ready!" Mobius smiled softly, her smile carrying an unfathomable meaning.

Before her words faded, green arcs of electricity danced at her fingertips, which she gently pressed to the center of Huo Yuhao's brow.

At that moment, the Ice Empress' figure outside instantly dissolved into countless green light particles, quickly returning to Huo Yuhao's brow.

At the same time, the Skydream Iceworm wasted no time in returning to Huo Yuhao's spiritual sea.

He knew very well that splitting the Ice Empress' soul origin was bound to damage Huo Yuhao's own spiritual source. He had to go all out, using his own origin to make up for the loss and help stabilize Huo Yuhao's mental space.

Inside Huo Yuhao's spiritual world, a dark snake shadow with green markings quietly appeared, opening its bloody maw and swallowing a jade-green orb of light—the very core of the Ice Empress' soul.

Huo Yuhao felt as if an invisible giant hand was tearing his soul apart. Agonizing pain overwhelmed him, making him groan uncontrollably. His face turned as pale as paper, and darkness almost claimed his consciousness.

Fortunately, the Skydream Iceworm reacted quickly, using his million-year-old spiritual origin to promptly patch up the wound in Huo Yuhao's mind, preventing further harm.

Outside, Mobius withdrew her finger. In her palm now floated a ball of emerald light—the pure soul origin of the Ice Empress.

"Ice!" Snow Empress looked worriedly at the soul origin.

"Take it. Find that guy within three days, or her soul origin will dissipate." Mobius tossed the soul origin casually to Snow Empress.

Snow Empress hurriedly caught it, immediately wrapping it in a gentle layer of white light, forming a sturdy protective barrier.

"I understand. Thank you. I'll do as I promised."

She sincerely thanked Mobius, glanced at Huo Yuhao—who was clutching his forehead in pain—then turned into a beam of dazzling white light, speeding off toward Haiyuan City.

She had promised Ice Empress not to harm Huo Yuhao, and so she would not. As for Mobius, she couldn't control what she might do.

Mobius looked at Huo Yuhao with interest. At that moment, the soul tool storage device on his wrist suddenly shattered, revealing a dark red gemstone emitting an eerie glow.

The gem seemed almost alive, flying on its own to Huo Yuhao's brow and slowly merging with him.

"An unprocessed pseudo-Herrscher core… Can a Herrscher personality be born in this world too? How intriguing!"

Mobius stared at Huo Yuhao, who was now enveloped in a dark red glow, as if he were a fascinating experiment. Her figure gradually faded, dissolving into space.

"Pain, guilt, regret, hatred… How could 'I' be so weak!" In Huo Yuhao's spiritual world, the Skydream Iceworm was working hard to heal him when a familiar, haunting voice echoed from behind.

Both the Skydream Iceworm and Huo Yuhao's body jolted violently—the voice was unmistakably Huo Yuhao's own.

Instinctively, the two looked toward the source of the voice—only to be shocked by the sight of another Huo Yuhao in the mental space.

This Huo Yuhao looked almost identical except for blood-red pupils.

"Who are you? Why are you in my spiritual world?" Huo Yuhao's face was still pale as he stared gravely at the blood-eyed doppelganger, while the Skydream Iceworm looked on in disbelief.

"Who am I? You should have guessed by now. I am you!"

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao smirked, his powerful spiritual force spreading out, resonating with the whole space. In the blink of an eye, he seized control of Huo Yuhao's spiritual domain.

"Dai Huabin tried to kill you, but you never dared truly retaliate. The Academy shielded him, and you endured in silence. Snow Empress killed your teacher, and you didn't even dare show hatred. Shrek Academy abandoned you, Ice Empress has now left you too, and you just silently accept it all. How could I be so weak!"

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao's eyes blazed, and a flood of negative emotions surged into Huo Yuhao's mind.

The feeling was so familiar that Huo Yuhao blurted out, "You—you're that gemstone!"

"Yes and no. I was born from your negative emotions—your escape, your weakness. I am you."

He wasn't lying. Though the gem's power had helped, this was a true part of Huo Yuhao, born from his own accumulated pain and weakness.

"I will avenge my mother, I will kill Dai Huabin, and I won't forgive anyone who betrayed me!"

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao's voice was crazed and evil—he was the embodiment of negativity.

"Brother Skydream!" Huo Yuhao's face grew even paler. He shouted for help.

The Skydream Iceworm responded immediately. Ten giant golden orbs in the sky released spiritual power, transforming into chains that shot toward the blood-eyed Huo Yuhao, trying to bind him.

"Brother Skydream, I told you, I am Huo Yuhao. I am your true master."

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. Instantly, the entire spiritual world trembled. Dark red light surged, engulfing the Skydream Iceworm.

The golden chains stopped in their tracks, the golden orbs above dimmed and lost their luster.

"Brother Skydream!" Huo Yuhao gasped, not expecting the Skydream Iceworm to be subdued so easily. The power of this blood-eyed self was beyond his imagination.

"Sleep. When you wake up, it will all be over. I'll avenge mother and make everyone who hurt or betrayed me pay!"

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao appeared directly before him, his blood-red eyes full of madness, staring into Huo Yuhao's soul.

"Sigh!" Just as Huo Yuhao was about to fall into unconsciousness, an old and helpless voice sounded.

"Grandpa Yi, will you stop me too?" The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao paused and turned to see Electrolux had appeared.

"Little Yuhao, it seems it's my fault…" Electrolux looked troubled. With his powerful consciousness, he could tell this blood-eyed Huo Yuhao was not some outside evil—he was Huo Yuhao himself.

In short, the blood-eyed Huo Yuhao was a second personality.

Not innate, but catalyzed recently by his suffering and the mysterious gem.

Electrolux was full of guilt. If not for him, Huo Yuhao would never have bought the gem, used it to cultivate, or given rise to this dark second self.

"Grandpa Yi!" Huo Yuhao struggled to resist the negativity, looking at Electrolux with difficulty.

"Little Yuhao, I've always told you, hatred is not all there is to life."

Electrolux spoke, spiritual power gathering at his fingertip as he pointed at the blood-eyed Huo Yuhao.

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao sneered, blood-red lines spreading from his eyes and forming a third, blood-colored eye in his forehead, set with a dark red gem.

With this change, a wave of bloody spiritual power exploded. Electrolux's energy body shuddered, strange red lines appearing on his form.

"So that's it. I was careless—only a wisp of my consciousness remains. If this was my prime, I'd never fall for such a trick!"

Electrolux looked at the spreading red lines with resignation.

Chapter 167 – Crimson Douluo, Scarlet Nightmare

Electrolux never imagined that the very gem he once used to restore his own spirit would become his greatest weakness.

"Grandpa Yi, I've always known how strong you are. I know you'd never agree with me, so just keep sleeping."

The blood-eyed Huo Yuhao bowed respectfully.

He was Huo Yuhao, after all, and knew Electrolux and the Skydream Iceworm inside and out. Of course he'd prepare thoroughly before making his move.

He had been quietly lurking within the gem all along, waiting for the moment when the Ice Empress was separated and the main personality was at its weakest, to seize control and overpower the Skydream Iceworm.

Because Electrolux had used the gem to restore his spirit, he became vulnerable to the blood-eyed self's power.

Otherwise, with Electrolux's help, he'd have no chance of victory.

As Electrolux's consciousness faded, Huo Yuhao lost consciousness, falling into darkness. Yet, as the main personality, he could faintly sense what was happening.

In the outside world, Huo Yuhao collapsed, his body glowing with a sinister dark red light.

The glow radiated mental waves, frightening off all nearby animals, who scattered in terror.

Yet, while this evil power drove away animals, it attracted an unexpected guest.

"So this is the place!" With a deep whistle from the sky, a massive emerald bird descended from above.

Its wings spanned several meters, feathers gleaming like jade in the sunlight.

On its broad back sat a gothic-looking girl, around twelve or thirteen years old.

She held an ornate parasol, legs swinging playfully. She was cute, but radiated an indescribable evil aura.

The girl had long dark red hair in twin ponytails, and striking blood-red eyes.

She looked at the unconscious Huo Yuhao below with interest, a sly smile on her lips. "Interesting. Such wicked spiritual waves—a good seedling indeed."

With a flick of her finger, a faint blood-red thread flashed in the air.

The jade bird's eyes turned dull, and it obediently landed, stretching its giant beak to pick up Huo Yuhao.

But just as the beak neared him, the air turned freezing cold. Gray mist spread rapidly.

A planar gate opened, emitting a chilling aura.

A giant skeletal dragon's head poked through, green fire burning in its eye sockets, spewing a blast of icy breath.

The blast instantly froze the jade bird into a beautiful ice sculpture.

"Huh, undead?" The gothic girl's face darkened, but as she eyed the skeletal dragon and the wave of undead pouring from the portal, her interest grew.

She calmly stood in mid-air, watching with idle curiosity.

At that moment, Huo Yuhao opened his eyes, now clouded and blood-red, looking at the girl in the sky with a sullen expression.

He cursed inwardly: after all the effort to seize control of his body and subdue Electrolux and the Skydream Iceworm, he immediately ran into a Title Douluo.

What rotten luck!

He could dominate in his own mind, using the gem's power, but in the real world, his soul power was only at the Soul Elder level. No matter how strong his spirit, he was no match for a Title Douluo.

Helpless, he released the undead from Electrolux's demi-plane, hoping to create chaos and escape.

"Interesting, little one. Want to join us?"

The gothic girl laughed sweetly, but her laughter sent chills down Huo Yuhao's spine.

She revealed her nine soul rings—three purple, five black, one red.

Such a terrifying combination made Huo Yuhao's pupils contract sharply.

A powerful pressure descended, no less than that released by Xuan Zi. Countless blood-red threads fell like rain, precisely attaching to the summoned undead.

To his shock, Huo Yuhao found his control over the undead instantly wrested away.

Even worse, blood-red threads silently wound around his own body, binding him completely.

"When did this happen?" Huo Yuhao's face darkened, the blood in his eyes growing fiercer.

He couldn't figure out when she had made her move.

"Why, right when you tried to run!" The gothic girl flashed before Huo Yuhao.

She tipped his chin with a delicate finger, wearing a proud smile.

"I'm Scarlet Nightmare, Title: Crimson. The Holy Spirit Hall's Third Consecrator. Little one, want to join us? We're the same kind, you know!"

Her voice was soft, tinged with temptation.

"Holy Spirit Hall? Never heard of it!" Bound tightly, Huo Yuhao could still use his spiritual power.

He stealthily gathered power, sending a dark red glow into Scarlet Nightmare's mind.

"Hmph!" She snorted. Huo Yuhao felt as if his head had been struck by a hammer, blood pouring from every orifice.

"Bold little one! Your spirit is strong, but I'm a ninety-seventh-level Title Douluo. The gap between us is immense. If not for your interesting abilities and potential, I'd have killed you a hundred times for that stunt!"

A murderous glint flashed in her eye. If not for his talent and the evil power she appreciated, Huo Yuhao would already be a lifeless puppet.

"What do I get if I join?" Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth, enduring the pain.

He was filled with helplessness, but his desire for survival and power forced him to swallow his pride.

"I'll make you the Holy Son, how about that?" Scarlet Nightmare was delighted—if he would submit, everything would be easy.

Bringing such an outstanding talent back would surely please the Supreme Master.

"Deal!" Huo Yuhao squeezed out the word.

He no longer wanted to return to Shrek Academy. He had no better options. The Holy Spirit Hall, with a Third Consecrator this powerful, was clearly a hidden powerhouse.

He wanted revenge and strength. In these circumstances, finding a strong backer was the best choice.

He had thought about joining the Body Sect, but now, there was no other choice.

Refuse, and Scarlet Nightmare would kill him on the spot. He didn't want to die so easily.

"Excellent!" Scarlet Nightmare smiled in satisfaction. She had been drawn here by the fierce battle in Shrek City, but found an unexpected treasure instead.

"Come, I'll take you to the Hall!" She grabbed Huo Yuhao by the collar as if he weighed nothing.

She released her control over the undead, not even glancing at the jade bird, her former mount.

Huo Yuhao hurriedly recalled the undead to the demi-plane before leaving.

…

In the God Realm, Tang San hurried back to the Sea God Hall from the Forbidden Land, immediately using the divine sense left on Wang Dong to observe the lower world.

Within moments, his expression turned grave.

Huo Yuhao had left Shrek Academy, disrupting all his plans.

With Huo Yuhao separated from Wang Dong, even as a God King, Tang San briefly lost track of him.

He could have found him by other means, but the God of Destruction was watching his every move, forcing him to be cautious and patient.

Chapter 168 – Tang San's Doubt

"How could the timing be so coincidental?" Tang San frowned deeply. Just now, the Golden Dragon King in the Forbidden Land had begun attacking its seal.

As a law enforcer of the God Realm, he had to inspect things personally.

But in just that short time, so much had changed in the lower world—Huo Yuhao had slipped from his grasp!

Time passed differently in the God Realm; one day there equaled a year below.

Though he'd only checked the seal briefly, much had changed below.

With the feedback from the Golden Tree and Wang Dong, Tang San understood what had happened.

He had already started guessing at Snow Empress's sudden display of power; she was the first to break free of his calculations, which was not unexpected.

As for his divine sense clones left on the Golden Tree and Wang Dong, they would only act if those two were truly threatened.

Now that his plans had gone astray, Tang San's face grew darker, but his experience kept him calm. He quickly began working on a new solution.

But with the God of Destruction watching, he had to take things one step at a time.

…

"Tang San must be very confused right now."

Lu Jingming received news from Mobius about Huo Yuhao being taken away by a Holy Spirit Hall powerhouse, and couldn't help but smile slyly.

"That Golden Dragon King is interesting—even sealed, it keeps building strength. If it breaks free, it'll take several God Kings to stop it. It's much more powerful than your little silver dragon."

Herta tilted her trademark witch's hat, speaking with interest.

"Well, the Golden Dragon King inherited the Dragon God's power, so it's naturally stronger. But Herta, how did you do it?"

Lu Jingming tilted his head, curious.

He wondered how Herta had managed to let the Golden Dragon King attack its seal, forcing Tang San to respond.

"It was simple. I just fed it some Honkai energy to perk it up." Herta looked relaxed, as if it was nothing special.

Lu Jingming checked his own Honkai energy reserves and grimaced.

Not to mention how Herta had gotten into the heavily guarded Forbidden Land, but the point was—this was not a little Honkai energy. His reserves had dropped by half.

Still, if it distracted Tang San long enough to derail his plans, it was worth it.

Now that Huo Yuhao was in the Holy Spirit Hall, Tang San's plans were completely off course.

And Lu Jingming knew that after all these changes, Huo Yuhao was no longer the naive boy he had once been.

Thinking of the pseudo-Herrscher gem, Lu Jingming grimaced again.

He'd given it to Mobius to help her pick a World Serpent executive, but she'd ended up handing it to Huo Yuhao.

He knew Mobius would never give out such an item without a reason. The gem must be full of traps.

"Your little Snow Woman is here."

Suddenly, Herta spoke up. With a wave of her hand, space itself twisted and folded.

Within this spatial distortion, Lu Jingming vanished without a trace.

…

In Haiyuan City, outside a luxury villa on the sea cliffs, Snow Empress was quietly searching for Lu Jingming's aura. The moment he appeared, she sensed him and flew over like a streak of white light.

Before, Lu Jingming had been in Herta's lab, which was shielded from detection.

"Lu Jingming, I have something to ask you!" Snow Empress landed in front of him, straightforward and urgent.

"It's about the Ice Empress, right? Mobius told me. I can help her rebuild her body."

Lu Jingming glanced at the white orb in Snow Empress's hands—the Ice Empress' pure soul origin.

The Ice Empress hadn't known Huo Yuhao for long, so she chose Snow Empress with no hesitation.

But Huo Yuhao hadn't lost out—he still had the Ice Jade Scorpion martial soul and its rings and bones.

"What do you want? I'll agree to any condition."

Seeing Lu Jingming not immediately act, Snow Empress offered.

Lu Jingming smiled gently. "You misunderstand. For me, helping Ice Empress is just a bit of soul power—not worth asking for payment. We're on the same side, aren't we? But I do have a better idea."

His words were sincere. With his Black Abyss White Flower, helping the Ice Empress was nothing.

"What idea?" Snow Empress, realizing her mistake, blushed, covering her embarrassment by asking.

"You've heard of Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Marrow, right?" Lu Jingming said softly, admiring the rare blush on her usually cold face.

"Of course. It's an ice-type treasure. Why do you ask?" Snow Empress frowned, puzzled.

She knew its reputation well—the Skydream Iceworm had become a million-year soul beast after swallowing a great deal of it.

"If I use Mysterious Ice Marrow to rebuild Ice Empress' body, the effects will be even better. She'll recover her power faster."

Lu Jingming explained patiently.

"I know, but Mysterious Ice Marrow is extremely rare. It's hard to find even a piece anywhere on the continent."

Snow Empress frowned. She understood its value. With it as the foundation, Ice Empress could easily reach Limit Douluo, and with a Stigmata, prepare for godhood.

"I know where there's plenty of it."

Lu Jingming got straight to the point.

"Really!" Snow Empress's eyes lit up, her usual coolness forgotten in her excitement.

If there was truly a large amount, not only would Ice Empress benefit, but Snow Empress herself could speed up her own progress toward becoming a god.

"Why would I lie?" Lu Jingming rolled his eyes.

He did know—there was a large reserve in the Dragon City of the Heavenly Soul Empire, deep underground.

It was accompanied by top-tier soul metals.

The Mysterious Ice Marrow would be valuable to many, so he had already planned to collect it at the right time.

"Where is it? I'll go now."

Snow Empress was impatient, her usual aloofness gone.

"Don't rush. It's in territory that belongs to someone else. We need to plan. I'll make a temporary body for Ice Empress first." Lu Jingming said seriously.

With Snow Empress's power, she could steal it by force, but he had a better plan.

"Why bother? I'll do it myself. Even if it was in Shrek Academy, the Body Sect, or the Star Dou Forest, I could take it."

After single-handedly subduing Shrek, Snow Empress had grown confident—her tone was full of dominance.

"Listen to me." Lu Jingming's gaze was firm and commanding.

His words, though few, brooked no argument.

Under his gaze, Snow Empress felt her heart flutter for some reason. She quickly looked away, hesitated, then nodded softly. "Alright."

"Don't worry, you'll get the Mysterious Ice Marrow. No need to rush. Give me Ice Empress' soul origin."

Seeing her compliance, Lu Jingming smiled gently, back to his usual kind demeanor.

"Mm."

Snow Empress handed over the white orb, showing her complete trust.

Chapter 169: Seizing the Yang Soul, Scattering the Yin Spirit – The Hour of Midnight Has Arrived!

At this moment, the Ice Empress was completely stunned, her mind blank with shock.

She never expected that the person Snow Empress sought would turn out to be Lu Jingming.

She wasn't unfamiliar with Lu Jingming—after all, during the Soul Master Tournament, she had watched through Huo Yuhao's perspective, and Lu Jingming's performance on the field had left a deep impression.

But that wasn't the most shocking thing. What truly left her speechless was Snow Empress's attitude toward Lu Jingming.

Just now, Snow Empress had behaved so obediently and modestly—where was the dignity of the Lord of the Extreme North? Where was the terrifying aura of a powerful beast?

The once cold, proud, and aloof Snow Empress, at just one word from Lu Jingming, had instantly backed down, even handing over her own soul origin without hesitation!

Ice Empress even wondered if she was under an illusion, if all of this was just a dream.

Lu Jingming now thrust his pure white lance into the ground, instantly expanding a domain of pure white light centered on himself.

Bathed in this gentle radiance, Lu Jingming began reconstructing a physical body for the Ice Empress.

He had long since decoded the blueprint of human genetics and was thoroughly familiar with the structure of the human body.

Besides, for now, he only needed to create a temporary vessel for the Ice Empress, so there was no need for absolute precision—a regular human body would suffice.

Waves of white creative power flowed out, gently enveloping the Ice Empress' soul origin and slowly merging with it.

Lu Jingming carefully adjusted the frequency of his power, ensuring that even this ordinary body would be molded according to the unique blueprint of the Ice Empress' soul.

If the soul and the body didn't match, the Ice Empress would face all sorts of difficulties using it—possibly even severe problems.

As his soul power was steadily consumed, a figure gradually formed in the dazzling white light.

The figure was petite, yet with graceful curves, and slowly became clear.

"It's done!" Finally, the body was complete.

Lu Jingming withdrew his lance from the ground, a faint look of exhaustion on his face.

For him, using his White Flower to create a body was indeed a draining task.

As the bright light faded, the Ice Empress' figure appeared before him and Snow Empress, clear as day.

But the next moment, the corners of Lu Jingming's mouth twitched unconsciously, his gaze shifting away awkwardly, and Snow Empress's expression also changed.

The Ice Empress slowly opened her eyes, feeling out this new body.

Though it was incredibly fragile compared to her original form, what surprised her was how utterly familiar it felt—as if it was her original body, with no sense of disconnect.

She was amazed. She never imagined a human martial soul could possess such miraculous power—to help others reconstruct a body!

But suddenly, Ice Empress felt a chill—something was wrong.

Instinctively, she looked down and her eyes widened—her bare feet were exposed. This body, just like her old transformed form.

But that wasn't the worst part—where were her clothes?

She might be a soul beast, but she still had basic shame. Every time she transformed, she'd conjure clothes. She was no mindless beast!

Snow Empress shot Lu Jingming a helpless glare, then took a white robe from her storage space and gently wrapped it around Ice Empress, finally covering up what shouldn't be seen.

Compared to Snow Empress, Ice Empress' figure wasn't as impressive, but she still had a few curves—Lu Jingming thought to himself, "Little apple, huh!"

Noticing Ice Empress' fierce glare, Lu Jingming helplessly spread his hands and explained, "I can make the body, but I can't make clothes!"

Ice Empress clenched her fists, but with this fragile body, she felt helpless.

This vessel was just too weak—she didn't even dare use any of her residual power, fearing she might accidentally tear it apart.

Her desire to punch Lu Jingming was obvious, so he coughed lightly and said to Snow Empress, "Take Ice Empress to rest. She'll need time to adjust. In a few days, I'll take you to get the Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Marrow."

"Snow Empress, what's your relationship with him?"

As Lu Jingming walked off, Ice Empress finally straightened her clothes and looked at Snow Empress curiously.

She was full of questions about Snow Empress's changes.

And the Ten-Thousand-Year Mysterious Ice Marrow was a treasure even soul beasts like her and Snow Empress dreamed of—was Lu Jingming really going to let her use it so generously? What was his motive?

"What relationship? I'd say he's my savior." Snow Empress thought for a moment, then told Ice Empress everything that had happened to her in detail.

She trusted Ice Empress deeply—after all, Ice Empress had nowhere to run in her current state and joining the World Serpent was basically a done deal.

Honestly, if Ice Empress really took the Mysterious Ice Marrow without paying any price, even she'd feel uneasy. There's no such thing as a free lunch in this world!

As for joining World Serpent, Ice Empress had no objections.

If Snow Empress had joined, why would she refuse? Besides, joining gave her a chance to become a god—a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Only a fool would turn it down.

To live, to become a god and gain immortality—she'd been willing to gamble with Huo Yuhao before, so why not join World Serpent now when the odds were even better?

Still, Ice Empress felt Snow Empress's attitude toward Lu Jingming was more than just gratitude.

Otherwise, with Snow Empress's usual pride, how could she be so obedient?

…

Meanwhile, Lu Jingming was looking at a message from his soul communicator, a faint smile on his lips.

Originally, he had planned for Snow Empress to quietly sneak into the Earth Dragon Sect and find the hidden cave to take the Mysterious Ice Marrow.

After all, though the Earth Dragon Sect sat on a treasure, their abilities were limited—they could only use the energy from the cold spring to temper their disciples' bodies, which was a waste.

But the message Ji Yingying had sent changed his mind.

He decided to enter the Earth Dragon Sect openly, not just to take the Mysterious Ice Marrow, but also the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal mine.

….

….

Time moved forward. In Mingdu, capital of the Sun Moon Empire, a brutal massacre was unfolding inside a secluded three-story building.

Several white-robed, white-masked White Wuchang agents from the Wuchang Division flitted among a group of black-robed men, reaping lives like reapers from hell.

With every shriek and spatter of blood, life proved heartbreakingly fragile.

"How did you Wuchang people find this place? The Holy Church won't let you go!" roared a burly black-robed man—a six-ring Soul Emperor.

With his roar, his soul rings flared, black flames engulfed him, and amid the wails of souls, he turned into a giant black skeleton.

The skeleton swung its massive claws, shrieking and howling with vengeful spirits, causing the White Wuchang agents to pause briefly.

"Pointless struggle!" Ji Yingying snorted coldly, her chain flashing with icy blue flames and slicing through the skeleton, burning it to ash with ghostly fire.

"Hell doesn't take wandering ghosts like you. Disappear!" she said coolly, whirling her chain, her face as cold as frost.

She'd dealt with these evil soul masters often in the Sun Moon Empire.

Compared to the mission-focused, efficient killers of Wuchang Division, the evil soul masters of the Holy Church were truly disgusting.

At least she never ate human flesh, drank blood, devoured souls, or tortured innocents—she gave her targets a quick end.

By comparison, the Wuchang agents were the good guys.

"Second Brother! Damn it, if the Third and Fourth Elders were here, you'd never get away with this!" screamed another Soul Emperor as his brother fell.

He was a villain, yes, but this was his brother—his grief turned to fury.

"Die!" he howled, white flames bursting from him as vengeful spirits rushed at Ji Yingying.

The temperature plummeted, and the wails of the ghosts chilled the soul.

"Seize the yang soul, scatter the yin spirit—the hour of midnight has arrived!" Ji Yingying intoned, her blue ghost-fire exploding outward, targeting souls and making her the bane of evil soul masters.

As the blue flames raged, the wraiths screamed and vanished, perhaps finding release at last.

Seeing his ghosts destroyed, the evil Soul Emperor's face twisted.

He produced a white flag radiating evil—a Level 7 soul tool called the Holy Spirit Banner, made by the Holy Church's Third Elder.

It contained countless imprisoned spirits, and once unleashed, could overwhelm even a Soul Douluo.

This was why the Third Elder dared leave so many people behind—so long as the banner was there, no one but a Title Douluo could breach the Holy Church's stronghold.

"You made me do this—Holy Spirit Banner, Ten Thousand Ghosts Devour Souls!"

As countless ghost faces poured from the banner, the temperature dropped to freezing, and a thick layer of frost covered the secret chamber.

Seeing this, Ji Yingying's brow furrowed. Dark red chains wrapped her arms, burning with blue flames.

At the same time, nine soul rings appeared on her body.

"You… are you Wuchang Title Douluo? How can this be—you're here?!"

The evil Soul Emperor's face turned white with terror.

The Holy Church had clashed with Wuchang before, and many of their elders had suffered—so they knew about the Wuchang Title Douluo.

Her soul ring configuration—five black, four red—was unforgettable.

Seeing nine rings, he guessed her identity at once.

"Ghostly Fire, Manifest!"

Ji Yingying ignored his panic. She became a mass of blue ghost-fire, which surged upward and swept through the underground cave.

Chapter 170: Greater Lord Rukkhadevata

The Wuchang agents had already retreated at the first sign of Ji Yingying's nine soul rings.

They knew well the power of the ghost-fire—best to avoid friendly fire.

The blue fire transformed the cave into a sea of flames, the wails of the ghosts making the dungeon a true hell.

The battle lasted barely ten seconds before silence fell, the blue flames fading away.

When the Wuchang agents re-entered, only Ji Yingying remained.

As for the evil soul masters, their fate was clear.

"Go—go free your parents," Ji Yingying said to a pink-haired girl at the entrance.

The girl was about fourteen or fifteen, with healthy tanned skin—plain but pleasant looking.

"Yes, Lord Yama!" The girl's eyes shone with excitement.

She rushed into the depths of the chamber—her movements practiced, clearly familiar with the place.

Soon, the sound of her sobs drifted out—soft but full of both grief and joy. She must have found her parents' imprisoned souls.

A few minutes later, she reappeared before Ji Yingying, eyes red and cheeks tear-stained.

She dropped to her knees, her voice hoarse with emotion. "Thank you, Lord Yama, for fulfilling my wish! I'm willing to join Impermanence and serve you forever, without a single complaint!"

Her name was Na Na. Since childhood, she'd been in the Holy Church's clutches.

To control her, they'd imprisoned her parents' souls, forcing her to work as their spy at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.

But she'd always hoped to free her parents, even though her strength was insufficient.

Until Wuchang found her and promised to help in exchange for the location of the secret base.

Now, seeing the Holy Church's stronghold destroyed and her parents' souls freed, she had no more attachments.

Driven by hatred for the Holy Church and gratitude to Ji Yingying, she joined Wuchang, vowing loyalty.

She had also discovered, while undercover, that Mingde Hall was secretly colluding with the Holy Church, which made her hate the Academy and the Empire even more.

"Good. From now on, you're a White Wichang." Ji Yingying took a white mask from her pocket and handed it to Na Na.

Lu Jingming had provided Na Na's information, so there was no need for further vetting.

Na Na was talented—if nurtured, she could become a Title Douluo.

Her unique martial soul made her a perfect assassin, and Wuchang's style suited her.

With no more attachments, and out of gratitude, Na Na would now do anything Ji Yingying asked.

At the same time, Ji Yingying learned from Na Na that this Holy Church base had been guarded by the Third Elder, a Level 9 soul engineer nicknamed Ming Lei Douluo, who had already left for Dragon City in the Heavenly Soul Empire.

Lu Jingming, upon hearing this, recalled who the Third Elder was—a diehard admirer of Nan Shuishui, the Earth Dragon Sect master, who was a powerful Soul Douluo with the Rouge Dragon martial soul, able to fight even Title Douluos.

But now she faced both Ming Lei Douluo and You Ming Douluo, two evil Title Douluos—a huge threat.

Unless she stayed inside Dragon City, she'd be in grave danger.

The Third Elder had always wanted to kidnap Nan Shuishui, but the city was guarded by the Sky Dragon Douluo, a Super Douluo, so he never dared act.

But now, with the Holy Church cooperating with the Sun Moon Empire, their elders moved more freely.

This was why Lu Jingming opposed Snow Empress' idea of simply robbing the Mysterious Ice Marrow.

He planned to step in when the Earth Dragon Sect was in crisis, earning their gratitude—and making it easier to request the Mysterious Ice Marrow and Divine Crystal later.

He even considered recruiting the Earth Dragon Sect itself.

Dragon City would eventually fall to the Sun Moon Empire. The Earth Dragon Sect would need a new home—and Haiyuan City seemed perfect.

This way, Lu Jingming could avoid the reputation of a bully, unlike the Body Sect, whose brute force made them widely disliked.

Besides, this roundabout strategy wouldn't take much more time or energy.

With Snow Empress' power and two evil elders, they could easily handle it.

Thus, he could get the treasure, win goodwill, and rid the world of evil—all at once.

"If I remember right, the Sunset Forest is near Dragon City, and the immortal herbs in the Icefire Yin Yang Well should be useful to you, Buer."

Lu Jingming glanced at the blood-red stigmata on the back of his hand, speaking softly.

"I'm not sure, but as you said, absorbing the powers and memories of those herbs should strengthen the World Tree Stigmata," came a gentle, intelligent voice.

A beautiful woman in white appeared behind him—her hair fading from white to green, braided at the ends, her ears pointed like an elf, radiating wisdom and kindness.

"The World Tree isn't just a tree—it's knowledge, memory, wisdom. Its life force comes from that," Lu Jingming explained. "As its avatar, if you absorb those herbs, you should gain their powers and strengthen the Stigmata."

The immortal herbs all had miraculous powers, and in the presence of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata, their powers would only nourish her further.