[DD2]: 467 (Patreon)

Su Yu’s tone was resolute. As a transmigrator, he understood all too well the importance of an army.

Such a powerful tool—how could he hand it over to someone else without any reservations?

His relationship with Ju Zi was decent, but personal matters were personal, and official business was official.

Moreover, Ju Zi was deeply scheming. In the original story, she even colluded with Huo Yuhao to kill Xu Tiannan for the sake of power.

Although Xu Tiannan was hardly a good person, he had done Ju Zi favors.

Yet, when Ju Zi made her move, there hadn’t been a shred of hesitation.

Su Yu had always been wary of such women, full of calculations.

He couldn't trust Ju Zi completely.

Very few people could truly make him lower his guard and enter his heart.

Xue Di was silent for a moment, but she had to admit that Su Yu was right.

If this powerful army was established, the central authority should indeed remain in his own hands to be truly secure.

Su Yu’s approach seemed somewhat heartless, but it was the truly mature way.

Xue Di looked at Su Yu before her; this man she had watched grow up was already nothing like he used to be.

Xue Di sighed softly, "You’ve grown up. You’re not the same as before."

The little boy Su Yu had been at six was worlds apart from the man now plotting to control the world.

Su Yu smiled faintly, "You too—you’re not the same as before either."

Ever since Xue Di had followed him, she had become more and more human-like.

She was becoming more like a living person, not just the cold Snow Empress.

"Yes, we’ve both changed. Maybe that’s what growing up is," Xue Di sighed.

Su Yu smiled and gently ruffled her long hair.

…

Two days later.

After spending two days showing Meng Hongchen and the others around the Ice God Palace and letting them experience its local customs, Su Yu and Xue Di turned their attention back to the Ice God Trials.

Ice Battle Hall

The second hall among the nine Ice God Halls, second only to the main hall in importance.

Ice Battle Hall Hall was the repository for the Ice God Hall’s legacy techniques.

The one guarding it was the Ice God Palace’s Second Guardian, Lu Yuan.

Ice Battle Hall Hall stored all sorts of cultivation techniques and secret skills, even the insights and original soul skills developed by strong practitioners over the generations.

Its importance rivaled that of the Sea God Pavilion at Shrek Academy.

Every Ice God Palace expert at or above Super Douluo level would, before their death, compile their life’s learning and upload it to Ice Battle Hall Hall.

Over time, the heritage here had become unimaginably deep.

Among it all, the most important were the Ice God's Secret Techniques created by the Ice God herself.

These were the very core that Lu Yuan was tasked with guarding.

"Greetings, Young Master!"

In front of Ice Battle Hall, Lu Yuan bowed to Su Yu.

Su Yu waved a hand, "You know why we’re here. Open the hall."

Lu Yuan complied and opened the doors.

Ice Battle Hall was different from the Main Hall and Ice Treasure Hall that Su Yu and the others had visited before.

On either side of the hall stood layer upon layer of wooden shelves, made from ten-thousand-year-old Ice Heavenly Wood.

On each shelf rested books made from soul beast pelts.

Thanks to the special properties of Ice Heavenly Wood, these ancient books had survived the passage of time as if new.

Su Yu only glanced at the shelves before focusing on the very front.

At the front of the hall stood a small statue of the Ice God.

In front of the statue was a protruding rectangular jade pedestal.

This was not ordinary jade, but the highest quality ten-thousand-year-old cold jade.

Upon the pedestal floated a scroll, shrouded in icy blue light.

Seeing Su Yu’s gaze, Lu Yuan explained, "Young Master, the Ice God's Secret Techniques are recorded in that very scroll."

"This Ice God Scroll was crafted by the Ice God herself. It has no offensive power, but it can transmit secret techniques."

"The scroll contains a total of nineteen Ice God Secret Techniques. These nineteen techniques are the foundation of our Ice God Hall's legacy."

Su Yu’s eyes flashed, "I remember you guardians can learn three Ice God techniques, right?"

Lu Yuan nodded, "Young Master has a good memory. That’s correct."

"Guardians undergoing the divine trial can learn three secret techniques. Top-tier trial-takers can learn two. Black-rank trial-takers can learn one."

"Also, if you’re a commander of the Ice God Hall’s garrison or guard corps, you can additionally learn relevant military techniques."

"It’s not a completely closed system."

"Oh?"

A thought struck Su Yu. "Does that mean the formations trained by the Ice God Guard and the Hall garrison come from this scroll?"

Lu Yuan paused, then smiled wryly, "Young Master sees through everything."

Su Yu smiled and gestured, "Let us have a look at it."

He was, of course, referring to the Ice God Scroll.

Lu Yuan stepped forward, saluted the Ice God statue, then dispelled the protective aura and took out the scroll.

The scroll was icy blue at both ends, crystal clear, and the surface was snow white, engraved with beautiful patterns of glaciers and snowflakes.

Lu Yuan handed it to Su Yu, who unrolled it ever so slightly.

Immediately, lines of golden script appeared on the pristine scroll.

They were the names and descriptions of the Ice God Secret Techniques.

“Ice God Secret Technique: Absolute Ice Rebirth — Rapidly restores injuries and vitality in a short time, with no side effects.”

“Ice God Secret Technique: Divine Descent — Summon an Ice God avatar; briefly channel the Ice God’s divine power. Requires Ice God Pearl.”

“Ice God Secret Technique: Ice Burial Art...”

Su Yu read through them all; all nineteen secret techniques appeared before his eyes.

Among them, he saw the “Sublimation,” “Ice God’s Gaze,” “Ice Punishment Light” and others that Mu Wu had cultivated.

He had to admit, these were indeed worthy of the Ice God’s creation; each had unique uses.

“That old woman’s got some skill,” Su Yu muttered to himself. To create so many secret arts—her comprehension was nothing to scoff at.

Lu Yuan’s mouth twitched, pretending not to have heard the murmur.

Calling the Ice God “old woman”—that was something only the Young Master dared!

“Ice God Secret Technique: Hexagram United Domain — Multiple ice-attribute soul masters can jointly create a massive field for attack or defense.”

“Ice God Secret Technique: Ice God’s Spear — A powerful group skill, the more ice-attribute soul masters and the better the cooperation, the greater the power.”

Su Yu’s gaze paused. These were probably what the current Ice God Guard and garrison were training.

He’d always thought those were passed down through the generations—not actual Ice God Secret Techniques.

“Icefall Spear Technique — thirteen forms, requires the Icefall Divine Spear.”

“Icefall Divine Spear...”

Su Yu thought of the super divine weapon in the Ice God Main Hall.

So, this was the accompanying spear technique!

A transcendent spear art for use with a super divine weapon—one of the Ice God’s proudest skills.

If he could master the Ice God Spear Technique, it would be a huge advantage for Su Yu.

“Too bad…”

Su Yu shook his head—too bad he hadn’t gotten the Icefall Divine Spear yet.

He was only at the fifth trial.

Su Yu scanned through everything and handed the scroll to Xue Di.

Xue Di took the scroll, gazing at the nineteen secret techniques, and fell into deep thought.

Lu Yuan couldn’t help reminding her, "Mistress Xue’er, you can only learn three Ice God techniques in your life. Please choose carefully."

As a Guardian of the Eight Trials, Xue Di could only ever choose three.

Unlike Su Yu, who would, in the end, be able to learn them all.

Lu Yuan, as a caretaker, felt obliged to remind her.

Su Yu agreed, "Lu Yuan’s right, Xue’er. Pick the ones that’ll help you the most. Don’t bite off more than you can chew—not all of these are equally valuable."

All nineteen were mysterious, but some were stronger, some weaker.

And the difficulty varied.

Techniques like “Sublimation” and “Divine Descent” were certainly very hard to master.

After all, among so many powerful skills, Mu Wu had only mastered one: Sublimation.

One’s energy and time were limited; making choices was necessary.

After a moment, Xue Di asked, "Second Guardian, which three have you learned?"

Lu Yuan chuckled, "Mistress, I learned Ice Fury, Absolute Ice Rebirth, and Ice God’s Armor."

Xue Di’s beautiful eyes sparkled. Ice Fury put the user into a berserk state, boosting all attributes by 100% and ice attributes by 200%.

Ice God’s Armor condensed ice armor onto the body, greatly increasing physique and defense.

With Absolute Ice Rebirth, these three seemed somewhat unremarkable.

Seeing her look, Lu Yuan grinned, "I’m not very bright, so I picked the simple ones."

"The most talented is Lingguang—her insights are no worse than Big Brother’s, maybe even better."

"Oh?" Xue Di raised her eyebrow—Shui Lingguang?

She glanced at Su Yu. It seemed there was something between Shui Lingguang and him.

But she didn’t care. Looking at the scroll, Xue Di said, "I’ll choose this one."

Su Yu looked, "Ice God Secret Technique: Ice God’s Majesty?"

"Divine Majesty, not to be violated; suppresses all ice elements—the lower the target’s attribute, the greater the suppression, up to extreme ice."

"Xue’er, you want this one?"

This wasn’t very suitable for Xue Di.

She was the Snow Empress, an extreme ice being herself.

Against most ice attributes, she could suppress them anyway.

As for ultimate ice soul masters—how many were there in the world?

He, Shui Lingguang, Xue Di, and the girl named Su Tong with the Snow Maiden martial soul.

Only four in total.

For Xue Di, this skill wasn’t very useful.

"After the fifth trial comes the sixth. I think this might come in handy," Xue Di smiled, like a glacier thawing—breathtakingly beautiful.

Su Yu fell silent.

He didn’t know what the sixth trial was, but he had some guesses.

It would involve combat.

Xue Di’s choice made sense.

But for her, this skill was not very useful, but hard to discard.

"Su Yu, don’t try to talk me out of it. I’ve decided."

Xue Di quickly added.

Su Yu looked deeply at her and sighed.

"I really can’t do anything with you."

Xue Di smiled, "How do I acquire the cultivation method?"

Lu Yuan said, "It’s simple. Just touch the technique you want to learn."

Xue Di did as instructed, placing her finger on “Ice God’s Majesty.” A golden light shot out, entering her forehead.

She closed her eyes and sensed for a moment, then opened them.

"I’ve got it. You pick yours now."

She handed the scroll to Su Yu, who thought for a long time and picked three:

Ice God Secret Technique: Sublimation

Ice God Secret Technique: Absolute Void

Ice God Sword Technique

Absolute Void created a personal domain within a three-foot radius, blocking all attribute attacks.

The Ice God Sword Technique was his preparation for the sixth trial—another ultimate move created by the Ice God.

He also had a grade-nine soul device sword, Han, which would boost his combat power.

He could even temporarily borrow the Sword of Winter from Hai Bodong—a pseudo-grade-ten soul device, still quite powerful.

"Young Master, from now, you have one month to master these three techniques," Lu Yuan said.

Su Yu nodded, "I know."

A month—not much time.

These three techniques wouldn’t be easy to master. It was a challenge.

But Su Yu wasn’t afraid. Challenges only excited him.

He received the cultivation methods for the three techniques and handed the scroll back to Lu Yuan.

"Let’s go, Xue’er. We’ll see in a month."

Xue Di followed Su Yu out of Ice Battle Hall and hurried back to their residence to begin their training.

…

Meanwhile, as Su Yu began his trial, a small town in the Sun-Moon Empire was filled with screams of agony.

A boundless blood-red light covered the town, and every living thing inside vanished, one after another.

Amid the endless blood glow, hideous wraiths surged upward, only to be devoured by someone above.

"Delicious!"

Ye Xishui, in a red robe, her eyes blood-red, showed a trace of satisfaction.

These wraiths, full of resentment, grief, despair, and hatred, were the best nourishment.

Their pure life essence was as addictive as a drug to Ye Xishui.

"What a great method! If I’d gotten this technique earlier, I’d be far stronger by now."

Ye Xishui’s eyes were feverish. With this means, she’d have been invincible on the continent already.

Never mind Mu Wu—even Hai Bodong would be nothing to her.

Her rapid progress in recent days had given her immense confidence.

"Xishui, stop—don’t keep making mistakes!"

Not far away, Long Xiaoyao stood in black, his voice full of grief and pain.