The Extreme North Ice Plains—
Strictly speaking, the Extreme North Ice Plains was the largest gathering place for soul beasts on the Douluo Continent. Unfortunately, due to environmental factors, the number of soul beasts here was far fewer than in the Star Dou Forest. Additionally, because of their elemental attributes, they were rarely favored by soul masters on the continent.
However, the harsh environment had also given rise to some of the most fearsome beasts, second only to Di Tian.
At this moment, Ye Wen walked alone across the vast expanse of snow-covered plains.
For thousands of miles, everything was a pristine white, making it even easier to lose direction compared to a forest.
But even if Ye Wen closed his eyes, he could still find his way effortlessly. This land had served as the anchor point for the God Realm of Douluo in his original timeline.
Suddenly, Ye Wen paused and looked toward a nearby figure.
"Who are you?"
The voice was cold yet noble, melodious and pleasing to the ear. Ye Wen couldn't help but smile instinctively.
"How rude."
His tone was calm, but the next moment, a terrifying blizzard surged toward Ye Wen with overwhelming force, as if it intended to obliterate everything in its path.
Ye Wen sighed inwardly. No matter the timeline, the Snow Empress remained consistently noble and powerful.
Unfortunately—
*Snap!*
With just a single snap of his fingers, Ye Wen dispelled the attack, which had been akin to a natural disaster.
Snow Empress, who had only moments ago been slightly irritated, now furrowed her brows deeply. Her soul power surged rapidly throughout her body.
Since Ye Wen had completely concealed his aura, Snow Empress couldn't determine whether he was human or another apex predator like herself.
If he were human, someone this powerful wouldn't need her spirit ring—but tens of thousands of years of life had taught Snow Empress that humans would still covet her spirit bones, even if they didn't need her spirit ring.
He must die!
But if he were a soul beast that had broken through the 200,000-year mark, Snow Empress assumed Ye Wen might be testing his position in the food chain of the Extreme North Ice Plains.
In that case, she would have to subdue him and make it clear who truly ruled this land.
As for killing Ye Wen, Snow Empress hadn't considered it yet. The soul beast race was already weak, and despite her strained relationship with the Star Dou Forest, she didn't want to engage in infighting.
Unless Ye Wen committed an unforgivable atrocity.
Thus, before engaging in battle, Snow Empress cautiously asked:
"Are you human or a soul beast?"
Ye Wen merely smiled and did not answer directly. Eventually, he even crooked a finger provocatively.
"You'll find out if you win."
Snow Empress's expression turned icy, and she immediately charged forward.
Though she appeared human, Snow Empress was a pure elemental life form. Without the restrictive rules of the Douluo Continent, she could have been considered a born deity.
Years of coexisting with soul beasts had ingrained in her the concept of survival of the fittest.
An even more violent blizzard erupted suddenly, darkening the skies over a thousand-mile radius, as if heralding the end of the world.
"Emperor Sword, Emperor Palm, Emperor Frost Heaven!!!"
At this moment, the full might of Snow Empress's three ultimate techniques was unleashed.
Such a terrifying surge of soul power could be keenly sensed by the other two great rulers of the Extreme North Ice Plains, even from thousands of miles away.
"This presence—it's Sister Snow Empress! Why is she causing such a commotion? Could it be that human soul masters have invaded? I must go and assist her!"
Ice Empress transformed into a streak of emerald light, rushing toward Snow Empress's location.
Meanwhile, deep within a glacier, the massive Titan Snow Devil King abruptly widened its eyes and stared in Snow Empress's direction.
Though the Titan Snow Devil King was the weakest among the three great rulers of the Extreme North Ice Plains, the principle of mutual dependence applied. Moreover, it harbored feelings for Snow Empress. Despite only possessing 200,000 years of cultivation, it unhesitatingly rushed to her aid.
Snow Empress had unleashed her three ultimate techniques right from the start because she believed in using full force even against weaker opponents. However, she didn't wish to kill indiscriminately, so she initially used only half her power. Ye Wen did not retaliate but instead protected himself with a Perfect Cube.
"Not even a twitch. This unknown powerhouse is stronger than I imagined. Very well—I won't hold back anymore."
The Snow Empress, with 700,000 years of cultivation, now revealed her true strength. The blizzard, which had already covered a thousand-mile radius, suddenly doubled in size.
Yet, Ye Wen, shielded within the Perfect Cube, remained completely unaffected. He couldn't help but muse inwardly:
"So this is the peak of Snow Empress's power in the original timeline.
With her unique racial bonuses and mastery of extreme ice, her strength rivals that of a 99-level demigod. However, there's still a gap between her and a 99-level quasi-deity."
While Ye Wen was evaluating her, Snow Empress grew increasingly alarmed. Since her birth, she had always stood at the top of the food chain in the Extreme North Ice Plains. She had encountered Limit Douluo-level humans before, but never had she felt so powerless.
The more she attacked, the less confident she became.
At this moment, within the range of her Emperor Frost Heaven technique, Snow Empress suddenly detected two powerful surges of soul power.
"These soul power fluctuations—they belong to Bing'er and the Snow Devil King!?
Damn it, what are they doing interfering?!"
Snow Empress, who had been planning her escape, now felt a tangled mess of emotions. The Snow Devil King didn't concern her, but Bing'er was her close sister and absolutely couldn't fall victim to this unknown powerhouse.
"Run! This enemy is beyond your ability to handle. While I can still hold him off, escape quickly!"
Her powerful mental transmission caused the two uninvited reinforcements to pause momentarily.
The Titan Snow Devil King's expression grew complex. His original plan had been simple: since Snow Empress was so strong, her opponent must be in dire straits. Helping her would pose no danger and might even leave a good impression. But after hesitating briefly, he turned and fled.
On the other hand, Ice Empress, after pausing for less than a second, rushed straight toward the center of the battle.
"Stubborn Bing'er, why won't you listen?!"
Snow Empress gritted her teeth in frustration and sent several more mental messages, but Ice Empress ignored them and continued charging forward.
Snow Empress had originally planned to drive the two away and find an opportunity to escape later. Now, she had no choice but to face the situation head-on.
Ye Wen, standing calmly as a stationary target, wore a somewhat strange expression before shaking his head and sighing.
"Lesbian relationships are one thing, but this level of irrationality is unmatched. Originally, only one of them was in danger. Now both are trapped here."
As Snow Empress contemplated how to coordinate with Ice Empress to deal with Ye Wen, the Perfect Cube dissipated.
Even with Snow Empress's keen perception, she still couldn't track Ye Wen's movements.
The next moment, a warm, large hand grasped her slender neck.
Instead of the expected suffocation, Snow Empress was horrified to discover that all her soul power had been sealed. At this moment, she felt as powerless as an ordinary human without soul power.
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