As for why only Huo Yu'er was left behind, there was naturally another arrangement.
When Ye Wen returned, he saw Huo Yu'er gazing at Snow Empress with sparkling eyes.
"Big Sister is so beautiful~"
Snow Empress had long been aware of her impending fate and was exceptionally kind and gentle toward Huo Yu'er.
"The little sister is very cute too."
When Ye Wen came back, Huo Yu'er eagerly asked, "Master, this beautiful big sister isn't going to be my stepmother, is she?"
Ye Wen was momentarily startled. Though Snow Empress had indeed been his wife in the original timeline, this was not that timeline.
"You little brat, don't go around saying nonsense," Ye Wen said, lightly flicking Huo Yu'er's forehead.
"Ow~ Master, I'm sorry!" Huo Yu'er immediately cowered.
However, Ye Wen clearly noticed a fleeting shadow of dimness in Snow Empress's eyes. It wasn't due to love but rather the instinctive admiration for strength that most living beings possessed.
The original text only recorded one criterion for Snow Empress's choice of partner: they had to defeat her and be stronger than her. Unfortunately, as one of the soul beasts second only to Di Tian, there were very few on the current Douluo Continent who could confidently claim victory over her.
Having been single for over 200,000 years, even if Snow Empress no longer harbored thoughts of romance, it was only natural for her to feel a sense of loss when someone who finally met her standards didn't reciprocate her feelings.
Ye Wen quickly scanned the surroundings before raising a barrier to simulate concealment, ensuring no one could spy on what was about to happen.
"Let's begin," Ye Wen instructed calmly.
Snow Empress snapped out of her thoughts and nodded slightly.
Before Huo Yu'er could react, a strong red light enveloped her and Snow Empress.
At this moment, Ye Wen's calm voice echoed, "Calm your mind and focus. Don't think too much.
Snow Empress is offering herself as a sacrifice to bestow your blank second ice-attribute spirit with true spirit bloodline power. Reflect deeply; this fusion process is when you'll most easily comprehend your new spirit."
Huo Yu'er, having experienced a sacrifice once before, quickly understood her situation. She nodded seriously, then opened her heart, closed her eyes, and began to sense the power of Douluo Continent's sole Ice Empress using her formidable spiritual strength.
Snow Empress's figure began to grow faint. In the final moment of the sacrifice, she glanced at Ye Wen and gave a slight nod of gratitude.
Ye Wen watched the scene indifferently.
In essence, the so-called God Realm of Douluo was nothing more than a group of parasites—or perhaps all god-level beings in this universe were parasites.
Without the faith of ordinary life or the primordial spiritual energy contained within the world, all god-level beings would face their own demise.
Though Ye Wen possessed the technology to share divine cores, even the most skilled cook couldn't make a meal without rice. Currently, Ye Wen didn't have any divine cores at his disposal.
While Ye Wen could open his own Sea God Rule World for other beings to comprehend, this path was unsuitable for beings like Snow Empress and Ice Empress, who were born of ice and snow.
If Huo Yu'er were to rebel against the God Realm in the future, she would undoubtedly need her own loyal followers.
Though Ye Wen could painstakingly condense an ice-type divine core through time and resources, that wasn't what he wanted. Since Ye Wen would eventually leave, he needed to start cultivating Huo Yu'er's loyal base now, binding them tightly to her from this point onward.
Though these methods might seem underhanded, Huo Yu'er undeniably had the qualifications.
This journey of climbing from zero to the top stirred something deep within Ye Wen, who observed and assisted from the sidelines. He felt a faint stirring, as if he were touching upon something profound.
At this moment, Ye Wen's thoughts wandered. The future God of Emotions? Ye Wen sneered disdainfully.
"As the chosen child of the plane, don't disappoint me, Little Yu'er," Ye Wen muttered softly to himself.
Afterward, Ye Wen planned to observe further. If Huo Yu'er's heart proved broad enough, perhaps she could one day inherit his position as the Ocean God.
Meanwhile, Snow Empress's sacrifice was nearing its end.
The moment the crimson barrier disappeared, Ye Wen hurried forward—but instead of supporting Huo Yu'er, he caught a small figure.
After a 100,000-year soul beast sacrificed itself, it wouldn't die outright. Its soul might slumber within the spirit ring or spirit bone.
As for its physical body, the outcome varied depending on the species of the soul beast. For instance, Ah Yin's soul hadn't entered her spirit ring or spirit bone but instead transformed into a seed alongside her body to enter hibernation.
Similarly, the Titan Ape and Azure Bull Python had entered Tang San's spirit rings and bones, while their bodies regressed into two entirely new juvenile forms.
Snow Empress was in a similar situation. Thanks to some measures Ye Wen had taken, Snow Empress was now enjoying the nourishment of Tian Meng Ice Silkworm's essence within Huo Yuer's soul. She would awaken anew once Huo Yuer broke through to Level 100.
As for why Ye Wen didn't allow Snow Empress to awaken earlier—Huo Yu'er, with her powerful support, no longer needed others' meddling guidance.
Their future only required them to revere Huo Yu'er as their empress.
Friendship? Bonds? These were fragile things in the face of absolute strength and authority.
Looking at the tiny loli sleeping soundly in his arms, barely reaching his calves, Ye Wen felt his heart melt.
Loli~ Supreme!
At this moment, Huo Yu'er opened her eyes. Her originally light blue short hair had transformed into waist-length white hair, and her expression was now filled with aloof coldness.
In that instant, the once lively girl had transformed into an unapproachable goddess of ice.
Her previously golden eyes had turned into a clear blue tinged with white, adding an ethereal divine aura.
The next moment, an overwhelming chill swept through the air.
Ye Wen watched the scene with satisfaction.
Though the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion from the original timeline was powerful, possessing both extreme ice and poison attributes, it still fell short compared to Snow Empress's ultimate ice.
However, Huo Yu'er soon sensed Ye Wen's presence. Her body trembled, and she fell from her lofty divine state back to mortal reality. The Ice Empress' spirit possession state vanished instantly.
"Ahh!! What just happened to me? How could I dare look at Master like that!?" Huo Yuer's inner thoughts screamed like a frantic prairie dog.
But Ye Wen didn't dwell on Huo Yu'er's earlier anomaly. With a chuckle, he said,
"Not bad, not bad. As expected of Little Yu'er—you've already mastered the Ice Empress spirit so quickly."
Praised in such a way, Huo Yu'er couldn't help but feel a bit bashful.
However, she soon noticed something new. With shining eyes, she skipped over to Ye Wen and looked lovingly at the little Snow Empress in his arms, asking,
"Master, who is this little sister?"
Ye Wen pushed Huo Yu'er slightly away and whispered irritably,
"Don't be so loud! What if you wake her up!?"
Women, regardless of age, were always rivals. Huo Yu'er, who had initially adored the little Snow Empress, immediately pouted.
"Hmph~ Master, you're biased. So does love really shift like that?"
Black lines appeared on Ye Wen's forehead. When had the once innocent Huo Yu'er started making jokes like this?
Indeed, Shrek Academy was inherently an evil place. Look what it had done to such a good girl!
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