The path to godhood was long and without end, but neither Shu Yan nor the Snow Empress were the type to rush. The two spent a great deal of time discussing the matter, and only after much deliberation did they finally reach a full agreement.
Perhaps because their future path had become clear, the two began to converse more often. The Snow Empress gradually started to personally guide Shu Yan in his cultivation. With her cultivation nearing the 700,000-year mark and her original form being the Ice Heavenly Snow Maiden, there was no one more qualified in the present age to be Shu Yan's teacher.
Her guidance proved immensely valuable. Many areas that had once seemed vague or confusing to Shu Yan were now as clear as day thanks to her concise instruction. To have a powerhouse on par with the peak of human Limit Douluos teaching him around the clock such a luxury could likely only be afforded by Shu Yan alone in this world.
Under the Snow Empress's near nanny-like supervision, Shu Yan's soul power officially reached Level 45 by the sixth month of his stay in the Extreme North. A thirteen-year-old Soul Ancestor such a feat was nearly unheard of on the continent. Even the legendary Black and White Twin Holy Dragons, once feared throughout the land, hadn't achieved this at his age.
After Shu Yan decided to continue his secluded training in the Extreme North for a while longer, the Snow Empress presented him with a gift of immense value.
It was a lotus-shaped plant that emitted a faint, icy blue glow. Its leaves looked like translucent ice crystals, shimmering with radiant light from within. The moment it appeared, the surrounding spiritual energy thickened noticeably. A light fragrance wafted through the air, instantly refreshing the mind and spirit.
Shu Yan's pupils narrowed slightly before he asked,
"This is…?"
A rare, gentle smile appeared on the Snow Empress's cool face. Gazing at the pure snow lotus, she spoke softly:
"You've sensed it as well this is a one-hundred-thousand-year snow lotus. I obtained it through a fortunate encounter. I had originally intended to use it to complete the sealing of my own origin. But now that I've abandoned that path, the snow lotus no longer serves that purpose. Giving it to you lets it fulfill its final role."
After a brief pause, she added:
"The snow lotus is a supreme plant-type soul beast, but it's extremely difficult for it to awaken intelligence. Even after reaching the hundred-thousand-year level, its consciousness is still no stronger than that of a common hundred-year soul beast. However, precisely because of this, the essence it contains is far purer and denser than other soul beasts of its kind. The energy within is enough to completely transform the body, like a rebirth. Although I've already absorbed a portion of its energy, the remaining spiritual essence and origin power are still more than enough to help you undergo a metamorphosis and significantly raise your soul power."
Shu Yan accepted the snow lotus from her hands. Instantly, he felt a vast and overwhelming energy surge within him. Lifting his head, he looked at her earnestly and said:
"Thank you. I will repay this kindness if I ever get the chance."
The Snow Empress merely shook her head lightly.
"There's no need for such words between allies. From what I know, you humans don't even act this formally with your so-called companions."
Shu Yan chuckled softly, then explained:
"Human emotions are complicated. They can be pure, but also driven by hidden motives. True companions don't stand on ceremony—but when there's still some distance or unfamiliarity, basic courtesy is still necessary."
The Snow Empress nodded thoughtfully, seeming to reflect on the meaning behind his words.
"So you're saying… I'm still not someone you truly consider a companion?"
Her voice was calm, almost languid, and though a faint smile remained on her face, Shu Yan suddenly felt a chilling aura rise around her. A faint black mist curled at her side, sending a shiver down his spine. He gulped nervously and quickly responded:
"Of course not. I was only speaking of how things usually are among humans. You're… clearly not included in that."
At his words, the black mist slowly dispersed. Shu Yan quietly let out a breath of relief—her presence was still overwhelmingly intimidating.
The Snow Empress glanced at him, then casually took a seat on a nearby ice chair. Resting her chin in one hand, her sky-blue eyes shimmered with a hint of fatigue as she said lazily:
"Go ahead and begin refining and absorbing the snow lotus. Don't worry about anything going wrong any excess energy, I'll seal it into your origin for you. All you need to do is absorb as much of its essence and origin power as possible."
Shu Yan nodded and sat down cross-legged. The snow lotus hovered in front of him, and as he activated his energy, streams of pure blue-and-white spiritual power began to flow from the lotus into his body. Surprisingly, the energy was gentle and soothing—unlike the violent nature of absorbing a soul ring. It was more like warm water, subtly nourishing every part of him.
The Snow Empress let out a soft yawn. Her sky-blue eyes quietly observed Shu Yan's face, replaying all the moments they had shared since they met. A quiet laugh escaped her lips, curving into a faint smile only to fade just as quickly.
Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.
Shu Yan's aura continued to climb steadily. The sheer amount of energy stored within the snow lotus was immense. Even though the Snow Empress had already absorbed nearly half of its essence, the remaining portion still brought Shu Yan tremendous benefits.
In just seven days, his soul power rose from Level 45 to just one step short of becoming a Soul King saving him nearly a year of hard cultivation. With the nourishment of both the lotus's spiritual essence and origin power, his already impressive physique became even more formidable, and his soul grew stronger and more resilient.
But this wasn't even the greatest gain. The spiritual energy he couldn't absorb was sealed into his origin by the Snow Empress, where it would continue to subtly nourish him and accelerate his cultivation in the future. These seven days had truly been a complete transformation for Shu Yan.
The Snow Empress looked at his face—now subtly evolving due to the influence of her own Ice Heavenly Snow Maiden origin. For a moment, she was dazed.
If her beauty was noble and cold, then Shu Yan's was androgynous—his features softer, but still carrying a sharpness that hinted at feminine coolness. Rather than clash, this contrast only enhanced his charm. Simply put, Shu Yan now had a face that could captivate both men and women alike.
In that dazed moment, waves of ice-blue soul energy suddenly rippled outward from Shu Yan. The colors of his four original soul rings—originally purple, purple, purple, black—were stripped away and replaced by a deep, inky black. A complete evolution of his origin, combined with the snow lotus's vast energy, had allowed all four of his soul rings to ascend into black ten-thousand-year rings.
Shu Yan slowly opened his eyes. Far from being exhausted after seven days of refining, he felt refreshed and reborn lighter and more comfortable than ever.
The Snow Empress rubbed her forehead and walked over slowly, her clear voice ringing out:
"A thirteen-year-old Soul King… Even among humans, I doubt anyone in history has achieved this before."
Shu Yan laughed brightly.
"Then I owe you my thanks. Without this snow lotus, I wouldn't have been able to skip over so much effort."
The Snow Empress smiled faintly, clearly unfazed. With a wave of her jade-like hand, a crystalline seed floated up from the ground and landed in her palm.
"No need to thank me. The stronger you are, the greater our chances of success. I'm simply increasing my own odds of survival."
Shu Yan smiled wryly. For some reason, the Snow Empress was starting to give off a strange feeling… like an older sister looking after her younger brother?
Something flickered in his mind, making his body tense slightly. He quickly shook his head, banishing the odd thought from his mind.