Under Xue Jiujing's oppressive pressure, the Ice Empress finally forced herself to patiently listen to the entire story, from beginning to end.
Afterward, she fell into a long, troubled silence. She understood their situation all too well neither she nor Xue Jiujing had the strength to survive their next heavenly tribulation. That was an undeniable fact. She had never agreed with Xue Jiujing's old plan to take on human form in search of a way out; the risks were simply too high. The odds of success were about as likely as a massive wildfire breaking out in the frigid Far North next to impossible.
And yet, Xue Jiujing had already taken the first step onto the path of godhood. For some reason, the moment the Ice Empress heard the phrase "path to godhood," A strange, inexplicable feeling stirred in her. There was an odd sense of familiarity, even curiosity, though she couldn't quite explain why. The more she thought about it, the more baffled she felt.
The word "god" was something the Ice Empress found unfamiliar. In her eyes, it was a realm she could never hope to reach in her lifetime. Eternal life, overwhelming power those were the best ways to describe such a being. Perhaps deep down, she too longed for divinity.
As her thoughts churned, her gaze toward Shuyan gradually began to shift more complicated, more curious.
This human boy before her was the most talented, most dazzling one she had ever seen. Thirteen years old, yet his purity could rival even Xue Jiujing. A pure Ice and Snow Spirit Soul, a full elemental affinity with the ultimate ice, and five black spirit rings—each trait extraordinary on its own, and utterly impossible for an ordinary human. And yet here they all were, in one person.
Thinking of her and Xue Jiujing's looming deadline less than a century away and then looking at this prodigy with everything maxed out, practically wearing the word "genius" on his face, the Ice Empress suddenly felt... a bit at peace. Perhaps this boy was a gift from the heavens, moved by her unwavering devotion to Xue Jiujing?
To that, Shuyan could only silently think: Sometimes, self-persuasion really does work wonders.
The three of them sat cross-legged around a table of ice, each silent, no one speaking first. Finally, after what felt like ages, the Ice Empress broke the silence:
"If I agree to join you—if both Xue Jiujing and I help—how confident are you in becoming a god?"
Shuyan was slightly startled, then let out a soft breath before calmly replying:
"If the odds aren't at least ninety-eight percent, then what's the point? That's practically suicide."
"Everyone knows—I value my life very much."
"Of course… that's assuming nothing unexpected happens."
That last part, he only murmured inwardly, choosing not to say it aloud.
Hearing his answer, the Ice Empress gave a disdainful snort and said:
"Are all humans this arrogant? You make becoming a god sound like some trivial errand. Or is it that I've simply overestimated how difficult it really is?"
Shuyan wasn't offended. He merely replied coolly:
"The problem isn't the goal it's your perspective."
The Ice Empress froze, stunned, just about to erupt in anger when Xue Jiujing quickly stepped in to stop her.
Xue Jiujing looked at the two, both acting like children bickering, and gave a helpless sigh. But there was a rare, faint smile in her eyes as she cleared her throat and said:
"There's no point arguing now. Becoming a god is undeniably difficult. But no matter what, once we've chosen a path, even if it leads to death, we have to walk it. Life and death hinge on a single decision. Many fail to even take the first step—not because they can't, but because they fear death. That's the simple truth."
Xue Jiujing's words threw the Ice Empress into silence once more. Though more hot-tempered than her companion, she was by no means foolish.
Ranked seventh among the Ten Great Savage Beasts, her cunning and intelligence would rank among the elite even among humans. She didn't need Xue Jiujing to spell it out—she had already made her decision.
"Hey! Your name's Shuyan, right?" the Ice Empress suddenly asked.
Shuyan nodded slightly, not denying it.
"Heh…"
"Treat this Empress with some respect in the future. Don't think that just because you resemble my Xue Jiujing, I won't bash your face in. In the Far North, no one but Xue Jiujing has ever dared speak to me the way you do. Little Shu, you should be proud of yourself..."
Shuyan's forehead twitched slightly at her words. For a moment, he had no idea how to respond.
Little Shu?
What kind of ridiculous nickname is that? Sounds like one of those online authors from my previous life who keep vanishing mid-series...
Still, all jokes aside, the shift in the Ice Empress's attitude was a relief. Though she didn't directly say the words, her willingness to join was now beyond doubt.
While his thoughts wandered, the Ice Empress's mouth kept moving—still chattering away. Shuyan didn't catch a word, but he could guess the gist: more shameless self-flattery while singing endless praises of Xue Jiujing.
After thinking for a bit, he organized his thoughts and finally spoke again:
"Xue Jiujing, Ice Empress—perhaps it's time we have a serious discussion about... race."
Hearing that, the Ice Empress paused mid-sentence and glanced at Xue Jiujing. The two exchanged a look, then both nodded slightly.
Seeing this, Shuyan cleared his throat. His voice was calm, but somehow carried a subtle resonance that quieted both Empresses' hearts.
"For tens of thousands of years, the conflict between humans and soul beasts has raged on. The hatred runs deep—far beyond what can be resolved easily. But like I said before: when a common goal emerges, even two hostile races can find a way to set aside old grudges and seek understanding."
"You've both lived in the Far North for so long—you might not know just how far humanity has advanced. But I'll tell you this: humanity now has power rivaling even savage beasts. Some humans can hunt down soul beasts with ease."
"But humans don't do this unless absolutely necessary—because we all know that such actions could trigger a full-scale war. And war would mean endless bloodshed, possibly even drawing the wrath of the world's very fabric."
"In this age, there are three Limit Douluos among humanity. Each one was once a legend in their own era, and even now, their strength remains unrivaled."
"And in a country called the Sun-Moon Empire, humanity has even developed giant-scale soul tools capable of threatening Limit Douluos. Not to mention the ninth-tier soul-guided missiles—each one strong enough to obliterate an entire small city. These weapons are very real, and firmly within human control. The gap between humans and soul beasts is shrinking, slowly but surely. Even Di Tian can't change that."
"I don't ask that you abandon your hatred. I only hope you'll consider seeing things more clearly. Humanity has its share of monsters and tyrants but also brilliant minds, loyal hearts, and people of deep emotion. Maybe our emotions seem overly complicated to you, but I believe once you truly understand them you might see yourselves, and this world, in a whole new light."
Xue Jiujing and the Ice Empress listened quietly. Neither of them noticed it at first, but somewhere along the way, a new light flickered in their eyes a glimmer of something they hadn't felt in ages.
Hope.
It vanished as quickly as it came, but perhaps one day, they would seize hold of that hope—and when that day came, maybe they would look back on this quiet afternoon and feel nothing but deep gratitude for the choice they made.