The Extreme North.
A vast, boundless expanse of snow stretched as far as the eye could see.
A lone figure sat cross-legged in silence. Countless snowflakes drifted down from the sky, yet as they approached within a few meters of him, they quietly dissolved, as if an invisible barrier shielded the young man.
"This level of talent and perseverance… is truly extraordinary."
Ice Empress gazed at the figure on the ground and murmured softly.
"Heh heh, Bingbing, when have my instincts ever been wrong?" Skydream boasted smugly.
"…"
For once, Ice Empress did not strike with her scorpion tail. Instead, she simply observed in silence.
After all, if Xu Cheng failed to merge with her, she too would not escape death. Fortunately, this time, Skydream had proven reliable—he had actually found such an outstanding human.
A deep hum suddenly echoed across the world.
Centered around Xu Cheng's body, invisible ripples spread outward, causing waves of snow to surge into the air, reaching more than ten meters high in a spectacular display.
But Ice Empress quickly summoned a barrier.
She isolated the area from everything around them.
She could not afford to draw the attention of her former companions. Forget about Snow Empress—just Titan Snow Demon alone, if he saw her in this state, would charge at her furiously before she even had a chance to explain...
Everything could wait until the fusion was complete. No rush.
Another humming vibration resonated.
At the same time, a network of pale green lines spread across Xu Cheng's back, tracing along his meridians and bones, like an intricate web of spider silk. In no time, his entire back was covered.
A faint green glow radiated from the patterns. Simultaneously, a layer of abdominal armor slowly took shape, extending to his arms and the sides of his thighs. The translucent, ice-crystal-like carapace formed a second skin.
It provided complete protection over his vital areas.
"Wow, that armor is nice! The Ice Jade Scorpion isn't just terrifying in offense—its defense is also monstrous. That outer shell can withstand attacks far beyond its own level. Plus, this armor contains Bingbing's core essence. Even a Title Douluo's lethal strike would have a hard time piercing through it."
Skydream leaned in excitedly.
"Phew…"
Xu Cheng slowly exhaled a breath of impure air.
Then he stood up.
First, he fused with the soul bones. Then came the soul ring.
At the same time, he had acquired a third martial soul. In the future, there might even be a fourth one—Electrolux—but for now, his first soul ring for this martial soul was already blood-red…
Beneath his feet, Ice Empress' soul ring materialized.
The crimson soul ring glowed with four golden patterns.
These golden streaks signified Ice Empress' four-hundred-thousand-year cultivation.
Originally, she was only at three hundred and ninety thousand years, but with Skydream's help, she had broken through the four-hundred-thousand-year threshold…
"Congratulations, Host, for saving Ice Empress and altering the fate of the Ice Jade Scorpion! You have earned a reward: the 'Beast Soul Transformation Halo'! As long as this title is equipped, all one-hundred-thousand-year soul beasts will automatically gain a forty percent success rate when attempting to take human form!"
"Haha! We'll be together forever and ever, never apart~~!" Skydream passionately declared.
"Pfft!"
Inside the spiritual sea, Ice Empress' scorpion tail suddenly manifested and stabbed into Skydream's rear.
"AAAH~!"
…
The snowy landscape stretched endlessly.
On the snow-covered ground, a stunning young woman stood frozen in place, gazing off into the distance.
She had an impressive figure, long, straight legs, and skin as white and flawless as freshly fallen snow. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, without the slightest imperfection, as if sculpted by the heavens.
"So you've finally made your decision, Ice…"
She murmured.
Her voice was cold, and a complex emotion flickered in her eyes.
Though she had discovered it too late, Ice Empress' decision to fuse with that human was undoubtedly her own.
She knew Ice's personality well—if she did not want something, she would never accept it under any circumstances.
Even if it meant death…
"In that case, I should start making preparations as well."
Snow Empress sighed softly.
As the ruler of the Extreme North, the incarnation of snow itself, she suddenly felt an unfamiliar chill in her heart.
It was the feeling of loneliness…
…
"We must develop missiles. Do you know why?"
Xu Cheng's voice rang out sternly as he addressed the high-ranking military officers seated before him.
"Because missiles measure the true size of a nation's territory."
"Our Sun-Moon Empire has suffered for too long! For thousands of years, after being defeated by the other three nations, we did not fall into despair. Instead, we continuously advanced our technology, using soul tools to reshape the entire continent's balance of power. And the facts have proven—we have succeeded…"
Applause erupted across the room.
Seated in the audience was an elderly man with a head of silver-white hair, wearing the uniform of the Sun-Moon Empire military. Though aged, he remained vigorous, and his chest was adorned with an array of military honors. His sharp gaze locked onto Xu Cheng.
"Then, Your Highness Xu Cheng, I have only one question."
"In your view, regarding war against the other three nations…"
The entire room instantly fell silent.
All eyes turned toward Xu Cheng, waiting for his response.
"My answer is: within three years." Xu Cheng's expression remained emotionless.
A hush fell over the room.
Then—
"OH!!!"
"MAKE THE SUN-MOON EMPIRE GREAT AGAIN!"
"Our goal is the endless sea of stars!"
"After thousands of years of humiliation… are we finally going to cleanse our shame?!"
Countless officers roared in excitement.
The entire military assembly hall echoed with fervent voices.
Even the guards outside, unaware of what had transpired inside, glanced at each other in bewilderment.
Xu Cheng, however, merely handed the soul-microphone to the beautiful secretary, Juzi, beside him, before stepping off the stage.
At that moment—
The nearly one hundred mid-to-high-ranking officers in military uniforms stepped back in unison, opening up a path for him. At the same time, they stood at attention and saluted.
Xu Cheng, with an indifferent expression, slowly walked forward.
The elderly general who had posed the question, along with two other senior generals of similar prestige, followed closely behind him.
Their procession moved like a disciplined army, marching solemnly out of the conference hall.
Countless eyes watched as Xu Cheng boarded his vehicle, standing in salute, staring at the direction in which he departed.
Watching this scene, many people couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
The Sun-Moon Empire… was about to change.
…
Inside the soul vehicle.
Xu Cheng leaned back in the rear seat, exhaling deeply.
The people in that room just now—nearly all of them were at the rank of captain or higher, meaning they were at least Soul Sages. Those white-haired generals, in particular, included dozens of rank-eight soul engineers and even two rank-nine soul engineers.
Among them were leaders from the Four Great Beast Soul Engineer Corps, as well as high-ranking officers from the Imperial Soul Engineer Corps.
They represented the entire military.
Were they afraid of war?
No. On the contrary, they wanted war the most. At least ninety percent of them were hardline hawks.
Unlike the three original nations of the continent, where noble families tightly controlled the military, filling its ranks with the same old aging generals, entangling the system with layers of bureaucracy, stagnation, and deep-rooted interests.
Even the powerful Emperor of Star Luo, Xu Jiawei, could not change that.
The Sun-Moon Empire's military, however, was filled with fresh blood. Most of its commanders were academy graduates, forming a strong academic faction that held considerable influence.
Xu Cheng himself had studied at the Sun-Moon Imperial Academy. To them, he represented the future, new power, and reform. By contrast, the fourth prince symbolized the old regime—the remnants of past traditions. Many imperial family members had never even attended the academy.
The choice was obvious.
But just now…
Xu Cheng smacked his lips.
If this were a movie, only Wen Zhang could capture the feeling of that moment.
(End of Chapter)