"Since you're already here, why not show yourself?"
A calm voice echoed through the air. Beneath Chen Xiaoming, the Titan Snow Demon King froze momentarily before spreading his spiritual awareness in the direction of Chen Xiaoming's gaze. Upon sensing the approaching presence, a flicker of joy flashed across its face.
From within the swirling snowstorm, a familiar aura slowly emerged.
The wind howled, the snow thickened, and the surrounding air grew even colder. Yet, Chen Xiaoming remained unfazed, his gaze fixed intently on the approaching figure, excitement gleaming in his eyes.
Through the veil of wind and snow, a vague silhouette could be seen gradually approaching.
"Human, you should not have come here."
The voice was cold, devoid of emotion. The figure halted, making no move to come closer. Instead, the surrounding blizzard intensified.
"Release him and leave at once."
The Titan Snow Demon King beneath Chen Xiaoming trembled, his expression a mix of emotions—whether from relief at escaping death or joy at the arrival of his savior, it was unclear.
"Hahaha! Those who try to kill me have only one fate—death!"
Chen Xiaoming hesitated for a brief moment, surprised that the newcomer demanded him to release the Titan Snow Demon King. But soon, he burst into laughter.
"Even you... are no exception!"
As his words fell, soul power erupted from within Chen Xiaoming. In an instant, the Azurewood Dragon Spear in his hand gleamed with silver light and pierced through the Titan Snow Demon King's skull. The unleashed soul power wreaked havoc, but the most terrifying aspect was the silver glow, which directly tore open a spatial rift inside the Titan Snow Demon King's head.
"Roar...!"
The Titan Snow Demon King barely had time for a final cry of disbelief before the life in its eyes faded into nothingness.
One of the Three Northern Kings, the Titan Snow Demon King, had fallen!
"Huff... Huff... Huff..."
The wind and snow exploded into a raging storm. A suffocating, terrifying pressure spread from the distance, instantly causing an unbearable chill to rise within Chen Xiaoming, his body feeling as though it had been frozen stiff.
Not far away, the silhouette continued its approach. As Chen Xiaoming activated his soul power to enhance his vision, he finally saw the figure's true form.
The figure resembled a human—a girl of seventeen or eighteen. Her long, snow-white hair cascaded down her back, reaching her feet. Her slender figure was flawless, clad in a simple ice-blue gown that lacked any ornamentation yet radiated an ethereal elegance. She was like a winter plum blossoming in the frost, proud and untouchable.
Her sky-blue eyes were as clear as crystal, seemingly capable of seeing through everything in the world. Even with a trace of anger, she remained as ethereal as an immortal, untouched by worldly filth.
Snow Empress—the third-ranked among the Ten Ferocious Beasts, the sovereign empress of the Extreme North!
"Tsk tsk."
Looking at Snow Empress, who appeared as nothing more than a young girl, Chen Xiaoming clicked his tongue. He knew that she was one of the rare humanoid soul beasts, but her appearance was dangerously alluring. Fortunately, she had encountered him—Chen Xiaoming. If it had been anyone else, their primal instincts might have taken over.
"I wonder... would such a beautiful girl feel pain if she was pierced by my spear?"
Chen Xiaoming's eyes gleamed as he muttered softly.
"Shameless!"
A crisp, furious voice rang out. Having lived for seven hundred thousand years, Snow Empress had seen countless things. Yet, Chen Xiaoming's double-meaning remark about his 'spear' filled her with uncontainable rage.
With a delicate yet commanding gesture, she struck with her palm. A tidal wave of soul power surged forward, carrying the force of a raging sea. Most terrifyingly, the surrounding blizzard responded to her command, converging rapidly before her. Under the surge of her soul power, the frost and ice solidified, and for a brief moment, the storm itself seemed to come to a halt.
Chen Xiaoming reached out and touched a falling snowflake, watching as it melted into water in his palm. Just as he marveled at its transformation, the suspended snowflakes throughout the world suddenly surged toward Snow Empress.
"Empress Palm—Great Cold Without Snow!"
As her palm struck out, the heavens changed color. An overwhelming cold wave surged toward Chen Xiaoming, enveloping him entirely.
This chill was different from the Titan Snow Demon King's domain, which merely slowed movements. Snow Empress's cold was absolute—it sought to freeze everything solid.
Even before her attack landed, its sheer force rivaled the Titan Snow Demon King's strongest blow. Chen Xiaoming clenched his Azurewood Dragon Spear tightly.
It no longer mattered what Snow Empress was thinking.
A battle with a seven-hundred-thousand-year-old Snow Empress—where else would he find such a worthy opponent?
Snow Empress's jade-like right hand radiated with icy brilliance, appearing as though it had been carved from the finest white jade.
As the icy aura surged, the world around them was restored to its natural state. The blizzard resumed, yet Snow Empress's figure had vanished.
A subtle fluctuation rippled through the snowstorm, and Chen Xiaoming's expression sharpened. His Azurewood Dragon Spear, which had remained still until now, shimmered with silver light as he thrust it forward.
"Buzz..."
A faint hum resonated as an extreme chill traveled up the Azurewood Dragon Spear, creeping toward Chen Xiaoming. Snow Empress's figure flickered, retreating thirty meters away.
"Crack... Crack... Crack..."
Ice crystals began spreading from the tip of his spear. Even as Chen Xiaoming channeled his soul power to resist, he could only slow the freezing process.
The glow of his eighth soul ring shone—its red brilliance enveloping the Azurewood Dragon Spear. Yet, to his surprise, even the power of a hundred-thousand-year soul ring could not dispel the freezing force.
Chen Xiaoming's gaze sharpened with intrigue.
This Empress Palm—Great Cold Without Snow—was truly formidable. No wonder even after Snow Empress's later revival as a Limit Douluo, even the mighty Boss Niu* admitted that no one could withstand a full-powered strike from her.
At this level of power, even a Limit Douluo would have to retreat.
Across from him, Snow Empress floated gracefully in the air. Standing amidst the storm, she exuded an air of absolute dominance, looking down at Chen Xiaoming coldly.
No one had ever survived being struck by her Empress Palm.
Chen Xiaoming lifted his head calmly. The sheer might of Snow Empress excited him. A mysterious aura began spreading from his body, and in that moment, the raging blizzard seemed to pause.
His body slowly floated upward, his robes billowing without wind. Half of the Azurewood Dragon Spear was already encased in ice, but Chen Xiaoming lifted it nonetheless. A flicker of silver light flashed through his eyes, and the spear was suddenly enveloped in silver radiance.
As the silver glow emerged, the encroaching ice was momentarily halted. At its edges, traces of inky darkness appeared. A rift of blackness split open, instantly swallowing half of the Azurewood Dragon Spear.
Across from him, as soon as the black void appeared, Snow Empress's expression grew solemn. The surrounding blizzard became even more frenzied.
Chen Xiaoming withdrew his right hand, pulling the Azurewood Dragon Spear free. It remained completely intact, now shimmering entirely with silver light. Faint spatial ripples spread from his body.
Snow Empress's casual strike carried the power of a hundred-thousand-year soul ring. Chen Xiaoming gazed at the cold beauty before him and smiled faintly.
Now, he could finally fight without restraint!
---
TL/N:
Don't know who that Boss Niu is. It might be Niu Gao or Niu Ben or maybe someone else.
-------
Want to read ahead of schedule?
Join here for advance chapters: patreon.com / igotneonlight