Chapter 61: The Ice Empress
–Wind Valley, Entrance from the Sea Region
Boom!!!
A blast of scorching wind and flame swept through the entrance to the Wind Valley, sending the Ice Shield Palace Spirit Masters stationed there tumbling, almost throwing them off their feet.
The terrifying gale howled, painting half the sky a crimson hue.
“Another Saint-rank…?”
Shock rippled through the Ice Shield Palace’s defenses. Several Saint-rank auras had already appeared. What was this one?
Judging by the ferocious heat, it was undoubtedly fire-attribute. But whose?
A green-haired woman, wearing the Ice Shield Palace Master’s exclusive star-patterned robe and a shield-shaped crown, stood at the entrance, her arms crossed, her eyes closed as if asleep.
Her features were delicate, like a pure village girl, yet she radiated an inexplicable air of aloofness and dominance, a bizarre contrast.
After about two minutes, a Spirit Master in a standard uniform rushed over.
“Ice Empress, a report from the front lines! The new Saint-rank is the Weaver of the Sun, Bloodbath Fox Sovereign!!!”
“……?”
The green-haired woman, called the Ice Empress, abruptly opened her eyes, a look of shock on her usually indifferent face.
“Whose?”
“The… the S-Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Concubine Palace.”
“What the hell?”
The green-haired woman had thought that after countless trials and tribulations, she had reached a level where nothing could faze her.
But hearing this news, she couldn’t help but cry out, her expression shifting rapidly.
The Sorrowful Saintess’s spirit beast was the Weaver of the Sun, Bloodbath Fox Sovereign? She had never heard such a ridiculous joke in her life.
“That’s impossible!”
“The Bloodbath Fox Sovereign appeared and scared off both the Swallow God and the Frost Snow Woman. Dozens of people witnessed it. Also, I suspect the Sorrowful Saintess remained inactive before the Saintess selection because she spent years suppressing that Bloodbath Fox Sovereign. I don’t know where the Sea Concubine Palace found it, but it definitely wasn’t in the Sea Region.”
“The Bloodbath Fox Sovereign, Weaver of the Sun…”
Recalling the mythical stories, the Ice Empress muttered the name, then fell silent.
If the Sorrowful Saintess could subdue even the Weaver of the Sun, then her companion spirit beast was likely not the Variant Water Emperor.
Could it be an even more powerful water-type Saint-rank…?
“Since it’s confirmed, spread the news.”
“Yes!” The messenger nodded, then stopped after a few steps, as if remembering something, and returned.
“By the way, we can’t hold them back at the entrance. Young Spirit Masters from the Cold Court, Water Wish Pavilion, and Tide Pavilion are all crowding there, clamoring to enter and compete for the Frost Snow Woman.”
“Are there any Saint-rank Spirit Masters among them?”
“No.”
“Then don’t let them in,” the Ice Empress said coldly.
Without a Saint-rank spirit beast, what were they going in for? To die?
Unless the Desireless Saintess of the Winter Floating Sky arrived, there was no need to let them in and add to the casualties.
No… that woman probably wasn’t even aware that she was alive. Letting her in would only cause more chaos.
The Storm Realm would likely have the same policy. But besides He Daoqi, they might send in another Saint-rank Spirit Master, creating a 2v2 situation.
Speaking of Saint-rank Spirit Masters, the green-haired woman suddenly thought of the Bloodbath Fox Sovereign, Weaver of the Sun. A wave of disgust washed over her, like she had eaten something foul.
Most Sea Region factions would probably have the same reaction. The Sea Concubine Palace was putting on quite a show, even more cunning than the Ice Shield Palace…
Who would have thought that the renowned Sorrowful Saintess of the Sea Region had actually contracted a fire-type Saint-rank spirit beast?
The messenger relayed the order to expel the other factions’ Spirit Masters without hesitation, unafraid of offending them.
This was the Ice Empress’s command. The title “Empress” denoted a transcendent Spirit Master beyond the Nether Traverse Stage. There were only a handful of such individuals in the entire Sea Region, even rarer than Saint-rank spirit beasts.
Or rather, it was almost impossible to reach that level without a Saint-rank spirit beast.
Inside the Wind Valley
Night had fallen. Inside a dark cave, a blue-haired girl with six teardrop marks on her face rested against the wall.
Beside her, a faint, glowing green figure lay on the ground, its form flickering, as if about to dissipate.
This guy was really useless…
Gong Lianyue sighed. They had found traces of the Frost Snow Woman by a small stream and were about to track her when the Wrathful Saintess suddenly… malfunctioned.
She said the energy of this seed clone was running low and a new seed was being sent, requiring a few hours of waiting time.
No wonder she couldn’t die. This wasn’t her real body. It had been Gong Lianyue alone facing the real danger!
He Daoqi from the Storm Realm hadn’t left the Wind Valley either. She was still wandering around, seemingly waiting for reinforcements.
The longer this dragged on, the worse it would be…
Anxious and unable to rest, Gong Lianyue looked at the little fox playing with the blade of grass.
“Slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp, slurp~~~”
The little fox was completely entangled by the willow branches, strange slurping and licking sounds echoing.
Its ears drooped, its eyes vacant, drool dripping from its mouth, a picture of utter despair.
Poof!
The next second, the pitiful little fox vanished, replaced by a watery, humanoid figure—the Water Element.
Although, with her Dual Soul Body, Gong Lianyue could summon them simultaneously, the Wrathful Saintess was still here, so it was best not to reveal too much.
And it seemed the little fox had reached its limit…
Recovering its physical strength was good, but if its mind was broken, it would defeat the purpose.
[Where’s my flower? Where’s my big, beautiful flower?] A wave of despair emanated from the green vine as the Cloud Dream Flower vanished.
It burrowed into the ground, frantically searching, scattering dirt everywhere.
Ignoring the vine, the girl’s ice-blue, teardrop eyes rotated 720 degrees, instructing the Water Element to scout the area outside the cave.
He Daoqi was still wandering around. They might be discovered.
Compared to the high-rank Iron Jade Ice Scorpion, the Water Element’s aura was weaker and more concealed, better suited for reconnaissance.
However, what Gong Lianyue hadn’t expected was…
Rumble!!!
The moment the Water Element left the cave, its soul core began to flicker and hum violently.
“What’s going on!?”
Like a tidal wave, the core resonated powerfully, the sound reaching a small stream more than ten kilometers away.
At the same time, a beautiful Snow Woman, having shed her shroud-like robe and bathing in the stream, revealing her snow-white skin, stood up and turned towards the cave.
The Water Element had once again attracted the Frost Snow Woman!!!