After a long while, the figure of Ice Empress finally appeared in sight.
She was holding a large bundle of glittering objects in her arms. From a distance, the dazzling light was so intense that it nearly blinded Gu Feng.
Looking at the astonishing number of Soul Bones, Gu Feng estimated there were at least a hundred. He was deeply shocked.
Was this the foundation of the most powerful race in the Far North?
Such an abundant collection was simply unimaginable.
At this moment, he suddenly understood the awe he had felt in his previous life when reading fantasy novels, where sects would invite their ancestral elders to emerge from seclusion.
The foundation of the Ice Jade Scorpion race was truly terrifying!
Ice Empress jogged over to Gu Feng, placed the Soul Bones on the ground, and stood with her hands on her hips, a proud smile on her face. "Little Feng, take a look. Are these what you need?"
"These things are pretty much useless to us Ice Jade Scorpions. We even find them annoying when we use them to pad our territory. If you need them, just take them all."
"Really? All these Soul Bones, you're really giving them all to me?"
Gu Feng still couldn't quite believe it.
"Would I lie to a little guy like you?"
Ice Empress pretended to be angry, puffing out her cheeks, but couldn't help letting out a soft laugh.
She reached out and ruffled Gu Feng's hair, like a mischievous older sister. "You'd better get stronger quickly. I'm counting on you to take me away from this wretched place. I'm eagerly waiting for you to become a god!"
A warm feeling surged in Gu Feng's heart, and he nodded firmly. "Alright!"
Then.
Gu Feng eagerly crouched down and began to carefully examine the pile of Soul Bones. His eyes sparkled with excitement as he picked up each one, feeling the surging Soul Power within.
The quality of these Soul Bones was extremely high, and their age was not low either. Even the worst among them met the standard of a Thousand-Year Soul Bone.
There were dozens of Ten-Thousand Year Soul Bones, standing out prominently in the pile.
What shocked Gu Feng the most was that there were a few Soul Bones whose age he couldn't determine at all. The mysterious aura emanating from them only deepened his curiosity.
He pointed at those mysterious Soul Bones, his face full of curiosity, and asked, "Sister Bing'er, how old are these Soul Bones? I can't tell at all."
Ice Empress followed his gaze, and her previously cheerful expression instantly darkened. Her cheeks puffed out in anger, and she gritted her teeth. "Hmph, those are from a few Hundred-Thousand Year Soul Beasts! I don't know where they came from, probably from the south."
"It infuriates me! They killed so many of my clansmen! If I hadn't just made a breakthrough in my cultivation at the time, even I might have fallen into their hands!"
The south?
Gu Feng was startled, and the image of the Star Dou Great Forest immediately flashed in his mind.
No wonder the Soul Beasts of the Far North and the Star Dou Great Forest were at odds later on. There was such a grudge between them.
Gu Feng's gaze swept over those Soul Bones, and he carefully counted them.
Good heavens, there were five of them!
Five Hundred-Thousand Year Soul Bones—what an unimaginable fortune!
Gu Feng marveled inwardly. If he gave these Soul Bones to his grandfather, Gu Rong, perhaps he could break through to the level of a 98th-Rank Titled Douluo overnight, or even reach the realm of a 99th-Rank Peerless Douluo.
Of course, that's just a thought. In reality, it's impossible to distribute things that way.
Just then, a series of light and rhythmic footsteps echoed from outside the ice cave.
"Tap~ tap~ tap~"
It was as refreshing and melodious as a mountain spring flowing over stone slabs.
Gu Feng instinctively turned his head and saw the Snow Empress, her figure as stunning as a fairy descending from the snow, walking gracefully with several Soul Bones held steadily in her hands.
Gu Feng's gaze was instantly drawn to the Soul Bones in the Snow Empress's hands.
Compared to the Ice Empress's vast collection of Soul Bones with varying ages, the ones held by the Snow Empress, though fewer in number, exuded an indescribable nobility.
With just one glance, he could sense their extraordinary quality.
Before Gu Feng could ask, the Snow Empress's voice, cold as frost yet tinged with a hint of gentleness, spoke first: "Little Feng, are these the Soul Bones you mentioned?"
"Yes," Gu Feng replied, his hands trembling slightly as he took the three Soul Bones from the Snow Empress.
His eyes were locked onto the Soul Bones, and for a moment, he was completely entranced, his mind blank.
The aura emanating from these Soul Bones was simply too powerful. Gu Feng couldn't even begin to discern how many years they had endured, but his intuition told him that their quality seemed to surpass even the Soul Bones brought by the Ice Empress.
At that moment, the Ice Empress, like a lively fawn, hopped over to Gu Feng's side and gently patted his shoulder, playfully blinking her eyes:
"In the past, there were always some reckless fools who overestimated themselves and came to challenge Xue Er's dominance in the far north. Well, they ended up becoming these Soul Bones, hehe... Luckily, I know my limits."
The Ice Empress tilted her head, her slender finger tapping her chin as if recalling something: "The youngest among them, I remember, was a Frost Dragon's Soul Bone, with about 150,000 years of cultivation, right?"
"Though it's the youngest, don't underestimate it. Its quality is among the top of these Soul Bones!"
At this point, the Ice Empress couldn't help but click her tongue, continuing with a mischievous grin: "But Xue Er's strike was so swift and decisive, you could even call it ruthless. With just a light palm strike, she shattered that Frost Dragon into Soul Beast fragments. The scene back then was truly awe-inspiring!"
Hearing this, the Snow Empress gently furrowed her delicate brows. She raised her fair, jade-like hand and elegantly brushed a strand of smooth hair from her forehead. Her voice, soft yet carrying an undeniable authority, drifted out:
"I already held back. Who would have thought it would be so weak, unable to withstand even a single palm strike from me."
Gu Feng, standing nearby, was utterly stunned. He couldn't help but inhale sharply: "Hiss—"
A Frost Dragon? That's a legendary true dragon-type Soul Beast!
Could it be that Di Tian's later confrontation with the Snow Empress was because of this Frost Dragon?
Gu Feng nervously swallowed and chuckled softly: "Snow, older sister, you are truly as wise and kind as ice and snow. Other powerful beings, when faced with such provocation, would never let it go so easily. They wouldn't show mercy like you did."
Hearing this, the Snow Empress's lips curved into a gentle smile, like the first warm ray of sunshine in spring, warming the heart.
She raised her hand, her jade-like fingers pale and smooth, gently touching Gu Feng's forehead. The coolness of her fingertips lingered as she softly said, "Little Feng, your words are as sweet as honey. How about I sleep with you tonight, hmm?"
The Snow Empress had heard that human children often slept with adults.
Of course, she would never admit that she actually wanted to pinch Gu Feng's round, chubby cheeks.
(End of Chapter)