Volume 34, Chapter 465.2: Absorbing the Ice Essence
All seven pillars glowed at the same time. The snowflakes that were originally pristine white sparkled along with the ice essence and gradually turned dark blue. The auras of those dark blue shadows became stronger every time they transformed.
Several minutes later, all seven pillars crumbled at the same time, and the seven snowflakes floated into the air as they shrank. They transformed into a bracelet of snowflakes that wrapped itself around the Snow Empress’ left wrist.
The Snow Empress slowly turned around. She still had a clean and cold look on her face, but she said plainly, “I’m good.”
Huo Yuhao stared at her with jaws agape and wide eyes as he said, “You... you’ve recovered your memory?”
Huo Yuhao could feel that his connection with the Snow Empress hadn’t really changed from before, and their thoughts were still connected. However, there seemed to be something else in the Snow Empress’ consciousness, a kind of will. Yes, after absorbing the Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence, the Snow Empress had probably…
“Yes,” the Snow Empress answered firmly.
Huo Yuhao’s eyes instantly became very complicated, a look that the Skydream Iceworm shared.
The Snow Empress was still number three among the Ten Great Savage Beasts, after all! She was inferior only to the Beast God, Di Tian, and the Evileye Tyrant King. The Snow Empress had recovered her memory; would she still be willing to remain as Huo Yuhao’s Spirit? Just as the Ice Empress had said, she could find a new host after fusing with the ice essence. Since that was the case, she could possibly even recreate her physical body.
The Snow Empress had been the Snow Lady ever since she merged with Huo Yuhao and remained by his side. She was like his daughter when she was younger, and became like his little sister when she gradually grew up. She was someone that Huo Yuhao felt like he had to care for and protect in his heart, so how could he not develop an attachment after so long?
Huo Yuhao stared at the Snow Lady was standing in front of him. She had unrivaled beauty that matched even Dong’er, and Huo Yuhao could feel a thread of fear in his heart. He really didn’t want the Snow Empress to leave, and deep in his heart, he would rather the Snow Empress had remained as the Snow Lady.
As for the Skydream Iceworm, the reason for his complicated emotions was a lot simpler. The Ice Empress liked the Snow Empress! The Snow Empress was his rival in love! The Ice Empress was hot and cold to him from beginning to end, but now that the Snow Empress had regained her memory, had his chances not dwindled even more? How could he not be dejected?
The Snow Empress seemed to feel the changes in Huo Yuhao’s emotions as she said plainly, “I’m the Snow Empress, and I am also the Snow Lady.”
Huo Yuhao felt a tremble in his heart, and his eyes were overcome with pleasant surprise.
The Ice Empress transformed into a beam of green light at this moment and rushed to the Snow Empress. She opened her arms and hugged her tightly.
“You’re back, Snow! That’s great, that’s just great! You’re finally back!”
The Snow Empress hugged the Ice Empress as well, and a faint smile finally appeared on her beautiful, ice-cold face. “I’m good, Ice Empress.”
The Skydream Iceworm flew up next to Huo Yuhao with a depressed expression on his face. His eyes were dreary as Huo Yuhao turned towards him in amusement and said, “Be strong, brother Skydream.”
The Skydream Iceworm heaved a sigh. He didn’t say anything as he flew directly towards the Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence.
He wasn’t like the Ice Empress or the Snow Empress, who both absorbed two or more at a time. Instead, he targeted a single pillar and began to absorb it.
Less than half of the pillars were left inside the cavern after the two ladies had finished absorbing their share. Huo Yuhao did a rough count; there were a total of forty-five ice pillars inside the cavern. The Ice Empress had absorbed nine, the Snow Empress had absorbed thirteen, and in addition to the seven pillars that she had sealed away with an unknown method, twenty-nine pillars were gone, leaving sixteen.
The Skydream Iceworm was evidently a lot slower at absorbing the ice essence in comparison to the Snow and the Ice Empress. Not too long ago, he had fused almost all his origin power with Huo Yuhao, and his element of ice was used as a medium for Huo Yuhao’s second martial soul back then. Therefore, even though he still had some left, those elements were far inferior to the Snow and Ice Empress. If he hadn’t absorbed the Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence in the past, he probably wouldn’t even be worthy of absorbing any now.
The two ladies hugged for a moment before they gradually separated. The Snow Empress’ eyes were full of sadness, while the Ice Empress’ eyes were filled with elation.
The Snow Empress turned around and nodded at Huo Yuhao. “Thank you for taking care of me over these years.”
Huo Yuhao shook his head and said, “I didn’t do much.”
The Snow Empress flashed him a faint smile and said, “I have always been very clear about favors and grudges. I will always accompany you for allowing me to live again, and we will always follow you if you manage to break through that level. Even if you fail, I will follow you to the end of your life, and make my own plans after you leave this world.”
Evidently, Huo Yuhao didn’t think the Snow Empress would say such things, and he stared at her with an astonished look on his face. The Snow Empress’ icy features melted into a slight smile as she suddenly raised her hands and grabbed Huo Yuhao’s collar.
“Eh?” Huo Yuhao stared at her in shock.
The Snow Empress pulled her hands open to both sides, taking Huo Yuhao’s shirt along with them, revealing his chest.
Huo Yuhao was immediately embarrassed as he grabbed the Snow Empress’ hands. “What are you doing, Snow Empress?”
The Snow Empress’ pretty eyes squinted slightly as she stared at Huo Yuhao’s chest. She muttered to herself, “Beast God Di Tian! Hmph!”
Huo Yuhao realized then that her attention was focused on the reverse scale on his chest. His embarrassment ebbed as he released the Snow Empress’ hands.
The Snow Empress’ hands were smooth but cold, like tender snow and ice that was without warmth, yet perfect and without blemish.
The Snow Empress glanced at him and said, “Don’t worry. With our help, once your strength reaches a certain level, you will undoubtedly be able to shake off the burden from Di Tian’s reverse scale. But that’s not possible now. Even though I have Awakened, I will suppress my own strength. Otherwise, Di Tian will make a move against you once he realizes that I am inhabiting your body.”
“When you manage to get your eighth ring, take a trip to the Extreme North. There is a place there that is suitable for helping your cultivation breakthrough. Not even Di Tian will have an easy time killing you once you become a Titled Douluo.”
Huo Yuhao tilted his head in acknowledgement. The Snow Empress was just that intimidating! He was the only one that was working hard to break free from the Beast God’s shackles when it was just the Ice Empress and the Skydream Iceworm with him. But when the Snow Empress woke up, her words clearly meant that she wanted to help him break free. This was the difference between their strengths.
The Snow Empress closed his shirt as she turned around to the Ice Empress and said, “Ice, my origin has stabilized. With the help from the Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence, I can regain some of my strength from a long time ago. From now on, we will teach him the art of controlling ice.”
“Alright,” the Ice Empress nodded as she agreed.
The Snow Empress turned towards Huo Yuhao and said, “Last time, you were too weak, so you couldn’t have learned this even if we did try to teach you. You have a certain foundation in your spiritual power at this point, and your soul power is sufficient to control relatively more powerful ice-type abilities, so you can start learning now. You have to break through to become a Titled Douluo within two years. Afterwards, you have to work hard toward that.”
Huo Yuhao nodded. He suddenly realized that his belief that the Snow Empress would probably leave him after she woke up was entirely wrong. The Snow Empress’ Awakening made him feel a lot less pressure instead, and oftentimes, it was usually the most relaxed for him when he didn’t have to consider his own future. With the Snow Empress and the Ice Empress giving him pointers, if his ability to control ice could continue to improve, his overall strength would undoubtedly increase.
Huo Yuhao had twin martial souls, but his main martial soul had been his Spirit Eyes from the beginning to the end. Even though he had invented his Three Ultimate Haodong Skills, those skills had their foundations in spiritual power, and his ice-type abilities were all purely channeled through soul skills. His control over ice was achieved mainly through spiritual power to control the elements of ice. The “method” that the Snow Empress was speaking of clearly wasn’t so simple.
The Skydream Iceworm was relatively slower at absorbing the Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence. He managed to absorb one after a long while, leaving fifteen pillars.
The Snow Empress said, “You should absorb some too, Star Anise.”
The Star Anise Mysterious Ice Grass swayed on Huo Yuhao’s shoulder and glided over. It flew next to the Skydream Iceworm and landed stably on the ground. It shook its head from side to side as it released circles of blue hues to encase a pillar.
Light rippled as the pillar shone. The Star Anise was starting to absorb it.
The Star Anise’s element was also ice. Furthermore, it had been living next to the Icefire Yin Yang Well’s Extreme Chill Icespring over its entire life, and its attributes were not weak at all. Even though the Star Anise didn’t have a very strong cultivation, it was still absorbing the ice essence more quickly than the Skydream Iceworm.
The Ice Empress stood next to the Snow Empress. She was clearly subordinate. Huo Yuhao had a strange feeling in his heart; the Snow Empress’ Awakening immediately made her the leader of his four Spirits, and she seemed like a big sister taking care of everyone else. How unfortunate for brother Skydream! I wonder if he can still be together with the Ice Empress. I hope he can...
The Snow Empress said, “While they’re absorbing the ice essence, let me take you on a walk through the world of ice.”
She raised her right hand as she spoke and gently placed it on Huo Yuhao’s forehead.
Huo Yuhao immediately felt an extreme chill pierce into his brain, and his consciousness seemed to travel to another world in the next moment.
That world was white… everything was white, but it was also very quiet, and there wasn’t a single sound at all.
A single droplet suddenly appeared soundlessly. It hovered in midair and emanated gentle water-based ripples.
“Water is the foundation of snow and ice. Water is the source of all things, and of all life. The power of water is that it can flow into anything.”
The droplet immediately increased in size as she spoke. When it had become so large that even Huo Yuhao’s consciousness had to “look up”, it suddenly exploded, and transformed into countless water droplets that splattered in all directions.
There were large and small ones, and all Huo Yuhao felt was moisture as they flew through the air.
Yes, water could flow into everything. Only with water would there be life and nature. Yes, water was the source of all life...