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Qian Renhan arrived at the highest snowy peak and sat cross-legged, plunging the divine weapon, the Shura Demon Sword, into the ground behind him. Facing the sunrise, his violet eyes burst with light as he stared intently at the radiant glow of dawn. A hazy purple aura emerged from the horizon, surging outward in all directions.
The Shura Demon Sword, now embedded in the ground, had its blood-red eyeball on the hilt fully open, releasing a crimson sword aura that spread around him like a magnetic field. Within this field, only someone with absolute strength, unafraid of the sword aura, could remain unscathed. Only Qian Renhan could stay inside without harm.
The God of Shura had tasked Qian Renhan with hunting soul beasts to complete the nine soul rings for his Shura Sword martial soul, and naturally had arranged for him to face the accompanying dangers during the soul ring absorption process.
Behind Qian Renhan, his Ten-Winged Fallen Angel martial soul erupted with dark light, transforming into a massive pump that absorbed the purple aura spreading across a radius of ten thousand meters, channeling it into his eyes.
"Snow Empress, elder sister!"
"Snow Empress!"
"Mother!"
The Ice Empress, the Titan Snow Demon King, and the Ice Bear King all gathered around the Snow Empress, their eyes filled with murderous intent as they glared at the distant black-winged angel.
"Snow Empress, elder sister, let's charge in and fight! Let that damn human see the pride of the Ice and Snow Empress!" The Ice Empress had taken human form, wearing a flowing green dress. Her twin ponytails of green hair and petite figure gave her the appearance of a delicate, easily toppled little girl.
She supported the Snow Empress's frail body, channeling soul power into her in an attempt to heal her wounds.
Normally, ice-type soul power lacks healing properties. However, the Snow Empress was a sentient lifeform born from the purest ice element in the Extreme North—essentially a living embodiment of ice. If ice is injured, what better way to heal it than with more ice?
"Exactly, Snow Empress. The peace of the Extreme North must not be allowed to be destroyed by humans," roared the Titan Snow Demon King, ready to fight to the death.
"Bing'er, Xiao Bai, Ah Tai… it's no use. That human's power is too bizarre," Snow Empress said weakly.
"Not only that, but he also hinted that he might have more than one martial soul. His goal here is clearly our soul rings and soul bones. You must leave—escape as far as you can. Head for the Star Dou Forest. I'll stay and buy you time."
Though the sword wound on her body had barely healed, the Snow Empress remained extremely weak. She struggled to stand, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth.
At that moment, a terrifying spiritual force erupted from a distant mountain peak. The Ice Empress, Titan Snow Demon King, Ice Bear King, and even the Snow Empress herself felt their spiritual power being suppressed.
"It's pointless. No matter where you run, you'll be exposed under these eyes."
A cold voice echoed in the ears of the four soul beasts. Looking up, they saw Qian Renhan already floating above them, gazing down. His eyes had turned a radiant purple-gold—this was the final stage of the Purple Demon Eyes: Vastness.
After reaching the ultimate state of the Purple Demon Eyes, Qian Renhan's gaze was like that of a clairvoyant. Boosted by his spiritual power, the vast Extreme North fell under his sight. What once appeared monotonous now burst into colors—pale blue, deep black, crystal-clear sapphire. Even the subtlest changes in these hues could not escape his notice. He could distinguish between the soul beasts of the Extreme North by their unique glows. The Snow Empress radiated a pure, crystalline blue like ice, while the Ice Empress's aura was a mix of icy blue and vibrant green.
"Ah… Snow Empress, you're not a soul beast."
Focusing his spiritual power, Qian Renhan peered through the Snow Empress's flawless, peerless beauty and discovered that she was, in fact, a being of pure ice—an entity brimming with boundless energy.
The Ice Empress shouted angrily, "Human! What nonsense are you spouting? If Snow Empress isn't a soul beast, then what is she?!"
"Scorpion, shut up."
Qian Renhan shifted his gaze to the green-haired little girl. When the little girl met his cold, indifferent eyes—perhaps due to the Snow Empress's presence—she instinctively hid behind her, clinging to her dress.
Qian Renhan continued calmly, "Strictly speaking, you should be considered a spirit born of heaven and earth. If not for the rules of this world, you would have been the favored daughter of this realm—its chosen one."
The Snow Empress was akin to the immortal herbs in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, which, after losing the suppression of the dragon's might, gradually developed consciousness and evolved into hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.
In truth, these parentless immortal herbs were quite similar to the Snow Empress. Both were spirits—though one was of the plant element and the other of the ice element. And as the daughter of heaven and earth, the Snow Empress was of even higher status than them.
"A spirit?"
A trace of confusion flashed across the Snow Empress's otherwise fierce face. It was the first time she had ever heard of such a species.
"That's why I've made my decision—I don't want your soul ring or soul bone."
Upon hearing this, the Snow Empress was about to sneer at Qian Renhan's hypocrisy. She would never believe a human would willingly give up a 600,000-year soul ring and soul bone. But what he said next sent a chill deeper than any ice through her heart—as if she were plunged into a frozen abyss.
"I'm going to return your entire body to its original state and devour it—allowing my Fallen Angel martial soul to grow once more."
Soul rings and soul bones were indeed valuable, but they were only the physical manifestations of the Snow Empress's energy under the constraints of the world's laws. Even so, they still left behind remnants—fragments of energy that would normally be consumed by soul beasts. Without using evil soul master methods, Qian Renhan couldn't absorb this leftover power.
But if he absorbed the Snow Empress whole, reducing her to her purest form and refining her like an immortal herb, he could harness one hundred percent of her power—perfectly and without waste.
"Don't you dare!"
The Snow Empress roared. She didn't fully understand what Qian Renhan was talking about, but she instinctively knew it was something unimaginably terrible.
"Bing'er, Xiao Bai, Ah Tai—fall back!"
With a loud shout, the Snow Empress stepped forward to stand beside the Ice Empress. The Titan Snow Demon King immediately understood and swiftly retreated.
White soul power from the Snow Empress and green soul power from the Ice Empress surged into the air, intertwining in a stunning fusion. A terrifying ice storm howled through the mountains, massive gusts of wind and snow tearing across the landscape. The space itself trembled under the immense energy fluctuations.
"A martial soul fusion technique?"
"Seventh Soul Skill—Fallen Angel True Body!"
The eighth soul ring beneath Qian Renhan's feet lit up. He clapped his hands together, soul power madly flooding into his palms, condensing into a small black hole that seemed capable of devouring all things.
"The Pride of the Two Ice Empresses."
A spiraling vortex of pure white and vibrant green burst forth—an icy hurricane of monumental scale, indiscriminately ravaging everything in its path like a super typhoon.
"Eighth Soul Skill—Fallen Angel's Burial!"
Qian Renhan hurled the miniature black hole forward. Once exposed to the air, it expanded rapidly, and a horrifying suction force erupted from within.
The black hole collided with the combined attack of the Two Ice Empresses. There was no towering, apocalyptic mushroom cloud—just a rapid weakening of the violent storm in the span of a few breaths.
Qian Renhan's eighth soul skill had devoured the ultimate strike of the Ice and Snow Empresses completely. And the black hole itself? Vanished without a trace.
(End of Chapter)