It is also the strongest line of defense before the Ice God's main Hall.
The towering body of the Frost Dragon emerged from the water, and its invisible dragon might formed a domain that covered nearly ten thousand meters around it. A terrifying pressure, as if the sky itself was collapsing, swept across the area. Even someone as powerful as Su Yu and Snow Empress felt like a lone boat in a raging sea, ready to capsize at any moment.
Snow Empress's expression was solemn—she could feel immense pressure from the dragon's presence. Even at her peak, she would have struggled to defeat the Frost Dragon before her.
This was a true apex predator, worthy of being called an emperor among beasts.
Su Yu held Snow Empress by her fragrant shoulders and gently pressed his left hand to his forehead. In the next instant, a soft ice-blue glow spread outward.
The light was gentle, rippling softly, yet it completely isolated the oppressive pressure that loomed over them like a collapsing sky.
Snow Empress, whose body had been tense, instantly felt relieved and leaned lightly into Su Yu's embrace.
"Roar..."
Sensing the vast and majestic ice aura, the Frost Dragon's stern vertical pupils flashed with a hint of awe.
Then, as if a tide had receded, its overwhelming dragon might withdraw.
The enormous dragon's head lowered slightly in Su Yu's direction, its eyes now filled with reverence and admiration.
Its head alone was ten meters large, and its dragon eyes were each twice the size of Su Yu's head. Its razor-sharp dragon teeth, pure-white crystalline whiskers, and two long ice-blue dragon horns, each several meters in length, all signified the purity of its bloodline.
The Frost Dragon was the absolute pinnacle of ice-attribute soul beasts. Even the Ice Jade Scorpion clan paled in comparison.
It was not that the Ice Jade Scorpions were weak, but rather that the Frost Dragons were simply too powerful due to their pure bloodline.
The only creatures barely comparable to them were the Ice Sky Snow Maidens, spirits of ice and snow.
However, Ice Sky Snow Maidens had a weakness—their physical bodies.
The sheer resilience of a true dragon's body, combined with the ultimate ice element, was almost unimaginable in its strength.
The Frost Dragon lowered its proud head and slowly moved closer to Su Yu, seemingly wanting to nuzzle against him.
But as its gaze landed on Snow Empress in Su Yu's arms, the dragon's nostrils flared slightly, and an obvious look of disdain appeared in its eyes.
Snow Empress's eye twitched.
That small look hurt more than words could describe.
She, the mighty Snow Empress, was being looked down upon by a dragon?
Her stunning face puffed up slightly in frustration as she slipped out of Su Yu's embrace.
The Frost Dragon shot her a glance as if saying, At least you know your place.
Then, it slowly extended its head towards Su Yu once more and gently rubbed its cheek against him.
Su Yu chuckled, raising his right hand to lightly stroke one of the dragon's scales.
The scale was as large as a basin, pure white with a metallic sheen—one look was enough to know that its defenses were astonishingly strong.
As Su Yu caressed its scales, the Frost Dragon narrowed its eyes slightly, seemingly enjoying the sensation.
"What's your name?" Su Yu asked casually.
The Frost Dragon snorted softly and lifted its majestic head. "The Young Master may call me Bingbing."
The voice was crisp and feminine, making Su Yu pause for a moment.
It was… a female dragon?
Interesting. Very interesting.
Su Yu glanced at Snow Empress—no wonder the dragon disliked her. Turns out, it was a case of same-gender repulsion.
Snow Empress rolled her eyes, crossed her arms, and turned away.
She didn't like the Frost Dragon either.
Su Yu found it amusing and patted the dragon's head gently. "Bingbing, let us through."
"Roar~"
The Frost Dragon let out a soft growl and stepped aside.
Su Yu waved his right hand, sending out a gust of wind that propelled their small boat forward.
Moments later, Su Yu leaped onto the island.
Passing through the ice-blue barrier, he and Snow Empress finally saw the true appearance of the island.
The island was vast and covered in pure white snow. At its very center stood a towering palace, piercing the sky.
Su Yu took a glance at it, feeling an increasing sense of solemnity and majesty.
"Roar~"
Another dragon's roar echoed. Ice-blue light flashed as the enormous Frost Dragon suddenly transformed into a graceful figure.
She wore a long white dress, her snow-colored hair cascading over her shoulders. Most strikingly, two ice-crystal dragon horns adorned her head, giving her a unique and otherworldly look.
Unlike Snow Empress, who had a youthful beauty, this figure exuded a mature charm—her figure was curvaceous and sensual, on par with even Zi Ji.
The only difference was that Zi Ji had a seductive allure, while this woman's face was as cold as frost.
Only when she looked at Su Yu did that icy expression soften slightly.
"You… you're Bingbing?"
Su Yu stared at her, or more precisely, at the dragon horns atop her head.
So this was… a dragon girl?
It was certainly a striking sight.
"Young Master."
Bingbing's voice was cold, but her gaze was filled with deep reverence.
"Bingbing, I'm curious—how many years have you cultivated?" Su Yu asked after observing her for a moment.
He wasn't entirely sure about the specifics of the Ice God Palace. The information he had received before was rather vague.
"I have just reached 620,000 years of cultivation," Bingbing replied.
Su Yu was stunned.
Six hundred and twenty thousand years?
Normally, a beast with over 600,000 years of cultivation was equivalent to a peak human Titled Douluo, even bordering on demigod status.
Did that mean this Frost Dragon could rival Long Xiaoyao?
Even Snow Empress, the former ruler of the Extreme North, was merely on the same level as Bingbing.
Considering the innate advantages of the Ice Dragon's race, it was practically invincible among those of its rank.
No wonder Mu Wu had said the First Guardian Beast was far stronger than him.
No wonder this Frost Dragon was the temple's First Guardian Beast—it had already reached such an astonishing level.
"The information I received before was incomplete. It seems I need to thoroughly reassess the Ice God Palace from top to bottom."
Su Yu rubbed his forehead. The original details he had received about the Palace's strongholds had not included soul beasts.
He had only known of their existence, but not their true strength. Now that he had seen it for himself, he was genuinely shocked.
This Guardian Beast was actually on par with an Ultimate Douluo. That was truly eye-opening.
Did that mean that, along with Hai Bodong, the Ice God Palace now had two Ultimate-level beings?
However, Su Yu quickly reconsidered—Bingbing, as a Guardian Beast, likely could not leave the palace.
Unless the palace was attacked, she would remain bound to this place.
This meant that, for practical purposes, only Hai Bodong was free to move.
"It looks like the Ice God Palace still needs to be strengthened further," Su Yu sighed inwardly.
No one ever complained about being too powerful—Su Yu still felt it wasn't enough.
If he couldn't dominate the entire continent, how could he call himself strong?
After casually asking a few more questions, Su Yu led Snow Empress toward the island's center.
At the heart of the island stood a towering mountain.
The Ice God Hall was built atop it.
From the hall down to the mountain's base, there were countless steps arranged in a strict, hierarchical manner.
Each step was an icy white, constructed from a special ice-element stone.
Only by ascending all 999 steps could one enter the Ice God Hall.
Upon reaching the base of the steps, Bingbing halted.
She gazed at the grand temple atop the mountain, eyes filled with deep reverence and admiration.
"Young Master, this is where I must leave you. From here onward, you must proceed alone."
Bingbing's voice was steady as she looked at Su Yu.
As the hall's Guardian Beast, she could not ascend the Ice God's Staircase without special circumstances.
Su Yu raised an eyebrow, stared at her for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright, then just wait for us here."
With that, Su Yu took Snow Empress's hand and stepped forward.
The gentle divine light of ice enveloped the entire staircase, softly illuminating the two of them, bringing a refreshing and soothing sensation that seemed to touch the soul.
Snow Empress narrowed her beautiful eyes in comfort, glanced at Su Yu beside her, and looked up at the Ice God Hall at the top, her heart filled with infinite longing.
"Let's go, Little Snow."
Su Yu sensed the changes in his body, slightly narrowed his eyes, and led Snow Empress up swiftly.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine steps were quickly crossed under their feet.
The two arrived at the plaza before the Ice God Hall.
The grand palace, towering over a hundred meters high, stood majestically, exuding an awe-inspiring presence.
As if sensing Su Yu's arrival, the tightly shut temple doors suddenly rumbled open.
A divine radiance burst forth as the doors fully opened.
At some unknown moment, Mu Wu's figure appeared on the left side of the great hall. Dressed in a flowing ice-blue robe, his expression was solemn.
"Greetings, Young Master."
Mu Wu bowed respectfully.
"It seems you've recovered quite well."
Su Yu remarked casually.
Mu Wu responded earnestly, "Thanks to Bing Qing, my injuries have mostly healed."
"That's good."
Su Yu said indifferently.
Understanding his cue, Mu Wu bowed again and gestured forward. "Young Master, please."
Su Yu nodded and led Snow Empress into the grand hall.
The moment they stepped inside, brilliant light greeted them.
The hall was vast, supported by rows of towering pillars that upheld its massive structure.
Around the hall, dazzling gemstones were embedded, making the entire space glow brightly.
However, Su Yu paid little attention to these details and continued walking straight ahead.
At the center of the hall stood an enormous statue.
It was sculpted with lifelike precision, its stunning features visible.
Clad in armor, and crowned with a divine headpiece, the statue held a long spear in its right hand, resting it behind its back. Its ice-blue cape seemed to flutter as if caught in the wind.
In front of the statue was a massive greatsword, elaborately carved, radiant, and magnificent, its tip embedded in the ground.
The statue's left hand rested lightly on the sword's hilt.
Most striking of all was a distinct ice-blue spear-shaped mark on its forehead.
Su Yu gazed at the towering fifty-meter-high statue, and his mind stirred.
There was no doubt—this was the Ice God, enshrined in the Ice God Hall.
The deity's form was undeniably majestic, exuding both divine authority and heroic grace.
After a brief look, Su Yu shifted his gaze.
In contrast, Snow Empress continued to stare at the statue, her usually cold and indifferent face filled with complex emotions.
Reverence, admiration, fervor, and a faint trace of loneliness and melancholy.
Su Yu did not disturb her. He looked away from the statue and examined the area ahead.
Before the massive statue stood a small stone platform, less than three meters wide.
It was about a meter high, shaped into a symmetrical octagon.
At its center lay a layer of ice-blue mineral, resembling crystalline ice, refracting brilliant light.
A dark blue staff was deeply embedded in the mineral, its entire body dim and subdued.
Su Yu observed the staff, his eyes flickering with thought.
He let go of Snow Empress's hand, took a few steps forward, and climbed onto the stone platform.
Looking at the unassuming dark blue staff before him, Su Yu couldn't help but reach out and touch it.
The moment his fingers made contact, a peculiar sensation rose in his heart. Instinctively, he exerted force to pull it out.
In the next instant, the entire hall trembled violently—
the ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.
Mu Wu was startled and hurriedly said, "Young Master, it's not time yet!"
Su Yu frowned.
The staff seemed to have taken root as if fused with the entire temple.
Even with his immense strength of over 108,000 jin, he could not lift it.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Su Yu released his grip.
Mu Wu let out a sigh of relief and quickly advised, "Young Master, please be patient. This supreme divine weapon will be yours in due time, but you must wait a little longer."
Su Yu glanced at him but said nothing. He jumped down from the platform.
"What happened? What's going on?"
Snow Empress snapped out of her trance, startled by the sudden tremors.
"It's nothing, just messing around."
Su Yu reassured her before circling past the stone platform and moving forward.
Snow Empress instinctively followed him.
They stopped in front of the statue.
Before them lay a pale-white ice crystal meditation cushion.
Su Yu glanced at it, then at Snow Empress, and gently patted her shoulder.
"Little Snow, sit on it."
"Hm?"
Snow Empress looked at Su Yu in confusion.
"Just sit down, and you'll see."
Su Yu said.
Still puzzled, Snow Empress stepped forward and sat on the cushion.
The next moment, the enormous statue suddenly lit up.
A beam of ethereal light shot skyward.
From the statue's chest, a glowing sphere emerged, swirling with radiant hues.
Buzz!
The sphere hummed as various colors flickered within as if something was being condensed.
After a moment, the sphere transformed into a pure white light.
Then, it rapidly shifted to yellow.
Next, it quickly changed into purple, then black.
Buzz!
The humming intensified, and the once-black sphere gradually turned blood-red.
Standing to the side, Mu Wu observed the shifting light, his gaze sharp with intrigue.
The woman whom the Young Master adored, the ruler of the Extreme North—
What kind of trial would she face?
He was deeply curious.
Whoosh!
The blood-red sphere trembled violently as if still undergoing transformation.
The humming grew louder, the blood-red glow fluctuating with increasing intensity.
Suddenly, a burst of dazzling light erupted.
The blood-red sphere completely transformed into an ice-blue hue.