"So, I've finally made it to the Body Sect. The first step of my plan is complete."
In a wooden house, neat and clean, a few white flowers sat on the table, giving off a faint, delicate fragrance.
A fiery-red pelt from an unknown soul beast covered the floor, warming the whole room slightly.
Jiang Jue sat up from the bed, looking around, quietly thinking to himself.
"Next… it's time to carefully plan the next move."
His main purpose in coming to the Body Sect was both the Body's Secret and the sect's powerful influence.
The Body's Secret was something only past sect masters possessed, and every single one of them, without exception, had undergone a golden-level second awakening of their body martial soul.
For a martial soul user of the body, a golden-level second awakening allowed them to unleash combat power two to three times beyond their limit for a short period.
But this golden-level second awakening came with a downside — overuse would consume the user's life force.
However, Jiang Jue possessed the Life Gold, so he wasn't worried at all.
"Still, my identity is going to be a bit troublesome moving forward."
A sharp gleam flashed in Jiang Jue's eyes as he thought silently.
Before coming here, he had altered all of his personal records. To the outside world, he was nothing more than an extremely ordinary student from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.
Even the parents' section was filled out as deceased, effectively making him a person with "three nothings."
No background, no parents, no extra ties.
But at the same time, this also created a suspicious point.
"Let's see how the Body Sect handles this. No rush anyway."
Jiang Jue spoke softly.
Since the Body Sect had taken the bait and abducted him, it was clear they valued his talent. What was meant to be his would not be withheld.
Unlike certain academies that acted differently in public and in secret, the Body Sect truly nurtured talented soul masters with full dedication.
Before coming here, Jiang Jue had thoroughly studied everything about the Body Sect and mentally rehearsed every possible future scenario.
With Elder Yi as his hidden backup power source, Jiang Jue had no reason to panic.
"At this point, I should meet with the Snow Empress. I might need her to take action later."
Just then, a knock came at the door.
"Young master, your meal has been prepared. Should I bring it in for you?"
A woman's voice sounded from outside the room.
"No need."
Jiang Jue replied coldly.
Right now, he was technically "kidnapped." Naturally, he couldn't afford to look too eager.
Sometimes, the less you rush, the more others do.
"Then I'll leave it on the tray outside the door. If you're hungry, just bring it in."
The woman outside didn't say much else, just set the meal down and left.
Soon, a delicious aroma drifted into the room.
"Hmm? Is cooking also a Body Sect ancestral tradition?"
Jiang Jue sniffed the fragrance and couldn't help but smile.
He remembered that in another timeline, tens of thousands of years in the future, the Body Sect's sect master turned out to be a chef — and the dishes were absolutely authentic.
"Elder Yi, keep watch around me. I'm going to have a talk with the Snow Empress."
Jiang Jue called out to Electrolux inside the Life Gold.
"Don't worry. With me here, nothing will happen."
Ah — that damn sense of security!
Hearing Elder Yi's reply, Jiang Jue immediately summoned the Soul Refining Banner and projected his spiritual power into it.
Inside the dim-gray Soul Refining Banner realm…
Space rippled slightly, and a figure formed out of the spatial ripples.
It was Jiang Jue's spiritual avatar. With the ongoing refinement of Tianmeng Iceworm's spiritual origin, Jiang Jue's spiritual power had been growing at a frantic pace, his spiritual sea expanding toward an endless vast ocean.
Jiang Jue could feel he was just one step away from breaking through to the "formless-yet-tangible" realm of spiritual power.
A flash of emerald light — a little girl in a green dress appeared at Jiang Jue's side.
"Jiang Jue, why are you here?"
This little girl was the Ice Empress. She looked at Jiang Jue with curiosity.
Jiang Jue smiled slightly, flicking his finger lightly.
He found that the longer the Ice Empress stayed within the Soul Refining Banner, the closer and more affectionate she became toward him.
"Perfect timing, Ice Empress. I'm taking you to meet an old acquaintance."
"Awoo!"
Before Jiang Jue could finish speaking, a mournful cry rang out.
An ice-blue figure leapt to Jiang Jue's side, circling him a few times, tongue out, tail wagging.
"Little Tiger, you're supposed to be a tiger — why are you acting like a husky now?"
Jiang Jue covered his forehead with his right hand, sighing at the sight.
"Awoo! Awoo!"
Little Tiger howled pitifully at Jiang Jue, waving its front paws toward the Ice Empress — as miserable as could be.
Little Tiger was complaining to Jiang Jue about the Ice Empress's abuse of it.
"Alright, I've got proper business to handle. Go play elsewhere."
Jiang Jue said softly.
The Ice Empress's eyes flashed with green light as she glared at Little Tiger.
Little Tiger trembled in fear and quickly ran off.
"Poor tiger! Worse than a tigress — absolutely brutal."
Jiang Jue and the Ice Empress landed on the ground. With a wave of his hand, a table and two chairs appeared before them.
In the Soul Refining Banner world, Jiang Jue could truly be called a "god" — everything was under his control. Moreover, the banner's space was continuously expanding.
Jiang Jue could faintly sense that as the number of members in his "big loving and peaceful family" increased, the entire Soul Refining Banner was condensing and undergoing strange, mystical changes…
Buzz, buzz, buzz!
A spatial ripple appeared, and a wooden box inlaid with jewels materialized at the center of the table.
"This is? …Such a familiar feeling…"
"Wait! This is the Snow Empress!"
Sensing the faint aura from the Sealed God Platform, the Ice Empress was initially puzzled, but in the next instant, she was shocked.
"Jiang Jue, what happened to the Snow Empress? Why is she inside a box?"
The Ice Empress shot to her feet, panicking, words stumbling over each other.
Finding her best friend — and secret crush — sealed inside a box, how could she not panic?
"Ahem, Ice Empress, I know you're anxious, but calm down first."
Jiang Jue coughed lightly, signaling her to sit.
"This is… a long story…"
Two minutes later, Jiang Jue had briefly explained the Snow Empress's entire situation.
"Xue'er… why put yourself through this?"
The Ice Empress looked at the Snow Empress within the Sealed God Platform, troubled.
"Nothing else — just the pursuit of immortality."
Jiang Jue replied simply.
"Ah! I think I remember you saying once, Ice Empress, which soul beast would be stupid enough to get caught by humans after transforming, right?"
"Not me! I didn't! I know nothing!"
The Ice Empress quickly waved her hands in a flustered triple denial.
She never imagined that the "idiot soul beast" she once mocked would end up being her own Xue'er.
"Jiang Jue, can the Snow Empress still be saved?"
The Ice Empress looked at Jiang Jue with hope — he was the only one she could rely on now.
"Of course she can be saved. But since her transformation was interrupted, continuing on the path of a human soul master is no longer an option…"
"Then what do we do?"
The Ice Empress asked anxiously.
Jiang Jue paused, then suddenly spoke:
"Ice Empress… surely you don't want the Snow Empress to perish, do you…"
(End of Chapter)