"The Extreme North is even more dangerous than Star Dou Great Forest!" Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan, especially Dugu Yan, couldn't help but complain after suffering several group attacks from soul beasts.
In Star Dou Great Forest, soul beasts were usually encountered alone, but in the Extreme North, hundred-year and thousand-year soul beasts mostly traveled in packs.
Often, dozens or even hundreds would appear at once, with many thousands forming vast, mottled groups.
"I've never seen so many Soft Bone Rabbit packs in Star Dou Great Forest," Dugu Yan grumbled.
Ning Rongrong chuckled. "That's normal. Star Dou Great Forest is constantly exploited for soul rings, so its environment can't compare to this place."
Star Dou Great Forest was accessible to anyone, and the sheer number of humans hunting soul beasts daily resulted in hundreds or thousands being taken.
But the Extreme North?
Not only were most soul beasts here ice-attribute, but the environment was also harsh.
Blizzards raged every few days. Other than soul masters seeking specific soul beasts, who would come here for no reason?
If they encountered an avalanche even more terrifying than what she'd faced in her past life, it would be an instant "GG."
Fortunately, she was now a Xiantian Grandmaster. If anything happened, she could just fly away to avoid disaster.
"Rongrong, isn't there a more precise location for the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow?" After days of rough travel, if not for their resistance to the Extreme North's cold, they would've long been frozen stiff.
"We've searched all the hundred-year and thousand-year areas!" Ning Rongrong sighed. "All that's left are the extremely dangerous zones inhabited by ten-thousand-year soul beasts."
Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow was usually found in valleys where icy winds converged or in caves along cliffs.
Alternatively, it could form in massive fissures created by geological shifts, places perpetually devoid of sunlight. Only such extreme environments could produce Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow.
If the Sky Dream Iceworm could feast on Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow, there was no way the entire Extreme North had only that tiny bit!
Unless the place where the Sky Dream Iceworm stayed was connected to the legendary Ice God of the Extreme North.
In that case, there was nothing they could do.
"Let's go, Sister Yan. Now that we're fed and rested, it's time to move." Looking outside the cave, the blizzard had weakened.
Sunlight and snow intertwined, creating an otherworldly landscape.
The sky occasionally hurled massive hailstones—this environment was utterly ridiculous.
"Don't say weird things like we're marching to our deaths. It's bad luck!"
"If we end up not making it back to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, I'm blaming you!"
"Yeah, yeah," Ning Rongrong replied dismissively. "By the way, Sister Yan, aren't you close to a breakthrough?"
"Well… that's true. Cold, frost poison… this extreme weather could be considered a kind of toxin, like bathing in poison every day."
"But I still don't like this bizarre climate." Dugu Yan brushed aside her silver-white hair, revealing a smooth forehead.
"See this? A huge bump from a hailstone."
"Who's like you, with zhenqi that passively counterattacks?" Dugu Yan's envy was obvious.
What kind of soul master could maintain an omnidirectional, passive defense? Even a hailstone hitting her head would be melted by zhenqi—that was just absurd.
Dugu Yan had considered maintaining a layer of soul power as a shield to avoid hail damage, but she eventually gave up.
She was a soul master, not Ning Rongrong. She couldn't pull off such a ridiculous 24/7 defense, even with Divided Mind Control.
Watching Ning Rongrong step out of the cave, Dugu Yan stopped overthinking and followed.
"Let me see…" Ning Rongrong examined the map, now slightly worn by snowflakes.
"For the ten-thousand-year zone, based on where Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow forms, the only place is Blizzard Valley."
"But why is there a question mark on this extremely dangerous ten-thousand-year area?"
Theoretically, even a pack of ten-thousand-year soul beasts shouldn't warrant such a mark, right?
"There's a note here." Dugu Yan leaned in, reading the explanation on the map. "Someone heard strange moaning there?"
"Strange?"
"Moaning?"
Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan exchanged glances.
Was that place some sort of… springtime gathering spot for soul beasts? Would it be inappropriate for them to go there?
What if they got caught… ew!
"Maybe we should pick another location?" Dugu Yan's expression shifted slightly, her silver-white hair fluttering in the wind and brushing against Ning Rongrong's cheek, carrying a faint fragrance.
"I'm more curious about why a ten-thousand-year soul beast habitat has a question mark." Ning Rongrong lowered her head in thought. "But that valley has the largest fissure in the Extreme North. The chances of Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow forming there are high."
"Rongrong, curiosity kills the cat." Dugu Yan resisted the idea.
"Then we'll just throw Kurumi in and run."
Wasn't the Dark Devilgod Tiger technically a cat?
Besides, as long as the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda existed, Kurumi wouldn't die—just suffer heavy injuries! That would buy them time to escape.
"Whether Kurumi is a cat or not, I won't comment, but Rongrong, your plan is truly shameless." Dugu Yan sighed.
"Sister Yan, let's just take a quick peek. If there's really nothing, we'll leave immediately."
"Ugh, fine. You're the Young Master, after all." Dugu Yan shrugged helplessly. "But that Blizzard Valley might be related to dragons. Didn't Tian Shui City mention something like that before?"
"Dragons? Unlikely. Dragons are territorial. They wouldn't allow so many soul beast packs nearby."
Just look at Di Tian's personality. Before being humbled by the events of later Douluo generations, he acted like the world revolved around him. Maybe, in Di Tian's mind, that was just the Black Dragon King's majesty.
Plus, he'd probably say something like: "Aside from me, all of you here are trash."
And so, Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan journeyed deeper into the Extreme North, heading toward Blizzard Valley.
After days of traversing mountains and valleys, enduring the extreme hail-filled weather, they finally arrived at their destination.
"Sure enough, the aura from that massive fissure is different from the outside. No wonder so many soul beasts gather here." Ning Rongrong retracted her senses, observing the groups of ten-thousand-year soul beasts from a hidden vantage point.
Though packs of ten-thousand-year soul beasts weren't common, groups of three to five or even seven to eight were frequently seen here.
"Rongrong, found anything?" Dugu Yan, visiting a soul beast gathering spot for the first time, was amazed by the variety.
"Be careful. Don't expose your aura." Ning Rongrong warned.
Though Dugu Yan seemed to have absorbed frost poison and could even mimic the cold to blend into the snow, it was still better to stay cautious.
As for Ning Rongrong, having reached the Grandmaster realm, she had long harmonized with nature to a state of serene detachment. Unless she deliberately revealed herself, mere ten-thousand-year soul beasts wouldn't sense her unless they physically saw her.
"In that massive fissure, I'm 90% certain there's a considerable amount of Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Ice. And within that, there must be even rarer Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow."
"We need to find a way inside." Ning Rongrong studied the soul beast groups surrounding the fissure, her eyes deep in thought.