The moment Yan Shaozhe approached him, Huo Yuhao already knew what choice the academy had made. He didn't blame Shrek Academy, for he knew in his heart that all of this was his doing.
If he had stepped forward sooner, perhaps Mu En wouldn't have died, and Shrek Academy wouldn't have fallen into such a desperate situation. Even without Yan Shaozhe coming to take him, for the sake of Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and the classmates and teachers who had once given him warmth and care, Huo Yuhao would have unhesitatingly stepped forward himself.
Thinking of Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and the others, a faint smile unconsciously appeared on Huo Yuhao's lips. In this academy, there were people he cared about, friendships he cherished. Because of this, he felt his sacrifice didn't seem entirely meaningless.
"Hmph, Shrek Academy!" The Snow Empress curled her lips into a mocking arc, her eyes filled with disdain. In her view, Shrek Academy, which usually prided itself on justice, ultimately revealed its vile side when faced with absolute power. To preserve the entire academy, they still chose to compromise with her, sacrificing Huo Yuhao to save Shrek Academy.
Although the Snow Empress had come to Shrek Academy because of Huo Yuhao, he was, after all, a disciple of the academy. Shrek Academy's action would undoubtedly make some students feel disheartened, but the Snow Empress didn't care. In her eyes, of the entire Shrek Academy, only the Dragon God Douluo Mu En was worthy of her special regard; everyone else was insignificant.
Facing the Snow Empress's relentless mockery, Yan Shaozhe and the others bit their lower lips, clenching their fists until their knuckles turned white from the effort. Their hearts were filled with anger and humiliation, yet they had no choice but to forcefully endure. Before the Snow Empress's terrifying power, they had no room for resistance and could only swallow this bitter pill.
On the other side, watching helplessly as Huo Yuhao was taken away by the Snow Empress, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were burning with anxiety, their eyes filled with urgency and worry. Bei Bei looked incredulous; he never imagined the academy would choose to yield.
His great-ancestor, Mu En, had sacrificed himself to protect Huo Yuhao, but now the academy had made such a decision. What did Great-Ancestor's sacrifice even mean then? Han Ruoruo, Wu Ming, Ling Luochen, and other inner court disciples witnessing this scene couldn't help but feel a hint of disappointment towards Shrek Academy.
Although they knew the academy's choice was for the sake of most students, it was ultimately disheartening.
In the outer court, individuals who usually disliked Huo Yuhao, such as Wu Feng, Dai Huabin, and Zhu Lu, all wore expressions of schadenfreude. They felt Huo Yuhao had finally received his just deserts, completely unaware of the helplessness and sorrow behind Shrek Academy's actions.
Ning Tian, however, had a solemn expression. As the young mistress of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, she knew the sect had a close relationship with Shrek Academy. With such a significant change occurring at Shrek Academy, she couldn't help but worry if this would adversely affect the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
As the Snow Empress gradually departed with Huo Yuhao, the raging snowstorm gradually subsided. But the thick layer of ice on the ground lingered for a long time, unwilling to dissipate. This ice layer was like the chill that enveloped the hearts of all Shrek Academy students, unable to melt anytime soon, becoming an enduring shadow in their minds.
Hundreds of kilometers away from Shrek Academy, in an open area, the Snow Empress casually dropped Huo Yuhao onto the ground, her voice cold as she said, "You should know why I sought you out." Her eyes held a strong killing intent, making Huo Yuhao shiver, a chill spreading through his entire body.
"I know, you've come for the Ice Empress, haven't you?" A bitter smile appeared on Huo Yuhao's lips. He slowly got up from the ground, patted the dust off himself, and calmly replied.
"Xue'er!"
No sooner had he spoken than a verdant green light emanated from Huo Yuhao, gradually converging and taking shape externally. Immediately, a slightly transparent figure appeared before the Snow Empress. This individual had long green hair tied into twin ponytails and a rather petite physique. It was indeed the Ice Empress, whom the Snow Empress had yearned for.
"Bing'er, you're truly not dead!" Seeing the Ice Empress, the cold expression on the Snow Empress's face instantly melted, revealing a faint smile.
"Snow Empress, long time no see!" Another flash of white light, and the Skydream Iceworm also appeared before everyone.
"You are? That lucky big worm?" The Snow Empress frowned slightly, pondering for a moment before recalling the Skydream Iceworm's identity.
"Bing'er, what exactly happened? Why are you on this human? Did they use some despicable means? I'll kill him for you right now." The Snow Empress had no interest in the Skydream Iceworm. She used to envy the Skydream Iceworm's luck, but now she no longer cared about its million-year cultivation.
"No, Xue'er, let me explain!" The Ice Empress hastily waved her hand, simultaneously stepping in front of Huo Yuhao, afraid that the Snow Empress might act on impulse and casually kill Huo Yuhao. She didn't have much affection for Huo Yuhao, as she had only recently become his second spirit, but if Huo Yuhao died, she wouldn't be able to escape either!
The Ice Empress then meticulously recounted to the Snow Empress the detailed process of how she was lured out by the Skydream Iceworm, how she was attracted by their God Creation Plan, and how she ultimately willingly became Huo Yuhao's second spirit.
After listening, the Snow Empress frowned deeply. She felt that this so-called God Creation Plan sounded somewhat logical, but in reality, it was full of loopholes and utterly impractical.
Ever since joining the World Serpent, she had learned many secrets. In the Douluo Continent of this era, it was almost impossible for both humans and spirit beasts to become gods. This was because the divine positions in the God Realm were already full, unable to accommodate new deities.
Unless someone actively relinquished their divine position and passed it on to Huo Yuhao, even with the full assistance of the Skydream Iceworm and the Ice Empress, it would be extremely difficult for him to become a god.
In other words, the God Creation Plan concocted by the Skydream Iceworm and the Ice Empress hinged on Huo Yuhao successfully condensing a divine position and smoothly ascending to the God Realm.
However, given the current situation, while condensing a divine position might still be a slim possibility for Huo Yuhao with his talent, ascending to the God Realm without an available divine position was simply fantastical. Moreover, even if Huo Yuhao truly condensed a divine position but couldn't ascend to the God Realm, with no place for the divine position to reside, everything would be in vain. Not only would he fail to achieve eternal life, but he might not even live as long as the Ice Empress after overcoming her heavenly tribulation.
"Bing'er, I've already found the path and method to become a god. There's no need to place your hope in a human. Come back with me," the Snow Empress said to the Ice Empress, trying to persuade her. As a member of the World Serpent, she naturally knew the hidden ability of the Marks. Although this ability had not yet been publicly announced, she knew that after opening a Mark Space, one could accommodate a divine position. She had already received a Mark gifted by Lu Jingming. Although it hadn't awakened and she hadn't yet opened her Mark Space, she had already begun to lay out plans in the extreme north, starting to gather faith power in preparation for condensing a divine position. Furthermore, she also intended to ask Lu Jingming for another Mark to give to the Ice Empress.
This way, the Ice Empress would also have hope of embarking on the path to godhood. Moreover, the Ice Empress having now abandoned her spirit beast body was actually quite opportune. As long as she could reshape a physical body, she could completely shed her spirit beast identity, and from then on, would no longer be targeted by this world, free from heavenly tribulations and the curse of being unable to become a god.
The Ice Empress's eyes immediately lit up upon hearing the Snow Empress's words. Deep down, she naturally yearned to be with the Snow Empress more than to be with Huo Yuhao and the annoying Skydream Iceworm. However, a moment later, her eyes dimmed again, and she said helplessly, "Xue'er, in my current state, I cannot separate from Yuhao. Otherwise, my spiritual origin will quickly dissipate, and I will ultimately vanish." She explained in detail that she had already become Huo Yuhao's second spirit, and her spirit rings and spirit bones were tightly bound to Huo Yuhao, making them highly interconnected. In this situation, it would be almost impossible for her to regain her freedom.
The Snow Empress frowned. This was indeed a tricky problem. She was perfectly capable of fighting, but facing the Ice Empress's current complex situation, she was somewhat at a loss. However, the Snow Empress quickly composed herself. She called out to the void in a deep voice, "Mobius, I know you're there. Help me!"
"Heh heh, asking for my help, have you thought about the price?" With a slight ripple in the void, Mobius slowly stepped out, a smile on her face. Her smile held a hint of cunning and mischief, making her unreadable.
"Xue'er, who is she?" The Ice Empress looked at Mobius warily. From Mobius, she felt an unprecedented sense of threat. Although this threat wasn't intense, her keen intuition told her that this woman named Mobius, who resembled a snake, was absolutely not to be underestimated and was probably no weaker than the current Snow Empress. This filled her heart with shock. Since when were there so many unfamiliar powerhouses on the Douluo Continent? What organization had Xue'er joined?
"Don't worry, Bing'er, she's my current companion; you can trust her!" The Snow Empress softly reassured the Ice Empress, then looked at Mobius and said, "As long as you're willing to help, I can help you find any experimental materials you want, even if it means capturing fierce beasts for your research."
"But I'm more interested in you!" Mobius extended her index finger, lightly touching her lips, and tilted her head, speaking with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, a peculiar meaning in her eyes.
"Don't even think about it, and you're not allowed to lay a hand on Bing'er!" The Snow Empress's mouth twitched slightly. She immediately understood the meaning behind Mobius's words and unapologetically warned her.
"Heh heh, I'm always very lenient with my companions!" Mobius's snake-like eyes narrowed slightly, and she mused to herself, It's all Lu Jingming's fault, spreading information everywhere, making these "guinea pigs" too wary now. It's really hard to get my hands on them!
"Ach!" Far away in Haiyuan City, Lu Jingming suddenly sneezed. He rubbed his nose and grumbled gloomily, "Who's thinking of me?"
"Her spiritual origin has already merged into this little guinea pig's spiritual space. While it can be extracted, it truly cannot exist outside for long. However, as long as she can reshape a physical body in time, there will be no problem. You should know who to ask for help," Mobius said, glancing at the Ice Empress and Huo Yuhao. She had been secretly observing Huo Yuhao and was already well aware of his situation.
"Bing'er, don't worry, I have a way to help you reshape your physical body," the Snow Empress said confidently to the Ice Empress. She, of course, knew who had the ability to help the Ice Empress reshape her body.
Huo Yuhao's expression was calm and indifferent. The Skydream Iceworm beside him seemed to want to speak but hesitated, opening its mouth several times as if to say something. But when its gaze fell upon the Snow Empress, the fear hidden deep in its heart surged, and the words on its lips were swallowed back down; it ultimately dared not speak.
The Ice Empress turned her head slightly, her gaze falling on Huo Yuhao, a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. She was very aware that her upcoming decision might have a significant impact on Huo Yuhao. After a moment of contemplation, the Ice Empress softly said, "If I separate from Yuhao, what effect will it have on him? I willingly chose to follow him back then, and I hope you won't harm him, Xue'er."
The Snow Empress frowned slightly. It seemed that after spending some time in human society, the Ice Empress had been influenced to some extent. The Ice Empress of the past was so arrogant and aloof; how could she have cared about a human's life or death! Yet now, she was even considering Huo Yuhao. But thinking about it carefully, wasn't she herself influenced as well? In her interactions with humans, she had unknowingly been affected.
Thinking of this, the Snow Empress looked towards Mobius. After all, Mobius was the one who would be extracting the Ice Empress's origin, and she wasn't sure if this process would harm Huo Yuhao.
"Don't worry, extracting the Ice Empress's origin will, at most, only cause him spiritual damage. He'll recover after a period of rest. Besides, isn't there still this big worm's origin here?" Mobius's lips curled slightly, revealing a seemingly harmless smile, but a strange light flickered in her eyes. If Lu Jingming were present at this moment, with his understanding of Mobius, he would certainly have detected her malicious intent. However, the others present did not understand Mobius's personality and character, so they naturally didn't notice the abnormality in her expression.
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