The second semifinal match was between the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy and the Heaven Soul Imperial Dio Academy.
Despite the Dio Academy having their first-ever twenty-year-old Soul Emperor, Jiang Peng, they were still completely crushed by the superior overall strength and heritage of the Sun Moon team.
With this, the Sun Moon team claimed victory in the second semifinal and advanced to the grand finals.
Thus, the two strongest teams of this Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament were finally decided: once again, it would be the battle between the reigning number one, Shrek Academy, and the number two, Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy.
The long-awaited rematch—five years in the making—was set to take place three days later.
Star Luo City buzzed with anticipation. Countless people hoped to witness Shrek claim yet another championship, while others eagerly awaited the possibility of the Sun Moon team shattering Shrek's invincible myth.
However, none of that concerned Zhu Ziyang at the moment.
Right now, his entire focus was within his Spiritual Sea, where his two new soul spirits—Snow Empress and Ice Empress—were about to be born.
Inside the grand hall of his spiritual sea, Zhu Ziyang sat on the throne, eyes fixed on the gently shaking white soul spirit egg. Beside him, Second Frost watched with curiosity and anticipation. As for Electrolux, he had left the spiritual sea to go to the Sanctuary Half-Plane, where five undead creatures were undergoing transformation over the next three days.
The white soul egg shook more and more violently. Its shell grew increasingly fragile, until a crisp crack echoed through the hall.
Zhu Ziyang's eyes lit up—Snow Empress was about to hatch!
Sure enough, countless fine cracks spread across the eggshell. Not long after, a soft, chubby little hand broke through the shell. It looked just like a human infant's hand—round, tender, and white.
Then came the rest of her.
Snow Empress emerged, her full figure visible within moments. She looked no different from a five- or six-year-old human girl: her face was exquisitely carved, with big sapphire-blue eyes that sparkled like amber, a tiny pouty mouth, and flowing white hair cascading to her ankles. She wore a long white dress, dainty arms exposed, and two soft little feet peeking beneath the hem.
From appearance alone, she looked like a delicate and adorable little girl, not a terrifying soul beast turned soul spirit.
"She's so cute!" Second Frost cried, eyes full of motherly affection.
"Ahem!" Zhu Ziyang coughed awkwardly, shaken by the soul spirit's childlike form. He asked, "Snow Empress, may I ask you something?"
"What is it?" Snow Empress replied, still adjusting to her new form. Her small face looked slightly confused, and her voice—no longer the cold, regal tone she once had—had become soft and sweet, like a child.
Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she heard her own voice. It was unbearably shameful for the former Empress of the Extreme North to sound so… cuddly.
Zhu Ziyang raised an eyebrow and asked, half-serious, "Are the clothes you're wearing… born with you, or did you conjure them yourself?"
Snow Empress immediately puffed up her cheeks in outrage.
"How rude of you! Of course, I created these clothes! What, did you think I'd hatch naked like a human infant?!"
"Ah… right," Zhu Ziyang muttered, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "So you mean… they can be taken off?"
"Don't you dare have any naughty thoughts about me!"
Snow Empress glared at him with a fierce, blushing expression.
"Hehe, of course not," Zhu Ziyang chuckled. He was curious about how the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion's body compared to a human's—but he wasn't that low.
"Alright, back to the point," he said, clearing his throat. "What's your strength like now? You're not like Second Frost, right—only able to use eighty percent of my power?"
"Hey!" Second Frost pouted. "What's that supposed to mean?! Just because you got a new girl doesn't mean you can diss the old one!"
Snow Empress ignored the drama and replied thoughtfully,
"I can probably use eighty percent of my peak power. If I work together with Ice Empress, we might even reach ninety percent."
Zhu Ziyang's eyes widened. "That means you're on par with a Titled Douluo. Amazing!"
Snow Empress nodded proudly.
"Obviously! I'm the Empress of the Extreme North! Even as a soul spirit, I'm still the strongest!"
But then she added cautiously,
"However, even if I have that power, can your soul power sustain it? I might end up draining you dry if I go all out."
She gave him a playful, challenging look—tiny body, queen-like demeanor, and teasing tone all rolled into one. Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but pinch her chubby cheek.
"You don't have to worry about that," he said confidently.
"You—! So rude!"
Snow Empress scowled as she swatted his hand away.
Zhu Ziyang laughed heartily but quickly turned serious again.
He understood the mechanics—soul masters and soul spirits had independent soul power. However, a soul spirit's strength depended on the soul master's level. If the spirit's realm far exceeded the master's, then it would consume the master's soul power to function at full capacity.
This was exactly the case with Snow Empress, which was why she'd voiced her concern.
It was a mutually dependent relationship.
"Want to see the outside world?" Zhu Ziyang asked.
"Yes!" Snow Empress replied cheerfully. "Ice Empress probably won't hatch until tomorrow."
The green egg representing Ice Empress shook in response, as if it had heard them.
Zhu Ziyang chuckled and left the spiritual sea.
Back in the real world, he opened his eyes and summoned his two soul spirits.
Second Frost remained in her familiar, cat-sized form. Snow Empress, however, now looked like a three- or four-year-old. Though still exquisitely pretty, she exuded even more cuteness and innocence. Like Second Frost, she could float midair, her little feet resting on invisible platforms.
"Snow Empress, why did you shrink again?" Zhu Ziyang asked curiously.
"Because I wanted to!"
She giggled, and then showed him why.
She floated to his shoulder and plopped down, swinging her tiny legs over his chest and hugging his neck. Her head pressed affectionately against his cheek—absolutely adorable.
Not to be outdone, Second Frost flew to his other shoulder and mimicked her pose. Her tiny dragon claws and tail wrapped around him just the same.
"Frosty, doesn't that tail position feel awkward?" Zhu Ziyang asked, expression twisted.
"Not at all! Dragons have extremely flexible tails, you know. We can sit however we like!"
"…Huh. I guess you're right." Zhu Ziyang thought back to the time he manifested his own dragon tail—it really had been agile.
Then Snow Empress turned to Second Frost and asked,
"You're a Divine Beast, right? How come Ice Empress and I never noticed your presence before?"
"Because I hid on purpose!" Second Frost replied proudly. "I'm a Dragon Wolf, you know. I'm really good at masking my presence. Plus, I had an Ice Demon Snow Soul helping me hide. But I never expected my own follower would betray me! That little traitor!"
"So that's why…" Snow Empress murmured, eyes wide. Then she added teasingly,
"You sacrificed yourself to Zhu Ziyang… because of that Ice Demon?"
"Exactly!" Second Frost growled. "If that bastard hadn't ambushed me while I was transcending my tribulation, I'd be the new ruler of the Extreme North by now!"
"There, there." Zhu Ziyang comforted her. "Once I reach Seven Rings, I'll help you get revenge. That traitor won't get away with it."
"Mhm!" Second Frost nodded, eyes blazing with hatred.
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