"Mm..."
In a large tent deep in the wilderness at dawn, An Zhen slowly opened his eyes. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, instinctively reaching an arm to the side—empty, but the quilt still carried a faint milky fragrance.
Waking naturally felt blissful.
Most nights, he refreshed his state. Truly sleeping until dawn was rare.
But... where was his hugging pillow?
An Zhen stepped out of the tent. On the grassy clearing outside, a cute blue-haired girl bustled around cooking utensils—stirring porridge, chopping vegetables—her movements slightly clumsy yet radiating the grace of a devoted homemaker.
"An Zhen ge!"
Delicate fingers brushed stray hairs from her eyes. The apron-clad girl set dishes on a small table, pulled An Zhen down to sit, and arranged his spoon and chopsticks.
A bowl of porridge, four side dishes.
The aroma and presentation alone whetted the appetite.
Huo Yutong: the epitome of a virtuous wife.
"Perfect."
Her Spirit Eyes paired flawlessly with her culinary skills.
"I'm glad you like it!"
Huo Yutong watched, heart full, as the boy she adored ate her cooking.
Today, Huo Yutong brimmed with vitality. Her joyful demeanor resembled that of any carefree 11- or 12-year-old girl. Yesterday's hatred no longer shackled her. Today, she strode toward a brighter future.
After breakfast, An Zhen cleaned the pots and bowls in the virtual world.
"All set."
He packed their overnight gear.
As a "missing person," An Zhen couldn't risk public appearances. They'd camped in the wild forest.
"An Zhen ge, what's next?" Huo Yutong asked curiously. She didn't even know their location.
Her blue shoulder-length hair was tied into two cute buns. A knee-length navy dress hugged her frame, a small butterfly bow at her waist. A sky-blue cardigan draped over her shoulders, white socks peeking from white ankle boots.
She looked less like an adventurer and more like a young lady on a picnic.
"Step Three of the Yutong Growth Plan."
Step One: Medicinal tonics to nourish her body; quasi-Level 3 Soul Engineer status to build confidence.
Step Two: Vengeance achieved; inner turmoil and malice released.
Step Three: Enhance aptitude; complete her second Martial Soul; transform her into a true prodigy.
"Step Three?" Huo Yutong blushed at the name.
"Completing your second Martial Soul." An Zhen met her gaze. "Tianmeng Iceworm left an ice-attribute slot. It needs a soul from an ice-attribute soul beast to fill it."
"The Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor!" Tianmeng Iceworm's spiritual voice rang out urgently. "I could've trapped and persuaded her! With that grey sphere's help, we can handle any risk!"
"No, no, Tianmeng." An Zhen shook his head, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "My plan has the Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor becoming my Soul Spirit—to break through my Level 40 bottleneck."
"?"
Tianmeng froze.
"You're stealing Yutong's destiny!" she shrieked. "Scumbag! Have you forgotten your promises?!"
An Zhen muted her spiritual voice. Manual shutdown.
"Honestly. The emperor isn't anxious, but the eunuch is."
An Zhen knew Tianmeng's outburst stemmed from her feelings for the "Ice Empress."
But you're just her unrequited admirer.
Hah. Wishful thinking.
"Yutong." An Zhen turned to his girl.
"An Zhen ge." Huo Yutong ignored Tianmeng's conspiracy theories in her mind. Her starlit eyes held only him. "I trust you."
"And... An Zhen ge is amazing already. With the Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor, you'll be even stronger!"
Her voice held pure joy—no jealousy, no resentment. She genuinely celebrated his gain.
How precious.
An Zhen marveled at having a girl who loved him so completely.
"The Ice Jade Scorpion. Ultimate Ice attribute. The Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor—a nearly 400,000-year-old beast. Strictly speaking, she's more deserving of the title 'Ancestor of Ice' than even the Snow Empress."
An Zhen's tone grew measured. "But, Tianmeng Iceworm—that's just your narrow perspective."
Tianmeng: ?
"You may have lived a million years, but the Douluo Continent has existed for countless millions."
"This world is vaster than you imagine."
An Zhen unmuted her.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean I'll get my wife a stronger Martial Soul."
"Hah! Can you get the Snow Empress?"
The Snow Empress...
An Zhen imagined Huo Yutong with the Ice Sky Snow Maiden Martial Soul.
Adorable.
A little ice princess?
"If Yutong wanted it... in half a year, I could get her."
Tianmeng: ?
"Don't boast till your tongue snaps!"
Tianmeng knew the Snow Empress's reputation. Such a being would rather perish in a heavenly tribulation than bow to a human.
"Tsk. You don't know her current situation."
Timing-wise... the Snow Empress should have failed her Yin-Yang Complementary Soul Core attempt. Her origin is damaged.
"What?!"
Tianmeng suddenly wondered if he spoke truth.
This boy was terrifyingly omniscient—her past, her plans, Shrek's secrets, even the grey sphere's extradimensional origins.
Had the Snow Empress truly met disaster?
"Guess~"
"I'll guess your ancestors, you riddle-spewing bastard!"
Tianmeng: Riddlers deserve death!
An Zhen: Being a riddler is fun!
"Then what will you give Yutong?"
Tianmeng seethed about the Ice Empress, but she wasn't a child. Control had slipped from her grasp. Even Huo Yutong prioritized An Zhen's opinion.
Love?
Godhood?
Tianmeng valued her life more.
Millions of years hibernating, fleeing predators, drifting across oceans, captured and drained by Star Dou Forest's brutes, breaking free at a million years—all led to this desperate gamble.
Besides... those grey spheres were formidable.
Tianmeng surrendered.
"The Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor is the backup."
"The primary choice?"
A brilliant smile lit An Zhen's face.
"A being no weaker than the God of Ice!"
Huo Yutong: !
An Zhen ge...
Tears of gratitude welled in her eyes.
Tianmeng: !!!
"You're insane!"
A million-year lifespan granted some perspective.
"You plan to have that grey sphere force her?!"
Tianmeng couldn't fathom how he'd persuade a god-tier entity to become Huo Yutong's Martial Soul.
Force her?
The grey sphere was divine consciousness.
But wasn't that too reckless?
Yutong couldn't withstand that strain.
"Tianmeng Iceworm, you care more about your life than the Ice Empress. Right?"
"..."
Tianmeng stayed silent.
"The strong have their pride."
"But... some things matter more than dignity. More than life itself."
An Zhen's expression radiated absolute control. His sunny smile chilled Tianmeng to the core.
Knowing everything about you.
That was the true terror.
Every living being had connections—things or people they cherished. Where there was emotion, there was weakness. Some losses were worse than death.
Like the White Tiger Duchess, kowtowing and degrading herself.
Was she truly repentant?
No.
She sacrificed her dignity for her sons.
Too bad An Zhen hadn't told her: her youngest son was already crippled. His remaining life would be living hell.
An Zhen pulled Huo Yutong into his arms. He preferred holding her to standing side-by-side. She was light, soft, fragrant. He buried his face in her neck, her scent enveloping him.
"Teacher, please locate that dense ice-fire energy in this forest."
Virtual World
Huo Yutong, An Zhen, and Tianmeng Iceworm sat together.
A golden figure lunged toward them—only for golden chains to bind her in a tortoise-shell restraint. Her loose sleepwear couldn't hide her voluptuous curves. Huo Yutong gaped at the "generous proportions."
A nutrient-rich meatworm.
It looked oddly appetizing.
"Hey! At least tell us where we are!" Tianmeng yelled.
"Sunset Forest."
As a creator of undead demiplanes, Yi Laike's mastery of spatial forces was peerless. Coupled with his near-godly power, a journey of days took mere moments.
"?"
Tianmeng was puzzled—either by the destination or An Zhen's uncharacteristic directness.
An Zhen stood and pinched the golden-haired shut-in's soft cheeks. "Quite nice."
"?"
Tianmeng's face hardened. "Don't even think about it! My heart belongs only to Bing Bing!"
Noting her predicament, she added, "Even if you take my body, you'll never have my heart!"
"I'm not attracted to meatworms." An Zhen released her. "I'm just surprised she didn't eat you outright."
Or perhaps the Silver Dragon King wanted to fatten her to a million years first?
"What?!"
Eat her?!
"You are sent by those Star Dou Forest bastards?!"
"I'd join their side only if their mistress became my maid." An Zhen smirked. Unlikely, given the Silver Dragon King's pride.
"Ew~"
The golden-haired shut-in wrinkled her nose. "Making Di Tian your maid—"
Smack!
An Zhen's hand landed sharply on her plump backside, making it quiver.
"I meant Di Tian's mistress!"
"Di Tian's mistress?" Tianmeng blinked. "Wait... you mean there's someone above Di Tian?"
An Zhen ignored her. Action had begun.
Poisonous miasma, Seven Absolute Emerald Vines...
Lethal hazards to others were mere toys before Yi Laike.
"Yutong."
An Zhen released Huo Yutong's consciousness.
"We've arrived."
"The Ice Fire Two Extremes Eye."
(End of Chapter)