Chapter 440: Tang Chuan Unexpectedly Becomes a Father?
The Snow Empress seemed to see through his thoughts and said calmly, "Don't look at how lazy it usually is; its strength is not weak. The Ice Bear Clan already has an incredibly powerful Physical Body, and Xiao Bai is the one with the purest Bloodline among them. In terms of defense and strength, there are not many in the Extreme North Land that can surpass it."
Tang Chuan nodded.
"But is it willing to sacrifice itself?"
The Snow Empress fell silent for a moment before saying, "I will tell it about your situation in a moment."
Tang Chuan glanced at her and said nothing more.
He knew that the relationship between the Snow Empress and the Ice Bear King Xiao Bai was not ordinary.
In the original Extreme North Land, the Snow Empress was the high and mighty Ruler of the Extreme North, while the Ice Bear King Xiao Bai was almost like a child she had raised with her own hands.
Asking Xiao Bai to sacrifice itself was not a light, casual persuasion for the Snow Empress.
The two continued forward.
The closer they got to the Ice Valley, the more intense the surrounding cold became. The snow here was no longer ordinary snowflakes, but resembled ice crystals condensed from extremely cold Soul Power; every flake that landed on the ground made a faint, crisp sound. In the distance, towering ice walls stood like a continuous range of giant white cities, blocking the even more violent blizzards from the depths of the Extreme North.
After crossing a crevice-filled ice canyon, a massive valley finally appeared ahead.
In the center of the valley lay a "snow mountain."
That snow mountain was still rising and falling.
With every rise and fall, the surrounding snow-covered ground vibrated slightly.
Immediately after, a burst of deafening snoring rang out.
"Snore—"
"Snore—"
Tang Chuan paused in his tracks, looking at the giant ice bear sleeping flat on its back, temporarily speechless.
The ice bear's body was extremely massive, its fur as snow-white as ice, its limbs thick and sturdy, and its claws huge. Even just lying there, it exuded an incredibly heavy pressure of a Soul Beast.
But the problem was, it was sleeping far too soundly.
A string of icy drool even hung from the corner of its mouth.
Tang Chuan looked at the Snow Empress.
The Snow Empress said expressionlessly, "It is indeed still sleeping."
Tang Chuan was silent for a moment, then said, "I can tell."
The Snow Empress raised her hand, and a thread of ultimate cold condensed into an ice crystal at her fingertip, which she then flicked gently.
The ice crystal landed precisely on the nose of the Ice Bear King Xiao Bai.
The next moment, the Ice Bear King suddenly sneezed.
"Achoo!"
Boom!
A cold current blasted from its mouth and nose, directly blowing away the snow cover that was dozens of feet thick in front of it, revealing the hard blue ice layer beneath.
The Ice Bear King raised its head groggily, its large eyes not yet fully open, its voice thick with sleepiness.
"Who is it..."
"Who dares to disturb my sleep, courting death?"
"Is it that big idiot, the Titan Snow Demon King, again?"
It muttered while raising its massive paw to rub its eyes.
But when it clearly saw the Snow Empress standing at the entrance of the valley, the entire bear froze instantly.
In the next breath, its large eyes suddenly went wide.
"Mama?!"
This cry was earth-shattering.
The entire Ice Valley seemed to shake.
The corner of Tang Chuan's mouth twitched slightly.
Although he had long known that Xiao Bai called the Snow Empress "Mama," actually hearing a Ferocious beast of over two hundred thousand years cry out in such a voice, cracking with pleasant surprise, still made him feel that the tone of the scene was a bit off.
The Ice Bear King Xiao Bai's massive body suddenly bounced up from the snow pit, kicking up waves of snow, and then pounced toward the Snow Empress like a moving snow mountain.
"Mama! It's really you!"
"You're back!"
"I knew I wasn't just dreaming!"
It rushed in front of the Snow Empress, and just as it was about to nuzzle her with its head, the Snow Empress gave it a calm look.
"Xiao Bai."
The Ice Bear King's movements stopped instantly. Its massive bear head was still half a zhang away from the Snow Empress, screeching to a halt in mid-air, before it obediently shrank back.
"Hehe..."
"Mama, I was just too excited."
Looking at it, a trace of imperceptible softness appeared in the depths of the Snow Empress's eyes.
"Xiao Bai, long time no see."
The Ice Bear King immediately felt aggrieved.
"Mama, so you do know it's been a long time."
"After you left, the Extreme North has been boring to death. The Titan Snow Demon King is simple-minded, and other Soul Beasts run away as soon as they see me. I don't know what to do other than sleep."
Tang Chuan felt a bit amused listening to this; no matter how he heard it, these words did not sound like something a Ferocious beast king of the Extreme North should say.
As the Ice Bear King spoke, it suddenly noticed Tang Chuan standing beside the Snow Empress, and its large eyes immediately grew vigilant.
"A human?"
It instantly shielded the Snow Empress, baring its teeth. "Mama, step aside, let me slap him to death first!"
Tang Chuan: "..."
The Snow Empress's tone turned slightly cold.
"Xiao Bai."
The Ice Bear King's fur shuddered, and it immediately sat down obediently, placing its two paws in front of itself, looking as well-behaved as a white dumpling magnified countless times.
"I won't slap him."
"Mama, you speak."
The Snow Empress turned to glance at Tang Chuan, and then said to Xiao Bai:
"His name is Tang Chuan, and he is my host."
The Ice Bear King blinked.
"Host?"
The Snow Empress nodded.
"Back then, I chose to become his wisdom spirit ring, and now my Origin is linked with his Second Spirit. In a sense, my life already coexists with his. He is neither an enemy nor an ordinary human..."
The Ice Bear King listened intently.
As it listened, its large eyes grew brighter and brighter.
"In other words..."
"Mama, you are currently living inside his body?"
Tang Chuan suddenly felt that this phrasing was a bit strange.
The Snow Empress, however, remained very calm. She nodded slightly and said:
"You can understand it that way."
The Ice Bear King asked again, "Will you also follow him forever in the future?"
The Snow Empress nodded.
"Yes."
The Ice Bear King looked down at the Snow Empress, then at Tang Chuan, a look of sudden realization dawning on its face. The next moment, it suddenly grinned at Tang Chuan and said in a booming voice:
"Papa!"
Tang Chuan: "???"
The Snow Empress: "..."
Even the wind and snow in the valley seemed to pause at this moment.
For once, Tang Chuan lost his composure as he stared at the Ice Bear King.
"What did you just call me?"
The Ice Bear King said righteously, "Papa."
Tang Chuan's eyelid twitched slightly.
"Why?"
The Ice Bear King said in all seriousness, "Mama said that her life now coexists with yours and she will always follow you. Doesn't that make you Papa?"
For a moment, Tang Chuan actually didn't know how to refute.
A subtle change finally appeared on the Snow Empress's face as well.
"Xiao Bai, don't talk nonsense."
The Ice Bear King immediately felt aggrieved.
"But Mama, didn't you say before that a family should live together?"
The Snow Empress fell silent.
The Ice Bear King continued:
"You live inside Papa's body now, so what's wrong with me calling him Papa?"
Tang Chuan: "..."
The Snow Empress: "..."
Tang Chuan cleared his throat and said, "Actually, you can call me Tang Chuan."
The Ice Bear King immediately shook its head.
"No."
"The person Mama chose is definitely no ordinary person."
"Calling you by name seems disrespectful."
Tang Chuan said, "Then calling me Lord Tang Chuan is also fine."
The Ice Bear King thought about it and said seriously, "It's not as close as 'Papa'."
The corner of Tang Chuan's mouth twitched.
The Snow Empress finally couldn't help but say, "Xiao Bai."
The Ice Bear King immediately lowered its head.
"Mama, I was wrong."
But not long after lowering its head, it peeked at Tang Chuan again and whispered in addition:
"Can I call you that in private then?"
Tang Chuan raised his hand to rub his temples. He suddenly felt that his trip to the Extreme North seemed to have become a bit absurd ever since he met the Ice Bear King.
The Snow Empress also seemed to have a headache and simply changed the subject.
"Xiao Bai, I have serious business coming back this time."
The Ice Bear King immediately sat up straight.
"Mama, you speak."
The Snow Empress said:
"Tang Chuan is currently undergoing the Sea God Legacy. He has now completed the Sea God's Seventh Trial and pulled out the Sea God Trident. The upcoming Eighth Trial requires him to complete the Soul Rings for both of his Martial Souls."
The Ice Bear King looked at Tang Chuan, its eyes lighting up.
"Papa is going to become a god?"
Tang Chuan corrected, "Call me Tang Chuan."
The Ice Bear King nodded.
"Okay, Papa."
Tang Chuan: "..."
The Snow Empress pretended not to hear and continued, "His first Martial Soul, the Blue Silver Emperor, already has a full set of Soul Rings, but his Second Spirit, which has me as its Foundation, is the Ultimate Ice Martial Soul, and currently lacks Soul Rings."
Hearing this, the Ice Bear King finally understood.
It looked down at its own paws, then at Tang Chuan.
"So, Mama, you want me to sacrifice myself to Papa?"
Tang Chuan really wanted to correct it again, but looking at the Ice Bear King's incredibly natural bear face, he ultimately remained silent. Forget it, as long as it's happy.
The Snow Empress did not give a direct command, but looked at Xiao Bai, softening her voice slightly.
"I am telling you this not to force you to sacrifice yourself."
"Xiao Bai, this is your own destiny."
"I will not make the decision for you."
"Tang Chuan needs Soul Rings, but he will not force you. If you are unwilling, we will leave and find another way."
The Ice Bear King was stunned. It lowered its head and fell silent for a moment.
The wind and snow in the valley blew gently, its snow-white fur swaying softly in the wind. After a long while, it finally raised its head to look at Tang Chuan.
"Papa."
Tang Chuan: "...Speak."
The Ice Bear King said seriously:
"If I sacrifice myself to you, will I be able to stay inside your body just like Mama?"
Tang Chuan nodded.
"I will do my best to preserve your consciousness, allowing you to become a part of an wisdom spirit ring. You won't truly disappear; you will only lose your original Physical Body."
The Ice Bear King's eyes lit up instantly.
"In other words, I can follow Mama forever in the future?"
The Snow Empress said softly, "Yes."
"And I can also go out to fight with Papa?"
Tang Chuan said, "Yes."
The Ice Bear King continued to ask, "If we run into bad guys, can I beat them up?"
Tang Chuan nodded slightly.
"Of course."
The Ice Bear King immediately grinned.
"Then what is there to think about?"
"I will sacrifice myself!"
This time, it was the Snow Empress's turn to be slightly taken aback.
"Xiao Bai, think it through."
The Ice Bear King waved its massive paw.
"I've thought it through."
"Anyway, staying in this valley, I'm either sleeping or daydreaming, and that big idiot the Titan Snow Demon King always comes to annoy me. Going out with Mama and Papa, I can beat up bad guys, see the outside World, and I won't have to guard this broken valley all by myself."
"No matter how I look at it, I'm the one who profits."
Tang Chuan couldn't help but say:
"How does a sacrifice sound like going on a vacation when it comes out of your mouth?"
The Ice Bear King spoke righteously.
"Because I'm not afraid. Mama is here, and Papa is here too."
"It's not like I'm dying, I'm just moving."
Tang Chuan fell silent.
From a certain perspective, it didn't seem wrong.
It was just moving from an Ice Valley into his Spiritual Sea.
Looking at Xiao Bai, the Snow Empress's gaze softened a lot.
"You are still the same as before."
The Ice Bear King chuckled.
"I've gotten smarter."
The Snow Empress said calmly, "I can't tell."
The Ice Bear King: "..."
Tang Chuan finally couldn't help but chuckle.
The Ice Bear King immediately looked at him.
"Papa, are you laughing at me?"
Tang Chuan said, "No."
"You definitely laughed."
"I didn't."
"You did."
Tang Chuan was silent for a moment, then said, "Fine, I did."
The Ice Bear King nodded in satisfaction.
"Papa is very honest."
Tang Chuan: "..."
Looking at the human and the bear, a faint smile also appeared in the Snow Empress's eyes.
This kind of feeling had not appeared for a very long time. The Extreme North Land was too cold, and the Snow Empress had not felt a trace of warmth akin to home like this in far too long.
The Ice Bear King suddenly put away its playfulness.
It looked down at the Snow Empress, its voice becoming much more serious.
"Mama."
"I know you wouldn't just come back to find me for no reason."
"The fact that you brought Papa here means something really big must have happened outside."
"For both of you to take it so seriously, it must be very dangerous."
"My brain might not be as good as Sister Ice Empress's, but I know one thing."
"Whatever Mama wants to do, I will definitely help."
"Whatever Papa wants to help Mama do, I will help too."
Tang Chuan's eyes flickered slightly.
Looking at the seemingly simple-minded Ice Bear King before him, his heart felt a bit more solemn.
Xiao Bai wasn't stupid; it was just simple-minded.
It trusted the Snow Empress, and trusted him because of her.
This kind of trust should not be let down.
Tang Chuan slowly raised his hand and said seriously:
"Xiao Bai, I promise you."
"If one day I truly become a god and have the ability to reconstruct your Physical Body, I will definitely help you."
The Ice Bear King's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
Tang Chuan nodded.
"Really."
The Ice Bear King immediately became happy.
"Then does that mean I'll count as a god's son in the future?"
Tang Chuan was stunned.
The Snow Empress silently turned her head away.
Tang Chuan said with some difficulty, "This... probably shouldn't be calculated that way."
The Ice Bear King was not convinced.
"You are Papa, Mama is Mama. If you become a god in the future and I follow you, doesn't that make me a Second-Generation God?"
Tang Chuan: "..."
He suddenly felt that for the Ice Bear King Xiao Bai to live for over two hundred thousand years, the other Soul Beasts in the Extreme North Land must have been extremely tolerant.
The Snow Empress finally spoke.
"Xiao Bai, prepare to sacrifice yourself."
The Ice Bear King immediately turned solemn.
"Okay!"
It stood up, its massive body like an icy, snowy mountain, as a terrifying icy Origin slowly released from within its body.
The entire Ice Valley began to vibrate.
The wind and snow in the distance suddenly stopped.
All the Soul Beasts of the Extreme North seemed to sense something, lowering their heads one after another toward this direction.
The Ice Bear King Xiao Bai let out a long howl toward the sky.
The howl held no sadness, but was instead filled with a sense of liberation and heroism.
"Listen up, you little brats of the Extreme North!"
"This king is going out with Mama and Papa to do great things in the future! If the Titan Snow Demon King comes to snatch my territory later, you tell him to wait until I get back to beat him up!"
Tang Chuan: "..."
The Snow Empress: "..."
Outside the valley, several Soul Beasts of the Ice Bear Clan listened with faces full of confusion.
They understood "Mama."
But who was "Papa"?
Looking at the puzzled gazes cast from afar, Tang Chuan felt, for the first time, a sense of wanting to explain but not knowing where to begin.
But the Ice Bear King no longer cared about any of this.
It turned around, looking at Tang Chuan and the Snow Empress.
"Mama, Papa."
"Here I come."
As its voice fell, a brilliant icy blue light suddenly erupted from its body. Its massive body gradually transformed into countless icy crystal points of light, and the extremely cold Origin surged toward Tang Chuan like a river flowing backward.
Tang Chuan immediately released his Second Spirit, and the phantom of the Snow Empress emerged behind him.
The original four Soul Rings slowly rose—three orange-gold Soul Rings and one hundred-thousand-year red Soul Ring, emitting a powerful aura in the wind and snow.