Chapter 38: When the King of Beasts Bowed Before a Human
His icy voice tore through the snow-laden air, carrying a sternness that could not be mistaken.
Di Tian, why are you here in the Far North instead of remaining in the Great Star Dou Forest? What exactly is happening?
The echo of his words trembled through the blizzard, as waves of frost enveloped the world from every side.
Di Tian slowly lifted his gaze, a faint, disdainful smile curling upon his lips—as though the one before him was unworthy even of acknowledgment.
With a voice dripping in mockery, he said,Bing Di, you are the one asking me?
His tone was sharp and cold, brimming with unshakable confidence—as if even the famed Ice Empress, ruler of the Far North, was nothing more than a shadow before him.
Bing Di's expression twisted, her voice trembling with barely restrained fury.
Di Tian, you…!
But her words died midway.
Had it been anyone else who dared insult her, she would have torn them apart with her fangs and claws without hesitation.
But this man… was different.
Even here, in the heart of her own frozen dominion, she understood clearly—he was far above her.
His power was terrifying, colder than the northern winds themselves, heavier than the glaciers that surrounded them.
And yet, Bing Di was not a woman who knew the meaning of surrender.
She lifted her head, defiance burning in her veins, and her voice echoed through the frozen void.
"Di Tian, your strength may indeed be great… but this is the Far North! The Snow Empress dwells here as well. This place is not your playground to do as you please!"
Di Tian replied with utter calm, as though he had been expecting her words all along.
"Then… let us wait for the Snow Empress to arrive."
Before he could finish, a faint smile curved upon his lips, his golden eyes gazing into the distant horizon.
"Ah… she is already here."
In the next moment, a majestic aura swept across the heavens—cold, yet overflowing with imperial grandeur that made even Di Tian's expression grow more solemn.
"Hssss!"
A violent blizzard erupted, shaking the very sky as countless snowflakes whirled in furious spirals.
From the heart of the storm descended a graceful figure, slow and regal—like a celestial queen descending from the clouds.
Her pure-white hair flowed like a waterfall down to her feet.
Her azure eyes, deep and mesmerizing, held an authority that could pierce through every secret in existence.
The tight, ice-blue gown she wore accentuated her slender form and flawless figure.
Her snow-pale skin, clear as polished jade, bore not the slightest imperfection.
She was the embodiment of transcendent beauty—pure and noble—
like a white plum blossom blooming amid the cruelest winter, defying both frost and storm alike.
From afar, the cries of countless spirit beasts rose into the frozen sky, echoing in reverence through the blinding snow—
"The Snow Empress!"
The instant she appeared, the heavy weight pressing on Bing Di's heart melted away, replaced by a faint warmth that reached even her frozen core.
In her eyes, with the arrival of the Snow Empress, Di Tian no longer held the upper hand.
"Bing Di."
The Snow Empress offered the Ice Empress a gentle, serene smile before lifting her gaze upward—her calm, glacial eyes settling upon Di Tian.
Di Tian.
Her tranquil azure eyes met his sharp golden ones.
Though her voice was soft—like a whisper of wind in a winter night—it carried an irresistible authority, a weight so immense that even the falling snow seemed to halt.
Di Tian, as the guardian of the Great Star Dou Forest… what brings you to the Far North?
When the Snow Empress's gaze fell upon him, the very air seemed to freeze solid.
Her calm, crystalline eyes reflected the composure of a queen who had long ruled from a throne of eternal ice.
That single look alone could make even the mightiest of beings hesitate to breathe.
Di Tian… was no ordinary opponent.
He was the King of Beasts, a sovereign among sovereigns—his mere presence enough to shake heaven and earth.
Even the Snow Empress herself… could not match him in pure strength or cultivation.
And yet, here in the Far North—on land that was hers in both spirit and flesh—she showed not the slightest trace of fear.
On the contrary, she stood tall and unwavering, her very existence embodying the absolute dominion of the frozen world she ruled.
Her presence alone was the answer to any threat.
At last, Di Tian sighed softly, his gaze shifting toward the nearby ice-blue shield glimmering under the cold light.
When he finally spoke, his low voice carried a quiet gravity.
I came… for personal reasons.
Had his confrontation been only with the Ice Empress, he would never have bothered to explain.
But the Snow Empress… was different—utterly different.
She was a pure spirit born of ice and snow, forged from the essence of this frozen world itself, carrying within her nearly seven hundred thousand years of existence.
She was the undisputed ruler of the Far North—her will absolute, her word law.
Even Di Tian himself… seemed to silently admit that defeating her upon this land would be no simple feat.
Xue Di fixed her gaze on the boy before her, her beautiful eyes widening in disbelief as she murmured with a trace of doubt,Human?
From the look of it, Di Tian seemed to be protecting that human child as though he were the most precious thing in existence.
The sight itself was terrifying—this man… Di Tian!
Di Tian spoke calmly, his deep voice blending with the chilling air that filled the space.
He is no ordinary human… he is my master.
Xue Di's pupils shrank sharply, and a faint look of astonishment crossed her cold features.
She knew all too well that deep within the Great Star Dou Forest slept the true Lord of the Spirit Beast Clan—an existence to whom all spirit beasts bowed in loyalty and reverence, guarded personally by Di Tian himself.
Even she, the Ice Empress of the North, would never dare to defy that great being's command in critical moments.
So how could Di Tian possibly abandon that Lord… and acknowledge a human as his master?
It was only natural that Xue Di felt shaken by his words.
Her voice trembled slightly as she whispered,And he…
Di Tian's sharp gaze cut her off.
"What of him? Xue Di asked, curiosity and fear warring in her eyes.
Di Tian fell silent for a moment before replying in a low tone,Do not ask… knowing too much will bring you no benefit.
But Xue Di did not back down. She spoke firmly, her tone filled with regal authority.
Does even an Empress like me not have the right to know?
Di Tian's lips curved into a faint, snow-cold smile.
He… is my master.
Xue Di's brows furrowed, her expression growing even sterner.
Her gaze drifted toward the small figure of Ji Lin nearby, her eyes deepening as she sank into a long, pensive silence.
That human child… he must be carrying an unfathomable secret.
Otherwise, how could Di Tian—the legendary guardian of the forest—risk his life to protect him?
She, the daughter of this frozen world, the sovereign who ruled the skies and earth of the Far North…
And now, before the appearance of such a rare human—one who held Di Tian's absolute loyalty—how could she not feel a surge of indescribable curiosity blazing within her heart?
At that moment, Ji Lin's voice rose—steady as ice, yet carrying an undeniable weight that pierced the silence.
"In truth… my presence here is not by chance. I came for the two of you."
Xue Di's brows furrowed, a sharp glint of suspicion flickering in her cold eyes as she asked in a low, steady tone,
"For us…?"
Ji Lin's gaze sharpened, cutting through the frozen stillness like a blade. His voice lowered, deep and resonant, like a muffled rumble beneath the storm.
"Yes, that's right. I know your time is slipping away… especially you, Ice Empress. At best, you have less than ten thousand years left. And you, Snow Empress—after that… only annihilation awaits."
Then, with a chilling calmness, he continued—his tone one of quiet dominance, as if every outcome already lay within his grasp.
"But there is another path. If you accept my offer… I can grant you both a million years of cultivation—in an instant."
Silence fell. Even the falling snow seemed to stop midair.
Xue Di exhaled slowly, the frost in her eyes sharpening into a deadly edge as she spoke in a voice soft, yet heavy with threat.
"Then let's hear it. If I don't like what you have to say, be ready for the consequences… even if Di Tian protects you, the beasts of the North will not show mercy."
Ji Lin's lips curved into a faint, enigmatic smile, its shadow dancing over his face, illuminated by the quiet confidence in his gaze.
"Very well… then let's begin."
In the next instant, his awareness sank inward—into the vast ocean of his consciousness, bathed in a transparent azure glow. There, his calm voice echoed deep within his mind.
"My beautiful, powerful sister… I need your help now. Convince the Ice Empress and the Snow Empress to accept this. You promised me once that you'd grant me a spirit, and now's the perfect time to keep that promise. Remember… they are not the ones you used to know."
A soft, confident laugh resonated within him—full of pride and charm.
"Ji Lin, leave it to your strong and gorgeous sister. I promise… you won't walk away from this empty-handed."
As her final words faded, the sea of consciousness rippled with radiant light.
From within that brilliance, Tian Meng emerged into the outside world—her human form shimmering with a breathtaking celestial glow, surrounded by fragments of pale-blue light that danced like drifting petals of frost.
Her smile was calm yet irresistibly commanding. With a graceful bow, she lifted her head and spoke, her tone elegant and warm.
"It's a pleasure to meet you… O great Empresses."
In that instant, the eyes of both the Ice Empress and the Snow Empress widened in utter disbelief—their voices overlapping in a cry that made the very air tremble.
"You… the Heavenly Silkworm, Tian Meng?! How are you here?!"
Tian Meng smiled with unshakable confidence, her eyes gleaming with the pulse of divine, sky-blue light.
"Oh? So you do recognize me. Yes… I am indeed the strongest spiritual beast on the continent. My title—'Skydream Ice Worm,' the radiant dream of the frozen heavens, power and beauty in one.
There's no need for worry… your Queen is here. I won't let that brute, Di Tian, lay a finger on either of you."
But her words did not ease their shock.
Instead, they shattered the stillness like an avalanche, stirring chaos in the hearts of both empresses.
Their voices trembled as they shouted in disbelief—
"What?! You're female?! You're not Tian Meng—who are you?! How could there be another Heavenly Silkworm in existence?! What in the world is happening?!"