Chapter 39: The Pact of Ice and Eternity
In that moment, Bing Di stepped forward, each footfall upon the snow sending ripples of killing cold through the air.
Her eyes gleamed with a lethal, icy light, and her voice trembled with scornful pride.
"Well then… allow me to devour you right here and now."
But before she could strike, a surge of black, roaring energy erupted out of nothingness, halting her in her tracks—as if walls of shadow had risen around her, sealing her in place.
The very air quivered beneath the pressure of that power.
It was Di Tian who had moved.
Bing Di's furious roar split the air, her narrowed eyes flashing like blades.
"Di Tian! What is the meaning of this?! Why are you stopping me?!"
Di Tian raised his head slowly, his deep, thunderous voice rolling like a roar that shook the heavens,while the black aura around him rose like dark flames.
"That… is my master's Spirit Soul.
And I will not allow you to touch her—let alone harm her."
Both Xue Di and Bing Di froze, their eyes widening in shock as disbelief filled their faces.
"Spirit Soul…? What do you mean by that?!" they exclaimed together.
Before their confusion could deepen, Ji Lin's calm voice cut through the air—quiet, yet carrying the weight of fate itself.
"Well, my ladies… this is precisely the reason I came."
His eyes gleamed with a strange, unwavering light.
"I want the two of you to become my Spirit Souls.
And if you do… I guarantee you will both break your limits and reach the realm of one million years."
For a long, heavy moment, silence fell.
Then Xue Di exhaled slowly, narrowing her icy blue eyes in tense disbelief.
"You're saying… you made her break through to a million years?"
Ji Lin's lips curved into a faint, mysterious smile—barely visible through the drifting frost.
"I wouldn't say that exactly…
However… there is someone else I've already helped achieve it."
He raised his hand lightly—and without another word, drew forth Star Anise from the Mountains and Rivers Painting.
The moment it appeared, the sky changed color.
A cosmic storm of energy began to form—an immense vortex of power tearing through the heavens,as though the very world had lost its balance.
It was… the manifestation of a spirit beast breaking through the one-million-year boundary!
Both Xue Di and Bing Di's eyes widened until they seemed ready to burst from their sockets, their voices rising in unison, filled with awe and disbelief.
"That's… a million-year-old spirit beast?! What is this madness?!
Has reaching a million years become as simple… as drinking a cup of water?!"
In the same instant, thunder roared from the heavens.
Bolts of lightning spiraled into a colossal storm above,as if the world itself were preparing to punish this forbidden breakthrough.
But before the lightning could strike, Ji Lin swiftly waved his hand—
returning Star Anise to the painting.
In an instant, the heavenly catastrophe dissipated,and a chilling stillness fell once more over the frozen land.
Tian Meng lifted her shimmering eyes, a captivating smile curving her lips though her gaze carried undeniable authority.
"So then… do you truly wish to become million-year beasts?" she asked softly,
her voice sweet, yet echoing with irresistible command.
If that is your desire, there's only one path—you must become the Spirit Souls of my little brother.
Her tone grew lighter, teasingly alluring.
"You must embrace him… in the coldest nights, and the hottest days alike.
And as for you, Bing Di… you won't just be a Spirit Soul.
You'll become his battle spirit as well.
Bing Di gasped softly, narrowing her eyes with sharp defiance,
yet deep within them flickered a faint spark—a hidden glint of intrigue and admiration.
"Hmph… and who said I would agree to that?!"
But the contradiction in her eyes was clear—a spark that burned between ice and flame.
And so the conversation continued—long and heavy—words drifting between silence and snow, between danger and temptation.
Ji Lin and Tian Meng spoke patiently,explaining, persuading,planting their seeds within the hearts of the two empresses.
Emotions wavered between fear and desire, pride and the longing for immortality.
Three hours passed—like the blink of an eye.
The outside world remained frozen still,while within that stillness, words quietly reshaped destiny itself.
And at last… the pact was born.
Bing Di would become Ji Lin's second spirit soul,granting him her power—her energy—her very existence.
As for Xue Di,she would become his true Spirit Soul,the second soul ring—offering him her essence, her eternal ice—
her everything.
"Alright, Bing… I'll begin the ascension to the million-year level now. After that, we'll start the fusion."
Bing Di's bright eyes locked onto me, her tone sharp yet tinged with unease.
"Do it. I'm ready. Just don't make me regret trusting you. If you're lying, I'll end our pact immediately."
I didn't reply. Instead, I drew out the Upgrade Card. The moment I activated it, an overwhelming surge of power erupted around us. Bing Di's cultivation soared wildly, rising at a terrifying pace until—finally—she reached the million-year level, that legendary realm achieved by only a handful of spirit beasts in history.
A faint smile curved my lips.
"All right, Bing… shall we begin?
She exhaled slowly, her voice trembling ever so slightly with awe and newfound respect.
"Hmph… I didn't expect you to be telling the truth. Very well. An empress never breaks her word. I swear to merge with you.
Afterward, I'll seal my power within your body until you're ready to wield it fully. But… be warned, Ji Lin—this process will be excruciating, as if your bones are being replaced from the inside out."
I could hear the concern hidden beneath her cold tone, but she didn't hesitate. I answered firmly, breathing out with steady resolve:
"No problem. Every great gain… comes at a heavy price."
Suddenly, an idea struck me. I reached into my pouch and drew out the Soul of Secret Arts Bone—the one I had obtained from the evaluation trial. It pulsed with a deep, azure glow.
Murmuring to myself, I said,This might help reinforce the fusion."
Bing Di responded instantly as glacial light began to swirl around her, freezing the very air.
"Very well—then hold on tight… and don't let your soul collapse, Ji Lin!"