Sounds echoed from the ice cave, and five people emerged from the place that had just been blasted open by the Titan Snow Demon King.
The Ice Scorpions and Ice Jade Scorpions that had been on the outer perimeter had already come out.
The sudden appearance of Shui Bing'er and her group of five disrupted the previously agreed-upon plan.
The Snow Empress and the Titan Snow Demon King looked at Ma Hongjun, waiting for his explanation.
The sudden appearance of five people led them to believe they were Ma Hongjun's accomplices.
Ma Hongjun smiled faintly, looking at the Ice Empress, asking her to explain. He
hadn't allowed them to come out earlier because of the large number of people, making discussions difficult, and also for their safety. Facing the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North, anything could happen. Fortunately
, Shui Bing'er and her group of five were only around the Soul Saint level; their strength posed no threat to the four ferocious beasts. Moreover
, there was a group of Ice Scorpions and Ice Jade Scorpions present. Although these soul beasts were all under 100,000 years old, they were more than enough to deal with these five.
If it were five Title Douluos, this matter would not have ended well.
This cooperation was extremely sensitive. Both sides were meeting for the first time, and it involved a soul contract unprecedented in the Douluo Continent. Even the slightest disturbance could disrupt this exchange.
Ice Empress recounted the situation: the five of them had been there before and why, and also explained how Shui Bing'er had obtained the divine inheritance.
Titan Snow Demon King was initially quite nervous, always wary of Ma Hongjun.
However, after sensing the strength of Shui Bing'er and the other four, it remained silent.
With its power, it could easily defeat them all with a single slap.
The main issue was Ma Hongjun; these five women were insignificant.
Shui Bing'er, gentle and tender, immediately sought out Ma Hongjun after emerging. Seeing that he was unharmed, she was visibly relieved.
The intense battle outside, with its deafening roars, had deeply affected her.
Ma Hongjun didn't comfort Shui Bing'er; this wasn't the time for public displays of affection.
"It's good that the five of you are out. I'm going to sign a soul contract with Little White later, and you five can observe the process carefully."
Ma Hongjun said, looking at the Ice Bear King with its clean white bear fur. He used to call the Ice Bear King "Little Bear," which displeased the Ice Bear King, so like the Snow Empress, he changed his address to Little White!
The Ice Bear King ignored Ma Hongjun, haughtily turning its head away.
Little White wasn't a name anyone could use; it was a name reserved for mothers.
Next, the Ice Empress, the Snow Empress, the Titan Snow Demon King, several important members of the Ice Jade Scorpion, and Shui Bing'er surrounded Ma Hongjun and the Ice Bear King.
The Ice Bear King lowered its body, and Ma Hongjun sat cross-legged.
The Ice Bear King's entire head, when lowered, was about the same height as Ma Hongjun's cross-legged body.
An ice dragon swirled between them.
The soul contract process required Ma Hongjun and the Ice Bear King to complete; the dragon soul was only providing Ma Hongjun with spiritual power and guidance.
During this time, Ma Hongjun had become familiar with the soul meditation method, and the Dragon Soul had taught him the steps of the soul contract many times.
"Wait, what do I need to do?"
The Ice Bear King was slightly nervous, its big eyes bulging as it looked at Ma Hongjun.
"You don't need to do anything, just lie still.
The soul imprint I'm forming will enter your soul. Don't resist, just accept whatever I do!"
Ma Hongjun gave Little White a look that said, "Be good.
" "Okay!"
Little White replied, quickly averting its gaze.
However, doing nothing made it a little uneasy; the uncertainty of waiting was also somewhat exciting.
It still glanced at Ma Hongjun. If successful, it would connect with this human soul, becoming friends and partners.
This red-haired, seemingly unruly young man had an expectation for the future on his face, a faint smile on his lips full of sunshine. He seemed confident and friendly.
For the first time, the Ice Bear King felt that humans were actually quite agreeable!
At this moment, Ma Hongjun had closed his eyes, his hands forming a hand seal. The dragon soul emitted a blue light, which shone upon Ma Hongjun.
The ice dragon possessed four soul rings:
platinum, red, blue-gold, and red!
A white ring formed in Ma Hongjun's hands—this was his condensed soul imprint.
Soul power manifests as white, whether human or beast.
The soul imprint was no exception; it resembled a miniature soul ring,
but with a more ethereal and transparent appearance, almost imperceptible. This
white ring rose, and at its center was a deep, void-like black hole.
It resembled a vortex capable of devouring and absorbing, or perhaps a spatial gate.
This wasn't Ma Hongjun's first time forming hand seals; the process of condensing the soul imprint wasn't difficult, but it still required hundreds of practice sessions.
Fortunately, the dragon soul's powerful soul power provided the necessary support for his continued practice.
A white soul ring floated in Ma Hongjun's right palm. Ma Hongjun maintained the soul imprint's form, preventing it from dissipating, and slowly placed his right hand on the Ice Bear King's head.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone and the soul beasts, the white soul imprint, like wisps of gas, merged into the Ice Bear King's head.
At this moment, the Ice Bear King sensed something different; something had forcibly entered its mind.
It closed its eyes!
Upon closer inspection, it realized that the thing that had suddenly intruded was none other than Ma Hongjun, who wore a faint smile.
This Ma Hongjun released a friendly aura, wanting to remain in its mind.
The Ice Bear King felt that it could expel it with a single thought, but it didn't choose to. Although the intrusion into its spiritual sea felt abrupt, the other's gentle smile melted its heart.
It seemed to want to understand it.
The Ice Bear King didn't resist, and soon that wisp of aura disappeared from its mind.
No, not disappeared, but merged.
Both man and beast closed their eyes, sinking into each other's minds.
Sensing each other's emotions, perceiving the suddenly added soul aura.
Ma Hongjun felt a portion of his consciousness merge with the Ice Bear King's sea of consciousness, like an invisible thread connecting them.
He couldn't probe the Ice Bear King's memories, nor did he know what it was thinking.
However, he could sense the Ice Bear King's most sincere emotions deep within its heart.
A very strange feeling.
It was as if their hearts were connected, without pretense or deception between them. It seemed that in each other's eyes, they were both the most sincere and pure, able to sense each other's emotional changes.
The Ice Bear King suddenly opened its eyes and looked at Ma Hongjun.
At this moment, Ma Hongjun also opened his eyes, and their eyes met.
Their eyes held a slight confusion, but in their gazes towards each other, there was a special feeling, a special emotion—
closeness!
Yes, closeness!
It was a very strange feeling,
like a friend, like a lover, like family,
seemingly all of these, yet none of them.
They seemed to have become familiar with each other instantly, looking at each other with nothing but goodwill.
They could even sense each other's emotions.
It seemed that from his eyes, you could know what he was going to do.
Ma Hongjun subconsciously reached out and stroked the Ice Bear King's ears.
The furry ears were warm in the cold, icy snow—a truly comforting temperature.
The big bear felt so good to touch.
The Ice Bear King didn't refuse or resist; it seemed to enjoy being stroked.
"Little White!"
Ma Hongjun said softly.
This scene left the Snow Empress, Shui Bing'er, and the other people and beasts around them dumbfounded.
The effect of the soul contract was too strong.
Especially for the Ice Empress and the Titan Snow Demon King, the Ice Bear King was the Snow Empress's pet. Who else but the Snow Empress could stroke it like that?
It wasn't a one- or two-year-old cub; it was a real soul beast nearly two hundred thousand years old.
However, the Ice Bear King quickly awoke from its soul state. Looking at the Snow Empress, the Ice Empress, and the others, it actually felt a little embarrassed.
At this moment, everything that had happened before returned to its mind.
From an objective and rational perspective,
it had already signed a soul contract with Ma Hongjun, and just now, it had actually obeyed Ma Hongjun, allowing him to stroke it.
That feeling of intimacy seemed to be something only felt between him and the Snow Empress.
Reason told the Ice Bear King that it had been affected.
But deep down, it didn't seem to resent this intimacy; on the contrary, it seemed somewhat happy to accept it.
Or perhaps it was because it was originally a pet, accustomed to being pampered.
However, this was somewhat unacceptable to the Ice Empress and the Titan Snow Demon King. They were used to being their own kings, and if Ma Hongjun petted them like a pet, they would refuse.
The Snow Empress remained expressionless, making it impossible to guess her thoughts.
"How do you feel?"
the Snow Empress softly asked Little White, it was time to share her reflections and insights.