Going to the Far North
After leaving the Ice and Fire Eyes, Yuhao, escorted by Di Tian and Bi Ji, headed straight north, traveling without rest until they finally reached the northern border of the Tianhun Empire.
"Alright, this is as far as you need to go."
Yuhao stopped and spoke calmly to Di Tian and Bi Ji.
A little further ahead lay the Far North Land, the absolute territory ruled by the Three Kings of the Far North.
Even if the Beast God Di Tian were to step into that region without proper reason, it would be considered a blatant provocation by the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North.
One had to understand that this was the Far North. If a real battle broke out there, even Di Tian might not be able to maintain an absolute advantage.
Moreover, the Star Dou Forest still required Di Tian's presence.
That said, Di Tian was still uneasy. After all, his lord had yet to fully grow.
"My lord."
Di Tian spoke in a deep voice as he raised his hand, taking out a pitch-black dragon scale that faintly radiated terrifying pressure.
"This is my reverse scale. If you encounter an irresistible calamity, the damage will be transferred onto me through it."
"At the same time, I can also use this dragon scale to remotely defend you against powerful enemies."
Yuhao naturally understood the value of the Emperor Tian Reverse Scale.
In his previous life, he had also obtained this scale, and it had helped him avoid countless fatal crises.
As for blocking a god's perception entirely, that was simply impossible.
Still, its value was unquestionable.
"Not bad. You've put some thought into this."
Yuhao smiled and nodded before accepting it.
On the other side, Bi Ji also stepped forward and took out a pebble-like emerald-green crystal. The life aura emanating from it was so rich that even Electrolux, who was repairing his consciousness, was briefly awakened.
"My lord, this is life essence condensed by this subordinate over ten thousand years. After swallowing it, it will automatically conceal itself within your body. When you are injured, it will release life energy on its own to heal you. Even under normal circumstances, it will continuously nourish your body and bring long-term benefits."
Its effect was nearly identical to the Gold of Life.
Yuhao did not hesitate. He took it and swallowed it in one gulp.
As soon as the life essence entered his abdomen, it transformed into a pure energy form and quietly merged into Yuhao's heart.
With each heartbeat, gentle waves of life force flowed like water, moisturizing every inch of his flesh and bones.
This life essence might not drastically increase Yuhao's physical strength in a short time, but its effect was enduring and profound.
"Very good. You've both thought things through carefully."
After that, Di Tian and Bi Ji did not linger. They turned around and left, their figures quickly disappearing beyond the snowy horizon.
"Brother Tianmeng, are you there?"
Yuhao asked inwardly.
"Yes. I've always been here."
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's voice immediately sounded within Yuhao's mind.
"The Far North is right ahead. The rest depends on you."
Yuhao replied calmly.
"Mm… don't worry. With your brother's spiritual guidance, you won't lose your way in the Far North."
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm said, though his tone carried a faint trace of awkwardness.
Yuhao immediately noticed the change.
"Brother Tianmeng, what's wrong?"
"Well… Yuhao, there are actually some things I didn't tell you before."
"Hahaha, that's fine. Everyone has secrets. I also have many things I haven't told you, Brother Tianmeng."
"No, this time it's different."
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm hurriedly denied it.
"Do you know what kind of soul beast the ice-attribute martial soul I plan to attach to you actually is?"
"I don't know."
Yuhao replied honestly—at least on the surface.
"He is the second-ranked king among the Three Kings of the Far North—the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, also known as the Ice Emperor. A super soul beast with a cultivation of nearly four hundred thousand years."
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's voice became heavy.
"Tsk… so it really is the Ice Emperor."
Yuhao blinked, sounding mildly surprised.
This reaction instead made Tianmeng Ice Silkworm suspicious.
"Huh? Why aren't you shocked at all?"
"Well… I had already guessed that the soul beast you were looking for wouldn't be ordinary. It had to be an ice-attribute powerhouse from the Far North. Among the Three Kings, the Ice Emperor, who possesses ultimate ice, was the most likely candidate."
Yuhao casually fabricated a reason.
The explanation was reasonable enough that Tianmeng Ice Silkworm had no doubts.
"You're clever. But you definitely don't know that the Ice Emperor and I already know each other—and she's my lover."
…Sorry, Brother Tianmeng.
I know that too.
And I also know that she isn't actually your lover—you're just hopelessly devoted.
Yuhao cursed inwardly, but on the surface, he still displayed a shocked expression.
"Really?!"
"That's right. Just keep moving forward. Let brother explain everything to you along the way."
Yuhao nodded slightly and continued toward the depths of the Far North.
...
Along the way, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm told Yuhao everything—from his first encounter with the Ice Emperor to the long years of being hunted and chased.
Although Yuhao had already known all of this, he still couldn't help but complain after hearing it firsthand.
"Brother Tianmeng… she's literally trying to kill you, and you still like her?"
"Brat, what do you know? This is love."
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm spoke with a look of absolute righteousness.
Yuhao could only shake his head and laugh helplessly, truly at a loss for words.
At that moment, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's tone suddenly changed.
"Yuhao, you should also understand that my asking you to find the Ice Emperor carried selfish motives. You won't blame me for that, will you?"
"Blame you? Why would I?"
Yuhao replied calmly.
"It's true that you had personal motives, but it's also true that you found me an incomparably powerful martial soul."
This Yuhao was no longer the same as before. Faced with Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's concealment, his mindset was completely different.
"You… you really don't blame me?"
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm was stunned.
"Of course not. On the contrary, I should thank you. You gave me the only million-year soul ring on the Douluo Continent, and now you're about to let me obtain the Ultimate Ice—
the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion Martial Soul."
Yuhao chuckled softly.
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm fell silent, his heart deeply shaken.
"Yuhao… I truly didn't misjudge you. Don't worry. Even if it costs me my life, I will help you become a god."
"Alright, alright. Enough with the dramatic vows. Let's find the Ice Emperor first."
Yuhao laughed.
"You brat… you really don't understand atmosphere."
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm muttered, but said nothing more and focused entirely on controlling his spiritual power.
With the knot between them untied, the final barrier vanished.
For the next three days, they traversed the endless snowy plains.
As they went deeper into the Far North, Yuhao could clearly feel the temperature plummeting. Even with his current physique, the extreme cold gradually became unbearable.
Left with no choice, he wrapped himself in the remains of the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm.
After another full day of travel, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm finally spoke.
"Yuhao, stop here. Next, I'll release my original aura to lure the Ice Emperor out, then use my remains to restrain her. During that time, you'll need to endure the cold on your own."
"No problem."
Yuhao nodded slightly.
Although the cold was bone-piercing, his current physical strength allowed him to endure it for quite a while.
Seeing this, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm wasted no time and directly released his aura.
Boom—!
As the million-year soul ring around Yuhao's body lit up, an invisible spiritual pressure spread outward like a tide, centered on him.
All soul beasts that sensed this pressure—whether thousand-year or ten-thousand-year—fled in panic.
At the same time, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's spiritual origin separated from Yuhao's Sea of Spirit.
The moment that golden light—the strongest spiritual power on the Douluo Continent—appeared, the heavens and earth changed color, and space itself trembled.
"Ice Emperor!"
"I, Tianmeng, have returned! Do you dare come out and see me?!"
Like rolling thunder, Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's spiritual body condensed into a form resembling Yuhao, radiating unrivaled dominance.
Watching from the side, Yuhao couldn't help twitching the corner of his mouth.
"I really hope you can maintain this level of confidence when you actually see the Ice Emperor."
One had to remember—
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm was originally the lowest-tier soul beast of the Far North: an Ice Silkworm.
And Ice Silkworms were the natural food of the Ice Jade Scorpion.