The Ice Empress, with great resolve, averted her gaze, then lowered her head and rubbed her face, her mind slightly disoriented. In the distance, Kong Mingan, who had appeared in an entirely new form, did not notice the Ice Empress's abnormality. He was currently busy familiarizing himself with his current state. This state was actually his SpiritFusion skill with the Snow Empress, and he was the dominant one. In this state, his control over Energy still existed, although it could not be maintained for long, and his original instinctive control over Energy was extremely mentally taxing. However, if it was only used to complete the Spirit Core condensation and spirit ring modification, it was roughly enough.
He briefly familiarized himself with this body, fused with the Snow Empress, and the power within it, which far exceeded his original body, then immediately began to act.
He raised his hand, and the Snow Empress's original ninth-ranked, scarlet hundred-thousand-year spirit ring floated to his palm. The next moment, countless transparent Energy threads, as fine as hair but incredibly condensed, extended from his fingertips, then wrapped around this scarlet spirit ring. The structure of the Energy unfolded before his eyes. The fine threads were like carving knives and embroidery needles, beginning to engrave and weave on the spirit ring. As the threads shuttled and outlined at his fingertips, the hidden patterns on the spirit ring slowly began to change, gradually imbued with an indescribable beauty.
At the same time, Kong Mingan's other hand also rose, palm facing upwards, and the spirit power of the ultimate ice and snow attribute, unique to the Snow Empress, began to gather. To avoid running out of time, he temporarily had to multitask, simultaneously modifying the spirit ring and condensing the Spirit Core. However, it is worth mentioning that Kong Mingan's method of condensing the Spirit Core was completely different from traditional methods. He did not compress spirit power first, but directly constructed an optimized Spirit Core Energy structure framework with precisely controlled mental force. Then, he guided spirit power into it and made it begin to rotate. As the spirit power was injected, it continuously reinforced the pre-constructed Energy structure, causing it to solidify first, and then the internal spirit power gradually began to condense... The entire process, under Kong Mingan's control, lacked any of the life-and-death tension that ordinary Spirit Masters experienced when condensing a Spirit Core; there was only the purest efficiency and precision.
Time flowed by, minute by minute.
The Ice Empress watched with bated breath, observing every detail of Kong Mingan's Spirit Core condensation and spirit ring modification.
At this moment, the Snow Empress's originally scarlet ninth spirit ring had completely transformed into a deep and pure ice-blue. On the ring body, countless profound silver patterns quietly flowed, emitting a heart-pounding ultimate chill and vast Energy, magnificent and mysterious. On the other side, a Spirit Core, only the size of a thumb, yet emitting brilliant ice-blue flowing light like a miniature star, had already formed. It floated quietly, autonomously and greedily devouring all the surrounding Heaven and Earth Origin Qi, transforming it into the purest ultimate ice and snow Energy. At a certain moment, Kong Mingan's eyes narrowed, and he brought his hands together. The ice-blue Spirit Core immediately flew precisely towards the modified ice-blue spirit ring, stably embedding itself in the very center of the spirit ring.
"Buzz—!"
The instant the Spirit Core and spirit ring touched, countless transparent Energy threads, which only Kong Mingan could "see" and which he had pre-designed, rapidly extended from within the spirit ring, perfectly connecting and fusing with the Spirit Core!
Everything fit perfectly, naturally formed! As if they were born as one!
The combination of the spirit ring and the Spirit Core was completely finished!
A stronger, more stable aura emanated from the spirit ring.
Kong Mingan slowly exhaled a turbid breath, his mental force relaxing. The next moment, with a flash of light, the SpiritFusion skill state was Release.
The two figures separated again. Kong Mingan's face was slightly pale, and his body swayed. An endless sense of exhaustion surged over him like a tide. His vision went black, and he fell backward powerlessly.
The Snow Empress instantly reached out, carefully catching him in her arms, letting him lean against her. A trace of worry quickly flashed in her ice-blue eyes. She immediately checked his condition and, finding that he was only unconscious from excessive consumption of spirit power and mental force, she finally felt a little relieved.
"Snow Empress..." the Ice Empress quickly stepped forward, her tone filled with concern.
"I'm fine." The Snow Empress gently shook her head, adjusted her posture to make the young man in her arms more comfortable, her movements careful and gentle. The Snow Empress looked at the spirit ring beside her, which carried the Spirit Core, and was silent for a moment. Then she raised her head to look at the Ice Empress and asked softly, "Bing'er, now... do you trust him?"
The Ice Empress was silent, her gaze, somewhat complex, falling on Kong Mingan's slightly pale face. Then, the face that seemed to be his adult appearance involuntarily appeared in her mind. She unconsciously pursed her lips and whispered, "I... I don't know."
To trust a human was too difficult for her.
The Snow Empress lowered her eyes, her fingertips gently stroking Kong Mingan's cheek, her voice ethereal and calm: "Bing'er, do you remember the contract between him and me?"
The Ice Empress nodded silently.
"Now, your Origin has been replenished, and his character dictates that he will not break the contract. The him who is destined to become a god in the future will naturally keep his promise to protect the Extreme North Land."
The Snow Empress paused, a faint but genuine smile gracing her lips, "Essentially, everything about me already belongs to him."
The Ice Empress remained silent.
The Snow Empress looked at her again, a hint of expectation in her ice-blue eyes: "So, Bing'er, now... are you willing to try to trust him?"
The Ice Empress was silent for a long time before slowly speaking, her voice a little dry: "I still... don't know. No matter what, he is human, and it's truly difficult for me to trust him completely. But..." She recalled Kong Mingan's confident and composed demeanor when he articulated his thoughts, and his focused profile as he tirelessly and constantly guarded the Snow Empress's transformation for over half a month. She paused, then continued, "...I want to stay. I want to see more."
She wanted to see with her own eyes if this human was truly so different, and if the Snow Empress's choice was truly worthwhile.
A faint smile appeared on the Snow Empress's cold face, and she spoke in a slightly soft tone: "Welcome, Bing'er."
The Ice Empress pursed her lips, glanced at the unconscious Kong Mingan, and somewhat awkwardly complained: "Welcome what? I don't even know if this guy is willing to let me stay. If this guy drives me away, are you going to secretly keep me...?"
The Snow Empress paused for a moment, her eyes becoming somewhat subtle, but she spoke with certainty: "He will agree to let you stay."
She paused slightly, lowering her gaze to the young man leaning in her arms, as if recalling something. She repeated herself, but her voice carried a strange implication: "...He definitely will."
"That confident?"
The Ice Empress looked at the Snow Empress suspiciously, completely bewildered as to why the Snow Empress was so certain. She just felt... something seemed off?
(End of Chapter)
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