Chapter 14: Far North
The crown had changed hands, and a new Emperor now sat upon the throne. However, these events had little to do with Ye Xue.
At this moment, she was in a vast, snowy expanse, searching for her first spirit ring.
Her mother, Ye Xishui, had recommended a top-tier ultimate ice-type spirit beast, such as the Ice Jade Scorpion. However, most of these creatures carried poison, making them unsuitable. Ye Xishui had also mentioned the Silent Snow Phoenix, but since she had only encountered two in her lifetime, she had no idea where to find them.
Ye Xue had her heart set on a spirit beast that was at least a thousand years old. After becoming a spirit soul, it would provide her with at least two spirit rings.
After searching for a long time, they finally arrived in the Ice Jade Scorpions' territory.
Ye Xishui landed gracefully, retracting her flying-type martial soul, and gently placed Ye Xue on the ground.
"This is where Ice Jade Scorpions reside," Ye Xishui said, her tone serious. "Humans rarely step foot in this region, as it's guarded by the Three Heavenly Arctic Kings. You've studied them before, haven't you? This is also the domain of the Ice Jade Scorpion Empress. We must tread carefully. Although I'm stronger than her, this is her home territory, and she can summon the Snow Empress at any time. The Snow Empress is my equal in strength here."
She crouched down, patting Ye Xue's head affectionately. "Stay close to me. I'll find you a suitable soul beast. Take this," she added, handing over an Invincible Shield. "It can block one life-threatening attack. I crafted it myself, so it's a Level 9 soul tool."
Ye Xue nodded, clutching the shield tightly as they began moving forward. So far, they had avoided direct encounters with soul beasts. However, now it seemed unavoidable.
They soon spotted three Ice Jade Scorpions feeding on the carcass of a Snow Wolf.
"Two of them are a thousand years old, and one is about nine hundred," Ye Xishui transmitted to Ye Xue through her spiritual voice. "If we act quickly, we can secure both of your spirit rings here. However, it won't be easy. Their leader can sense if one of them is killed."
Ye Xue observed the scene silently, deep in thought. After a moment, she turned to Ye Xishui.
"Mother, I have something to tell you," she said, her voice hesitant.
Ye Xishui, who had concealed herself and was analyzing the Ice Jade Scorpions, turned around. Her eyes softened as she looked at her anxious daughter.
"What is it, my little darling?" she asked gently.
Ye Xue hesitated before speaking. "Mother… when I awakened my martial soul, a person claiming to be a Goddess appeared in my mind. She gave me this."
She handed over a scroll—the Spirit Soul Method.
Ye Xishui's eyes widened in shock. Her heart sank slightly. She had always known her daughter was extraordinary, especially since Ye Xue had literally descended from the sky six years ago. But now, hearing about a divine figure, she felt a subtle unease.
She couldn't help but worry that this so-called Goddess might one day take Ye Xue away from her. Over the years, Ye Xue had become the light in her life, easing the resentment and bitterness in her heart. Ye Xishui cherished her as if she were her own blood.
Seeing her mother's sad expression, Ye Xue assumed it was because she hadn't shared this secret earlier.
"Mother, I wanted to tell you about it," Ye Xue said softly, lowering her head. "But I didn't know how to say it. I'm sorry." She stepped forward and hugged her mother tightly.
Feeling the warmth of her daughter's embrace, Ye Xishui's worries eased slightly. However, the weight of this newfound information still lingered. She couldn't ignore the implications of a supposed Goddess intervening in Ye Xue's life. Though she didn't want to hinder her daughter's growth, she needed to understand more.
She gently stroked Ye Xue's hair. "Did this Goddess say anything else?" she asked carefully.
"No, Mother," Ye Xue replied, still hugging her. "She just gave me this, a few other gifts, and told me to cultivate well. Oh, and she gave a gift for you too. If you'd like, I can give it to you now."
Ye Xishui let out a quiet sigh of relief. "No, keep it for now," she said gently. Taking the small manual marked Spirit Soul Method from her daughter's hands, she began to examine it.
The first page held a brief explanation: [The Spirit Souls are soul beasts in an energy form that are used by soul masters as a complement to the soul rings. It can be an animal, plant, tool, material, or elemental spirit. By becoming a spirit soul, soul beasts only change their form, not their existence, by binding their spiritual and life origin to the contracted soul master.]
As Ye Xishui read on, her astonishment grew. The manual described the process of transforming a soul beast into a Spirit Soul, bypassing the limitations of traditional soul rings. This method allowed a soul beast to retain its essence and spiritual origin, creating a mutually beneficial bond between beast and master.
The more she read, the more she realized the explosive potential of this knowledge. If this method were to spread, it would shake the foundation of the soul master world. The wars between humans and soul beasts could change forever.
She closed the manual, her thoughts conflicted. Looking at her daughter, her expression turned complicated. Yet, after a moment of hesitation, she made a firm decision.
"So, you want to create a Spirit Soul," Ye Xishui said slowly. "But you know that your first spirit ring can't be from a thousand-year-old beast—your current physique isn't strong enough to handle it. We have two options: either we return and work on enhancing your body, or we forcefully turn a soul beast into a Spirit Soul here and now. Those are the only choices."
Seeing her mother begin to agree, Ye Xue's eyes brightened with determination. She reached into her belongings and took out a small talisman etched with intricate runes, pulsing faintly with energy.
"Mother, this item is called the Basic Beast Taming Talisman," Ye Xue explained, holding up the small piece of paper. "The Goddess gave it to me as well. It can tame soul beasts below ten thousand years old. If I use it, I can make them willingly become my Spirit Soul, though the process will still be painful."
Ye Xishui glanced at the talisman, her expression skeptical. It appeared ordinary, even fragile, but the implications of its power were anything but mundane. The more she learned about this mysterious Goddess, the more unsettled she became. It was as if the Goddess had prepared everything for Ye Xue's future.
"How does it work?" Ye Xishui asked, studying the talisman carefully.
"Mother, I just need to drop my blood on it, and we'll need a bit of the soul beast's blood as well," Ye Xue explained. "Once that's done, we place it on the soul beast's forehead while channeling some soul power. The process will complete automatically."
"That simple?" Ye Xishui raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, Mother."
Ye Xishui thought for a moment before nodding. "Very well. Wait here. I'll capture the strongest one, the Ice Jade Scorpion with a cultivation of four thousand years."
Without another word, Ye Xishui disappeared from her spot, vanishing into the snowy landscape.
The three Ice Jade Scorpions were still feasting on the Snow Wolf when an overwhelming aura descended on them. Unable to resist the oppressive force, all three collapsed in an instant. Ye Xishui moved with swift precision, grabbing the strongest scorpion.
Although she was an Evil Soul Master, the time spent with her daughter had softened her heart. She no longer killed soul beasts unnecessarily and left the remaining two unharmed.
In a flash, she returned to Ye Xue's side, holding the unconscious four-thousand-year-old Ice Jade Scorpion.
"Let's begin," Ye Xishui said urgently. "When I suppressed them, their leader likely sensed my presence. We don't have much time."
She carefully made a small incision on the scorpion, drawing out a few drops of its blood.
Ye Xue didn't hesitate either. She unsheathed a dagger and made a small cut on her palm, letting the blood pool in her hand. Just as she was about to activate the talisman, an immense pressure suddenly enveloped the area, so powerful it made her knees buckle.
However, before the pressure could overwhelm her, Ye Xishui dispelled it effortlessly with her own aura.
Even so, a deep, resonant voice echoed through the icy landscape, spreading from all directions: "Human, how dare you?"
The sound was immediately followed by a terrifying shockwave. Snow from the ground erupted into the air, forming waves that rose over three meters high, surging like an ocean in turmoil. Yet, within a radius of over a hundred meters around Ye Xishui and Ye Xue, everything remained eerily calm, shielded by the immense soul power radiating from Ye Xishui's body.
"Damn it! Are the soul beasts of the Extreme North always this attentive?" Ye Xishui muttered darkly, her eyes narrowing. She turned toward the source of the disturbance as a figure emerged from the snowstorm.
Ye Xue also looked up, and what she saw left her breathless. It was an Ice Jade Scorpion, but far more magnificent than any she had seen before.
The creature exuded an unmatched aura of majesty and coldness. It was about 1.5 meters long, its body gleaming with two distinct colors—icy blue and jade green.
The front of its body was composed of four layered segments, each layer extending further than the one above by a third of a meter. Its head, situated on the frontmost layer, bore a silver-white mouth that shimmered ominously, exuding a biting cold.
The creature's body was adorned with unique, outward-protruding hexagonal shapes, each glimmering like polished diamonds. These dazzling protrusions covered not only its torso but also its six slender legs and its two massive pincers, which measured a full meter in length.
The foremost sections of its pincers were coated in a mirror-like, silver-white sheen, mirroring the icy glow of its mouth.
Its eyes, hexagonal like the rest of its features, were a brilliant yellow, gleaming like embedded gemstones. They flickered with a crystalline light, both mesmerizing and chilling.
This was the Ice Jade Scorpion Empress, the second-ranked Arctic King of the Extreme North, and her piercing gaze locked onto Ye Xishui and Ye Xue with unbridled killing intent.
"Xue, close your eyes. Stay close to me and don't look back," Ye Xishui commanded softly, her tone steady but sharp.
Ye Xue immediately nodded, trusting her mother completely, and shut her eyes tightly.
Ye Xishui's aura surged in response, a dense, suffocating killing intent exploding from her body. It was far more oppressive than the Ice Empress's, blanketing the area with an overwhelming presence that seemed to freeze the air itself.
••••
Some Notes I say or clarifications:
People might think that Ye Xue has Level 20 Innate Spirit Power, and after eating Whale Rubber, her physique should have increased. However, let me clarify something based on my understanding. Even if she had Level 20 Innate Spirit Power, her physique would still correspond to someone with Level 10 Soul Power. This is because a person's physique improves only after gaining a spirit ring. That's my theory, so I don't think it's a plot hole. Another thing don't worry about ages of spirit ring because they will increase in future.
Now another things- Is it going good or okay or shit?
— New chapter is coming soon — Write a review
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