Chương 76: [DD2]: 75

Moreover, the power unleashed by the fused rings pushed the might of the Empress' Sword to a new height. It even managed to cut through the Ice Bear King's fur, leaving Su Yu himself shocked.

"N... no big deal."

The Ice Bear King nonchalantly waved its paw, casually plucking out the ice sword and tossing it aside. Given its massive size, the small cut Su Yu managed to make was no different than a mosquito bite. Considering its size, it couldn't even be considered a mosquito bite.

In terms of damage, there wasn't any at all.

"Phew, still far too weak..."

Su Yu breathed a sigh of relief as he descended from the air. His face was pale, but after circulating the Supreme Divine Art a few times, his condition improved significantly. The fusion of rings combined with the Empress' Sword was practically one of Su Yu's trump cards. The energy consumption, however, was immense. His soul power had been almost entirely drained in an instant.

Had it not been for such a significant expenditure of energy, how could he have possibly managed to cut even a tiny bit of the Ice Bear King's fur? After all, this was the Ice Bear King. Even without using any soul power, its defense was something no soul master below the rank of Soul Douluo could break through.

Did people think the Ice Bear King was just for show?

Moreover, as a soul beast, the Ice Bear King's physical strength far surpassed that of human soul masters of the same rank. Being able to cut through its fur gave Su Yu confidence that this fused-ring attack combined with the Empress' Sword would be something even a defensive Soul Douluo couldn't ignore. This strike would pose a significant threat to Soul Douluo-level powerhouses.

But that's just talk—in a real battle, enemies wouldn't stand still like the Ice Bear King, offering themselves up as a target. Su Yu was well aware that his strength was still far from that of a true powerhouse. He had a clear understanding of this about himself.

"Not bad."

A crisp, bell-like voice chimed in. The Ice Empress, cradling the little Snow Empress, approached leisurely.

"This experiment has surprised me. I didn't expect you to know how to fuse rings."

The Ice Empress walked up to Su Yu. With her petite, childlike stature, she only reached Su Yu's shoulder.

Su Yu smiled and said, "With my current strength, I still have a long way to go."

This was the truth. Compared to his peers, his strength was indeed outstanding. But compared to true powerhouses, he was just getting started. His imaginary rivals were never his peers.

"You're doing just fine. Don't always be so modest. Excessive modesty is just hypocrisy," the Ice Empress teased, patting Su Yu on the shoulder.

"Maybe."

Su Yu smiled faintly as he took the little Snow Empress from the Ice Empress's arms. After resting for a moment, he had mostly recovered. Thanks to his ability to generate true energy, allowing him to quickly restore his soul power, he bounced back fast. Had it not been for the enormous energy drain just now, he almost wouldn't have reached the point of exhaustion.

"Yiya, yiya!"

The Snow Empress nestled in Su Yu's arms, her ice-blue eyes staring up at him, babbling.

"You're saying I did well?"

Su Yu chuckled.

"Yiya!" (Yes!)

The little Snow Empress nodded her tiny head slightly. In just a few months, Su Yu had learned the Three Ultimate Techniques of the Snow Empress to this extent, and she seemed quite pleased with his progress.

"That's good, then."

Su Yu smiled. The Snow Empress's approval gave him a sense of satisfaction, a feeling of being recognized—something the Ice Empress couldn't provide.

"I've just about mastered the Three Ultimate Techniques of the Snow Empress, so I suppose it's time to leave the Extreme North."

Su Yu gently pinched the little Snow Empress's cheek, sighing. He had stayed in the Extreme North for quite some time now. He guessed that the first year at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy had probably already ended. He'd taken a leave of absence for several months—Jing Hongchen must be growing anxious by now, right?

"Oh? You're leaving?"

The Ice Empress agreed, nodding from the side.

Su Yu smiled and gently tapped the little Snow Empress's nose.

"So, little Snow Empress, are you coming with me, or should I take you to the Ice God Palace?"

Since the Snow Empress had taken on human form, she couldn't stay in the Extreme North any longer. Su Yu planned to leave her in the care of the Ice God Palace. With the strong individuals there looking after her, he would feel reassured.

"Yiya, yiya!"

The Snow Empress grabbed Su Yu's finger, babbling.

"You want to follow me?"

Su Yu was taken aback. The Snow Empress wanted to go with him.

"I'll be studying at the academy, which might not be very convenient. I probably won't have much time to spend with you," Su Yu said honestly. When he got busy, he got busy.

"Yiya, yiya yiya!"

The Snow Empress became a bit agitated, gripping Su Yu's finger tightly. Her ice-blue eyes stared straight into his, her gaze so determined that Su Yu couldn't help but shiver.

"Alright then, you can come with me. But just know, following me means you'll have to face some hardships."

Su Yu gently poked the Snow Empress's cheek. He had no choice but to agree.

The Snow Empress's reason was simple: she only trusted Su Yu and didn't trust the Ice God Palace. Even though the Ice God Palace was also one of Su Yu's forces, she still didn't trust them. The only one she trusted was Su Yu himself.

So, what else could Su Yu do? He had no choice but to agree. Who could refuse such an adorable and soft little Snow Empress?

"Yiya!" (I'm not afraid!)

"Alright, then."

Su Yu poked the Snow Empress's little cheek, a gentle smile on his face. Carrying the little Snow Empress with him might not be such a bad idea after all.

Would this count as getting some early practice at being a dad? Hmm... and maybe even experiencing the joy of grooming her. Raising this soft and cute little Snow Empress into a stunningly beautiful Ice Sky Snow Maiden—just thinking about it gave him a sense of accomplishment.

...

With the plan set, Su Yu didn't hesitate any longer. After staying for a few more days, he left the Extreme North with the Snow Empress. After leaving, he first returned to his little house. Since it was within the Heaven Dou Empire, he figured he might as well take a casual stroll and visit some familiar faces.

As Su Yu entered the courtyard and pushed open the door, everything inside felt just as familiar as he remembered. To his surprise, the house was very clean—not spotless, but tidy.

"Could Sister Xuan have come back recently?"

Su Yu murmured as he walked further inside.

His room was neatly arranged, and on the desk lay a letter, held down by a pen holder. With the Snow Empress in one arm, Su Yu gently moved the pen holder aside and picked up the letter. The neat handwriting was immediately recognizable as Zhang Lexuan's.

The letter began with inquiries about his well-being, written in a tone that conveyed her genuine concern for him. Then, Zhang Lexuan shared updates about herself: her recent breakthrough to Soul Douluo, and how Di Tian had gifted her a 100,000-year-old soul beast soul bone. She also mentioned Shrek Academy's decision to prioritize her cultivation, even arranging for her to enter the Sea God Pavilion.

In the letter, she also vented some frustrations, such as how the inner court disciples were ambushed, how she had stayed behind to cover their retreat only to be abandoned by Xuan Zi, and how Xuan Zi had lost an arm and seen his strength significantly decline.

Toward the end of the letter, in a somewhat reserved manner, she expressed her longing for him and asked how she should handle certain matters.

After finishing the letter, Su Yu remained silent for a moment, absorbing both the surprises and unexpected news. The surprise was that Zhang Lexuan had broken through to Soul Douluo at only twenty-three years old—a rare talent in the world. Moreover, Di Tian had given her a 100,000-year-old Moon Emperor as her eighth soul ring, along with a 100,000-year-old Shadow Dragon right arm bone. In one fell swoop, she had obtained 100,000-year-old soul bones for both arms. Di Tian's generosity was no small thing.

Of course, Su Yu knew this was because of him. Otherwise, Di Tian wouldn't have done such a thing—Di Tian didn't have much affection for humans.

The most surprising news, however, was that Xuan Zi had lost an arm to the Bear Lord, causing a significant drop in his strength. Su Yu's casual remark to Bear Lord back then had indeed paid off. But for Xuan Zi to abandon Zhang Lexuan and flee with the others, leaving her as a sacrificial pawn—that was entirely in character for him. Losing an arm seemed fitting.

As for the heavy losses among the inner court disciples, it could only be attributed to the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder, whose skillful move had greatly boosted the Cult's success.

With a smirk, Su Yu placed the Snow Empress on a nearby chair and pulled out a fresh sheet of paper. He first reassured Zhang Lexuan that he was well and that they would meet again soon, so she shouldn't worry. Then, he expressed his sympathy for her ordeal and congratulated her on breaking through to Soul Douluo. Finally, he advised her to take care of herself and continue her cultivation. For her question about joining the Sea God Pavilion, Su Yu told her simply to follow her heart. Whatever she decided, he would support her.

After quickly filling the sheet with his response, Su Yu placed the letter under the pen holder, picked up the curious Snow Empress, and left the courtyard.

Afterward, Su Yu visited several nearby households, bringing gifts for the neighbors he had known for years and sharing friendly conversations. Finally, he stopped by a house at the end of the alley—Jiang Nannan's home. But Jiang Nannan wasn't home either. Su Yu could only pay his respects to her mother, leave some supplements as a gift, and take his leave.

Having completed his visits, Su Yu locked the gate to his courtyard and left. With time remaining before the new school year, he decided to take the Snow Empress on a tour, letting her experience the world.

...

One day, while out with the Snow Empress, he encountered a familiar figure—a young man dressed in black, wearing luxurious clothing. He was tall, and although not as handsome as Su Yu, he was still quite striking. He appeared to be about fifteen or sixteen, with an aura that hinted at nobility and a touch of arrogance in his expression.

The young man noticed Su Yu, and his expression immediately turned hostile.

"It's you?"

Xu Sanshi glared at Su Yu. He would never forget that face—the face of the one who had humiliated him outside Lanling City. The memory of that humiliation still burned.

"So, it's you, you damn turtle. I was wondering who it was."

A mocking smile flashed in Su Yu's eyes. He hadn't expected to run into Xu Sanshi here—what a small world.

Their grudge had started with a trivial matter. Su Yu had been waiting in line to buy some grilled food when Xu Sanshi cut in front. While everyone else stepped aside, Su Yu hadn't budged. Xu Sanshi had ordered him to leave, but Su Yu ignored him, telling him not to look for trouble. Incensed, Xu Sanshi escalated, even saying, "Only cowards are afraid of causing trouble," which had led to a fight. The result? Su Yu had thoroughly defeated Xu Sanshi, setting their rivalry in stone.

"Three years. It's been three years, and I've never forgotten your face. Finally, I've run into you again!"

The flames of anger burned in Xu Sanshi's eyes. Though three years had passed, he recognized Su Yu's unique features: white hair and a distinctive snowflake mark.

"What? Didn't you get enough of a beating last time? Want some more?" Su Yu chuckled.

"Who's beating who remains to be seen. I'm not the same person I was back then," Xu Sanshi replied, his aura swelling. Over the past three years, he had trained relentlessly and reached the level of Soul Ancestor. Today, he would reclaim his dignity.

"In my eyes, you're no different now than you were three years ago," Su Yu said calmly.

"Whether there's a difference or not, we'll only know after fighting."

Xu Sanshi's fighting spirit surged as he glared at Su Yu.

"Put down the child you're holding. If she gets hurt, don't blame me."

"Hurt her? You'd have to be capable of that first."

Su Yu's tone was calm, but the disdain was palpable. He didn't see Xu Sanshi as a threat at all.

"You'll pay for your arrogance."

Xu Sanshi lunged forward, aiming for Su Yu's chest. But with a slight movement, Su Yu dodged easily. Xu Sanshi followed up, his next strike barely grazing the Snow Empress's face and causing her cheeks to ripple from the force.

"Are you scared?"

Su Yu teased the little Snow Empress in his arms.

The Snow Empress rolled her eyes. Did he think she was a child? This second-rate fighter wouldn't scare her. Still, Xu Sanshi's attack had annoyed her—she was the Snow Empress, after all. How dare some nobody try to offend her?