"Jiang Jue, how do you feel now?"
The Snow Empress looked at Jiang Jue, her red lips parting slightly as she asked with a hint of anticipation.
"I feel great."
Jiang Jue withdrew from his thoughts and replied softly.
"Do you have that feeling—when inspiration suddenly comes to the mind, like blessings descending upon the heart?"
The Snow Empress asked again, the aloofness she had earlier now gone.
"Inspiration… yes."
Jiang Jue raised an eyebrow, as if he understood what the Snow Empress meant—namely, the power of fortune he now possessed.
"That's good."
A light flashed through the Snow Empress's clear, beautiful eyes, and she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"Next, I must hurry and send Jiang Jue to the Extreme North. I need to strengthen my relationship with him as soon as possible."
She pondered silently. First there was the destiny guidance of the Auspicious Beast, then the boon promised by the Water Dragon King, and now the immense power of fortune gathering around Jiang Jue—he was practically the darling of this world.
The Snow Empress could already firmly believe that Jiang Jue would definitely become a god in the future. Since that was the case, she needed to quickly bring Xiao Bai into the fold as well.
Although Jiang Jue's promise had been solemn, for some reason, the Snow Empress still felt uneasy deep down.
She felt as though Jiang Jue was always shrouded in a veil she could not see through. Having ruled the Extreme North for hundreds of thousands of years, encountering something beyond her expectations made her feel a sense of unease.
Thus, in her view, the best solution was to deepen her bond with Jiang Jue.
As for how to deepen that bond, the Snow Empress found herself at a loss…
"Hm? Why does the Snow Empress seem a bit strange today?"
Watching the subtle changes in her delicate expression, Jiang Jue found it somewhat odd.
"Buzz!"
A humming sound suddenly rang out, interrupting the Snow Empress's tangled thoughts.
On the bed, where Meng Hongchen sat cross-legged, a Vermilion Clear Ice Toad appeared behind her. Its entire body was jade-like, and its strange eyes were different colors—one ice-blue, the other blazing red.
The originally snow-white Vermilion Clear Ice Toad gradually became covered in two peculiar patterns, one red and one blue. The ice and fire attributes it released were extremely pure, no longer carrying the chaotic mix they once had.
Meng Hongchen slowly opened her eyes. Within her blood-red pupils, red and blue flashes of light flickered and then vanished.
"Jiang Jue, I'm done absorbing it. The ice and fire attributes in my body have now surpassed the poison attribute. You don't have to worry about poison erosion anymore."
Joy sparkled in Meng Hongchen's beautiful eyes. At last, she no longer had to endure the torment of toxins and could cultivate with peace of mind.
"Huh? Who are you? Why are you in my room?"
Only then did Meng Hongchen notice the Snow Empress. Upon seeing her breathtaking beauty, she was first startled, then stepped to Jiang Jue's side, looking at the Snow Empress with a scrutinizing gaze.
Guided by a woman's sixth sense, the Snow Empress's presence made her uneasy. That cool, peerless beauty was something even she could not help but admire.
"Meng, this is the Snow Empress—also my… friend."
Feeling Meng Hongchen's hand creeping dangerously close to his waist, Jiang Jue reached out and held it firmly to stop her mischief, then spoke softly.
"A friend?"
The Snow Empress's beautiful eyes shifted slightly, her brows knitting faintly as she saw the intimacy between Jiang Jue and Meng Hongchen.
"Just a friend?"
Meng Hongchen felt some suspicion in her heart, but she did not voice it. Instead, she kept it to herself. She believed Jiang Jue would explain everything to her later.
"Hello, I'm Meng Hongchen—Jiang Jue's future wife."
Meng Hongchen quickly adjusted her mindset, walked up to the Snow Empress generously, and extended her fair hand.
"Hello. Snow Empress."
The Snow Empress replied coolly with just two words, extending her pale hand and lightly shaking Meng Hongchen's.
However, when the gazes of Meng Hongchen and the Snow Empress met, Jiang Jue sensed something amiss and coughed lightly twice.
"Alright, Meng. Next, it's time to fuse your sixth soul ring."
Off to the side, the Snow-Color Swan Kiss, which had been waiting for quite some time, had already struck a heroic, ready-to-die pose.
"Wuwu… ten thousand years later, Snowy will still be a good immortal herb!"
The Snow-Color Swan Kiss understood that since it could not resist, it might as well face its fate calmly.
"You don't necessarily have to die. Your intelligence may be preserved."
Jiang Jue's eyes flickered as he spoke softly.
"What?! Is that true?!"
Upon hearing this, the Snow-Color Swan Kiss immediately perked up, exclaiming excitedly.
"Jiang Jue, what do you mean? I don't think I quite understand."
Meng Hongchen asked in confusion as her gaze shifted away from the Snow Empress.
"Next, I'm going to use a soul-spirit method that has never existed in this world, allowing the Snow-Color Swan Kiss to form a contract with you."
"The Soul Spirit Contract will not only allow all of the Snow-Color Swan Kiss's power to belong to you, but also preserve its intelligence so it can assist you in battle. It's truly killing two birds with one stone—and it can even grant a soul master multiple soul rings."
Jiang Jue spoke with a solemn tone. Before this, Electrolux had already taught him the method of soul spirits, and he had memorized it thoroughly. Now, it was time to witness a miracle.
"Meng, this will be the first appearance of soul spirits in this world. Are you willing to become the first?"
Jiang Jue looked at Meng Hongchen and asked calmly.
After all, she was the one fusing the soul ring—her opinion still mattered.
"Lady Mistress, please have mercy on Snowy! Snowy can fight alongside you—I can stand at the very front!"
The Snow-Color Swan Kiss jumped into Meng Hongchen's arms, pitifully acting cute and begging.
"I would be honored. And I trust you, Jiang Jue."
Meng Hongchen nodded slightly, a smile blooming on her delicate face.
In her heart, the man she loved would never harm her.
"Very well. Next, I'll begin guiding the condensation of your soul imprint. Everything must be voluntary—otherwise, I won't mind making your soul scatter completely."
Jiang Jue nodded slightly, then spoke calmly to the Snow-Color Swan Kiss.
"Snowy will behave! Snowy will behave!"
The Snow-Color Swan Kiss nodded repeatedly, offering assurance again and again.
"Meng, the fusion process might be a bit painful. You must endure it."
Jiang Jue reminded her.
"Don't worry—I'm not some frail young lady!"
Meng Hongchen waved her delicate fist, glanced at the Snow Empress, and said with a smile.
The Snow Empress's expression remained unchanged, but an added chill seemed to settle around her.
"Alright."
Seeing this, Jiang Jue focused his gaze on the Snow-Color Swan Kiss. On his forehead, the Eye of Destiny slowly opened. To ensure success, he would go all out.
In an instant, centered on Jiang Jue, surging spiritual power burst forth from his body, enveloping both Meng Hongchen and the Snow-Color Swan Kiss.
Six soul rings that exceeded the optimal configuration rose from beneath Jiang Jue's feet. A gentle golden light shot out from his resplendent golden Eye of Destiny and landed upon the Snow-Color Swan Kiss.
Its resistance was utterly futile against Jiang Jue's powerful spiritual force. Almost unimpeded, his power surged in, and he quickly found its soul imprint and spiritual essence.
Soon after, a faint layer of golden light appeared around the Snow-Color Swan Kiss. Under Jiang Jue's guidance, its spiritual essence, soul imprint, a portion of its purest soul power, and the mysterious energy hidden within its innate bloodline began to condense.
After a full quarter of an hour, the golden light around the Snow-Color Swan Kiss grew intense. One could see the light flowing forward from its tail, and its body began to wither.
Jiang Jue raised his left hand, and a scepter formed from condensed golden light appeared within it. A deep, drawn-out chant followed.
A golden six-pointed star slowly took shape on the ground. This hexagram enveloped Jiang Jue, Meng Hongchen, and the Snow-Color Swan Kiss within it.
Golden rays of light flickered, and the hexagram beneath their feet grew increasingly brilliant. Strange symbols rose into the air, circling around their bodies. Gentle fluctuations of spiritual power and soul power likewise swirled around them.
Time passed second by second. The light within the hexagram grew stronger, and more and more symbols appeared.
Suddenly, all the symbols froze in midair.
The Snow-Color Swan Kiss's body tilted, and it collapsed within the hexagram, all signs of life extinguished.
In the very next instant, all the symbols surged toward Meng Hongchen like rivers flowing into the sea.
A crimson, bewitching soul ring slowly rose from beneath Meng Hongchen's feet—a hundred-thousand-year soul ring that countless soul masters could only dream of.
Jiang Jue stopped chanting, his eyes shining, because he knew—
He had succeeded!
The soul spirit had manifested!
(End of Chapter)