Chapter 49: The Snow Emperor

Compared to the Star Dou Great Forest, which had long since been pierced through by humans like a sieve, the Far North—shrouded in ice and snow year-round and ravaged by natural disasters—appeared much more desolate and bleak.

Under normal circumstances, aside from the rare powerhouses who came looking for high-age ice-attribute soul rings, the only people who ever set foot in this place were those with ulterior motives.

"Your Eminence Tiansha... I really can't hold on much longer."

A Soul Dougu whose entire body was plastered with strange glowing screens wore a bitter expression. Possessing relatively low cultivation to begin with, he could not easily use his soul power to ward off the biting cold for fear of exposing himself. After so many days of this, he felt as though he had been thoroughly frozen through by the freezing gale.

Persisting any longer would genuinely be life-threatening.

"Besides, we've been waiting here for so long without seeing any movement... Is that fierce beast really coming here to undergo its tribulation?"

The Soul Dougu moved his limbs with great difficulty, a flicker of worry surfacing on his face. "If our deduction is mistaken, wouldn't my trip have been entirely in vain?"

After all, he had made a special, covert journey out of the Sun Moon Empire just to reach this place.

To ensure this operation went off without a hitch, goodness knows how many deeply embedded agents the Sun Moon Empire would eventually root out one by one.

"You have been wronged, Sir. But this matter is of vital importance. Without a Soul Engineer of your caliber to preside over things, the few of us old fogies who can no longer keep up with the times wouldn't dare handle this God-Sealing Platform so recklessly!"

Tiansha Dougu exchanged glances with the three other Titled Dougu, and they all saw a trace of helplessness in each other's eyes, alongside a deeply buried terror.

Across this Douluo Continent, who did not turn pale at the mere mention of a fierce beast?

A single fierce beast of around two hundred thousand years of age was more than enough to give the people present a hard time. Furthermore, they were currently right in the heart of the Far North, deep within the home territory of the local soul beasts.

If there were even the slightest miscalculation, everyone present would perish here.

Had they not repeatedly confirmed beforehand that the aura of the heavenly tribulation was indeed approaching, they would never have dared to bring the God-Sealing Platform here in preparation to sweep up the remnants.

"Regarding that, Your Eminence need not worry. Although this God-Sealing Platform is a replica, its might as a tier-nine artifact is beyond doubt. Whether that soul beast is injured in the tribulation or dies on the spot, we will be able to harvest its energy."

The Soul Engineer gently exhaled a breath of mist in the cold air. "However, I have been out of the empire for nearly two weeks now, and the Sun Moon Empire may have already begun investigating this matter."

To plant him—an agent in the upper echelons of Sun Moon—the Star Luo Empire had spent more than forty years. The painstaking efforts expended during that time, and the countless undercover agents sacrificed, were beyond reckoning.

This single journey would likely cause all those past efforts to flow down the drain.

"Sir need not worry!"

Facing a Soul Dougu whose cultivation had only just crossed the eighth ring, Tiansha lowered his stance to the absolute minimum. "Over the years, you have secretly delivered countless soul-guide blueprints and rare materials to our Star Luo, contributing immensely to the development of our empire's soul-guide industry."

"And now, you have even brought this replica of the God-Sealing Platform to assist us in subduing the fierce beast, utterly disregarding the risk of exposing your identity... Your contributions are truly monumental, and your loyalty to the country is beyond reproach."

"Before we set out, His Majesty already issued an imperial decree. As a benefactor of Star Luo, you shall remain within the borders of the empire to enjoy boundless wealth and glory from now on, standing shoulder to shoulder with us as a pillar protecting the nation, addressing each other as brothers!"

With that, Tiansha Dougu bowed deeply to him, his expression exceptionally sincere.

Behind him, the three Titled Dougu standing nearby also bowed respectfully, displaying their utmost sincerity.

"This, this... Your Eminence, please rise quickly! This is quite improper!"

The Soul Dougu hurriedly reached out to help him up.

Amidst the swirling wind and snow, the group put on a stellar performance of sworn brothers whose bond was stronger than gold.

...

In a cavern located dozens of miles away.

A figure shrouded in ethereal, frosty qi sat quietly cross-legged. Her snowy, translucent body faintly revealed a jade-like luster, pulsing slowly in rhythm with a near-imperceptible breathing pattern.

"A hundred-thousand-year snow lotus..."

The Snow Emperor, having adjusted her condition to its absolute peak, gazed at the bizarre plant before her.

Ever since the last heavenly tribulation, she had been left with injuries that were difficult to heal, stripping away any possibility of surviving the next tribulation.

To cope with the closing net of mortal danger, she was naturally making her own preparations.

The snow lotus before her was a special life form nurtured by the Far North. In terms of profundity and rarity, it could practically be considered half an immortal herb. With this as a foundation, she had the possibility of reshaping her body and transforming into a human.

However—

The Snow Emperor frowned as she looked up at the sky.

For some reason, starting several days ago, an inexplicable sense of crisis had lingered in her mind.

It felt as though something had secretly locked onto her.

"How could this be..."

The Snow Emperor's expression turned ugly.

To reduce the risks of human transformation to a minimum, she hadn't even notified the Ice Emperor or the Ice Bear King, coming to this place entirely alone to adjust her condition.

"A soul beast coveting my origin power? It doesn't quite look like it. There shouldn't be anyone in the Far North bold enough to do that."

"Could it be?"

The Snow Emperor's gaze suddenly deepened, glancing cryptically toward the sky above.

Having lived for countless ages, she naturally knew certain secrets hidden deep within the Douluo Continent.

Soul beasts were a race closely watched by the gods.

Any soul beast daring to touch the divine realm would be plotted against by the beings in the heavens through various means, or even directly eradicated to prevent them from threatening humanity's status.

"If a deity is truly plotting this behind the scenes..."

The Snow Emperor reached out to cover the snow lotus, letting out a faint, mournful sigh. "Then I wouldn't have the power to resist at all, would I?"

In just a brief moment, her aura gradually dissolved within the soft light radiated by the snow lotus, her inner origin slowly transferring toward the heart of the lotus.

Once successful, she would begin her second life as a human.

"Quick... Hurry! There's movement, everyone get ready!"

The figures huddled within the glacial crevasse suddenly snapped to attention. The hard-fought endurance of the past dozen days was finally about to pay off.

Now, they only needed to wait for that fierce beast to undergo its heavenly tribulation, and they would no longer have to suffer through this freezing torment.

"Your Eminence Tiansha, I leave this to you."

The Soul Engineer and the three Titled Dougu wore solemn expressions as they silently retreated a few steps, yielding the front position of the God-Sealing Platform to Tiansha.

"You..."

Tiansha Dougu's facial muscles twitched uncontrollably.

Yet who told him to be the one with the highest cultivation among them? At this juncture, they could only rely on him to step up first.

"Wait. This aura... It isn't a heavenly tribulation!"

Tiansha, who had reached out to steady the God-Sealing Platform, suddenly changed his expression. "This strange fluctuation—could it be the legendary soul beast transformation?"

"No way—"

The Soul Engineer couldn't help widening his eyes.

With Titled Dougu in human society now practically as common as wholesale goods, soul beasts naturally no longer bothered with such high-risk endeavors.

Yet right before their eyes, a soul beast was actually transforming on the spot?

"Then what are we waiting for? Everyone, charge together!"

Before anyone knew who shouted it first, the figures instantly transformed into five streaks of light, hurtling into the distance.