Heaven and earth were draped in white.
In the span of just three breaths, thick goose-feather snow blotted out the sun and sky.
Beyond ten feet, human figures became hazy shadows, half-visible through the swirling veil of snow.
Li Zhexian looked up at the flurry of falling flakes, and suddenly thought of the northern frontiers—the frozen lands of endless winter.
But then—
At the far edge of his sight, a tiny black speck appeared.
That speck grew rapidly, soaring from the distant horizon, veiled in a mist of snow.
Within the drifting flurries, a graceful and slender figure emerged.
Her long ice-blue hair trailed to her ankles; an aura of divine frost surrounded her—
like a celestial goddess descending upon the mortal world.
"The Snow Empress…"
The name flashed instantly in Li Zhexian's mind.
"Why would the Snow Empress leave the Extreme North?"
"Could she have come… for Little Yazi's sake?"
Across the boundless curtain of snow,
the sight of that divine figure descending from the heavens
left the citizens of Heaven Dou City in awe.
"A god? Is that a god?!"
"Which Titled Douluo could summon such a vision?"
"Forgive my ignorance—can even a Titled Douluo cause a change in the heavens like this?" heavenly change?"
...
Within the Dugu estate—
Dugu Bo sat cross-legged in the midst of his poisonous herb garden.
Before him floated a golden-red pill, no larger than a fingernail.
Wisps of scorching heat, carrying faint echoes of ancient serpentine cries, rose from the pill and entered his breath.
Teng—Teng—
Then suddenly—
Snow erupted, a blizzard sweeping across the heavens.
Yet within three meters of Dugu Bo's body, each falling snowflake sizzled into white mist before vanishing completely.
"Hm?"
Dugu Bo opened his eyes,
red-green pupils narrowing as he looked up.
What he saw—
was the figure of a goddess descending in the snow.
"What a terrifying aura of a Spirit Beast…"
A deep shock flashed across his aged face.
As a Titled Douluo,
he could see past the illusion of beauty—
and perceive the overwhelming demonic qi that blanketed the entire sky above Heaven Dou City.
"This—this is no Spirit Beast from Star Dou Forest!"
"What is it doing here in Heaven Dou City?!"
"Not good!" Dugu Bo's face changed drastically.
"That direction is towards the commoner's market!"
"Could this beast have come because of Zhexian?!"
Boom—
His figure vanished in a gust of wind, green robes whipping up ten thousand flakes of snow as he shot toward the heavens.
——
"Zhexian!"
Both Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling cried out at once.
Beside them, Li Zhexian's body was already enveloped in wind and snow—
his feet lifting from the ground as if drawn by an unseen force, rising slowly into the sky.
The entire city gasped.
"Oh no! Lord Sword Wine!"
"That snow woman—she's after Lord Sword Wine!"
"Damn that false goddess! She's no deity—she's an enemy!"
The white-robed youth, his figure nearly merging with the snowstorm,
was about to be carried away by the mysterious snow woman.
Boom—
Boom—
Across Heaven Dou City,
bursts of Spirit Power flared one after another.
Countless Spirit Masters, their faces twisted with anger, drew power to their feet, ready to soar into the air.
But in the next instant—
The snow in the air grew unimaginably heavy, as though each flake weighed a thousand catties.
Thud—
Thud—
Every Spirit Master who had risen even a few meters was driven down as if by mountains pressing upon their shoulders.
Even Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling were forced to their knees—
no matter how their Spirit Power surged, faces flushed crimson, they could not move an inch.
By snow alone—
An entire city of Spirit Masters was subdued.
Such was the terror of the Snow Empress.
Li Zhexian, fearing that Dugu Yan and the others might attack again, quickly raised his voice:
"I'm unharmed! Senior Snow Empress is an old acquaintance!"
"She is not an enemy—do not act recklessly!"
As he spoke,
a figure in a gown woven of ice and snow came into view.
Her face, fairer than frost itself, was exquisite beyond mortal comprehension.
Her eyes, clear as glacial mirrors of ten thousand years,
and her long, icy-blue hair danced gently amidst the falling snow.
Even the curled ends of her eyelashes bore crystal flakes.
Around her drifted faint mists of frost.
Delicate blue-white flowers bloomed and scattered from her every movement.
How could such a divine figure be called a Spirit Beast?
She was more goddess than creature.
Li Zhexian lowered his gaze respectfully and bowed.
"Junior Li Zhexian greets Senior Snow Empress."
The Snow Empress nodded lightly.
Her clear eyes swept over the mortals below—
humans who trembled in fear yet still shouted and cursed.
Especially one old man in blue robes,
who even dared throw a wooden clapper toward her.
"Li Zhexian," she said softly,
"you seem well-loved among humans."
Li Zhexian was about to speak—
When a thunderous voice rolled across the heavens above Heaven Dou.
"To try and seize Zhexian within Heaven Dou territory—
first ask if I, Dugu Bo, agree!"
Dugu Bo arrived wreathed in an overwhelming aura.
Behind him—
rolling waves of viridian-green poisonous mist devoured the falling snow at terrifying speed.
Within moments—
half the sky was cleared of snow.
The people of Heaven Dou cheered in relief.
"Wonderful! It's His Excellency Dugu!"
"Lord Dugu will surely save Lord Sword Wine!"
"Hmph, that snow woman doesn't know—Heaven Dou has its own Titled Douluo!"
——
"Senior Dugu, please, stop!!!"
Li Zhexian shouted desperately.
But his voice was swallowed by the blizzard.
Dugu Bo did not hear.
Hisssss—!
Beneath his feet—
a colossal Four-Headed Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor coiled into being, spanning hundreds of meters.
All four serpent mouths opened wide—
each spewing forth a beam of red-green venomous light.
The four light merged into one—
a raging crimson-green torrent that seared the air itself, screaming toward the snow-shrouded woman.
"Ninth Spirit Ability—Jade Phosphor Heaven-Flame Light!"
"Senior Snow Empress! Please, my elder means no harm! I beg you to show mercy!"
Li Zhexian turned anxiously toward her.
The Snow Empress raised her slender hand.
The falling snow gathered toward her palm.
In an instant—
a colossal hand of pure frost condensed in the sky.
Her palm flipped—descending.
BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—BOOM—!
The venomous light shattered.
The snow hand struck down upon the Four-Headed Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor's true body.
The serpent let out a piercing shriek—
and was frozen solid, inch by inch.
Dugu Bo was caught in the blast and sent crashing from the sky.
The ground quaked upon impact.
Snow plumed high into the air.
The people of Heaven Dou stared in stunned silence—
their mighty protector, felled in a single strike.
For a long moment,
the world was deathly still.
"Do not worry," the Snow Empress said calmly.
"He is unharmed. Your elder's strength is impressive.
If I hadn't used an Emperor's Palm, even I would have found it troublesome to block that light."
At her words, Li Zhexian finally relaxed.
But at the same time, a chill ran through his heart.
After absorbing the inner core of the Ten-Headed Fierce Yang Serpent, Dugu Bo's strength had become formidable.
And yet—he couldn't even withstand a single palm.
The power of this ruler of the Extreme North…
was beyond comprehension.
"A sword and a palm that freeze the heavens and earth…
Emperor's Sword, Emperor's Palm, Emperor's Cold Sky."
"Truly, her title is no exaggeration."
——
Boom!
Dugu Bo burst from the rubble.
"Grandfather's fine." He gently pushed away the worried Dugu Yan, coughing twice,
his eyes filled with gravity.
This snow woman was far stronger than he'd anticipated.
At that moment, the snow began to ease,
and Li Zhexian's voice finally rang clearly across the air:
"Senior Dugu, Sister Yan, Lingling… and all my fellow citizens!"
"Senior Snow Empress is not an enemy—do not attack!"
Hearing this,
Dugu Bo's heart filled with confusion.
"When did Zhexian befriend such a terrifying Spirit Beast?"
He pondered briefly,
then rasped aloud:
"It seems this old man was too rash. I ask Your Excellency's forgiveness."
"May I ask where Senior Snow Empress intends to take my junior?"
"I, Dugu Bo…"
"...must first inform the other five Titled elders."
Though Li Zhexian claimed to know the Snow Empress,
Dugu Bo remained cautious—
and let his words carry a subtle warning.