"Yes," the Snow Emperor said softly, patting the Ice Emperor's back, her tone full of emotion. "We no longer need to fear extinction."
Wei Xuan looked at the two women, who were so elated that they'd completely ignored half of what he'd said, and sighed helplessly. He reminded them half-jokingly,
"I said theoretically possible—that doesn't mean it's certain. It's not like I can just die once to test if the method works."
At that, both the Snow Emperor and the Ice Emperor sobered up a little.
"Then let's find a human soul master," the Ice Emperor suggested bluntly. "Have him use your method to absorb a ring, and then kill him to see what happens."
The Snow Emperor nodded, perfectly serious. Humans hunted soul beasts constantly; reversing the roles for once hardly seemed unfair. Wei Xuan only shook his head.
Instead of arguing, he poured cold reason on their enthusiasm:
"You're oversimplifying it. I know what you're really hoping for—" He paused, his expression calm but firm. "—but let me make this clear. There are two major obstacles."
"First, the method itself. Right now, I'm the only one who can perform it."
"Second, even if another soul master could use my method, the absorbed soul beast would exist only in spirit form, not physical."
"When that soul master dies, the beast's spirit might be able to separate—but it would still need a vessel to inhabit."
"If there's no vessel to hold the spirit, it will simply become a wandering ghost… or more likely, dissipate into the world."
He looked between the two empresses.
"You're thinking of a perfect cycle: soul beasts become spirit rings, and when the soul master dies, they revive as beasts again.
It's a beautiful vision—but reality isn't that simple." Still, his tone softened slightly.
"Not simple… doesn't mean impossible," he added, his eyes glinting. "I already have a few ideas."
The two women frowned simultaneously, their gazes thoughtful and heavy with hope.
"Can you solve those two problems?" the Snow Emperor asked, eyes fixed on him, her voice almost trembling with expectation.
Wei Xuan considered briefly, then nodded.
"I can. But it'll be… troublesome. And with my current soul power, it's beyond reach for now."
The Snow Emperor stepped closer. "Tell me what you need. Whatever it is—if it's within my power, I'll do it."
The Ice Emperor followed without hesitation.
"I'll do the same. If you can really make this possible, I'll rally every soul beast in the north to help you."
Wei Xuan smiled faintly. "I don't need anything else. But I do need you, Snow Emperor—to become my sixth spirit ring."
Helping the soul beast race was indeed a noble cause—but Wei Xuan was no saint. His proposed solution would benefit him most of all. Even the thought of the Snow Emperor as his ring alone wouldn't drive him to attempt such an undertaking unless there was mutual gain.
The Snow Emperor didn't hesitate for a heartbeat.
"Agreed," she said firmly. "If you can truly resolve the soul beasts' fate, then becoming your ring means nothing."
Becoming his ring meant hope—hope of following him to godhood. That alone was enough of a temptation. And more than that, she could contribute to the survival of her entire race.
With such gains before her, there was no reason to refuse. The Ice Emperor made no attempt to dissuade her; instead, she smiled faintly. Not just out of joy for the future of their kind—but out of simple, personal happiness for her sister in ice.
Wei Xuan studied the Snow Emperor for a long moment, surprised by how easily she had accepted. His opinion of her rose even higher. Afterward, they each made an oath—solemn, binding, and mutual.
Wei Xuan didn't swear absolute guarantees; even for him, such a promise lay beyond certainty. All he could swear was that he would try with everything he had. Once the vows were complete, the Ice Emperor finally noticed something.
"Snow Emperor," she said in surprise, "that lotus in your hand—is that a hundred-thousand-year Snow Lotus?"
Her eyes widened. Even in the vastness of the Extreme North, such a treasure was one of a kind. Wei Xuan had already noticed it earlier and thus wasn't as startled, though he understood its extraordinary value.
The Snow Emperor raised her hand, gazing at the delicate white lotus hovering above her palm. A faint smile, touched with helplessness, crossed her face.
"I searched for this Snow Lotus for many years," she said softly. "But now, it seems… I no longer need it."
"What did you plan to use it for?" the Ice Emperor asked curiously.
"Decades ago, I attempted to fuse dual-core energies—the Yin-Yang Soul Nucleus," the Snow Emperor explained.
"I failed. My very origin was damaged. I lost the chance to transcend my seven-hundred-thousand-year tribulation."
Her tone was calm, but the words made the Ice Emperor's heart clench.
"What? Your origin was damaged?" she blurted, eyes wide with alarm.
The origin—the foundation of a soul beast's existence. Once harmed, even slightly, it crippled advancement and might even threaten life itself. The Snow Emperor waved off her concern with a graceful flick of her hand.
"I'm fine. I just can't pass the next heavenly tribulation, that's all."
Hearing this, the Ice Emperor exhaled in relief. After all, she thought privately, the Snow Emperor would soon become Wei Xuan's spirit ring anyway—spirit rings didn't undergo tribulation, did they? The Snow Emperor turned her gaze back to the lotus, then extended it toward Wei Xuan.
"This Snow Lotus is useless to us now," she said. "Take it."
Wei Xuan blinked, slightly surprised. "You're… giving it to me?" She nodded.
"Yes. It contains immense and pure ice energy. If you absorb it, your soul power will increase greatly."
"The benefit to you is far greater than to us. To absorb it ourselves would only court death by summoning another tribulation."
"Letting you use it is the best way to put it to use," she finished simply.
Perhaps seeing the flicker of hesitation in his eyes, she added with a small, reassuring smile,
"Don't feel burdened. We are one now—your strength will be our strength.
Giving this Snow Lotus to you is as much for us as it is for you." Wei Xuan inclined his head slightly. "Then I'll remember this favor," he said sincerely, and reached out to accept it.
The Snow Lotus was exquisite—its petals translucent, glimmering faintly with light like stars on fresh snow. It wasn't large, easily cradled in one hand. Yet when he took it, Wei Xuan's arm sank slightly under the weight.
It felt less like holding a flower and more like carrying a mountain. He had to circulate his soul power to keep it from pulling his hand downward. Such was the density of the energy within—a hundred thousand years of pure heaven-and-earth essence, slowly accumulated, not forced by shortcuts.
To hold the Hundred-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus was to hold the very breath of the north itself— a treasure so heavy with power that few beings alive could even pluck it from the ice.
(End of Chapter)