Chapter 74: Interested in a Visit to the Far North?
She snapped her head up, glaring at Jiang Bai—who still stood there sword in hand, his breathing steady and calm—feeling a mix of frustration and exasperation.
Who in their right mind opens a fight by unleashing a massive ultimate move right off the bat?! That’s just poor sportsmanship!
"Again!"
Jiang Li’er’s fiercely competitive spirit was thoroughly ignited. With a sharp battle cry, she fought past the numbness in her arms and charged at Jiang Bai once more!
This time, she forewent her energy-draining Soul Skills; instead, she channeled the power of the Golden Dragon into her fists and legs.
Her intent was to engage in close-quarters combat—to leverage the immense physical prowess and primal instincts granted by her Golden Dragon bloodline to overwhelm Jiang Bai!
Seeing her charge in with such fearless ferocity, Jiang Bai dispelled the ice sword in his hand and rushed forward to meet her!
Bang!
A fist encrusted with ice crystals smashed violently against a fist sheathed in golden scales! A shockwave rippled outward, cracking the frozen earth beneath their feet!
Thump! Thump! Thump!
...
The ensuing battle devolved into a purely visceral, fist-to-fist brawl!
The physical enhancements bestowed by a 100,000-year-old Soul Beast were truly terrifying.
His strength, speed, reflexes, and defenses—in every aspect—completely surpassed Jiang Li’er’s.
Even more daunting was his vast combat experience; his moves were precise and ruthless, allowing him to frequently spot openings in the brief lulls of Jiang Li’er’s attacks and land heavy, punishing blows.
Jiang Li’er, however—bolstered by the sheer resilience of her Golden Dragon bloodline and her indomitable will—was knocked back time and again, yet she charged right back in, time and again.
Her fighting style leaned heavily toward raw instinct and wild ferocity—broad, sweeping movements executed with explosive momentum.
Yet, against an opponent like Jiang Bai—who had undergone "special training" under the Ice Empress herself—her technique appeared somewhat unrefined, leaving her riddled with exploitable openings.
And so, the scene quickly devolved into a completely one-sided "beating."
Whether delivering a punch, a palm strike, an elbow, or a knee, every single one of Jiang Bai’s attacks was heavy and precise; each blow that landed on Jiang Li’er’s body rang out with a dull, resounding thud.
Although the force of the blows was dampened by her protective soul power, the residual impact still left Jiang Li’er grimacing in agony.
"Ouch!"
"Hiss—!"
"You bastard!"
Cries of pain, sharp intakes of breath, and exasperated curses rang out intermittently.
Watching this spectacle from nearby, Bi Ji couldn’t help but press a hand to her forehead and close her eyes for a moment, finding the sight almost too painful to watch.
It was just too brutal...
That foolish child—she was far too headstrong. The disparity in their strength was glaringly obvious, yet she still insisted on going toe-to-toe...
Still... perhaps this was for the best. Let her suffer a little hardship now—let her learn that there is always someone stronger out there, that there is always a higher peak to reach—so she wouldn’t act recklessly in the future and suffer a truly devastating loss.
Bi Ji sighed inwardly with a sense of helplessness.
She wasn’t overly concerned for Jiang Li’er’s safety; she could sense that while Jiang Bai’s attacks were heavy, he wasn’t striking to kill—his intent was clearly more about "disciplining" than actually "harming."
Besides, with her standing right there, she could step in to heal her at any moment.
What gave her a bigger headache were the two figures standing on the other side of the battlefield, watching the fight with evident relish.
The Snow Empress and the Ice Empress.
Especially the Snow Empress—her pair of icy-blue eyes had remained fixed on Jiang Li’er from start to finish.
She was clearly hatching some scheme involving Li’er!
She had to put an end to this farce immediately and get Li’er out of here.
...
After taking yet another powerful side-kick from Jiang Bai—a blow that sent her tumbling across the ground several times—Jiang Li’er lay prone on the earth, panting heavily, her entire body aching as if it were about to fall apart.
She lifted her head to look at Jiang Bai, who stood nearby with his breathing still steady and composed. Finally, she realized that continuing this fight would amount to nothing more than a one-sided beating.
"Stop... Stop! I give up! I’m done fighting!"
She shouted hurriedly, her voice cracking slightly from the pain and her labored breathing.
Hearing this, Jiang Bai halted his movements; with a mere shift of his thoughts, he deactivated his spirit possession state.
The deep blue radiance faded from his body, and the Ice Dragon transformed into a streak of blue light, returning to the tower.
The crystalline ice armor covering Jiang Bai dissipated, and his hair and pupils reverted to their normal state.
Jiang Bai cupped his hands toward Jiang Li’er, who was sprawled on the ground, a gentle smile gracing his face: "I accept your concession."
Jiang Li’er struggled to sit up. Gazing at Jiang Bai—who appeared utterly unperturbed and even impeccably polite—she was so incensed that her beautiful eyes widened into perfect circles.
Clenching her fists tightly, she felt an overwhelming urge to lunge at him again and sink her teeth into him.
Damn him! So what if he won? Why does he have to be so polite about it? It only makes me look even more pathetic!
Next time... next time, I’m definitely going to beat him!
She vowed fiercely in her heart. Yet, almost immediately, a sense of powerlessness washed over her.
The reason was simple.
Just moments ago, Sister Bi Ji had secretly conveyed a message to her via telepathy.
The technique Jiang Bai had unleashed—"Emperor’s Sword: Peerless Ice Extremes"—was the signature ultimate skill of the Snow Emperor, the foremost among the Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North!
And to think that he—a mere Soul Sect—had managed to preliminarily grasp and execute such a terrifying technique... his comprehension and innate talent were nothing short of monstrous.
Although she, too, possessed the bloodline of an Emperor-Rank Auspicious Beast and possessed extraordinary talent, in this particular regard, it seemed... she truly fell short compared to him.
Admitting this fact left a lump in Jiang Li’er’s throat, accompanied by a vague sense of inexplicable loss.
Hmph! So what if his talent is good? So what if he’s a strong fighter? I... I have a much better grasp of the Power of Destiny than he does!
That was the only way she could console herself.
However, intermittent waves of pain coursing through her body soon interrupted her thoughts.
She lowered her gaze to examine herself.
Her dress was caked with dust and shards of ice; her exposed arms and calves were a mass of unsightly bruises, and the corner of her mouth appeared to be split open, stinging with a fiery pain.
Her current disheveled and battered appearance only served to fuel her indignation.
She shot a glare at Jiang Bai, then limped unsteadily toward Bi Ji. She buried herself in the warmth and softness of Bi Ji’s embrace, rubbing her little head against her with a look of deep grievance.
"Waaah... Sister Bi Ji..." Her voice was laced with a blend of childish pleading and pitiful misery.
Gazing down at Jiang Li’er—battered and bruised in her arms, looking like a bullied little beast—Bi Ji felt a mix of heartache and amusement.
She gently stroked Jiang Li’er’s somewhat disheveled, emerald-green hair and chided her softly, "Does it hurt now? Next time you get into a fight, don’t be so reckless. If you know you’re outmatched, you must learn to adapt; you need a strategy."
As she spoke, she raised her right hand—fair and flawless as jade—and from her palm bloomed a soft, emerald-green radiance brimming with the essence of life.
The light enveloped Jiang Li’er.
A miraculous sight unfolded.
The bruises and abrasions covering Jiang Li’er’s body faded and healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Although her torn dress could not be restored, her skin quickly regained its original pristine whiteness and smoothness; not a single trace of injury remained.
Aside from her hair and clothes still being somewhat disheveled, Jiang Li’er now looked as if nothing had happened at all—as if the fierce battle that had just taken place had never occurred.
The healing prowess of the "Emerald Swan" was, indeed, worthy of its legendary reputation.
Just as Bi Ji withdrew her healing light and gently smoothed out Jiang Li’er’s hair, a cool, ethereal voice drifted toward them.
"The Emerald Swan... Bi Ji."
The Snow Empress had arrived—gliding in so silently that no one had noticed—and now stood merely a few yards away from them.
Her ice-blue eyes rested calmly upon Bi Ji, then shifted to Jiang Li’er cradled in her arms, a faint yet deeply meaningful smile playing upon her lips.
"It has been a long time," the Snow Empress said. Her voice was calm, yet it carried an undeniable, penetrating power.
"Although the Far North is a land of bitter cold and vast ice plains, it is rarely trodden by humans—making it a far more suitable place for Soul Beasts to cultivate and dwell."
She paused, fixing her gaze upon Jiang Li’er’s crimson eyes—which were now looking back at her with wide-eyed curiosity—and her tone grew gentle, laced with a seductive allure.
"Would you be interested in bringing this little darling to our Far North... for a visit?"
As her words faded, the very air within the valley seemed to freeze in an instant. The gentle smile on Bi Ji’s face slowly faded, replaced by an expression of gravity and vigilance.
She instinctively shielded Jiang Li’er behind her, her emerald-green eyes locking with the Snow Emperor’s icy-blue gaze.
At some point—unnoticed until now—the Ice Emperor had also appeared at the Snow Emperor’s side.
Arms crossed over her chest, her beautiful eyes scrutinized Bi Ji and Jiang Li’er with evident interest, the corners of her mouth curving into a smirk that suggested she was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.