Chapter 44: The Goddess of Ice and Snow

After fifteen minutes passed, watching the aura of the Snow Emperor gradually calm, Ling Xiao nodded at the Water God and the Asura God King, who were still waiting, and said, “Since the divine position inheritance is complete, you two may leave now.”

“Yes, sir. We will take our leave first!” the Asura god quickly replied, swiftly departing with the seemingly liberated Water God.

Seeing the two return to the Divine Realm, Ling Xiao withdrew his gaze and looked at the just-awakened Snow Emperor.

“Snow Emperor, how do you feel now?” Ling Xiao asked.

“Very good! My strength has now reached 990,000 years, and I feel that soon I’ll break through one million years and truly become a god!” the Snow Emperor said excitedly.

She hadn’t expected that one day she could become a god. Her eyes toward Ling Xiao were filled with gratitude, a smile, and a touch of something else.

When the Snow Emperor looked at the Ice Emperor and the Ice God, she noticed their expressions were unusually shocked and confused, showing no sign of surprise at her impending godhood.

“Ice God, Ice Emperor, what’s wrong?” the Snow Emperor asked with a puzzled look.

But the Ice God ignored her and instead looked at Ling Xiao, eyes filled with fear, opening her mouth but saying nothing.

“Human, what’s going on? Why are these two gods so afraid of you and obeying your words so readily? Even with divine positions, that shouldn’t be the case!” the Ice Emperor pressed her lips and spoke, voicing the question the Ice God also wanted to ask.

The Ice God also looked at Ling Xiao, her eyes full of incomprehension. After all, he was the supreme God King of the Divine Realm!

“What’s there to be puzzled about? I’m very powerful!” Ling Xiao said.

The Snow Emperor’s confusion deepened; she was somewhat at a loss about the current situation.

Why were the Ice God and Ice Emperor acting so strangely? Could something have happened during her divine position inheritance?

“We know you’re powerful, but those two are gods! And they’re even stronger than the Ice God herself!” the Ice Emperor whispered, now somewhat unwilling to look at Ling Xiao.

“That’s because I am stronger than all gods in the Divine Realm. I could easily destroy the entire Divine Realm. I killed two of the five great God Kings in the Divine Realm long ago!” Ling Xiao said casually.

“I’m currently undergoing the trial for the Flame God position, but that doesn’t mean the Flame God is my only divine position. Years ago, I already obtained divine positions—more than one. With my current strength, I could even create the Divine Realm. Tell me, why do you think these two gods are afraid of me?” Ling Xiao said, staring directly at the Ice Emperor.

The Snow Emperor understood now. When she inherited the divine position, powerful gods from the Divine Realm had descended, yet they were afraid of Ling Xiao.

“Snow Emperor!” Ling Xiao looked at her and said, “The Water God from the Divine Realm just gave you a divine position. He is a first-level god, much stronger than the second-level Ice God. I have already fused these two divine positions. Even without any other opportunities, you will reach God King level. At the current Divine Realm, that makes you one of the strongest.”

“But that’s only for now. Above God King, there are higher levels. Maybe soon, gods above God Kings will appear. If you want to control your own destiny, you still need to cultivate hard in the Divine Realm.”

The Snow Emperor nodded. “Ling Xiao, can you tell me what levels are above God King? And what level does your strength belong to now?”

The Ice God and Ice Emperor perked up at this, as one only knew that the supreme strength in the Divine Realm was a God King, the strongest, and the other only knew that becoming a god was the pinnacle, so naturally, they were curious.

“Above God King, there is God Sovereign, God Lord, and God Ancestor. As for my strength, I have surpassed God Ancestor, but I don’t yet know exactly what level I’ve reached!” Ling Xiao said.

His power had risen again after obtaining the Flame God position, yet to know his precise level, he might have to go to another even more powerful world.

Hearing this, the Snow Emperor and the others gasped softly. They couldn’t imagine the strength of such a being, especially since even the Ice God was only a second-level god.

The Ice Emperor lowered her head even further, her mind blank. After learning of Ling Xiao’s strength, she was scared and no longer dared to interact with him as easily as before, not even daring to look at him.

The Ice Emperor began to step back slowly.

Ling Xiao noticed the Ice Emperor’s odd behavior and approached her.

Sensing Ling Xiao coming toward her, the Ice Emperor’s fear intensified, and she trembled where she stood.

Ling Xiao placed his hand on the Ice Emperor’s small head, and with this single gesture, the Ice Emperor’s body shuddered violently.

“Ice Emperor, what’s wrong?” Ling Xiao asked softly. He sensed the fear in her heart and sent a trace of soul power into her mind.

“I... I’m very afraid of you!” the Ice Emperor replied hesitantly after a long pause.

“Why?”

“Because you’re too strong!”

With the soul’s calming influence, the Ice Emperor gradually dispelled some fear but still didn’t dare to look at Ling Xiao.

“What is there to be afraid of? Didn’t you like provoking me and even dare to fight me before?”

“Because I didn’t know you were this strong. Even the legendary gods are no match for you. Had I known your strength, I would never have dared to be disrespectful!” the Ice Emperor said hurriedly, suddenly recalling Ling Xiao’s power, then fell silent again.

“Hahaha! So what if I’m strong? You don’t have to be like that. After all, we’re good friends, aren’t we?” Ling Xiao shook his head and smiled, using soul power to dispel the fear in the Ice Emperor’s heart, gently stroking her small head.

Ling Xiao looked at the Ice Emperor amusingly, never expecting that the one who always provoked him would now be afraid of him.

“Really? We’re good friends?” the Ice Emperor looked up at Ling Xiao upon hearing this.

She was somewhat short, barely reaching Ling Xiao’s waist.

“Of course it’s true. How long have we known each other? Don’t you consider me a friend?” Ling Xiao said, bending slightly, looking directly into her eyes. Their noses were almost touching.

The Ice Emperor gazed at Ling Xiao so close, their eyes meeting, even sensing his breath.

The warm breath brushed her face, making her flustered; her cheeks instantly flushed, as red as dripping blood, her breathing growing rapid.

“Hu-human, why... why are you suddenly so close to me!” the Ice Emperor stammered, hastily stepping back and glancing around nervously, avoiding Ling Xiao’s gaze.

“Then why did you suddenly move so far away from me?” Ling Xiao said, watching the Ice Emperor roll her eyes as she retreated. He straightened up and grabbed one of her hands, heading toward the Snow Emperor.

When Ling Xiao held her hand, the Ice Emperor’s eyes instantly dulled, losing her ability to think, resigned to being pulled along.

“Snow Emperor!” Ling Xiao called.

“Now that you’ve become a god, do you want to go to the Divine Realm?”

“I don’t want to go. There’s no one I know in the Divine Realm; I’d be too lonely alone. But it seems that becoming a god means I can’t stay in this world!” The Snow Emperor, who had been daydreaming, responded with a trace of sorrow.

“Snow Emperor, there’s no choice. It’s only natural to go to the Divine Realm after becoming a god!”

The Ice Emperor, whose mind was still somewhat frozen, spoke out to comfort her. Though reluctant to part with Snow Emperor, she accepted it.

“Who says you must go to the Divine Realm after becoming a god? If Snow Emperor doesn’t want to go, then stay here!” Ling Xiao shrugged.

At this, the Snow Emperor’s eyes brightened. Even the God Kings of the Divine Realm feared Ling Xiao, so if he said so, she probably didn’t have to go.

“Ling Xiao, thank you!” the Snow Emperor said, her eyes full of gratitude and a shy smile.

“That’s great! Snow Emperor can stay!” the Ice Emperor said joyfully.

They had spent so much time together; sudden separation would have been painful.

The Ice Emperor jumped happily, but a force from Ling Xiao’s hand pressed her feet back to the ground as soon as she leapt.

At this moment, the Ice Emperor realized Ling Xiao was still holding her hand; the flush on her cheeks returned.

But she didn’t pull away; instead, she held his hand willingly and leaned closer to him.

A faint smile appeared on her rosy face.

The Snow Emperor saw this and pursed her lips silently, feeling a bit sad inside.

On the other side, the Ice God looked at the group and suddenly felt superfluous.

She sighed silently in her heart.

This far northern land seemed even colder now.

Still, she was happy that Snow Emperor had met such a tremendously powerful being.

Even though her true body had long since died, leaving only a lingering fragment, she remained proud of her successor.

“Ice God!” the Snow Emperor suddenly remembered and looked at the increasingly ethereal figure of the Ice God, feeling deeply sorrowful.

“Snow Emperor, don’t be sad for me!”

The Ice God saw Snow Emperor’s mournful expression and comforted her: “I was already dead. Now I’m just a faint remnant. Seeing you become strong is enough for me.”

“In this life, I became a god and protected a race. Even after hundreds of thousands of years, life remembers me. My divine position has been passed on, and I have seen such a powerful existence. I have no regrets in this life!”

The Ice God’s remnant laughed, gradually dissolving into points of light.

“Do you want to come back to life?” Ling Xiao suddenly asked the Ice God’s remnant.

“What?” the Ice God’s face stiffened.

“If you want to live, I can revive you, even if you’re just a remnant now.”

“No need! Thank you for your kindness!” The Ice God smiled after some thought.

“I have lived enough in this life. I reached godhood, fulfilled countless lives’ dreams over countless years, and even the Divine Realm is full of scheming. Even if I lived again, it would only bring another lifetime of troubles!”

“Very well, I respect your choice!” Ling Xiao nodded, not forcing the issue.

Life or death is a choice only one can make. He could revive the Ice God but could not bring back one who wished to die.

“Thank you for understanding!” The half-formed remnant bowed to Ling Xiao, then completely disappeared into the world.

At this moment, the snowfall in the far northern land seemed heavier, as if mourning the passing of the Ice God.

The Snow Emperor and Ice Emperor said nothing. Though saddened, this was the Ice God’s choice, and they had no right to interfere.

They bowed once more toward the Ice God’s remains and left.

“Snow Emperor, after becoming a god, what name do you want to take?” Ling Xiao sat on a chair crafted from ice and asked.

“I don’t know. Since I inherited the Ice God’s position, maybe I’ll just be called Ice God! Or Ling Xiao, you can help me think of a name!” the Snow Emperor pondered.

“You now have the divine positions of Water God and Ice God. How about ‘Goddess of Ice and Snow’? The God King of Life in the Divine Realm is called the Goddess of Life,” Ling Xiao said, propping his chin on his hand. One of his soul avatars had already entered the Divine Realm.

“Ice and Snow Goddess!” the Snow Emperor repeated, her eyes brightening.

“Okay, then after becoming a god, I’ll be called the Ice and Snow Goddess.”

The Ice Emperor beside her looked envious; she was the only one without a divine position.

Ling Xiao turned to her and said, “Ice Emperor, you could try creating your own divine position, or I can look for one suitable for you in the Divine Realm!”

“Create a divine position? Me?” The Ice Emperor pointed at herself with one finger, shocked. “How could I possibly do that?”

“Why not? You have excellent aptitude. If you drink more Life Water later to improve your aptitude further, it might be possible!”

“Ice Emperor, you should try! Even if you fail, there’s a second option!” the Snow Emperor encouraged.

“All right! I’ll give it a try!” Hearing this, the Ice Emperor decided to attempt it first since there was still a backup plan.

“Good.” Ling Xiao nodded and took twenty bottles of Life Water from the system space. Ten bottles would be enough to raise Ice Emperor’s strength to over 900,000 years. The other ten were for use after the Snow Emperor and Ice Emperor became gods.

“This Life Water should be enough. I wonder who will create a divine position first— you or the elders of the Martial Soul Hall!” Ling Xiao said.

“Of course, it’ll be me!” the Ice Emperor said outright.

“I’m the top soul beast, the Ice Emperor Scorpion. Even if five humans fight me at once, I’m not afraid, as human bodies are fragile!”

“Is that so? But do you know that your current strength is only average in the Martial Soul Hall? Most of their titled Douluo are above level 97, and some are already demi-gods!” Ling Xiao said. He hadn’t yet mentioned that there were already two true gods.

“What?” The Ice Emperor was stunned. “Have humans really become this strong? What about the soul beasts?”

“They don’t need to hunt soul beasts anymore. Most of the Martial Soul Hall’s titled Douluo are in seclusion, not leaving their homes day after day,” Ling Xiao said wryly.

“Of course, they won’t attack soul beasts, but weaker soul masters are still needed!”

“As long as those titled Douluo don’t act, soul beasts can survive. The two sides are, at best, in a delicate balance,” the Snow Emperor said.

“Ice Emperor, you have to hurry! The Snow Emperor will probably become a full god in just a few years, and you’re only at 400,000 years—still far behind!”

“I know! I’ll work hard and try not to fall too far behind,” the Ice Emperor said resolutely.

“All right!” Ling Xiao shrugged. “I’ve stayed here long enough. I’m going back. You two should focus on your cultivation.”

“You’re leaving already? So soon?” The Ice Emperor quickly asked.

“There’s nothing more for me to do here. You need to work hard, and me being here is just a distraction. Better to go back. I might take a walk around Star斗 Lake sometime!” Ling Xiao said.

“But…”

“You can come to the Martial Soul Hall to find me! It’s not far from here, and you’ll reach that level quickly now.”

“Sometimes I might not be there, so just show this to the Pope or the High Priest!” Ling Xiao took out a platinum-colored token from system space, with a purple character for ‘Ling’ on it.

“Show this token at the Martial Soul Hall. My teacher and the others will know you’re my friends. Oh, and don’t just barge in. There are two gods at the Martial Soul Hall, you know?” Ling Xiao reminded them.

“We know. We’re not stupid!” The Ice Emperor rolled her eyes.

“Good. See you!” Ling Xiao nodded and left the ice cave, mounting the Demon Eye Blood Sword, quickly disappearing from their sight.

“Let’s go, Ice Emperor. We have to work hard on our cultivation and not disappoint him!” The Snow Emperor looked toward Ling Xiao’s departing direction and returned to the ice cave.

“Mm!” The Ice Emperor nodded, and the place was soon completely covered in snow and ice.