A month passed by peacefully just like that.
During this month, the rumor that His Highness the Third Prince possessed a top-tier sword martial soul spread through the streets and alleys, arousing the envy of countless children of the same age and drawing jealousy from some peers who also possessed sword martial souls.
These rumors and gossip did not reach Xue Lei Han’s ears.
In fact, during this entire month, he stayed inside his own room, wholeheartedly using his mind and spirit to harmonize with his martial soul.
The Third Prince’s sleeping palace was always a few degrees colder than other places, and the interior was bone-chillingly cold.
A thin layer of frost covered the floor of the training hall.
“Well done.” Sword Douluo Chen Xin nodded slightly, looking at Xue Lei Han before him with satisfaction.
A month ago, Xue Lei Han had visited the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School and asked Sword Douluo for guidance on sword nurturing methods.
Sword Douluo had gladly instructed him for a month on the characteristics of swords and basic sword techniques.
“Thank you, Uncle Chen.” Xue Lei Han cupped his hands and bowed as he spoke.
He had already learned seventy to eighty percent of Chen Xin’s sword techniques.
Now he could exchange blows with Chen Xin using only swordsmanship, without soul rings or soul power.
However, the offensive ratio remained seven to three, with Xue Lei Han constantly reflecting on the mistakes in his own swordsmanship and footwork during the three parts of the attack, just like his sword unsheathed.
“Your swordsmanship has improved very quickly.
To break through your defense in an instant, I can only use soul power now.” “Thank you for the praise, Uncle Chen.
It is all thanks to your excellent guidance.” Chen Xin stroked his Seven Kill Sword and said, “It is time for you to obtain your first soul ring.
Lei Han, what do you think?
What type of soul beast do you feel suits your martial soul?” “Ice-attribute soul beasts,” Xue Lei Han replied.
The Azure Rose Sword in its scabbard constantly emitted a cold temperature, prompting Chen Xin to nod in satisfaction.
Chen Xin smiled and said, “Correct.
I think you should go to the Extreme North.
With the survival experience and sword techniques I taught you this month, I believe you can handle it alone.” “What about Father Emperor?” “I will entrust your godfather to speak with him.
Put whatever you need to bring into this ring.
I believe you already know how to use it.” Chen Xin took out a ring from his bosom and handed it to Xue Lei Han.
Xue Lei Han felt a surge of emotion.
Although with his status as the Third Prince he could have as many such rings as he wanted, he saw the sincerity behind it.
He said nothing, but the resolve in his ice-blue pupils grew even firmer.
An hour later, Xue Lei Han wore blue cloth clothes, dressed like a slightly more noble commoner.
Yet from his hair color and pupils, everyone could recognize that he was Xue Lei Han, the Third Prince.
“For this journey to the Extreme North, I will be responsible for taking care of you and monitoring you.
If you encounter a very dangerous soul beast, call me out, but I will not help you proactively.
This is your own training.” Grasping Xue Lei Han’s hand and wrapping it inside his long robe, the Title Douluo’s aura instantly activated.
He leaped into the air, stepping on the Seven Kill Sword as they headed toward the Extreme North.
At this moment, inside the imperial palace, Great Emperor Xue Ye was pacing back and forth in a rage.
With a loud bang, he smashed the office desk into pieces.
A tall man standing nearby smiled helplessly.
“What are you laughing at?
Laughing my ass!” Xue Ye was clearly furious and said, “You’re really being a great godfather!
Secretly sending my son, the dignified Third Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, to the Extreme North without even bringing a single guard.
Do you want his mother to wash her face with tears every day?!” Ning Fengzhi smiled bitterly and helplessly: “Your Majesty is worried because you care.
This journey to the Extreme North is accompanied all the way by Sword Douluo Chen Xin, so there should be no danger.
Moreover, this is also training for the Third Prince and our expectation for the future of the Heaven Dou Empire.” Xue Ye’s body shook, then he sighed.
“Your Majesty need not be like this.
The Third Prince’s talent does not destinate him to stay long within the Heaven Dou Empire.
Letting the Third Prince mature earlier is a great thing.” “But he is my son.
As a father, this kind of thing cannot be avoided.” The two talked for a while.
Xue Ye hooked his arm around Ning Fengzhi and entered the study for another private discussion.
Half a month passed.
Xue Lei Han had already survived in the Extreme North for half a month.
During this half month, his swordsmanship became more and more mature, and he had the strength to fight a hundred-year soul beasts.
Thanks to sufficient dry rations and clear water in the ring, Xue Lei Han did not have to chew raw meat.
His current opponent was a hundred-year Snow Azure Wolf.
The Snow Azure Wolf’s cold eyes stared at Xue Lei Han, its mouth slightly raised, revealing sharp, gleaming teeth.
Seeing Xue Lei Han standing there casually, it roared and pounced.
“Drawing Sword Technique.” Xue Lei Han suddenly drew the Azure Rose Sword.
Soul power wrapped around the sword, making it even sharper, producing a faint sound of the sword rubbing against the scabbard.
The sword was instantly stabbed in front of the Snow Azure Wolf.
The Snow Azure Wolf was also startled.
In a moment of desperation, it opened its mouth and bit down on the Azure Rose Sword.
If it were an ordinary sword, it might have broken by now, but this was a top-tier sword martial soul, the Azure Rose Sword.
“Die.” Xue Lei Han thrust the sword hard into the wolf’s mouth, pinning it to the ground.
Blood flowed through the Snow Azure Wolf’s broken body and slowly ran down the sword to the ground.
Then Xue Lei Han pulled out the sword and neatly chopped off the wolf’s head.
When he first arrived in the Extreme North, Xue Lei Han had used the same method to pin a Snow Azure Wolf to the ground, but the wolf, in its dying moments, had opened its sharp mouth and left a deep bite mark on Xue Lei Han’s right shoulder.
Thinking of this, Xue Lei Han felt a slight stinging pain in his right shoulder again and couldn’t help but cover it.
From then on, only after chopping off the soul beast’s head could Xue Lei Han feel at ease.
Perhaps because of the Azure Rose Sword, the cold wind blowing on his body did not make Xue Lei Han feel any chill; instead, he felt refreshed.
Xue Lei Han indifferently glanced at the forest not far away.
With his current eyesight, he could detect some soul beasts watching him, and he was also observing the soul beasts.
He sheathed his sword and walked alone toward the depths of the Extreme North.
The reason he had not yet obtained a soul ring was not that he looked down on hundred-year soul rings, but that he simply had not encountered a suitable and powerful hundred-year soul beast.
“Damn, this kid is really a little monster.
He’s not afraid of the cold and can even fight hundred-year soul beasts.” Chen Xin, floating in the air, smiled very happily.
He was witnessing the rise of a genius.
Several more days passed.
Xue Lei Han himself was not sure how many.
He only felt it getting colder and colder, to the point that even his physique was starting to struggle.
Moreover, he had not encountered any soul beasts for many days.
This place seemed like a forbidden zone.
“Who is it!” A bird’s cry suddenly rang out, as if resounding right beside Xue Lei Han’s ear.
He was startled, and his hand had already gripped the sword hilt.
A pair of cold pupils slowly appeared in the wind and snow.
Xue Lei Han inwardly clicked his tongue.
Had he encountered a ten-thousand-year soul beast?
One that already possessed intelligence, could it be a hundred-thousand-year soul beast?
Chen Xin shivered in the air and quickly descended, blocking in front of Xue Lei Han.
He cupped his hands and said, “Respected soul beast lord, I brought the child here only for training and to find a soul ring.
We have no intention of disturbing you.” Those ice-blue pupils scrutinized the two of them up and down.
Instantly, both Chen Xin and Xue Lei Han felt as if their entire bodies were immersed in ten-thousand-year ice and snow.
Chen Xin was greatly alarmed.
Could a being with this kind of power be no ordinary hundred-thousand-year soul beast?
“What you call training is slaughtering the citizens of the Extreme North?!” The tone suddenly grew heavier, and the gaze turned toward Xue Lei Han.
“I have never taken the initiative to attack soul beasts with my sword.
It has always been passive self-defense.” As if unaffected by the pressure, Xue Lei Han said calmly.
Although he did not know what type of soul beast the other party was, an existence that could make Chen Xin speak this way must be a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
The pupils narrowed slightly.
She could tell that Xue Lei Han was not lying.
With a wave of her hand, Chen Xin instantly disappeared.
Only Xue Lei Han and her remained in the area.
“What did you do to Uncle Chen?” Although Xue Lei Han knew he was no match for the hundred-thousand-year soul beast, letting himself be slaughtered without resistance was out of the question.
The long sword left its scabbard, pointing straight at the opponent.
She suddenly felt it was somewhat amusing.
How many years had it been since anyone dared to attack her?
And this time, the opponent was actually a little kid who hadn’t even become a soul master yet.
She then withdrew her smile and said coldly, “Is this your martial soul?
A sword martial soul?” “Correct.” “You’re lying!” She sneered and said, “A mere sword martial soul can allow you to walk in the Extreme North without fear of the wind and cold?
Even a top-tier sword martial soul cannot do that.
Do you think this seat is a first-year cultivator?” Xue Lei Han looked at those pupils and remained silent.
“If I guessed correctly, you definitely possess another martial soul, right?
That martial soul must be ice-attribute, right?
You are still not feeling cold or trembling within my domain.
That means your martial soul is not an ordinary ice-attribute martial soul, but an Ultimate Ice martial soul, right?” Xue Lei Han calmly looked at those pupils.
If anyone else had so mercilessly exposed his secret in front of him, Xue Lei Han’s first action would definitely be to draw his sword and kill them to silence them.
But the opponent was a hundred-thousand-year soul beast.
Intense unwillingness surged in his heart.
“This is my secret.
Even if a hundred-thousand-year soul beast threatens me with death, I will not speak.” Even in such a greatly disadvantageous environment, his voice remained calm, as if this life was not his own.
Death is fate.
Life is luck.
Even if the opponent was a powerful hundred-thousand-year soul beast, wanting Xue Lei Han to cry and beg for mercy was simply wishful thinking.
That sword-like pride in his bones would not allow him to say such words.
She looked at him in surprise for a moment, then said with a smile, “Then I’ll take it as yes.
Follow me.” Xue Lei Han sheathed his sword.
Since he was here, he would settle down.
Death is fate; surviving is luck.
One person and one soul beast walked for a long time.
The wind and snow gradually lessened.
Xue Lei Han found that he had walked into an ice cave.
When he turned his head, that “soul beast” had quietly disappeared, replaced by a long-haired girl wearing a kimono.
“You are that hundred-thousand-year soul beast, right?
What do you want with me?” Having read various classics since childhood, Xue Lei Han knew that some hundred-thousand-year soul beasts could cultivate human forms, so he was not surprised.
“My name is Ice Phoenix.” The girl slowly turned around.
As soon as these words fell, ten thousand birds cried in unison.
Did announcing a name have such a great effect?
Xue Lei Han calmly watched the girl.
As the girl turned, Xue Lei Han also saw her full appearance.
The girl was very beautiful, looking about sixteen or seventeen years old, with ice-colored hair draped over her shoulders and ice-colored pupils.
Her appearance could be said to be the most beautiful Xue Lei Han had ever seen.
But with his state of mind, he only felt dazed for less than a second before regaining his composure, continuing to maintain eyes as calm as the sea.
“Your martial soul is Ultimate Ice, right.” Ice Phoenix sat on an ice peak, crossing her legs and smiling.
Xue Lei Han nodded.
Ice Phoenix clapped her hands happily and said, “I finally met a possessor of Ultimate Ice, and a double martial soul genius at that.
Truly cause for celebration.” Seeing Xue Lei Han’s calm gaze, Ice Phoenix smiled: “Young man, do you know about the Phoenix Nirvana?” Xue Lei Han nodded, indicating he had read such a story.
“You know, that’s good.
My life is approaching the moment when I must face heavenly tribulation, but my body can no longer withstand it.
Therefore, I have condensed all my energy into an egg and gathered all my lifelong blessings into my daughter.” Ice Phoenix spoke slowly.
“You are the most talented young man I have ever seen, and the most talented youth.
I want to become your first soul ring.
In the future, take me into the God Realm and allow me to be reborn.” Xue Lei Han asked indifferently, “God Realm?
Does something so illusory really exist?” Ice Phoenix smiled quietly: “Who knows?” “However, I still refuse.
Accepting too much external force will only limit my growth and make me dependent.
It will turn me into a waste.” Xue Lei Han cupped his hands, turned his back, and said, “Lady Ice Phoenix, we shall meet again someday.” With that, he turned and left.
“You brat, not bad!” Ice Phoenix suddenly appeared in front of Xue Lei Han.
Her stunning appearance made Xue Lei Han dazed for a moment, but Ice Phoenix had already embraced his body.
“What are you doing?” Even while being hugged by a peerless beauty, Xue Lei Han’s eyes remained as calm as ever.
“What just now was a test of your character.
The result satisfied me greatly.
Now, the fusion with your martial soul begins.” Ice Phoenix smiled sorrowfully.
In truth, she was still very reluctant to leave her daughter, yet she had to depart from her.
Xue Lei Han saw a huge phoenix rushing toward him, charging into his body.
His second martial soul, Ultimate Ice, quietly appeared and gently wrapped around it.
An ice-blue soul ring quietly emerged.
“If you reach the sixtieth rank, come see my daughter.
By then, I should have awakened.” Ice Phoenix’s voice sounded in Xue Lei Han’s mind.
With a soft laugh, the voice disappeared.
Xue Lei Han felt a pang of heartache.
He felt speechless toward his own heart again; this kind of heartache should not exist, as it would only burden her.
But he knew clearly that Ice Phoenix had not disappeared, she was simply staying by his side along with her power.
“This is just psychological comfort, I suppose.” Xue Lei Han stretched out both hands and forcefully tried to break the ice layer.
No matter how he swung the Azure Rose Sword, the ice layer showed not a single scratch.
He thought for a moment and directly activated his second martial soul, Ultimate Ice.
“Blizzard.” A fierce wind mixed with heavy snow rushed toward the ice layer.
The ice layer shook and finally, under Xue Lei Han’s efforts, shattered with a boom.
Before losing consciousness, a tear from Xue Lei Han fell to the ground.