At night, in the hotel where Snow Empress was staying, Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena had also temporarily taken up residence.
In Gu Yuena's room, she sat on the bed, recalling the day's experiences.
Meeting Snow Empress for the first time, taking her as a teacher...eventually, her thoughts lingered on the words Huo Yuhao had said.
"When you understand, we'll talk."
Talk then?
"Beep, beep, beep..."
The sound of the soul tool communicator rang, interrupting Gu Yuena's thoughts. She took out the communicator, saw the number on it, and her expression froze.
No wonder she felt she had forgotten something. It was about Teacher Leng. She should have already arrived in Eastsea City by now, right?
Gu Yuena quickly answered. A projection appeared in the air.
Advanced soul tool communicators had video call functionality. It was just that she usually didn't use it.
In the projection, Leng Yaozhu's face and the background behind her gradually became clear and clear. In the picture, she sat by the bed, her long, fair legs crossed, a gentle smile on her face.
But when she saw Gu Yuena, a slight change appeared in her eyes. She began to observe Gu Yuena's surroundings faintly.
This was... a hotel?
"Na'er... you're in a hotel?" Leng Yaozhu didn't interrogate her drafty little cotton-padded jacket as to why she had forgotten her. She just asked: "Where is Huo Yuhao?"
"Yuhao is in the next room."
Leng Yaozhu quietly looked at Gu Yuena for a moment, then asked: "Na'er, tell me honestly — what are your feelings?"
Gu Yuena was startled. She fell silent.
In the next room, Huo Yuhao held the Ice God Pearl in his hand, thinking about the day's gains.
The Ice God Pearl could enhance Extreme Ice. It also contained the power of ice-attribute laws, which was beneficial for shaping a divine seat.
plus the Body Sect, as things stood now, the basic resources for both of his martial souls had been found...
"She will be leaving too."
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath. His spirits were not very high. He stood up, walked out of his room, and came to the pavilion behind the hotel.
The moonlight was like water, spreading around the pavilion, covering the earth with silver radiance.
Inside the pavilion, Snow Empress sat upright on a stone stool, dressed in white as white as snow, blended with the scenery around her. Her features were like a painting, yet carried a hint of coolness and detachment.
But when she saw Huo Yuhao approach, the coolness in her eyes disappeared. A slight smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. "Can't sleep either? Come and sit for a while."
Snow Empress gestured to the spot beside her.
Huo Yuhao nodded, walked over, and sat down beside her. Together, they looked at the bright moon in the sky.
Threads of a faint, elegant fragrance drifted in the air, calming the heart.
For a while, neither spoke. They simply sat quietly together. After a long moment, Huo Yuhao spoke: "Leaving?"
Snow Empress nodded slightly. "Yes. I've seen you. I've given you what I needed to give. I plan to return to the Extreme North first to pave the way for you."
If she stayed any longer, she was worried she wouldn't be able to bear leaving.
"...There's no need for that. Have a little faith in me." Huo Yuhao smiled helplessly.
Snow Empress's gaze turned from the solitary moon in the sky to Huo Yuhao. She said softly: "I have far more faith in you than I do in myself."
"Now, I can still help you. But after we become gods, I may not be able to keep up with you — just like ten thousand years ago... So let me protect you for a while longer while I still can."
"..."
Huo Yuhao let out a breath. "Stay a while longer tomorrow. I've learned some new dishes in recent years. I'll make them all for you to try. Let's catch up."
"Alright." Snow Empress smiled and nodded.
After that, the two chatted for a long time — about the days when Snow Empress had taught Huo Yuhao in the Extreme North, the experience of going to Mingdu together to "hit people on the head," Snow Empress guiding Su Tong, and Su Tong calling her "Teacher's Wife"...
Experiences Huo Yuhao knew about, stories he didn't — gradually emerged from Snow Empress's lips. Some made him smile knowingly, others made him feel a bit awkward.
But watching Snow Empress's serene smile, Huo Yuhao's heart also calmed. He smiled slightly and spoke of some amusing stories Snow Empress didn't know, making her laugh frequently.
And so, time slipped by. Before they knew it, it was 3 AM. Snow Empress looked at the sky and said softly: "Speaking of which, the alloy for the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal still takes time to make. How about giving me a gift now?"
"Just say it."
Snow Empress's red lips parted slightly. "How you address me."
Some things, after all, she cared about.
Huo Yuhao looked up and met Snow Empress's clear, clear eyes. A thought came to him naturally. After a slight hesitation, he said softly:
"...Xue'er?"
Huo Yuhao's tone was gentle, with just a hint of stiffness.
After hearing the two words, the Snow Empress fell silent for a moment. She stood up and said, "Too stiff. It's better not to call me that for now. It's getting late. I'm going back to my room to rest. You should get some sleep, too."
With that, Snow Empress turned and left. Her steps were calm, her figure ethereal, but she could not conceal the blush on her face.
When Binger called her that, she could face it calmly. So why did it feel completely different when Yuhao called her that?
It made her heart tighten...
Huo Yuhao sat in the pavilion, watching Snow Empress leave until her figure disappeared. Only then did he look up at the night sky.
This was also the first time he had seen Snow Empress like this...
The next afternoon, the setting sun shines on the soul tool airport's tarmac. A trace of farewell melancholy filled the air. Huo Yuhao and Snow Empress stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows of the waiting hall, silently watching the soul-powered aircraft taking off and landing outside.
Only the two of them were here. Dark Phoenix Douluo seemed to have matters to attend to and did not plan to return to the Extreme North with Snow Empress immediately. Gu Yuena, as before, left the time to them.
"Be careful. If she doesn't know what's good for her, leave her to me." Huo Yuhao transmitted a reminder. "Don't indulge them!"
Snow Empress wanted to pave the way for him. The first thing to do, naturally, was to exclude all other voices within the Extreme North.
The Mermaid clan was based in the icy sea of the Extreme North. Its Sea Princess was also a Limit Douluo-level existence, likewise a hegemon of the Extreme North. In the sea, even Snow Empress of the past may not have been her match.
But that was only in the past.
"I understand."
Snow Empress smiled slightly, stepped closer to Huo Yuhao, and bent down to straighten his collar, which had been messed up by the airport wind.
"The road ahead is long. Don't just focus on the journey. Remember to take care of yourself."
Huo Yuhao paused, his tone soft. "Yes. Same to you — don't overwork yourself. We'll meet again. This time... it won't be too long!"
At this point, Huo Yuhao used his spiritual domain to cover the area, reached out his finger, and while Snow Empress was bent down, lightly touched her fair forehead. A spatial imprint landed on Snow Empress's brow, slowly disappearing.
"My grasp of spatial power is not yet complete. Fortunately, my spiritual power is improving at a good pace. But this is the best I can do for now. At least it will let me know whether you are safe."
Snow Empress did not block block block. She allowed Huo Yuhao to act, then only touched the spot on her brow, seeming to understand something.
This was a seal seal condensed by Huo Yuhao using his spiritual power, relying on his comprehension of spatial power. With Yuhao's current strength, he needed to rely on the Snow Empress Token she had given him to reverse reverse sense her condition.
But as Huo Yuhao's cultivation restored, he would be able to do as she did.
Before even re-cultivating to your peak, you're already worried about me.
Even thinking this, Snow Empress's expression grew even softer. After thinking for a moment, she extended her spiritual power, causing the Snow Empress Token on Huo Yuhao's brow to appear, and left something else through it. "I didn't plan to do this initially, but thinking about it now, I'll leave it. So you won't worry about me."
Huo Yuhao was startled. Sensing what Snow Empress had left, he was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.
Then — was this still a farewell?
Snow Empress had completely completely accompanied him in another form...
***
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