Chapter 741: Arrival as Promised

The Battle Emperor—renowned not only for his unmatched strength but also for his legendary charm—was as striking as he was formidable. His golden hair gleamed like sunlight upon a blade's edge, and his features were sharp and handsome, each contour refined to perfection. The depth of his eyes carried a gravity that could drown the hearts of women at a glance.

Even seated casually upon his throne, the boundless majesty emanating from his being was what truly made others avert their gaze. It was not beauty that defined him—it was dominion.

After the Dragon Venerable finished speaking, the Battle Emperor let out a faint, melodic laugh. His smile softened the austerity of his features, and the attending handmaidens nearby nearly forgot to breathe.

"To make even the Ice Spirit Ancestor wary," he said lazily, "this person must possess some skill. Why not tell us more? And his purpose—surely we are not to act as hired enforcers for no reason."

He had gone straight to the point. Even the Dragon Venerable and Elder Xuemó—the Snow Demon—fell silent, turning their gazes toward the Ice Spirit Ancestor.

The old ancestor wasn't one to conceal such matters. After a moment's pause, he began to explain.

"This man's name is Lin Dong. A trace of his aura was contained within the visiting letter—indeed, the aura of a Heavenly Sovereign. When I opened it, an extremely refined Spiritual Power burst forth, imprinting itself upon the void as spiritual characters that could not be erased."

"As for his purpose—his wife perished, and he seeks to borrow the power of my clan's Ice Spirit Tablet to revive her."

The old man's eyes turned frosty. "Absurd! The Ice Spirit royal bloodline has never had a daughter wed to a man named Lin Dong. Perhaps she's from some diluted branch family, but the Ice Spirit Tablet is our clan's sacred treasure. Each use consumes its power—how could it be wasted on a forgotten remnant of the past?"

He paused, then continued darkly, "As for this man's so-called 'extraordinary abilities'…"

Raising his hand, he gestured toward the air before him. The void shimmered faintly. "These words—engraved upon space itself—could not be erased no matter what I attempted. For three days they remained, until they vanished on their own."

Elder Xuemó and Dragon Venerable frowned. To inscribe words that even the Ice Spirit Ancestor couldn't dispel—it was indeed impressive.

They exchanged glances, silently acknowledging that even if Lin Dong's true combat power was uncertain, this technique alone was remarkable.

Only the Battle Emperor's thoughts ran in another direction entirely.

This lecherous saint not only adored beauty, but also had a particular fascination with other men's wives. The moment he heard Lin Dong's purpose—to retrieve his deceased wife—his attention drifted from Lin Dong himself to the woman in question.

His golden eyes gleamed. "A minor trick," he chuckled. "But tell me, Ice Spirit Ancestor, have you verified whether this wife of his truly lies within your Ice Spirit Tablet?"

The old man blinked. "That… I have not."

He had been too angered by the letter, consumed by how to crush Lin Dong when he arrived, never once considering whether the woman actually existed in the Tablet.

What a simple yet pointed question—the Battle Emperor's thinking was peculiarly direct.

But since he'd asked, the ancestor naturally wouldn't refuse. Forming a series of intricate hand seals, he unleashed a torrent of chilling Spiritual Energy. The air froze into a giant crystalline mirror.

Within the mirror appeared a mysterious domain filled with countless pillars of ice, each sealing a slumbering soul—souls preserved by frost to prevent their power from dissipating.

As the image shifted, it stopped before one particular pillar.

Inside it lay a woman—so breathtakingly beautiful that even the divine frost surrounding her seemed to dim. Her figure was flawless, her skin pale as snow, her features exquisitely sculpted. Cascading down her back was hair of shimmering icy blue, glinting like a frozen waterfall.

Even sealed in stillness, she exuded a tranquil majesty—an untouchable cold grace that stirred a forbidden desire.

She could only be admired from afar, never held close.

It was precisely this distance that made her lethality irresistible.

And indeed—the Battle Emperor's pupils darkened, the flames in his heart quietly igniting.

He had always been a man to whom women willingly offered themselves. Yet this one… this one was different.

An ache of conquest sparked within him—he was tempted.

The Ice Spirit Ancestor frowned. "So she truly exists. Could she be the remnant bloodline of some ancient royal branch?"

The Battle Emperor's voice came languidly, almost casual. "Ice Spirit Ancestor, if I assist you in driving Lin Dong away, would you grant me the woman's remaining soul in return?"

The ancestor thought briefly, then nodded. To him, this was an easy trade. Compared to winning the favor of such a peerless powerhouse, one woman's soul meant little.

"Of course," he replied with a faint smile. "You have always been fond of beauty. To follow you would be her fortune."

The Dragon Venerable burst into laughter. "Hah! With the Battle Emperor's help, the Ice Spirit Clan has nothing to fear. Against someone who's reached the Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign realm, who in the Great Thousand World could possibly compete?"

Elder Xuemó nodded approvingly. "Indeed. No matter how gifted this Lin Dong may be, facing the Battle Emperor means certain defeat."

Their laughter filled the frozen hall. In mere moments, they had praised the Battle Emperor to the heavens and trampled Lin Dong into the mud—deciding even Ying Huanhuan's fate as if it were nothing.

The Battle Emperor's expression grew smug, though he added with mock modesty, "The Great Thousand World holds many hidden dragons. Not long ago, on the West Heaven Continent, one man defeated both the Ancient Buddha Clan's Grand Elder and the Ancient Maha Clan's Second Elder—even I would find him difficult to face."

At the mention of Liu Xi, the other three fell silent, their complexions mixed with awe and discomfort.

When they had first risen to fame, Liu Xi hadn't even appeared in the Great Thousand World. Yet in a mere decade, that unknown youth had become a legend that made even them uneasy.

It was a truth they struggled to accept.

Just then—

Boom!

Thunder roared outside the palace, echoing like the wrath of a thousand dragons. The entire sky shuddered beneath the force, as though heaven itself were tearing apart.

"He's here!" the Ice Spirit Ancestor barked, his expression darkening. "That aura… Late Spiritual Grade Heavenly Sovereign?"

"Since he dares come," the Battle Emperor rose to his feet, his tone indifferent but heavy with power, "then let's greet him. I promised to help you—he will not leave here unscathed."

His cloak swept behind him as he strode toward the gates, the other three following close behind.

Outside—

Lightning raged across the heavens as Lin Dong descended, gripping the Thunder Emperor's Staff. Countless lightning dragons coiled around him, their crackling light vaporizing all barriers in his path.

When the four Heavenly Sovereigns appeared above the icy citadel, the warriors and experts of the Ice Spirit Clan halted their advance.

Lin Dong raised his head, his eyes meeting the figures in the sky. His voice rang across the world like a bell of thunder.

"I, Lin Dong, come only to reclaim my wife's soul! I ask that you allow this, and I will repay the kindness tenfold in the future!"

The Battle Emperor glanced down, his gaze dismissive. To him, the gap between Spiritual Grade and Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign was insurmountable.

And besides—he already considered the woman his own.

"Your wife is indeed beautiful," he said, his tone laced with arrogance. "The Ice Spirit Ancestor has already given her to me. From this day forth, she is mine. Leave now, and I may yet spare your life."

He didn't notice how Lin Dong's eyes had begun to redden, the killing intent within them boiling like molten iron.

The Battle Emperor had overlooked one truth—

There exist men whose strength cannot be measured by the realm alone.

And those men are the ones who make Heaven itself tremble.

(End of Chapter)

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