Hearing Möbius’ words, Lu Jingming’s mouth twitched.

What Möbius meant by training probably involved treating the Snow Empress as a lab rat for her crazy experiments.

Now freed from the sealing array, the Snow Empress’ embryo instantly regained its freedom. A powerful wave of soul power radiated from her, spreading rapidly.

The baby in the embryo began growing at a tremendous rate, not turning human, but returning to her true Ice Snow Maiden form.

Her transformation had failed; she could never again become human.

Because of the accident, her origin was badly damaged, and her strength much reduced from her peak.

Soon, the snow-white egg vanished. In a dazzling burst of white light, a peerlessly beautiful, ice goddess-like maiden with white hair and blue eyes appeared.

She wore a white dress, her long legs tightly wrapped in white stockings, and white short boots on her feet.

Lu Jingming looked at her, feeling she seemed younger and smaller than he remembered.

But it made sense. Having failed her transformation and lost part of her origin, as an elemental lifeform, it was normal for her appearance to change.

“So, what do you want me to do?” The Snow Empress crossed her arms, cold and aloof. Though she had just regained her freedom, her pride was undiminished.

Now that she had agreed to join, she would not go back on her word.

“Demon King Alliance? The name alone says you oppose the gods.” Lu Jingming smiled faintly.

“Oppose the gods?” The Snow Empress couldn’t help but laugh. “What a joke! I admit this woman is strong, but to go against the gods—you must be mad!”

She had lived for hundreds of thousands of years, and had experienced the Great War of Three Gods ten thousand years ago. She knew all too well the chasm between gods and mortals.

Even as proud as she was, she knew she could not withstand a god’s casual strike.

“Opposing the gods is our long-term goal—not something we’ll do right away.” Lu Jingming explained patiently, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

“Them?” The Snow Empress’ eyes widened in shock. “You want to fight more than one god?”

She had thought opposing a single god was madness, but apparently, even that wasn’t enough!

“Enough. You should experience it for yourself, Snake.” Lu Jingming signaled to Möbius.

“Heh, little snow girl, you’ll soon understand—gods are just stronger lifeforms.” Möbius smiled meaningfully, casually tossing an ice-blue gem Lu Jingming had given her.

The Snow Empress caught it in confusion. The moment she touched it, the gem burst with radiant blue light, transforming into a streak of light and merging with her body.

At the same time, the already frigid Extreme North plummeted in temperature. Even soul beasts long used to the cold began to whine uneasily.

A terrifying chill erupted from the Snow Empress, spreading in all directions like a tidal wave.

Fortunately, Lu Jingming was present only as a projection—otherwise, he would have been frozen instantly.

Möbius, meanwhile, was shielded by green lightning, keeping out the cold.

The Snow Empress’ body floated upward, out of her control, as the world’s ice elements surged toward her in a frenzy.

Her maidenly form began to change, quickly maturing into a woman in her twenties.

Her attire transformed as well: a silver-blue robe, crystalline ice armor, swirling storm-like coat-tails edged with razor-sharp icicles, and giant ice-crystal butterfly pauldrons shimmering with iridescence. A translucent ice crown floated above her silver hair, which faded into mist at the tips. Her pupils took on a snowflake pattern.

“Divinity grants me a censer, ripening endless life, bustling crowds—King of Clamor. Snow Empress, from now on, you are the World Serpent’s Fifth Throne, the King of Clamor!”

Lu Jingming looked at the newly transformed Snow Empress, now fused with a pseudo-Herrscher of Ice core, and smiled in satisfaction.

Just as he’d hoped, she was highly compatible and completed the fusion quickly, taking on the Herrscher form.

Though it was only a pseudo-Herrscher, on the Douluo Continent it was already more than strong enough.

More importantly, the Snow Empress had limitless potential and could keep growing stronger—a true Demon King, not a restricted fusion warrior.

“This… Such power? No wonder you’re so confident!” The Snow Empress was shocked, feeling the unfamiliar yet immense power within her.

Now, she could freeze the world with a mere thought; she could sense the upper limit of this power was incredibly high—even absolute zero might be within reach, something not even the God of Ice and Snow could do.

With this power and her own strength, she was confident she could defeat even the Beast God Di Tian.

Her body had also undergone a qualitative change; she was no longer just a soul beast.

The threat of her heavenly tribulation had vanished—she was now neither human nor beast, but something close to a god, wielding the authority of ice and standing at a new pinnacle.

“Why entrust me with such power?” The Snow Empress floated down, gazing at Lu Jingming with complex emotions.

Though Möbius had given her the gem and was the World Serpent’s leader, she knew Lu Jingming was the true mastermind.

“No special reason. You’re just highly compatible with it.” Lu Jingming was calm and indifferent. He couldn’t tell her that he’d favored her since his previous life or that he needed to nurture god-level allies.

“Thank you.” After a long silence, the Snow Empress finally spoke softly.

No matter what, it was Lu Jingming and Möbius who had saved her and granted her this power, opening up a wider future.

Though a soul beast, she understood gratitude better than many humans. She would remember this kindness.

“Little snow girl, if you want to repay me, let me study you.” Möbius’ eyes gleamed as if she’d found a rare treasure, staring at the Snow Empress.

The prospect of studying a failed-transform soul beast fused with a Herrscher gem was too tempting.

Feeling Möbius’ feverish gaze, the Snow Empress instinctively retreated, casting a pleading look at Lu Jingming.

Anyone else, she’d have cut down for looking at her that way, but she couldn’t bring herself to strike at her savior.

Still, every cell in her body screamed in protest at the idea of Möbius’ research.

“Cooperate with her research if you want, but absolutely don’t let her experiment on you or inject you with weird things.” Lu Jingming looked helpless—caught between Möbius’ curiosity and protecting the Snow Empress.

“Snow Empress, as you can see, this body is only a spiritual projection. My real self is in Star Luo Empire’s Haiyuan City. The human who absorbed the Ice Empress’ soul ring will also head there.”

Lu Jingming’s gaze locked onto the Snow Empress.

“Haiyuan City? I’ll go there.”

She nodded slightly.

“Finally, my name is Lu Jingming. Welcome to the World Serpent.”

With that, his projection vanished.

“Lu Jingming…” the Snow Empress murmured, a glint in her eyes.

“Well, little snow girl, I should go too. Next time, let me study you thoroughly.” Möbius waved nonchalantly, then flicked a ring engraved with an ouroboros to the Snow Empress.

“This ring marks you as a member of the World Serpent. You can use it to enter the simulated universe, contact me, or even Xiao Ming.”

Without waiting for confirmation, Möbius vanished, leaving the Snow Empress alone in thought.

…

In Haiyuan City, in a spacious room filled with treasures and instruments, Lu Jingming opened his eyes.

Traces of mental exhaustion lingered, but the environment quickly revived him.

A huge mirror stood in front of him, its surface blue and deep as ice. Behind him, Herta lounged with crossed legs, elegantly sipping afternoon tea.

With his Soul King-level strength, projecting his spirit across the continent to the Extreme North was impossible—if not for Herta’s tenth-level soul tool, the Black Tower Magic Mirror.

With this, Lu Jingming had managed the meeting with the Snow Empress.

“Done? Then leave—I’m busy researching,” Herta said, sipping tea with an elegant but cold tone.

“I don’t see you researching, Lady Herta,” Lu Jingming teased, glancing at the busy Herta doll.

The doll, emotionless but skilled, massaged Herta’s shoulders, poured tea, and served snacks—a scene of strange harmony.

“If you like it, I’ll give you one,” Herta offered generously, unconcerned that the doll looked just like her.

“No thanks!” Lu Jingming refused instantly.

Having a Herta doll around—what if he got cozy with another girl and Herta logged in to witness it? The thought alone was embarrassing.

He suppressed the absurd idea and declined.

After all, being served by a doll held no appeal. Zhang Lexuan could do everything the doll could—and more gently, too.

Of course, if Herta herself served him, that would be another matter. The thought made him smile unconsciously.

“Daydreaming again?”

Herta didn’t need to guess what disrespectful thoughts he was having about her.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep