“Who are you?”

Long, snow-white hair cascaded to her feet. Sensing an outsider’s presence, the girl opened her eyes.

Her ice-blue eyes were ethereal, as if piercing through all worldly things.

Her flawless, slender figure, clad in a plain white gown without adornment, exuded purity and stunning beauty.

“I’m Damien, the one who saved you from an evil God King.”

“Evil… God King?”

Though sealed, Snow Empress couldn’t easily sense the outside world.

But the fierce battle between Tang San, Shuna, and Shion was so intense that even in her sealed state, she felt the disturbance.

She didn’t doubt Damien’s words.

She just didn’t understand what he meant by God King.

“Remember the soul masters who ascended to the God Realm ten thousand years ago?”

Damien quickly explained Tang San, his treatment of Douluo Continent as his personal domain, and his scheme to use her as a pawn.

“Grr~~”

The more Snow Empress heard, the harder it was to suppress her fury.

Though in a mental space, her power seeped out, spreading ice crystals and cracking the space itself.

She didn’t suspect Damien of lying.

Firstly, he wasn’t human… a critical point.

Unlike Douluo Continent’s soul beasts, Cardinal World monsters were distinct. Snow Empress was certain Damien wasn’t her kind.

But equally, he wasn’t human.

That was enough.

To her, non-humans weren’t automatic enemies.

The enemy of her enemy was a friend.

Snow Empress’s logic was simple.

“Thank you.”

The Ice Snow Maiden, ruler of the Far North for hundreds of thousands of years, thanking Damien would shock countless soul beasts if word spread.

But Damien earned that gratitude.

“If you really want to thank me, how about coming with me?”

“With you?”

Snow Empress didn’t grasp his meaning. Did he want her to serve him, like a subordinate?

In the soul beast world, might ruled.

She valued her dignity and would never bow to another.

But…

Damien had saved her life.

Repaying him by helping with tasks wasn’t unacceptable.

“I won’t submit to anyone.”

She quickly added, “But if you need help with something, I’m willing.”

This was her way of saying she’d work for him to repay her debt.

“And in my current state, please wait until I complete my transformation.”

She was helpless about transforming.

Unable to survive the 700,000-year tribulation, she chose transformation to pursue godhood.

Suddenly, she wondered if her strength could truly help Damien.

“No, not work for me.”

As she puzzled, Damien said, “Come with me, leave this world, and explore a broader universe!”

“Leave this world?”

His words exceeded her expectations. “You can take me out of this world?”

“Exactly.”

Having read the original story, Damien knew Douluo Continent was a cage for soul beasts.

Snow Empress’s lifespan was nearly spent, forcing her to transform for a shot at godhood.

But Damien offered a ready solution.

Leave Douluo Continent, and she’d break free from her shackles, gaining a new future.

The question was: could Damien take her across worlds?

No.

Without becoming his subordinate, she couldn’t leave Douluo Continent. To depart, she’d have to join him.

“So, you want me to be your subordinate, like those who fought Tang San?”

“Exactly.”

Damien said, “Don’t worry, I won’t force you to do anything against your will.”

“Our bond is a shared fate. Your strength boosts mine.”

“And as I grow stronger, you gain more!”

In this era of Douluo Continent, soul spirits and intelligent soul rings weren’t concepts yet, at least not to Snow Empress.

Following Damien was far better than becoming someone’s soul ring, soul bone, or dying in a tribulation.

But Snow Empress had her pride.

She believed transforming, becoming a god like Tang San, and ascending was a viable path.

“Ascend to godhood? Hah, forget it!”

Damien doused her hopes. “You really think anyone can ascend from Douluo Continent under Tang San’s watch?”

No ruler would allow an uncontrolled resource to rise.

Unless Snow Empress served Tang San, he’d never permit such a powerhouse to emerge.

“Tang! San!!!”

Snow Empress was aloof but not foolish.

She fully grasped Damien’s meaning.

With Tang San overhead, no matter her confidence or talent, she’d be schemed to death.

Like the Dragon God’s shackles… whatever their original intent… under the God Realm’s machinations, they doomed countless soul beasts and blocked her path to ascension.

“So, leave Douluo Continent, and the tribulation binding you will vanish.”

“If you don’t want to follow me, I can take you to another plane to break through.”

Damien was serious.

Even if Snow Empress ascended in another plane, he could still recruit her as a subordinate.

But that would leave her owing him a massive debt.

Her cold, proud nature didn’t mean she was emotionless or ungrateful.

“Besides, following me has to be better than someone like Tang San, right?”

Damien had that confidence. Unlike Tang San’s two-faced ways, he was straightforward.

He was generous to his own.

If he had a bite, his people wouldn’t go hungry.

“Right, right, Damien’s great.”

Ogerpon’s consciousness joined, forming a cute girl’s silhouette beside him.

“Exactly.”

“Shion and I were just ordinary Kijin from the forest, but Lord Damien granted us immense power.”

Shuna appeared too, ready to persuade the new ally to join.

***

Bonus Chapter:

100 Power Stones = 1 BC

300 Power Stones = 2 BC

500 Power Stones = 3 BC

700 Power Stones = 4 BC

1000 Power Stones = 5 BC

***

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep