Chapter 19: Swear in the Name of the Ice God
"When did I insult the Ice Empress?"
The 100,000-year-old Ice Demon Titan roared, enduring the severe pain in his hands. He waved his enormous palm to resist the attack of the Ice Jade Scorpion King, while his massive body moved quickly, trying to put distance between himself and the Ice Jade Scorpion King.
But the Ice Jade Scorpion King did not give him this opportunity. Its tail, flashing with cold light, swept through the air like a lightning bolt, carrying an icy chill as it fiercely stabbed toward the Ice Demon Titan's chest.
At the same time, a cold voice came from its mouth: "You want to marry my Empress? Isn't that an insult? How can you covet my Empress!"
"I didn't!"
"How dare I marry the Ice Empress? The king of our Ice Demon Titan clan wanted to woo the Snow Empress before, but was beaten to pieces—his skull was even shattered. I know that," the Ice Demon Titan explained with grievance, resisting the attack of the Ice Jade Scorpion King.
What status did the Ice Empress hold?
Ranked second among the three heavenly kings of the Extreme North!
Even the Ice Demon Titan King of their clan was not a match for Ice Empress, so how could it dare to covet her?
"You didn't?"
The Ice Jade Scorpion King noticed something was amiss and slowed its attacks.
"No, I swear in the name of the Ice God, I have never said that I want to marry the Ice Empress," the Ice Demon Titan hurriedly swore.
It was not afraid of the Ice Jade Scorpion King in front of it. The two had fought many times, and neither could gain the upper hand.
But it was worried that the Ice Jade Scorpion King would tell the Ice Empress afterward.
If the Ice Empress found out, even if she did not kill it, she would beat it to shreds all over his body. Like the Ice Demon Titan King of their clan, it would have to recuperate for at least a thousand years and be unable to move.
When the Ice Jade Scorpion King heard the Ice Demon Titan swear in the name of the Ice God, it also stopped attacking.
In the Extreme North, no soul beast dared to swear by the Ice God lightly.
However, recalling that the Ice Demon Titan King even dared to woo the Snow Empress, it reconfirmed for the Ice Empress's dignity: "You didn't?"
"I don't dare!" The huge head of the Ice Demon Titan shook like a rattle.
"Then what about the human just now…?"
As the Ice Jade Scorpion King spoke, it suddenly realized something and turned around to look in the direction where Dugu Han had been, but there was no sign of them.
"Roar——"
"Cunning human——"
The Ice Jade Scorpion King was furious, and its roar echoed across the ice field, causing the surrounding snow to fall.
The Ice Demon Titan, too, followed its gaze and saw that Dugu Han and Elder Xue had vanished from the empty ice field.
It was furious at this sudden failure. Its giant palm slammed heavily onto the ice, cracking the surface, with the cracks spreading outward.
"Roar——"
The Ice Demon Titan roared angrily toward the sky, calling out to the Ice Demon Titan clan.
It must keep those two hateful humans in the Extreme North forever.
The Ice Jade Scorpion King stared coldly in the direction where Dugu Han and Elder Xue had disappeared, the anger still burning in its heart.
The Ice Empress cannot be insulted!
The Empress of the Ice Jade Scorpion clan cannot be insulted!
It raised its front claws angrily, issuing a series of sharp calls, summoning the Ice Jade Scorpions within its clan.
As the 100,000-year-old Ice Demon Titan and the Ice Jade Scorpion King called out to their respective tribes, two strange sound waves spread across the Extreme North.
Every corner of the region—whether ice caves or snowdrifts—heard their calls.
An Ice Demon Titan, slightly smaller but with 50,000 years of cultivation, resting in the shade of an iceberg, suddenly stood up. Ice and snow fell from its body as it roared in response, took a big step, and rushed toward the sound.
In a glacial canyon, two 10,000-year-old Ice Demon Titans worked together to kill an ice crystal giant rhino. Hearing their kin's call, they abandoned their prey and turned around without hesitation, heading toward the 100,000-year-old Ice Demon Titan.
Soon, dozens of Ice Demon Titans gathered around the elder, with more coming steadily.
After the call from the Ice Scorpion King, the emerald green Ice Jade Scorpions awakened from their slumber and hurried here at top speed.
They lined up neatly, waiting for the Ice Scorpion King's orders.
Suddenly, a layer of emerald green light spread from the northern sky.
The blue and white sky instantly turned into a transparent, glowing emerald green.
Soon after, an emerald-green Ice Jade Scorpion Empress, beautiful and majestic, descended in front of the Ice Jade Scorpion clan.
"What happened?"
"Empress!"
When the Ice Jade Scorpion King saw the Ice Empress arrive, he hurriedly explained what had just transpired.
Hearing this, the Ice Empress's anger surged. The surrounding coldness intensified, and the air froze, forming countless sharp ice shards swirling chaotically.
"Leave them behind!"
Suddenly, hundreds of Ice Jade Scorpions, including the Ice Jade Scorpion King, spread out in a fan shape at maximum speed, beginning to search in the direction where Dugu Han and Elder Xue had fled.
At the same time, the Ice Empress looked coldly at the 100,000-year-old Ice Demon Titan beside her.
Although she said nothing, the icy aura alone made the Ice Demon Titan tremble uncontrollably.
"Gurgle!"
The Ice Demon Titan, swallowing nervously, hurriedly explained: "Ice Empress, I truly didn't say that. I swear in the name of the Ice God."
"If you let those two humans escape, I will take that as your word," the Ice Empress said coldly, then led the chase after Dugu Han and Elder Xue.
The 100,000-year-old Ice Demon Titan quickly raised its injured giant palm, pointed toward the direction of their escape, and issued a low, majestic order to the Ice Demon Titans:
"Find those two humans—one old, one young—and keep them."
The Ice Demon Titans immediately scattered, searching in a fan shape across the icy expanse. Wherever they went, the heavy footsteps caused the entire Arctic ice field to tremble.
---
Dugu Han and Elder Xue had already escaped far away!
But for some reason, Dugu Han felt an uneasy sensation deep in his heart.
"Elder Xue!"
"How long will it take us to get out of the core area?"
Dugu Han asked worriedly.
"Ten minutes," Elder Xue replied, "we're almost at the edge of the Extreme North's core area. At most, ten minutes and we'll be out..."
Before he could finish, Elder Xue suddenly sensed something, quickly landed on the ice and activated his martial soul ability to conceal himself and Dugu Han.
"Bang!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
A deafening sound of running echoed from behind them.
End of Chapter