"Scree scree!"
The foraging giant Ice Jade Scorpion spotted Leylin and immediately raised both its massive pincers, its tail stinger swaying back and forth without pause as it assumed an attacking posture.
"Perfect!" Leylin smiled faintly, and with a streak of fire, appeared on the Ice Jade Scorpion's back in an instant.
"Scree scree!" The giant Ice Jade Scorpion was about to struggle when a hand crackling with terrifying energy and will pressed down upon its head.
The horrifying will contained within that palm instantly crushed all resistance, forcing the massive Ice Jade Scorpion to kneel.
Moreover, from the visitor's body, it sensed a familiar and comforting wave of emperor-level pressure.
"Move!" Leylin commanded, and the Ice Jade Scorpion immediately rose to its feet, swiftly carrying Leylin as it raced forward.
In that world of frost-white ice and snow, a green shadow bearing a black speck on its back sped along at tremendous speed.
It had to be said, in this underground world of frost, the Ice Jade Scorpion was an incredibly useful mode of transport. Not only was it highly resistant to the cold radiation, but its hook-like lower limbs drilled firm footholds into the steel-hard ice surface with every step, without the slightest slip.
The intimidating aura radiating from the massive Ice Jade Scorpion alone could ward off many minor troubles—at the very least, ordinary frost creatures would not dare provoke it.
"This is it—the end of the map Xiling gave me last time!"
Crack! A massive green figure leapt out violently, slamming down onto the ground. Its enormous pincers swept across, carving an opening in the wall to reveal a deep passage within—clearly weathered by the passage of time.
Gazing at the spot, a look of wistful reminiscence crossed Leylin's eyes. Back then, this was where he had hunted Ice Jade Scorpions in droves to treat the emotional instability caused by his bloodline disease.
"The frost radiation has intensified, and the Ice Jade Scorpions have mutated as a result. But I wonder—would a higher-level Scorpion Emperor still have a therapeutic effect on the emotional instability of a Morning Star?"
Leylin stroked his chin. Back then, the frost energy extracted from a mere peak Tier-1 Scorpion Emperor had been enough to suppress his emotional instability—and it remained effective right up until he reached the Morning Star realm, after which it lost its potency.
Now, however, even ordinary Ice Jade Scorpions possessed Tier-2 strength. The frost breath of a Tier-3 Ice Jade Scorpion elite—or even a Scorpion Emperor—would likely have a considerable therapeutic effect on the bloodline disease of a Morning Star Kemoyin Giant Snake Warlock.
For Leylin in particular, the Chip's previous analysis had shown that Ice Jade Scorpion breath was perfectly suited to his warlock constitution, so this time as well, there should be no problem.
"Once I've taken the Bronze Giantess's bloodline, the disappearance of the frost radiation will probably cause this entire underground world of frost to collapse. For that reason, capturing a Scorpion Emperor is absolutely necessary…"
"Of course, it might not even be that troublesome! The Scorpion Emperor's bloodline originally came from the Scorpion Man. If I could obtain his remains, the effect would certainly surpass that of an ordinary Scorpion Emperor—perhaps that would solve everything…"
"Let's go!"
The ruined laboratory was completely empty — Leylin had already taken everything with him the last time he left. The only reason he'd come back now was to confirm the coordinates.
After a brief moment of reminiscence, Leylin patted the head of the Ice Jade Scorpion beneath him.
"Scree..." The massive Ice Jade Scorpion shrieked as it carried Leylin on its back deeper into the frozen underworld.
This area wasn't marked on any of the previous maps. It was the end of many paths, filled with the unknown and mystery, and of course, danger!
Whoosh... The cold wind howled as the Ice Jade Scorpion ventured deeper. The surrounding temperature dropped even further, and the fierce frost radiation grew more violent.
Even the Ice Jade Scorpion's frost carapace began to emit a layer of jade-green luminescence, as though even it couldn't quite endure the extreme cold.
Enormous darkness had completely enveloped this area. Only the green glow emanating from the Ice Jade Scorpion could illuminate the path ahead.
Pairs upon pairs of enormous, greedy eyes — reeking of bloodlust, like phantom flames in the dark night — kept surfacing around Leylin.
"Scree..." The massive Ice Jade Scorpion began to hesitate. At the second rank, it was considered powerful in the Abyssal Dark Region, but in this deep frozen world, it was nothing at all!
Any frost creature lurking in the darkness could easily hunt it down! Ordinarily, the Ice Jade Scorpion would have retreated long ago, but now it had confidence — because it wasn't alone! It had an even more terrifying master riding on its back!
"Second and third rank creatures?" Leylin, sitting atop the Ice Jade Scorpion, suddenly chuckled.
He didn't think much of these creatures, but if they ever escaped the Frost Ice Caverns, they would surely cause a catastrophic disaster in the Abyssal Dark Region!
In the Abyssal Dark Region, second rank Wizards were considered powerhouses, and third rank Wizards were undisputed overlords! But if they saw what existed here in the frost world, their jaws would surely drop.
"Even Shiling doesn't know that the bottom of the Frost Ice Caverns is this dangerous, does she?"
Leylin shook his head. Behind him, the void began to distort. Accompanied by a terrifying pressure, the phantom projection of a monstrous serpent tens of thousands of meters long suddenly materialized, letting out a deafening roar: "Hsss..."