A few more peaceful days passed. During this time, Xu Jiujiu gradually began to interact more frequently with the Ice and Snow Emperors. The fear and nervousness she had initially felt had eased, and her state of mind slowly stabilized, as if she were gradually accepting their presence.
In fact, this was quite normal. The Ice and Snow Emperors were never unreasonable beings to begin with. It was merely the rumors circulating in the outside world and their powerful, non-human presence that naturally gave ordinary humans a sense of oppressive awe—something that, at least in the current era, remained impossible to change.
Humans always tend to fear and doubt what they cannot fully control. Among such unknowns, soul beasts were the most representative entities. Over thousands of years, as humans deepened their research into soul beasts, they uncovered ever more terrifying truths. This fear of soul beasts had been etched into their very bones—especially when confronted with beasts of near-sovereign power like the Ice and Snow Emperors.
Fortunately, Xu Jiujiu was not an ordinary human. As a royal princess, her outlook and capacity for acceptance far exceeded that of most people. With constant guidance and support from Shu Yan, she soon managed to become quite familiar and friendly with the two Emperors.
Surprisingly, the Ice Emperor developed an unexpected fondness for Xu Jiujiu—most likely captivated by her overwhelming and unreserved financial prowess. Even the aloof Ice Emperor couldn't help but be drawn under the sway of a wealthy princess. The Snow Emperor, on the other hand, could only sigh, worried that one day her sister might be lured away by some mysterious blonde playboy…
Of course, the Snow Emperor's concerns were clearly overblown.
Despite her seemingly naïve demeanor, the Ice Emperor wasn't truly lacking in intelligence. With over 300,000 years of cultivation, even a pig would have become king of pigs by now—let alone the Ice Emperor, whose original form was that of a scorpion.
Shu Yan felt his thoughts were entirely reasonable. Of course, if the Ice Emperor ever found out what he was thinking… he'd definitely suffer the consequences.
While Xu Jiujiu was busy bonding with the two Emperors—calling them "Big Sister" left and right—the royal secret guards were nearly running themselves ragged.
Just a few days ago, they'd received a direct order from her: to spare no effort in locating a notorious soul carving blade ranked 99th on the Carving Blade Leaderboard—Devourer of Souls.
No one knew why Her Highness wanted such an infamous weapon, which had long been a symbol of terror and misfortune. But with the Emperor's personal approval, none dared to slack off or treat the task lightly. Everyone operated at peak focus. Given the blade's infamy, it didn't take more than three days before they tracked it down at a major auction house within the Empire.
For less than 100,000 gold soul coins, the royal secret guard smoothly acquired the weapon from the auction house. The blade had failed to sell over thirty times. To outsiders, it might've looked like they scored a massive bargain.
Of course, those who knew the truth… were probably already secretly praying for the guards' survival.
Initially, Xu Jiujiu strongly opposed and tried to dissuade Shu Yan from acquiring the Devourer of Souls. She was fully aware that its infamous reputation wasn't just rumor—it had earned the title of a cursed blade by devouring its wielders.
In the 3,000 years since its creation, this carving blade had passed through the hands of thirty-seven owners. Every single one of them—each a renowned genius or powerhouse of their time—met a tragic end. Among them, nine were corrupted by the blade's influence and fell to darkness, becoming evil soul masters who unleashed bloody chaos across the continent. Even now, the blade remained feared and loathed. Despite its plummeting value, no one dared touch it.
As he stared at the ancient, unassuming blade lying quietly in its jade box, Shu Yan's expression darkened. No one could tell what he was thinking.
Beside him, Xu Jiujiu was visibly anxious and uneasy. Merely being near the blade gave her an overwhelming sense of danger. Yet more than the blade itself, it was Shu Yan's intentions that worried her. What exactly did he plan to do with such a cursed object?
After a long silence, Shu Yan suddenly looked up and spoke softly:
"Granny Man Yi, please ask the Snow Emperor and Ice Emperor to come. Tell them I have something important to discuss."
A soft ripple came from the air behind him. Soon, the Snow Emperor arrived, dressed in a pristine white robe, dragging along a visibly annoyed Ice Emperor.
Shu Yan gestured politely for them to sit. Xu Jiujiu, taking the initiative, brewed tea with practiced grace and elegance, pouring a cup each for Shu Yan and the Snow Emperor. For the Ice Emperor, she served a red fruit juice—knowing full well the scorpion empress detested tea.
Nebula Douluo never showed herself during these discussions. Whenever Shu Yan was discussing serious matters, she would either shut off her senses or walk far away. Without their explicit permission, she wouldn't eavesdrop on a single word.
The Snow Emperor took a light sip of tea, then glanced at Shu Yan.
"What's the matter? Go on, let's hear it."
The Ice Emperor grumbled between gulps of juice.
"Yeah, you little brat always causing trouble—never a moment's peace! One day, I swear, I'll beat some sense into you…"
Shu Yan chuckled and shook his head. Then, he turned the jade box around and opened it—revealing the Devourer of Souls inside.
The jade box was a peak-grade level-six soul tool. Other than suppressing the blade's aura, it had no special function. The moment it was opened, the sealed malevolence inside spilled forth.
The Ice Emperor choked on her juice and began coughing violently. The Snow Emperor slowly lowered her teacup, narrowing her eyes as she stared at the plain-looking carving blade.
"…This is the aura of evil and misfortune."
"No—something's different. Is it… a curse-based power?"
She muttered quietly, her gaze shifting toward Shu Yan.
"Where did this come from?"
Shu Yan raised an eyebrow and looked toward Xu Jiujiu, who immediately understood and began recounting the full history of the blade—its origin and the mysterious, tragic fates of its many wielders.
The Snow Emperor fell silent, deep in thought.
The Ice Emperor, having caught her breath, said nothing—but was now staring intently at the strange blade. For some reason, it gave her a peculiar sensation… almost like a strange attraction.
She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but based on her instincts, she was certain:
This blade was hiding something… something extraordinary.
After a long pause, the Snow Emperor slowly extended her hand. Frosty energy surged in her palm as the blade floated out of the jade box. Icy-blue soul power flowed along its edge, leaving behind a faint trail of frost.
The next moment something changed.