Douluo Continent. The Extreme North—one of the three great gathering places of spirit beasts.
At the heart of the Frozen Forest stood a colossal ancient ice castle. Blizzards raged across the land, leaving the environment barren and lifeless, yet within the castle's domain, flowers bloomed in eternal spring, untouched by the harsh climate.
The fortress itself was carved entirely from ten-thousand-year glacial ice—a masterpiece of grandeur and elegance, as if sculpted by the gods. It stood silent and majestic, its prismatic glow shimmering under the pale northern sun like a beacon guiding lost souls.
Though the castle had only two floors, each level was vast enough to house giants.
On the second floor, inside a spacious bedroom, three figures sat cross-legged in a circle, their palms pressed together as a luminous aura pulsed around them.
One man, two women.
The man, Ye Han, had long, crystalline blue hair and a tall, statuesque frame. His face was strikingly handsome, yet carried an ethereal quality, as though he weren't entirely real.
Opposite him sat the first woman—a maiden of sixteen, clad in pristine white robes. Her posture was regal, her beauty flawless, exuding the noble purity of a snow-blossoming plum. This was none other than Xue Di, the Sovereign of the Extreme North, a being with over six hundred thousand years of cultivation—and the woman Ye Han had pursued for three millennia before finally winning her heart.
Beside her was the second woman, dressed in emerald-green robes. Though not as breathtaking as Xue Di, her wild charm was undeniable, accentuated by the eight dark-green mystical markings tracing her cheeks. Her figure rivaled even Xue Di's, radiating a fierce, untamed allure.
This was Bing Di, the other famed ruler of the Extreme North.
Ye Han slowly opened his eyes, withdrawing his hands as he gazed at his two peerless wives. A bitter smile tugged at his lips.
He was a transmigrator. Back when he first arrived in this world—a mere ten-thousand-year spirit beast—he had foolishly boasted about making Xue Di his wife. At the time, it was nothing more than idle bravado, but Bing Di happened to overhear.
Normally, a lowly ten-thousand-year spirit beast wouldn't even warrant her attention, but the fact that he could speak human tongue piqued her interest. As a fellow ice-attribute being, she couldn't resist teasing him: "If you can reach a hundred thousand years of cultivation, I'll play matchmaker for you."
To Bing Di, it was just a joke—a way to motivate an upstart. But Ye Han took it seriously.
Without relying on any "golden finger" (cheat system), he painstakingly developed his own cultivation method through sheer talent and perseverance. Fifty thousand years later, he returned to Bing Di, demanding she keep her promise.
Though reluctant, Bing Di honored her word and introduced him to Xue Di. Three thousand years of relentless courtship followed—yet, ironically, it was Bing Di who fell for him first. A year ago, Xue Di finally agreed to marry him… on one condition: He had to take Bing Di as well.
And so, here they were—cultivating together in a trio.
But this was the source of Ye Han's frustration.
A year of marriage, and all they had done was spiritual dual cultivation—a purely meditative practice. Though the term sounded intimate, it was far from what Ye Han, with his human memories, truly desired.
Every time his passions flared, his human form would collapse, leaving him in his original spirit beast body.
"Sigh… The struggles of a man who can't even properly hug his wives."
Out of habit, Ye Han grumbled inwardly, "System, I'm practically invincible already. Are you really still not showing up?"
For over fifty thousand years, he had called for the system daily—a ritual that had become an obsession.
"Ding!"
"Host's pitiful prayers have been acknowledged. The Multiverse Travel System is now online."
It had arrived.
At long last, after fifty millennia, it came riding the wind, galloping on starlight, dragging the moon behind it like a reluctant pet.
Ye Han stared blankly at the translucent screen before him.
…That was it?
"Screw you! Get lost! I don't need you to become invincible!" he cursed internally, finally venting years of pent-up frustration.
And it was true—he had reached the pinnacle without any system. His strength was the reason he'd won Xue Di's hand and Bing Di's heart. Though his cultivation was only a hundred thousand years, his combat prowess placed him second only to Xue Di in the entire Extreme North.
"Ding!"
"Host's resentment detected. Fusion rejected. Self-destruct sequence initiated."
"Ding! Beginner Mission deleted—1%... 10%... 30%... 100%. Deletion complete."
"Ding! Starter Pack deleted—"
Ye Han felt as though lightning had struck him.
"What the—?!"
He hadn't actually meant to refuse the system! He was just blowing off steam!
By the time he snapped out of his shock, the starter pack was already gone.
"STOP! STOP! Damn it, I accept! I'll fuse!" he screamed internally.
"Ding!"
"Host's desperate plea registered. As the most understanding and adorable system, the Multiverse Travel System forgives him. Self-repair function activated."
"Repairing Beginner Mission—1%... 50%... 100%."
"Restoring Starter Pack—"
Ye Han finally relaxed.
"Whew… Sure, doing it alone is more satisfying, but free perks are nothing to scoff at."
The progress bar hit 99%, teetering on the edge of completion—
Then froze.
Ye Han's eye twitched. "Come on! Just a little more!"
The screen flickered.
A crimson ⚠️ flashed violently, accompanied by a shrill, grating alarm.
"ERROR. UNKNOWN MALFUNCTION."
"REPAIR FAILED. REBOOTING."
"REBOOT FAILED—"
The warnings blurred together before the screen went dark. Then—
BOOM.
The system exploded.
Ye Han's vision filled with stars, his ears ringing, smoke practically billowing from his nostrils. His hair stood on end as his human form shattered, revealing his true body—a ten-meter-long emerald scorpion, foam bubbling at its mandibles.
Xue Di and Bing Di, having just opened their eyes, blinked at the sight.
This wasn't new. Every time Ye Han got… overexcited, he'd revert to his original form. The two women exchanged glances, cheeks pink, more exasperated than concerned.
If Ye Han knew their thoughts, he'd weep.
But right now, he was too busy wanting to die.
"You piece of junk! You show up after fifty thousand years just to self-destruct? Where's your professionalism?!" He shook a furious claw at the heavens.
(End of Chapter)