410: Chapter 420 The Aloof Empress! The Curse of the Extremely Cold Bloodline!

The Winter Temple was located in the deepest part of Winter Abyss.

The entire temple was carved from Extreme Cold Black Ice, emitting a faint blue halo throughout its structure.

The moment one stepped into the hall, it felt as if even their breath would instantly freeze.

In the main hall, there were no complex decorations, only a massive throne of ice.

Seated upon the throne was a stunning woman draped in magnificent ice-blue imperial robes.

She possessed a cold, aloof temperament identical to Zhu Ziqiu's, but the majesty and haughtiness between her brows were far more intense than Zhu Ziqiu's.

Just by sitting there, the surrounding space was spontaneously guarded by endless Frost Rules.

This was the Winter Great Emperor, Zhu Nanrong!

"Not bad. After going out to train, your Bloodline Power has solidified quite a bit. It's much faster progress than being cooped up in the valley."

The Winter Great Emperor looked at Zhu Ziqiu as she walked into the hall. A rare hint of softness flashed in her originally icy eyes, and she nodded slightly, her tone revealing satisfaction and expectations for her niece.

However, when her gaze passed over Zhu Ziqiu and landed on Su Hao...

That softness vanished instantly, replaced by a profundity and indifference as if she had seen through all things in the world, making it impossible for anyone to discern her emotions.

"If I am not mistaken, you are among the people depicted on this bounty order, correct?"

The Winter Great Emperor flicked her finger lightly.

"Hum!"

A golden-glowing [Heavenly Palace Kill Order] floated in mid-air. Clearly imprinted upon it were the portraits and Divine Soul signatures of the Su Family brothers, and ranking first was, unmistakably, Su Hao!

"Aunt! Please listen to me!"

Zhu Ziqiu's expression changed abruptly.

She had intended to explain the situation regarding Su Hao and the others to her aunt slowly in private, but she never expected that the Lingxiao Alliance's kill order would spread so quickly, and that her aunt would have already obtained it!

"Ziqiu, go to the side hall first."

The Winter Great Emperor's voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable imperial will. "I have a few words to discuss with this guest alone."

"Aunt, he..."

Zhu Ziqiu was anxious and wanted to speak up in his defense, but as soon as the words left her mouth, she felt the surrounding space distort.

With just a thought from the Winter Great Emperor, an irresistible Frost Rule enveloped Zhu Ziqiu, instantly teleporting her to the side hall.

The thick ice doors of the main hall closed automatically with a "boom."

In the vast, cold temple, only the Winter Great Emperor and Su Hao remained.

The terrifying pressure of the Great Emperor Realm Middle Stage slowly pressed down on Su Hao's shoulders.

But facing the Winter Great Emperor's scrutinizing gaze, Su Hao still stood straight.

His expression was calm, without a trace of panic; not even his aura was disturbed.

"It is me." Su Hao nodded in admission, his voice steady.

The Winter Great Emperor watched Su Hao for a moment, a flash of surprise appearing deep in her eyes.

She had seen countless people and could naturally tell that the young man before her was not putting on a brave front; he truly felt that this wanted order was of no consequence.

"Oh? Are you not afraid of the Lingxiao Alliance's pursuit?" The Winter Great Emperor leaned forward slightly, showing a hint of interest.

"I am not." Su Hao nodded calmly.

"Why are you not afraid?" The Winter Great Emperor tapped her slender fingers against the armrest of the ice throne, creating a crisp tapping sound.

"Although the Lingxiao Alliance is a bunch of rabble, that old immortal from the Jin Family is truly in the Great Emperor Realm Late Stage. As a Saint, what do you have to contend with that?"

"Because I have someone backing me."

Su Hao looked straight into the Winter Great Emperor's eyes, without any concealment. "Since this Junior dared to wreck their operations outside, I naturally have the confidence to do so."

The Winter Great Emperor stopped tapping the armrest, her expression becoming somewhat intriguing.

"What is the current Realm of the strongest person in your Family?"

When out and about, having a sword but not using it and having no sword to use are two completely different things.

To have equal footing in conversation before this formidable Empress, one must demonstrate sufficient foundation.

"Great Emperor Realm, Late Stage," Su Hao said in a deep voice.

"Great Emperor Late Stage..."

Upon hearing this, a trace of gravity finally flashed in the Winter Great Emperor's originally calm eyes, but it was quickly replaced by relief.

"No wonder you are so fearless; it turns out you have such a figure backing you."

The Winter Great Emperor had a better grasp of the situation now.

She was only a step away from the Great Emperor Realm Late Stage, but this seemingly paper-thin step had held her back for a full two million years!

A Hidden Family with a Great Emperor Late Stage expert guarding it certainly had the qualifications to ignore the Lingxiao Alliance's wanted order.

"In that case."

The Winter Great Emperor slowly leaned back against the chair, her gaze like a torch staring at Su Hao. "You are bearing the risk of the Heavenly Palace Kill Order, not staying in your own territory, and running here to my Winter Abyss—your purpose is for Ziqiu, right?"

This was not a question, but a statement of certainty.

"Yes!" Su Hao answered decisively, without the slightest hesitation.

However, to Su Hao's surprise, the Winter Great Emperor showed no other emotions, only shaking her head with some regret.

"You should leave."

The Winter Great Emperor's tone was indifferent. "Ziqiu is the clansman with the highest Bloodline purity in our Winter Abyss in tens of thousands of years. It is almost impossible for you two to be together."

Su Hao frowned slightly, keenly catching the keyword in the Winter Great Emperor's words.

"Almost impossible... that means it is still possible!"

Su Hao stepped forward, saying in a deep voice, "I ask that Senior clarifies!"

The Winter Great Emperor looked at the stubborn young man before her, fell silent for a long moment, and finally revealed the sealed Bloodline secret.

"Do you think those Young Masters from the families affiliated with the valley are desperate to marry Ziqiu just for power and beauty?"

"I do not restrict Ziqiu's freedom, but when I say it is difficult for you to be together, it is because you cannot pass the hurdle of the Bloodline!"

"Ziqiu is the same as me; the Extreme Cold Bloodline within her has reached the highest level of atavism. While this level of Bloodline grants us powerful talent, it is also accompanied by an extremely terrifying backlash."

"Unless it is someone with a similar Bloodline who unites with her, once Yin and Yang merge, the Extreme Cold Origin within her body will instantly pour into yours."

The Winter Great Emperor's expression was cold, saying word by word: "You will be frozen to death! Even your Divine Soul will turn into ice shards!"

Hearing this, Su Hao's expression finally changed.

He understood what the Winter Great Emperor meant.

Everything in heaven and earth emphasizes balance; the more powerful and Heaven-Defying the Bloodline Power, the greater the price to be paid during inheritance and union.

"Is there truly no way to break this?" Su Hao asked, unwilling to give up.

"Naturally, there is."

The Winter Great Emperor's expression became a bit more grave.

"The first is to possess the Pure Yang Sacred Body, one of the top ten ancient sacred bodies. The Pure Yang fire can suppress the Extreme Cold ice, allowing Yin and Yang to harmonize. But unfortunately, you cannot fulfill this."

"What about the second?"

"The second..." The Winter Great Emperor looked deeply at Su Hao and pointed to the depths of the temple. "Go to the Valley Prison!"

"That is the Forbidden Ground of our Winter Clan, where countless immortal and indestructible Ice Soul remnants from the ancient era are imprisoned. The Extreme Cold Rules there are over a hundred times more terrifying than in the outside world!"

"If you can rely on your own ability to comprehend and withstand the erosion of the Extreme Cold force within, successfully converting a trace of resistance to the Winter Bloodline, then you will naturally be able to ignore the backlash and be with Ziqiu."

"But I must warn you, throughout history, not a single outsider who has entered the Valley Prison has ever walked out alive."

Su Hao fell silent.

He knew he had no choice.

"I will go!"

Su Hao raised his head, his eyes igniting with blazing Battle Intent.

"Swish!"

The Winter Great Emperor flicked her finger, and an ice token emitting a faint light fell into Su Hao's hand.

"Take this. If you cannot hold on, the token will automatically shatter, and I will go in and bring you out," the Winter Great Emperor said coldly.

"However, once the token shatters, do not ever come to Winter Abyss again in this lifetime!"

"Do you need me to give you two some time to say goodbye?" the Winter Great Emperor asked.

Su Hao gripped the ice token tightly and shook his head.

"No need!"

"Very well! You are a man with guts!"

A trace of undisguised appreciation finally appeared in the Winter Great Emperor's eyes.

Then, she slowly stood up. Beneath her wide imperial robes, a pair of long, straight, and stunningly beautiful legs, as cold and white as jade, were faintly visible.

With her movement, a terrifying cold current that seemed capable of tearing space apart suddenly surged from the depths of the temple.

A bottomless, dark passage slowly appeared before Su Hao's eyes.

Just standing at the entrance of the passage, even while circulating his Saint immortal power to protect his body, Su Hao still felt as if countless ice needles were piercing into his bone marrow!

At this moment, Su Hao finally understood why the Winter Great Emperor said it was "almost impossible" for an outsider to survive.

"Dad, bless me!"

Su Hao silently prayed in his heart, then took a deep breath and strode into the bottomless abyss of extreme cold.