Solar Blood Masters (188)

Chapter 188 - The Snow Empire

The Snow Empire.

A beacon of civilization amidst a vast, icy wilderness, sprawled across a peninsula jutting into the Frozen Sea. Its architecture was a harmonious blend of practicality and artistry, thick walls of ice and stone, reinforced with intricate carvings of snowflakes and frost patterns, formed the buildings, homes, and marketplaces.

These structures huddled together as if seeking warmth against the relentless, swirling snow that fell ceaselessly from a sky perpetually shrouded in grey clouds. The landmass itself, carved by ancient glaciers and blizzards, was a mix of jagged cliffs, rolling hills, and frozen lakes, a treacherous yet beautiful terrain.

At the empire's heart, a lavish palace, crafted entirely from permanent ice and stone, rose majestically. Its towers was adorned with intricate ice sculptures of mythical creatures and past Emperors. It was a fortress of frozen elegance.

Five colossal walls, three inner and two outer, encircled the empire like protective rings. These walls, thicker than any beast’s hide, were a necessary countermeasure against the wild Calamities that roamed Yama Yaguai’s outskirts; these predators whose Solar Essences burned with a hunger for weaker souls.

The recent eruption of a Fire Pool near the empire’s borders had exacerbated the situation. Its heat was attracting even more beasts, drawn by the promise of warmth and the potent Solar Essence it exuded.

The Snow Empire’s military, a formidable force of warriors donned in thick, white fur armor adorned with blue snowflake emblems, were constantly patrolling the walls, ready to repel any breach.

Despite the ever-present threat, a festive atmosphere permeated the palace courtyard. A large excited crowd gathered.

Soldiers maintained order.

“Make way! Make way for the contestants!”

“No pushing! Or you’ll be disqualified!”

They escorted the crowd towards a raised platform, the arena, where two muscular men were locked in a fierce battle.

Most of the crowd were dressed in thick coats, but a few who had brawny physiques were topless, seemingly unfazed by the biting cold.

Each individual carried an assortment of weapons: swords, arrows, chains, even a few wielded staffs that crackled with energy. This was no ordinary gathering, but a contest of strength, a tournament to determine who was worthy to claim the hearts of the Snow Maidens.

A lecherous man with a shiny bald head held a piece of paper depicting two beautiful women. He drooled over the image.

“Those Snow Maidens… So beautiful! So… voluptuous! I’ll have them both! They’ll please my every need! They’ll massage my feet! They’ll cook me delicious meals! And in the bedroom… they’ll…”

WHAM!

A burly man standing behind him slapped him on the head.

“In your dreams, maggot! Those beauties are MINE! I’ll win their hearts! And I’ll become the next Snow Emperor!”

“In YOUR dreams, maggot! I’ll be the knight in shining armor to win the hearts of those Snow Maidens!” another fellow overhead them retorted and puffed out his chest.

“You’re too scrawny to win any maiden’s heart. This contest is about strength, not beauty, sissy boy!” a man nearby added mockingly.

A heated argument erupted, threatening to escalate into a full-blown brawl. The soldiers intervened swiftly.

“Silence! You’re disrupting the contest! One more outburst and you’ll forfeit your chance to participate!”

They glared at the crowd menacingly and released a sliver of their Solar Pressure.

The men quieted down, but their whispers continued, laced with insults and threats.

…

On the arena stage, two muscular men were clashing with their fists!

The taller and more agile man dodged his opponent’s clumsy attack and with a swift kick sent him tumbling backwards with a shout of “Fly!”

The man landed heavily, coughing blood. He looked dazed.

“And the winner… Balrog!” a referee announced.

“Yes! Who doubted my power!?”

Balrog grinned triumphantly as he cockily walk by his defeated opponent then he looked up at a balcony on the palace and blew kisses up there.

“Hmph! Those despicable men! I can’t believe Father is going through with this ridiculous contest.”

On the balcony, a vision of ethereal beauty watched the scene unfold below with disdain. Her long, blue hair cascaded down her back like a frozen waterfall, framing a face as delicate as a snowflake, those blue eyes mirrored the ocean’s vastness. Her skin was as white as snow. She wore a white gown adorned with intricate frost patterns. She stared with disdain down at those gathering of perverted men. This was Snow Maiden – Yukiana Snow.

Beside her stood her twin sister. Equally beautiful, she was taller and wore her blue hair shorter. Her white gown hugged her figure that highlighted her ample bosom, accentuating her curves. She observed the scene with folded arms beneath her breasts. This was Snow Maiden – Labeach Snow.

“Worry not, sister. After they’ve tired themselves out, they still have us to contend with. And with our special power… none of those men will be able to claim our hearts.”

“Yes. We’ll have to rely on ourselves to protect our chastity. None of those bastards deserve it,” Yukiana agreed with a nod.

“My daughters…” a weak voice came from behind them.

They turned.

Emperor Xavier Snow sat in a chair. His frail form was wrapped in a white fur-lined robe. A golden crown adorned his head, contrasting his grey hair with streaks of faded blue. His face was painted with wrinkles, his eyes, once a vibrant blue, were now clouded with age and illness.

“My dear daughters… Please… keep an open mind. Certainly, among those men… there will be one capable of marrying you.”

Yukiana protested, “Father! Why do you insist on this ridiculous farce?! Sister and I have told you countless times, we’re not ready for marriage! Those men… They only want to claim what’s between our legs! They don’t care about the empire’s growth and sustainability!”

“That is yet to be proven, Yuki. Cough! Cough!” Xavier wiped his mouth with a silk cloth.

He continued, “And be that as it may. I don’t have much time left. The Ice Vein has consumed my life force. I’ve already explained about this hereditary stigma that comes with the awakening of our Solar Blood Spirit.

Both of you have awakened the Ice Vein. In order for you to live long, healthy lives… and not end up like your mother… who died at a young age from this illness, you need to wed a suitor capable of refining the Ice Vein during consummation.”

“Yes, yes… you’ve said that a thousand times, Father. But I’m still not willing to share my body with… any man,” Yukiana said stubbornly.

“How can you both be so stubborn? Cough! Cough! It’s been 200 years since I’ve fallen ill. I don’t have much time left. Please my daughters at least grant this old man’s last wish before I passed away. And hand the throne over.”

Yukiana spoke, “Don’t remind us of our age, Father. We are well aware. And you still have more life within you to live. If you allow Labeach and myself to leave the empire and seek out that medicine, then your illness and our Ice Vein stigma would have be cured already. You just want to use your bad health to guilt trip us into marrying a suitor.”

Labeach added, “Yukiana is right, Father. Stop forcing romance upon us. We’re satisfied being maidens.”

“Is it wrong for this old man to want grandchildren before his death? Cough! Cough! All of my siblings have grandchildren… even great-grandchildren! I’m aware of what my subjects whisper behind my back. But aside from this, I won’t allow my only children to venture out into such a dangerous place as Yama Yaguai! Those powerful Saint Ruler beasts are as common as grains of sand! They’ll eat you both alive!”

“I don’t believe you, Father! You’re just exaggerating! How can there be so many Saint Rulers?! We’ve been isolated in this empire for almost 300 years! And the most we’ve seen are… a few dozen Saint Rulers,” Yukiana countered.

Xavier shook his head. “Tsk, tsk… My ignorant daughters… they know nothing of the world. According to my ancestors, Yama Yaguai is ruled by a powerful entity known as the Void Emperor Calamity! That’s why those beasts are kept in check! It has existed for over 50 million years!”

“Now you’re just speaking from your anus, Father,” Yukiana scoffed. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were going senile.”

“What?! You think I’m lying?! Cough! Cough!” Xavier wiped his mouth again,.

“Be quiet, Father. Your health is declining with every breath. Here comes the next challenger,” Labeach interrupted gently and directed their attention back to the arena.