I'm a Professional When It Comes to Heavenly Tribulations

"Get out of the way! This is a Heavenly Tribulation, not a joke! Do you have no common sense at all? Ice Emperor's Protection!" A massive wall of ice crystals rose from the ground. This was the last of her Soul Power, yet it was not meant for herself, but for Ye Qing. At the same time, she did her best to move away from him.

Though she never admitted it aloud, Ye Qing held a small place in the depths of her heart. She did not want him to perish alongside her. This was her final effort.

Then the thunder crashed down, aimed directly at the Ice Empress.

"He'll survive, right?" Looking at the defense she had created, the Ice Empress closed her eyes and accepted her fate, yet she felt nothing at all.

The Heavenly Tribulation that came crashing down caused no further upheaval. The tribulation targeting the Ice Empress was completely absorbed like nourishment by Ye Qing, who had somehow slipped past the ice barrier and stood in front of it.

"It's still the same familiar feeling—tingly and numb. See? I told you you'd be fine."

Bathed in lightning, Ye Qing spoke to the Ice Empress behind him. Yet she was somewhat stunned. She had not expected that when Ye Qing said she would definitely succeed, he had not merely been comforting her. Nor had she expected him to help her overcome the Heavenly Tribulation in this way. Now she could also guess how the Snow Empress had survived her tribulation that year. It had probably been the same way.

The thunder in the sky seemed to be venting its dissatisfaction as well, striking even more fiercely. If the Heavenly Tribulation had a mind of its own, it was probably cursing at the top of its lungs right now.

"Why is it you brat again? Do I, the Heavenly Tribulation, not have any dignity?"

But it had no effect at all. Ye Qing even had the leisure to keep chatting with the Ice Empress behind him amid the lightning.

"So, how does it feel having someone use his body to take the Heavenly Tribulation for you? Are you touched? Didn't you want me to tell Xue'er that you'd returned to the Extreme North? Don't just stand there like an idiot. Say something."

"So this was your plan from the very beginning? That's why you told this Empress there would be no problem?"

"That's right. I'm a Heavenly Tribulation specialist. I'm a professional when it comes to taking Heavenly Tribulations for others."

"Then why didn't you just say so?" Even if she refused to yield verbally, how could she not have been afraid when faced with the threat of death? That overwhelming terror of knowing she was doomed and being unable to avoid it was not something easily overcome.

"I wanted to say it, but you didn't give me the chance. If you don't believe me, I have proof." Taking advantage of a lull in the Heavenly Tribulation, Ye Qing tossed the Sound Shell he had recorded earlier to the Ice Empress.

"Press the screw at the very top, then put it next to your ear."

"Crack... crack." A burst of shattering sounds quickly followed. The Sound Shell, which had only just appeared, ended its brief life and became a pile of fragments. At another time, it probably would have turned straight into dust and scattered in the wind.

"Why did you crush it? That thing costs money, and those recordings are hard to come by! I never thought you'd be jealous of me. And that look you had while arranging your last words—I'm definitely saving that properly."

"Shut up! Make this Empress forget all of it... cough... cough, forget all of it!"

"That'll be difficult. Besides, I still have several more shells. Good thing I didn't give you the Visual Den Den Mushi, or the little guy would be finished."

The Ice Empress felt her blood surge. Though she had not perished beneath the Heavenly Tribulation, she might be angered to death by this guy. Even if she did not know what a Visual Den Den Mushi was, anything Ye Qing mentioned at a time like this could not possibly be good for her.

"You... what are you doing now?!" Seeing Ye Qing walk over without a word, she felt that he had come up with another strange idea.

"I'm taking you to get treated. Isn't that obvious?"

The Heavenly Tribulation had already passed, but the traces it left behind remained. The wounds on the Ice Empress's body were the clearest proof. At a time like this, she naturally needed treatment, and the best healer in the Star Dou Great Forest was undoubtedly Bi Ji.

However, the Ice Empress could not even stand now, much less walk. Naturally, she needed someone to move her. As the only person present, the task could only fall to Ye Qing.

"Hey! What kind of posture is this? Change it for this Empress!" She strongly protested inwardly as Ye Qing picked her up in a princess carry. Did the dignified Ice Empress not have any pride?

"Would you rather I carried you like a sack? You're already in this state, so stop acting tough and come get treated."

"Then move your hand away from there! Do you need to get that close to hold someone?"

The Ice Empress was extremely furious as Ye Qing's hand moved from beneath her knees toward her buttocks. Yet if her face were wiped clean, the blush showing through would reveal that she was more embarrassed and indignant than angry.

"Sorry, force of habit..." Ye Qing said he truly had not intended to do anything. This had happened only because every one of the Ice Empress's previous provocations had ended the same way, causing his hand to grow accustomed to that sensation and react instinctively.

"..."

"What did you say? Let go! You're a scorpion, not a dog. How did you learn this trick?" The Ice Empress had seemed to mutter something, so Ye Qing leaned his ear closer to hear her clearly. To his surprise, she bit his ear.

"I won't let go. Today, this Empress will definitely leave you with an unforgettable memory."

"But... you can't hurt me at all. And if you like it, keep going. I'm the one benefiting from this position anyway." Faced with the Ice Empress's teeth-gritted reply, Ye Qing was unconcerned. Due to their difference in height and their previous position, the Ice Empress was now pressed tightly against him. And because she had exhausted her strength, both her arms were wrapped around him so she could keep biting his ear. Aside from the grime getting smeared onto him, there was no other effect.

"You really are a shameless bastard."

"You were always the one who started it. I was only passively fighting back. If you don't believe me, look—your saliva is still stuck to my ear."

"..."

The world entered a brief calm. The Ice Empress no longer targeted Ye Qing. Instead, she closed her eyes, looking as though she no longer had the strength to continue arguing with him.

"This girl is actually quite pretty when she's quiet." Looking at the Ice Empress in his arms, Ye Qing felt rather emotional. The bloodstains and scorched marks on her body could not hide her lovely features. She was a genuine beauty, though it was a shame she would never grow any taller. A Spirit Beast's humanoid form became fixed after reaching adulthood. Unless they perished, their appearance would not change at all. So the Ice Empress would probably always have this appearance of a petite adult, because this was what she looked like after maturing.

"But she's pretty light. That makes no sense." Spirit Beasts generally possessed enormous bodies and matching monstrous strength in their beast forms. After taking humanoid form, their bodies shrank while their strength remained unchanged, yet their weight also decreased. That was completely unreasonable.

"What am I thinking? In this world, talking about science is the most absurd thing of all." Ye Qing had experienced this firsthand. At the very least, this continent was not so small that someone could cross more than half of it in just a few hours.

And the Ice Empress, who was pretending to sleep, was not as calm as she appeared.

Something came up today, so the next chapter will be a little late.