Her gaze fell on Ye Xuan's calm sleeping face. Sword-like brows, starry eyes, a high-bridged nose—even in sleep, he carried an unquestionable air of dominance.
But in Ice Empress's eyes, that face was more hateful than the ice of the far north. Every breath he took felt like a trampling of her dignity.
"Let go of me!" Ice Empress snarled in a lowered voice, reaching out to push Ye Xuan away. But the moment her palm touched his chest, it was bounced back by a gentle yet resilient force.
It was the life divine power circulating automatically over Ye Xuan's body, forming an invisible barrier.
Just then, Ye Xuan seemed to be disturbed by her movements. His brows furrowed slightly, and his arm tightened instinctively, pulling Ice Empress even closer into his embrace.
His head tilted slightly, and the tip of his nose brushed against Ice Empress's neck. His warm breath spilled over her skin, sending a tingling sensation through her.
"Mm..."
Ice Empress's entire body stiffened as though struck by lightning, her cheeks instantly flushing all the way to her ears.
Such intimate contact left even a soul beast who had lived for tens of thousands of years overwhelmed with shame. She was humiliated and furious, yet powerless to resist.
She wanted to struggle, but Ye Xuan had her body firmly locked in place, leaving her utterly unable to move.
She wanted to call for Snow Empress, only to discover that her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz and could not carry beyond the ice cave at all.
What filled her with even greater despair was that, when a fierce urge to resist rose within her, a stabbing pain suddenly came from between her brows. An invisible shackle instantly enveloped her soul.
"What... is this?"
Ice Empress