Subduing the Ice Empress! Third Soul Ring!

Master Ball space.

A petite loli lay on the ground.

"Mmm~"

The Ice Empress's consciousness gradually stirred within the chaos; before she even opened her eyes, a cacophony of voices drifted into her ears.

"Sister Tian Meng, did you go a bit too hard? She still hasn't woken up?"

"I don't know either! This Purple Demon Eye is worthy of being a legacy of the Sea God; it truly counts as a divine skill..."

"How about I give her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation?"

"...Are you sure that's saving her and not taking advantage?"

"Hehe."

The Ice Empress opened her eyes in a daze.

Then, she saw an enlarged face leaning in, lips pursed, muttering as they descended toward her.

"Bang!"

The Ice Empress instinctively kicked out.

The next second, a golden-haired little loli went flying.

"Ouch--!"

Tian Meng clutched her bottom, eyes brimming with tears.

Awake?

Jiang Yi blinked, took two steps back, and casually picked up Tian Meng from the floor, shielding her behind him.

"Bingbing, you're awake!"

Tian Meng shook her head, looking at the awakened Ice Empress with a face full of pleasant surprise.

This was her white moonlight, after all.

Back when she first emerged from the cave, she had fallen for the Ice Empress at first sight. Although the Ice Jade Scorpion was her natural predator, love... knew no racial boundaries.

"Disgusting, stay away from me."

The Ice Empress stood up and glared at Tian Meng.

Trying to take advantage of her again? Aside from that time you covered her face in drool, what else can you even do, you stinking bug?

"What is this place?"

The Ice Empress scanned her surroundings—a vast, white expanse—but her expression shifted quickly, and she looked at Tian Meng with extreme vigilance.

"What have you done to me?"

She could no longer sense the soul power within her body, and even her form was restricted to this human shape, unable to revert to her true self.

What kind of trick was this?

Facing the Ice Empress's interrogation, Tian Meng giggled, slid down from Jiang Yi's arms, and trotted forward with small steps.

"Bingbing, just surrender!"

She rested her chin on one hand, offering advice with a serious expression.

"Master will treat you well..."

"Hmm? Master?"

The Ice Empress finally looked at Jiang Yi standing to the side, a flicker of confusion crossing her beautiful eyes.

She had assumed this human was a pet kept by Tian Meng; she hadn't expected Tian Meng to be the pet instead...

But how could this be?

Even if Tian Meng was a bit pathetic, she was still a Ferocious Beast. How could she submit to such a weak human?

"Trash..."

The Ice Empress glanced at Tian Meng.

What a disgrace to the Ferocious Beasts!

"Say whatever you want! Bingbing."

Tian Meng huffed, leaped into the air, and latched onto Jiang Yi like an octopus.

"You don't understand. If it weren't for Master, back in the Star Dou Great Forest, I would have already had my soul scattered. The best outcome would have been becoming a wandering ghost, clinging to someone else just to survive."

She hugged Jiang Yi gently, a look of reminiscence on her small face, yet her eyes filled with a sense of relief and contentment.

Jiang Yi hadn't just saved her; he had taught her how to live in human society... he had even sold himself to provide her with mental techniques.

That Purple Demon Eye had completely compensated for her lack of offensive capabilities.

Although they had known each other for a short time, these past few days had been more exciting than her previous hundreds of thousands of years.

"Sister Tian Meng."

Jiang Yi gently reached out, also wrapping his arms around the little Tian Meng in his embrace.

Don't say it, this little thing is actually quite moving... He decided that he would let Sister Tian Meng sleep for an extra hour today.

"..."

Ice Empress fell into silence.

Tian Meng did not seem to be acting.

However, what Tian Meng had experienced had nothing to do with her; it was impossible for her to acknowledge a human as her master.

This was the pride belonging to the Ice Jade Scorpion clan! They were a race willing to voluntarily abandon their toxicity for the sake of the ultimate.

"Bingbing, I know what you are thinking."

Tian Meng lowered her head, looking at Ice Empress.

"But arrogance cannot help you survive the next lightning tribulation. If my calculations are correct, your limit will arrive in less than a hundred years. Can you survive it?"

This was the reason she wanted to pull Ice Empress into Jiang Yi's camp; she did not want Ice Empress to perish just like that.

"Hmph! And so what?"

Ice Empress lifted her chin, sneering.

Dying under the lightning tribulation was better than becoming a human's lackey.

"But Master can help you avoid the heavenly tribulation..."

Tian Meng said calmly.

"What?"

Ice Empress could not believe it, her gaze sweeping over Jiang Yi.

"Impossible."

Her first reaction was that Tian Meng was trying to hoodwink her. She could slap this human to death with one palm, yet he could help her avoid the heavenly tribulation?

"This space is Master's Martial Soul, independent of the continent, and it can conceal our aura..."

Tian Meng watched Ice Empress's reaction, a smile appearing on her face; she had felt the same way back then.

But as long as they signed a contract with Jiang Yi, their auras would be covered, and whenever they appeared on the continent, they would be under Jiang Yi's identity.

In the eyes of the plane, these soul pets were part of Jiang Yi, so naturally, no more lightning tribulations would descend.

"Can you still feel the heavenly tribulation?"

Tian Meng smiled, continuing to add fuel to the fire.

"Don't blame me for not warning you. With Master's talent, it is highly likely he will become the next deity in the future. By then, there will be plenty of soul beasts lining up to curry favor..."

Subduing Bingbing was both for her own good and a way to add to Master's strength.

If nine Ferocious Beasts shared their origin, Jiang Yi would absolutely have the capital to challenge the god-level, no worse than that person from ten thousand years ago.

"..."

Ice Empress fell silent.

In this place, she truly could not feel that sense of crisis hanging over her head.

But to survive by groveling before a human... her inner pride would not allow it.

Moreover, this was a massive gamble.

"Senior Ice Empress."

Just then, Jiang Yi, who had been observing the whole time, suddenly spoke up.

"You can rest assured. My Martial Soul only requires signing a contract; you and I are equals, and furthermore..."

He looked at Ice Empress with a sincere expression, then raised his hand, holding up four fingers, and swore solemnly.

"I am willing to swear in the name of the Sea God. If I fail to become a god in the future, when my lifespan ends, I shall dissolve the contract and return your freedom."

"If this one breaks the oath, then let the seas dry up... let the Sea God fall, and let me be reduced to ashes..."

Jiang Yi spoke with righteous indignation, his face full of piety.

The Sea God is my faith. If you don't like me, please slander my faith; that would cause me unbearable pain.

Amen~

"This..."

Ice Empress's heart began to waver.

Humans all believed in the Sea God, and to swear by the Sea God—especially a poisonous oath cursing the main deity—he must be very sincere.

No one was unafraid of death, including her, and now with Jiang Yi's guarantee, it seemed it was not entirely unacceptable.

She bit her lip, her emerald eyes shifting between Jiang Yi and Tian Meng, finally settling on Jiang Yi's face.

"Fine."

She took a deep breath, her voice regaining its usual majesty.

"This King can protect your path, but I hope you don't disappoint me. Otherwise, I will leave..."

Nominally, she still refused to admit she was Jiang Yi's pet, only acting as a protector.

"Thank you, Senior!"

Jiang Yi cupped his fists with a smile, naturally giving her an out.

"That's great, Bingbing."

Tian Meng was even more overjoyed. He broke free from Jiang Yi's embrace and lunged, wanting to give Ice Empress a loving hug.

"Scram!"

Ice Empress roared in anger and kicked him away again.

Disgusting.

That year, taking advantage of her being newly recovered from a lightning tribulation and still injured, with Xue'er not around, this loser had smeared her face with his saliva.

This was simply a monumental humiliation!!!

Inside the cave.

Ice Empress hovered in mid-air, looking at Jiang Yi before her with a calm expression.

"Begin."

"Alright, please don't resist, Senior."

Jiang Yi nodded slightly. The Master Ball in his palm transformed into a golden light and shot directly into Ice Empress's brow.

Each of his spirit rings was bound to a Master Ball; the core of the spirit beast contract was also the Master Ball.

Bang--!

Ice Empress's figure dissipated with a roar, turning into wisps of emerald light.

Those light spots, like a swarm of living fireflies, circled in the air, forming emerald green ribbons that coiled towards Jiang Yi.

At the same time, as Ice Empress disappeared, a unique Ice Jade Empress Scorpion phantom gradually materialized on Jiang Yi's body.

It was a scorpion entirely emerald green, several zhang long, its tail stinger raised high, its posture disdainful.

The Ice Jade Empress Scorpion!