As he spoke, he immediately started running. Before the Ice Empress could understand what he meant, his somewhat urgent voice sounded again.
"The final strike. Curl up into a ball and use the last of your Soul Power to cover your body. Protect yourself. Leave the rest to me!"
His slightly breathless voice left the Ice Empress baffled. Why did it feel like this guy was being hunted? Still, he must have had his reasons for saying that, so she chose to trust him.
Immediately, she curled into a ball, her jade-green Soul Power completely covering her as she waited for the final bolt of lightning.
The thunderbolts that had been shattered earlier seemed to have angered the thunderclouds. Black clouds from ten thousand miles around converged on this spot, and the mere buildup of the final bolt was enough to terrify a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast out of its wits. The Ice Empress felt a little apprehensive, but remembering Su Qing's words, she relaxed. If she had to face this final tribulation bolt on her own, there was no way she could survive it. If he really wanted to harm her, he wouldn't need to go to all this trouble.
As the thunderclouds were about to solidify, purple light flashed incessantly within them. A purple-black bolt of lightning, nearly a hundred meters thick, plunged down. Just as it was about to strike the Ice Empress, however, the black energy within it abruptly changed direction and shot toward the foot of a nearby snowy mountain, as if it were chasing someone.
"Hm? What's going on?"
The Ice Empress, still tingling from the lightning strike, was delighted to discover she was alive. What was more, she hadn't felt that mysterious power at all this time. Just as she was about to thank the person who had helped her survive the tribulation, she saw this bizarre scene.
Before long, someone who looked like a human child came charging out from among the nearby mountains. That mysterious power was chasing after him along with Xue Beng. At the sight of a human, she instinctively wanted to kill him, but the black energy behind him made her realize that this fellow was most likely the one who had helped her survive the tribulation!
Thinking this, she not only refrained from attacking, but even used her Soul Power to keep Xue Beng away from Su Qing. Seeing this, Su Qing breathed a sigh of relief. He had no idea why, but Xue Beng seemed almost sentient and had been chasing him nonstop. Since he hadn't had time to refine the God of Destruction Power, he couldn't switch Martial Souls, so all he could do was keep running.
Now he could finally stop. The Ice Empress saw Su Qing's footsteps halt, then a dazzling white light flared around him. The black energy was swallowed by the light!
"So it really was you who helped this empress. Human, what exactly are your intentions?"
Though she was shocked that the man before her had dispelled that mysterious power with a mere lift of his hand, she was still curious. Why would a human help her?
"Do you want to become a god?"
Su Qing didn't answer. Instead, he tossed out a question with irresistible allure.
"Of course!"
At Su Qing's question, the Ice Empress's body trembled. Could this human really have a way to make her a god? But why would he do that?
"If so, then come with me. When I become a god, I'll naturally take you with me."
Su Qing smiled faintly. His charming face made the Ice Empress stare blankly for a moment. Then she suddenly realized: she was an Ice Jade Scorpion, so why did she think a human looked handsome? And this fellow was far too arrogant. What made him think he could become a god? His methods just now certainly hadn't seemed human, but that still fell far short of becoming a god.
"What gives you the confidence to think you're certain to become a god? You were just being chased by Xue Beng."
The Ice Empress changed tack and struck right at his sore spot.
"Do you have no idea why Xue Beng was chasing me? Besides, I came to find you precisely because I'm not strong enough yet. Otherwise, why wouldn't I just become a god on my own? If you don't believe me, let me guide your spiritual power and show you where my confidence comes from."
Su Qing's eye twitched as she brought up his embarrassing past. She hadn't even asked where Xue Beng had come from.
But since she'd asked where his confidence came from, he had to show the Ice Empress that dazzling, resplendent Godhood!
"Fine. I also want to see what could give you, a human, the confidence to become a god."
As she spoke, she linked her spiritual power with Su Qing's and sent their consciousnesses into Ring Jade together. The moment the Ice Empress entered Ring Jade, she discovered that the spiritual energy within was far denser than in the outside world. What surprised her even more was a fiery red orb of light floating in the sky.
A sense of holiness, as though it were too sacred to behold, rose within her at the sight of the orb. She instinctively reached out to touch it, but the moment she made contact, she was flung away.
"What is that thing?!"
The Ice Empress exclaimed in alarm as her consciousness returned to her body. She had felt a searing pain even before touching it, and the instant she made contact, she'd been thrown right out? What did that make the Ice Empress, second strongest among the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North?
"Looking is fine, but touching is rude. That's my Godhood."
Su Qing rolled his eyes at her. If just anyone could touch a Godhood, what would be the point of requiring compatibility for divine inheritance?
"Godhood?! You really have a way to become a god? Then... then this empress is willing to go with you! But this empress has one condition."
The Ice Empress's hexagonal eyes lit up at the words "Godhood," but then she seemed to remember something and changed tack, preparing to make a condition to Su Qing.
"Go ahead."
Su Qing was a little confused. What condition could she possibly have? According to the script, shouldn't she simply follow him without hesitation?
"You must have heard of the Snow Empress. She's stronger than I am. Can you take her along too?"
The Ice Empress's voice weakened. She knew the Snow Empress wouldn't be able to survive her tribulation either, and her seven-hundred-thousand-year tribulation would be a hundred or even a thousand times more perilous than her own. If there was a chance to become a god, she naturally wanted to bring her along. After all, she was her only close friend.
"I'll take the Snow Empress with us, of course. But she's no longer in the Far North. Come with me, and we'll find her."
After hearing the Ice Empress's condition, Su Qing smiled again. He hadn't expected her to be so loyal, but that was all the better. The more devoted someone was to those they cared about, the more confidently he could entrust his back to them.
"You really can take me to find her? Then this empress will go with you! When are we leaving? No, wait—you'll have to wait for me. I still need to make arrangements for what comes after—no, I mean, matters concerning my people's survival after I leave."
The Ice Empress was so excited that she nearly started babbling. Fortunately, Su Qing was human and had no trouble understanding her. He pieced together what she meant from her scattered words.
"Sure. I'll wait for you in the Icebound Forest on the outskirts of the Far North. I won't conceal my aura, so you should be able to find me by releasing your spiritual power."
At Huo Yuhao's current speed, he would probably need another week or so to reach the Far North. Su Qing told the Ice Empress to meet him in the Icebound Forest to avoid crossing paths with him. Otherwise, things would be awkward when they met.
"Great!!!"
The Ice Empress waved her pincers twice, then immediately cracked open the frozen earth and burrowed underground.
"Good grief, even the Body Sect would be ashamed of its burrowing skills..."