The terrifying aura vanished in an instant, and Xu Qing's windblown hair gradually settled.
"Calm down, calm down..."
Xu Qing slowed his speech. After soothing Ice Empress's emotions, he said softly:
"Snow Empress's current situation is less than ideal. To put it simply, she's in a situation much like yours, except hers is even worse. She can't even move."
"How's that? Pretty generous of me, isn't it? I'm telling you this precious piece of information for free."
"You're lying! You made all of that up! This Queen doesn't believe you!"
Haji Ice was ready to attack again!
Her pupils suddenly contracted into slits. She was about to use her racial talent, Biting, to attack Xu Qing.
She bent her knees, pushed off, and opened her mouth...
She nearly succeeded!
Who knew how badly those two terrifying little canines would hurt if they sank into him?
"Xu, you villain!!"
Xu Qing held her up by the back of her collar with one hand, his face thoughtful.
Sigh... Ferocious Beasts' fighting instincts really gave him a headache...
If it was too much trouble to deal with, then he simply wouldn't deal with it!!
He subdued her with a sudden, overwhelming show of force!
Using the special equipment in the room, he sealed the Scorpion King's physical strength.
Then, to prevent her from using sound-wave attacks, he conjured a piece of Mystic Ice Marrow just the right size for her mouth.
It fit perfectly, plugging her mouth.
"Mmph, mmph... Mmph!!"
"Mmph..."
She quieted down.
Delicious food could put small animals in a good mood and help them forget life's unhappiness.
As an experienced veterinarian, he naturally knew this trick well!
"Go ahead and eat. If you understand, nod. If you don't, shake your head."
Xu Qing looked at the fragile, quiet girl sitting in the chair like a hamster, and the corners of his mouth curled upward!
This guy was downright awful!!
"Seems the Mystic Ice Marrow isn't completely useless to you. At the very least, you seem to like it."
Ice Empress felt the marrow slowly melting, stimulating her taste buds against her will.
Its familiar, sweet flavor filled her mouth.
Her agitation eased somewhat. Of course, that was mainly because she could use Soul Power again.
It wasn't because it tasted good or anything...
She turned her face away and chewed faster, not wanting to look at those inscrutable eyes.
But her ears were still perked up.
Xu Qing returned to the point:
"Snow Empress went into seclusion to try to survive her tribulation, but she failed."
Boom—!
Ice Empress's mind rang, then went blank. It was like a bolt from the blue.
He knew Snow'er had gone into seclusion?
She slowly turned her head, disbelief written all over her face.
"Mmph... Cough, cough..."
The marrow had gone down the wrong way... In her current body, which was just like a mortal's, she even started to tear up from the reflex.
She was in a bit of a sorry state.
Xu Qing, however, didn't care at all. It was as if he hadn't noticed.
His tone simply lost all its earlier casualness, becoming more serious than ever.
"You know Snow Empress knows the location of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus. To increase her chances of surviving the Heavenly Tribulation, she chose to consume this precious herb."
"But the Seven Hundred Thousand Year Heavenly Tribulation was far too terrifying. Without an opportunity against the heavens, it was a calamity that meant certain death."
"So naturally, she failed. Fortunately, she didn't lose her life, so she tried to forcibly transform into human form to save herself."
"But right at this crucial moment!!"
Xu Qing stopped and looked at Ice Empress, who had been struck dumb by the flood of information. Then he revealed the truth.
"It was all because of those detestable human Soul Masters!! They used despicable methods to forcibly seal Snow Empress!!"
"Sigh... That's more or less what happened."
By then, Ice Empress had swallowed all the Mystic Ice Marrow, but she still didn't make a sound.
The light gradually faded from her eyes.
The Snow Lotus... Only Snow'er and I knew about that Snow Lotus. How could you know?
Xu Qing, how could you know everything, as if you'd seen it with your own eyes?
Ice Empress tried to convince herself, but she couldn't find a single way to refute him.
Endless sorrow and despair swept through her heart.
And more painful than the truth were the memories of her past with Snow'er.
Snow'er... had been captured by humans. Heh, heh... She'd met the same fate as me.
Waiting for death... Was that the destiny of Soul Beasts?
How... unfair.
"But," Xu Qing said, changing tack and coaxing her on, "I can rescue Snow Empress. I can even help her return to her peak, and perhaps reach even greater heights!"
"And all of this depends on you, Ice Empress."
"I want you!"
Xu Qing raised his voice slightly.
"I'll use an unlimited supply of Ten-Thousand-Year Mystic Ice Marrow to help you break through to a million years of cultivation! Then, at that level, you'll become my Soul Ring through a special method!"
"I want you to help me become a god!! Just like that million-year spiritual Soul Beast, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm."
As he spoke, the silver-white figure appeared behind Xu Qing once more. The Golden Soul Ring standing behind its head suddenly blazed with light!
A Golden Soul Ring that didn't belong to any of the usual colors used to classify Soul Rings by age!
Next, Xu Qing took out the pair of black gloves and infused them with a little Soul Power. They gave off an aura that made her both furious and disgusted.
Ice Empress's already tumultuous heart roiled even more, once again leaving her unable to calm down!
Rumble!!
It was as if thunder had appeared out of nowhere!
Ice Empress stared blankly, her little mouth open, unable to speak.
But Xu Qing kept piling it on! He didn't care whether Ice Empress could take the shock!!
"Heh, heh, ha ha! Ice Empress, you've cultivated for tens of thousands of years. Have you ever seen a Soul Beast reach level one hundred and become a god?"
"The true purpose of this Mystic Ice Marrow is to bring immense benefits to Ice-attribute Soul Beasts."
"Heh... Enough about the future. Ice Empress, let's talk about you right now. You're about to face a Heavenly Tribulation too, aren't you?"
"Do you want to survive? Do you want to become a million-year Soul Beast? Do you want to break through the Divine Realm's blockade and claim godhood?"
"And do you want to reunite with Snow Empress?"
Xu Qing stepped forward, his expressionless face turned toward her as he extended his left hand.
"Your future is right here."
Ice Empress didn't respond for a long time, and Xu Qing was a little puzzled.
What the hell? I'd made it so clear. Rescue Snow Empress, break through to a million years, become a god and live forever... Which of those didn't she want?
This was a win-win situation!
Tsk...
"Xu... Qing..."
Ice Empress's voice was a little hoarse. She raised her head slightly and gazed into those deep eyes.
"Did you forget that you tied my hands up?"
"..."
"Sorry about that..."
Luckily, Xu Qing had thick skin.
Smack!
Her soft, cool little hand came to rest on his hard, hot one.
An unspoken understanding took shape between them.
"Uh, aren't you going to let go? Scorpion King, how long are you planning to keep touching me?"
Xu Qing still had no sense of tact.
"Tch..."
"This Queen has a name."
And she wasn't some ordinary scorpion, either!
Ice Empress pursed her lips, shot him a glare, and pulled her hand back.
How could this guy be so serious one moment and so unserious the next?
Hmph! Don't think this Queen has really agreed to anything!! You just went on and on, without even caring whether I understood.
Tsk... And that worm, too. It had actually offered itself up to Xu Qing?
Before you continue