At the peak of the firmament, the vast black clouds strangely collapsed inward.
A deathly silence hung between heaven and earth. Not a single thunderclap sounded, yet the oppressive atmosphere was suffocating.
The thunderclouds spanning ten thousand zhang were rapidly compressed to a hundred zhang, pitch-black as ink. They resembled an abyssal black hole suspended in the heavens, slowly swirling with a terrifying aura of destruction.
The black hole abruptly fell still, as if even time had frozen.
"Crack!"
In an instant, a silver-white pillar of lightning, countless times more terrifying than the last, plunged from the center of the vortex without warning. It made no sound, yet moved too fast to follow.
"Go! Buddha Fury Fire Lotus!" Xiao Jinchen grinned. He glanced at the exquisite Three-Colored Fire Lotus in his hand, then gently pushed it toward the terrifying bolt of lightning in the sky.
The silver-white lightning and the Three-Colored Fire Lotus collided in midair with a thunderous crash.
"Boom!"
A world-shaking explosion erupted, accompanied by a blinding burst of light that swept across the surroundings, illuminating a hundred-mile radius as bright as day.
In the next moment, the phantom image of a gigantic lotus took shape above the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Well. Violent surges of Soul Power swept outward in every direction from its center.
The Buddha Fury Fire Lotus Xiao Jinchen had fused this time was far more powerful than the one he had used beneath the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Well. Back then, he had not been in peak condition, so the destructive power of the lotus he had formed had not been at its maximum.
After the final bolt of lightning fell, the pitch-black thunderclouds completely dispersed, revealing the long-missed azure sky.
The end of the Pill Lightning also marked the successful completion of the Seventh-Grade Humanoid Transformation Pill!
"Whoosh!"
At the very moment the Pill Lightning ended, the Humanoid Transformation Pill shot out of the cauldron.
"Hmph!"
Xiao Jinchen let out a cold snort. After all the effort he had put into making the Humanoid Transformation Pill, how could he possibly let it escape? Even if it had gained sentience, he would make it lie flat!
Xiao Jinchen flicked a finger. A flame shot from his fingertip and struck the Humanoid Transformation Pill.
The instant the flame touched it, the pill stiffened like a duck caught by the neck.
Xiao Jinchen gently turned his palm over, and a soft gust of wind swept the pill into his hand.
The ice-blue pill rested in his palm, carrying a faint warmth.
"Can this pill really run away?" Ice Empress jumped down from a nearby bluestone and asked curiously.
Ice Empress had been watching Xiao Jinchen fight off the Pill Lightning. If he looked like he couldn't hold on, she would have stepped in at once.
"Of course." Xiao Jinchen smiled. "Sixth-Grade Pills begin to develop a little sentience. A higher-grade Seventh-Grade Pill is even more likely to."
"Hurry up and take it." Xiao Jinchen flashed Ice Empress a bright smile, took her little hand, and placed the Humanoid Transformation Pill in it.
"Ah Chen..." Ice Empress murmured. Seeing how pale his face was, yet how gentle his expression remained, she felt a trace of warmth rise in her heart.
"Ah Chen, thank you." Ice Empress gave a soft laugh, then sat cross-legged and put the Humanoid Transformation Pill into her mouth. It melted instantly, and a wave of pure medicinal energy spread through her meridians.
From the outside, a layer of pale-blue light enveloped Ice Empress. Her aura was rising at an astonishing pace.
Amid the shifting light and shadows, she briefly transformed into her crystal-clear Ice Jade Empress Scorpion form. Then the radiance flowed over her like rippling water and faded, returning her to that breathtaking figure.
As time passed, the pale-blue glow around Ice Empress grew more and more solid, flowing around her like liquid.
The medicinal energy of the Humanoid Transformation Pill was finally fully refined, turning into surging currents of warmth that spread through her limbs and bones.
In an instant, the phantom image of a giant Ice Empress Scorpion appeared behind her. Black, black, black, black, red, red, red, red, and emerald-green—nine Spirit Rings rose from beneath her feet. An utterly terrifying pressure of Soul Power swept outward from her.
A moment later, Ice Empress slowly opened her eyes. A flash of cold light passed through them.
Ice Empress looked at her fair little hands and tried clenching one. Her abundant Soul Power surged through her body.
And the pressure brought on by the Heaven's Tribulation had truly disappeared!
"The Heaven's Tribulation... it really is gone."
An enormous wave of joy swept away Ice Empress's usual restraint. She abruptly looked up, her amber eyes alight with excitement. Unable to hold back any longer, she flashed into Xiao Jinchen's arms and clung tightly to his waist.
"Ah Chen! The Heaven's Tribulation is gone! I really did it!"
Ice Empress buried her face against Xiao Jinchen's chest, her voice trembling faintly with excitement. The Heaven's Tribulation that had tormented her for hundreds of thousands of years had vanished without a trace because of the man before her.
Xiao Jinchen let Ice Empress hold him. Feeling her petite body tremble in his arms, he raised a hand and gently stroked her smooth, emerald-green hair.
"Mm, you did it." Xiao Jinchen smiled warmly. "There'll never be another Heaven's Tribulation. You're free."
Hearing those words, Ice Empress clung to him even tighter and nuzzled against his chest. When she looked up, a tear of excitement still glimmered at the corner of her eye, but she was smiling more happily than ever.
"Ah Chen, thank you... If it weren't for you, I might have already been tricked into offering myself as a sacrifice by that hateful big bug... Now I'm free from the Heaven's Tribulation, and I have both a Soul Beast's lifespan and a human's cultivation speed." Ice Empress said happily, "You burned me with fire the first time we met. I hated you so much... But I still have to thank you, Ah Chen."
"Silly." Xiao Jinchen cut her off, reaching out to flick her pert little nose. His voice softened. "You don't need to thank me."
It took Ice Empress a good while to come to her senses. Her cheeks instantly burned red.
Embarrassed, she hurried to pull herself out of his arms. But she had barely leaned back when the large hand at her waist tightened. An irresistible force swept over her, pulling her right back into that broad, warm embrace.
"Don't move." A mischievous smile curled Xiao Jinchen's lips. Instead of letting go, he drew Ice Empress close against his chest. "You already hugged me. Now you're trying to run?"
"Y-you... What are you going to do?" Ice Empress stammered, her pretty face flushed red.
"Heh heh heh. Look, I helped you out so much. Don't you think you should thank me properly?" Xiao Jinchen chuckled mischievously.
Ice Empress's blush spread all the way to her neck. She bit her lower lip and slowly asked, "Then... what kind of compensation do you want?"
Ice Empress raised her amber eyes for a quick glance at the handsome Xiao Jinchen, then hurriedly lowered her head. "As long as it's not too much... I'll do whatever you ask."
"Oh? Is that so?" Xiao Jinchen looked at Ice Empress with a teasing smile, the mischief in his eyes growing stronger.
"It can't be too much... Otherwise, I'll..."
"Mmph!"
Before Ice Empress could finish speaking, Xiao Jinchen sealed her soft lips with his.
While Ice Empress's lips were parted, Xiao Jinchen pressed forward, prying open her teeth and slipping his tongue inside.
Ice Empress pushed against him a few times, then gently rested her arms against Xiao Jinchen's chest and let him kiss her.
Only when both of them were breathing unevenly did they slowly part. A glistening silver thread snapped between their lips.
Ice Empress's face was scarlet. She darted her eyes away, afraid to meet Xiao Jinchen's gaze.
With a mischievous smile, Xiao Jinchen reached out and wiped her lips clean.
Ice Empress nestled quietly in Xiao Jinchen's arms and murmured, "Y-you're so mean!"
"What?" Xiao Jinchen stroked Ice Empress's emerald-green hair and murmured, "Bing'er, your lips are so soft."
Ice Empress's body stiffened. Her cheeks instantly flushed all the way to her ears.
She buried her head deep in Xiao Jinchen's chest and protested, "B-Bing'er isn't what you should call me! Only Xue'er gets to call me that... Have some respect."
Though Ice Empress protested, she leaned against him as soft as water, making no move to push him away.