Returning to the Ice Crystal Palace, Ice Emperor: Why is this damned bug here?!

"Brother Sky Dream, why are you spacing out? Hurry up and go in!"

Seeing Tian Meng frozen in place, Xue Chen anxiously tugged at his cold, slippery skin.

"Ah? Oh... oh!"

Startled by Xue Chen's shout, Tian Meng jolted awake from the terror of his memories.

He took a deep breath of non-existent cold air, forcibly suppressing the trepidation in his heart:

"Go... going in is fine! Brother... Brother here has seen all sorts of situations!"

Despite his words, his movements were visibly hesitant and heavy, as if he were walking toward the executioner's block.

While he cheered himself on internally, For Bingbing! For future happiness!

He followed Xue Chen into the magnificent gates of the Ice Crystal Palace with the tragic resolve of a warrior facing certain death.

Once inside the hall, Xue Chen could no longer spare a thought for Tian Meng's complex inner turmoil and immediately shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Mother... Mother!!! Something is wrong! A disaster has happened!!"

His crisp, anxious child's voice echoed through the vast, silent hall.

Almost the instant his voice fell, a crisp, delicate voice tinged with impatience yet hidden concern drifted from the inner chamber:

"You brat! What are you shouting about? Have you finished hunting for your soul ring?

Making such a racket—if you disturb the Snow Maiden's cultivation, see how I deal with you!"

With a flash of green light, the Ice Emperor appeared before Xue Chen, her arms crossed and her posture haughty.

Her emerald eyes swept over Xue Chen from head to toe, confirming he was unharmed, before she asked with a frown:

"Why are you in such a rush to find the Snow Maiden?

She is in the depths of the Ice Crystal Palace Inner Chamber, in seclusion to stabilize her cultivation. Didn't I tell you not to disturb her easily?"

Seeing it was the Ice Emperor, Xue Chen hurriedly said:

"Aunt Ice Emperor, it's not that I wanted to disturb her, but something major is happening outside!

Brother Xiao Bai is fighting someone for his life!"

"What?"

The Ice Emperor knitted her willow brows:

"Who is Xiao Bai fighting? In this Far North, who would dare cross him?"

She understood Xiao Bai's strength; ordinary existences would never dare provoke the Titan Snow Demon King in the core of the Far North.

"It's the Red King from the Star Dou Forest!"

Xue Chen explained at a rapid pace:

"He suddenly arrived in the Far North, saying he was under orders from the Beast God Di Tian to take me away!

Brother Xiao Bai refused, and now the two of them are already fighting!

The Red King's cultivation is higher than Brother Xiao Bai's. Even though Brother Xiao Bai is fighting on home turf and isn't afraid, I'm worried..."

"Red King? Di Tian?"

The Ice Emperor's pretty face sank instantly, cold light flickering in her beautiful eyes:

"The Star Dou Forest is overreaching! To think they would dare run to the Far North to snatch someone?!"

Her fury was ignited in an instant.

Setting aside the fact that Xue Chen was the Snow Emperor's adopted son and a part of their Far North, the mere act of the Star Dou Forest so arrogantly intruding on her territory to demand a person was a grave provocation to the Far North and to the three of them as rulers!

However, just as the Ice Emperor was filled with killing intent and preparing to depart to support Xiao Bai, her gaze inadvertently swept past the white, chubby figure hiding behind an ice pillar next to Xue Chen—the one who had been trying his best to shrink his body and lower his presence from the very start.

The Ice Emperor's gaze froze instantly.

Her emerald eyes flashed with disbelief for a moment before narrowing, focusing on the white, chubby figure behind the ice pillar who was trying to hide his massive frame.

The air in the hall seemed to drop to absolute zero in that moment, and even the pervasive, eternal chill took on a sharp, murderous edge.

The Ice Emperor slowly raised her arm, her slender, jade-like finger pointing at the Sky Dream Ice Worm, who was curled into a ball and wishing he could burrow into a crack in the ground;

Her voice was like ice beads falling onto a jade plate—crisp, yet carrying a chill capable of freezing the soul:

"Wait. A. Second."

"Xiao Chen, before we talk about the Red King..."

"Can you explain to me..."

"Why this damned, disgusting, stinking worm..."

"Is, here?!!!"

She squeezed the last few words out through gritted teeth, each one laden with torrential rage and a sense of... being offended and humiliated.

An aura of extreme cold radiated from her uncontrollably, and the ice floor beneath her feet was instantly covered in a thick, sharp layer of frost.

"Ugh..."

Xue Chen looked at the instantly murderous Ice Emperor, then glanced at Brother Sky Dream beside him, who was so terrified he was on the verge of fainting, his golden markings flashing frantically in warning. His heart sank.

Oh no!

He had been so preoccupied with the crisis involving the Red King and Xiao Bai that he had forgotten the guy right next to him was Auntie Ice Emperor's number one target for observation and the top name on her blacklist!

Locked in the Ice Emperor's lethal gaze, the Sky Dream Ice Worm's massive body shuddered violently, as if bound by invisible shackles of ice, leaving him unable to move.

Looking at the Ice Emperor's stunning yet bone-chillingly cold face, his mind went blank. His survival instinct and his inner "simp" nature overcame all fear, causing him to subconsciously use every ounce of his strength to squeeze out what he considered his most handsome and affectionate expression.

He waved a short, chubby forelimb, his voice turning shrill and distorted from extreme nervousness and excitement as he stammered:

"Hi... hi! Long... long time no see, Bingbing!

You... you're still as... as beautiful as ever! Your... your grace is even greater than before!"

"..."

A vein on the Ice Emperor's forehead seemed to twitch slightly.

The surrounding temperature plummeted by another ten degrees.

Watching the Sky Dream Ice Worm's foolish display, the coldness in her eyes nearly solidified into ice arrows ready to pierce right through him.

Seeing this, Xue Chen screamed internally that it was bad. If things continued like this, before the Red King could even break in, Brother Sky Dream would be turned into frozen worm sashimi by Auntie Ice Emperor right on the spot!

He lunged forward, stepping between the Sky Dream Ice Worm and the Ice Emperor. Though his frame was small, he spread his arms wide, his face plastered with an anxious, ingratiating smile:

"Auntie Ice Emperor! Calm down! Please, stay calm! Let me explain!"

He spoke at lightning speed, like a rapid-fire cannon:

"Brother Sky Dream isn't here to cause trouble this time!

He's here to help! He was the one who just saved me from that Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Cave I was trapped in!

Without him, I'd still be stuck down there!"

"And! And he came with sincerity this time! Tremendous sincerity!"

As he spoke, Xue Chen frantically signaled to the shivering Sky Dream Ice Worm behind him.

Stung by Xue Chen's glare, the Sky Dream Ice Worm finally recovered a bit from the shock of her beauty and suddenly remembered his trump card.

He hurriedly used his spiritual power to manipulate the storage ring, fumbling in a panic to display the mountain of Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow inside.

Due to his extreme nervousness, his spiritual power wavered, causing the ring to flash erratically. Several fist-sized chunks of Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow tumbled onto the ice, and the rich aura of Ultimate Ice instantly permeated the air.

The Ice Emperor's gaze was subconsciously drawn to the pieces of Profound Ice Marrow. Sensing the incredibly pure source energy within—energy that would be highly beneficial even to her—her pupils contracted imperceptibly, and a flicker of astonishment crossed her eyes.

Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow?! And of such quality and quantity?!

Where did this stupid worm... get his hands on this?

Seizing the opportunity, Xue Chen quickly continued his explanation:

"Look, Auntie Ice Emperor! Brother Sky Dream brought all the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow he could find!

He says... he says these are all gifts for you! He hopes they can help you increase your strength!"

At the same time, Xue Chen winked at the Ice Emperor, signaling her not to do anything rash.