The Ice Empress's Heart Yields

"Of course there's a reason you can't see it. Come on, let's go to your cave. I'll tell you why. I've got a great opportunity to give you."

Zhu Huang acted as if they were already close, not caring in the slightest about the Ice Empress's hostility.

"To my cave?"

The Ice Empress waved her pincers and said in a crisp voice, "You've got quite the nerve. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you? Don't think I won't attack you just because you're a soul beast. Let me tell you, with me, as long as you provoke me, I don't care whether you're a soul beast or a human—I'll kill you all the same."

Zhu Huang said calmly, "I came to bring you an opportunity. It'll only benefit you, and I bear you no hostility at all. Why would you kill me? Even if you want to kill me, you should at least wait until you've heard what this opportunity is before deciding whether you still want to make a move, right?"

The Ice Empress thought for a moment. With a flash of light, she turned into a pretty, beautiful girl of fifteen or sixteen. Several dark-green markings on her face gave her a unique charm, and her dark-green hair was tied into twin tails that fell over her shoulders, making her look both pure and adorable.

"Fine, then I'll give you a chance and hear what this so-called opportunity of yours is. If it doesn't satisfy me, hmph, you'll be in for it."

The Ice Empress waved her little fist threateningly. Judging from the trace of aura this fellow had released earlier, he was only a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. His strength was far beneath hers.

"Follow me!"

The Ice Empress beckoned and flew back in the direction she had come from.

Zhu Huang followed behind her. After flying for about an hour, they arrived before a huge glacier. Beneath the glacier was a cave entrance several meters tall. They flew in through it, and inside was a world of its own.

Zhu Huang glanced around. The cave dwelling was a little over a hundred square meters, with an ice bed, ice table, ice chairs, and a few snow plum blossoms. It was simple and plain, clean and tidy, and carried a faint floral fragrance.

"Sit."

The Ice Empress invited Zhu Huang to sit in the chair before the table. She sat opposite him, looking at Zhu Huang's peerless handsome face. At such close range, she sensed the inexplicable allure coming from him, and a faint blush rose on her cheeks. She turned her gaze away and asked, "What's this opportunity you mentioned?"

Zhu Huang said, "Look at my current strength. Guess how long it's been since I transformed."

The Ice Empress said, "You already have the strength of a Title Douluo now. After transforming, it must have been several decades at least, right?"

"Wrong. It hasn't even been a year since I transformed."

"Impossible!"

The Ice Empress shrieked, "Even if a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast has extraordinary talent after transforming, cultivating to the Title Douluo level would still take thirty or forty years no matter what. How could you possibly have recovered your strength in less than a year?"

Zhu Huang smiled and said, "That's your method of transformation. My method is different. After I transformed, not only did I not lose my strength, I became even stronger. I can also freely switch between a human body and a soul beast form, and my heavenly tribulations are gone too."

The Ice Empress's expression turned cold. "Nonsense. You're trying to deceive me with such a clumsy lie? Do you think I'm that stupid? Speak. What are you trying to do? If you can't explain yourself clearly, don't blame me for being merciless!" Her aura surged, and it looked like she was about to attack.

"I knew you wouldn't believe it!"

Zhu Huang laughed loudly. With a flash of light, a pitch-black spider the size of a millstone appeared before the Ice Empress. A powerful aura rushed toward her, making her heart seize as she sensed a fatal threat.

"How is this possible?"

The Ice Empress's eyes widened. Just now, she had carefully sensed Zhu Huang's condition at close range. He had absolutely transformed into a human in terms of life form, not merely taken human shape like she had, which was nothing but a trick of the eye.

But at this moment, the giant spider before her had absolutely transformed into a soul beast in terms of life form. It was not an illusion or a trick of the eye either. In other words, he really could freely switch between human body and soul beast?

How had he done it? Could everything he said be true?

But how was that possible? How could a soul beast transform into a human and not only avoid losing all its power, but actually increase its strength, while still being able to freely turn back into its original soul beast body?

The Ice Empress was simply too curious. If even the soul beast heavenly tribulations were truly gone, then this really was an enormous opportunity.

"How did you do it?"

The Ice Empress's eyes shone brightly. She was desperate to know the method. If she could also become like him, then what would she have to fear from her four-hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation?

"You believe me now?"

Zhu Huang changed back into human form and sat down in the chair again.

"Mm-hmm, I believe you!"

The Ice Empress nodded her little head repeatedly, her smile bright and carrying a hint of flattery.

Zhu Huang said unhurriedly, "Let me introduce myself. My name is Zhu Huang. My true body is a Hundred-Thousand-Year Death Spider Emperor. I come from the Star Dou Great Forest, and I am the ruler of the soul beasts there. My honored title is the Demon Emperor."

The Ice Empress hurriedly said, "You've already seen my true body. I'm an Ice Jade Empress Scorpion of nearly four hundred thousand years. My name is the Ice Empress. I'm also a ruler in the Far North!"

As she spoke, she could not wait to ask, "Then since we're both soul beasts, we can be considered friends now, right? How exactly did you do it? The opportunity you said you'd give me—is it this transformation method?"

Zhu Huang said, "That's right. This is a self-created cultivation technique. All the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest have cultivated it, and they've all successfully transformed. Out of gratitude to me, they all honor me as emperor. If you want my cultivation technique, shouldn't you honor me as emperor too, like them?"

"Honor you as emperor?"

The Ice Empress was a little conflicted. A moment later, she gritted her teeth and said, "It's not impossible to honor you as emperor. If the technique you created is truly as miraculous as you say, then I'll honor you as emperor."

Zhu Huang had not expected things to go this smoothly. He had thought the Ice Empress would be as wild and unruly as the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest, and that he would have to show off his strength first.

It seemed the soul beasts of the Far North were still different from those in the Star Dou Great Forest. There were fewer soul beasts here, and not much threat from humans. These Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts were probably free and unrestrained, with little interest in ruling over others. The only thing they cared about was likely the soul beast heavenly tribulation.

"Whether it's really that miraculous or not, you'll know once you cultivate it."

Zhu Huang reached his right hand toward the Ice Empress's forehead. The Ice Empress's expression shifted, and she wanted to dodge, but Zhu Huang said, "I'm transmitting the technique to you. Don't move!"

His voice seemed to carry a strange power that made soul beasts submit, causing the Ice Empress to obey unconsciously. She stared blankly as his hand pressed against the top of her head. When she came back to herself and felt the warm touch on her forehead, a strange feeling stirred in her heart, and even the tips of her ears turned red.

The next moment, a stream of information entered her mind. The Ice Empress hurriedly received it with focus. It took a full minute before it was complete. Inside was a cultivation technique, along with detailed explanations of the technique that would allow her to understand it quickly and begin cultivating.

This method of transmitting techniques was something Zhu Huang had developed during this period. After all, soul beasts were illiterate, and their comprehension was worrying. If he still had to explain and teach it word by word like before, it would be far too tiring.

So Zhu Huang had come up with a shortcut: he would pour the technique, along with his own understanding of it, directly into the recipient's mind, skipping the process of making them study and comprehend it themselves. It saved trouble for both sides.

The Ice Empress's eyes went unfocused as she comprehended the information in her mind, and a look of amazement appeared on her face.

A long while passed before she came back to herself. The way she looked at Zhu Huang was as if she were gazing at a celestial being, thick with worship as she exclaimed, "You actually created such an earth-shaking cultivation method? Isn't that way too incredible? Just the fact that you could create such a peerless divine art makes you qualified for me to follow you."

"The honor is mine!"

Zhu Huang smiled faintly. In that moment, he suddenly understood the Ice Empress's choice. In the original work, knowing she could not survive her four-hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation, she had even indulged in the wild idea of creating a god, then following the god she created to cling to a powerful support and ascend, not caring whether the one she followed was a Soul Beast or a human.

That was also why the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had been able to persuade her to follow Huo Yuhao. At that time, Huo Yuhao had still been a weakling, yet she had still been willing to sacrifice herself and follow him, let alone Zhu Huang now. As long as he could help her survive her tribulation, nothing else was a problem.

"Then I'm going to start cultivating. Let's see how effective it is!"

The Ice Empress could no longer wait. Paying no mind to Zhu Huang still sitting to the side, she climbed straight onto her sickbed and began cultivating according to the method.

Zhu Huang took out a cup of tea and slowly savored it. Looking at the Ice Empress's earnest appearance, he smiled and said, "If there's anything you don't understand, you can ask me. I'll be staying here for a while."

"Mm-hm, thank you!"

At this point, the Ice Empress no longer had any doubts about the Spider Emperor. Besides, she had already acknowledged him as her master, so there was nothing left to guard against. She immersed herself wholeheartedly in a strange cultivation state she had never experienced before.

Of all the Soul Beasts Zhu Huang had ever seen, the Ice Empress's Soul Beast origin was the richest apart from Bear Lord's. Her strength was also the greatest apart from Bear Lord's. It took nearly half a year before she finally transformed all of her Soul Beast origin into demon power.

"I can finally take human form!"

The Ice Empress leapt up from the sickbed, her face full of excitement, and grabbed Zhu Huang's arm. "Come on, come on, help me set things up. I'm going to undergo my transformation tribulation."

After nearly half a year together, the two of them had already become very familiar with each other, and the Ice Empress no longer stood on ceremony with Zhu Huang.

"It's already been arranged. There's a formation that can gather spiritual energy and increase your recovery ability. With your strength, getting through the transformation tribulation won't be a problem."

Zhu Huang was dragged out of the cave dwelling by the Ice Empress. Outside was an endless expanse of ice fields. More than a dozen li away was a place thick with spiritual energy, the suitable tribulation site he had found for the Ice Empress.

Rumble!

The sky changed.

Dark clouds blanketed the heavens, lightning flashed, and thunder roared. The oppressive atmosphere made every Soul Beast feel as if a mountain were pressing down on their hearts, and each hid in its cave, trembling.

The Ice Empress's pretty face paled slightly. It was this very aura of lightning tribulation. She had already survived it three times, and each time had been more terrifying than the last. Three tribulations meant three experiences of narrowly escaping death.

She lifted her head and looked at the sky. This lightning tribulation was no weaker than the one she had undergone last time. It was even stronger, but she felt much more confident.

After cultivating the Demon God Art and converting her Soul Power into demon power, her strength had increased by no small amount. Naturally, the Demon God Art also greatly improved her ability to withstand the lightning tribulation.

Now, she was even confident she could survive her four-hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation.

Streaks of purple lightning struck down one after another, hitting the Ice Empress's small body. Charred wounds began appearing on her crystalline, beautiful form, while her body was slowly reconstructed bit by bit, reborn amid destruction.

The lightning struck for a full three hours. The Ice Empress was covered in wounds, and when the lightning tribulation dispersed, her aura had weakened greatly, but she was not at the end of her rope. It was far from a nine-deaths-one-life ordeal.

The spiritual energy in the air was rapidly absorbed by her, and her wounds recovered at a visible speed. Amid flickering light, a completely bare young girl stood there, joyfully examining her own body, looking up and down, touching here and there, and even spinning a few times.

When the corner of her eye caught sight of Zhu Huang not far away, she could not help letting out a scream. Only then did she remember that she had just transformed and had only been caught up in her happiness, not yet having had time to conjure herself a set of clothes.

"You're not allowed to look!"

The Ice Empress's pretty face flushed scarlet. Her eyes were flustered, and she was unbearably shy. She hurriedly conjured a set of emerald-green dress robes, then flew over to Zhu Huang with an awkward, embarrassed air.

"How do you feel?"

Zhu Huang smiled brightly, his face full of concern, as if he had seen nothing at all.

"F-fine!"

The Ice Empress's heart pounded wildly. She had never expected to accidentally let this guy see everything. How could that be acceptable? She had kept herself pure for Sister Snow. Even if he was her lord, he could not just see all of her, right?

Right, Sister Snow...

The Ice Empress suddenly started. How long had it been since she last saw Sister Snow? She had not even thought of Sister Snow in so long. During this period, she had been getting along happily with her lord, to the point that she had actually forgotten to think of Sister Snow.

That would not do. Master was very good, but the one she liked was still Sister Snow. Now that she had obtained such a heaven-shaking opportunity, she could not leave Sister Snow behind.

The Ice Empress calmed her flustered emotions and walked up to Zhu Huang, saying sweetly, "My lord, I want to ask you for one thing."

"Go ahead. What is it?"

Zhu Huang naturally took the Ice Empress's small hand, ignoring her slight, symbolic struggle, and put on the appearance of checking the condition of her body. He smiled and said, "With our relationship, as long as I can do it, I definitely won't refuse. Is there any need to beg?"

The Ice Empress struggled once but failed to pull free. Seeing that her master was checking her body, and with such a reason in place, she let him hold her small hand. It was not as if this was the first time her master had held her hand. Her cheeks warmed slightly, but when she heard Zhu Huang's words, an inexplicable sweetness rose in her heart, and she felt incomparably happy.

"It's... it's Sister Snow! Master, you should have heard of the three great overlords of the Far North. Sister Snow is the strongest of them, a Soul Beast close to seven hundred thousand years old. She also has no confidence in surviving her next heavenly tribulation. Master, I want to ask you to teach the Demon God Art to Sister Snow too, and subdue Sister Snow as well. That way, we can stay together forever from now on."

As the Ice Empress spoke, she looked at Zhu Huang with her glass-like, beautiful, limpid eyes, full of pleading.

"Since she's my Bing'er's sister, she's also my sister. Of course I'm willing to teach her the cultivation method. Familiarize yourself properly with your state after transforming, then we'll go find the Snow Empress."

"Thank you, Master!"

The Ice Empress was delighted.

"How do you want to thank me?"

Zhu Huang asked with a smile that was not quite a smile.

"Ah, how do you want me to thank you?"

When the Ice Empress saw Zhu Huang's smile, she kept feeling that he had bad intentions. Her heart panicked, and she spoke bashfully.

"You'll know in a bit. Come on, let's go inside. I'll help you check your physical condition more carefully, in case there's any discomfort after your transformation."

Zhu Huang laughed aloud and pulled the shy Ice Empress into the cave dwelling, then shut the cave door behind them.