You Really Are Bad, You Little Thing!

The Ice Empress tilted her head in confusion. "The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well? What is that?"

The twin ponytails atop her head swayed slightly, and her emerald eyes brimmed with curiosity.

The Snow Empress was equally curious, her gaze resting on Ling Xiao as she waited for his explanation.

Ling Xiao explained, "The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well is actually a treasure basin."

Its origins could be traced back to ancient times, when the Ice Dragon King and Fire Dragon King both perished in a great battle.

Their skeletal remains fell from the God Realm and eventually landed on the Douluo Continent.

The two sets of remains merged and balanced each other, ultimately forming this treasure basin.

Over the long years, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had grown a vast number of Immortal Herbs."

Ling Xiao paused before continuing, "There are many kinds of Immortal Herbs, each with extraordinary effects.

Some can increase cultivation, some can strengthen the body, some can cleanse the meridians and marrow, and some can even restore one's origin.

There are even rumors that anyone who obtains Immortal Herbs can ascend and become a god."

The Ice Crystal Palace suddenly fell silent, and both Ice and Snow Emperors froze slightly at those words.

Ascend and become a god?

Those four words were like four bolts of thunder, exploding in their minds.

The Ice Empress's eyes instantly shone brightly.

She excitedly stood atop the ice bed, her twin ponytails swinging wildly with her emotions.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's hurry and set off right now!"

The Ice Empress sounded extremely anxious, as though she wanted to fly straight to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well that very moment.

After experiencing the Myriad-Year Profound Ice Marrow, she had complete faith in Ling Xiao's words.

This time, if Ling Xiao said the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had a great number of Immortal Herbs, then it definitely did.

The Ice Empress could no longer wait.

Yet when she saw how anxious the Ice Empress was, the Snow Empress merely smiled helplessly.

"Bing'er. Such an important place must be guarded by something."

"Don't rush. Let Little Ling Xiao finish what he has to say first."

The Ice Empress halted mid-step.

After thinking it over carefully, the Ice Empress had to admit that the Snow Empress made sense.

Somewhat unwillingly, she sat back down, and even her twin ponytails drooped slightly.

"Fine. Little Ling Xiao, hurry up and tell us."

The Ice Empress urged from the side.

The Snow Empress motioned for Ling Xiao to continue, and his expression gradually turned solemn.

"Mom, Auntie. There... may be a wisp of a god's divine consciousness there."

The moment Ling Xiao said those words, the air seemed to freeze solid.

The Ice Empress's expression stiffened slightly.

The excitement flickering in her eyes was instantly replaced by gravity.

The Snow Empress's pupils contracted slightly.

A wisp of a god's divine consciousness.

That was no ordinary enemy.

It was an existence from the God Realm. Even a lingering wisp of divine consciousness could not be underestimated.

For soul beasts like them, still struggling in the mortal world, the very word "god" represented an insurmountable chasm.

Ling Xiao continued, "So, this trip may be dangerous."

The Ice Crystal Palace fell into silence, and neither the Snow Empress nor the Ice Empress spoke.

Seeing their expressions, Ling Xiao's heart sank slightly.

In truth, he could not be sure whether the Ice and Snow Emperors would go with him.

After all, the crisis before them, the imminent heavenly tribulation, had already passed.

Under such circumstances, rather than risking their lives to challenge a god's divine consciousness,

it would be better to remain safely in the Far North, consolidate their cultivation, and grow steadily.

That was a person's instinctive way of thinking.

Seeking benefit and avoiding harm was the instinct of all living things.

Ling Xiao could understand that.

He did not urge the Ice and Snow Emperors, quietly standing there as he waited for their answer.

Seeing Ling Xiao's silent expression, the two women could not help exchanging a glance.

Their gazes met in the air, and they held a brief, wordless exchange.

What Ling Xiao did not know was that they had already guessed his thoughts.

The Snow Empress gave the Ice Empress a look, and the Ice Empress immediately understood.

She turned toward Ling Xiao, a hint of teasing in her voice.

"Little Ling Xiao, what are you thinking? Don't tell me you're worried we won't go with you?"

Having his thoughts exposed so quickly by the Ice Empress, Ling Xiao's body stiffened slightly.

"Uh... well..."

Ling Xiao stammered awkwardly.

"Hmph! I guessed right after all."

"You little thing, I can tell what you're thinking with one look."

Just as Ling Xiao did not know what to say, the long-silent Snow Empress finally spoke.

"Little Ling Xiao."

The Snow Empress's voice was calm and gentle.

"Hmm?"

Ling Xiao instinctively looked toward the Snow Empress.

"Come here."

The Snow Empress made space between them, gesturing for Ling Xiao to sit in the middle.

Though Ling Xiao still had doubts, he obediently walked over.

The Ice and Snow Emperors sat to his left and right, their familiar auras enveloping him.

When Ling Xiao sat down, the Snow Empress tightly held both his hands.

Her hands were as cold as ever, but her grip was firm.

The Snow Empress's tone carried a trace of indulgence.

"You may have grown taller, but you still think like a child."

Ling Xiao froze slightly.

"Mom wants to ask you a question."

The Snow Empress gazed gently into his eyes.

"If we didn't go, would you still go by yourself?"

Hearing the Snow Empress's question, Ling Xiao fell silent for a moment, then nodded heavily.

That's right!

To become stronger, he had to go to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Because there were Immortal Herbs there, which could help the Ice and Snow Emperors improve their strength even further.

That place was a crucial step toward becoming stronger. Whether anyone went with him or not, he would go.

After receiving Ling Xiao's answer, the Snow Empress instead asked him another question.

"Little thing."

The Snow Empress's tone changed slightly.

"Did you know about that place long ago? Did you only tell us now?"

Ling Xiao nodded again.

The Snow Empress continued questioning him.

"Were you worried that we would be afraid of the danger and refuse to go with you?"

Ling Xiao nodded once more.

After being asked so many questions in a row by the Snow Empress, Ling Xiao felt a little embarrassed.

The Ice Crystal Palace fell briefly silent, and a trace of anger appeared on the Snow Empress's face.

The Snow Empress rarely showed such an expression. It was a mother's anger.

The Snow Empress slowly raised her hand, and Ling Xiao instinctively shut his eyes.

He turned his head aside and shrank his neck, thinking his mother was about to hit him.

Yet all he felt was a light flick to his forehead.

"Tap~"

The Snow Empress said in feigned anger,

"You really are bad, you little thing! How could you think that about Mom?"

The Snow Empress's voice was full of tenderness.

"If that place is truly dangerous, then even if you didn't want me to go, Mom still would."

"No matter what lies ahead."

"Whether it's a god or divine consciousness, as long as you want to go, Mom will accompany you."

"That's right, that's right!"

The Ice Empress also chimed in repeatedly from the side, her expression utterly serious.

"How could you think that about Auntie? Is your auntie the kind of person who fears death?"

The Ice Empress spoke righteously, as though the earlier worry had been the greatest insult to her.

"Even if we truly encounter danger, your auntie won't be afraid!"

Hearing that, warmth rose in Ling Xiao's heart, and his nose stung slightly.

He really had overthought it.

He was used to having no one to help him, to relying on himself for everything.

But he seemed to have forgotten that he was no longer alone.

He had the Snow Empress as his mother.

He had the Ice Empress as his auntie.

No matter what he encountered ahead, his mother and auntie would always be by his side.

"Mom, Auntie, I'm sorry."