Ice Empress remained frozen in place for roughly four or five breaths.
The blue-gold ring was tightly fastened around her wrist, its light gentle and restrained, like an invisible hand gripping her pulse with neither too much nor too little force.
Her emerald-green eyes churned with fury, shock, and a suppressed confusion. Her fingertips twitched slightly as she tried to summon the Soul Power within her to break free, but every attempt was gently turned back by that layer of blue-gold light, like water striking an invisible dam.
Tang Wulin stood about twenty feet before her, both hands tucked into his sleeves, his posture loose and relaxed.
He did not rush to speak. He simply stood there quietly, waiting for the raging flames in Ice Empress's eyes to gradually settle from that violent surge of emotion, revealing the deeper, more genuine shock and bewilderment hidden beneath her anger.
She looked at the divine mark on Tang Wulin's forehead, where purple radiance still swirled, then at the Ice Lotus on the icy platform. Its petals had fully opened, and a gentle white glow was slowly brightening at its center. It seemed she had finally sensed something from the aura of that blue-gold ring.
Her lips moved twice. Her voice was far lower than before, hoarse with the sharp edges forcibly pressed down. "That golden figure... who was he?"
Tang Wulin did not answer immediately.
He raised a hand and lightly pressed the edge of the purple divine mark between his brows with his fingertip, feeling the warm pulse it gave off. Then he lowered his hand and spoke calmly. "The one you saw was the Sea God. But you do not need to care who he is. You only need to know that if I had wanted you dead, you would