Ice Empress pushed the fruit a little closer.
"I was asking about the taste."
"Very sweet."
Only then was she satisfied.
Snow Empress sat on the other side of the fire.
Her long, silvery-white hair fell over her pristine white dress as her fingertips worked on a torn fastening strap on Qian Chen's cloak.
Although Xiong Jun's claw light had never reached Qian Chen, it had left a small tear along the edge of his cloak.
She passed silvery-white thread through the tear, stitching the damaged area back together.
Qian Chen sat down beside her.
"Snow Sister, let me do it myself."
"It's almost finished."
Snow Empress pulled the thread tight.
She lifted the edge of the cloak, checked that no tear remained, then draped it over Qian Chen's shoulders again.
"Don't stand so far forward next time."
"Xiong Jun can't hurt me."
"I know."
Snow Empress smoothed the creases in his cloak.
"But I don't like him pointing his claws at you."
Ice Empress sat down on Qian Chen's other side.
She offered him the fruit she had taken a bite from again.
"Snow Sister is right."
"The next time something like this happens, stand behind us."
Qian Chen did not reply.
He raised his eyes toward the depths of the forest.
Snow Empress's fingers also paused on his cloak.
There was no sound of soul beasts moving through the woods.
Yet the treetops parted to either side at the same instant.
A strand of black soul power passed through layers of ancient trees and stopped outside the clearing.
The flames in the campfire sank in response.
Shui Bing'er immediately rose.
The Ice Phoenix Martial Soul spread its wings behind her.
Huo Wu gripped her shortsword, crimson soul rings rising from beneath her feet one after another.
Shui Yue'er