Negotiating with the Ice Empress

A terrifying presence swept out of the ice and snow palace, pinning the ten-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion in place.

"Useless thing. You actually let a human ride on your head. You've disgraced all scorpions."

The cold, merciless voice pressed in from every direction.

The ten-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion cowered like a quail, its body shaking like a sieve as it said in a trembling voice:

"My king, I have failed. I am willing to accept any punishment."

Hui Ye jumped down from the ten-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion's head and shielded it behind him.

"All right, stop scaring it. Ice Empress, I came to discuss an important matter with you."

"How dare you! Do you have any right to speak here?"

The Ice Empress released a burst of Soul Power that squeezed Hui Ye's body until it exploded. In the blink of an eye, he came back to life, good as new.

Hui Ye said unconcernedly, "Don't bother, Ice Empress. If you could kill me, this little scorpion wouldn't have been unable to do anything about me."

Gratitude immediately appeared in the ten-thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion's eyes. What a good person! You finally said what I've been suffering in silence.

Refusing to believe it, the Ice Empress killed Hui Ye several dozen more times.

Sensing that the fluctuations of Soul Power coming from Hui Ye had not weakened in the slightest, the Ice Empress crawled out of the ice and snow palace and stood atop a raised platform, looking down at him.

Her emerald-green eyes gleamed with the most primal killing intent and wildness.

"Heh, human, do you think that means everything will be just fine?"

The Ice Empress gave a cold snort and released a terrifying wave of Soul Power, enveloping Hui Ye and holding him prisoner.

Hui Ye couldn't move, and his Soul Power stopped flowing. He stood on the spot like a statue, though his mouth could still go on chattering.

"Sister Ice Empress, I came to discuss an important matter with you. It's so heartbreaking that you've trapped me like this."

The Ice Empress ignored Hui Ye's affected words and said disdainfully, "Now you're afraid? A mere human child like you thinks he can discuss important matters with me? Don't you find that laughable?"

"First, have your subordinate leave. What comes next isn't for outside scorpions to hear, because this concerns... gods!"

The Ice Empress narrowed her eyes. Becoming a god was something she had always dreamed of, and it was also an unreachable dream for the Soul Beast Clan.

Now some wet-behind-the-ears brat had suddenly appeared to discuss gods with her. How could she believe him?

Hui Ye kept chattering. "What, you don't believe me?"

"Enough. Ant, you can spend the rest of your life imprisoned here.

"So what if you have limitless Soul Power? The day your lifespan runs out will be the day you die.

"And we Soul Beasts have plenty of years to spare."

The Ice Empress turned and started to crawl back into the ice and snow palace.

"Ice Empress, I'm afraid you won't survive your next heavenly tribulation, will you?"

Hui Ye's voice was soft and light, but to the Ice Empress, it was like a thunderclap, making her whole body tremble.

She turned around and stared fixedly at Hui Ye. "What did you say?"

Hui Ye didn't answer the Ice Empress's question and continued, "I can help you survive your next heavenly tribulation."

A storm was already raging in the Ice Empress's heart. How could a human possibly know her secret?

The coldness in her eyes gradually turned to wariness.

Hui Ye said in his heart, Teacher, please help me undo the spatial restraint.

Under the Ice Empress's gaze, a wisp of golden light suddenly appeared around Hui Ye, undoing the spatial restraint she had set.

The Ice Empress's pupils shrank into vertical slits. She had sensed the presence of a god in that wisp of golden light.

"Now we can talk, can't we?"

Without waiting for the Ice Empress to react, Hui Ye walked past her and into the ice and snow palace on his own.

The ice and snow palace looked grand and imposing from the outside, but its interior was extremely plain.

The entire palace was ice-blue in color. Aside from two ice and snow thrones at the far end, there was nothing else.

Hui Ye shook his head and said, "It's so plain. It doesn't suit your status and position at all."

The Ice Empress's voice came from behind him. "We of the Soul Beast Clan have no need for your humans' empty frills."

As she spoke, the Ice Empress transformed from her Soul Beast form into a human girl. Her emerald-green hair was tied in a single ponytail behind her head, and she wore an ice-crystal crown.

She looked quite innocent and cute, but there was not a trace of humanity in her eyes, only endless coldness.

Feeling Hui Ye's gaze lingering on her, the Ice Empress couldn't help frowning. "What are you staring at?"

"Wow, Sister Ice Empress, you're so cute!" Hui Ye clapped his hands and exclaimed.

"You're courting death!"

The Ice Empress shouted furiously. More than anything, she hated being called cute.

She was the mighty Ice Empress. People could call her cold, proud, or cruel, but she absolutely could not be associated with being cute.

"You'd better tell me why you're here while I still have patience. Otherwise, I don't mind using my origin power to tear you to pieces and scatter your soul, so you'll never be reborn!"

Hui Ye clicked his tongue. "Ice Empress, that's vicious of you. Teacher, how about we just kill her and make soup out of her? Why bother talking?"

Electrolux emerged from the depths of Hui Ye's soul and landed on one of the ice and snow thrones above. He stroked the armrest of the ice chair without saying a word.

The Ice Empress's calves trembled uncontrollably as she stared fixedly at Electrolux.

It's him. It's him.

The presence of a god came from him.

If Electrolux so much as glanced at her or made a move, the Ice Empress would turn and run without hesitation.

"Ice Empress, this is my teacher. His godhood is known as the Holy Necromancer," Hui Ye introduced him.

I've never heard of that godhood.

The Ice Empress was puzzled, but the presence of a god could not be faked.

She could only brace herself and bow respectfully. "Greetings, Lord Holy Necromancer."

Electrolux nodded. His voice held no trace of emotion; his manner was completely different from when he spoke to Hui Ye.

"No need for formalities. Whatever it is, speak to the little fellow. What he wants is what I want."

"Yes."

The Ice Empress acknowledged him and looked at Hui Ye. She was already seventy to eighty percent convinced that there was a way for her to survive the heavenly tribulation.

With a god backing him, what was her next heavenly tribulation?

"Sister Ice Empress, sacrifice yourself to me. When I become a god, I can help you attain godhood too and bring you into the Divine Realm."

Cold sweat poured down the Ice Empress's face as she listened. I never should have believed his nonsense. He really does covet my body and want my Soul Ring.

The Ice Empress shot Electrolux a discreet glance and said through gritted teeth,

"Impossible. Don't even think about it. I won't sacrifice myself. Kill me if you can."

Hui Ye said with a smile, "Don't get so worked up yet. By the way, you know Tian Meng, right?"

The Ice Empress snorted coldly. "That useless big bug."

The thought of that shameless meat worm brazenly pursuing her so desperately made her shudder with revulsion. She regretted not killing it and eating it as sashimi back then, letting it escape instead.

Hui Ye then told her how Tian Meng had sacrificed himself to Huo Yuhao.

"What? That coward actually sacrificed himself?"

The Ice Empress's eyes widened. She was even more shocked than she had been when she saw Electrolux.

"Impossible. You're lying to me."

"Do you know the real reason Tian Meng sacrificed himself?"

The Ice Empress furrowed her brows. "What?"

"Because when Tian Meng broke through to a million years of cultivation, he discovered he simply couldn't become a god, and there was no Godhood Inheritance for him."