Su Yu smiled lightly and casually grabbed the Ice Empress' scorpion tail.
He gently stroked it.
The Ice Empress' tail was a translucent green, like jade with an icy hue. It was cool and smooth to the touch, with an excellent feel.
For a moment, Su Yu found himself reluctant to let go, unable to resist rubbing it a few more times.
But this made the Ice Empress panic.
Her whole body trembled, an indescribable tingling sensation spreading through her.
The scorpion tail was the most sensitive and private part of the Ice Jade Scorpion Clan—something no one was ever allowed to touch.
But Su Yu was playing with it?
"Su Yu, what are you doing?"
The Ice Empress's voice rang out, a mix of anger and embarrassment, her amber eyes glaring at Su Yu in displeasure.
This Su Yu, how dare he touch her scorpion tail!
"Why such a big reaction?"
Su Yu was startled, and slightly confused.
"It's just your scorpion tail. No need to get so worked up."
"What do you know? Let go, now."
The strange sensation from her tail made the Ice Empress feel unwell. Holding back that peculiar feeling, she spoke, filled with shame and anger.
"What if I don't?"
Su Yu teased.
"You… I…"
The Ice Empress was frustrated, stumbling over her words.
But seeing her aura grow increasingly unstable, it was clear she was truly upset.
Su Yu stopped teasing her and released his grip.
The Ice Empress quickly moved her tail away and backed up a few steps, putting distance between herself and Su Yu, watching him warily.
Seeing that Su Yu didn't pursue the matter further, the Ice Empress felt a slight sense of relief, but a surge of anger bubbled up inside her.
She rushed forward and bit Su Yu's calf, releasing an extreme cold that immediately froze him solid.
Su Yu was completely encased in ice.
Not far away, Hai Bodong narrowed his eyes. The Ice Empress shuddered as if she felt a sharp blade press against her.
Crack!
After a moment, the ice shattered into pieces, revealing Su Yu.
He patted his hands and grinned.
"That was pretty chilly."
"Hmph!"
The Ice Empress snorted, turning her head away.
"Still so tsundere." Su Yu chuckled, his gaze soft.
He was the wielder of the Ultimate Ice, so the Ice Empress' cold wasn't lethal to him.
Of course, that was also because the Ice Empress hadn't truly attacked with the intent to harm.
If she had, breaking free wouldn't have been so easy.
"Let's go. We're heading back to the core area."
Su Yu patted the Ice Empress and lightly jumped onto her back.
The Ice Empress was stunned for a moment, then began shaking from side to side, trying to throw Su Yu off.
"Su Yu, what are you doing? Get off me, now!"
It had been understandable when they were in a rush earlier.
But now that they had rescued Snow Empress, he still dared to ride her?
She was the Ice Empress, not a mount!
This Su Yu was getting bolder and bolder.
She wanted to get angry, but with Hai Bodong watching closely from the side, she held back… just a little.
Su Yu smiled mischievously, his feet seemingly glued to the Ice Empress' back, not budging at all.
He held onto a wooden grip with his left hand and grabbed the Ice Empress' scorpion tail with his right, which she tried to swat him off with.
"Ice Empress, even though we've saved Snow Empress, her condition is still unclear. You wouldn't want anything to happen to her, right?"
With that, the Ice Empress instantly quieted down.
Inside the God Sealing Altar, the white mist that was Snow Empress moved slightly, feeling exasperated.
Ice was wrapped around Su Yu's little finger.
In all these years, she had never seen the Ice Empress get the upper hand with Su Yu.
This child always had some trick up his sleeve.
"Hmph, this is the last time. Don't let it happen again."
The Ice Empress snorted, her concern for Snow Empress overriding everything else.
"And let go of my scorpion tail! Stop messing with it, or I'll sting you to death."
The Ice Empress threatened.
"Really? I don't believe you!"
Su Yu shook his head.
The Ice Empress: "..."
Heh, still daring to provoke me? Does he think I won't do it?
Fine, I won't!
The Ice Empress snorted again, but she wouldn't admit that Su Yu had read her like a book.
Su Yu also knew when to stop, so he let go of her scorpion tail.
Though he claimed he didn't believe her, he still gave the Ice Empress some face.
Only then did the Ice Empress feel like she had regained some dignity. She snorted again and suddenly accelerated.
Su Yu stumbled but quickly crouched, gripping the Ice Empress' scales to stabilize himself.
The Ice Empress let out a burst of gleeful laughter, finally getting her moment of victory.
She turned into a streak of green light and disappeared into the sky.
Hai Bodong followed closely behind, vanishing as well.
...
With blinding speed, the Ice Empress carried Su Yu back to the Snow Empress' original dwelling.
After all that commotion, the Extreme North still glowed brightly.
At this time of year, the Extreme North was in its period of constant daylight, where it was always bright.
Returning to the Snow Empress' residence, the Ice Empress stopped.
Su Yu got off her and looked at the familiar surroundings.
He had spent quite a bit of time here, returning every year.
"Su Yu, quickly check on Snow Empress!"
The Ice Empress urged, nudging Su Yu with her scorpion tail.
Su Yu rolled his eyes and opened the God Sealing Altar.
A stream of white mist immediately flowed out from the God Sealing Altar.
Within the mist, a small figure could be vaguely seen, floating in front of Su Yu and the Ice Empress.
"What's the situation? Is it a success or a failure?" the Ice Empress couldn't help but ask.
On one hand, it seemed like a success, but it was still just a cloud of mist.
On the other hand, if it was a failure, Snow Empress was still intact and had even formed an embryonic shape.
It was hard to judge.
"Her transformation was interrupted halfway. Judging by her current state, it's not looking good."
"Since her transformation was interrupted, she won't be able to continue it."
Su Yu carefully observed and sighed, shaking his head.
Snow Empress had originally been forcefully transforming using the medicinal power of the Snow Lotus. Now that it had been interrupted, the consequences were dire.
"What should we do?" the Ice Empress asked anxiously.
She didn't understand transformations. She had never undergone one herself and had never heard of a beast successfully transforming.
Snow Empress was the first beast she had ever known to attempt it.
For a moment, she felt at a loss.
"Don't worry, Ice. Worst case, I'll just revert to my soul beast form. It's no big deal."
Snow Empress's voice softly reassured the Ice Empress. Her essence was still intact and hadn't been fully transformed.
Reverting to a soul beast was still an option.
"Revert to a soul beast? In your current state, your tribulation will come immediately. Don't you know that?"
Su Yu couldn't help but interject.
Did she think she could cheat the heaven without consequence?
"Little one, are you worried about me?"
Snow Empress teased.
"You're in this state and still have the mood to joke?"
Su Yu rolled his eyes at her, exasperated.
Speaking of Snow Empress, her personality isn't what you'd expect based on her appearance.
At first, Su Yu also thought Snow Empress would be the type of cold and aloof ice queen, with an air of authority and an overbearing demeanor.
But once he got to know her better, he realized that wasn't the case at all.
Snow Empress was indeed proud and had a regal aura, but she was also quite the teasing master Takagi-san. Not only did she enjoy telling dirty jokes, but she also liked to tease him whenever she had nothing else to do.
Where was that cold and distant demeanor everyone thought she had? She was more like a mischievous rogue in disguise.
Of course, not many people knew this side of her.
The world believed that Snow Empress was pure and flawless, like a being of ice and jade.
But Su Yu knew better—while she was indeed pure, she also loved to playfully tease others.
The worst part was, she would flirt but never allow anyone else to touch the steering wheel. How unfair!
Whenever Su Yu dared to flirt back, he'd receive a beating, all under the guise of loving education.
Su Yu had long harbored complaints about this Snow Empress, who was a master theorist but lacked practical follow-through.
Now, she's bullying me because I'm young and weak, huh? Just wait. When I grow up and become stronger, I'll make sure you, this little vixen, taste my ultimate technique.
I'll make you pay dearly, scattering your soul in the wind!
These thoughts swirled in Su Yu's mind, unbeknownst to Snow Empress.
Seeing Su Yu's expression, Snow Empress's smile only deepened.
She laughed softly, her white aura swirling around Su Yu before floating in front of him. "Little one, are you getting anxious?"
"I'm not even worried, so why are you?"
"Isn't it just a Heavenly Tribulation? While I'm not certain I can survive, I can at least try to resist it."
"And even if I don't make it, there's always another way."
"What other way?"
Su Yu raised an eyebrow.
"If worse comes to worst, I could always become your spirit ring."
"With your talent, you might achieve godhood. And with my soul ring, your chances would be even higher."
Snow Empress's voice carried a hint of temptation.
She wasn't wrong either—after all, she was a near-700,000-year-old Ice Snow Woman. There likely wasn't another ice-type soul beast stronger than her in the world.
The value of her soul ring was self-explanatory.
"How could that be?"
Before Su Yu could respond, Ice Empress spoke up, her tone anxious. "How could that be allowed? Absolutely not."
"If you become a soul ring, you'll be gone, Snow."
"And with the age of your soul ring, how could he possibly bear it?"
"Are you planning to sacrifice yourself, Snow?"
"No, I won't allow it!"
Ice Empress's voice was filled with urgency and emotion.
Snow Empress's soul ring was nearly 700,000 years old. Not even a Titled Douluo could withstand it, let alone Su Yu.
Unless Snow Empress chose to completely sacrifice herself, offering everything she had to Su Yu, he wouldn't be able to perfectly absorb her soul ring.
But the price Snow Empress would pay would be far too great.
Ice Empress couldn't stand the thought of this happening.
Although she had a good relationship with Su Yu, Snow Empress was the one she cared about most.
"It may not require a full sacrifice. After all, this little one has the backing of a Great Sovereign. He can absorb my soul ring while preserving my soul," Snow Empress said with a smile, her gaze resting on Su Yu.
"Really?"
Ice Empress was stunned for a moment. A Great Sovereign?
If the Great Sovereign intervened, it might indeed be possible.
But then Ice Empress shook her head again.
"No, no, there must be another way."
"Ice, there's no such thing as a perfect solution in this world," Snow Empress sighed softly.
"Being able to cling to life is already a blessing."
Snow Empress sighed again and looked at Su Yu.
"What do you think?"
"Snow Empress, there's no need to test me at a time like this. I don't have any intention on your soul ring."
"Do you doubt me? Can't you act like a normal person?"
Su Yu replied grumpily.
At first, he had indeed been stunned, momentarily swayed by Snow Empress's words.
But after thinking it over, he realized Snow Empress wasn't the type to give up so easily.
Most likely, she was testing him.
After all, she had just been harmed by human soul masters.
Though she was close to Su Yu, he was still a human soul master, and now there was suddenly an ultimate ice powerhouse by his side.
How could Snow Empress not have doubts?
"What are you talking about? Little one, don't say such things," Snow Empress chided in a teasing tone.
Su Yu shot Snow Empress a cold look and turned to leave, without the slightest hesitation.
Snow Empress was taken aback. Just as she was about to speak, Su Yu had already walked nearly a hundred meters away.
Seeing that Su Yu was truly angry and determined to leave, Snow Empress sighed softly.
"Come back, little one. It was my fault."
"I shouldn't have tested you."
Snow Empress's soft voice reached him, and Su Yu paused in his steps.
"Little one, do you want me to beg you?"
Su Yu hesitated for a moment before turning back.
"Don't let it happen again," Su Yu said quietly.
"I understand. You sure have a temper," Snow Empress murmured.
"You were the one who didn't trust me first," Su Yu's voice was cold.
Snow Empress sighed helplessly.
"It's not that I don't trust you. I don't trust the Ice God Palace."
"Besides, I wasn't just testing you. I did have that thought."
"If you had agreed instantly, I would've been disappointed and cut ties with you, pretending we never met."
"But if you refused, I would have truly become your soul ring."
"I'm not joking. I really can't survive this tribulation. Maybe this is the only way."
"And my soul ring would be a huge help to you. You aim high—don't you want to become a god?"
"My soul ring could help you take a giant leap forward."
"Your soulring might be important to me, but you are more important," Su Yu interrupted her firmly.
"Let's not talk about this anymore. There must be another way."
Snow Empress was momentarily stunned, then realized what he meant, feeling somewhat comforted.
It hadn't been in vain to teach him all these years—he hadn't let her down after all.
"What other way could there be? Becoming your soul ring is already a good outcome. At least I'd have the chance to strive for eternity with you."
"Even if we failed in the end, it would still be a glorious end."
Snow Empress chuckled.
"If you keep talking, I'll punch you."
"I said no, so no. If you can't think of a solution, then stay quiet and don't bother me," Su Yu said, growing a little impatient.
"Su Yu, how can you talk to Snow like that?"
Ice Empress spoke up, standing up for Snow Empress.
Su Yu didn't reply, but he stared intently at Ice Empress.
She shuddered, feeling a chill run through her body. She didn't understand why, but even though Su Yu was like an ant compared to her, she felt like she was the one being overpowered.
"What... what are you trying to do?"
Recalling the moment Su Yu had grabbed her tail earlier, Ice Empress suddenly felt a bit nervous for some reason.