373. What If He Deceives You?

Boom!

The icy ruins scattered into fragments, exploding outward.

From the debris emerged the proud figure of the Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor, her head held high as she let out a ferocious roar.

“Damn it!”

“That cowardly rat only knows how to run! Tch!”

Her powerful aura was so overwhelming that even the falling snow reversed its direction, swirling upward.

Snow Empress lowered her gaze from the sky and turned her attention to her sister.

“Bing'er, are you alright?”

“Sister!”

The Ice Jade Emperor’s voice was no longer soft or gentle; instead, it carried a note of accusation.

“Why are you helping that human?”

“…”

Snow Empress's expression remained calm. Her elegant brows furrowed slightly, indicating she was giving the question serious thought.

After a brief pause, she lightly touched her pale lips with a delicate finger, her expression earnest.

“Because I don’t want him to get hurt.”

“What?!”

The Ice Jade Emperor’s voice was full of shock.

In all the years they’d spent together, she had never seen Snow Empress show mercy to a human—let alone express concern for one’s wellbeing.

The Ice Jade Emperor’s aura grew unstable, her tone agitated.

“Sister! Are you out of your mind? He’s human!”

“Didn’t you see his 100,000-year soul ring? He’s the natural enemy of soul beasts!”

Snow Empress shook her head gently, her tone unshaken.

“Qian Renjue told me that his red soul ring is a divine-bestowed soul ring.”

“A divine-bestowed soul ring?”

The Ice Jade Emperor clacked her claws together, her long legs stabbing into the ice as she stared intently at Snow Empress with her emerald-green eyes.

“Sister, don’t be deceived! Humans are cunning and full of lies!”

“Qian Renjue didn’t lie to me,” Snow Empress said, her expression turning serious, her icy eyes unwavering.

“Bing'er, I examined it myself. There is no trace of a soul beast’s spirit in that 100,000-year soul ring.”

“…”

The Ice Jade Emperor froze, stunned by the revelation.

She couldn’t focus on why there wasn’t a beast spirit within the ring. Instead, her attention shifted to Snow Empress's attire and the intimate behavior she had just witnessed between her sister and the human.

Suddenly, the Ice Jade Emperor felt an inexplicable weight pressing down on her head.

They had been this close all along, and she hadn’t even noticed.

Her heart burned with frustration and wariness.

“Sister, aren’t you afraid he’s only after your soul ring?”

“I’m aware.”

Snow Empress nodded slightly, her calm demeanor unshaken.

“Qian Renjue already told me. He wants me to sacrifice myself to him. I’m still considering it.”

“Sister… are you insane?!”

The Ice Jade Emperor’s eyes widened in disbelief.

That vile human openly admitted he wanted her soul ring, and yet Snow Empress was actually considering it?

The Ice Jade Emperor was baffled, her anxiety growing.

“Sister, wake up! He’s trying to kill you!”

Her voice was so loud that it sent Snow Empress's silver hair billowing in the icy wind.

Snow Empress frowned slightly. The Ice Jade Emperor’s shouting made her ears ring unpleasantly.

“Bing'er, turn back into your human form first.”

Snow Empress reached out and lightly patted the Ice Emperor’s cold exoskeleton.

“Let’s go talk inside.”

With that, she turned and walked toward her cave.

“Sister…”

The Ice Jade Emperor watched Snow Empress's retreating figure. Her large pincers waved in front of her, and her petite scorpion form—just 1.5 meters in length—began to glow with a vivid green light.

The glow condensed and shrank, transforming her into a petite girl with dark green twin ponytails.

Her delicate features carried less purity than Snow Empress's but radiated a cold elegance.

On both sides of her pale, icy face were four green sigil-like markings.

Her skin was flawless and snowy white, with a translucent quality that revealed faint green light flowing beneath the surface.

“Sister, wait for me!”

Blushing slightly, the Ice Jade Emperor covered her face with her hands and hurried to catch up with Snow Empress.



Staring at Snow Empress's retreating figure, her crystal shoes clicking softly, the Ice Jade Emperor’s expression was icy and filled with anger.

“Damn human! How dare you step on my face? Next time, I won’t let you off so easily!”

As she entered the icy cave, the sounds of the wind and snow outside were completely silenced.

The interior of Snow Empress's cave looked entirely different from before.

There were now ice-crafted tables and chairs, along with a swing hanging from the ceiling, seemingly held by ice sculptures of Qian Renjue and Snow Empress reaching out to each other.

Against one of the icy walls stood an ice-sculpted shelf holding frozen flower vases. Inside the vases were colorful, delicate flowers encased in ice, which Qian Renjue had specially brought to decorate the place for Snow Empress.

Snow Empress quietly sat on the swing, her figure tranquil.

“Sister~”

The Ice Jade Emperor stepped into the cave.

As she scanned the interior, her displeasure grew.

“Why on earth do you tolerate that human invading this place?”

“Sit down first, Bing'er.”

At Snow Empress's gentle request, the Ice Jade Emperor didn’t budge, remaining rooted to the spot, her sharp gaze fixed on Snow Empress.

“Sister, what are you really thinking?”

“…”

Snow Empress remained unbothered.

She sat on the swing, her gaze fixed on the vibrant flowers before her as she gently swayed, recalling the way Qian Renjue had persuaded her.

After a moment of silence, as the Ice Jade Emperor grew impatient, Snow Empress finally spoke softly:

“Bing'er, do you feel confident about overcoming the tribulation for breaking through 400,000 years of cultivation?”

“Why are you suddenly bringing this up, Sister?”

The Ice Jade Emperor’s face was filled with confusion.

Following Qian Renjue’s reasoning, Snow Empress continued at her own pace.

“You’re not confident about it, are you?”

“…”

The Ice Jade Emperor fell silent, her head lowered as she clenched her fists. She wasn’t confident at all.

And she knew Snow Empress felt the same way.

“So, Sister, are you really going to let that human benefit from us?!”

Snow Empress shook her head. Looking at the Ice Jade Emperor, her tone remained calm as she explained:

“Qian Renjue is saving me.”

“Saving you?”

The Ice Jade Emperor’s expression twitched, and a mocking laugh broke through her lips—laughter tinged with anger.

“That human is as deceitful as ever!”

“…”

Snow Empress's elegant brows furrowed slightly.

Fixing her gaze on the Ice Jade Emperor, her tone turned serious.

“He bears no ill intent. He has been chosen by the gods and can guide me to ascend to the divine realm.”

“Chosen by the gods?!”

The Ice Jade Emperor’s mocking smile froze slightly, her eyes widening in shock.

“Sister, are you sure about this?”

“Do you doubt me as well, Ice?”

Snow Empress cast a faint glance at the Ice Emperor, her demeanor calm and composed.

“…”

The Ice Jade Emperor was speechless.

Of course, over the years, her sister had never lied to her.

Knowing her sister’s character, Snow Empress would never easily trust a human.

Recalling Qian Renjue’s soul ring configuration, his mysterious abilities, and the divine-bestowed soul ring mentioned earlier, a hint of credibility began to form in her mind.

Snow Empress continued:

“I was injured before—by the divine essence in his hands.”

The Ice Jade Emperor opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words.

She knew Snow Empress's strength better than anyone. The pieces were falling into place, yet the Ice Jade Emperor still couldn’t bring herself to accept it.

“What if he’s lying to you, Sister?”

“…”

Snow Empress fell silent.

This was her greatest worry. Even as a mighty ruler of the Extreme North, she feared death.

Qian Renjue seemed trustworthy, but could he truly deliver on his promises?

The Ice Jade Emperor finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Her sister hadn’t completely fallen for the human’s tricks.

Stepping closer, the Ice Jade Emperor knelt down and rested her head on Snow Empress's soft, cool lap.

Looking up at her sister’s serene and icy beauty, she murmured:

“Sister, we still have time to prepare.”

“Maybe we can hold out for another 100,000 years, who knows?”