318. Don't Carve Me

“It’s me.”

Qian Renjue looked at the Snow Empress standing before him, now dressed in formal attire.

She appeared a little less dazzling than the last two times, not as eye-catching.

"I have no ill intentions," Qian Renjue repeated his previous assurance as he watched her approach.

"I know," replied the Snow Empress, her voice clear and cool—like a fresh spring resonating through a deep ravine, bringing an icy, refreshing sensation.

She remembered Qian Renjue and everything he had said.

Without paying him further attention, she raised her hand gracefully.

The ice sculpture she had created floated upward toward the cave ceiling.

Qian Renjue’s expression remained neutral, though his voice was cold as he asked, “Did you carve that?”

“Yes,” she answered, her voice equally chilly. Her slightly uplifted face held a noble and pristine expression as she carefully placed the ice sculpture.

“What do you think? Do you find it beautiful?”

“It’s hideous…and strange,” Qian Renjue replied bluntly, showing no hint of tact.

The ice sculpture trembled slightly, and a frown formed between the Snow Empress’s delicate brows, though she said nothing. Qian Renjue noticed that the air had grown colder.

“Are you angry?” he asked.

The Snow Empress remained silent, her slender, fair fingers tracing the air as liquid from the cold spring floated upward to anchor the sculpture to the ceiling.

Qian Renjue frowned slightly. It wasn’t wise to lower his guard in this place, yet he couldn't maintain his current form indefinitely.

He asked, “Is that Ice Emperor Scorpion nearby?”

“Are you afraid of Bing’er?” she finally responded, turning her gaze to him.

“No,” he replied succinctly.

A slight displeasure showed between the Snow Empress's brows, and the temperature seemed to drop a little more.

“Bing’er won’t come today,” she said in her clear, icy voice.

Hearing that, Qian Renjue’s dark light faded; his silver hair turned golden, his red eyes returned to purple, his wings vanished, and his appearance resumed normalcy.

“Thank you,” he said with a smile, expressing his gratitude.

The Snow Empress looked at the transformed Qian Renjue, her ice-blue eyes studying him with slight surprise and even some dissatisfaction.

The displeasure she felt earlier now seemed to have no outlet. Humans were indeed cunning!

Qian Renjue, remembering his previous encounters in the cave, felt a hint of embarrassment but smiled and asked, “Can we talk now?”

The Snow Empress stayed silent, her clear gaze fixed on him as though she was contemplating something. Insulted by his earlier criticism, she was now more intent on making this cunning human feel the same discomfort.

After a long pause, she finally asked, “Can you carve ice sculptures?”

“Ice sculptures?” Qian Renjue looked up, eyeing the bear-headed, scorpion-bodied carving he had commented on.

A look of awkwardness and apology crossed his face as he nodded. “I’ve made pendants before; I suppose that counts.”

“Show me,” she said simply, lifting her hand and causing a rough block of ice to float in front of him.

Qian Renjue nodded, a bit helpless, and took the ice block. As he prepared to carve, he asked, “If I do this, will we talk afterward?”

“Yes,” she replied, her expression as cold as ever, yet heart started to stir with anticipation.

As soon as he finished his carving, she could simply call it ugly for revenge.

How could something she crafted based on Bing’er and Xiao Bai be ugly?

"Fine," Qian Renjue agreed, knowing it would take time to get through to the 700,000-year-old soul beast before him.

Sometimes it’s wise to sharpen the axe before chopping wood.

Activating his Eye of Insight, he mentally designed a blueprint.

Using his hook instead of a carving tool, he began etching into the ice block, bits of ice chipping to the floor.

At some point, the Snow Empress, now kneeling close by with her arms around her knees, started watching Qian Renjue intently, her gaze filled with curiosity.

She could sense a dangerous aura from him, even though he was only a Soul Saint.

She furrowed her brows slightly.

Qian Renjue’s hands merely guided the direction, while the hook did the carving.

The small ice block steadily shrank under his deft movements.

"Human, why does your hook resemble Bing’er’s so much?" she asked suddenly, her tone questioning.

"It’s the tail of a Dark Devilgod Tiger. It just happens to resemble a scorpion tail," he replied matter-of-factly.

The Snow Empress knew of that species and felt a wave of disgust at its mere mention.

“All done. What do you think?” Qian Renjue tapped his knee, smiling as he handed her the finished sculpture.

The Snow Empress looked at the ice carving in his hand, but the word "ugly" froze in her throat.

The figure he had carved was her own—gracefully slender, flawless, and as radiant as a snowflake.

“Crafty human!” she hissed, her voice turning colder.

He had set her up to insult herself. How shameless!

“Is it not accurate?” Qian Renjue asked, puzzled, glancing at the naked ice carving in his hand.

He had based it on his impressions of her from previous visits to the cave.

The Snow Empress stayed silent, neither accepting nor rejecting the sculpture, while Qian Renjue, unsure of her reaction, continued with his original intent.

“So…can we talk now?” he asked.

“Carve another one. Don’t carve me!” she demanded, after a long pause, still intent on getting her revenge as she handed him another ice block.

“Alright…” Qian Renjue sighed, a hint of reluctance in his voice, which brought a faint smile of satisfaction to her face.

This time, they both remained silent as Qian Renjue carved something more familiar, finishing the piece quickly.

Handing it over, he asked, “What do you think of this one?”

The Snow Empress looked at the figure—a miniature of his Spirit Possession form.

She pursed her radiant, translucent lips.

“It’s ugly…and strange.”

“You—!” Qian Renjue’s face stiffened as he looked at the carving, baffled.

What could possibly be ugly about it?