Huo Yuhao was tackled.
Beneath him were countless ice-crystal blue flowers, filling his vision to the left and right. Before him was the Snow Emperor, holding him in a death grip, refusing to let go by even a fraction.
Huo Yuhao froze for a moment before instinctively reaching out to embrace her, gently patting her back.
"Snow Emperor?"
"Why did you endure the Heavenly Tribulation for me?"
The Snow Emperor still didn't let go. Her body was pressed so tightly against Huo Yuhao's that the distance between them was zero.
"I..." Huo Yuhao's words faltered, but he didn't panic. He said earnestly, "At that time, you were receiving the Power of Destiny and couldn't be disturbed. It just so happened that your cultivation broke through and the tribulation arrived, so I thought..."
"That was a Heavenly Tribulation!"
As a Soul Beast, the Snow Emperor possessed an awe of the Heavenly Tribulation that was engraved in her very bones. Having survived six of them, she knew exactly how terrifying the seventh would be.
Precisely because of this, she truly didn't want Huo Yuhao to endure it for her. If something had happened to him, she might never have been able to forgive herself.
After all, this was originally her tribulation.
"It was just one tribulation," Huo Yuhao said softly, his tone growing gentle. "In the previous life, if not for the help of you, the Ice Emperor, and Skydream, I wouldn't have reached that stage.
"After becoming a god, you could have completely left me, found a lower plane to hide in, and enjoyed your endless lifespan.
"But none of you did."
Huo Yuhao suddenly laughed, his voice tinged with a hint of shame. Holding the Snow Emperor, a trace of reminiscence entered his words as he spoke softly:
"You all helped me too much. I clearly did nothing for you, and in the end, I even let you all take that hit of Divine Punishment for me. Yet, you continued to help me without hesitation.
"You were clearly capable of making your own decisions, yet you always handed the initiative to me and let me choose.
"Back then, I felt like I had become completely dependent on you. Without you, I would probably be nothing..."
"Then why..." The Snow Emperor interrupted him. She loosened her embrace only to grab his hands tightly, her ice-blue eyes meeting his gaze.
"Why won't you depend on me a little more? That tribulation clearly belonged to me, why did you have to take it! Besides..."
A fair, slender finger gently pressed against the Snow Emperor's lips, silencing her. The youth's face was serious as he said calmly:
"Precisely because of that, I don't want it to be like that in this life.
"In my previous life, I depended on you all too much. I truly owe you all far too much. It's not fair—it's very unfair."
The youth paused, a smile appearing on his face. His azure eyes shone brilliantly under the sunlight.
"So, in this life, you depend on me instead."
Somewhere deep in her heart, a cord was struck. The Snow Emperor's eyes shimmered; in this moment, it seemed only the youth before her existed in her world.
An indescribable emotion began to spread naturally, quickly saturating her heart.
Even though the tribulation clouds had vanished to reveal the dazzling sun, the cold winds of the Core Region continued to blow, fluttering her white hair. However, her heart began to burn at this moment.
Everything else in her ice-blue eyes receded, leaving only that shimmering, burning emotion.
And this was an emotion Huo Yuhao had seen before.
"Then I'm going to be a bit pushy..."
A cool, soft sensation blocked the rest of his words. Though the movements were unrefined, he captured that fire-like emotion, which began to slow-cook his rationality.
The connection that had previously remained strictly within the bounds of the contract was shattered by emotion.
Snow Emperor, has joined the battlefield!
...
Meanwhile, seeing this scene, the many Soul Beasts on the periphery instinctively averted their eyes and offered their blessings. Except for one...
"Aunt Ice... Uncle-in-law and Ma are kissing!"
Xiao Bai's small eyes were filled with great confusion, but he couldn't help but watch out of curiosity.
"Aunt Ice, can Uncle-in-law be my pops now?"
"Shut up!"
Xiao Bai's innocent words caused the Ice Emperor to mentally crumble.
The thing she had been worried about had finally happened. But someone tell her—how long had she even been gone?!!!
The moment she sensed the birth of the Auspicious Beast in the Extreme North, she had hurried back with Xiao Bai, having only just begun to absorb the Snow Lotus.
Especially when she felt that the one becoming the Auspicious Beast was the Snow Emperor and the tribulation clouds were gathering, she had been worried sick!
And then!
She saw this!
I treat you like a sister, so what's with you snatching my husband?!!!
That wasn't even the most ridiculous part. The most ridiculous part was that the Ice Emperor didn't even know if the Snow Emperor had stolen Yuhao, or if Yuhao had stolen the Snow Emperor!
She didn't even know who to be angry at!!!
Don't be this ridiculous, hey!
The Ice Emperor was completely broken, her eyes momentarily losing their focus.
In this moment, the Ice Emperor felt a deep resonance with Skydream.
...
After settling the affairs of the Extreme North, Huo Yuhao left first, taking many Soul Beasts with him.
The Ice Emperor, clearly throwing a tantrum, stayed behind in the Extreme North under the pretext of "not wanting to go back yet."
In a sea of ice-crystal flowers, the Snow Emperor walked up to the visibly brooding Ice Emperor and sat down beside her, just as they always had.
"Bing'er?" the Snow Emperor called out softly.
In the past, the Ice Emperor would always respond to such a call. This time, however, she remained silent, looking like someone who had been hit so hard she didn't want to speak.
"Is it because I took your Yuhao?"
The Snow Emperor clearly understood her. Sure enough, hearing the keyword, the Ice Emperor subconsciously looked up. Seeing the Snow Emperor, who was smiling and clearly different than before, she felt a burst of indignation.
"That guy actually dared to make a move on you, what a scumbag! When I get back, I'll definitely teach him a lesson—"
"That's not right," the Snow Emperor softly interrupted. She took the Ice Emperor's hand, the movement completely natural. "I was the one who made a move on him."
Ice Emperor: ?!!
"I'm sorry, Bing'er, but I don't want to give him up either." Meeting the Ice Emperor's eyes, the Snow Emperor spoke with total sincerity.
The Ice Emperor caught that sincerity. Having lived with her for so long, how could she not know the Snow Emperor was serious?
A strange sourness rose in her heart, but even though she was jealous, she didn't know which one she was jealous of.
"That guy really is a scumbag!"
The Ice Emperor decisively vented her anger on a certain someone.
"But even so, you chose him, and you never thought about giving up, did you?"
"I..." Her inner thoughts exposed, the Ice Emperor was momentarily speechless.
"So, tell me, Bing'er. What has he done over these years? What has he experienced? And who exactly is by his side right now?"
The Ice Emperor was stunned for a moment, but then she seemed to realize something and looked up at the Snow Emperor.
The Snow Emperor simply nodded calmly.
In this moment, the Ice-Snow Alliance was successfully established.
(Skydream: Wait, include me in the alliance too!!!)