On the flat and vast snowy plateau, a scorpion measuring one and a half meters in length, its body a brilliant green like emerald crystal, was calmly gazing up at the thunderstorm in the sky.
For Ice Empress, the tribulation that had persisted for four hundred thousand years had always been a source of anxiety. The longer she lived, the more she feared death. She was even more afraid that Snow Empress would exhaust her own essence for her sake. Now, the tribulation had arrived unexpectedly. Perhaps it was truly fate.
In fact, if she could just hold on for a hundred years, Ice Empress would have no worries at all. Even if it were only ten years, given Lin Xiao's growth rate, he might have already ascended to godhood. However, Lin Xiao's strength was unexpectedly formidable, and the quality of his Soul Power and Spiritual Power was astonishingly high. The energy he expended far exceeded what would be expected from ten thousand years of cultivation. Therefore, this tribulation couldn't be suppressed at all. It came with such urgency and ferocity.
Yet, for some reason, as Ice Empress gazed at the overwhelming and seemingly world-destroying tribulation, her mind surprisingly settled into calmness. She knew this was not Lin Xiao's fault. She hoped he wouldn't blame himself. The only regret was that Sister Snow was in too much of a hurry, leaving no time for a final goodbye.
*Crash!*
A sudden explosion echoed, like a divine roar, a punishment from the gods! Lightning illuminated the core area of the Extreme North. Countless soul beasts fled in terror, their faces displaying extreme fear. The azure lightning python had already coalesced into form, transforming into a lightning dragon. It descended like a torrential downpour, wreaking havoc like a flood. The destructive thunder pierced through space, striking towards Ice Empress!
Ice Empress's expression turned cold as her Soul Power surged violently, solid ice covering her body as she charged towards the thunder!
In the distance, Lin Xiao had arrived. He looked at the bright flashes of lightning, listened to the incessant booming sounds, and felt a heavy heart. Although he had meant well, the consequences were far too severe. Moreover, Ice Empress's demeanor before leaving felt like a thorn in his heart.
Maple Leaf comforted him, saying, "You can't blame yourself for this. Lin Xiao, you wanted to preserve her physical form, which is why you developed the soul contract method. Although you didn't say it, merging with Ice Empress's Soul Core must have consumed a considerable amount of energy, possibly even causing a downgrade, right?"
Lin Xiao replied, "I dropped two levels; I'm at level 81 now. It's not a big deal."
Ice Empress's level was simply too high. It was impossible for Lin Xiao to casually merge and refine the Soul Core without significant consequences. He had anticipated this level of energy loss. He could always cultivate back to where he was later.
What he couldn't accept was that after all the time spent delving into research, conducting numerous experiments, and putting in so much effort, why did it all end up like this? It felt as if everything he did was in vain. It would have been better to let Ice Empress sacrifice herself and just copy Electrolux's work.
Maple Leaf knew Lin Xiao was stuck in his thoughts for the moment. With a hint of helplessness, she turned her gaze towards the direction of the tribulation. This terrifying tribulation... it seemed to have intensified because of the overwhelming power Lin Xiao had within Ice Empress's Soul Core. Could Ice Empress remain unharmed?
The lightning, bright as day, obscured everything, making it impossible to see the situation within the tribulation, nor could they see Ice Empress's condition.
"*Pupil Technique Domain! Golden Crow Patrolling the Heavens!*"
Lin Xiao attempted to use the Pupil Technique Domain to penetrate the clouds of tribulation and observe Ice Empress's situation, but the energy in the core area of the tribulation was exceedingly violent. The two golden crow phantoms providing visibility were torn to shreds in an instant.
Lin Xiao then expanded his spiritual detection. Similarly, the violent energy disrupted the magnetic field, rendering the spiritual probe ineffective. It seemed he could only watch helplessly.
Lin Xiao: "..."
Maple Leaf urged him not to blame himself. But how could he not feel guilty? He had promised to help Ice Empress ascend to godhood...
On the other side of the Extreme North, a furious blizzard swept through like an enraged dragon, scaring all the soul beasts into hiding in caves and rocks. Snow Empress rushed through the storm, the overflowing violent energy reflecting her anxious mood. She clearly understood that Ice Empress's chances of successfully overcoming the tribulation were slim.
Not to mention it being a near-death experience; it was more like a five-to-one chance of survival. If she couldn't arrive before the tribulation ended to expend her own essence to help Ice Empress succeed, she might never see Ice Empress again. How could she not be anxious?
Snow Empress transformed from her usual calm and elegant demeanor into a furious Valkyrie!
"Ice, you must hold on!"
*Boom!*
The world-ending tribulation struck, leaving Ice Empress injured and bleeding. Her once-lustrous emerald shell was charred black by the thunder. Not only was there no scent of roasted meat, but the air even carried a faint whiff of charred remains.
Ice Empress's Soul Power was nearly depleted, and the excruciating pain left her numb. How much longer could she withstand the tribulation relying solely on her physical body? In that moment, Ice Empress felt despair.
Memories from the past flashed before her eyes like a rapid montage. When she was just a little scorpion, she had encountered Snow Empress, who was already a snow spirit and a powerful figure in the Extreme North, who had cared for her. They had been companions for hundreds of thousands of years...
Time had passed too long, and her memories became hazy. But the emotions from those memories had not faded; they had blended into her very being. She realized that parting with Snow Empress was more terrifying than death itself.
Ice Empress knew that her life and Snow Empress's had long been intertwined. But now, it was time to say goodbye. She hoped Sister Snow would find a scorpion even better than her...
Ice Empress's Soul Power was completely exhausted. She closed her eyes, waiting for the end. Yet, in the distance, she felt a blazing aura rapidly approaching.
What did it matter now that she was about to die? But that aura became increasingly intense, like the sun itself, impossible to ignore.
Ice Empress suddenly opened her eyes.
In her line of sight, a crimson phoenix figure soared through the sea of lightning. Her previously tranquil mind was thrown into disarray. Ice Empress's emerald eyes widened in shock.
The crimson phoenix spoke with certainty, "I despise those who don't keep their word! As long as there's the slightest chance, I won't go back on my word!"
Lin Xiao, deeply bonded with Ice Empress's Soul Core, could choose to ignore the danger; but similarly, he could intervene. Because of their Soul Core bond, Lin Xiao entering the tribulation wouldn't cause chaos but could help shoulder some of the burden.
Lin Xiao braved the tribulation and reached Ice Empress's side. "This is the Immortal Herb Pill Aunt Ye made; it can heal both physical and spiritual wounds. Take it first."
Under the tribulation, the pill would be destroyed the moment it was taken out. Lin Xiao simply fed it to Ice Empress.
Then he added, "I can elementalize and have the Nirvana attribute, so you don't need to worry."
Lin Xiao helped Ice Empress bear the brunt of the tribulation, buying her time to recover.
Ice Empress looked at Lin Xiao, her gaze shimmering with a hint of surprise, but she didn't hesitate to swallow the pill.
This human... was indeed quite good.
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