The deep blue aurora borealis shone through the ice cave entrance, casting ever-changing light and shadow on the cave walls.
Shui Bing'er's eyelashes trembled, and her consciousness slowly rose from the deep chaos.
The first thing to return was the sense of touch. Behind me was a cold stone wall, but in front of me was a warm and solid chest. Through the fabric, I could clearly hear the steady and powerful heartbeat.
Thump, thump, thump.
Like the most soothing lullaby, it dispelled the soul-wrenching cold and heat from her memory.
She slowly opened her eyes, and what came into view was Ning Liu's well-defined jawline.
He seemed to be asleep, his breathing steady, but his brows were still slightly furrowed, as if he was troubled by something.
She didn't move, but simply leaned against it quietly, savoring the peace that came after surviving the ordeal.
At that moment, that cold and majestic divine will resounded once again in her sea of consciousness.
[Second test, 'Heart of Eternal Winter', completed.]
[Divine Fusion Level: Perfect.]
[Reward: Soul Power increased by five levels, Martial Soul evolved.]
boom!
A surge of extremely pure energy suddenly appeared in her limbs and bones, cleansing her meridians.
The original bottleneck of level 73 soul power was as thin as a cicada's wing in the face of this power and was broken through in an instant.
Level 74, level 75... it only stopped at the peak of level 78.
At the same time, the Ice Phoenix Martial Soul behind her appeared uncontrollably.
But this time, its form has undergone an astonishing change.
Its size did not increase; instead, it shrank. Its originally pure ice crystal body was now tinged with a deep, dark blue, and the edges of its feathers were outlined with mysterious silver patterns.
Martial Soul: Nine-Frost Mystic Ice Phoenix!
This sudden energy fluctuation startled Ning Liu awake.
He suddenly opened his eyes and looked down to meet Shui Bing'er's clear, bright, ice-blue eyes.
Their eyes met, and the air inside the cave seemed to freeze instantly.
"Bing'er, you're awake..."
Ning Liu's Adam's apple bobbed; the speech he had prepared all night was now completely spitting out.
"About...what happened before, I..."
How is he supposed to explain this?
To say that I said it to save you...?
Just as Ning Liu was extremely embarrassed and didn't know how to start the conversation, Shui Bing'er's chaotic and fragmented memories finally came together as she regained full consciousness.
The pain of being devoured by divine power, the despair of having one's body torn apart by ice and fire, and...
In the boundless darkness, there is an instinctive yearning for that one source of warmth.
She remembered how she clung to him like a lifeline, how she tore at herself haphazardly in his arms, and even more so, how, afterward, when the two forces merged and subsided within her, she felt a tremor and peace that came from the depths of her soul.
Everything became clear.
Her cheeks flushed instantly, not from shame or anger, but from a burning embarrassment that even reached her ears.
But when she saw Ning Liu's hesitant expression, full of guilt and helplessness, the girlish shyness in her heart was replaced by a more complex emotion.
Shui Bing'er suddenly sat up straight and straightened her still somewhat disheveled clothes.
Then, to Ning Liu's astonishment, she solemnly bowed to him.
"Sect Master, there's no need to explain."
Her voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up, but her tone was unusually calm, even carrying an extraordinary sense of composure.
"It was Bing'er's bad luck that she almost couldn't bear the divine blessing and was doomed."
She raised her head, her icy blue eyes staring directly at Ning Liu, filled with no resentment, only unwavering seriousness.
"It is Bing'er's greatest fortune to have the sect leader spare no effort to save her."
"In this matter, Bing'er was disrespectful to the sect leader."
Ning Liu was stunned on the spot.
He had imagined countless possibilities: she would cry, she would be angry, she would avoid him like the plague.
I never expected her to react this way.
Instead of blaming him, she attributed everything to her own "abruptness".
This instantly transformed his guilt into pity and emotion.
He looked at the woman in front of him, who was trying to appear strong. The calmer and more sensible she was, the more heartbreaking it was for him.
Ning Liu suddenly reached out and pulled her back into his arms, holding her tightly.
"Silly girl."
He only said those three words, his voice carrying a tenderness he himself was unaware of.
Shui Bing'er's body stiffened for a moment, then slowly relaxed, gently burying her cheek in his chest.
This time, it wasn't out of instinct for survival, but out of a willing reliance.
The atmosphere inside the cave became subtle once again.
Under the aurora's glow, the woman's cool face was tinged with a captivating blush, and the man's eyes also stirred with emotion.
Ning Liu looked down at the face so close to his chest, and as if possessed, slowly leaned down.
Just then, a thought, filled with extreme impatience, exploded in their minds.
"Are you done yet?!"
The guardian beast's voice was filled with frustration and anger.
"The second test is over, get out of here now!"
Before they finished speaking, the altar beneath them suddenly shone brightly.
Before Ning Liu could react, an irresistible spatial force enveloped them.
The ice cave, the altar, and even the entire Eternal Ice Plains before them all instantly transformed into distorted light and shadow, rapidly disappearing into the distance.
"I……"
Ning Liu only managed to utter one word before being forcibly teleported away.
He could vaguely hear the guardian beast's last curse and complaint.
"This little girl needs to become a god quickly, otherwise when will I be able to leave to find my..."
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