After putting on the Cold Jade Heart, Luo Bingning’s transformation was visible to the naked eye.

The jade heart, worn close to her body, nourished her bloodline, allowing her compatibility with the Nine Heavens Cold Soul Art to reach an inconceivable level.

On this day, the temperature in the cave dwelling once again dropped without warning.

Lin Xi was seated cross-legged nearby, using her divine sense to organize the spirit herbs in her system space, when she suddenly felt an immense and ancient aura awaken beside her.

She opened her eyes.

Luo Bingning, seated cross-legged, was now surrounded by cold air that no longer drifted as chaotic mist but instead condensed into crystalline, icy blue feathers that floated slowly around her.

Her eyes were tightly shut, with fine frost forming on her long lashes.

Behind her, a massive and sacred phantom slowly unfolded.

It was the silhouette of a phoenix.

Its body was composed of the purest ice crystals, wings spread wide, each feather seemingly the embodiment of laws, radiating a terrifying pressure capable of freezing souls.

The Ice Phoenix phantom raised its noble head and let out a silent cry.

The stone walls of the entire cave dwelling trembled under this force, with mysterious law patterns flickering across the thick ice layers.

Its might was astonishing.

Lin Xi’s heart was stirred.

This was the aura the Frost Empress was meant to have.

Though only a phantom, the bloodline pressure it carried had already far surpassed that of ordinary Core Formation cultivators.

Moments later, the Ice Phoenix phantom slowly withdrew, once more transforming into pure energy and merging back into Luo Bingning’s body.

Luo Bingning opened her eyes, the icy blue glow in them flashing briefly and the temperature in the cave dwelling returned to normal.

She felt the more refined and vibrant power within her, a trace of novelty appearing on her face.

Lin Xi looked at her, mind already turning.

“Bingning-jie, how does your control over your power feel now?”

Luo Bingning sensed it for a moment, then answered honestly.

“Much smoother than before, but still… a bit unfamiliar.”

Her control of the power remained at a theoretical level, lacking practical experience.

Lin Xi stood up, walked to the entrance and pointed outside.

“Let’s go test it.”

She indicated a rocky valley behind the cave, long forgotten, secluded and desolate, perfect as a natural training ground.

“You need to grow accustomed to your new power.”

Luo Bingning’s eyes lit up.

Being able to go out with Xi’er, the suggestion alone filled her with joy.

The two of them left the cave dwelling where they had stayed for so long, one after the other.

They arrived at the hidden rocky valley.

The valley was jagged with strange rocks, where only the toughest moss and shrubs survived in the cracks.

Lin Xi retreated to a safe distance and nodded to Luo Bingning from afar.

“Bingning-jie, don’t hold back. Treat this place as your enemy.”

Standing in the center of the valley, Luo Bingning took a deep breath.

She closed her eyes, sensing the flow of the wind, the faint moisture in the air.

When she opened them again, the icy blue in her gaze contained no trace of the tenderness she showed Lin Xi.

Instead, what replaced it was the absolute coldness and indifference of the Frost Empress.

She raised her hand and pointed at a hill tens of meters high in front of her.

There was no earth-shaking surge of spiritual power.

Only an invisible chill instantly enveloped the hill.

The rocks on the hill’s surface turned ashen white at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The stubborn shrubs growing in the cracks withered instantly, becoming ice sculptures.

Then—

Crack…

A faint shattering sound echoed.

The sturdy hill seemed to have turned into fragile porcelain, its surface crawling with spiderweb-like cracks.

The cracks spread rapidly, covering the entire hill.

A gust of wind swept by.

With a thunderous rumble—

The hill did not explode, nor did stones fly.

It simply collapsed in silence, turning into white powder finer than sand, drifting through the air like snow under the wind.

One finger, annihilation.

This was no mere freezing through low temperatures, but the law power that eradicated material structure at its root.

Lin Xi watched the scene from a distance, her pupils slightly constricting.

In her mind, the system’s prompt chimed in right on cue.

[Target’s strength detected to have recovered to the peak of mid-Core Formation.]

[Precision of Cold Law control increased by 17%, with material-structure destruction greatly enhanced.]

After finishing, Luo Bingning’s icy aura dissipated instantly without a trace.

She immediately turned, striding quickly toward Lin Xi.

Her face showed none of the pride of having destroyed the hill. Instead, her icy blue eyes sparkled with brightness and anticipation.

Her expression was just like a child who had scored full marks on a test and was rushing to their parents to ask for candy.

Lin Xi watched her run over, fragrance trailing in the air, stopping in front of her.

The soul of a steel straight man screamed helplessly inside.

‘Empress, where was that domineering aura just now? Can’t you tone down the theatrics a little? At least maintain a bit of your aloof persona!’

Her inner complaints were raging, yet her face already wore the gentlest smile.

She reached out, smoothing the strands of hair blown loose by the wind from Luo Bingning’s temples.

“Bingning-jie, you’re amazing.”

Her voice was filled with sincerity and praise.

Hearing this compliment, Luo Bingning’s face instantly blossomed with satisfaction, the light in her eyes shining brighter.

The next moment, she stepped forward and hugged Lin Xi tightly.

Her soft body pressed into her embrace, head buried deeply in Lin Xi’s shoulder, rubbing against it.

The tempting softness, the intoxicating fragrance, made Lin Xi’s cheeks flush red, her heart stirred.

She helplessly raised her hand, gently patting Luo Bingning’s back, feeling the weight of the deep trust on her shoulder.

‘So be it.’

The Empress she raised, even if kneeling, must be pampered to the end.

She even realized she was beginning to enjoy this sense of total reliance.

This unique intimacy was the truest bond she had in this unfamiliar cultivation world.

She knew clearly that the once ice-cold, decisive Empress before her had now completely regarded her as her only haven, her only support.

Lin Xi’s thoughts began to drift.

The faster her strength recovered, the stronger the dangers they might face.

The Blood Shadow Sect would not let things go.

She had to find a way to push Luo Bingning’s power even further.

Faster, steadier.

And best of all, keep her in this obedient, clingy “little kitten” state.

After all, this was the stable source of system rewards.

Just as she was deep in thought, the system’s prompt rang in her mind again.

[System Prompt: Luo Bingning’s strength recovery has reached 60%!]

[System Reward: 2000 shop points; Current points: 2000.]