As soon as Lin Xi finished speaking, Luo Bingning’s tightly clasped hand squeezed hers even more.

That deep, bone-etched dependence was no longer just words but transformed into the most direct physical language, binding them firmly together.

Inside the cave dwelling, the vast and majestic aura that had surged due to Luo Bingning’s cultivation progress did not subside.

It was as if it had found a vent, spreading slowly outward from Luo Bingning as the center.

The moisture in the air no longer condensed into frost but directly precipitated in midair, forming crystals even finer than dust, sparkling with diamond-like brilliance in the beams of light filtering through the stone crevices.

The entire cave dwelling became a transparent crystal world.

Luo Bingning gently released Lin Xi’s hand and stood up.

She seemed curious about the new power surging within her body.

She raised her slender jade-like finger and gently tapped at the empty air before her.

There was no earth-shaking commotion.

Only a faint, almost inaudible cracking sound.

A point of icy blue light bloomed at her fingertip, followed by the sudden condensation of an ice spear completely formed from mysterious ice.

That ice spear was only about one foot long, entirely transparent, yet within it countless profound runes flickered into existence and disappeared, the chill it exuded purer and more terrifying than ever before.

It was no longer simple cold but a force capable of freezing spiritual power and even affecting the soul itself—the power of law.

The ice spear hovered silently in the air, with the surrounding space faintly twisting.

A hint of satisfaction flashed in Luo Bingning’s eyes.

With a flick of her wrist, the ice spear instantly dissipated into nothingness, transforming back into the purest cold spiritual energy and returning to heaven and earth.

She had another idea.

Her gaze sharpened, locking onto a droplet of water trickling from the top of the cave.

The droplet was about to fall.

At that moment, it was as though time had been paused.

The droplet froze in midair, against all reason, instantly covered in a layer of fine frost, remaining suspended in its falling posture, unmoving.

The air within a foot of it turned viscous.

A brief freezing of space.

Although the range was tiny and the time lasted only for an instant, it was undoubtedly a qualitative leap.

Having done all this, Luo Bingning immediately turned around, her icy blue eyes shining brightly as they looked at Lin Xi.

The sternness and coldness of the Frost Empress were gone from those eyes, replaced with an eager “Look at me, am I amazing, praise me” expectation.

Seeing this expression, Lin Xi’s steel-straight-man soul began screaming silently inside.

‘This script is wrong! Isn’t the Empress supposed to be aloof and proud, overlooking the world after gaining strength? How come she’s acting like a grade schooler who just scored 100 and is rushing home to ask her parents for a reward?’

She even felt that if she pulled out a candy now, the other would happily accept it.

Complaints aside, facing those starry eyes, Lin Xi’s heart melted into a puddle.

She stepped forward, reached out and naturally tidied a strand of hair at Luo Bingning’s temple.

“Bingning-jie, you’re amazing.”

Her voice was gentle and full of sincere praise.

Hearing this compliment, Luo Bingning’s face instantly blossomed with a faint smile, one so beautiful it dimmed the brilliance of the entire crystal cave dwelling.

The light in her eyes grew brighter, the corners of her lips rising uncontrollably, her joy and satisfaction overflowing.

Indeed, Xi’er being happy about her becoming stronger made her happier than any comprehension of divine powers could.

* * *

In the days that followed, this “seeking praise” routine became the new daily life inside the cave dwelling.

With the help of the Nine Heavens Cold Soul Art, Luo Bingning’s comprehension of the Cold Laws advanced rapidly, with new progress almost every day.

She could condense in her palm a lotus of ice that would never wither, each petal containing a different variation of law.

She could turn a single breath into a mist cold enough to freeze rock.

And every time she gained a new insight, no matter how small, she would immediately stop cultivating and gaze at Lin Xi with those sparkling eyes.

Lin Xi, from her initial silent complaints, gradually became used to it.

She would pretend to listen attentively to Luo Bingning’s halting explanations of her new comprehensions, though she understood none of those abstruse laws.

Then she would reach out at the right moment to pat her head or shoulder.

“Mhm, our Bingning-jie is the best. This is amazing, from now on no one will be able to bully us. Your progress is so fast, truly worthy of the Frost Empress.”

Each time, Luo Bingning would show a satisfied smile because of those simple compliments before calmly returning to her cultivation.

Lin Xi, watching Luo Bingning’s ever-increasing nurturing points and affection points on the system panel, had only one thought deep inside.

‘When did I switch careers to early childhood education? This isn’t raising an empress, this is raising a daughter and one who especially needs constant encouragement.’

But she also knew that maintaining this high affection and dependence was the key to receiving system rewards and securing her place.

As Luo Bingning’s strength recovered and her mood relaxed, her offensive of cuteness grew ever more intense and… natural.

One day, Lin Xi was sitting cross-legged on the stone bed, organizing her storage bag and planning her next steps.

Suddenly, a fragrant breeze came from behind.

A soft and cool body pressed tightly against her back.

Slender arms wrapped around her waist and a small head nestled onto her shoulder.

Soft strands of hair brushed against Lin Xi’s neck, sending tingling sensations that defied description.

Lin Xi’s body went rigid instantly.

She could clearly feel the steady heartbeat coming from behind, belonging to Luo Bingning.

‘Empress… could you… maintain a little sense of distance?!’

Inside, Lin Xi was roaring.

‘Men and women should keep their distance! Even if I’m a woman now… this still isn’t right! My steel straight-man heart can’t take this anymore!’

She wanted to resist, but the arms around her waist were held tightly, full of undeniable possession.

Worse, Luo Bingning seemed to find the position comfortable, rubbing gently against her neck like a cat that had found the perfect sleeping posture.

“Xi’er…”

A drowsy murmur, accompanied by warm breath, brushed past Lin Xi’s ear.

That voice was soft and lazy, carrying a freshly-awakened tone utterly different from her usual coolness.

Lin Xi felt half her body go numb.

She gave up resisting completely, letting this giant “feline” cling to her.

She stiffly maintained her posture, torn between whether to lecture the Empress about maintaining her image or just let things be.

At that moment, the system prompt suddenly sounded in her mind without warning.

[Ding! Detected Luo Bingning’s state of mind achieving perfect resonance with the Ice Phoenix Bloodline. In a state of extreme peace, the bloodline’s instinct has been passively activated!]

[Congratulations, Host! Luo Bingning has awakened part of the Ice Phoenix Body’s unique divine power—Iceheart Glaze!]

[Nurturing mission breakthrough achieved! Reward distribution in progress…]

[Host has received a rare spiritual treasure—Cold Jade Heart!]

The string of system prompts exploded in Lin Xi’s mind like thunder.

She was momentarily stunned.

‘Iceheart Glaze? Cold Jade Heart?’

She… awakened a new divine power just like that?

She lowered her head to look at Luo Bingning still clinging to her, then sensed the jade-like heart that had suddenly appeared in the system space, exuding endless cold.

That Cold Jade Heart was only the size of a fist, crystalline and transparent, as if it sealed an entire world of cold within. Just sensing its presence cleared Lin Xi’s mind and loosened her cultivation bottleneck.

This was undoubtedly a priceless treasure.

Looking at the reward, then feeling the heavy dependence from behind, all of Lin Xi’s earlier complaints, struggles and discomfort vanished instantly.

Worth it!

So worth it!

‘Please increase the intensity! Please don’t hold back on me!’

Lin Xi’s attitude did a full one-eighty.

She even adjusted her sitting posture, raised her hand and gently patted the back of Luo Bingning’s hand around her waist in reassurance.

As if sensing her response, Luo Bingning rubbed against her neck even more energetically.