158: Chapter 158: Are you sure you want to hug me? Aren't you afraid Dong'er will be angry if she finds out?

At the center of the lake, where the vortex had been calm, space began to ripple once more.

A familiar figure stepped out from the ripples, landing steadily on the water's surface, then walked toward the shore as if on solid ground.

Black clothes, black hair, a tall and straight posture, a handsome face, and calm, deep eyes—who could it be but Lu Jing?

"Sister Xue."

A familiar call, tinged with a smile, pierced through the night wind and clearly reached the Snow Empress's ears.

The moment she heard that voice, the Snow Empress's ice-blue eyes, which had been like frozen lakes, instantly rippled as if a stone had been cast into them.

The heartstrings she had kept taut quietly relaxed.

The corners of her exquisite lips curled upward in an almost imperceptible, yet very real, faint arc.

As expected... he was fine; he had come out.

Lu Jing reached the shore in a few steps, stepped onto solid ground, and stood before the Snow Empress.

Looking at the cold and peerless woman before him, he could sense the concern and relief in her eyes, which she had tried her best to hide.

Lu Jing's heart warmed slightly, but he intentionally put on an exaggerated, playful smile and opened his arms.

"Sister Xue, I didn't expect you to care about me so much, coming all the way from the Far North... oh wait, from Heaven Dou City to the Star Dou Great Forest just to find me. Come, come, I'm so moved I can't repay you, so let me give you a grateful, loving hug as a reward!"

As he spoke, he made a move to step forward for a hug.

The Snow Empress was taken aback by his sudden, improper behavior, then gave him a sharp look, her cold voice carrying a hint of helplessness: "Are you sure you want to hug me? Aren't you afraid... Donger will be angry if she finds out?"

At the mention of Wang Donger, Lu Jing's exaggerated smile stiffened for a moment, but he quickly returned to his nonchalant manner. He even waved his hand with a hint of pride, as if his status at home was very high.

"Why would she be angry? What's our relationship? We've fought together, we've... uh, we've faced tribulations together! It's pure friendship! She understands, she definitely understands! Besides, you know my status at home, Sister Xue; I'm the head of the household, my word is law! What's wrong with a hug? It's just expressing the most sincere care between comrades!"

While spouting his nonsense, he had already stepped forward without allowing any refusal, opening his arms and gently pulling the Snow Empress's tall, soft, yet slightly chilly body into his embrace.

The Snow Empress's body trembled almost imperceptibly the moment Lu Jing held her.

She could not remember how many tens of thousands of years it had been since she had such intimate physical contact with any living being.

Even with the Ice Empress back then, it was only fighting side by side or occasional spiritual communication.

Human body heat radiated through the thin clothing, bringing a strange but not unpleasant warmth, along with the clean, fresh scent unique to the young man.

She stiffened for a second, her arms instinctively wanting to push him away, but in the end, they just hung quietly at her sides, letting Lu Jing hold her.

She could feel that Lu Jing's hug had no inappropriate intentions; it was more like the relaxation and reliance one feels when seeing a trusted person after a narrow escape, and... a silent thanks.

Sure enough, Lu Jing rested his chin lightly on her slender but straight shoulder and whispered into her ear in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"Sister Xue, thank you."

The voice was very soft, but incredibly sincere.

The Snow Empress's frozen heart seemed to be lightly touched by these words, sending out a ripple of warmth.

She was silent for a moment, then responded in his ear with an equally soft voice.

"There is no need for that. It is I... who should thank you. If you hadn't awakened the Dragon King's remnant soul in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, I would have... already died under the Heavenly Tribulation."

These were her true feelings.

Lu Jing had saved her life and helped her break through the 700,000-year bottleneck. It was a grace as great as being reborn.

This friendship had long surpassed a simple relationship between fellow travelers.

The hug didn't last long; Lu Jing released his arms and took half a step back, his face once again wearing that slightly cynical smile, as if the moment of warmth and sincerity just now was merely an illusion.

The Snow Empress also returned to her usual coldness, but the way she looked at Lu Jing was softer than before.

"Let's go, Sister Xue. This isn't a place to linger. Donger and the others must be getting anxious," Lu Jing laughed.

The Snow Empress nodded slightly.

The two of them no longer paid any mind to Di Tian by the lakeshore, nor to the two hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beasts in the distance who were still in a state of shock.

Ice-blue light swirled around the Snow Empress as she lifted Lu Jing, turning into a streak of light that soared into the sky. They quickly disappeared into the southern night sky of the Star Dou Great Forest, racing toward Heaven Dou City.

Only Di Tian remained by the Lake of Life, watching the direction they vanished, a deep light in his golden eyes as if he were pondering something.

As for the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape, they only dared to breathe heavily once those two terrifying auras had completely disappeared. They looked at each other, their eyes still filled with lingering fear and endless confusion.

Everything that happened tonight was too shocking and far beyond their understanding.

Who was that woman in white?

Who was that human youth she brought out?

And what... was hidden at the bottom of the lake?

There were too many questions, and tonight, no one was destined to answer them.

The night in the Star Dou Great Forest returned to its surface tranquility, but beneath that calm lake, it felt as if even greater undercurrents were quietly surging.

...

The night was as dark as ink, but a faint hint of dawn was appearing on the horizon, signaling that the long and thrilling night was about to pass and dawn was coming.

Two streaks of light, one ice-blue and one dark, swept in from the southern sky and landed silently in the inner courtyard of a secluded manor in Heaven Dou City.

The light faded, revealing the figures of the Snow Empress and Lu Jing.

The Snow Empress still looked cold and ethereal, though there was an imperceptible hint of fatigue between her brows.

Lu Jing stretched his neck, looked at the familiar courtyard, and let out a soft sigh of relief, a smile appearing on his face.

Finally... back safe and sound.

However, the moment they landed—

*Creak!*

The door to the bedroom closest to them was violently pulled open from the inside!

It was so fast it even brought a gust of wind.

A slender and delicate figure, with bare snowy-white feet and wearing only a thin silk nightgown, rushed directly to the doorway.

It was Wang Donger.

She had clearly just been startled out of bed; her pinkish-blue hair was draped messily over her shoulders, her beautiful face was unnaturally pale, and her eyes were slightly red, showing she had been crying for a long time.

But at this moment, those azure eyes were incredibly bright, filled with unbelievable surprise, excitement, and a touch of caution, as if she feared it was an illusion.