<h1text-align:" center"="">Chapter 1171: Long Time No See

Since Li Lingxi had called out to the palace in such a manner, it meant that Shuang Jiang was indeed inside.

However, there was no response from inside.

Su Jingzhen took a deep breath and stepped forward.

Facing the palace gates, he said, "When we parted at Clear Wind Mountain, you said that if I could stand before you, you would grant me an opportunity.

Now I am here, with a purpose, and I would like to ask you a favor.

I think we can at least meet face to face."

Su Jingzhen's tone was calm.

Given Shuang Jiang's special status, he couldn't treat her as casually as he did others who shared a bond with him.

As soon as he finished speaking, a faint sigh seemed to echo in his ears.

Then, the gates of the ice blue palace slowly opened.

Li Jingzhe became even more curious with a hint of excitement.

Without any hesitation, the two of them stepped inside.

As soon as they crossed the threshold, Li Lingxi's eyebrows raised.

The cold inside was unbearable for ordinary people.

As an Immortal Emperor, she was unaffected by it.

But in her opinion, even an ordinary Immortal Lord would struggle to withstand such cold.

It seemed like this was a test that Shuang Jiang had set for Su Jingzhen.

Li Lingxi had initially thought that under such extreme cold, Su Jingzhen would find it difficult to move.

At the very least, he would have to use some of his previous techniques to resist it.

But to her surprise, Su Jingzhen only showed a brief moment of surprise. Without even a ripple of energy from within him, he withstood the cold with his physical body alone, showing no signs of discomfort.

"It seems that your gains from Sword Land are more than I imagined."

Li Lingxi obviously wasn't fully aware of what had happened in the Icy Sword Pool in the Sword Land.

She couldn't have known exactly what he had gained there.

"This cold is intense, but it's still not enough to force me back."

Su Jingzhen smiled confidently.

However, as soon as his words fell, the cold inside the hall intensified to an even higher level.

At this level, even an ordinary Immortal King who didn't have any experience with ice-based techniques would have a hard time withstanding it.

And in terms of physical cultivation, Su Jingzhen was only at the Profound Saint realm.

Upon realizing this, Su Jingzhen's expression changed slightly once again.

Without hesitation, he activated the high-level cold energy that Little Green had absorbed and refined from the broken sword within the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.

He knew that this was Shuang Jiang's test for him. After more than a year apart, since she had such high expectations of him, he had to deliver a perfect performance.

The black brick subtly flickered, and a layer of even more advanced cold energy formed a protective shield around Su Jingzhen.

Immediately, the high-level cold energy in the hall that could have immobilized an Immortal King was unable to touch Su Jingzhen.

Seeing the change in Su Jingzhen, Li Lingxi was once again shocked.

She had never expected that Su Jingzhen would have such a trick up his sleeve.

He was already incredibly skilled in the Fire Path, having mastered the Flesh and Blood Fire to its peak and even grasped the Seven-Colored Purifying Flame.

Who would have thought that he also had such a profound mastery over the path of ice?

Looks like I've underestimated this kid.

Li Lingxi muttered to herself in astonishment.

Of course, she had underestimated him.

At this point, she still didn't know that Su Jingzhen had already fully merged the Flesh and Blood Fire and the Seven-Colored Purifying Flame, giving birth to an even more advanced Nine-Colored Purifying Flame.

Despite this, the golden text once again appeared in front of Su Jingzhen's eyes.

[Emotional Connection +32]

[...]

[Remaining Available Points: 25,054]

This was a direct five hit combo.

Su Jingzhen couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Having people around who shared an emotional bond with him was truly rewarding.

Every now and then, they would give him hundreds of points.

Unlike those few days at the Winter Sun Immortal Academy, which had been utterly boring.

But after he conjured this shield of extreme ice energy, the cold in the hall suddenly ceased.

It was clear that Su Jingzhen's performance had perfectly passed Shuang Jiang's test.

As the storm of cold subsided, Su Jingzhen's gaze fell upon a graceful figure in a white dress standing ahead of them.

She was currently facing away from them.

It seemed that even Shuang Jiang wasn't fully prepared.

Seeing this familiar figure, Su Jingzhen's heart calmed down.

"Long time no see," he said, breaking the silence.

His tone was as casual and gentle as it had been back in Peach Blossom Alley, even carrying a hint of tenderness.

This scene once again left Li Jingzhe stunned.

Previously, she had jokingly referred to Su Jingzhen as Shuang Jiang's "little man" in front of her, but it had only been in jest.

But now, seeing Su Jingzhen's demeanor, it seemed that there really was something between the two of them.

To her, it even felt a bit surreal.

In the circles of cultivators at this level, Shuang Jiang was famous for being cold and aloof.

"Is there really something going on between these two?" Li Lingxi muttered under her breath.

At this moment, Shuang Jiang turned around. Her face was no longer the scarred visage Su Jingzhen remembered.

Instead, it was the breathtaking beauty that he had always imagined.

However, her expression was icy, and as she stared at Su Jingzhen, subtle emotions flickered across her face.

Finally, she chose to curve her lips into a gentle smile.

"Has it been so long? It's only been a year.

From a Qi Refining stage 1 cultivator with a shattered dantian to someone who has reached the Profound Saint realm in physical cultivation who now stands before me, it all feels like a dream.

You've really given me too many surprises."

Shuang Jiang didn't hide her astonishment either.

From the very beginning, she didn't hold back her praise for Su Jingzhen, openly expressing her admiration.ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ N()velFire.net

Shuang Jiang was well aware of everything Su Jingzhen had experienced and accomplished on his journey.

To her, it all seemed to be nothing short of miraculous.

Including how he had just passed her test perfectly, each achievement left her in awe.

Her own journey to power had been legendary, but it paled in comparison to Su Jingzhen's.

Even though her tone remained calm, the continuous stream of golden text appearing before Su Jingzhen's eyes betrayed her true feelings.

Seeing the golden text, Su Jingzhen himself was momentarily stunned.

[Emotional Connection +48]

[...]

[Remaining Available Points: 25,534]

Shuang Jiang's points had changed, and this time, it triggered ten times in a row!

A total of 480 points.

In Su Jingzhen's eyes, this was still relatively modest.

[Emotional Connection with Shuang Jiang has reached: Mutual Appreciation!]

[Level Bonus: 3x]

[Cultivation Bonus: 16x]

Su Jingzhen quickly pulled up Shuang Jiang's sub-panel.

Sure enough, the cultivation bonus had been updated to reflect her peak as an Immortal Emperor - a 16x multiplier!

Su Jingzhen quickly suppressed the excitement and joy in his heart.

A warm smile returned to his face as he walked up to Shuang Jiang.

He quietly gazed at her flawless face and said, "Is this your true appearance? It's truly beautiful."

At such a close distance, if the disciples of the Extreme Ice Hall had seen Su Jingzhen say these words, they would have been completely shocked.

Speaking so casually to the Hall Master of the Extreme Ice Hall, a high-ranking Immortal Emperor, would be considered blasphemy.

Shuang Jiang's brows furrowed slightly, but in the end, she said nothing.

The two of them stood there, facing each other in silence.

Beside them, Li Lingxi blinked her large eyes, sensing that the atmosphere in the hall had taken on a strange tone.

With a teasing smile, she said, "I feel like I'm being a bit of a third wheel here. My mistake, I'll leave you two to catch up."

With that, she vanished in a flash.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com