Chapter 27 The Visitor in the Snowstorm Amidst the utter silence of the snow-capped peaks, something seemed to...

The next morning.

Shen Lixia opened her eyes, and the gentle swaying on her shoulders stopped. Through her blurry vision, Qiao Yanshen was looking at her with gentle eyes downcast.

"Good morning, Li Xia." The woman before me had changed into new clothes, no longer in spotless white, but in a light aquamarine. "Today, let's go to Frostblade Peak and ask True Monarch Mingji what that fire really is. She is a Nascent Soul cultivator, so she must know more than we do."

The boy sat up abruptly, shook his head, and got out of bed to tidy himself up.

The ribbon has been untied; it seems the punishment is over.

After they both changed into their travel clothes, they headed down the mountain path.

"Let's go buy a new sword first. After we get back, we can go to the Affairs Hall. Maybe there will be a new mission... We can go again before the small competition." Qiao Yanshen muttered to himself as he counted the spirit stones in his hand. The contribution points from the previous mission had already been recorded on their tokens, and the spirit stones had been delivered to their residence by a messenger that morning.

The amount after the division isn't much, since the mission only recorded the anomalies caused by the Great Dream Array, not the subsequent drought demon. But it's enough to buy a sword and cover expenses for a while.

After walking for a while in the small town, the two stopped in front of a breakfast stall. They saw a large pot of plump, fragrant rice in front of the door, bubbling and bubbling with dates, brown sugar, and longan, its color warm and translucent, releasing a sweet steam. They went inside, found a table, and the owner brought their order to them.

"Top-quality spirit beast meat, fresh." She smiled. "You were the first ones here, so I'll give you two extra steamed buns."

Qiao Yanshen blinked, looked at his own bowl of porridge on the table, which was almost overflowing, and pushed the meat bun that had been given to him toward Shen Lixia.

"Thank you," she nodded. "The shopkeeper is so kind; I'm sure his business will prosper in the future."

Shen Lixia took the meat bun, took a small bite, and the soup instantly gushed out. The smooth and delicate meat filling touched her lips, releasing wisps of steam. She sipped the delicious soup slightly, then took a big bite.

The soft and thin outer skin and the savory filling with a hint of sweetness create a perfect harmony.

So, adhering to the principle of sharing delicious food, Shen Lixia persuaded Qiao Yanshen, who originally didn't plan to touch anything other than porridge, to try the bun. After slowly finishing it, he seemed to lose interest in the porridge again.

Shen Lixia understood immediately and asked, "Is Senior Sister the type who doesn't have a good appetite in the morning?"

Qiao Yanshen nodded helplessly: "It's good that you don't think I'm on a diet."

Of the three meals a day, she preferred dinner. Therefore, although the dishes that Shen Lixia had cooked a few days ago were not spicy, she still missed them.

The two chatted lightly as they walked from the eatery to the weapons shop. Their figures were bathed in billowing smoke, their hair damp with the cool mist, which quickly cooled them down as the temperature rose.

After buying the sword, they walked to the edge of the small town, gazing at the rolling mountains at the end of the town. They saw that the sky suddenly darkened when it reached the top, casting a hazy, dark blue-green hue.

Shen Lixia looked into the distance and saw an exceptionally steep and strange outline. She exclaimed in surprise, "How can that peak look like a sword pointing to the sky? It looks even steeper than Wanjian Peak."

Qiao Yanshen followed her gaze, but could only see a blurry outline in the mist. She nodded, not surprised by the other's eyesight, and said, "Perhaps that is Frostblade Peak. Let's go."

The sun had already risen, its rays shining brightly and gently falling on their slightly damp clothes. Hearing that she was leaving, Shen Lixia hesitated for a moment, her hand reaching for the sword at her waist, stroking it repeatedly. Finally, she tugged at Qiao Yanshen's sleeve as he was about to fly away, feigning a pitiful expression: "Senior Sister, will you come with me today?"

Her voice was soft, her eyebrows and eyes were lowered, and she kept blinking, just like a little bird perched on Qiao Yanshen's fingertip—if you ignored his much taller stature.

"Still afraid? Then come on up." Qiao Yanshen led her onto the longsword as usual. "Is it because you see it too clearly that you feel fear?"

Shen Lixia mumbled, "Perhaps... and I used to often dream of falling from great heights. In my dreams, I was like a bird, but for some reason, my wings broke off, and I plummeted through the heavens, my body gradually shattering in the wind blades..."

Time and time again.

"What a... bizarre dream." Qiao Yanshen said, a fleeting, inexplicable pang of pain rising in her heart, causing the sword beneath her feet to tremble. She suppressed her emotions and used her spiritual power to propel her sword toward Frostblade Peak. Shen Lixia, as usual, held her waist tightly, moving very carefully.

Upon reaching the summit, Qiao Yanshen suddenly stopped, a flash of light appearing in his hand as he took out the blood-stained fallen leaf from yesterday.

“There’s a barrier,” she said.

All mountains with owners are like this; to put it bluntly, the peak owner is the owner, and no one may enter without permission. The mountain where the four Immortal Venerables of the sect reside is roughly the difference between private territory and public area compared to the likes of Wan Jian Feng and Yu Heng Feng.

Qiao Yanshen's divine sense entered the leaf, and she felt a cool spiritual energy residue inside. When the divine sense disturbed it, the energy dispersed and trembled slightly. Then, the resistance in front of her disappeared, and the barrier opened for her.

The two of them shuddered violently as soon as they entered, nearly losing their balance and falling down together.

It's too cold.

Unlike the other peaks, Frostblade Peak is located on the border of the sect, covered in pure white snow, resembling a garden only in winter, with the cold wind howling through it, bringing clusters of condensed snowflakes. The icy air cuts through the air, requiring one to use spiritual power to resist it.

Shen Lixia quickly activated the fire elemental power within her body, and a faint red light emanated from her, then slowly flowed towards Qiao Yanshen. The warmth enveloped the two of them once again, restoring color to their pale lips.

"Is this really a place for people to live?" the boy couldn't help but mutter, pulling Qiao Yan closer to him. A warm aura emanated from her, as soft and delicate as thick feathers.

“Mingji Zhenjun is renowned for her Frosty Sword Intent. Her sword carries a chilling aura, said to be able to inflict the agony of being unable to live or die, causing one to lose all consciousness in an instant, and even die without ever regaining consciousness,” Qiao Yanshen said, raising his hand to catch a falling snowflake. “However, it’s strange that the seasons on the outside haven’t affected this place at all. Could it be that, as the book says, the climate on the peak is also determined by the master’s state of mind?”

So what exactly is it in Yan Xueya's heart that has left her with an impression of composure yet boldness?

Qiao Yanshen intuitively felt that Yan Xueya was not such a cold person. Snow melted on his fingertips, seeped into his skin, and caused a slight stinging pain that made him involuntarily purse his lips.

confused.

More than the cold, it felt like being lost and directionless. The heavy snow just kept falling endlessly, like a prison with no end in sight.

Shen Lixia was focused on warming the two of them when she inadvertently glanced at the snowy scene below and suddenly became excited: "Senior sister, look, there are snow deer! And moose over there! Oh my god, isn't that—a white tiger? I have a feeling it's watching us..."

Moreover, plum blossoms bloom among the branches of the underground forest, and some unnamed spiritual herbs sprout tiny tips under the thick snow, waiting with tenacious vitality for the day they will fully grow.

The bright red plum blossoms swayed in the wind, like clusters of withered flames.

In the utter silence of the snow-capped peaks, so many lives are distributed.

Upon reaching the summit, Qiao Yanshen stopped in front of the hall, took Shen Lixia's hand, and pulled the door knocker, the metal clanging with a dull sound. Shen Lixia looked closely at the hall door and noticed that it was engraved with symmetrical white tiger totems, the majestic mythical beasts resembling guardian deities in the wind and snow.

The people here have an extraordinary reverence for the Four Symbols.

The palace doors opened, and Yan Xueya sat in the hall. There was another person opposite her. The two stopped talking and looked at the young men who had entered.

The palace doors were closed tightly after the two had fully entered. The room became much warmer, and a fireplace-like structure stood nearby, its flames burning brightly, illuminating the surroundings along with the glow of the ice crystals above.

"It's very cold here, it must have been tough for you to come up here." The woman with white hair and a snow-white dress nodded, a smile appearing on her face. "If you didn't have a strong will, you probably would have given up long ago."

“Aren’t there many strange creatures on this peak? Although this snow is cold, it contains spiritual energy, which can actually nourish people after they adapt to the cold. Those spirit beasts can adapt to it, so there’s no reason why cultivators can’t accept it.” Shen Lixia blinked and sat down on a chair with Qiao Yanshen with Yan Xueya’s tacit approval.

This immortal is not pretentious...

Shen Lixia immediately formed a good impression on her.

Yan Xueya nodded: "People usually say that the heavy snow on Frostblade Peak devours life, but you were able to discover that there is actually a different ecosystem there. You are quite perceptive."

The young man sitting opposite her suddenly spoke up: "These two are the ones I heard punished the misbehaving inner disciples as soon as they joined the sect? Let me guess..."

The person's voice wasn't loud, yet it genuinely drew people in to listen. She wore a gray-green outfit with gilded details at the lapels, and golden light flickered in her black hair.

Her eyes were like two strokes of thick ink, with bright golden light shimmering in her pupils, giving her a mysterious air.

"This young friend is Qiao Yanshen, right? And that young friend with the golden eyes must be Shen Lixia."

The young man smiled easily, his face gentle and refined, radiating a sense of approachability and trustworthiness. Neither of them dared to relax, for his cultivation was unfathomable; judging by his aura alone, it was even stronger than Yan Xueya's.

"That's right," the two said in unison, and performed the proper greetings for a sect elder.

Seeing this, Yan Xueya said, "No need to be nervous. You can trust this person completely, after all, she is..."

“Chang Yi, my friends, you may call me Chang Yi.”

The young man responded appropriately.

"Climbing Frostblade Peak is no easy feat. Is there something important on your mind?"

Qiao Yanshen didn't linger and tugged at Chen Lixia's sleeve, "My... junior sister has something strange about her. I hope True Monarch Mingji can help investigate."

She described the strange fire in detail. Yan Xueya frowned as she listened, while Chang Yi, on the other hand, was quite interested. She picked up a teacup that was also engraved with tiger stripes and took small sips of the tea.

After Qiao Yanshen finished speaking, Yan Xueya and Chang Yi exchanged a glance, and the latter said with a smile, "Xueya, may I take a look first?"

Yan Xueya nodded, gesturing for Shen Lixia to come closer.

The girl pursed her lips, feeling inexplicably awkward in front of this person named Chang Yi, as if intimidated by some unspoken aura emanating from her. She slowly leaned closer, watching Chang Yi raise her hand and touch her forehead with her fingertips.

A warm, vibrant energy entered her meridians, sweeping across the hot, flowing landscape within her body. Shen Lixia closed her eyes, her heart pounding. Then, she felt a familiar warmth touch the back of her hand.

Qiao Yanshen took her hand and whispered, "Relax."

Under such reassurance, Shen Lixia's breathing gradually calmed down.

Chang Yi slowly deepened her spiritual power, feeling it gradually weakening under the influence of a certain aura. She calmly continued her attempts, her spiritual power shattering and then coalescing again as it was disrupted by the malevolent energy, relentlessly battling it. When she could no longer advance, she closed her eyes, a powerful pressure silently emanating from her body.

The oppressive aura emanated immediately, making it difficult for Shen Lixia and Qiao Yanshen to breathe. They felt as if their entire bodies were on high alert, filled with extreme fear, and cold sweat dripped down their backs. Yan Xueya's body swirled with a cold blue light, seemingly arousing an instinctive fighting spirit in response to this aura.

This should be more than the power of the Nascent Soul stage.

Realizing this, Chang Yi's identity became even more mysterious. Qiao Yanshen cautiously looked at the gentle young man, forming an initial guess about her.

The aura was so powerful that it deterred the malevolent energy, causing it to retreat slightly. The spiritual energy attempted to penetrate deeper, and what it saw was mysterious: two auras clashed intensely.

The next moment, the young man's face turned pale, his eyes opened, and blood trickled from the corner of his lips.

Qiao Yanshen was alarmed, but dared not make a move. He waited for Chang Yi to hold her hand for a while longer before withdrawing it before asking nervously:

Are you alright?

Chang Yi shook her head, raised her hand to wipe away the bright red blood, and her face gradually regained color. "It's nothing, just a backlash caused by the forceful collision."

She looked at Shen Lixia, who had opened her eyes and had a similarly solemn expression.

"Young friend, you've also sensed that besides the malevolent energy within you, there's something else extremely terrifying, isn't that right?"

Chang Yi chuckled softly.

"That wasn't some strange fire, nor was it will-o'-the-wisp..."

The surging, scalding heat, combined with the righteous energy beneath the violence that seemed capable of burning away all evil in the world.

"It is divine fire."

-----------------------

Author's note: I've got a new cover!

Due to too many deadlines, updates may be posted every other day or daily recently. Occasionally, when I'm too busy, I may post every other day.