Just as these two sworn enemies were enraged and drew their swords, ready to fight, Xuan Yuanhan, who had been watching from the sidelines with an innate aura of a king who could rule the world, suddenly struck their sword-wielding hands with something. A sharp pain forced them to release their grip, and their swords fell to the ground.
Just as the two were shocked, Xuan Yuanhan coldly rebuked them, "If you don't want anything to happen to your Valley Master, don't waste your time here."
"By the way, Third Young Master..." The two women looked at each other as if they had just woken up, and said in unison.
Cheng Liang picked up his sword and asked, "Where is your master of the valley?"
Zisu and Baizhi then looked up at the summit at the same time, and Xuanyuan Han and Cheng Liang also looked anxiously in the direction they were looking.
Although Yi Junhao was clinging tightly to the top of the cliff on the north slope, at a height of over two thousand feet, he would be very difficult to spot without careful observation.
Everyone looked up and carefully searched the huge white object in front of them.
Zisu raised her head high, almost looking up at the sky, and searched for a long time. Suddenly, she pointed to a small, bright purple-red dot on the peak next to her and said happily, "It's right there."
So everyone tilted their heads back as high as possible and stared blankly at the sky.
At the summit, a handsome man with peach blossom eyes, draped in a dazzling, noble crimson cloak, pressed himself tightly against the cold cliff face. His lips were bluish-purple, he trembled, and his clenched teeth clicked. Fine snowflakes and ice beads clung to his hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, and cheeks.
However, he never gave up or stopped searching around with his eyes and digging through the snow with his hands.
But by this point, it was clear that his physical strength was almost exhausted. Rock climbing is an extremely physically demanding activity, especially in such harsh conditions, and without water for an extended period.
He suddenly remembered the delicious food that Zisu had prepared for him yesterday evening, which he had overturned.
I also recall the intoxicating warmth of the sun after spring arrived in Baicao Valley, with birds singing and flowers blooming everywhere, and the faint aroma of herbs emanating from the valley.
He also thought of his hometown in the south, where his kind mother, now with graying temples, would weep all day long, eagerly awaiting the return of her beloved child.
But what he longed for most was his girl, the kind, gentle girl whom everyone said was ugly, but whom he alone considered the most beautiful in the world.
When you love someone, do you try every means to possess them, or do you silently protect them and respect their freedom?
Yi Junhao already knew everything clearly in his heart, but he could never bear to give up. His heart had already made up his mind that even if she could only be his third brother, a maidservant, he would do everything in his power to protect her for the rest of his life, even if it meant sacrificing his own life, he would have no regrets.
But at this moment, he was really tired, so tired, so sleepy, his eyelids were already drooping against his will.
It seemed that if he just took one last leap, he would reach the highest peak, where perhaps December Spring would be waiting for him.
But he couldn’t jump up for a long time. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but that he was too weak. The summit was also severely oxygen-deprived, and even breathing was difficult. He gasped for breath.
Time ticked by, and he remained pressed tightly against the steep cliff face, motionless as if on the verge of death. After a long while, he slowly raised his head to look at the sky; it was about to get dark. If darkness fell, all his efforts would be in vain, and he would have to return empty-handed.
Suddenly, he murmured, "No, I can't give up. I must find Layuechun. The girl absolutely cannot wait any longer."
So he gathered all the last bit of strength he had in his body into his dantian, and with all his might, he pressed it onto that last fulcrum, and roared "Ah..." as if his hair was standing on end in anger.
A dazzling purple-red figure leaped up instantly, drawing a bright line across the sky and then landed steadily on the edge of the peak.
Yes, he succeeded. His heavy body was now lying on its back in a "big" shape, finally able to stretch out completely and move his muscles and bones.
At that moment, he felt incredibly close to the heavens, as if he were a celestial being, far removed from all the strife and suffering of the mortal world. After a long while, he slowly sat up, and in that instant, a miraculous scene unfolded before his eyes.
Right where he landed and lay flat, amidst a pile of rocks and snow next to his calves, stood a delicate, slightly purple flower shaped like a lotus, resembling a young girl standing gracefully.
"Winter Spring, it really is Winter Spring, and it's Winter Spring that grows on the mountaintop with the best medicinal effects. That's wonderful, the girl is saved..." Yi Junhao was so excited that he shouted to the sky. He was so excited that he forgot his exhaustion and even forgot that he was on the top of an ice mountain peak more than two thousand feet high.
A powerful, cold wind lashed at his body, instantly swallowing the sound he made. All that could be seen was his frozen face and his still alluring peach blossom eyes, now smiling radiantly.
So he reached into his cloak and pulled out a specially made small wooden box, which he opened to find was filled with ice water.
Then, he slowly approached the twelfth month spring, reached out and gently picked it, storing it in the ice water box.
Finally, he carefully reburied the roots of the spring leaves left in the snow with both hands, then slowly stood up, his eyes fixed on the box in his hands, smiling with satisfaction.
Just as he had determined his route and was preparing to return to the ground, he suddenly heard a "crack" behind him. He quickly turned around, frowned, and exclaimed in alarm, "Oh no, snow quicksand!"
As he spoke, a crack appeared beneath his feet, widening and winding its way forward. Then, massive chunks of ice and snow rose up and began to slide rapidly down the mountainside, hurtling down with a whoosh. This incredible speed created a powerful shockwave in front of him.
Seeing this, Yi Junhao quickly surveyed his surroundings, trying to find cover, but there wasn't even a slightly larger rock to lean on.
Time was of the essence. He glanced ahead, then quickly leaned forward, covering his face with his hands to prevent the icy snow from entering his throat and lungs and causing suffocation. With that, he leaped, his body like a kite with a broken string, drifting between heaven and earth, flowing downstream with the snow and quicksand.
"Little girl, I'm sorry, your third brother can't protect you in this life," Yi Junhao murmured as he floated in the sky, looking up at his little girl. Finally, he smiled and closed his warm and charming eyes, which were as gentle as a spring breeze. He could finally rest.
Meanwhile, in the Mingyue Pavilion of the Yi Mansion in the west of the city.
Yi Shangyun had just finished a sumptuous dinner and was standing by a window, staring blankly at the wall outside that was extremely mysterious to her, pondering what the gateway and opportunity to return to the 21st century was.
"Ah..." Suddenly, she felt an unbearable pain in her heart, as if it were being stabbed, so much so that she couldn't stand up. She quickly pulled her hand away from the window and placed it on the painful spot. She used her other hand to support herself on the table next to her.
Yan'er, a maid who was tidying up clothes nearby, saw this and hurriedly came over with a frown, asking, "What's wrong, Miss?" As she spoke, she helped Yi Shangyun up and sat down.
"I don't know why, but I suddenly feel an unbearable heartache." Yi Shangyun frowned, wondering why she suddenly felt this way. In the 21st century, apart from having a tumor in her body and occasionally experiencing abdominal and back pain, she had no other abnormalities.
Yan'er quickly poured a cup of freshly brewed jasmine tea and handed it to her. "Miss, would you like to show this to the master? Heartache is no small matter."
"No need, I suppose you've been a bit overworked lately. A little rest will do you good." Yi Shangyun smiled as she took the teacup, her small, pink lips slightly parted as she took a sip.
"Really not necessary?" Yan'er asked, her eyes wide, but Yi Shangyun only shook her head slightly.
"Then Miss, please have some hot tea to calm down. If that doesn't work, you'll definitely have to go to the master," Yi Shangyun nodded in agreement with Yan'er.
"Miss, tomorrow night is New Year's Eve. Would you like to stay up with me to pray for the master and madam?" Yan'er asked happily.
"Tomorrow night?...I'm afraid I won't be able to stay up with Yan'er tomorrow night?" Yi Shangyun was afraid of seeing Yan'er's pitiful disappointed look, but she couldn't bear to lie to her.
"Miss, are you not going to be at the manor tomorrow night?" Yan'er reacted quickly this time.
"On the day I left the palace, the Third Young Master asked me to spend New Year's Eve with him, saying that he was all alone..." Yi Shangyun recalled the scenes of the day Yi Junhao picked her up from the palace.
"Third Young Master?" Yan'er touched her forehead, puzzled.
Yi Shangyun explained, "He is the master of Baicaotang and the master of Baicaogu."
"Oh, it's him... So, Miss agreed?" Yan'er asked anxiously, and Yi Shangyun pursed her lips and nodded in agreement.
"But New Year's Eve has always been a time for family reunion, yet Miss is going to spend it with a stranger. Could it be... Oh... Yan'er knows. That Third Young Master also likes my Miss, doesn't he?" Yan'er is getting smarter and smarter.
"Don't talk nonsense, there's no such thing!" Yi Shangyun retorted with a slightly uneasy expression, but her ears had already turned red.
“Miss, this is troublesome,” Yan’er continued, while Yi Shangyun’s evasive gaze quickly returned to Yan’er.
To her surprise, Yan'er asked, "Miss, which one do you think is better, His Highness Prince Qin or that Third Young Master?"
"Yan'er..." Yi Shangyun deliberately raised her voice upon hearing this.
Seeing that Yi Shangyun seemed both angry and shy, Yan'er covered her mouth and laughed. Then she said, "It's all good, it's all good, Miss, choose whatever you like, choose whatever you like." After saying that, she hurriedly slipped away to continue tidying up the clothes.
After being teased by Yan'er, Yi Shangyun finally came to her senses. Her heart was still aching slightly, and she murmured, "Could something have happened?!"
At the foot of the desolate, snow-covered mountain, Zisu and Baizhi saw vast swaths of snow and sand rushing down with tremendous force, creating layers of air currents. In an instant, they were terrified and cried out in unison to the red dot falling from the sky at the same time, "No... Third Young Master..."
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