On the frozen lake composed of thick ice, a ring of ice, hundreds of feet in size, stretches out prominently.
The edge of the ice ring exuded a chilling aura, and the dark blue ice veins meandered and intertwined, spreading along the ice ring. Inside the ice ring, a faint dark halo lingered, sometimes rolling and surging, sometimes flickering with light, beckoning people to go inside and explore.
Not far from the ice ring, three figures stood in the cold wind, each with a different expression.
Xia Zihan frowned, her eyes filled with urgency. Her gaze remained fixed on the entrance to the ruins, her feet shifting restlessly, as if she were about to rush in at any moment.
In contrast, Dongfang Yingluo looked puzzled. She tilted her head, her eyes darting back and forth between the entrances to the ruins, and muttered to herself, looking at the captain's token in her hand with a belly full of questions:
"Strange, the location is clearly marked as being here, so why is there no one here? What's even stranger is that there's no one at the entrance to this Xuanbing Domain ruin?"
Xiao Chen, standing on the outermost edge, looked somber, his fists clenched, and a bitter smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Just moments ago, he had learned from Dongfang Yingluo the truth behind Xia Zihan's hasty arrival here—it turned out she was there to see the woman he had only recently come to know.
Thinking of this, Xiao Chen sighed. A cold wind blew by, ruffling the hair on his forehead, adding to his melancholy.
"Yingluo, is this really the place? I... I can't see him. Can you double-check the location? Could it be that the token is malfunctioning? Or... or is he in danger?"
Looking at the empty frozen lake in front of her, Xia Zihan's slender fingers gripped the hem of her dress tightly, her knuckles turning pale. The purple skirt was crumpled and disheveled in her hands, completely losing its usual elegance and composure.
Upon seeing this, Dongfang Yingluo was filled with surprise. The Xia Zihan she remembered had always been a noble and aloof person, seemingly unmoved by anything in the world, and able to remain calm and composed no matter what difficulties she faced.
But the Xia Zihan in front of me was a completely different person, with none of her former aloofness and indifference.
This made Dongfang Yingluo secretly ponder in her heart: could the word "love" really turn a person as aloof as an immortal into such a person who is so anxious and insecure?
"Zihan, don't panic." Dongfang Yingluo stepped forward and gently patted Xia Zihan's shoulder, trying to comfort her. "The captain's token won't be wrong, so Qin Luo must be nearby. Maybe he encountered something in the ruins, which is why there are some discrepancies in his location."
Upon hearing this, Xia Zihan could no longer contain herself and hurriedly flew towards the entrance of the ruins.
Just then, a faint light suddenly appeared at the entrance to the ruins, and Xia Zihan's eyes lit up instantly. Unfortunately, the expectation in her eyes turned into disappointment the next second, followed by a faint trace of hostility.
The reason was simple: the woman before them was dressed in a moon-white dress, like flowing moonlight.
His usually cool face was now filled with anxiety, and his eyes, which were like cold stars, were slightly red with worry.
While this woman's beauty couldn't compare to Xia Zihan's devastatingly beautiful appearance, she was still exceptionally beautiful, each with her own unique charm. Her face, as cool and serene as moonlight, revealed a special allure born of anxiety.
Coupled with the mature charm she exuded, she possessed an even more unique allure. Even with an anxious expression, she couldn't hide the elegant temperament that radiated from within. Her furrowed brows and gently bitten lower lip spoke volumes about her inner concern. This appearance was like a vivid painting, attracting the attention of those around her.
Upon seeing the sudden appearance of Murong Liyue, Xia Zihan seemed to recall something, and the hostility in her eyes deepened considerably.
"You... I remember you were the one who received the invitation from Wanxuan Academy, right? So, you've also come to Lingyuan Sect?"
Her tone was filled with strong doubt, and she deliberately emphasized the word "also," hinting at some suspicion. She looked Murong Liyue up and down, her eyes sharp as knives.
Upon hearing this, Murong Liyue was taken aback for a moment before realizing what she meant. Her gaze fell on the thin veil covering Xia Zihan's face, which, though concealing her beauty, still couldn't hide it. A strange sense of illicit pleasure welled up in her heart as she recalled the past.
After all, she knew that she was a latecomer in Qin Luo's love life. In front of Xia Zihan, who was suspected to be her "number one Daoist partner," the confidence she had shown when facing Su Yaoyue and Huang Lu vanished without a trace.
A hint of embarrassment crept onto her face. She lowered her head slightly, avoiding Xia Zihan's piercing gaze, and said softly:
"Yes, I came to Lingyuan Sect by chance."
"As expected..." The moment she received Murong Liyue's affirmative answer, Xia Zihan gritted her teeth and muttered to herself. She felt the unease that had been barely suppressed in her heart break through the soil again and grow wildly.
She took a quick, deep breath, trying to calm herself down, but her rapid, disordered breathing betrayed her deep-seated fear.
Xia Zihan tried her best to suppress the hostility in her tone, constantly reassuring herself that the fact that the two of them were on the same team might just be an accident. But this self-comfort seemed so pale and powerless in the face of the overwhelming jealousy.
Immediately, she spoke again, her words filled with an urgent tone that brooked no refusal:
"Where is Qin Luo now? Is he still inside the ruins?"
Upon hearing Qin Luo's name, Murong Liyue suddenly remembered something, and an anxious expression returned to her face. However, when she felt Xia Zihan's piercing gaze, she instinctively flinched, forcing herself to remain calm, and softened her tone:
"Please... sister, calm down. To be honest, I have no idea where Qin Luo is right now either."
The word "sister" was uttered very softly, with a rising tone at the end, as if testing the other person's reaction.
At this moment, Murong Liyue finally understood how Dan Bingli and Huang Lu felt when they first saw her. Every second of waiting for someone's attitude was agonizing.
But she had no choice but to do it, all for the sake of that fickle Qin Luo, whom she both loved and hated. If lowering herself could save him some trouble and help him solve his problems, then it would be worth it.
No wonder Dan Bingli and the other person were so gentle with her when they first met. After all, she had already been very kind to the person in front of her during their first meeting, and her words were full of sincerity and her manners were impeccable.
If the other party doesn't accept, hmph! She's not one to be easily bullied...
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. When the word "sister" came out of Murong Liyue's mouth, Xia Zihan's heart sank and she fell into an abyss of despair.
The worst possible scenario that had been lurking in my mind came rushing back.
Xia Zihan felt a surge of blood rush to her head, and the world before her eyes was shrouded in a layer of angry red mist.
She knew it all along; these vixens who appeared out of nowhere had finally managed to seduce her Qin Luo!
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