The seven greatest swordsmen of the Central Plains were already en route to the Dīng Jiàn Pavilion, galloping through the early spring chill, their swords aimed toward Kunlun in the west.
The snowy owl pecked at the cloth tied to its foot and hung it on a plum branch, circling for a long time before it finally flew off.
The door creaked open, but the person who emerged was not the one it sought—Liao Qingran, with her traveling bag slung over her shoulder, was preparing to leave. The servants of the Xia family had come the day before to take Qiu Shui Yin to stay with them. After carefully explaining the medicinal regimen and care instructions, Liao Qingran was ready to return home to Yangzhou.
However, when she noticed the cloth flapping in the wind on the plum branch, her gaze sharpened in an instant—
The Valley Master has gone to the Grand Light Palace. Shuang Hong.
“Damn… that girl has lost her mind! With her health, heading to Kunlun is practically a death sentence!” Liao Qingran exclaimed, stomping her foot. Without further hesitation, she turned to her maid, “We’re not going back to Yangzhou just yet! We need to intercept her!”
* * *
While the snowy owl flew back to Lin’an, its master was already approaching the snow-covered peaks of Kunlun.
Xue Zi Ye gazed out of the carriage at the increasingly towering mountains, lost in thought. That child… the child in Lin’an, Mo’er—had he recovered? And that Huo Zhan Bai, had he found his master? Would his master know of any other cure for such a sickness?
She raised her head, a bit troubled, staring toward the southern sky as if hoping for answers to appear.
“We’re almost there, aren’t we?” Holding the Sacred Fire Token close to her, she murmured to Miao Feng, “They say Kunlun is the sacred mountain at the westernmost edge of the world, the place where the Queen Mother of the West resides—just like the Frozen Abyss is in the far north.”
“Xue Huai said that the sky there has seven colors, with countless lights reflecting off the ice, shifting and shimmering…” Xue Zi Ye clutched the lynx fur tighter around her, whispering, “It’s so beautiful, it feels like a dream.”
Miao Feng silently lowered his head, unable to meet her gaze.
For the first time, he wished he had never taken part in that massacre.
Twelve years had passed since that bloody slaughter. Yet the moment when that pair of young lovers disappeared into the ice was still seared into his memory—if he had shown even the slightest mercy back then, perhaps the boy named Xue Huai would have escaped with her, fleeing from that devastating disaster, leaving the village behind, and living in anonymity at the icy sea of the far north.
But why had he never hesitated in all those years?
The wind blew into the carriage from outside, and he coughed slightly, feeling something hard within him cracking little by little.
"It's time for the gold needle treatment," Xue Zi Ye noticed his cough and, calculating the time, pulled out a set of needles from her side. However, Miao Feng gently pushed her hand away, speaking calmly, "From now on, Lady Xue should conserve her energy for treating the Sect Leader."
His face remained expressionless—ever since he had shed that smiling mask, he had become an empty shell.
Xue Zi Ye stared at him, finally unable to hold back her frustration.
"Do you even understand?" She threw the needles down and leaned forward, poking his chest angrily, exasperated by his indifference. "Has the Sect Leader drugged you? I’m trying to save you… why don’t you care?"
She poked hard enough that Miao Feng's brow furrowed slightly in response.
"At least you feel pain!" she snapped, noticing his reaction.
"Esteemed guests, we've arrived at Kunlun!" The carriage came to an abrupt stop, and the cheerful voice of the coachman interrupted her thoughts.
The coachman, whom they had hired at Uliastai, had been enticed by the high reward Miao Feng had promised and had taken on this arduous journey through snow and storm, traversing a path he had never traveled before—to Kunlun.
"Arrived?" Xue Zi Ye turned in surprise, lifting the curtain to look outside. Her breath was stolen by the sight—a giant snow-covered peak filled her entire view, its imposing presence rendering her speechless.
This was Kunlun? So vast, so dangerous, where even birds dared not fly, standing at the edge of the western world, piercing the heavens like a sword.
While Xue Zi Ye marveled at the awe-inspiring sight, Miao Feng had already leaped out of the carriage. He tossed a gold ingot to the ecstatic coachman, dismissing him, then respectfully rolled up the thick curtains and bowed slightly, "Lady Xue, please disembark."
As soon as the curtain was raised, a blast of cold wind rushed inside, making Xue Zi Ye catch her breath.
"This…" She looked up at the towering cliff, hesitating as she clutched her gilded hand warmer. "I can’t make it up there."
"Forgive me." Miao Feng gave a small bow, then, without warning, swept her up into his arms, cloak and all.
His movements were as swift as lightning. Without stopping, he crossed the snow-covered ground and soared up ten meters in an instant. Clearly familiar with this hidden path along the ice wall, he adeptly found footholds as he scaled the steep, snow-covered cliff. By the time Xue Zi Ye realized what was happening, they had already reached a height of several dozen meters.
The wind howled in her ears, yet Miao Feng’s movements were steady, holding her securely as he flew up the cliff as if it were nothing. It was like watching a white bird glide through the snow. Xue Zi Ye even noticed that the hand supporting her continued to send a warm, gentle flow of energy into her, maintaining her blood circulation—this man’s martial arts were truly unfathomable.
In no time, they had climbed several dozen meters higher. Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed from behind!
"The carriage! The carriage exploded!" Xue Zi Ye instinctively looked down, crying out in shock at the sight of a fiery ball rising from the cliff below.
The fireball was the very carriage that had just brought them here. Had something happened to the coachman as soon as they left?
"Yes," Miao Feng replied with a neutral tone, stepping onto another crack in the stone and ascending a few more meters. Ahead, the cliff revealed a path, and faint silhouettes stood in an orderly formation—this was the East Heaven Gate of the Grand Light Palace of Kunlun.
Seeing his indifferent expression, Xue Zi Ye was struck with a sudden realization. She turned to look at him, her fingers digging into his shoulder as she forced herself to speak: "Was it… you? Did you do that?"
His lips pressed together, and he said nothing, his blue hair fluttering in the wind.
"You killed the coachman?" Xue Zi Ye stared at him in disbelief, her fingers trembling from the shock. Her expression turned to one of fury, and she glared at him, "You… you killed him?"
The warm moment from before seemed to vanish in the wind, replaced by a chilling coldness.
"How could you!" she screamed angrily, "He was just an ordinary coachman! You’re insane!"
Before she could push him away, Miao Feng spun and landed gracefully in front of the Heaven Gate, still holding her securely.
"If I hadn't killed him, he might have revealed the route to the Grand Light Palace," Miao Feng explained calmly as he set her down. His voice betrayed neither joy nor guilt. "And besides, I only promised to pay him. I never promised not to kill him—"
A slap cut off his words.
"You’re insane!" Xue Zi Ye’s face was pale with rage as she glared at him, her voice shaking. "Do you know how hard it is to save a life? And you, you just kill people with a wave of your hand! Are you even human?"
He turned his head slowly, wiping away the blood at the corner of his mouth. A faint smile flickered in his eyes: so she became this angry just over a coachman? If she knew that it was he who had killed Xue Huai all those years ago, what would her reaction be?
"I told you, if you try to save me, you’ll regret it," he said, his voice regaining a trace of the smile. "I’ve always been a killer—quite the opposite of you, Lady Xue."
A subtle hint of mockery flickered in his eyes before vanishing as quickly as it came.
His tone was always measured and calm, but his words left Xue Zi Ye speechless. This man, who appeared so serene, carried the same darkness as Tong. Along their journey westward, he had fought relentlessly, showing no regard for life—whether it was livestock, enemies, subordinates, or even himself, he spared no mercy.
Why had he become like this?
She stood in the icy wind atop Kunlun, her body trembling slightly. "Don’t be insane. I want to save you! But how… how can I cure you, Yami?"
At the sound of that name, the smile on Miao Feng’s face froze, and he slowly turned his head.
Yami? Was she calling out to another version of himself? Yami… the name his parents and sister once called him. That name had long since been buried in his memory, untouchable by anyone.
She said she wanted to save him… but did she realize that to bring back the Yami of the past, she would first have to destroy the Miao Feng of today?
He smiled faintly and bowed. "Please, Lady Xue, allow me to escort you into the palace to treat the Sect Leader."
Xue Zi Ye looked at him, feeling even colder. So this was it—even a renowned healer could be powerless against certain conditions—like with Mo’er, and like with the man standing before her now.
"Miao Feng!" A voice broke through the tension. A disciple of the palace hurried over, kneeling with excitement and urgency, "You’ve finally returned! Quickly, quickly, the Sect Leader ordered that you go to the Grand Light Hall immediately upon your return!"
"What?" Miao Feng was startled. "What has happened in the palace?"
"A major incident," the disciple whispered, his voice trembling with fear. "The Sun Saintess… and Young Master Tong have rebelled!"
"What?!" Miao Feng gasped, his shock mirrored by Xue Zi Ye.
"But the Sect Leader is unharmed," the disciple added, keeping his head bowed.
As Miao Feng quickly grasped the situation, he silently unclenched his fists and exhaled. The Sect Leader, after all, was still the Sect Leader! Even in his current condition, he had managed to crush two rebellions!
But beside him, Xue Zi Ye’s face had turned pale.
"And Tong? What happened to him?" she blurted out, unable to hide her concern for the rebel.
"Young Master Tong?" The disciple hesitated, lowering his voice. "He…"
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