"What’s wrong with Tong?"
Xue Zi Ye hurried along with Miao Feng through the halls of the Jade Palace, her heart filled with anxiety. The jade trees and sparkling flowers, the crimson towers and embroidered doors—all of them flashed past in a blur. She stepped onto a long bridge of white jade that spanned the glacier, gazing down at the mist swirling beneath and the frozen, rushing glacier, and was suddenly overcome by a dreamlike sensation.
—On top of this snow-covered peak, such a vast world was hidden!
And this world harbored another force, one that had long stood against the Dingjian Pavilion in the Central Plains, hadn’t it?
“Ah,” a soft, beguiling voice suddenly interrupted, as though it reached deep into the bones, “Miao Feng is back?”
Miao Feng stopped and looked at the figure dressed in blue, slowly approaching from the other side of the white jade bridge. “Miao Shui?”
As he spoke, Miao Feng instinctively took a step forward, positioning himself in front of Xue Zi Ye, his hand hovering less than a foot from the hilt of his sword. This woman was unpredictable and dangerous; even here, within the palace, they couldn’t afford to be careless.
Miao Shui, holding an umbrella carried by a maid, lightly walked to the center of the bridge, her face blooming with a radiant smile, like a hundred flowers in full blossom.
At the sight of this woman in blue, Xue Zi Ye was taken aback: this foreign woman had long waves of dark golden hair, a broad forehead, a high, straight nose, and full lips. Her eyes, filled with teasing allure, darted here and there with captivating charm. Such stunning beauty rivaled even the most beautiful woman in the Central Plains, Qiu Shui Yin.
“You’ve finally returned,” Miao Shui laughed softly, her enchanting eyes twinkling. “The Holy Leader has been waiting for you for quite some time.”
Miao Feng remained impassive. “I was delayed by the Eight Steeds of the Asura Field along the way.”
“Oh? And you weren’t injured, I hope,” Miao Shui glanced at him, her look full of hidden meaning, nodding slowly. “No wonder, during the recent cleansing of the Asura Field, I counted the assassins several times, and it seems the Eight Steeds were the only ones missing.”
Miao Feng’s expression changed slightly. Could it be that, in just the few days since Tong’s betrayal, Miao Shui had already taken over the Asura Field?
“What happened to Tong?” Unable to hold back any longer, Xue Zi Ye rushed forward to ask.
Miao Shui was briefly taken aback, looking at the woman in purple draped in a golden lynx fur. For a moment, her eyes seemed to extend invisible tendrils, probing gently. But those tendrils vanished in an instant as she covered her mouth, laughing, and turned to Miao Feng. “Oh my, Miao Feng, is this the esteemed Head of the Medicine Valley, Xue Zi Ye? Now the Holy Leader’s illness should be of no concern.”
Miao Feng shot Miao Shui a sharp glance. The Holy Leader had even disclosed his grave injury to her? This enigmatic woman from Loulan had always been regarded as little more than a pretty ornament, a mere tool for the Holy Leader’s cultivation. But now, she had suddenly gained such trust?
However, Miao Feng quickly let go of his suspicions. In the chaos of recent events, he had been away, and Ming Li had died in battle. Miao Shui, on the other hand, had helped the Holy Leader in his time of crisis. It made sense that the Holy Leader would look at her differently now.
“Rest assured, Xue Zi Ye,” Miao Shui’s gaze swept over the two of them, her seductive smile lingering as she placed a short flute into her belt. “Tong isn’t dead—he not only survived, but has also regained his memory. Now, Miao Feng, please escort your esteemed guest to the Great Hall of Light quickly; the Holy Leader is waiting. As for me, I must return to oversee the Asura Field.”
Miao Feng nodded. “Take care, Miao Shui.”
Miao Shui, with her maid in tow, floated away, and as they passed each other, she lowered her head slightly and whispered, her voice soft as if murmuring in his ear:
“Miao Feng, how curious… Who stole the smile from your face?”
Before Miao Feng could answer, she had already glided away from the white jade bridge, leaving the snow beneath her feet as pristine as ever.
Miao Feng stood on the bridge, staring expressionlessly at the glacier far below, silent.
This woman, brought back by the Holy Leader from the Tibetan border, had been his cultivation partner for many years, exuding a sweet, alluring fragrance from inside and out. Yet there was always something unfathomably mysterious about her, something unsettling. Although they were both members of the elite Five Luminaries, they had never been particularly close. But strangely enough, every time he saw her, Miao Feng couldn’t shake a vague sense of unease.
“Hurry!” Xue Zi Ye broke through his thoughts. “I need to see your Holy Leader!”
Tong had regained his memory? Had the Holy Leader removed the golden needle that sealed his brain? If that was true… If that was true, then…
Her heart was aflame with worry. She ran ahead, leaving Miao Feng behind, clutching the Sacred Fire Token in her hand.
Miao Feng was startled. What kind of promise was this woman planning to extract from the Holy Leader in exchange for the Sacred Fire Token?
Could it be… Tong’s life?
A chill ran down his spine. The Holy Leader was not the kind of person who would allow a traitor to live. Someone as dangerous as Tong would never be left alive. There was no way the Holy Leader would forgive him; it would go against all logic and reason.
If Xue Zi Ye were to make such a request, even if the Holy Leader agreed in the moment, it would only spell disaster for her in the future!
But in the brief moment he hesitated, Xue Zi Ye had already dashed up the steps and headed straight for the towering Great Hall of Light. Countless disciples tried to block her path, but upon seeing the Sacred Fire Token in her hand, they parted like waves.
“Wait!” Miao Feng snapped out of his daze and leaped onto the bridge, swiftly landing outside the hall, reaching out to stop her. But it was too late—Xue Zi Ye had already crossed the threshold, rushing toward the throne!
The great hall was a sea of red, with flame patterns painted everywhere, like an ocean of fire. Countless veils fluttered, their jade bells ringing as they swayed. And at the highest point in this hall of fire, an elderly man with a high crown lounged lazily on the jade throne, seemingly bored, toying with the golden staff in his hand as he teased the mastiff chained at his feet.
The mastiff, as large as a calf, suddenly stood up, its fur bristling, letting out a low growl.
The old man was startled and turned his head in an instant, fixing his cold, piercing gaze on the unfamiliar woman who had burst in.
She rushed to the foot of the jade throne, her breath quick and shallow, raising her head to look up at the Holy Leader on the throne. She raised her right hand, signaling to him with the Sacred Fire Token.
“Xue Zi Ye, is it?” Upon seeing the Sacred Fire Token in her hand, the Holy Leader’s gaze softened, and he rose from his seat.
The old man’s voice was strange—though it sounded peaceful and calm, there was a faint edge of urgency in his breath. With her deep medical knowledge, Xue Zi Ye instantly understood how weak this Holy Leader must be in his current state. Yet, even in his frailty, he exuded an overwhelming pressure. Just one look from him was enough to freeze her in place!
“Holy Leader…” she hesitated, then finally spoke.
The mastiff under the throne suddenly began to growl, its body arched, and the golden chain around its neck pulled taut as it warily eyed the uninvited intruder. It was tethered to the Persian rug beneath the throne, massive like a gray calf.
"Ah!!" Xue Zi Ye gasped in shock when she saw what lay before her—
There, chained together with the mastiff, was a person!
The bloodied figure was also bound by a golden chain around his neck, the iron collar cutting deeply into his skin, preventing him from lifting his head. His hands and feet were shackled to the ground, forcing him to crawl on the cold stone floor, his body covered in marks of brutal torture. He wore a jade mask and lay motionless as if dead.
Yet, the moment she stepped into the room, that person jerked as if struck by lightning, turning his face away to avoid her gaze.
Even though she couldn’t see his face, she recognized him instantly!
“Ming Jie!” She rushed forward, shouting desperately, “Ming Jie!”
She saw the dim, lifeless eyes behind the mask and the blood oozing from his joints—at a glance, she understood the extent of the tortures he had endured. She could hardly believe her eyes: less than a month ago, Ming Jie had been so cold, proud, and ruthless in the Medicine Valley, his skills sharp and his mind as deep as the sea. And now, in just a little over twenty days, he had been reduced to this!
Who... who had destroyed him? Who had done this to him?
In that moment, the overwhelming pain in her heart nearly suffocated her. Xue Zi Ye ran toward him, heedless of anything else. But before she could get within a few feet of the throne, the mastiff leapt at her, growling ferociously. The beast, born of the snowlands, reeked of bloodlust, baring its sharp white teeth as it lunged at the defenseless woman.
She made no attempt to dodge, still focused entirely on the figure bound to the ground. The mastiff pounced on her shoulder, slamming her to the ground as its fangs aimed for her throat.
“Ah.” At last, the man who had seemed dead reacted, letting out a faint cry as he struggled to stand. However, the golden chains around his neck and limbs yanked him back to the ground, leaving him utterly immobile.
Just as the mastiff was about to sink its teeth into her throat, Xue Zi Ye felt a sudden force from behind, pulling her sideways with incredible speed.
That gentle force carried her three feet away, safely to the ground. She felt a numbness spread across her back, and suddenly her legs were paralyzed.
With a loud snap, the mastiff’s jaws bit down on empty air, its sharp teeth clashing together with a sound that sent shivers down the spine.
“Master Xue, do not approach the sacred beast,” a soft voice said as it set her down.
“Feng,” the Holy Leader smiled, looking at the person who had silently entered, and extended a hand. “My child, you’ve returned?”
Miao Feng stepped forward, bowing his head as he knelt on one knee before the jade steps. “I greet the Holy Leader.”
“Have you returned on time with the Master of the Medicine Valley? Such a capable and good child,” the Holy Leader said approvingly, smiling as his hand rested gently on Miao Feng’s head. “Feng, I didn’t raise you in vain—not like Tong, that venomous snake who constantly thinks of betraying his benefactor.”
“…” Miao Feng hesitated for a moment but remained silent.
“Release Ming Jie!” Xue Zi Ye shouted, her voice sharp and commanding, despite being paralyzed. “Release him right now!”
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