"Fire in the Moon", "Flaming Lotus Fist", "Crimson Fire Numb Palm", "Immortal Scripture Moon Skill", "Eight Harmony Divine Palm", "Golden Wind Transforms into Sun Hand" must have at least half to four levels, or all of them must be cultivated to two levels;
The Flying Flower Heart Sutra, the Emperor's Thoughts, the Bright Light Great Law, the Pure Cold Transformation into the Moon, and the Blazing Sun's Might have at least half to four levels, or all of them to two levels.
After reading the list, Xuezhi smiled slightly and said, "Second Father, are you planning to lock me up for thirty years?" Lin Yuhuang shook his finger and said, "Your eldest father reached this level when he was thirteen. At fifteen, the level doubled. At twenty-five, none of the Chonghuo Palace's moves and internal skills were below the eighth level."
Xuezhi smiled and said, "Second Uncle, First Uncle isn't quite normal, but I'm relatively normal."
Lin Yuhuang patted Xuezhi's shoulder heavily, his face burning with fighting spirit, and said, "Zhi'er, as a member of Chonghuo Palace, you should be proficient in all the martial arts manuals and bring glory to the sect!"
Xuezhi was unhappy, saying that even Huang'er herself hadn't practiced this much.
Lin Yuhuang said with a grin, "I have no intention of becoming the palace master, I won't practice."
So Xuezhi began spending the last six months within Chonghuo Palace interacting with elders, protectors, senior disciples, and her main master, Mu Yuan, absorbing experience and skills in preparation for entering seclusion. Ultimately, her studious spirit earned high praise from Lin Yuhuang, who specially approved her entry into seclusion after participating in the Weapon Ranking Conference the following year.
The days passed by quite slowly.
Summer ends and early autumn arrives.
After the blazing sun has set, only the west wind and the setting sun remain.
The red lotus within Chonghuo Palace has faded, and the accumulated flow has become cold and desolate.
The secluded meditation chamber near the mountaintop had been cleaned, and she would be alone for the next two years. At this time, she should have been calm and focused, but Xuezhi was so anxious that she was afraid of herself. However, she hid it well, and Lin Yuhuang, being rather oblivious, did not question it.
This restless state continued for another three months, to the point where she couldn't even concentrate on reading the secret manual. Finally, Xuezhi told Lin Yuhuang that she wanted to leave her friends behind and travel alone. Lin Yuhuang laughed and said, "Isn't this running away?" Xuezhi shook her head vigorously, saying she would definitely be back within a month.
Lin Yuhuang let her go.
Snowflakes fall in the evening, frost is cold and wind is mournful. The arrival of winter washes away the mundane world, but also brings desolation to the world.
Wearing a bright red cloak, Xuezhi rode a white horse through the wind and snow, heading towards Moon Valley.
She was so focused on getting there that she didn't even think about what she would say to Shangguan Tou when she met him.
Thanks?
Or perhaps, take care?
When she finally saw Tian Xinghe, her temples were covered in snow, and her hair was disheveled. Her young face, untouched by the elements, had her nose and cheeks red from the cold.
However, as she followed the river, she discovered a terrifying fact—she didn't know where the entrance to Moonrise Valley was.
She ran out in a daze, without even asking where she was going, and Xuezhi was so angry that she almost beat herself to death.
Further ahead lay an endless forest, and up the mountain was the Shaolin Temple. If she went to Shaolin, she had no other way to get there except by jumping off a cliff; if she entered the forest, she would likely get lost. It would take a very, very long time to get back to Chonghuo Palace from here.
Xuezhi rented a boat and went downstream.
The scenery on both sides of the river kept changing. Xuezhi stared intently at the surrounding plants, feeling increasingly uncertain.
Until the fallen leaves of the Bauhinia came into her view.
Looking further ahead, large swathes of Bauhinia trees stretch out in a continuous line, ending at the mountain wall.
This should be it!
Xuezhi told the boatman to stop here, and the boatman asked her in surprise if she was sure. She threw down some silver and jumped ashore.
Without thinking twice, she headed straight into the Bauhinia Forest.
Half an hour later, it began to get dark.
She remembered being told that to enter the Bauhinia Forest, she just needed to go straight. However, she then recalled that traps and secret passages would soon be added to the area.
Xuezhi felt a sense of foreboding and ran back the way she came.
65
By nightfall, even wearing a thick fur cloak, Xuezhi was so cold that she had difficulty breathing.
Moreover, the further back you go, the more likely you are to freeze.
The light snowflakes falling from the sky quickly melted on her skin, turning into icy water. A little scared, Xuezhi started to run, but the more she ran, the colder she felt, and the darker everything became.
In the end, only the shadows of trees remained all around, the soles of his boots were soaked with snow, and his feet were frozen stiff. Before long, he completely lost all feeling in them.
As Xuezhi groped her way forward, she noticed that the ground beneath her feet felt hard, and the surrounding trees were thinning out. Taking a few more steps, the hardness became even more pronounced.
Finally, a sliver of moonlight peeked through the mountains and forests.
Xuezhi finally saw her place.
It turns out she had already left the Bauhinia Forest.
Beneath our feet lies a frozen river.
She was certain this wasn't the river she'd come from. And she was standing right in the middle of the glacier.
The ice surface wasn't very clear under the moonlight, but she could see the flowing river water beneath it.
It was very dark all around. The ice was very thin.
Xuezhi stood rooted to the spot, too afraid to move, and shouted loudly, "Is anyone there?"
No one answered.
She was all alone in the deep mountains and forests.
"Is anyone there?" Xuezhi looked around, growing increasingly frightened. "Help—me—"
I called out for a long time, but no one answered.
Xuezhi moved her feet gently, trying not to exert too much force, proceeding cautiously step by step.
But the ice beneath her feet shattered the moment she took a step. She screamed and fell into the icy river along with the broken ice.
At the same time, someone called out from the woods, "Who's there? It looks like a girl has fallen in... Quick, go and inform the Valley Master!"
The icy river water enveloped Xuezhi's lower body. She clung to the remaining ice, her voice hoarse from screaming.
In the blink of an eye, the ice block she was holding also shattered.
Beneath the ice, the river flows swiftly.
Thin ice formed on the water plants and mud, brushing against her cheeks.
Her hand slipped, and she was immediately swept away by the water.
The temperature of the river water made her skin feel as if it were being scratched by a thousand sharp knives. Coupled with the pain of suffocation, Xuezhi was almost certain that she would die there.
But not long after, Shangguan Tou's face was distorted by Bo Bing and appeared in front of her.
She pushed upwards with both hands, slapping the ice, but her body was constantly being swept downstream by the river.
Shangguan Tou quickly ran to the front, shattered the ice with a punch, and then reached in to grab Xuezhi's collar.
Next, he quickly broke the ice around her and scooped her up.
The two of them fell to the ground together.
Xuezhi's limbs were unable to move, her lips had turned dark purple, her whole body was trembling, and her eyes were stiff.
Shangguan Tou patted her cheek: "Don't sleep, okay?"
Xuezhi's lips trembled as she nodded, her eyes half-closed.
"Zhi'er, you mustn't fall asleep!" Shangguan Tou shook her shoulders forcefully. "If you fall asleep, you won't be able to wake up! Do you hear me?"
Xuezhi struggled to open her eyes and leaned against him.
One hour later.
Inside Shangguan Tou's room, the fire in the stove was blazing. The crimson flames almost burned one's eyes.
Xuezhi, wrapped in a thick blanket, looked at the leaping sparks, her expression softening somewhat.
"Why does this girl always seem to get into trouble every time she comes in?" Yin Ci frowned as he took Xue Zhi's pulse. "Young Master Shangguan, I'm not trying to be mean, but couldn't you have told her how to get in? The young lady is usually very healthy; if she keeps going like this, something's bound to go wrong."
"It's my fault." Shangguan Tou looked at Xuezhi again. "Is she... feeling any better?"
"It's the same as always. She's not in any life-threatening danger, but she's getting old and there's no guarantee she won't get rheumatism. She'll be especially cold these next few days, so I'll have her stay in this room and not come out."
Yin Ci left.
Shangguan Tou sat by the bed, reached under the blanket, and took Xuezhi's hand:
Why is it still so cold?
He crouched down, pressing his forehead against Xuezhi's, and then holding her hands in his own. The firelight, like a peony in full bloom, swayed and flowed in the warm air. Shangguan Tou lowered his head, his thick, long eyelashes seemingly tinged with a faint halo of firelight, almost completely obscuring his amber eyes.
“This was my oversight,” Shangguan Tou said in a low voice. “I should have told you how you got in when you left. But why did you run out alone?”
Xuezhi's mouth went dry, and she reached out to grasp Shangguan Tou's hand:
"Tou, Tou-nii-gege..."
"I'm here." Shangguan Tou smiled gently.
Xuezhi's head was buzzing, and her voice still trembled as she spoke:
"I came here because I missed you... is that not allowed?"
Shangguan Tou looked slightly surprised, but quickly lowered his head and smiled: "How could I not miss Zhi'er?"
Xuezhi's bright black eyes narrowed into slits as she whispered:
"Very good."
Shangguan Tou stayed by Xuezhi's side until she fell into a deep sleep, then held her hand and fell asleep by the bedside. But in the middle of the night, he was startled awake by Xuezhi's trembling hand. He immediately got up to check on her and found her still asleep, though her body was cold. So he added several more blankets for her. But adding blankets didn't help; instead, it made it difficult for Xuezhi to breathe. Having no other choice, Shangguan Tou got into bed and held Xuezhi in his arms.
Xuezhi was like a block of ice, but this hug instantly invigorated Shangguan Tou. Feeling the warmth, Xuezhi instinctively leaned closer to Shangguan Tou.
That night, Shangguan Tou spent in the biting cold.
66
The next day, Xuezhi woke up and was startled when she saw Shangguan Tou's face, but quickly smiled and snuggled into his arms. Shangguan Tou then got up and explained the reason to her, and she simply nodded with a smile. Xuezhi then spent the whole day warming herself by the fire in her room. Shangguan Tou went out to work but returned early to chat with her.
Originally, it was thought that Xuezhi would be better, but in the middle of the night, she woke Shangguan Tou up again.