Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
After bidding farewell to Jiang Chen, Li Xue’er didn’t go back to the Natural Law School. She headed for a wild area in the Fire Field.
The board of elders in the Natural Law School had been informed of her departure. She had also left them some gifts at the Peak of Ingénue for the years of protection and training the Ice Spirit had received from them.
Li Xue’er soon arrived at a barren mountain.
She took out a jade from her chest pocket and threw it into a cave.
The cave was illuminated, and the whole mountain was shaking with loud rumblings.
When the noise was already loud enough to wake the dead, the wall before Li Xue’er split. A nine-foot-wide passage appeared.
A few people walked out of it. They were all members of the Ice Spirit. Men or women, they all looked as cold as ice.
Maybe it was because they were members of Spirits, but no matter how old they were, their skin was as smooth as jade and as fair as ice.
“Xue’er, with such great talent you have, it took you so long to finish. I’m disappointed.”
They were led by a middle-aged woman. She was average-looking, but her skin was fair and extremely good. She looked extraordinary.
“Aunt.” Li Xue’er looked emotionless. She didn’t try to argue, but said directly, “Let’s go back home.”
As she spoke, she walked towards the passage.
“Wait.”
The middle-aged woman sized her up and reached an arm out to stop her. She said, “Do you remember Ice Bamboo? She was sent out at almost the same time as you.”
“Yeah?” Li Xue’er didn’t see why she had brought this up.
“She was sent to an aristocratic family in the Realm of True Force, but we found out she’d fallen love with the young master there. After her return to the clan, she was always upset.”
Li Xue’er was shocked, but she didn’t show it. She said, “What does that have to do with me?”
“For kids like you and Ice Bamboo, I bet you’re very lonely away from the clan. There’s no one you can turn to, so it’s easy for people to take advantage of you.
“Those human beings get close to you because they want to play up to the Ice Spirit. You don’t know how cunning they are. It would be easy for them to con you.
“That’s a drawback of the countermeasure against Kill Talents. We Spirits won’t accept the dirty blood of human beings!
“Xue’er, let me ask you one thing. Did you fall in love with anyone from the Realm of Nine Heavens? Did you engage with anyone secretly?”
The last question was the last thing she had wanted to hear. She answered without thinking, “No.”
“You know how Ice Bamboo ended up with that man?”
“Aunt, it’s none of my business.”
The woman ignored her and continued, “The Ice Spirit called the man over and made Ice Bamboo hide somewhere. The king warned him first and then lured him away by offering him a reward so he would leave Ice Bamboo.
“The shallow man agreed immediately. Ice Bamboo saw everything from a hiding spot. She was overwhelmed with sorrow. Now, she’s kept in the Ice Heart Cave.”
Li Xue’er shook her head and said, “Aunt, I don’t like your tone. You sound like you don’t trust me.”
“It’s my responsibility and the king’s orders. No good results come about from staying with a human, like you and Jiang Chen,” the woman said. When she mentioned Jiang Chen, her look became extremely sharp.
Li Xue’er finally couldn’t hold it in anymore. She stared at the middle-aged woman.
“For as long as you try to pry, traces will be left. This will harm the countermeasure against Kill Talents,” said Li Xue’er.
“In comparison, the spirit of a heart polluted by human beings is what will harm the Ice Spirit more,” said the woman.
“What do you want? Are you going to invite Jiang Chen to the clan land to interrogate him, too?” Li Xue’er scorned.
“The Realm of Nine Heavens is too far away from us. We don’t want to waste our time on him. Besides, we talk to them only in order to make you kids drop the idea forever. The young master with Ice Bamboo was killed as soon as he left the clan’s land,” said the woman.
Li Xue’er opened her eyes wide. She flew into the air without saying anything, but she only heard a pah before her body was frozen. She was unable to move. Only from her eyes could others tell how anxious she was.
“Xue’er, those ordinary people don’t deserve to be with the Ice Spirit’s members.”
The woman caught the ice sculpture Li Xue’er had turned into and carried her into the cave. She said to the others, “Watch her here. I’ll take care of the remaining problem.”
Then she disappeared.
Trapped in the ice, Li Xue’er looked extremely anxious. Her pretty face was even distorted, but the woman was too strong. She wasn’t able to run away from her power.
And Jiang Chen wouldn’t be able to defeat her, either.
He was on his way back to the Southwind Ridge, alone. The warship wasn’t with him.
It’s so cold. What’s going on?
Jiang Chen, still thinking about his apprentice sister, noticed the temperature had sharply dropped. It had even started to snow.
He turned serious right away and took the Red Cloud Sword out.
A cold voice came from the air.
“Huh, very wary.”
Jiang Chen looked up and saw a middle-aged woman. It was Li Xue’er’s aunt.
“Ice Spirit?”
It wasn’t difficult to guess. Her energy sold her.
“Exactly. I’m Li Xue’er’s aunt, Cloud Guardian,” the woman said.
Her aunt? An Ice Spirit always has a senior to instruct juniors. Such a senior woman is called aunt and such a senior man is called uncle, Jiang Chen thought to himself. He glanced at her and said, “Are you coming to kill me?”
“Yep,” Cloud Guardian nodded.
“Why?” asked Jiang Chen.
“Why do you think?” Cloud Guardian answered him with a question.
“Because I’m with Xue’er? But shouldn’t you persuade me out of it first? You’re going to kill me directly instead. How arrogant,” Jiang Chen said with a cold smile.
“I’ve seen too much ugliness from you human beings. If I let you go, you’ll still try to see Xue’er.
“That’s right. We used to pay guys like you lots of money so that you would give up.
“But when the news spread, many men came to blackmail us. That became the only reason they got close to our girls. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?
“That’s why the rules have been changed. Once such things happen, we kill directly.”
She kept mentioning “human beings,” not even trying to hide her arrogance as a Spirit or her disdain for human beings.
“But you Ice Spirits keep treading on others’ dignity. That’s not a good enough reason for you to plead innocent. You’re not justified in being so unreasonable.” Jiang Chen didn’t show any fear. He said, “I haven’t gone to see Li Xue’er. Even if I did, it’s none of your business.”
Cloud Guardian squinted. She said after a good while, “Didn’t you hear me say I’m here to kill you?”
“Yes, I did. That’s why I was telling you how ridiculous and absurd your behavior is. You think you’re better than human beings and intend to kill me like you’re stomping an ant.”
Jiang Chen shrugged his shoulders. Staring at Cloud Guardian, he said, “Listen to me, I’ll show you the power of human beings when I go to the Ice Spirit’s territory to marry my apprentice sister.”
What the hell is going on in this man’s head?
Cloud Guardian was in a daze. She showed a rare smile and said, “You would rather talk trash than beg for my mercy. Go to hell, then.”
