Word Count: 2,988 Words
******
Was this fellow a hater or a fan?
For a moment, Ling Bai genuinely couldn't tell.
"How dare anyone interfere with love!"
If the Yearning Heartbroken Red had possessed a face, it would surely have turned the color of pig liver with rage.
As a devout believer in pure love, it couldn't bear the thought of someone scheming for the so-called Son of Destiny by splitting his own daughter's soul in two. To bind others in the name of love was to defile love's sacred essence!
"I know you're furious, but don't let it consume you just yet."
Ling Bai sounded like he was consoling it, but his words only poured oil on the fire. "The trial that person set up is located precisely at the place where the Goddess of Love fell. He's exploiting the power of true love she left behind…"
"The Goddess of Love… he didn't even spare her divine legacy? That damned bastard!"
The Yearning Heartbroken Red seethed, petal-edges practically grinding together. After a moment of silent fury, its voice turned icy and resolute. "Take me to where the Goddess of Love fell. I absolutely will not allow anyone to desecrate love!"
"He's a God of the Divine Realm. Though the rules may prevent his true body from descending, sending down a single strand of divine consciousness is certainly possible. Combined with the Goddess of Love's residual divine power, what could a mere 100,000-year spirit beast like you possibly accomplish?"
The Yearning Heartbroken Red had clearly never studied the art of war and knew nothing of reverse psychology. The little flower swayed proudly and declared, "Anywhere else, I would indeed be no match for a God's consciousness. But of all places, that fellow chose the Goddess of Love's final resting place!
Hmph. Is there any being in this world who understands love better than I do?
If I wished it, I would have long since become the next Goddess of Love! Who do you think the divine legacy would recognize: him or me?!"
Ling Bai raised an admiring thumb.
The Yearning Heartbroken Red huffed indignantly. "I'm going to punish the heretic who defiles love, not to acknowledge you as my master. You're merely a shade better than that bastard, you lecher!"
"Lecher? Such harsh words."
Ling Bai chuckled. "When flowers bloom in their full splendor, each bearing its own unique allure—plum, orchid, bamboo, and chrysanthemum all with their distinct charm—not to appreciate them would make me seem rather insensitive to beauty."
"Silver-tongued scoundrel!"
The Yearning Heartbroken Red scoffed. Radiance poured from its petals and its form elongated, twisting into an exquisite bracelet of snow-white threaded with beads of blood-red. It drifted down and clasped itself around Ling Bai's right wrist.
Ling Bai raised his hand and touched the transformed Yearning Heartbroken Red, only to receive a mental rebuke that roughly translated to 'Hands off, womanizer!' He decided not to force the issue. As long as this flower was willing to work, he wasn't particular about winning its heart.
Not far from this 100,000‑year Yearning Heartbroken Red grew another of its kind. Its cultivation, however, was far inferior, barely fifty thousand years or so. It had yet to awaken its own consciousness.
Ling Bai's gaze slid away from the small blossom swaying atop the black stone. He turned toward the Extreme Chill Icespring and called softly:
"Snow Empress."
The Extreme Chill Icespring responded as though it possessed a will of its own. The ice-white waters suddenly churned, waves crashing against the shore and spraying skyward. A heartbeat later, snow like goose feathers began to fall from the sky.
A figure in robes whiter than fresh snow emerged from within the frigid depths. A cascade of white hair fell like a crystalline waterfall down her back. Under the cool moonlight, she stood barefoot upon the surface of the icy spring. Her luminous eyes were as deep and clear as a mountain lake, reflecting heaven and earth alike.
An extreme cold swept out in an instant, filling the entire Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. It felt as though some ancient glacier had descended in its entirety. The auras of both springs were crushed beneath that terrifying chill, their energies rapidly dissolving and streaming into the Snow Empress's body. Her presence climbed steadily, becoming ever more majestic.
Only when her internal spirit power reached complete saturation did the Snow Empress descend to the rocky shore. She fixed Ling Bai with an icy stare.
He walked toward her as if utterly oblivious to the killing intent in her eyes, drawing in the innate cool fragrance of her presence. His lips curved in a faint smile:
"A fragrance with hidden depths, so pure one forgets the cold.
Congratulations on regaining a physical body."
"Stay back, or this Empress will slap you to death."
Those sky-blue eyes radiated a majesty that brooked no desecration. This was very clearly a 'Snowless Glacier' warning!
In the past, whether Ling Bai's flirtations had been deliberate or careless, the Snow Empress had more or less accepted them with a kind of reluctant tolerance. But this time, he and Dugu Lin had just ascended the 'Peak of Wushan' together, and had even used her power to craft their love nest...
This was absolutely intolerable!
Ling Bai ignored the threat entirely and took her jade-pale hand. The Snow Empress nearly vibrated with fury, yet could only shoot him a resentful glare. Somehow, it felt as if she no longer had a shred of dignity left.
The evening breeze swept across the lake, its coolness refreshing on their skin. Under the moonlight, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well's dual-colored waters shimmered with rippling light, as if draped in gauzy silver. The surf lapped against the shore, playing a delicate rhythm that soothed the heart.
The pair strolled side by side along the shore, taking in the breathtaking scene.
"How much of your strength have you recovered?" Ling Bai asked.
"More than enough to beat you senseless."
The Snow Empress still couldn't quite bring herself to pull her hand away, but her tongue remained as sharp as ever. "I used the pure elemental energy of the springs to forge this body, but in the end, I still have no spirit rings or spirit bones. Once this energy is exhausted, I'll have to return to your Spiritual Sea, just as before."
She paused and turned her head. Her gaze met his, sky-blue eyes steady and sincere. "This body allows me to fight once at my peak strength. For that alone, I am deeply satisfied.
Rather than dwelling in your Spiritual Sea as a mere spectator, forced to watch as you surpass me, I'd rather serve as your trump card on the road to godhood, the final person you can rely on.
Do whatever you wish without hesitation. If the heavens fall, I will hold them up for you."
"You're so good to me; I don't even know how to repay such kindness." Mirth glimmered in Ling Bai's eyes.
The Snow Empress lowered her gaze. "Then, considering how much I've given you, at least look after the Extreme North a little more.
Bing Er's 400,000-year heavenly tribulation is approaching. Xiao Bai and Ah Tai's 300,000-year tribulations are equally imminent. They are crucial leaders of the Extreme North, and more than that, they are my friends and children. I cannot lose a single one.
This Manifold Mysterious Ice Cavern you mentioned… where exactly is it? They truly need the Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence."
"I understand. The Manifold Mysterious Ice Essence will be delivered before their tribulations arrive."
"Mm. I trust you."
They wandered around the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. At some point, the Snow Empress's eyes fell upon the smaller Yearning Heartbroken Red and asked curiously. "Why not take this one as well?"
"It's too young. Better to let it keep growing."
"Is that so?"
The Snow Empress sounded unconvinced. "Through your eyes, I've already seen the entry for the Yearning Heartbroken Red in that book of yours. A flower of deepest passion and love, blooming only for the truest hearts.
With so many women fluttering around you, why not use it to test them? Then you'd clearly see who harbors false feelings and who has given you their entire heart."
Ling Bai stopped abruptly and turned to face her. He said nothing harsh, yet something in that indescribable gaze made the Snow Empress's heart skip of its own accord.
"A true heart is the least important thing."
"How can you say that?!"
The Snow Empress's elegant brows knit together. "A sincere heart is the very foundation of love! How can you tolerate those with impure motives remaining by your side?!"
On his wrist, the Yearning Heartbroken Red flashed several times in quick succession, as if voicing fervent agreement.
"I don't deny that pure, selfless love—the kind that would gladly die for the other—is true love. But those relationships tangled with complications, riddled with doubt, where people still choose to hold each other despite everything… that too is a form of love.
It represents the greatest degree of trust the relationship can sustain. No matter how deep the feelings, they can only go so far."
They had shared one heart and mind for many years. The Snow Empress knew nearly all of Ling Bai's secrets and had watched each of his ambiguous entanglements play out. He was therefore willing to share a few honest thoughts with her. His smile held little warmth, his voice clear and quiet, yet carrying a peculiar weight:
"My future wife will be Ning Tian. I know she definitely loves me, but might that love also carry the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's interests?
Is there truly nothing of Ning Tian in Wu Feng's love?
Can Ma Xiaotao's feelings be separated from Shrek Academy?
Is Dugu Lin's love free of the delusions born from years of serpent-poison backlash?
I have no desire to peer too deeply, much less use the Yearning Heartbroken Red to test anyone's heart. Those poorly concealed selfish motives, those smiling faces pretending old wounds have healed, the countless small, sharp hurts… they're like seaweed lurking on the ocean floor. Only by refusing to dive deep can one avoid becoming entangled.
Never mind them. Just now, I failed to pick the Yearning Heartbroken Red myself. That means I haven't given a hundred percent of my own heart. How could I, then, demand a pure, untainted love from them? As long as no one crosses a line, that's enough.
We maintain our unspoken understanding. In that way, we can love each other forever."
The Yearning Heartbroken Red on his wrist gradually went still, its glow dimming. Even so, its emotional agitation could almost be felt in the air. For one fleeting instant, a flurry of airy, bubble-like thoughts rose through the Snow Empress's mind… only to burst apart in the next heartbeat, crumbling into fine white sand.
"You're still so young, and already your heart has turned to dead wood! You cannot go on like this!"
She patted his shoulder, her smile as pure as moonlight and her tone deliberately light. "What you describe is only one possibility. Perhaps those girls simply like you, nothing more.
Don't be so quick to deny certain things. Have faith in true hearts. Someone out there will surely love you with their entire being."
Looking into those clear sky-blue eyes, Ling Bai fell silent for a long moment. At last, he nodded slightly. "You're right."
The instant he spoke, a faint light flickered across the Snow Empress's gaze.
"I want to absorb an immortal herb. Will you stand guard for me?"
"Of course."
Ling Bai drew an immortal herb from his Storage Spirit Guidance Device. The plant was entirely emerald green, bearing three snow-white leaves. At their center rested several crystal droplets that looked like morning dew.
Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew.
Among the many immortal herbs found here, this one ranked somewhere in the middle-to-lower tier. Yet its benefits for spiritual power were enormous.
The primary wonder of immortal herbs lay in evolving Martial Spirits and compensating for insufficient natural talent. However, with both his Seraphim and Death Abyss Spider Emperor having advanced to three Ultimate attributes, they had already approached perfection. Swallowing another herb would yield minimal effect.
Therefore, Ling Bai chose to use the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew to temper his Spiritual Sea, pushing his spiritual power beyond that of Spirit Masters who specialized solely in mental cultivation and becoming a truly flawless, all-around warrior.
He raised the herb before his face, tilted it slightly, and let the few drops of transparent liquid fall into his mouth. The instant the liquid left the leaves, the entire plant withered completely, crumbling into dust and drifting away on the air.
A wave of sweetness slid down his throat. A refreshing fragrance permeated every corner of his body.
A cool sensation spread from his core to his limbs, gradually gathering once more and flowing back along his meridians toward his head.
The Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew's medicinal power was gentle, unlike the explosive forces of herbs such as the Infernal Delicate Apricot or Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower. Its absorption proceeded smoothly and pleasantly. The coolness slowly transformed into gentle warmth, as if his Spiritual Sea were being bathed in comfortably hot water. Both his spirit power and spiritual power seemed to become willing partners in helping the medicine fuse with his body.
The Snow Empress stood off to the side with arms folded, watching his condition. Once she was certain everything was progressing smoothly, she walked over to the smaller Yearning Heartbroken Red. Staring at the tiny flower, she lifted her jade-white palm toward her own chest.
Just before her palm landed, she caught herself and let it fall away. A soft sigh escaped her lips:
'When I already know the result, what's the point of testing?'
She clenched her fist until her fingertips turned white. Countless tiny needles of pain spread through her chest.
Of course the Snow Empress had long understood Ling Bai's feelings for her. She had once struggled in secret over the matter. After seven hundred thousand years of solitude, if she had to entrust herself to someone, then Ling Bai who shared one heart and mind with her and who possessed genuine hope of becoming a God was undoubtedly her best choice.
So she had decided to open her heart. She had gone along with his advances in a half-resistant, half-yielding way, sometimes feigning helplessness while secretly delighting in her own charm. Over the years, living side by side, she had indeed developed genuine affection for him.
Yet within that affection lay both joy and her hunger for godhood, as well as her responsibility as the ruler of the Extreme North to secure its future. Becoming Ling Bai's partner represented a form of insurance, after all. She could justifiably ask him to protect the Extreme North. But this multifaceted form of love would inevitably fail to earn the Yearning Heartbroken Red's recognition.
'That fellow couldn't even make the flower bloom himself, so it's only natural this Empress would fare no better.'
'He said he doesn't care about true hearts, won't test for true love, and won't dig too deeply. Maintaining this unspoken understanding is for the best, isn't it…'
'What right does the Yearning Heartbroken Red have to judge anyway? Why should this Empress's feelings require its approval?!'
The Snow Empress's eyes grew dark and uncertain. Her expression shifted repeatedly before she finally rubbed her face in exasperation.
She didn't even know why she felt so tangled inside.
All she knew was that her heart was a restless mess and refused to settle.
She glanced left at Ling Bai, still seated cross-legged and absorbing the immortal herb, then right at the Yearning Heartbroken Red. Clearing her throat softly, she spun up her wit and seized upon a plausible excuse:
"This… this flower is actually quite pretty. This Empress will take it back to the Extreme North and raise it for fun."
Having finally convinced herself, she furtively gathered up the small Yearning Heartbroken Red, sealing both flower and the black stone beneath it into a tiny crystal of ice. Tucking it carefully into her robes, she let a satisfied smile curve her lips and hummed a cheerful tune as she returned to Ling Bai's side.
An hour later, Ling Bai opened his eyes. Brilliant golden radiance shot from his gaze. In that instant, the world seemed to grow dazzlingly vivid and rich with detail. Countless minute changes leapt into his vision, and he could perceive the strange phenomena concealed within every subtle movement around him
Tilting his head, he looked toward the distant sky. No longer did he see a heaven blotted out by Jade Phosphor poison clouds. Instead, he perceived countless tiny particles in constant motion. Even at such a great distance, he could clearly make out a Jade Phosphor Serpent Emperor brazenly devouring the energy within those toxic clouds.
When he turned his perception to the herbs surrounding the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, he saw the life energy coursing through their inner structures. Each plant carried its own unique hue of vitality, surging endlessly along stems, leaves, and petals.
Finally, when he looked at the Snow Empress standing beside him, Ling Bai couldn't help noticing that something in her usually cool and composed expression seemed distinctly off.
She looked very much like someone harboring a guilty secret.
He rose and stretched broadly. The growth of his spiritual power had cleared his mind and sharpened his thoughts. It felt indescribably good.
Walking to the water's edge, he gazed down at the dual‑colored lake, one half ice‑white, the other fiery red, as if he meant to pierce through the surface and glimpse the deepest secrets lurking below.
"Snow Empress, care to join me in exploring what lies beneath?"