Chapter 130: Unsealing the Spiritual Power

After the Heavenly Venerable departed from Zhengjun Pavilion, the crowd dispersed. As for the matter at hand, it brought joy to some and sorrow to others.

Upon returning to Xichun Hall, Jianrong could no longer contain her delight, showering the room with praise. "Junior Sister, you did well this time! You successfully turned the tables. Now that Lianzi has been stripped of her Tianshan status and Xueze is critically injured, I truly want to see how the Xiezhu Grounds will handle this!"

Bai Yu, feeling a mix of apprehension and satisfaction, spoke slowly, "Although Lianzi and the others violated the sect rules, they still managed to save lives, and they were protected by the persistent intervention of Heavenly Venerable Qiangui. Lianzi's exile to the mountain is merely a chance for her to cultivate her body and mind. As for Xueze, though she exhausted her spiritual power, she was treated by the collective efforts of the Venerables; her powers have likely surged, making her even more difficult to deal with in the future."

"It matters not. Lianzi was Xueze's right hand; we have already forced her to suffer the loss of a companion. From now on, there will be no one to chatter incessantly or speak sharp words, and Xueze will no longer have a shield or a scapegoat. The Heavenly Venerable is quite angry about this; surely Xueze wouldn't dare stir up more trouble?"

Bai Yu sighed. "I still don't understand how they survived the formation at Blue Lake. Could they truly possess a heaven-blessed constitution? But all three of them risked their lives and survived—it is impossible for all of them to be prodigies! The most likely explanation is that they were driven by genuine emotion. If our Junior Sister has truly awakened her heart to love, how am I to proceed?"

Jianrong chuckled softly. "So that is what you are worrying about! Rest assured, it was merely witnessing the value of true emotion; Xueze has not reached enlightenment! As the child of the Heavenly Maiden, it is Heaven's will that her emotions be restricted and her path of love be cursed. Didn't you cast the divination yourself?"

"The previous Heavenly Maiden violated the rules due to private affections, and her child is destined to suffer the consequences—that is what the omen foretold." Bai Yu looked at Jianrong with dissatisfaction. "But it did not say how she would suffer or that she would be incapable of love! On the contrary, I see her living a carefree and pampered life. Where is the misfortune?"

"That is merely your perception. The road of life is long; do not be impatient!" Jianrong patted Bai Yu and smiled. "How can you be sure she won't encounter trials? The Senior Brother spoils her, and she remains unmoved—that is a sign of being dull to love. Furthermore, can the Senior Brother protect her forever? Who can say what the future holds?"

Bai Yu pondered this and lowered his head. "This matter was of my doing. I fear they will drift even further from me, and then..."

"No way to strike?" Jianrong smiled. "Do not worry; you still have the authority of command. The next time there is a mission, assign it directly to Xueze. Regardless of her heartache or her prowess, force her down the mountain to experience the harshness of the mortal world!"

Bai Yu paused, his heart tightening. He asked with suspicion, "By your words, Sister, do you believe there will be more missions down the mountain?"

Jianrong nodded and smiled calmly. "With that demon colluding with the Beihua imperial family, do you think the mortal world will ever be at peace? As long as the demon is not eradicated, Tianshan shall know no rest. Therefore, Xueze’s descent is inevitable!"

A fragrance wafted from the Xiezhu Grounds—subtle, pleasant, and rich with spiritual power. Only Qiangui could recognize the scent of snow lotuses. When the fragrance touched human faces, it turned to frost; when it touched snow, it condensed into ice.

Before long, the Xiezhu Grounds were overflowing with the scent, and all the snowflakes congealed into ice, gradually covering the earth, the grass, and the flowers. A biting cold froze the surface of the Xiezhu Grounds.

Lanshui used his Blue Light Sword as a shield to block the encroaching ice, protecting Jilin and Lianzi behind him.

"Senior Brother, what has happened to Xueze?"

Lanshui shook his head, watching the room ahead nervously. "Both Heavenly Venerables are inside; nothing should be amiss!"

Lianzi remained silent, her hands clenched tightly as she stared at the frost, consumed by self-reproach.

When a disciple of Tianshan whose cultivation surpasses that of a Heavenly Official faces a life-threatening crisis, their body releases a pure, icy aura. This aura turns everything it touches into ice, surrounding the master in a defensive formation of frozen snow that ordinary people cannot penetrate. The higher the cultivation, the more potent the effect and the stronger the defense.

Lanshui had seen the cold aura emitted by Xueze before; it was indeed what one would expect from someone of her intelligence and deep cultivation. However, this time, the freezing ice had covered every corner of the Xiezhu Grounds, and the effect was so profound that one could not help but wonder: why was the defensive technique within Xueze so formidable?

A moment later, the two Heavenly Venerables emerged. They stepped carefully across the ice, feeling a sense of disbelief with every stride.

"Heavenly Venerable, how is our Junior Sister?"

Jiucang looked at Lanshui, sighing with a heavy expression, "She is currently unharmed, but the power within Xueze is indescribable. This phenomenon is something I have never witnessed before. I fear we must wait for the Heavenly Master Qinglian to come out of seclusion to understand it."

With that, Jiucang departed alone, leaving Qiangui to face the three of them. Qiangui looked at Lanshui, signaling him not to ask further questions. Lanshui had already guessed as much, for the situation was truly unprecedented.

"Master!" Lianzi looked up tentatively at the troubled-looking Qiangui.

"You may descend the mountain with peace of mind," Qiangui said to Lianzi. "We cannot wait for Xueze to wake up; we must wait for this ice formation to dissipate. You are physically weak and have had your spiritual roots severed; you cannot withstand this biting cold. Go quickly!"

Seeing Lianzi’s pale face, Jilin gave her a heat-inducing pill. "Junior Sister, let me escort you down the mountain! You go first; you will see us again, rest assured!"

Lianzi was overcome with grief and helplessness, whispering, "I cannot bear to leave you all! I did not do this on purpose!"

"We all know that. You still have a chance to return! Once you are down the mountain, cultivate well and strive to regrow your spiritual roots! After all, you are the child of the Red Lotus, not a mortal—you still possess some cultivation!"

Lianzi nodded and knelt down to bid farewell to each of them one by one.

"Master, Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, Lianzi has failed your kindness. Please take care of yourselves and look after the Senior Sister. Once I am down the mountain, I will practice diligently and be mindful of my words and deeds. I will not辜负 your great expectations and will return to repay you if the chance arises!"

Qiangui sighed and offered a forced smile. "Lianzi, live well and do not be disturbed by the trifles of the mortal world. I have no other demands of you, only that you do not get hurt again!"

"I will, Master!"

"Lianzi, the hearts of mortals are treacherous; you must be vigilant in all things. I know your greatest worry is Xueze; we will take care of her for you! If you are in distress, you may use the spells I taught you to inform us!"

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

"With you gone, the one who will be least happy is likely me. There will be no one left to bully or argue with. Whatever happens down the mountain, you must be strong and optimistic; do not succumb to sorrow alone. One day, when I see you again, you must be as spirited and lively as you were at the Xiezhu Grounds—do you hear me?"

"I understand, Second Senior Brother!"

Qiangui looked at Lianzi, sighed, and turned his back. "Although the death pact between you and Xueze has been dissolved, the contract between you and the Xiezhu Grounds remains. I hope you still have the destiny to return!"

"Thank you for your grace, Master!"

Before she could finish, tears flooded Lianzi's face.

"Go quickly! Jilin, take her away!"

Jilin looked at Lianzi, gently pulled her up, and used his magic to fly away.

As the two vanished from the Xiezhu Grounds, the icy ground suddenly lost its chill. Both Qiangui and Lanshui were stunned.

"This?" Qiangui stopped in his tracks, looking around in bewilderment. "Why did the formation suddenly break?"

Lanshui sheathed his sword and stepped onto the ground. He felt only the cold of ordinary ice; the intense, biting chill was gone. Tianshan disciples relied on the cold to hone their bodies, but their tolerance had limits. The ice that had just blanketed the area had been like a gale from the snowy realms, imbued with such powerful magic and pressure that no one dared approach. Now, it was no longer so repelling to the human body.

"Master, why is this?"

"Let us go inside and see!"

Lanshui followed Qiangui into the room, only to find the ice melting. It was a purification occurring from within—the master of the formation had voluntarily dispelled it. If the formation had been broken from the outside, it would have been slow, exhausting, and difficult.

"Xueze!" Qiangui walked to the bedside and saw that Xueze had already opened her eyes.

Xueze looked at Qiangui, then at Lanshui, and smiled. "Why do you look so alarmed? How is Lianzi?"

Qiangui paused, took Xueze's pulse, and let Lanshui answer her.

"Lianzi is fine. You blocked the erosion of the spiritual gathering formation for her—what on earth happened?"

Xueze thought for a moment and replied calmly, "I have a death pact with Lianzi, and as her Senior Sister, I can control these things. When Master arrived and I saw Lianzi, I recalled this method and decided to use it..."

"Do you realize? The water of Blue Lake is like the wind of the snow realms; it is a spiritual gathering force, and the formation itself is insurmountable. You acted so recklessly—what if something had gone wrong? Those who entered the lake in the past either had their roots destroyed or their souls annihilated. Were you trying to challenge the Blue Lake itself?"

Xueze looked at Lanshui gently and replied softly, "But am I not fine? Do not worry. Will you take me to see Lianzi? If she is safe, then Feng Nuan should be saved as well. How are they all doing now?"

Lanshui froze, unable to answer.

"Xueze!" Qiangui looked at her with suspicion. "What is the state of your pulse? Why has the spiritual energy within you changed so drastically? Before, your pulse was stable, and your cultivation was only at the level of Jilin's. Why has it suddenly..."