Chapter 162: The Miraculous Tome of the Ice Palace

With delicate features, she looked like an immortal fairy.

Blue Water counted every single eyebrow and every single eyelash a thousand times, ten thousand times, yet still failed to awaken her.

Her eyes were gently closed, and her face bore not a trace of emotion, nor the slightest hint of a furrowed brow or sorrowful wrinkle. Her current appearance was relaxed and calm, yet it filled one with tension and worry.

After returning from the Ice Pool, although Snow Marsh had shed her internal blazing heat and the lingering remnants of the Raging Fire had been thoroughly cleared away, she remained locked in a deep coma. The Cold Lotus Ice Needle, even after being purified in the Snowy Domain, was the same, resting silently beside its master without moving a fraction of an inch.

Every day, Blue Water would come here to spend many hours. Apart from handling official matters and tending to the garden in the secret realm, he devoted all his time to guarding Snow Marsh. He could not bear to miss a single minute, not a single second—what if Snow Marsh woke up?

Ji Lin walked in from outside, holding a freshly brewed medicinal decoction, and handed it to Blue Water.

"Senior Brother, when will Junior Sister wake up?"

"I don't know either. Is this the fifth time for this medicine?" Blue Water blew on the medicinal liquid in the bowl and sniffed the aroma.

"The fifth time, I suppose!"

Blue Water knitted his handsome brows in a slight frown and sighed, "Such foul-tasting medicine, and yet Junior Sister has to drink it! In the past, she would have gotten up long ago to scold us!"

Ji Lin smiled, tinged with a hint of sorrow. "Now that the lotus seeds are gone and Snow Marsh is ill, this Snowy Bamboo Land is truly plagued by disasters!"

"Who says the Snowy Bamboo Land is destined for this? I will make them pay back every bit of this suffering!"

Ji Lin nodded and said with a triumphant grin, "Lately, I've been going over to trouble Jian Rong every single day, and she is thoroughly displeased. However, it seems she has encountered some joyous occasion; she has completely changed her usual ways and is now diligently practicing asceticism!"

"And have you allowed her to practice in peace?"

"Naturally not! I may not be good at much, but causing trouble is my specialty!"

Blue Water smiled with satisfaction. "And how have you been causing trouble?"

"Doesn't she need to practice asceticism every day? I constantly find stacks of official scrolls and make her revise them, and then I light up some of her most detested aromatherapy incense all over the Plum Treasure Palace. While coughing, she has to revise the documents and deal with a palace full of pests. As for the plum blossoms she loves the most, I've had venomous insects bore into every single one of them, and they'll all die in a few days! The stench will drift all the way to the Jade Splendor Palace, just in time for Fairy White Feather to catch a good whiff of it!"

"Not bad, but those are all superficial tricks! It only makes one miserable for a moment, and the traces left behind are too obvious!"

Ji Lin nodded, pondered for a moment, and asked in a low voice, "Then what did Senior Brother do? Could it be that you openly and ruthlessly rejected White Feather once again?"

"That, too, is merely a transient pain and could never achieve the desired effect. Compared to the excruciating agony of the Raging Fire piercing Junior Sister's heart, wouldn't such a simple and crude rejection be far too easy?"

Ji Lin smiled mischievously, unable to conceal the joy spreading across his face. "Very well, I shall learn Senior Brother's dark and unfathomable ways as well. Tomorrow, I will try freezing Jian Rong with this Heavenly Mountain secret technique! I remember she was the one who froze people last time; let's see if she can break this Fish-Tail Ice-Drinking Art!"

Blue Water chuckled softly. "If you want a sparring partner to test your skills, that is certainly fine, but do not be too blatant about it!"

"Don't worry, I trust she will be too proud to complain to others, seeing as she is such a strong-willed person!"

As the two finished speaking, Thousand Returns walked in. Seeing that both of them were present, he took out a scroll from behind his back.

"Master, have you found another secret technique for us to practice?"

Thousand Returns shook his head, pulled Ji Lin aside, and stood between the two men.

"I begged for this book from the Ice Palace. It should be beneficial to Snow Marsh's injuries!"

Ji Lin was startled, and along with Blue Water, he carefully examined the book.

"Master, the Ice Palace is not a place ordinary people can enter. Could it be that the Heavenly Venerate is able to enter now?"

Thousand Returns glanced at Ji Lin. "You only know how to let your imagination run wild. The Ice Palace consists of only two halls: one is the residence of the Heavenly Sage, and the other is the bedchamber of the Heavenly Maiden. How could I possibly enter? I stood upon the high platform directly opposite the Ice Palace and begged for it. I know not whether the Heavenly Sage has returned or if Snow Marsh simply has good fortune! I prayed with utmost piety, and indeed this book was granted to me, but whether it can resolve our troubles..."

"Then what is the use of this book?"

"This book flew out of its own accord, which likely implies a profound meaning. As soon as I mentioned Snow Marsh's affliction, the book emerged. I hastily expressed my gratitude and hurried back, eager to study it thoroughly with the two of you!"

Blue Water shook his head and sighed in amazement, "Master, there is no need to study it!"

"Why? Have you found the crucial point?"

Blue Water flipped through the pages of the book in his hand and then handed it back to Thousand Returns. "This book has no crucial points, only a single illustration!"

Thousand Returns took it and opened it up. Sure enough, the book could be unfolded into a single large picture. "Indeed, it is a grand painting. Let us spread it out and take a look!"

"Master, could this be some kind of treasure map? Such a large scale—surely it contains countless items of value?"

Thousand Returns tapped Ji Lin on the head. "What time is it now, and you are still thinking of treasure maps? Go spend your entire life living among treasures, you rascal!"

The three of them carefully unfolded the book, and the painting pieced itself together. All the seams seamlessly joined into one continuous surface, without the slightest trace of folds or page markers.

Seeing this, the three of them were greatly astonished and stepped closer to examine it.

This map was twice the size of a table, unfolding itself in mid-air, with various markers glowing brilliantly. After observing it for a long time, Thousand Returns finally realized that this was an ancient distribution map of the Heavenly Mountain.

"This map depicts the scenery of the Heavenly Mountain from over ten thousand years ago. Why would it suddenly manifest into the world now? When I went to seek medicine, why was I given this map instead?"

Blue Water looked at Snow Marsh and sighed, "Presumably, this map shares a deep connection with Junior Sister. Why not bring the map before her and try it out?"

"I was thinking the same. Snow Marsh is blessed with extraordinary talent; perhaps her past life is intertwined with this map. No matter, let us try it first!"

Ji Lin stood in a daze as the two placed the map before Snow Marsh. Before he could voice his doubts, a golden radiance flashed around the perimeter of the map, and the book drifted upward of its own accord, hovering above Snow Marsh.

"This?!" Ji Lin froze in place, watching as the map cast down a beam of golden light, enveloping Snow Marsh entirely within its radiance.

"You—Junior Sister! Where have you taken Junior Sister?"

Seeing Snow Marsh suddenly vanish beneath the beam of light, leaving only Blue Water and Thousand Returns before his eyes, Ji Lin was struck with extreme terror. Noticing that the two remained silent and motionless, he hurriedly pulled them over.

"Why are you both carrying such expressions?" Ji Lin shook the two men back to their senses, then channeled his internal energy to impart vital breath to them.

After a moment, the two snapped out of their stupefied states and looked at Ji Lin in alarm. "What is it?"

Ji Lin sighed and pointed at the bed. "Look, now there is nothing left except that book!"

Blue Water and Thousand Returns anxiously looked over, only to find that the beam of golden light had long since vanished, replaced by the sight of the map slowly folding itself back into the form of a book.

"Where is Snow Marsh?" the two asked.

"Snow Marsh was just here a moment ago. As soon as that beam of light struck her, she disappeared. She must have been absorbed by this book!"

Blue Water was stunned and reached out to grab the book, only to be forcefully repelled by a rebound.

Seeing this, Thousand Returns prepared to execute a spell, but before he could act, the book swiftly soared away and vanished into thin air within the blink of an eye.