Snow clouds covered the moon and the stars, and fine snow rolled over the mountains and forests.
In a room on the third floor of the *Traveler's Pavilion*, Ye Anping stood in front of a wooden window, playing with the *Star Returning Bell* engraved with *"Nine Phoenixes Greeting the Dragon"* that Si Xuanji had given him. The crisp ringing echoed in the room.
*Jingle-ling-ling---*
Seeing the sun and the moon in the **Northern Region** was a difficult thing. Every night, the moon and the stars were hidden behind heavy snow clouds.
Ye Anping looked at the mountains in the distance with an inexplicable sense of worry in his heart.The case of missing kids in **Heavenly Wind City**, which should have disappeared along with Wu You, was still happening.
This was the second time in his twenty-two years that he had encountered an event where he could not see the outcome at a glance, and the second time that he had been afraid of the 'unknown'.
The first time was when he survived the death of Wu You.
At first, when he brought Pei Lianxue out of the ***Hundred Lotus*** Sect and went to **Wuxi Town** to intercept and kill Wu You, he was actually mentally prepared for failure.
Undeniably, the death of Wu You was indeed a gamble he had made.
There were many things he could not predict at that time.
For example, he met Wu You at a wedding banquet in advance.If Wu You had not tried to poison them at the wedding banquet and then let his guard down by mistakenly thinking that their spiritual senses had been devoured by the parasites, they could never have killed him so smoothly in the bamboo forest outside **Wuxi Town**.
However, now, something that was originally related to Wu You and should not have happened anymore, was right in front of him.
Ye Anping let out a long sigh, looked at the *Star Returning Bell*, and tried to ring it to summon Si Xuanji.
Si Xuanji was probably the only one who could give him answers and a sense of security.
Unfortunately, the old woman didn't like cold places, and she didn't like the nights in the **Northern Region** where the stars and the moon could not be seen most of the time, so she didn't show up.
However, at this time, the *Snow Jade Spirit Sword* leaning against the wall, wrapped in bandages, seemed to sense his uneasiness, and the scabbard vibrated slightly.
*Buzz~~*
The low vibrating sound seemed to comfort him.
Ye Anping glanced at it, and, as if he had a sudden realization, he smiled bitterly and said self-deprecatingly, "When I was in the *Qi Refining* stage, I could kill Wu You with my sister. Now, I've got the *Nine Dragon Heavenly Seal*, the sword passed down by Immortal Yun Jian, and the *Heavenly Dao* Golden Core. Why am I so stumped?"
In his early years, he had always said, "I am just an ordinary cultivator with dual spiritual roots", but now, it seemed to have become a shackle for him.
Six years had passed, and he, the cannon fodder that was only described in one sentence in the game, had long since forgotten the words "cannon fodder".
Ye Anping shook his head slightly, picked up the *Snow Jade Spirit Sword*, and stroked the blade with his palm, looking out the window again.
As he held the spiritual sword, his mind cleared.
Wu You was indeed dead, and there was no possibility of resurrection.
Therefore, the people who were causing chaos around **Heavenly Wind City** were definitely not Wu You.
From his perspective, perhaps this matter was closely related to Wu You. But in fact, if one thought about it carefully, there was more than one "Wu You" in this world, a demonic cultivator who used people to refine poison.
Maybe he was shocked by the name Wu You just because he knew the script and then such a coincidence happened.
Ye Anping lowered his eyes and thought for a while, then subconsciously shook his head, finally choosing to admit defeat to Feng Yu Die.
For example, the affairs of the ***Imperial*** Sect, ***Moon Shadow Sword*** Sect, and ***Dragon House*** were all because he saw everything from an omniscient perspective that gave him such a clear insight into handling the situation.
However, he had to admit that his intuition, insight, and resilience were all completely inferior to Feng Yu Die's.
Feng Yu Die, who was completely unaware of the situation, identified the problem as soon as she arrived at the ***Dragon House***. In the last game of chess in the fantasy world played by Li Feng, she broke the chess game with one move and entered his world.
Even though Feng Yu Die didn't end up with the best outcome every time, her intuition, in the general direction, was never wrong.
"It's time to let the girls find their own way this time. Anyway, it's also time for Yunluo to go through a trial. That will help her transform into a dragon. She won't grow up if she stays by my side all the time."
As he spoke, Ye Anping raised his sword finger, took out the '**Cold Country** *Strategic Plan*' he had devised from the storage bag, and ignited it with the fire control technique.
Then, he blew gently, and the paper turned into flying ash before disappearing into the snow outside.
At this moment, his ears perked up as he heard light footsteps outside the room. He quickly put on a gentle smile, tidied his collar, and looked out the window with his hands behind his back.
"Miss Xiyue, the door is not locked. Please come in."
After a few seconds, the door was slowly pushed open by Xu Xiyue. She walked in carefully with a pot of steaming hot tea. "Senior Ye, I've brought some tea. You can drink if you like. I'll be staying in the next room today. Just call me if you need anything."
Ye Anping turned his head and saw Xu Xiyue pulling back her head timidly like a little rabbit. He shook his head. "Am I that scary?"
"Senior Ye is different from the *Core Formation* stage seniors I've met before, but..." Xu Xiyue shook her head. "It's just that, I'm a *Qi Refining* cultivator, so I should have respect for the *Core Formation* stage seniors."
"Respect? And what else?"
"Admiration, of course."
"Heh..."
Ye Anping smiled, and used his spiritual power to carry the teapot she was holding to the round table in the room, then closed the window and sat down. "Your sister asked me to take care of you, so I have to do it. The dual aptitude of metal and earth spiritual roots is not very good, but... I happen to be a dual spirit root cultivator myself."
Xu Xiyue's eyes widened slightly when she heard this. Curiosity flashed in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed her expression.
Ye Anping spread his hands and offered her a seat. "No need to be so formal. Meeting each other is fate. If you have anything to ask, just ask. There may not be another occasion."
"..."
Xu Xiyue slowly walked to the table, hopped on the round stool, and looked up at Ye Anping, asking, "May I ask, what is your relationship with Miss Li?"
?
Instead of asking about cultivation, you ask about this?
Ye Anping was taken aback. He thought for a while and said frankly, "She is my sweetheart."
"Ah...sweetheart?" Xu Xiyue pursed her lips. "Then, why stay in separate rooms? Shouldn't couples live together?"
"We're not married yet, so it's not good to live in the same room. Also, I have more sweethearts besides Longling. In addition, there are three others, the Eldest Lady of the Yun family of the ***Moon Shadow Sword*** Sect, the Young Lady Xiao of the ***Black Star*** Sect, and my sister, Pei Lianxue."
Xu Xiyue didn't expect Ye Anping to admit it so bluntly. She was a little surprised and raised her head to sneak a glance at him.
However, Ye Anping laughed. "Do you think I am a playboy?"
"...No, Senior Ye is young and promising, and handsome, so it's normal for him to have three wives and four concubines."
"My girls are not divided into wives and concubines. At most, they are in the order they came," Ye Anping replied, shaking his head. "They trust me, and I give them support. I swore that no matter what happens in the future, at least until I die, I will be responsible for them."
"Oh..."
"However, making oaths is easy, keeping it is hard." Ye Anping shook his head helplessly. "How about you be my witness? If I break my oath in the future, you can chop me with your sword."
"Eh?"
"These are the mind and sword techniques of a certain sect in the **Southern Region** that I once collected. How about treating it as our common destiny?"
"..."
Xu Xiyue looked at the jade slips in silence for a moment, then said, "This... I dare not accept it."
"Then, give me something in return." Ye Anping looked at the hairpin sticking out from the back of Xu Xiyue's head. "I think your hairpin is good. How about swapping it for my two cultivation techniques?"
"..."
Xu Xiyue was a bit puzzled. It was just a wooden hairpin she had casually bought on the streets of **White Moon Town**.
Could it be that she was lucky enough to unknowingly pick up something of value?
She hesitated for a while, but when she looked at the two jade slips that Ye Anping placed on the table, a hint of reluctance flashed in her eyes---she wanted it!
She decisively took off the hairpin, placed it on the table, and pushed it over.
"Senior, do you only want a hairpin?"
"Then, what else do you want to give me?"
"...I have spirit stones. I saved a lot."
"Why would I need a few thousand spirit stones saved by a cultivator in the *Qi Refining* stage?"
Ye Anping shook his head and smiled bitterly, then drew the hairpin into his hand with spiritual energy and sent the two jade slips to Xiyue. "It's getting late. *Qi Refining* cultivators need to sleep. Go back to your room and rest."
"..."
Xu Xiyue nodded. She took the two jade slips with cultivation techniques and jumped off the round stool before respectfully bowing to Ye Anping. "Well... hehe. Senior, rest early. I won't bother you anymore."
Her original reserved appearance had already changed a little.
Ye Anping noticed her suppressed excitement, but he didn't point it out. He nodded and watched her leave the room.
Then, he sighed and turned to look at the window. Seeing a small hole in the paper window poked by a bird's beak, he shook his head helplessly.
He poured a cup of tea and waited for a short while before the door of the room was pushed open again, this time by Li Longling, who was holding the Fire Phoenix.
"Young Master Ye..."
"Longling, peeking is not a good habit."
"I was just a little curious." Li Longling smiled and covered her mouth. "To be honest, I've really had a shocker today. I thought you would hit on a little girl who is only twelve years old."
"I've already told you that we're here for the matter of demonic cultivators, not to propose marriage..."
"But I am really curious. Miss Xu is not too old, and you are from the ***Hundred Lotus*** Sect in the **Western Region**, how did you know that there is a girl called Xu Xiyue in the **Heavenly Wind City**, here in the **Northern Region**?"
"I dreamed her."
"So, is the person in your dream the same as her?"
"Of course not." Ye Anping picked up the teacup and smiled, shaking his head. "The person in the dream is her when she grew up, and the one I met now is her in the past."
"It sounds a bit metaphysical."
"It's nothing more than the ***Black Star*** Sect's *Reverse Star Heavenly Fate* theory."
"So..." Li Longling put Ah Feng on the table, propped up her cheek, and asked, "Just now, when Miss Xu asked you what the relationship between you and me was, what did you answer?"
"...Didn't you hear it?"
"Eavesdropping is different from hearing you saying it in person."
"Sweetheart."
"Then, why did you reject me back then in the ***Dragon House***? You even used Xiyue as an excuse to refuse me. I was depressed for several days."
"I was nothing but cannon fodder at the time." Ye Anping looked at the *Snow Jade Spirit Sword* leaning against the wall. "I didn't dare mess with your destiny, Longling."
"I say... Anping, you underestimate yourself too much. I quite liked the way you showed off in front of Commander Xu today."
"I didn't allow you to call me Anping directly."
"Will you not allow me?"
"Sigh... Longling, skipping steps is a punishable offense."
"But then again." Li Longling smoothed up the feathers of the Fire Phoenix. "Let's not talk about Sister Pei and Sister Xiao. Why is there an Eldest Miss of the Yun family? How many relationships has my sweetheart attracted in the past six years?"
"..."
Ye Anping was somewhat speechless. He looked at the Fire Phoenix standing on the table and raised his sword hand.
*Whoosh---*
A golden spiritual energy hit the Fire Phoenix's belly, wrapped up around it, and took it out the window.
*Yiii---!!!*
The Fire Phoenix glared and spread its wings to attack him, but it couldn't break through the golden spiritual constraints.
Li Longling suddenly felt dizzy and panicked. "Ah?! I can't see!"
"Wouldn't it be nice to see the snowy mountain scenery in the **Northern Region**?" Ye Anping smiled as he stood up and picked up Li Longling. "As agreed, I'll help you check your meridians tonight."
"Ah... then... don't drive Ah Feng away..."
*Plop---*
"Hey?!"
Li Longling didn't know what Ye Anping was doing. She was looking at the snowy night scene in **White Moon Town**, but she felt someone supporting her and removing her shoes.
"Anping... let Ah Feng come back! I was wrong! I won't eavesdrop next time..."
"Learn your lesson and get used to it. You'll need it later." Ye Anping sat on the bed, holding Li Longling's ankle, and pointed his sword finger at the center of her foot.
"I estimate that Sister Xiao and the others will be here in a few days. At that time, we can't show up in front of them."
"Oh... let Ah Feng come back first..."
"In a while." Ye Anping replied with a smirk. "They have to solve the case of **Heavenly Wind City** by themselves. If they know I'm here, they will definitely leave everything to me."
"Anping... Ah Feng... I'm going to faint."
"Then, just faint. I'm by your side. Are you still worried about meeting some bad guys?"
"No... Ah... This is so weird..."
...
The dark clouds in the night dissipated, and the snow falling from the sky gradually stopped.
The noise in the room finally ceased. Ye Anping looked at Li Longling who fell asleep in his bed, shook his head helplessly, and then retracted the golden energy that imprisoned the Fire Phoenix.
The Fire Phoenix, whose feathers were frozen stiff by the cold weather and snow on the roof, entered the room, brandishing its beak and claws at him, but Ye Anping said, "Your master is resting. Do you want to wake her up?"
Ah Feng turned to look at Li Longling as if frustrated that it didn't protect her well. Feeling aggrieved, it plopped by the bedside and lowered its head.
Ye Anping ignored it. After a while, he climbed down the window and crept into Xu Xiyue's bedroom along the roof. He wanted to secretly transfer some true energy to her while she slept.
When he entered the room, he found Xu Xiyue curled up into a ball while sweetly holding the two jade slips he gave her, grinning foolishly in her sleep.
"Hehe... Hehe."
"..."
Ye Anping shook his head slightly and noticed a yellowed notebook on the table. He flipped to the last page and read:
*"Heavenly Cold Calendar, the first day of August.*
*I had a strange encounter today. A handsome Core Formation stage cultivator came to the Traveler's Pavilion. He kept staring at me at first, which scared me a little, but after chatting for a while, I found that he was a good person. However, he later tried to bribe me with two jade slips of cultivation techniques, so now I have to wait and see."*
Ye Anping stared at this diary for a long time, turned his head to look at Xu Xiyue, who was sleeping soundly, and shook his head. "Is it not nice to receive gifts? Forget it. Take your time..."
