Chapter 285: Moon Chan's Icy Heart

In the Northern Frozen Wind Region, within the Extreme Ice Snow Territory, stood the Frozen Cloud Asgard.

With the existence of sound transmission talismans, news naturally traveled faster than people. While rumors about Yun Che were rampant throughout the Frozen Wind Empire, another focal point was also the subject of everyone's discussions: the Frozen Cloud Asgard.

For the people of the Frozen Wind Empire, the Frozen Cloud Asgard was an incredibly sacred existence. Its mystery and sanctity surpassed even the Heavenly Sword Villa. In popular perception, those within the Frozen Cloud Asgard were fairy-like figures, detached from the mundane world, as pure and flawless as ice and snow. The fairies of the Frozen Cloud Asgard were a fantasy no man ever dared to dream of touching.

But now, a fairy from the Frozen Cloud Asgard—none other than the renowned leader of the Seven Frozen Cloud Fairies—was pregnant! The rumors even claimed she was pregnant with a junior's child!

It was easy to imagine how this would thrust the Frozen Cloud Asgard into the peak of public scrutiny. For the Asgard's millennia-old reputation, this was an indelible "stain," an utter disgrace.

When Chu Yuechan and the five other disciples returned to the Frozen Cloud Asgard, the Asgard Mistress was already waiting in person.

Gong Yuxian was over 170 years old this year, yet she appeared to be only in her thirties or forties. She wore a long, flowing snowy cloud robe. Her face was as cold as ice, her eyes like frigid swords, and her expression was utterly devoid of emotion. However, the continuous cold glint in the depths of her eyes revealed her inner fury.

Beside her, five women, also dressed in snowy robes, stood on either side. Each had skin like ice and snow, and faces as beautiful as snow lotuses, stunningly gorgeous. One could say that any random disciple from the Frozen Cloud Asgard would be breathtaking in any city. These five were the other members of the Seven Frozen Cloud Fairies, alongside Chu Yuechan and Chu Yueli.

Upon their return, Chu Yueli noticed the Mistress herself had come out to "greet" them. Her heart sank. She glanced at Chu Yuechan beside her, then stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Disciple Yueli greets Master."

Gong Yuxian slowly nodded, her expression still cold, but she didn't address Chu Yueli. Her gaze fell upon Xia Qingyue, and her face finally softened slightly. "Qingyue, come here."

"Yes, Mistress."

Xia Qingyue walked over to Gong Yuxian. The black silk scarf was still tied around her arm.

Gong Yuxian placed her hand on Xia Qingyue's chest. After a moment, she revealed a faint smile. "Very good. At seventeen years old, you have already achieved the initial stage of the Profound King Realm. This is your fortune, and also our Asgard's fortune. It seems there's no longer a need to deliberate over the next Asgard Mistress. For the next six months, you must seclude yourself in the core of the Extreme Ice Snow Territory to cultivate and stabilize the greatly increased profound energy within your body."

"Yes, Mistress," Xia Qingyue replied softly. Regarding Gong Yuxian's clear indication that she would be the next Asgard Mistress, she showed no refusal, no apprehension, and no hint of surprise, responding with an indifference as if hearing the most mundane statement.

The atmosphere was extremely chilling. The five fairies accompanying Gong Yuxian remained silent, all casting complex glances at Chu Yuechan. At this moment, Gong Yuxian's gaze finally settled on Chu Yuechan. After a brief look, she turned and said, "Yuechan, come with me."

Chu Yuechan silently lowered her head and followed Gong Yuxian without a word.

"Sister..." Chu Yueli called out, her heart filled with worry.

This was an ice hall filled with candlelight and spirit tablets. The names inscribed on each tablet were once famous throughout the world, and these were, of course, the ancestors of the Frozen Cloud Asgard from previous generations.

"Kneel!" Standing in the center of the ice hall, facing the numerous ancestral spirit tablets, Gong Yuxian's heart churned as she commanded coldly.

Chu Yuechan knelt on the ground, her eyes like ice and mist. "Master..."

"How dare you call me Master!" Gong Yuxian turned around and snarled, "Do you realize that the Frozen Cloud Asgard's millennia-old reputation has been ruined because of you! You are my most cherished disciple of the past century; your mastery of the Frozen Cloud Art and the Ice Heart Art far surpasses anyone else's. I have always been vigilant against disciples breaking the rules, and Qingyue's purely formal marriage was already my limit... but I never imagined that you would be the first to break the rules! And commit such a monumental error, known to all, bringing shame upon the Asgard!"

Chu Yuechan closed her eyes and said mournfully, "Disciple knows her mistake... Disciple will bear the full responsibility for the error she has committed."

"Bear responsibility? How can you bear it? Even if you committed suicide before the ancestors to atone, it wouldn't make up for your grave error!" Gong Yuxian's eyebrows shot up, clearly enraged. "Tell me! Who is... the father of that illegitimate child!"

Chu Yuechan's eyes suddenly became hazy, yet she did not hesitate, gently uttering the name: "Yun Che!"

Gong Yuxian's body swayed, trembling with rage. "You wretch! You absolute wretch! You actually... you actually really got pregnant with a junior's child... You... you..."

Gong Yuxian was too furious to speak. Although rumors claimed Chu Yuechan was pregnant with Yun Che's child, Gong Yuxian had absolutely refused to believe it! Given Chu Yuechan's character, such an act was already inconceivable, let alone with a junior. She never imagined that the rumors were entirely accurate!

Gong Yuxian pointed a finger at the spirit tablet and sternly commanded, "Kneel before the ancestors now and swear to immediately abort this child, then never leave Frozen Cloud Asgard for all eternity!"

"No..." Chu Yuechan shook her head, her delicate hand resting on her lower abdomen. She shook her head forcefully, and her face showed a plea Gong Yuxian had never seen before. "This is his child and mine. I may have made countless mistakes, but the child is innocent. Please, Master, spare this child. If you allow me to bear this child, I vow never to defy you for all eternity... I beg you, Master, grant me this wish!"

"You!" Gong Yuxian's body swayed, trembling with fury. "Even at this point, you are still so deluded! My proudest disciple in this lifetime, how could you... how could you... Fine! Do you truly believe that if I don't force you to abort the child, you can give birth to it successfully? Do you know why our Frozen Cloud Asgard never permits disciples to marry? The claim that emotional attachments affect Frozen Cloud Art cultivation is merely an excuse. The main reasons are, firstly, it can transfer the Frozen Cloud Art to others! Secondly, cultivating the Frozen Cloud Art makes the body's internal organs icy cold. Although conception is possible, the fetus will freeze to death in the womb within two months at most! Furthermore, this place is in the extreme north of the Frozen Wind Nation, where it's perpetually bone-chillingly cold. Even without the Frozen Cloud Art, the fetus would still freeze to death! Whether you abort this fetus or not, there will only be one outcome!"

Chu Yuechan stood stunned for a long time. Suddenly, she extended both hands, pointing one finger at her Dantian and another at her heart. Two ice-blue lights flashed brightly. Subsequently, a vast amount of cold energy surged out from Chu Yuechan's body, creating large wisps of icy mist.

Gong Yuxian was greatly alarmed and rushed to Chu Yuechan's side, but it was already too late to stop her. At this moment, Chu Yuechan's upper body swayed precariously, her face extremely pale, yet her expression was one of profound relief. Gong Yuxian's eyes trembled as she watched the dissipating icy mist. She knew everything was irreversible. Alongside her anger and shock, there was more incomprehension and heartache. She cried out in pain, "Yuechan, why would you do this to yourself... What kind of spell did that Yun Che cast on you!"

Chu Yuechan's lips curved slightly, a gesture that seemed to hint at a faint smile. She said softly, "He didn't cast any spell on me, but... he gave me an unforgettable memory, and he allowed me to truly be a woman again during that time..."

"During those five months, I lost all my power, my entire body was useless. It should have been the darkest, most helpless, most desperate time. But he made everything different from what I expected. I couldn't walk, so he carried me; even when facing immense danger, he refused to put me down. I couldn't eat, so he fed me, each mouthful perfectly tempered so I wouldn't burn myself or feel cold. When I lost my power, he protected me with one hand and cleared all obstacles with the other, shielding me from wind and rain... For five whole months, he showed not a trace of impatience, never once thinking of abandoning me, a burden. Unconsciously, I began to enjoy this feeling, relying on him for everything. Even though it was the most helpless and desperate moment, I wished for that state to never end..."

"In Frozen Cloud Asgard, ten days were like one, ten years like one, decades like one... always just ice, snow, and the Frozen Cloud Art. Every day passed in repetition. But during that time, he taught me the joy of living, and for the first time, I truly felt like a woman... The reason I volunteered for the ranking battle was because after leaving him, his shadow was constantly in my heart. I told myself I was going to see him one last time and then sever all emotional ties, but in truth, I just wanted to see him... I wanted to see him..."

Gong Yuxian's chest heaved violently. She let out a long sigh and lamented, "A cursed fate, truly a cursed fate! The ancestors said that affection between men and women is the deadliest poison in this world... They were not wrong in the slightest. This very affection caused you to defy the Asgard's rules for a junior, bringing shame upon the Asgard... even to the point of crippling your own Frozen Cloud Art, which you had painstakingly cultivated for decades! You... you..."

"I don't regret it... I will never regret it," Chu Yuechan said, her eyes misty with tears. "I only regret some things that I truly understood only after he was gone... He is dead. This is the only bloodline he left in this world, the continuation of his life. As his woman, even if it's just to repay him for everything he gave me during those five months, not to mention the Frozen Cloud Art, even if it requires my death, I must keep him... I beg you, Master, grant me this wish... I beg you, Master, grant me this wish!!"

Gong Yuxian sank weakly into the chair behind her, her face suddenly seeming much older. Looking at Chu Yuechan kneeling there, radiating sorrow and resolve, her heart ached beyond measure. She extended her hand, and after it hovered in the air for a long time, she spoke in an extremely weak voice, "Get up... Get up... Just pretend that I, Gong Yuxian, never took you as a disciple... From now on, you are no longer a disciple of Frozen Cloud Asgard. Leave this place immediately, leave the Extreme Ice Snow Territory, forget everything here, and go wherever you wish. From this day forward, you will have no further connection with Frozen Cloud Asgard..."

Tears suddenly welled up in Chu Yuechan's eyes. She knelt before Gong Yuxian, prostrated herself forcefully, and sobbed, "Master raised and nurtured me like my own birth mother... yet I committed a grave error, causing you sorrow and anger, bringing shame upon the sect. I know my sin is unforgivable... Master's nurturing grace and the Asgard's cultivation kindness, Yuechan... can only repay them in the next life!"

"Don't say anything more," Gong Yuxian turned her face away. "Go now... For every moment you linger here, more cold energy will invade your body... If you don't want to harm the fetus in your womb, then leave quickly... And leave quietly, without alerting anyone. The farther you go, the better... I never want to see you again."

"Thank you, Master, for granting my wish," Chu Yuechan bowed again, stood up, and slowly stepped back. "Master, please take good care of yourself. Yuechan... can no longer be by your side..."

As her voice faded, Chu Yuechan stumbled back a few steps, then gritted her teeth and hurried out of the ice hall. Her snowy white figure quickly disappeared into the world of ice and snow.

Gong Yuxian's face finally turned, looking in the direction Chu Yuechan had departed. Beneath her eyes were two deep tear tracks.

After a long time, she finally calmed herself, her expression returning to indifference. She transmitted her voice in a deep tone, "Hanxue, come in."

As her voice resonated, a woman appearing to be in her mid-twenties quickly entered. Feng Hanxue, ranked seventh among the Seven Frozen Cloud Fairies, a sixth-level Sky Profound Realm practitioner, and also the youngest among the Seven Frozen Cloud Fairies.

"Notify all disciples to gather in the Frozen Cloud Grand Hall. I have several important matters to announce!"

"Yes, Mistress."

The three major announcements Gong Yuxian was to make were: First, Chu Yuechan's expulsion from Frozen Cloud Asgard. Second, Xia Qingyue's entry into the Seven Frozen Cloud Fairies, replacing Chu Yuechan as the leader. Third, all external disciples of Frozen Cloud Asgard were to be recalled, and the Asgard would be closed for three years starting immediately, with no external guests, no new disciples, and no one permitted to leave.