Chapter 319: Human Snow, Jade Universe and Ice Castle

In winter, heavy snow fell relentlessly. Spring was still far away. Thousands of miles of mountain peaks were covered in snow; in the depths of winter, the rugged mountain rocks that should have been craggy were transformed into beautiful, snow-white jade.

In the Command Tower, Ning Changjiu sat alone in white robes, appreciating this view daily. The Central Land was vast and boundless. Even the eighty-one nations closest to the Heaven Ranking List required seven days of sword-riding to reach. The little girl who played chess with him at the Sea Kingdom banquet that day was said to be from there.

He didn't plan to stay in the tower for too long. A month later, he would return to the Ancient Spirit Sect to work with Siming on shoring up the Underworld Monarch's authority.

During these snowy days, he spent most of his time studying Liu Junzhuo's sword. This was the sword of the Sword Pavilion's second disciple, ranking among the top five swords in the entire Central Land.

He gripped the sword hilt, wanting to see if there were any inscriptions on the blade other than the words 'Kunlun'. However, he found he couldn't draw the sword. With every inch the sword was unsheathed, the sword intent he felt grew heavier, a burden that transcended both body and mind, almost doubling with each pull. He couldn't even draw it halfway before he was unable to move it further, feeling as if thousands of catties of lead had been poured into every bone, making his skeleton creak. A piercing pain also radiated through his soul. If he had continued to pull, it wouldn't have been him drawing the sword; rather, this 'Kunlun' immortal sword would have pulled his soul from his body.

Ning Changjiu reluctantly gave up. But even so, the sword intent contained within the scabbard greatly benefited his cultivation of the Great Dao. The sword's intent was magnificent and grand; when its sharp edge reflected the snow, the shimmering sword light and radiant aura resembled the towering Kunlun Mountains, as if a single strike could cleave mountains, subdue seas, and pierce through vast oceans.

Ning Changjiu attempted to refine these sword intents, but they were unruly, like sharp stones in a stream; it would take an immensely long time to truly wear down their rugged edges.

The Sword Pavilion's swords truly lived up to their reputation.

Ning Changjiu stopped making further attempts. Instead, he rested the sword across his lap, using the profound sword energy within it to temper his physical body and refine his soul, thereby elevating his own sword mastery to a higher level. His original sword intent had an abundance of subtlety but lacked fierceness, which happened to perfectly complement this sword.

As for the silver crown... it actually suited Jiajia quite well.

Jiajia... Sigh, I wonder how Jiajia and Xiaoling are doing now.

Ning Changjiu looked up at the snow, his gaze fixed on the southeast, lost in thought for a long time.

It was also snowing at the Ancient Spirit Sect. Inside the dimly lit room, colorful curtains adorned with impish figures hung silently. On the weapon rack, several half-unsheathed swords rested, their blades like mirrors, reflecting tiny sparks of light. The sparks came from an auspicious beast bronze censer burning in the center. A pair of soft, snow-white hands gently swayed over the brazier, their fair wrists reflecting a faint crimson glow. The woman wore a well-tailored white dress that perfectly outlined her figure. Her cloud-like hair was simply coiled, and her pure, jade-like face, unadorned by makeup, gazed out at the snow beyond the window, lost in tranquil thought.

It was Lu Jiajia. Before she was twenty-four, she often liked to sit alone in a dimly lit room on a quiet afternoon, opening her bright eyes in the gloom to gaze out at the vibrant, fluttering scenery beyond the window.

Ning Changjiu's departure had been over a month ago, seemingly in the blink of an eye. In a few more days, the beautiful branches and jade-like leaves by the window would transform into delicate flowering trees.

Lu Jiajia rested her head on her bent knees, feeling the warmth in her palms. The sword intent she had comprehended flowed smoothly within her, as graceful as her own curves.

Fewer people came to the sect today. Most sects had already surrendered their authority and exchanged it for equivalent secret manuals. The loss of these secret manuals would likely change the Ancient Spirit Sect's exclusive control over the Underworld in the coming century. However, Siming didn't care. Though she was the Sect Master, she resembled a short-sighted, self-serving ruler, draining the swamp to catch fish. She had no sense of belonging to the sect, only wishing to elevate her young heir to power.

And the young heir daily exemplified the meaning of 'the fox borrowing the tiger's might'—shaking nine flame-like tails and revealing a colossal figure under the cover of Siming's huge standing curtain. After the trembling visitors departed, Ning Xiaoling would unroll the furry mat with her small paws, then lie on it, her ears drooping, and nap while clutching her central tail. Sometimes, when Sister Siming wasn't around, she would hide under her other eight large tails, one paw gently squeezing her own tail, the other covering her mouth to prevent making any sound.

Today, as she was squeezing her tail, the phantom in a black dress silently appeared before the throne. Ning Xiaoling remained perfectly calm and immediately closed her eyes.

Siming tugged her ear and said, "Stop pretending to sleep; get up."

Ning Xiaoling weakly opened her eyes, hazy with sleep, and mumbled, "Jia... Jiajia Master?"

Siming snatched the tail from her embrace, squeezed it hard, and sneered amidst the young fox's yelps, "You little fox, did you think you could hide your tail from me?"

"Sister Siming, I was wrong... please let me go." Ning Xiaoling was lifted by her tail, her paws instinctively scratching wildly in the air, and she quickly submitted to Siming.

Siming played with Ning Xiaoling's fox tail for a while, then hung the limp little fox around her neck and said, "The authority here has been fully collected. We have nothing pressing to do lately, so I'll take you for a walk in the streets."

Ning Xiaoling softly said, "Thank you, Sister Siming, for always helping me."

Siming replied, "Hmm, fox fur is more comfortable when it's well-groomed."

"Sister, what are you going to do!" Ning Xiaoling trembled.

Siming smiled and said, "Let's go call your master together."

"Mhm," Ning Xiaoling nodded. She desperately needed her master to share the burden of oppression.

Siming smiled faintly, "I hear Jiajia has been diligently practicing her sword skills to get revenge on me. It's said she's already reached the peak of Purple Court and is subtly on the verge of breaking through the Five Paths."

Ning Xiaoling's spirits lifted, and joy filled her heart, but being clever, she immediately realized this might be a ploy. She gently shook her head and said, "How could we think of revenge when Sister Siming is so kind? Besides, Sister is so powerful that even Master would be dreaming if she thought of beating you!" Humiliated by Siming's oppressive power, Ning Xiaoling had temporarily betrayed Master Jiajia's camp.

Siming stroked her head and said, "What a sweet little mouth you have."

So, Siming wrapped Ning Xiaoling around her neck and went to the pavilion where Lu Jiajia was meditating, gently knocking on the door to call Lu Jiajia to join them.

Lu Jiajia's peaceful state of mind was disturbed, yet she dared not get angry at Siming, so she meekly accompanied them. After she left, a black sparrow swiftly landed on the beautiful branch she had been quietly watching. The black sparrow picked up the branch and flew away, flapping its wings. No one noticed.

"Sister, how has your cultivation been recently? Has it been smooth?" Siming asked, feigning casualness.

Lu Jiajia's recent cultivation had indeed been very smooth. She had successively comprehended several thresholds, and the opportunities she had gained in the past had been digested within this month, becoming nourishment for her Dao realm. However, she softly replied, "Jiajia is a bit foolish. These days, my cultivation has not only been rough, but there have even been signs of rivers flowing backward... I've been worried for many days. I suppose Sister noticed my troubled mood and wanted to take me out to play?"

"..." Siming narrowed her eyes, looking at the stunning sword immortal in snow-white robes, and said, "A perfectly unyielding sword, one that would rather break than bend, how did it end up like this?"

Lu Jiajia blinked innocently and said, "I have always admired Sister. A sword heart cannot be broken by force, but it can be softened by love, and Sister embodies the latter."

"Hmm, Xiaoling thinks so too," Ning Xiaoling said, who was draped around Siming's neck like a scarf, raising a paw and nodding in agreement.

Siming knew it was a lie, but she still enjoyed hearing it. It seemed this master and disciple pair had been well-trained to be obedient. She nodded expressionlessly and said, "Wearing such plain clothes all day, it's no wonder Ning Changjiu is always philandering. Today, Sister will take you to buy something pretty."

Plain? Was she calling her old-fashioned? Lu Jiajia looked at Siming's eternally unchanging black dress, seething but daring not to speak.

Siming took them to the clothing street. Before leaving, she instructed the Fish King to guard the gate and entertain anyone who came to return their authority. The Fish King barked, equally obedient. Siming finally regained the feeling of being enthroned as a divine official, as she once was. However, back then, a Divine Lord was still above her. But now, in the Ancient Spirit Sect, she was truly lawless and supreme.

"A few days ago, various stone tablets, ancient trees, and mountain rocks displayed edicts," Siming said leisurely, stepping silently on the snow. "Ning Changjiu reportedly defeated the grand disciple of a Divine Sect, and then defeated the Sword Pavilion's fourteenth disciple, angering the Sword Pavilion's second disciple so much that she broke the rules and entered the Heaven Ranking List... Heh, it's just like him; he causes a stir wherever he goes."

"It's always been like this over the years," Lu Jiajia said helplessly. "Compared to the past, this commotion is hardly worth mentioning."

Siming hummed and said, "It's said that both the Sword Pavilion's second disciple and fourteenth disciple are peerless beauties."

Lu Jiajia paused slightly, then feigned innocence and asked, "Sister Xueci, what do you mean by that?"

Siming said, "The Sword Pavilion has a total of four female disciples, and he encountered two of them on one trip to the Heaven Ranking List. Ning Changjiu's life is truly full of romantic entanglements."

Lu Jiajia said firmly, "It's just a coincidence. Changjiu doesn't even know them; it was merely a chance encounter. How could he fall in love with everyone he meets? I trust him!"

Siming's smile was faint: "My dear sister, you are still too naive. Who knows, next time you see him, he might have another young girl by his side."

"I'll just trust him anyway," Lu Jiajia retorted, mustering a rare burst of courage.

Siming wasn't annoyed. She said, "Then let's wait for him to come back... Oh, you foolish girl, I wonder how many other girls he'll charm before you stop believing him."

Lu Jiajia lowered her head, remaining silent, her graceful back looking lonely in the wind and snow.

Ning Xiaoling sensed the atmosphere was off and immediately said, "I also believe in Senior Brother, hmm... When Senior Brother returns, Xiaoling will inform you both immediately! If he dares to bring a girl back then, we'll go catch him together and give him no chance to hide!"

A moment of silence.

Siming slightly turned her head, looked at the cute little fox on her shoulder, narrowed her eyes, grasped the key point, and asked, "Immediately? How... how would you know immediately?"

Ning Xiaoling immediately recalled the New Year's Eve incident, sensed trouble, covered her mouth, and mumbled vaguely, "Xiaoling... Xiaoling just guessed!"

"Is that so?" Siming reached for her tail and began her 'interrogation.' Lu Jiajia sighed softly, only able to cast a helpless glance.

Finally, Ning Xiaoling obediently confessed about the matter of 'hearts bound forever.'

"Aha, so that night, you were the traitor," Siming finally cracked the case. "I kept thinking my disguise was so good, how could I have been discovered? Turns out you were secretly sending messages."

Ning Xiaoling, her eyes misty with tears, whimpered, "Wuwu... I didn't mean to."

Siming asked, "A single marriage contract has such divine efficacy? It seems Ning Changjiu's sect is truly extraordinary. When the time comes, I must pay them a visit to see who these divine beings are."

Ning Xiaoling's ears drooped, like a folded-ear fox. Her lips trembled, and she wiped her tear-filled eyes with her paw pad resting on her head, saying against her will, "Anyway, they're definitely not as powerful as Sister."

"By the way, Sister Jiajia, were you also hiding this from me?" Siming asked.

Lu Jiajia quickly distanced herself, looking sternly at Xiaoling and saying, "At such an important time, Xiaoling has actually been hiding this from Master all along."

Ning Xiaoling felt even more aggrieved.

Siming then asked, "Does Zhao Xiang'er know about this matter of intertwined hearts?"

Ning Xiaoling shook her head: "Sister Xiang'er doesn't know yet."

Siming smiled faintly: "Hmm, it's better to keep this a secret. If she finds out, you'll definitely be given a hard time."

Ning Xiaoling said, "It's okay, Sister Siming will definitely protect me!"

"Xiaoling is becoming more and more obedient," Siming said, her eyes curving into a smile. "I heard that Zhao Xiang'er is connected to the Vermilion Bird Divine Kingdom?"

"Yes," Ning Xiaoling said.

Siming lightly snorted, thinking that although the descendants of the divine kingdom were superior to mortals, as long as the opponent wasn't the Vermilion Bird Divine Lord, how could they possibly defeat her?

Lu Jiajia and Ning Xiaoling had already become submissive to her. She looked forward more and more to meeting that proud and arrogant girl, eager to see her tamed.

Heavy snow covered the human world. But above the heavy snow, there was still an unseen sky.

West of the Central Land, at what was called the world's edge, beneath the intersection of the sky and the Void Sea, countless bubbles, like illusions, permeated each other, silently floating between heaven and earth. Invisible to the naked eye, they were like a supreme beauty amidst dust and myriad fragrances. They were one wondrous world after another, existing beyond the mundane.

At noon, faint clouds and ethereal glow had already appeared in the western sky. These clouds, high above and remote from the mundane, formed an ocean of light streams. These bubble-like worlds drifted and floated in the light streams, radiant with shimmering colors. From time to time, burning butterflies would emerge, dancing into another world. And the bubble worlds were far from as small as they appeared; each bubble contained boundless vastness. Within them hung immortal mountains and seas of clouds, vast oceans and stars were inverted, white cranes flew alongside immortal deer, and thousands of islands floated in the sky, like overturned cups, drifting like clouds with the wind. The most mysterious aspect was that every flower and every grain of sand here also contained a profound world, and the flowers, plants, and trees within that world of sand, in turn, also contained worlds, repeating endlessly. Even if a mortal or cultivator were fortunate enough to stumble in, they would be lost for eternity, unable to distinguish between hope and despair.

And these myriad bubbles clustered around one world. This was the main world among the Three Thousand Worlds. This world was boundless and vast. Crimson flames continuously burned in the sky. Phoenixes, reborn from fire, danced like colorful butterflies in the heavens, carrying the seeds of the flames as soft feathers. Giant whales also rolled their bodies in the sky's sea of fire, flapping their roc-like wings, with streams of fire spewing like lava from their island-like heads. Below, water currents and clouds rushed and collided through thousands of mountains and valleys, where flying birds and fish intertwined and met. Peach blossoms bloomed in the sea, their fallen petals transforming into coral, and the silent atmospheric currents enveloped all things, forming a vast and boundless circle.

And at the center of this circle, a pavilion hung. This was said to be a hundred-story tall building, but because only the hundredth floor had been constructed, it appeared as a celestial pavilion floating on a lone island. This pavilion was also circular, with symmetrically arranged flying eaves and upturned corners, resembling an exquisite nut carving.

Inside the pavilion, a maiden more graceful than the Three Thousand Worlds lay sprawled on a desk made of gathered clouds. Her slender dark hair swayed like wind across the clouds, and the flickering colorful glow within the clouds adorned her pure face like a painting. She seemed to be in tranquil sleep, her eyelids lowered, cheek resting on her sleeve, with slightly disheveled strands of hair brushing past her cheek, their graceful tips touching her thin, upturned lips, creating a serene and ethereal picture. The celestial pavilion rotated silently, strands of light leaking from its crevices, casting shimmering red and purple shadows that lay thin as snow upon the maiden's white dress.

Suddenly, a beam of light was obscured. A pitch-black bird fluttered its wings, descended along the light stream, and gently landed on the table. Nine Feathers held a beautiful branch in its beak.

Zhao Xiang'er gently opened her eyes, her curled eyelashes touching the light. Compared to her time in the human world, the maiden had shed more of her childishness, resembling a true immortal fairy or goddess. Her temperament and appearance were indescribably beautiful, surpassing even the 'sinking fish and swooping geese' metaphor. It was as if when she stood in the human world, the vast snow dared not fall; when she stood by the sea, the ocean waves dared not rise.

The maiden returned from her deep contemplation and looked at the beautiful branch in Nine Feathers' beak. She gently took it and nodded. Nine Feathers flew back.

The maiden sat upright and elegantly. She extended a fair, jade-like hand and pinched a piece of cloud, which transformed into a jade cup. With her other hand, she pressed the edge of her sleeve, took a light sip, moistening her thin lips. Then she unfolded the beautiful branch, her gaze entering its world, and for a moment, met the eyes of Lu Jiajia in the dimly lit room, her bare hands close to the brazier. After that, she looked at the other scenes, lost in thought for a long time. She sometimes frowned, sometimes felt slightly annoyed, sometimes smiled, but more often, she was expressionless.

Zhao Xiang'er presided over the Three Thousand Worlds; she was the master of this archipelago-like world, equivalent to its ruler and the Heavenly Dao. She had to maintain order in the Three Thousand Worlds, and occasionally, she would cast her gaze upon the human world. The maiden, in the name of caring for all living beings, had Nine Feathers record many pieces of information from the human world. She scanned through them, then lingered for a long time in certain places.

Zhao Xiang'er withdrew her gaze, placed the beautiful branch aside, slowly rose, put on a red outer robe, and walked gently out of the pavilion. The world was filled with immortal aura, and she hovered even higher above it.

"Liu Xiwu, Siming... what fierce and fanged figures, eternal unity of hearts..." Zhao Xiang'er sighed softly, her words cold: "Ning Changjiu, you're becoming more and more capable."

On the pavilion, myriad birds came to worship, converging into bands of light in the sky. From this vantage point, the world appeared immensely vast and desolate. Amidst miles of light, only the immortal pavilion where she resided still held darkness. She stood under the eaves, her features cast in dappled shadows, and the colorful phoenix and vermilion bird embroidered on her great cloak seemed poised to ascend to immortality.

"Sister." A voice softly rang out.

Among the myriad birds, a sparrow interwoven with electric light landed behind Zhao Xiang'er. The sparrow transformed into a maiden, who carried a slender sword on her back, wore a pale purple dress, and had a graceful figure. She was precisely Shi Yu, who had been assassinated by Xue Yuan and the Fish King during the Thunder Kingdom incident.

Shi Yu lowered her head and softly said, "Sister, I saw a black dot on the Heaven's Fortune Disc. That black dot has already crossed the Tiger's Prison constellation and is about to land on the moon."

"Hmm," Zhao Xiang'er spoke, her ethereal voice pure and unadulterated, like the purest water: "Matters of the starry sky are not within our jurisdiction. It's enough to record what you see; do not speak more."

"Yes, Sister," Shi Yu replied, her expression meek.

Zhao Xiang'er asked, "When will the next trial begin?"

Shi Yu unfurled a butterfly from her sleeve, its wings adorned with inscriptions. "In fifteen days. If this trial goes smoothly, I can congratulate Sister on being completely immersed in the Five Paths."

Zhao Xiang'er hummed. Her long hair was unbound, and her delicate, pure, and beautiful body was swept by the heavenly phoenix's winds. The exquisite lines outlined by her flowing sleeves caused Shi Yu to momentarily lose herself in a trance.

Shi Yu glanced into the pavilion, saw the beautiful branch, sighed softly, and whispered, "Sister is the daughter of the Vermilion Bird. When this divine official retires, Sister will surely be the new divine official. At that time, you must sever all mortal ties. Such entangled bonds should be broken when feelings are still shallow, otherwise..."

Zhao Xiang'er interrupted, her voice soft: "Sister, you don't need to worry about me. I know what I'm doing."

Shi Yu softly hummed, still saying, "Hmm, I believe Sister. Although that person is very good, he is ultimately just a mortal. The path of immortal cultivation has long been dead in name only. How... how can he truly stay with you forever?"

"The path of immortal cultivation..." Zhao Xiang'er gently shook her head and said, "Watch your words."

Shi Yu immediately fell silent.

Zhao Xiang'er had already turned away, her radiant great cloak floating with her white dress, her delicate, jade-like feet treading on white clouds, her small yet striking figure disappearing into the dim pavilion.

Mortals were unaware of heavenly affairs.

Amidst the gently swirling snowflakes, Siming, with Ning Xiaoling wrapped around her, led Lu Jiajia on a stroll through the clothing street. The woman's beautiful eyes wandered. Even though she had been in the human world for over half a year, having been suppressed in Broken Realm City for too long, she occasionally felt a sense of novelty when seeing rare items.

"Cats seem quite cute too. Do you want to change bodies?" Siming said, looking at the kittens for sale, blinking and showing a hint of kindness.

Ning Xiaoling dared not speak, clutching her tail tightly. "No way! And these cats are too small; they probably haven't even been weaned yet," Ning Xiaoling analyzed.

Siming said, "It's okay; you can have your master feed you."

"?" Lu Jiajia jolted, and softly said, "I... how can I?"

Siming asked, "You are no longer a maiden, why can't you?"

Lu Jiajia pursed her lips, her cheeks slightly flushed, unsure how to explain.

Ning Xiaoling thought, 'I understand this,' and said, "Only women who have given birth can do that."

"Give birth?" Siming only then remembered human reproduction. She looked at Lu Jiajia and said, "After my sister gives birth, will I be able to..."

"No!" Lu Jiajia's words were incredibly firm.

Siming did not press the matter. Following the osmanthus-like scent of wine, she went with them to a tavern. To avoid trouble, both Siming and Lu Jiajia had slightly disguised themselves, looking like ordinary noble young ladies.

Ning Xiaoling was the quickest to get drunk.

Siming playfully kneaded her and said, "And you call yourself a little fox spirit? You collapsed so quickly. How are you going to seduce your senior brother?"

Lu Jiajia silently drank a cup of wine.

Ning Xiaoling, tipsy, said, "Because Xiaoling is too small." If she were even smaller, she could have fallen drunk into the wine cup.

Siming smiled faintly, "You two fox spirits, master and disciple, why are your alcohol tolerances so poor?"

Lu Jiajia recalled the night she was drunk by Siming and Ning Changjiu. She wondered if they had... after she fell asleep.

Lu Jiajia thought, a little angry, and said, "I'm not a fox spirit!"

Siming said, "If you're not a fox spirit, why do you always charm me, Sister? You've clearly hidden your fox tail well."

Lu Jiajia continued to be angry but dared not speak.

Ning Xiaoling, emboldened by the alcohol, suddenly blurted out, "Master can also have a fox tail!"

Lu Jiajia frowned and said, "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Ning Xiaoling said, "When we came, I saw a shop in the corner that seemed to sell fox tails."

Siming asked curiously, "Do they cut off fox tails to sell them? Are humans so cruel?"

Ning Xiaoling displayed her extensive knowledge: "Of course not! Sister, you don't know, those tails are actually fake, and their ends have... mmph mmph."

Lu Jiajia reached out and covered her mouth. If Xiaoling kept talking, she might really be in trouble.

Siming was very confused: "Fake fox tails? What are they used for?"

"N-nothing at all," Lu Jiajia said, unable to explain.

The little fox scurried wildly up and down, and Lu Jiajia reached out to catch it. Wine cups and bottles toppled, creating a messy scene on the table. The warm lights of the tavern swayed.

Soon after, the new year's list of the top ten cultivators in the Central Land would be sent to the Ancient Spirit Sect on this snowy night.