Chapter 1716: Thirty Years of Secluded Luan Snow, One Touch of Sword Dust Stirring the Heart

"Dao Qiongcang?"

Before the ice table, Moon Palace Nul still sat upright, but a hint of surprise inevitably flickered in her eyes. But as if remembering something, she quickly accepted the reality of Dao Qiongcang appearing in the Cold Prison in women's clothing—this was perfectly normal.

Moon Palace Hui couldn't accept it! The pain of a sword through his throat couldn't even suppress the terror rising within him at this moment!

"Dai'er...""Dao Qiongcang..."

How could these be one person? How could they be the *same* person!

And what he had just done to "him"... Moon Palace Hui almost stopped thinking.

The man opposite was walking towards him, unhurriedly, step by step. If one only looked at his face, he was impeccably handsome, with a jade-like complexion and bright, starlike eyes, presenting entirely the image of a refined gentleman.

But if one's gaze moved downwards...

In fact, even without looking down, one couldn't ignore his high, ample bosom and slender, graceful waist. He had only torn off the mask. His skirt had not been removed! His shoulders were still like snow, and he was still a sight to behold. His long, shapely, exposed legs were also incredibly elastic, exuding a fatal allure to Moon Palace Hui.

"No, impossible..."

His mind was in turmoil, left with only a single, repeating thought, and the imagined beautiful, headless body of Miss Dai'er.

Moon Palace Hui didn't even register resistance. This "Dao Dai'er" had already approached him, leaned in, and, wafting a fragrant scent, fastened a collar around his neck.

"What is this!"

The icy touch brought him back to reality. Moon Palace Hui abruptly sobered up, only to find his body weakening and his saint power losing its potency.

"A dog chain, same model as Kuleihan.""Once you wear this, your status will rise considerably." It was a man's voice!

Moon Palace Hui despairingly lowered his head, discovering an iron collar around his neck, from which dangled several black tokens. He picked up one token to examine it, and saw the character "Forbidden" engraved upon it.

"A dog tag. No need to look, you're finished."

No—Moon Palace Hui roared maniacally, but found he could barely utter a sound. The effect of wearing so many "Forbidden Martial Orders" for the first time was terrifying. He was suppressed to the point of almost losing control of his bladder. He desperately tensed his buttocks, just to avoid losing his last shred of dignity in front of these two.

Rustle, rustle...

Dao Dai'er casually squatted down, not caring that he was still wearing a skirt, leaned over, and ran his hands over Moon Palace Hui's body. Moon Palace Hui almost convulsed, twitching uncontrollably. Seeing this, Moon Palace Nul, behind the ice table, instinctively leaned back, unconsciously frowned, and opened her lips as if to speak, then stopped.

"Found it!" Dao Dai'er quickly found a jade pass from Moon Palace Hui, clenched his delicate fist, gave a small triumphant swing, and then tucked it into his bosom before standing up.

At the same moment, deprived of the jade pass's protection, completely suppressed by the Cold Prison's rules, and further sealed by the "Forbidden Martial Order" collar, Moon Palace Hui couldn't resist...

"Pfft, pfft, pfft—"

A foul odor spread through the cell.

"Dao Qiongcang!" Moon Palace Nul's fingers tightened slightly, pressing down on the zither strings.

She could accept all the bizarre developments unfolding before her. But she currently had no spiritual energy whatsoever. Even if she could hold her breath immediately... how long could she hold it?

"Pop." Dao Dai'er, without turning his head, tossed a small formation disc onto the incontinent old man. The disc activated, showing no trace of spiritual energy fluctuation. It merely subtly altered the airflow, directing air towards Moon Palace Hui.

"An Air-Gathering Array. Don't worry, the smell won't spread.""You won't smell it, and people outside the cell won't be attracted by it either.""This array disc doesn't involve 'spirit' or 'dao' at all. It merely guides the wind a little, so it won't trigger the Cold Prison's rules for anomalies—this isn't an anomaly, after all, people walking also create air currents."

Moon Palace Nul still couldn't breathe. Objectively, she might indeed not be able to smell the stench, but subjectively, she still chose to hold her breath. But none of this mattered!

After hearing a few sentences, Moon Palace Nul became even more certain of the newcomer's identity: To be able to control details to such an extent, even producing something as low-level as an "Air-Gathering Array Disc" when facing a Half-Saint... This indicated prior preparation. This indicated that even the incontinence, even her own anger, might have been calculated in advance.

Who else could he be, besides Dao Qiongcang?

"Where's Dai'er...""Don't worry, she's in a very safe place. I won't harm a single hair on your people."

"How did you get...""Don't worry, it wasn't like this from the beginning. I'm not so disgusting as to have followed you since childhood, nor would I bother enduring that disgust to serve your brother... I only recently gained control of Dai'er."

"I won't leave with you!" Interrupted twice, Moon Palace Nul still appeared calm.

"Don't speak too soon. The taste of being proven wrong isn't pleasant." The person opposite, however, was truly unperturbed.

"No matter the reason, no matter the justification!""But there are always some people, some things, that will make you abandon your principles and make an exception, aren't there?"

Moon Palace Nul opened her mouth, unable to respond.

Dao Dai'er smiled, looked around, found no chair, and simply plopped onto the ice table, revealing half of his smooth, delicate thigh. He, with a dainty "orchid hand" gesture, also reached for the guqin. Moon Palace Nul, as if shocked, withdrew her hand in advance, allowing him to pluck the strings as he wished.

"Zheng..." The string vibrated, its resonance lingering.

Dao Dai'er, with a half-smile, gazed at the white lotus before him, which had been stripped of all its glory and languished for thirty years. He curled his lips slightly and said, "If the taste of losing control were truly like chewing wax, who would risk the unforeseen danger to break taboos?"

"Then again, once you've tasted the marrow... how can you be sure that someone who has secretly partaken of forbidden fruit won't do it again?"

He leaned in, barely suppressing a laugh, and said, "Sister Nul, what do you think of what little sister Dai'er said?"

All Moon Palace Nul could see was his ample chest. She had no desire to look up at that repulsive face. This was utterly unbearable to look at! But after closing her eyes, she nearly gasped... And after resisting the urge to inhale, the discomfort became even worse...

"Don't hold your breath, your face is turning purple! Being so fastidious without spiritual energy, how pretentious!" Dao Dai'er chuckled, covering his mouth.

"Phew..." Moon Palace Nul could no longer withstand the overwhelming seductive aura. Meeting again after many years, Dao Qiongcang's oppressive presence had not only not diminished but had arguably mutated!

"How do you plan to deal with Elder Hui?" She could only change the subject, but while the topic could shift, her gaze couldn't move an inch from him. Moon Palace Hui's situation was even more defiling. Moon Palace Nul didn't need to look to know... and she certainly didn't want to imagine that scene!

"Elder Hui?" Dao Dai'er scoffed, "Now, you still call him 'Elder Hui'? Has little sister Dai'er not been bullied enough?"

"Then Moon Palace Hui?" Moon Palace Nul didn't dwell on the appellation. "How do you plan to deal with him?"

"Depends on you.""My suggestion is...""You don't need to offer me advice. You're just an unarmed prisoner, Sister Nul. Just worry about yourself."

Moon Palace Nul let out a soft breath, her fingers tightly clenching and wrinkling her skirt, only to helplessly release them. "...Kill him, and you won't leave the Cold Palace Imperial Realm!"

Dao Dai'er did not respond. After his crossed legs gracefully arced in the air, he elegantly stood up and moved to Moon Palace Nul's side behind the ice table. Moon Palace Nul frowned and turned her upper body sideways, maintaining a safe distance. Dao Dai'er, however, bumped her with his perky buttocks. Fortunately, Moon Palace Nul had been wary and stood up to evade in time, avoiding the collision.

"Wouldn't it have been better to move away earlier? Honestly..." Dao Dai'er grumbled as he usurped the spot, sitting on the only chair in the cell, which was surprisingly a wooden chair, not an ice one.

After sitting down, he finally understood why Moon Palace Nul always stubbornly spoke to him with her face turned to the side. It wasn't that her profile was more attractive. Nor was it that being in the Cold Prison had made her more arrogant. After his gaze swept to the yellowish-brown stain in the corner, Dao Dai'er stretched his neck, dry-heaved, turned his head with a shiver, and said no more about the sight.

His feet rested on the soft goose-down mat beneath the table, his buttocks occupied the wooden chair, and Dao Dai'er's slender fingers directly landed on the guqin. The zither strings trembled slightly as if resisting, but he merely glared, and the zither became silent.

"Luanxue, tsk!""The zither is a good zither, but like you, it has no sharp edges; it's too easy to bully... even my little sister can ride it."

Moon Palace Nul could only pretend not to have heard anything.

She was forced to one side of the ice table, feeling somewhat embarrassed now. Having been thrown into the Cold Prison after her crime, even with her younger brother Moon Palace Li's care, some rules simply couldn't be broken. She only had a few changes of clothes, and actually no cold-weather footwear at all. The ice table's barrier was what gave her the confidence to speak with Dao Qiongcang on equal terms. But now, with the only supporting wooden chair and the small warm mat on the floor taken by this fellow, even her last shred of security was stripped away.

Moon Palace Nul could only clench her silver teeth, stifling her anger, her toes curling as she lightly stepped on the icy floor, her posture very constrained. The yin energy of the Cold Prison cared not what status a prisoner held before entering; it punished all who fell into its clutches equally. As that long-unfelt chilling sensation pierced her foot soles, spread up her calves, and invaded her internal organs, Moon Palace Nul felt as if needles were darting through her body, causing pain everywhere. Her lips had turned blue, and her teeth began to chatter.

She could barely stand steadily, yet couldn't show weakness in front of Dao Qiongcang, as that would only encourage him. Moon Palace Nul could only maintain a cold, pale face, subtly lifting her toes, supporting her entire body weight with the toes and heel of one foot, secretly switching feet when she couldn't bear it anymore. This method was actually useless, but it offered some small comfort to her heart. Fortunately, when she shivered from the cold, her body's tremors produced a tiny bit of heat, which barely helped against the chill.

"Zheng—" Dao Dai'er had no intention of showing gallantry by returning the seat and warm mat. He closed his eyes and began to play the guqin. The zither's sound was faint and terribly cold. He played "Sorrow of the Southern Court," the same piece Moon Palace Nul had played earlier. When quiet, it was like trickling clear springs; when lively, it echoed with the solemnity of warfare, full of rhythm and dramatic fluctuations.

Moon Palace Nul stood by the ice table, her face cold, listening bitterly through gritted teeth. She didn't even dare to touch the table; it was too icy. Moon Palace Hui, slumped in the corner, leaking yellowish fluid, listened powerlessly. He couldn't utter a single gurgling sound; it was too difficult.

Appreciated by both refined and common tastes. Truth be told, if one disregarded Dao Qiongcang's deliberately flamboyant mannerisms and only considered his zither artistry... His skill was truly no less than Moon Palace Nul's. Dai'er's earlier statement to Elder Hui, "I dare not comment," was indeed a humble expression. He was, in fact, proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, a truly cultured individual. But now, "Dao Dai'er"'s actions, and even "his/her" contradictory existence itself, truly had nothing to do with the word "elegance."

The melody was halfway through. The piece was too long. Dao Dai'er still had his eyes closed, clearly enjoying himself.

Moon Palace Nul was starting to buckle under the constant barrage of cold shivers. She could only become the philistine who ruined the mood, attempting to interrupt the zither music, and said with a hint of sarcasm:

"The Cold Palace Imperial Realm isn't a place you can just enter and leave as you please. You won't be able to get out.""Even if what came here was just a spiritual avatar, they can trace its presence until your true body is uncovered."

Her tone wasn't good, but in terms of content, she still spoke from Dao Qiongcang's perspective, as if considering his well-being. The truth was, when dealing with Dao Qiongcang, saying less meant fewer mistakes, and saying nothing meant no mistakes. Moon Palace Nul knew this, but at this moment, she had no other choice but to actively bring up a topic.

Dao Dai'er heard her, opened his eyes, and with the zither music still playing, said, "I have... Elder Hui!"

"You don't intend to kill him?"

"I rarely actively kill a weak person who is unable to resist."

"Oh? Aren't you afraid he'll expose your invasion of the Cold Palace Imperial Realm later?"

"Dead men tell no tales."

Moon Palace Nul was stumped by this riddle. He seemed to simply not want to listen to her, aiming to torment her.

"How do you plan to leave here?" Moon Palace Nul would not compromise.

"I have Elder Hui's identification jade pass."

"You should know the rules of the Cold Palace Imperial Realm. Even if you snatch his identification jade pass, it's useless without the owner's permission."

"Zheng..." The zither music paused slightly. Dao Dai'er gently pressed his hands on the strings, stopping the lingering notes, and turned his head with a smile:

"And how do you know he didn't voluntarily give me his identification jade pass and grant me full access throughout the Cold Palace Imperial Realm?"

As he spoke, he drew a jade pass from his cleavage and placed it on the ice table. Then, from somewhere, he pulled out a sword and plunged it beside the ice table, next to Moon Palace Nul.

The Wrathful Immortal Buddha Sword!

Moon Palace Nul didn't even look at the sword. With her face turned, she subtly glanced at Dao Qiongcang's curvy figure, a hint of disdain in her eyes: "Did you... him?"

"Mmm-hmm."

"Moon Palace Hui is not a lecher, nor is he easily fooled. And your power of guidance wouldn't dare be unleashed within the Cold Palace Imperial Realm," Moon Palace Nul asserted confidently.

"Giggle, giggle, giggle..." Dao Dai'er's dainty smile was enchanting, and his laughter was melodious, yet it made one's hair stand on end.

"You! What are you laughing at!" More than enduring the yin energy's corrosion, Dao Qiongcang was what Moon Palace Nul found unbearable. She spoke through gritted teeth. But reality was harsh; she ultimately couldn't withstand the needle-like pain of the yin energy invading her body. Switching feet was utterly useless!

Moon Palace Nul lowered her gaze, glancing at the giant sword that was almost as tall as she was. She accepted the unspoken offer and reached out to grasp the sword's hilt. The Wrathful Immortal Buddha Sword had no temperature. Brought out in the Cold Prison, it was as icy as the prison itself. However, it had no yin energy. As she rested her hand on it, Moon Palace Nul felt a faint, warm sword intent within the blade. That familiar aura almost instantly broke down the sealed doors of her heart, threatening to awaken all of her past.

Moon Palace Nul's heartstrings trembled, as if in a daze.

"I'm laughing at your ignorance, Sister Nul!" But Dao Dai'er's loud laugh cut off all her fanciful thoughts. He turned around and said coldly:

"Where does your impression of Moon Palace Hui come from? Is it from your initial good feelings towards him when you first emerged into the world?""Do you know how much thirty years can change, and how much it can change a man?""Some people appear proper on the surface, but secretly, you wouldn't even know how many times their hearts have changed!""Putting aside everything else..." Dao Dai'er pointed to the corner of the wall, "In these thirty years, has he visited you even once?"

Moon Palace Nul's slender hand clutched the Wrathful Immortal Buddha Sword tightly, her mind utterly blank. She realized that the warmth of the sword intent was indeed just an illusion. It inherently had no temperature; the familiarity of its aura stemmed merely from subjective imagination. In reality, it resided indifferently within the blade, neither distant nor close, maintaining the distance a stranger would.

"I..." Moon Palace Nul's lips moved, unable to form words. The invasion of yin energy was almost overwhelming her entirely. She nearly collapsed, only able to support her delicate body by gripping the sword hilt with both hands.

"What's wrong with you?" Dao Dai'er looked utterly bewildered: "Oh! Why has your face changed? I'm talking about Moon Palace Hui, who are you thinking about? Ah! Don't overthink it, I didn't mean that... Sister Nul."

By the end, he couldn't suppress his smile at all; it was as brilliant as a flower—yes, a devil's flower.

Moon Palace Nul glared fiercely at Dao Qiongcang. If possible, she would immediately raise the Wrathful Immortal Buddha Sword and chop off Dao Qiongcang's dog head!

—The person in the world who most deserved purification was Dao Qiongcang!

"Hmm?" Her fingers tightened slightly. Moon Palace Nul was stunned to realize that she actually seemed capable of lifting this great sword? Had Dao Qiongcang forgotten to set a restriction? Had Wrathful Immortal not yet recognized him as its master? Did the power left by grievances recognize her? Or... was he helping her!

Moon Palace Nul promptly concealed all her subtle reactions, but her mind couldn't help but become active:

"An opportunity!"