Chapter 2058: Unexpected Answer

Novel

"I really miss the days of swiping through TikTok to pick a 'concubine'," said Zu An. Even though he had been transmigrated for a while, many memories from his past life remained vivid and clear.

Snow and wind swirled everywhere, yet they seemed to neither fall upon the Snow Maiden nor merge with her.

Faintly, he could even discern her beautiful hair, seemingly made of ice and snow, though in the blink of an eye, it appeared as if she were veiled.

Logically, as the Snow Maiden, her entire being should be composed of ice and snow. However, with Zu An's current high cultivation and improved eyesight, he perceived her as if she were wearing a garment of ice and snow, resembling a beautiful wedding dress.

In his previous life, while reading "Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils," Zu An found it completely incomprehensible why Duan Yu would become obsessed with a lifeless jade statue, falling for her as if under a spell.

Now, he finally began to understand; there truly were sculptures in the world more beautiful than real people.

Just then, the Snow Maiden seemed to sense his presence. With a casual wave, a surge of snow and wind-infused energy rushed towards him.

Zu An did not dodge. With a casual swipe, a burst of sword qi directly split the mass of snow and wind in two.

He let out a soft exclamation. The power of her attack was considerably weaker than before. This wasn't merely a feeling due to his own increased strength, but a rational assessment: her current power seemed to be less than at her peak.

At that moment, the Snow Maiden also clearly saw Zu An. She tilted her head slightly and asked, "It's you?"

Zu An was somewhat surprised. "You remember me?"

What surprised him even more was that she could speak like a human. Her voice, though a bit cold, was unexpectedly pleasant to listen to.

"I chased you once, but you escaped. It's hard not to remember," the Snow Maiden said, standing up. Although her body was entirely made of ice and snow, not a single speck fell from her.

Zu An, however, stared at her. "Are you injured?"

At his level of cultivation, it was not difficult to ascertain her condition.

The Snow Maiden frowned slightly. "If you want to fight, then fight. Why so much chatter?"

Zu An said in a deep voice, "I didn't come for revenge this time. I'm here for the Soul-Hooking Jade. Give it back to me, and I'll leave immediately."

"The Soul-Hooking Jade?" The Snow Maiden pulled out a pendant-like object from her collar. "Are you talking about this?"

The pendant resembled a crescent moon. Although Zu An had never seen the Soul-Hooking Jade before, he knew it was the one at first glance, especially since both the Nine-Foot Mirror and the Heavenly Cloud Sword were trembling slightly, indicating that the three divine artifacts were gathering and resonating with each other.

Zu An's expression was odd. The Snow Maiden had placed the item on her chest, which suggested that what appeared to be her outer layer was indeed clothing.

"Impertinent!" Seemingly sensing where his gaze was fixed, the Snow Maiden became annoyed. She raised her hand, and countless ice shards, like sharp swords, shot towards him.

Rage points from the Snow Maiden +344344344…

A faint golden light emanated from Zu An, blocking the ice shards. Seeing that she intended to attack again, he hastily raised a hand to stop her. "You are not my match right now, and I have no desire to take advantage of your weakness. Give me the item, and I'll leave immediately. When your injuries heal, we can fight again."

The Snow Maiden looked at him with some confusion. "Isn't it the most common law of nature to attack an enemy when they are injured and weak? Why would you do this?"

Zu An smiled slightly. "Perhaps because I am human."

For some reason, upon seeing her again, he felt an inexplicable sense of closeness and familiarity. He couldn't help but despise himself; back when he first saw her in the Great Snow Mountain, it was like encountering a monster, but now, his mindset had completely shifted simply because she was beautiful.

"Strange human," the Snow Maiden murmured. Although she didn't entirely believe him, seeing that he indeed held no malice, she refrained from further attacks. "I cannot give you this item."

"Why not?" Zu An frowned. He urgently needed it to repair the seal. If she refused, he would have no choice but to take it, no matter how beautiful she was.

"I'm injured, and I need it for healing," the Snow Maiden said openly, as he had already discerned her condition anyway.

"You're injured? Who in this world could possibly harm you?" Zu An was shocked. The Snow Maiden was a peak existence in this world. Even powerful figures like Zhao Hao and the Demon Emperor had not dared to easily enter the Great Snow Mountain, precisely because they feared beings like her residing there. Now that Zhao Hao and the Demon Emperor were both dead, who could injure her?

"I don't know them. I've never seen them in the Great Snow Mountain before. Recently, some powerful beings suddenly appeared. They encroached upon my territory, and despite my warnings, they wouldn't leave. I had no choice but to engage them in a great battle. Although I repelled them, I was also injured," the Snow Maiden explained without concealment.

Zu An found himself a little amused. The Snow Maiden's way of thinking seemed to resemble the territorial instincts of animals.

"Are you laughing?" The Snow Maiden, at her level, quickly and keenly detected his expression.

"No, I'm not," Zu An denied immediately, his expression turning serious.

"You clearly just smiled."

"I..." Zu An was about to answer when he suddenly paused. What was with this conversation, like something between lovers?

He quickly composed himself. "What exactly are those beings like? Can you describe them?"

"Ugly, very disgusting," the Snow Maiden said, a hint of disgust appearing on her face. Then, she looked at Zu An. "You are much better looking than them."

Zu An: "..."

For some reason, he couldn't smile despite the compliment.

"It seems extra-dimensional demons have invaded the Great Snow Mountain," Zu An thought, his mood heavy. Hadn't that War Priest from Purple Mountain said there was a world barrier, and powerful beings like them couldn't enter for a while? How were they now appearing everywhere?

Was that guy deliberately giving him false information to mislead him?

"Demons? That name is quite fitting," the Snow Maiden nodded, clearly approving of the term.

Zu An thought for a moment, then asked, "How strong are those guys? How do they compare to you? Did they gang up on you and injure you?"

"No," the Snow Maiden shook her head. "One of them fought me one-on-one. That guy was very strong; I only defeated him by relying on my familiarity with the terrain. He also had several accomplices, all of whom were about as strong as him, and there was one who was clearly stronger but didn't make a move."

Zu An's heart sank upon hearing this. He hadn't expected them to be no weaker than the Snow Maiden, with one even clearly stronger. The world barrier had probably been riddled with holes by those demons.

"Why didn't those guys gang up on you and let you escape instead?" Zu An found it strange. If they were all so strong, especially with an even more terrifying presence among them, it seemed almost impossible for them to let her leave.

"I have some friends in the Great Snow Mountain too," the Snow Maiden said, lifting her chin, seemingly pleased as she spoke. "And I could feel that they had some reservations, as if they couldn't unleash their full power."

Zu An's heart stirred. "They must have barely broken through this world barrier, and are still not tolerated by the will of heaven and earth, which is why they can't exert their full power for a short time."

Indeed, neither the War Priest from Purple Mountain nor the Death Controller outside Monte City had been able to exert their full strength.

"World barrier?" The Snow Maiden mused. "Most likely as you said."

Zu An asked, "Can you describe the appearance and abilities of those demons in more detail?"

That way, he could know his enemy, and wouldn't be caught off guard if he encountered them later.

"Why should I tell you such important information?" the Snow Maiden said coldly.

Zu An: "..."

He was wondering how to persuade her when, to his surprise, she tilted her head and stared at him for a moment. "Perhaps those demons are just too ugly, but the more I look at you, the more pleasant you seem. If you answer one question for me, I will tell you what I know about them."

Zu An was somewhat flattered, completely unprepared for such an answer. "Wh-what would you like to ask, Miss?" He had almost called her "Senior," but seeing her cool and beautiful appearance, it felt inappropriate.

"Where is the woman who was with you last time?" the Snow Maiden asked, frowning as she scanned the area beside him.

"I came alone this time; she has her own matters to attend to," Zu An replied, surprised she would ask about that.

"Are you two a couple?" the Snow Maiden asked again.

Zu An: "..."

The Snow Maiden's questions were far too direct.

"That's a second question."

"In my opinion, it's the same question as before," the Snow Maiden said, seeing nothing wrong with it.

"Yes," Zu An replied directly, thinking that the Snow Maiden understood nothing anyway and wouldn't likely interact with anyone else, so it was best to prevent further probing.

Besides, he and Yan Xuehen had already done everything a couple would do; no one would believe they weren't.

"I see." The Snow Maiden fell silent for a long time, seemingly deep in thought.

"Can you tell me about those demons now? Also, how did you get from the Great Snow Mountain to here? Did you specifically come because you knew the Soul-Hooking Jade was hidden here?" Zu An asked in one breath, voicing all his doubts, lest she consider them separate questions.

At this, the Snow Maiden gave him a strange look. "What are you talking about? This *is* the Great Snow Mountain."

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