Hua Zhangmen saw her guests out and, in front of the Green Cliff scholar, smiled at Song Qianji:
"In such a bitterly cold and dull place, with no one to talk to, we sisters can't help but feel lonely. Fellow Daoist, you must visit often!"
The female cultivators behind her laughed along. Their voices were charming, like scattered feathers gently brushing the surface of a lake, seeping straight into one's heart.
Cloud-like hair and flower-like faces, bright eyes like silk, exuding endless allure.
The Green Cliff scholar flushed bright red, stumbling on his feet. Yet, the more his heart itched, the more ashamed he felt, and the more ashamed he became, the angrier he grew:
"If we weren't trapped here together, we would never have any contact with these women!"
"Absurd! Female cultivators should be dignified and proper—how can they be so frivolous?"
Despite his words, he couldn't help but glance back at the gathering of beauties.
"Fellow Daoist Song, why did you take so long this time? Were you bewitched?" Qingzhai took out a talisman. "Fellow Daoist, put this on quickly."
Song Qianji's gaze was clear, only puzzled: "A Clear Heart Talisman? What do I need this for?"
The scholars, thin-skinned, hemmed and hawed without giving a clear explanation. Song Qianji walked away, holding his blade.
Zimo chased after him, took a deep breath, and said: "Your private matters are none of our business! But you can't—you can't wear Senior Brother's clothes, carry Senior Brother's blade, and act improperly outside! If those female cultivators spread rumors later, it will damage Senior Brother's reputation…"
Before he could finish, Song Qianji had already entered the Celestial Sound Sect's residence.
Once their figures disappeared, the charming and seductive expressions of the Hua Stream female cultivators instantly turned cold, revealing mockery instead.
"What are those boys afraid of? They ran off quite fast. Sister here is quite picky too—who would want to absorb energy from ordinary goods?"
"Hah, these famous righteous sects are so boring. Either they secretly crave beauty while preaching 'beauty is emptiness,' or they're like Ziye Wenshu, who practiced some cultivation method until his emotions and desires withered away. He's a cold, lifeless statue, not a complete living person."
"This Song Xun is different. He loves and cherishes flowers—neither filthy nor cold, neither hypocritical nor blindly arrogant."
"True, though he's more likable than Ziye Wenshu, he's rather dull and foolish—probably unreliable."
Hua Zhangmen said calmly: "During the night watch tonight, send someone to go with him."
…
Before the Celestial Sound Sect's ice cave hung a curtain of rolling cloud gauze, pure and flawless, ethereal as mist.
As Song Qianji approached, it parted on its own without any wind.
Seeing Song Qianji boldly stride right in, Zimo hurriedly apologized for the intrusion.
The Fairy Sound Sect female cultivators filed out, holding green gauze lanterns, their skirts swaying like lotus blossoms as they walked.
A faint, elegant fragrance wafted over, instantly refreshing the scholars:
"Fairies, we apologize for the disturbance."
"Is Fairy Miaoyan available to meet?"
Under the glow of the green gauze lanterns, the ice surface reflected a pale golden light, like pure colored glaze.
The lantern wicks burned hot, the clash of heat and cold stirring waves of white mist. The fairies holding the lanterns wore veiled hats, their figures shrouded in mist, appearing both real and illusory.
This time, the Green Cliff scholars did not leave and nearly pushed Song Qianji to the back.
They exchanged glances and transmitted messages:
"After seeing so many demons and monsters earlier, coming to the fairies' place truly feels like going from the lair of spider spirits to a celestial palace."
"This elegant and tidy place is where cultivators should be."
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Song." A soft, beautiful voice rang out.
The voice was clear and crisp, like spring water striking stone or a beauty plucking strings.The scholars of Green Cliff turned to look, their gazes drawn to the slender silhouette cast upon the plain screen—a figure of ethereal elegance and noble grace.
The more they couldn't see clearly, the more they strained to discern it. All the scholars stared intently at the screen.
Qingzhai nudged Song Qianji's arm and whispered, "Why are you spacing out? That's Fairy Miaoyan!"
Song Qianji wasn't lost in thought. The bead on him, which had remained unresponsive until now, had finally begun to glow upon entering this place.
Then it lost its resonance and fell silent once more.
Standing in place, Song Qianji nodded. "Fairy Miaoyan."
His gaze swept past the screen, scanning the room.
The female cultivators all wore specially crafted veiled hats that blocked spiritual detection, their bodies entirely concealed by robes—not even a hand was visible.
Unable to see their faces, let alone distinguish between them, Song Qianji was momentarily stunned.
This attire reminded him of He Qingqing when they first met. The Celestial Sound Sect used to enjoy showing their faces everywhere, but he didn't know when it had become fashionable to cover them.
Was Wuxiang's doppelganger really disguised as a female cultivator? Wouldn't he feel awkward?
In his previous life, even when fleeing for his life, he'd dared to disguise himself as a beggar or a fool but never as a female cultivator. Lacking familiarity, such a disguise would only draw attention rather than conceal him.
The figure behind the screen moved, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
After much anticipation, she finally emerged—a face of peerless beauty, like the moon illuminating an ice cave.
In her presence, all other charms and splendors seemed to pale in comparison.
The scholars hesitated for a moment before remembering to greet her.
Although debates in recent years—such as "Is Miaoyan truly the most beautiful?", "If Miaoyan isn't the most beautiful, what should be the standard for female cultivators' beauty?", and "Should beauty even have a standard?"—had proliferated, with some even disparaging Fairy Miaoyan to uphold their views, the Green Cliff scholars still displayed warmth and eagerness in her actual presence.
Except for Qingzhai, Zimo, and a few others who had attended Hua Wei's banquet with Ziye Wenshu and had heard Miaoyan play the pipa or seen her in disarray—to them, she no longer seemed as captivating.
Song Qianji frowned slightly.
Something was off. The curve of her smile wasn't right. It should be a smile that didn't reach her eyes—that was Miaoyan.
Looking closer, this person's face was identical to Miaoyan's, but her movements lacked Miaoyan's lightness and grace, and her aura carried a subtle dissonance.
She was merely imitating Miaoyan superficially, failing to capture her essence.
Song Qianji stepped closer, so near that "Miaoyan" had to retreat a step. She asked softly, "Is there something you need, fellow cultivator?"
"Fellow Cultivator Song, what are you doing?" Zimo pulled him back. "Don't be disrespectful."
"Meeting the fairy for the first time, I wanted to take a closer look." After speaking, Song Qianji turned and asked another veiled female cultivator beside "Miaoyan":
"Fairy, may I look at you?"
The female cultivator looked puzzled. After a moment's hesitation, she lifted her veil, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Fellow Cultivator Song wants to look at me?"
How strange—after seeing the world's greatest beauty, Miaoyan, he still had the inclination to look at others?
Since ancient times, green leaves served to accentuate the red flower. Having seen the red flower, who would still care for the leaves?
"My apologies. Thank you."
After looking, Song Qianji asked the same question of the next female cultivator.
His tone was earnest. Though he only glanced briefly, he looked with genuine attention before stepping back.
The Green Cliff scholars couldn't stop him and could only transmit frantic messages:
"It's over! Courtyard Overseer's reputation is completely ruined!"
"Song Xun, what is the meaning of this?!" The "Miaoyan" summoned her zither, her voice cold as she interrupted.
"I'm curious," Song Qianji replied.
The "fake Miaoyan" wasn't Wuxiang, and he couldn't determine which one was Wuxiang's doppelganger either.Having already killed someone once, Song Qianji was in no hurry. This person was willing to disguise himself as a female cultivator to infiltrate this place—let's see what he intended to do.
In his previous life, there had been no Celestial Sound Sect group in the ice cave, let alone Miaoyan or Wuxiang.
Fortunately, I came, Song Qianji thought.
With only Ziye Wenshu and a Snow Blade, one could slay all the demons and monsters in the secret realm, but not break through the insatiable greed and desires of the human world.
Miaoyan paused, then flicked her sleeve and said, "Since you were rude first, I'm afraid the Celestial Sound Sect can no longer host you. See our guest out."
The Green Cliff scholars, seeing Miaoyan's anger, hurriedly apologized and pulled Song Qianji away to take their leave.
After they had gone far, the "fake Miaoyan" expression turned deferential as she approached another female cultivator and bowed.
That female cultivator finally spoke: "This Song Xun is not right."
It was also Miaoyan's voice.
The other female cultivators gathered around: "Senior Sister, what's wrong?"
"His eyes," Miaoyan said.
"Although his behavior is a bit strange, his eyes are clear and upright, not like a madman's," the female cultivator impersonating Miaoyan replied.
"You don't understand," Miaoyan smiled faintly. Even with another's face, her smile was flawless and dizzying.
"Ziye Wenshu may be cold, but when he looks at a living person, he sees a living person. This Song Xun seems gentle, but when he looks at you, it's like he's looking at this beautiful gauze lantern—do you understand?"
"Senior Sister, I truly don't understand. Why not follow him tonight to observe him more closely?"
Miaoyan fell silent for a moment, as if pondering, while the other female cultivators waited quietly.
"You going alone might be dangerous," she finally said. "I'll accompany you personally."
"Thank you, Senior Sister," the fake Miaoyan said, deeply moved. "Only because of the sect's upheaval did you have to come to this secret realm and suffer such indignities. I believe Aunt Wangshu will surely set things right—in this world, evil will never triumph over good!"
"Exactly," another chimed in. "Once we succeed this time, that Jiangyun and her disciple won't be able to throw their weight around anymore!"
"When we leave the secret realm, we won't have to see that master-disciple pair anymore. I wonder how far Aunt Wangshu will go—we should kill all those Outer Sect dogs that He Qingqing raised too!"
Miaoyan remained silent, her expression cold.
The others, reading her mood, said no more.
※※※
The ice cave was not a pile of loose sand but a ship sailing through stormy seas.
Ziye Wenshu held the helm, dealing not only with wind, waves, and sea beasts but also with teammates from four cabins who had different styles and logic, trying to fight over fresh water or smash the ship.
And with Song Xun boarding the ship, regardless of their various thoughts and motives, all parties tacitly agreed that someone should be sent to keep watch with him.
Night deepened.
Silver moonlight slanted into the cave entrance, and amidst the howling wind outside, the Sprites' songs began again.
Song Qianji, carrying his black blade, strolled out as casually as walking in a garden.
The Green Cliff scholars watched his back disappear and, recalling the earlier brutal battles, shuddered in unison.
The cultivators in the cave could now move and speak, but all bore hidden injuries, some light, some severe.
"Fellow Daoist Song said we don't need to go," Zimo said anxiously. "Should we really not follow?"
Another junior disciple said, "I think we should go—he's unreliable! He said he came to help us escape, but since arriving, he hasn't done anything useful, just hanging around the female cultivators! Can staring at beauties solve our predicament?"Qingzhai pondered for a moment: "I don't think Fellow Daoist Song is the type to lust after women. The female cultivators get along quite well with him."
"That's only because they're giving face to the Courtyard Overseer! Now everyone knows he's a friend of Green Cliff's Courtyard Overseer, yet he doesn't treasure his reputation at all!"
Song Qianji stepped out of the ice cave to bask in the moonlight and breathe fresh air, stretching lazily while holding his snow blade.
The crude protective array set up at the cave entrance resembled a translucent shield, already showing faint cracks.
A passage wide enough for one person was left in the center.
In the past, every night, Ziye Wenshu would stand here alone, silently swinging his blade.
One man guarding the pass, ten thousand cannot breach.
No matter how many injuries he sustained or how many times his bones broke, he could neither retreat nor show fatigue.
In the vast night, the singing drew nearer, sprites densely covering the hills.
Standing here, Song Qianji recalled the blood they had shed in their previous lives.
He looked up at the moon, suddenly smiled, and swung his blade.
"Crash!"
The protective array shattered like paper.
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