Southern Border, Divine Hall of Senluo Valley.
"Chosen One, this is what your humble uncle witnessed today."
Luo Yexian sat sprawled in the seat once occupied by Han Zhen, reporting to the Chosen One with an expression that could only be described as "deliberately careless." After all, he was someone who had delivered "gifts" to an immortal. He felt his meteoric rise was within reach.
Across from him, the Chosen One swayed slightly, his cold gaze lingering on his smug uncle. Though he suppressed his anger, his thoughts ran deep.
Mountains of gold...
Treasures beyond measure...
An innate Golden Crow...
Nine dragons pulling a celestial palace!
Any one of these, if true, would shake the heavens and earth!
But the Demon-Summoning Chosen One was not so easily swayed. His voice, low and measured, cut through the silence:
"The universe is vast and full of wonders. How can you be certain this isn’t mere illusion?"
"Take the Misty Rain Pavilion’s Holy Maiden, Yin Mianmian, for example. Her Heavenly Demon physique allows her to shift from tangible to intangible at the Outer Realm stage. Who’s to say there aren’t other artifacts or techniques capable of similar feats?"
Luo Yexian flashed a confident smile.
"Nephew Chosen One, you know me—am I the type to trust others so easily?"
"While browsing the Wanxiang Immortal Sect’s storage, I took the liberty of verifying things."
The Beast Hall Master’s hands weren’t exactly clean.
From his robes, he produced several items: a palm-sized nugget of gold, a night pearl the size of a baby’s fist, and a jade vial filled with six-patterned pills.
"These were just lying around. If it were an illusion, it would’ve faded by now."
The Demon-Summoning Chosen One fell silent, his heart pounding with barely restrained excitement.
If this were true...
Could reclaiming the top spot on the Hidden Dragon Ranking be within his grasp?
After a long pause, he finally spoke:
"I will bring two Dharma Kings from the sect to investigate."
"And next time you report official matters, address me by my title!"
---
Now, pay attention. This man is called Little Li.
He lay sprawled on his familiar bed, tossing and turning, utterly unable to sleep. In desperation, he stared at the ceiling, counting silver notes in a futile attempt to lull himself into slumber.
Alas, he neither fell asleep nor finished counting.
"I haven’t practiced today, nor have I reviewed my fight with the Golden Crow projection."
"It must be the guilt of not working hard enough that’s keeping me awake."
Li Mo sighed, marveling at his own relentless drive.
Even if he one day claimed the top spot on the Hidden Dragon Ranking, he could righteously declare in his victory speech that it was all due to sweat and effort.
I wonder if Ice Block has gone to bed yet...
Li Mo sat up, glancing out the window. The room in the distance was dark, its lights long extinguished, save for a faint glow.
"Did I misread her?"
At dinner, when Ice Block left the table, she had definitely given him a look—hadn’t she? It was clear she’d been waiting for him.
With that thought, Li Mo slipped out of bed and tiptoed into the hallway.
The Li estate was spacious, and the night was still, devoid of any sound.
But after just a few steps, footsteps echoed ahead.
Li Mo froze.
The other person jumped too:
"You little brat! What’s wrong with you, sneaking around like a ghost? Scared the hell out of me!"
"Dad, why are you wandering around in the middle of the night?"
"Why? I just came back from the outhouse. What else would I be doing—looking for a midnight snack?"
"Ha! What a coincidence. I was just heading to the outhouse to... uh, relieve myself too."
Li Mo laughed awkwardly and hurried toward the latrine.
"That damn kid."
Li Dalong tightened his belt, suspecting his son wasn’t being entirely truthful—but he had no proof.
Watching Little Li scurry off, he could only mutter in suspicion before returning to his room.
Behind the outhouse, Li Mo finally relaxed once his father’s footsteps faded.
Even the fourth-ranked swordsman on the Hidden Dragon Ranking could slip up when back home. But this was just a minor blunder—nothing serious.
Once he confirmed his parents’ room was quiet, Li Mo made his way to Ying Bing’s quarters.
Little Li moved with the furtiveness of a thief.
Though this was his own home, it was unclear what exactly he was stealing...
Creak—
The door wasn’t locked!
Moonlight spilled into the austere room, as plain and cold as Ice Block herself. Aside from a bed, a table, chairs, and a tea set, there was nothing else.
This wasn’t due to the Li family’s neglect.
In fact, his parents doted on Ying Bing, the daughter of old friends, treating her even better than their own son.
But Ying Bing had never cared for unnecessary possessions.
She sat on the bed, her face bathed in the eternal glow of the Jade Phoenix Divinity, radiant as the moon in a dream. At the sound of the door, her lashes fluttered, but she didn’t move.
As if she hadn’t heard a thing.
Li Mo crept closer, studying her delicate features.
Lately, it felt like the innate ethereal aura around Ice Block had grown even more pronounced.
Surely it wasn’t just his imagination...
They say girls change as they grow, but how much more could Ice Block possibly change?
"Ice Block, I’m here."
Ying Bing pursed her lips slightly, retrieving a meditation cushion from her oversized doll and placing it beside her. She patted it lightly.
"Come here."
"Did you wait long?"
"Mhm. I was waiting for a certain ‘gentleman’ to sneak into a lady’s chambers in the dead of night."
Li Mo squirmed under her piercing gaze.
Now that he thought about it...
He’d rarely entered Ice Block’s room back home, let alone sat on her bed.
"Ice Block, let’s get to training."
Li Mo seized her slender hand, deploying his foolproof distraction technique.
Ying Bing stored away the Jade Phoenix Divinity and gave a slight nod. Outside, the moonlight suddenly brightened.
Both of them possessed dual divine forms.
But the Moon Divinity, as the first divine intent they’d ever observed, remained the foundation of their cultivation.
Li Mo had gained the ability to slightly slow time and temporarily purge negative emotions, among other mysteries yet to be uncovered.
The Moon Divinity complemented all other divine forms.
And, of course, it harmonized perfectly with Ice Block’s own Moon Divinity...
As the moon drifted from its zenith, the two stopped in unison. Ice Block, ever the diligent teacher, softly guided him through a review of the Golden Crow projection’s combat style, summarizing most of its nuances.
"That puny Golden Crow—today’s the day I conquer it!"
With that declaration, Li Mo flopped onto the bed, scratching his neck vigorously.
Had he been bitten by a mosquito while hiding behind the outhouse?
What kind of mosquito was this vicious? It was already winter!
A tremor ran through his inner world.
Li Mo closed his eyes and peacefully drifted into slumber.
"......"
Ying Bing parted her lips slightly, then bit them lightly.
She wanted to ask—what if Uncle and Aunt came in? What would they say if they saw him here in the morning? "Sleepwalking" wasn’t exactly a convincing excuse...
But Li Mo was already fast asleep, a faint red mark on his neck.
Like a blooming peach blossom.
The quiet depths of Ying Bing’s eyes shimmered faintly.