Chapter 88

"How did you end up here?" Luo Changfeng's eyes were rarely cold and stern; he waited silently for Gu Yusheng to finish before asking.

Gu Yusheng hadn't expected Luo Changfeng to react that way; he looked up and saw Qi Chengshuang also stern-faced, and they didn't believe him. This realization made Gu Yusheng clench his palms, yet when he lifted his head he still looked tense and anxious. "I was sent out by A Xue with all her strength; they're still trapped in the Demon-Sealing Seal, unknown if alive or dead, senior brother..."

Before Gu Yusheng could finish speaking, Shi Ran and Ruan Xinli, who had gone out to clear their minds, rushed in. Shi Ran glanced at the scene in the cave, raised her eyebrows, realizing something had happened that she didn't know about, but asking now seemed inappropriate, so she said: "Senior brother, disciples from other sects have also entered the Ice-Snow Realm!"

Ruan Xinli nodded, smoothing her hair messed up by the wind and snow, and added: "Besides, looking at their direction, they're heading our way!" After all, the wind and snow raged outside, while a faint firelight seeped through here—surely someone must be present.

Luo Changfeng gave a slight nod, as if not surprised, his gaze never leaving Gu Yusheng: "We'll go together; more people means greater strength, and our chances of rescuing A Xue and the others will be even better."

Gu Yusheng's lips twitched as if he wanted to say something, but he merely gave a stiff nod: "Okay!"

As night deepened, the mountain cave grew lively, with disciples from various sects filing in; the once spacious cavern instantly became crowded.

The Heavenly Mystery Sect's poorly aimed, spoiled junior sister He Chenyan was also there, still wearing that out-of-place crimson gauze dress with a fox-fur cloak over it, which stood out starkly against the pure white snow. As soon as she entered the cave, she glared at Shi Ran, but Shan Ming stopped her with a look, so she could only purse her lips.

The Jade Authority Sect's Bodhisattva Dao couple were now in a sorry state—the woman's hair bun was disheveled, the man's robe torn—and they huddled in a corner, silent. In the midnight ice and snow, having a sheltered spot was a relief; the two finally learned to read the situation, a stark contrast to their earlier attempt at moral blackmail.

Chu Yao'er also came; she was a little crybaby. Seeing Ruan Xinli, she sobbed as she ran over and hugged Ruan Xinli: 'Senior sister, wu-wu-wu-wu, senior sister, how are you, wu-wu-wu? Are you injured, wu-wu-wu?'

Ruan Xinli gently stroked Chu Yao'er's hair: 'All right, all right, Yao'er, look, I'm fine, aren't I? Don't cry, ah...'

Chu Yao'er lifted her eyes, like a frightened little rabbit, sniffling: 'Senior sister, after entering the secret realm from Mount Woxian, I couldn't find you; later I met Shen Yan and the others, and followed them all the way here. I'm fine, I was just worried about you, senior sister—are you injured?'

'No, no!' Ruan Xinli laughed, wiping away her tears, and patted Chu Yao'er reassuringly: 'Don't worry, senior sister is fine; just take care of yourself.'

'Yo! You two really are sisters through thick and thin, huh?' As the two sisters were speaking, a voice cut in; the disciples made way, and He Shenyan walked in slowly with arms crossed, looking at them and sneering: 'I wondered who it was—turns out it's you. If you had stayed with us back then, your little junior sister wouldn't have been left helpless. What are you putting on this sisterly act for now?'

Ruan Xinli, neither humble nor arrogant, calmly bowed: 'Thank you, senior sister, for looking after my junior sister.'

'What senior sister!' He Shenyan, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, said: 'Although I entered the mountain gate earlier, I'm actually a year younger than you!'

'Shenyan!' Shen Ming shouted sternly, quickly stepping forward and clasping his hands toward Ruan Xinli in apology: 'Please forgive me, Junior Sister Ruan!'

He turned his head to look at He Shenyan: 'I didn't keep an eye on you for a moment, and you're causing trouble—this is your senior sister Ruan; won't you pay your respects?'

Shen Ming was the chief disciple of the inner lineage, the future sect leader's sole choice; He Shenyan dared not openly defy him, so he awkwardly performed a salute: 'Senior Sister Ruan, Junior Sister Chu.'

'And me!' Shi Ran poked her head out, laughing as she pulled Luo Changfeng and Qi Chengshuang over: 'Shenyan junior sister, don't forget to pay your respects to us too! We can say we've become acquainted through a fight!'

'Not becoming acquainted through a fight'—what nonsense! It's clearly refusing to save someone! He Shenyan stamped her foot: 'You......!'

'Shenyan!' Shen Ming shook his head and sighed: 'If you remain willful and headstrong, you'll be sent back tomorrow!'

He Shenyan had no choice but to go through the salutations one by one; while feeling sullen, she saw Gu Yusheng behind Luo Changfeng, her eyes lit up, and she ran over coquettishly: 'Brother Yusheng! What are you doing here too? Are you injured? Want some medicine? I have some excellent elixirs—you definitely haven't seen anything like them in the Floating Dream Sect!'

He Shenyan's voice immediately became affected; Shi Ran unconsciously rubbed her arms, her gestures overly exaggerated; Ruan Xinli lowered her head and gave a soft smile; only the simple Chu Yao'er failed to understand their scheming, blinking her eyes in confusion.

After Gu Yusheng finished telling them of their ordeal in the snowy abyss, the atmosphere in the cave suddenly grew heated; everyone was eager to give it a try, filled with righteous indignation to go rescue people, though in reality each harbored their own motives.

The legend of the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus has long circulated in the cultivation world——it is said that the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus was once a treasure lost from the realm of immortals; besides being able to revive the dead and heal white bones, it can also enhance one's cultivation. Many disciples from our cultivation world have come searching for it before, but never found it—yet by sheer chance, Gu Yusheng and the others stumbled upon it. Such karmic affinities in this world are simply inexplicable.

Shi Ran watched coldly; several people's eyes showed no intention to save anyone, instead they were determined to obtain the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus—but would that play right into Gu Yusheng's hands?

In the original book, that passage describes how Gu Yusheng originally did not want the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus, but he never expected that the Candle Shade would recognize him as its master and willingly hand over the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus.

Gu Yusheng even easily tucked the Seven-Colored Fire Lotus away without much effort, and from then on his cultivation surged greatly; this trip not only delivered Wei Zhuzhu… well, the two kept each other warm in the snowy abyss, and that took up three whole chapters.

Then this time also caused Ruan Xinli to secretly pledge her heart—she would marry no one else, which is exactly what the gray-robed man meant by 'reaping her affection'.

But the plot has gone off the rails now, and Shi Ran can't imagine what Gu Yusheng is up to—is he trying to trick all these people into feeding the Candle Shade?

Thinking of this, Shi Ran shuddered, about to get up to look for Luo Changfeng, when Lingxiao's voice sounded again in her ear.

'Shi Ran, act as the situation demands tomorrow!'

'What does that mean!' Shi Ran sprang up in agitation, looked left and right, and saw only a sea of black heads—no sign of Lingxiao, yet his voice was so clear; could it be that even when treating Gu Yusheng's wounds, it wasn't an illusion?

'Don't be afraid!' Lingxiao's voice sounded cold and clear in her heart: 'Believe in yourself; I will always be with you.'