The next day, at the hour of the Dragon, Qingyun Terrace.
The sixty new disciples were gathered, arranged according to the results announced yesterday.
Bai Qingxue stood at the very front, dressed in white with a faint expression. Behind her were several candidates who had also performed well, followed by the rest of the new disciples.
The elders of the various peaks arrived one after another.
Cangsong Peak, Chixia Peak, Qingyun Peak, Biluo Peak, Zixiao Peak, Tianshu Peak... Six of the seven peaks had arrived, with only the people from Xueji Peak yet to appear.
Bai Qingxue’s gaze swept inconspicuously across the viewing gallery, but she did not see Liu Ningshuang.
“Why hasn’t anyone from Xueji Peak arrived yet?”
“I heard that True Lord Shuanghua is coming in person to pick disciples this year. Perhaps she was delayed on the way.”
“True Lord Shuanghua? That Nascent Soul True Lord? How many years has it been since she last left Xueji Peak?”
“Who knows? There are some good prospects in this year’s batch, so even a True Lord can’t sit still.”
Bai Qingxue’s brow twitched slightly.
True Lord Shuanghua was the Peak Master of Xueji Peak in the original story. She had a Nascent Soul cultivation, possessed a cold and eccentric personality, and spent most of her time in secluded cultivation, rarely involving herself in the peak’s affairs.
Liu Ningshuang was her disciple and the actual manager of Xueji Peak.
If True Lord Shuanghua was coming in person... things would be quite different.
The weight of a Peak Master personally taking a disciple was worlds apart from an elder doing so.
Bai Qingxue lowered her eyes, her mind racing with calculations.
As she was thinking, a snow-white cloud suddenly drifted from the horizon.
No, it wasn’t a cloud. It was an ice lotus condensed from frigid qi. Its petals were layered and crystal clear, rotating slowly in the air and radiating a piercing chill.
Standing atop the ice lotus were two women.
The one in front wore a frost-white dress and had a cold countenance; it was Liu Ningshuang.
Half a step behind her stood a white-haired woman. She looked young, yet her eyes held a serenity that transcended her age. Her aura was restrained, making it impossible to gauge the depth of her power.
The ice lotus landed before the viewing gallery, and the chill dissipated. Liu Ningshuang stepped aside slightly, allowing the white-haired woman to lead.
The white-haired woman walked to the center of the viewing gallery and sat down, her gaze calmly sweeping over the new disciples.
The entire area fell silent.
The more perceptive elders had already stood up. After all, there was only one person in the entire Xueji Peak for whom Liu Ningshuang would yield her seat.
True Lord Shuanghua.
Elder Han stepped forward and bowed with cupped hands. “The True Lord’s grace remains as ever. It is truly the Xuantian Sect’s fortune.”
True Lord Shuanghua gave a slight nod without saying much, her gaze continuing to search among the new disciples.
Finally, her gaze landed on Bai Qingxue and paused for a moment.
Bai Qingxue felt that gaze. At this moment, the two of them were like icebergs sensing the presence of another iceberg in the vast ocean.
Her expression remained unchanged as she looked straight ahead.
True Lord Shuanghua withdrew her gaze and whispered something to Liu Ningshuang. Liu Ningshuang nodded and made a note in the register.
Elder Han cleared his throat and announced loudly, “The various peaks will now begin selecting disciples. When your name is called, step forward and pay your respects.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the elders of the various peaks began to call out.
“Cangsong Peak takes...”
“Qingyun Peak takes Ye Qingyao...”
Hearing Ye Qingyao’s name, Bai Qingxue’s eyes flickered as she glanced toward Qingyun Peak.
Ye Qingyao was stepping out of the queue and walking toward the elder of Qingyun Peak.
Halfway there, she suddenly turned back to look at Bai Qingxue, her lips moving slightly as if saying, “I’ll be over there.”
Bai Qingxue withdrew her gaze, her expression impassive.
The elders of the various peaks continued to call out the names of the disciples they favored.
Cangsong Peak took five people, Qingyun Peak took four, Chixia Peak took three... The disciples whose names were called stepped forward one by one to bow to the elder of their respective peaks.
Bai Qingxue stood in place, her name never being called.
It wasn’t that no one wanted her; on the contrary, the gazes of several peak masters had been circling her, but none had spoken.
They were waiting.
Waiting for Xueji Peak to speak.
Bai Qingxue had an ice-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root, a solitary peak Dao image, and was a Natural Dao Seed.
It was impossible for Xueji Peak not to want such a disciple. Furthermore, since even the Peak Master had shown up in person, if any other peak were to speak first, they would not only fail to take her but also offend Xueji Peak. Why bother?
Sure enough, after all the other peaks had finished their selections, Liu Ningshuang stood up.
“Xueji Peak takes Bai Qingxue.”
Her voice wasn’t loud, yet it spread clearly across the entire grounds.
Bai Qingxue stepped forward, walked up to Liu Ningshuang, and bowed.
“Disciple Bai Qingxue greets Elder Liu.”
...
After the selection concluded, the new disciples dispersed, following their respective elders back to their mountain gates.
Bai Qingxue followed Liu Ningshuang out of Qingyun Terrace. True Lord Shuanghua had departed at some unknown point, leaving only Liu Ningshuang waiting at the end of the stone steps.
“The True Lord has returned to the peak ahead of us,” Liu Ningshuang said flatly. “The True Lord does not like crowds. Once we reach the peak, she will see you privately.”
Bai Qingxue nodded without asking further questions.
Liu Ningshuang raised her hand, and an ice lotus emerged from her palm, quickly expanding to several yards in size as it hovered before them. She was the first to step onto the lotus platform, and Bai Qingxue followed.
The ice lotus took flight, heading north.
Tianshu City quickly shrank beneath them, turning into a grayish-white outline.
After passing through the clouds, the landscape below consisted of continuous mountain ranges and winding rivers.
Standing on the lotus platform, Bai Qingxue’s robes whipped about in the high-altitude wind, but far from feeling cold, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
It was as if the chill in the wind shared the same source as the spiritual power within her body.
After flying for about fifteen minutes, a majestic mountain appeared ahead.
The mountain was entirely white, covered in thick ice and snow from the base to the mountainside. Everything above the mountainside was hidden within the clouds and mist, impossible to see clearly. Only when the wind occasionally dispersed the clouds could one catch a glimpse of the upturned eaves of several halls.
Xueji Peak.
The ice lotus landed on a platform halfway up the mountain. At the edge of the platform stood a stone monument with the words “Xueji” inscribed in lean, elegant strokes.
“Follow me.” Liu Ningshuang stowed the ice lotus and began walking up the stone steps.
Bai Qingxue followed behind her.
There weren’t many halls on Xueji Peak, and they were scattered far apart across the mountainside.
They occasionally encountered a few disciples in white along the way. Upon seeing Liu Ningshuang, they all bowed respectfully, their gazes lingering on Bai Qingxue with a hint of curiosity.
“There aren’t many disciples on Xueji Peak. Including you, there are thirty-seven,” Liu Ningshuang said as she walked. “There aren’t many rules on the peak, only three: first, you may not leave the mountain without permission; second, you may not privately share or receive techniques; third, you must attend the lectures in the main hall on the first and fifteenth of every month. The rest of the time, you are to cultivate on your own.”
Bai Qingxue noted each rule.
Liu Ningshuang brought her to a quiet courtyard.
The courtyard wasn’t large, consisting of three stone rooms and an old plum tree. The tree’s branches were gnarled and bare, as it wasn’t the flowering season, yet it possessed its own unique charm.
“This is your residence.” Liu Ningshuang pushed open the door. “Daily necessities have been prepared. If anything is missing, you can go to the Steward’s Hall halfway down the mountain to collect it.”
“Once you’ve settled in, go to the main hall at the summit. The True Lord wants to see you.”
Bai Qingxue nodded. “Thank you, Elder Liu.”
Liu Ningshuang turned and left.
Bai Qingxue stood in the courtyard for a moment before pushing open the door to the main room.
The interior was simple: a stone couch, a set of table and chairs, and a bookshelf in the corner.
Several sets of Xueji Peak disciple uniforms were folded on the couch, all frost-white with fabric that felt cool to the touch.
She hung the Frost Condensation Sword on the wall, tidied up briefly, and then left the room, following the stone steps toward the summit.
The summit was even colder than the mountainside. A thin layer of ice covered the stone steps, crunching underfoot.
Bai Qingxue walked steadily. As her internal spiritual power circulated naturally with the chill, she felt more comfortable than she did on level ground.
The main hall was at the highest point of the summit. It was a modest hall built entirely of a certain white stone, blending seamlessly with the ice and snow.
The hall doors were wide open, and a faint, cold light emanated from within.
Bai Qingxue reached the doors and stopped.
“Disciple Bai Qingxue is here to pay respects to the True Lord.”
“Enter.”
The voice came from within the hall, as flat as water.
Bai Qingxue stepped inside.
The hall was empty, devoid of unnecessary furnishings.
Only True Lord Shuanghua sat on a prayer mat in the center. She wore a frost-white Daoist robe, and her long hair was loosely pinned with a white jade hairpin. Her aura was entirely restrained, making her appear no different from a mortal.
Bai Qingxue walked forward a few steps and bowed.
True Lord Shuanghua looked up at her, her gaze calmly sizing her up for a few heartbeats.
Then, she pointed to the prayer mat in front of her and said, “Come, sit.”
Bai Qingxue sat down as instructed, facing True Lord Shuanghua at a distance of less than three feet.
True Lord Shuanghua did not say much.
However, Bai Qingxue suddenly felt something probe into her body. This sudden sensation seemed naturally close to her own spiritual power, as natural as water merging into ice or ice melting into water.
After a few breaths, the sensation withdrew.
True Lord Shuanghua nodded slightly. “The 《Cold Jade Art》 does not suit you. You have been forcing its circulation, and the backlash is already deep. Fortunately, your foundation is solid and your meridians are resilient, so you haven’t ruined yourself yet.”
Bai Qingxue’s heart stirred. This True Lord was indeed powerful; in just a moment, she had seen through her situation perfectly, even identifying the 《Cold Jade Art》 by name.
She paused for a moment and took the initiative to ask, “May I ask the True Lord... is there a solution for my situation?”
True Lord Shuanghua glanced at her, her gaze calm. “You are quite composed.”
“Panic is useless,” Bai Qingxue answered frankly. “Since the True Lord can see it, I presume you also have a solution.”
“Bai Qingxue, do you know what the legacy technique of my Xueji Peak is?”
“The 《Mystic Frost Heavenly Heart Art》.”
“Correct.” True Lord Shuanghua took a jade slip from her sleeve and placed it on the ground between them. “This technique can only be practiced by those with an ice-attribute spiritual root; it is a natural fit for you. The technique has nine layers, corresponding to the stages from Qi Refining to Nascent Soul. But to practice this method, you must achieve this...”
At this point, True Lord Shuanghua paused and said word by word:
“Severing emotions and desires, a heart like mystic frost. Unperturbed by external matters, uninvaded by a myriad thoughts. Can you do it?”
Hearing this, Bai Qingxue’s heart stirred slightly.
Severing emotions and desires, a heart like mystic frost. Unperturbed by external matters, uninvaded by a myriad thoughts.
Recalling her past life, she seemed to have always been a person who found it difficult to empathize with others.
After transmigrating as Bai Qingxue, this was even more the case.
She saw the original host’s pain, grievance, and resentment clearly, yet it was like watching the moon through water; the moon was real and the water was real, but that clear light could not reach her body.
Looking at it this way, this technique was practically tailor-made for her.
True Lord Shuanghua watched her, and as if seeing something in her eyes, she gave a slight nod.
“Practicing this method will yield twice the result with half the effort for you,” she said, her tone still flat but carrying a sense of certainty. “But there is one thing I must ask you first.”
“Please speak, True Lord.”
“Within three years, can you reach the peak of the Qi Refining stage?”
Bai Qingxue did not hesitate.
“I can.”
A single word, crisp and decisive, without any redundant explanation.
True Lord Shuanghua watched her for a moment and then nodded.
“Good.” She pushed the jade slip over. “Take the first two layers of the 《Mystic Frost Heavenly Heart Art》 and study them. On the day you reach the peak of Qi Refining, come find me for the next three layers.”
Bai Qingxue took the jade slip, her fingertips tightening slightly.
“Thank you, True Lord.”
True Lord Shuanghua said no more and waved her hand.
Bai Qingxue rose, bowed, and exited the main hall.
After returning to her courtyard, she closed the door and sat cross-legged on the stone couch. She pressed the jade slip to her forehead and sent her spiritual sense inside.
The text of the 《Mystic Frost Heavenly Heart Art》 flooded into her mind like water.
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