Chapter 132: The Choice (Part 4)

The warship stopped on the Four Points Island, and everyone exchanged wooden plaques. This way, during the upcoming spring or autumn, they could draw from the same team.
Xu Qianyu grabbed Tu Zhuang’s arm. “About cutting the puppet strings on Luo Shui…”

“I know, heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know,” Tu Zhuang’s expression softened from a cold glare. There was another reason for her change in demeanor: Yu Chu had helped her craft a new puppet. She had lost a wooden puppet but had gained a golden, shining copper puppet, which she hugged tightly to her chest, humming as she said, “You people from Penglai aren’t so bad.”

“Naturally,” Xu Qianyu teased her, his lips curling into a smile. “How about becoming a disciple of Penglai in the future? You wouldn’t have to wear the veil anymore.”

“Don’t even think about it! I was born a person of Tianshan mountain, and I’ll die a ghost of Tianshan mountain.” Tu Zhuang immediately turned her face away, her eyes wary as she glanced at the spiritual butterfly flying in the air. She yanked her sleeve free from Xu Qianyu’s grasp.
Xu Qianyu was still smiling when someone slapped him forcefully on the shoulder. It was You Yin who walked past her. “Let’s go. The debt of the peach blossom illusion can be settled later.”

Before Xu Qianyu could respond, her shoulder was slapped again. Annoyed, she turned around, only to see the tall figure of Chu Linfeng drifting past her. “Farewell, for now.”

Xu Qianyu shot him a murderous glare as Chu Linfeng soared into the sky on the wind.

Some flew with swords, others rode on giant vultures. In the blink of an eye, the flock of geese, now the size of sesame seeds, scattered across the sky.

A damp breeze ruffled the edges of their clothing. Xu Qianyu looked up, suddenly feeling a kind of parting sorrow she had never experienced before.

Su Mingyu tossed his sword into the air. The sword gleamed with golden light, stretching and widening into the shape of a boat. Su Mingyu helped Yu Chu and Lin Shuyue onto it. Turning back, he asked Xu Qianyu, “Senior sister Xu, coming along?”

Shen Suwei adjusted Xu Qianyu’s clothes from behind. “We’re not going back to the sect yet. Let’s head to the Snow Cliff Cave to meet the sect leader.”

This was exactly what Xu Qianyu had in mind. “I’ll go with you, Senior Brother Shen.”
She watched as the others departed, with Yu Chu waving at her from the sky.

“Do you want to ride on Qi or fly with the sword?” Shen Suwei asked as he crouched down. “I’ll carry you.”

Xu Qianyu felt a stir in her heart, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning close. “Fly with the sword.”

This wasn’t the first time Shen Suwei had carried her. When she was fourteen, he had carried her into the sect as well. Back then, she hadn’t felt much.

But this time was different. When Shen Suwei lifted her legs, her heart raced. Being so close to him made her feel secretly delighted.

Surprisingly, she had a vague sense that her senior brother might feel the same.

Because the sword flew very low, just three feet above the water, and it was deliberately slow.

The sword’s energy splashed water in its wake, and the damp sea breeze lifted her pure white disciple robes. Their clothes danced lightly in the air, intertwining.

It was the evening by the sea. The setting sun dyed half the sky red. The water and the vast sky were a brilliant scarlet, with floating light reflecting like molten gold, stretching endlessly before them.

Xu Qianyu, entranced, casually asked, “Where is Snow Cliff Cave?”

Shen Suwei answered, “North of Penglai. That place is also part of Penglai’s territory. It’s free from worldly disturbances, and the Sect Leader has secluded there for many years. Plus, there are wandering demons to practice on.”

Xu Qianyu asked again, “Senior Brother, did you often watch the sunset?”

“Not often,” Shen Suwei replied gently. “I’m usually on the move.”

He was like a calm, still lake, and Xu Qianyu always wanted to throw a stone into it to make ripples. She leaned in and asked, “Am I heavy?”

“Not heavy.” Before he could finish speaking, the sword suddenly rose, shifting past the sunset, soaring into the sky, leaving a dazzling trail of sword light.

Xu Qianyu’s headband was blown over her eyes by the wind, and she couldn’t stop her blood from boiling. She wasn’t sure if it was because her senior brother always answered her seriously, which gave her the confidence to act spoiled, or because, in that moment when the sword wind parted the sea mist, there was an exhilarating feeling that stirred her heart.

Shen Suwei’s hair flew up, and Xu Qianyu subtly pushed it aside. In the dim light, she looked at the mark on his ear.

She was the only one so close to him, knowing this secret, which made her feel a hidden sense of possessiveness.

Shen Suwei seemed to realize what she was looking at. He tilted his head slightly. “Stop looking.”

Xu Qianyu pushed his hair aside again. “I want to see.”
But merely looking wasn’t enough. She lowered her head and bit the mark on his ear. The feeling of possession deepened as she held it in her mouth.

Shen Suwei frozen, and his blood surged wildly.

The sword shadow appeared like a submerged gem in the water. He watched their reflection glide across the surface, feeling as if it overlapped with a memory from a past life. Back then, he had silently carried his near-dead junior sister out of the demon cave, each of them with their own thoughts. Now, Xu Qianyu was clinging to his back, her hair buns swaying like playful fox ears, lively and vivid.

---

When Xu Qianyu was lowered to the ground, she stepped into the soft snow but didn’t feel upset. She deliberately said, “Because I bit you, you won’t carry me anymore.”

Before anyone could remind her, she noticed the towering crystal-clear stone wall in front of her, revealing a glowing underground palace. This must be Snow Cliff Cave.

She said that and ran ahead, her steps light and uneven, heading toward the light.

Her wrist was suddenly grabbed, and she was pulled back. Shen Suwei bent down, calmly and carefully adjusting her disheveled robes and accessories.

She needed to follow the proper etiquette when meeting the sect leader.

The more carefully he did it, the more provocatively Xu Qianyu stared at him. Shen Suwei wasn’t unaware. Once everything was fixed, he raised his lashes, meeting her gaze.

Xu Qianyu had a feeling of foreboding and deliberately turned her head to avoid him. His kiss brushed past the corner of her lips. She was about to laugh when, in the next moment, her face was turned back. Shen Suwei pressed his lips to hers, his coldness and the warmth between them intermingling, making her breath catch.

Shen Suwei watched her for a moment. Xu Qianyu’s lips were rosy and full like a blooming flower, and there were no signs of injury, which pleased him. He let go subtly. “Let’s go.”

When they met the sect leader, Xu Qianyu felt guilty, her eyes flicking downward.

Xu Binglai put away the two ice spoons from the demon realm into his storage pouch and raised his sharp golden eyes. “Strange. Why are you blushing? Is it cold outside?” He gestured toward Shen Suwei with his eyes. “You go outside first.”

Xu Qianyu wasn’t afraid of Xu Binglai, but hearing that he wanted to talk to them separately made her uneasy.

“Not bad. You came back in one piece and even formed your core.” Xu Binglai watched Xu Qianyu as he circled around her, as if appraising a finely carved object. “Why are you touching your mouth? Did a rat bite you?”

Xu Qianyu silently moved her hand away.

“Keep these pills and sword manuals. Practice well before spring.” Xu Binglai pulled out a few more sword manuals from his sleeve.

As an inner disciple, like her senior brother, she now had her master choose sword manuals specifically suited to her.

While Xu Qianyu was flipping through the sword manuals, she suddenly felt a flash of golden light in front of her. Xu Binglai chanted a few words, beckoning to her, and the figure in front of her suddenly split into two.

Everything spun. Xu Qianyu realized in shock that her consciousness was being forcibly pulled out of her body and presented in front of them. Then, the markings on her consciousness began flashing one by one.

When the newest lightning-shaped mark appeared, Xu Binglai relaxed.

Xu Qianyu’s eyes widened; her feet stuck to the ground, unable to move. The uncontrollable feeling humiliated her, and she gathered her spiritual power, sending the person in front of her flying.

Xu Binglai, unprepared, was knocked back several steps, coughing up blood in anger. “Wild girl, you dare strike at your master!”

Xu Qianyu trembled all over and yelled at him, “Watch my divine power!”

Xu Binglai’s expression shifted from shock to helplessness. “Oh, I only looked at your divine power. If I hadn’t known better, I might have thought I just tried to kill you.”

“That won’t do!” The senior brother had told her that one’s divine abilities should not be seen by others, let alone used to ambush her. This made her feel even more disrespected.

Xu Qianyu flew into a rage, her clear, bright voice echoing against the stone wall, causing Xu Binglai to feel a ringing in his ears. He closed his eyes and made a gesture to signal a ceasefire. “Fine, fine, what do you want? You say.”

Xu Qianyu spoke with a blank expression. “I want to see yours.”

Without a word, Xu Binglai closed his eyes and summoned his golden primordial spirit.

Xu Qianyu saw two entire rows of unfamiliar inscriptions, her heart secretly shaken. Is this the power of someone at the half-step transformation stage? Her gaze landed on one inscription in the shape of lightning. “This one of yours; it’s the same as mine.”

Xu Binglai said, “What do you mean, the same as yours? It should be the other way around. This is ‘Heaven’s Thunder Sealing God.’ Those with this divine power can briefly elevate their cultivation to half-step transformation for a short period.”

“How about that? Aren’t you grateful I sent you to the Demon Realm?”
Xu Qianyu recalled that Fu Shuangshuang had mentioned this before. She hadn’t expected Xu Binglai to awaken such a powerful divine ability in the Demon Realm.

However, Xu Qianyu refused to show any signs of joy and seized the opportunity to ask, “I have another one, an inscription of a sword splitting two walls. What does that represent?”

Xu Binglai replied, “That’s ‘Breaking the Border.’ Your sword advances without hesitation, capable of shattering others’ realms.”

Xu Qianyu silently took note.

“Get out of here and bring your senior brother in.”

Moments later, Xu Qianyu stood outside the cave. From outside the stone wall, she could only see the faint flickering of light and vague figures inside, with only broken fragments of voices reaching her ears.

Xu Binglai sat behind a curtain, drinking tea. His originally smiling face gradually turned cold and indifferent, like ice.

Shen Suwei kneeled below. After coughing a few times, he lowered his gaze and said, “I caused the injury to my master. It was my fault.”

“I told you not to rush, not to rush.” Xu Binglai pinched his fingers, and with a loud crash, his teacup turned into dust, a clear sign of his fury.

In the aftermath of the loud noise, there was silence.

“Do you think I sealed your spiritual root and took you in as my disciple back then for no reason? Do you think there’s a reason why those with incompatible spiritual roots can’t cultivate? You’re too impulsive.”

Shen Suwei raised his eyes. “If I don’t break the seal, my realm will shatter.”

“Let it shatter,” Xu Binglai said, finding him unreasonable. “You can reestablish it after a few decades. You…”

Shen Suwei couldn’t explain. In his past life, in the illusion of his inner demons, after his Ice and Snow Realm shattered, everything collapsed together, an uncontrollable life.

His demons were too many; his fears were overwhelming. He feared repeating the same mistakes, so in this life, he risked everything, trying to break through.

Xu Qianyu used her hand to clear some snow and mist from the stone wall, focusing and eavesdropping. She vaguely heard some of the conversation.

Xu Binglai was talking about the Moss-Erosion Divine Tree.

In the heart of the Nine Regions, there was an ancient tree known as the Moss-Erosion Divine Tree. When the Four Great Immortal Sects decided to unite and reconstruct the Heavenly Ladder, the four sect leaders, who held the greatest authority, placed the fragments of the Heavenly Ladder, called “Ice Spoons,” in the Divine Tree and made a soul pact: anyone who tried to monopolize the Ice Spoon would be condemned.

Xu Qianyu had seen the soul pact on the marriage contract between Hua Liangyu and Fu Shao, a type of solemn vow. It was used to restrain the four sect leaders from collecting the Ice Spoon for the common good, without personal gain.

She hadn’t expected that Yin Xiangjun, who outwardly vowed to promote the collection of the Ice Spoon, was secretly engaging in hypocritical actions. During this year’s hairpin flower conference, Yin Xiangjun’s soul was injured, and he was in seclusion, with his sister, Luo Shuiyuan, taking care of him.

Xu Qianyu thought to herself, It seems no one knows that Yin Xiangjun’s soul was injured by the wick of Luo Shui’s lamp. She must have played a part in it, but it seems no one has noticed, so she sighed in relief.

After that, the conversation became unclear.

Xu Qianyu felt a coolness on her face. Looking up, she saw fine snowflakes falling from the night sky, landing on her hair and clothes.

Inside the cave, Xu Binglai took a deep breath and said, “The Snow Cliff Cave was where I cultivated when I was younger. What do you think of this place?”

Shen Suwei glanced at the carved beams and painted pillars and said, “It’s quiet here, undisturbed by the outside world. It’s an ideal place for cultivation.”

Xu Binglai remained expressionless. “How about you stay here to meditate and cultivate in seclusion?”

Shen Suwei suddenly looked up. Xu Binglai stared at him, his face cold as stone, unmoved.

After a long pause, Shen Suwei smiled awkwardly. “Master, are you going to lock me up again?”
“The seal is broken; how can you guarantee you won’t fall into a nightmare? During this time, calmness is the best option.” Xu Binglai said, “This is a matter of great importance. Even if we both have to fill in the pit, there’s nothing we can do.”

“Didn’t you always focus on the path of the immortals? What’s a few years of seclusion? With your cultivation perception, you’ll surely break through once you come out.” Xu Binglai sharply sensed Shen Suwei’s emotions—he seemed restless. In the past, sealing this disciple had not bothered him at all. The path of immortality was long, and Shen Suwei was like crystal-clear ice, his heart and nature as transparent as could be, only waiting to awaken. It shouldn’t have been so difficult.

But now, after seeing some colors, he couldn’t return to the empty world anymore. What was it that had tied him down in just a few short years?
Xu Binglai gazed at Shen Suwei’s face. “I don’t want to search your soul. Make a choice.”

“Master.” Xu Qianyu burst in with a loud crash, nearly tripping.

Xu Binglai angrily turned his head. “Who told you to come in?”

“It’s snowing outside.” Xu Qianyu patted the snow on her sleeve innocently. “I just tried to strike with my sword and didn’t expect it to open.”

Behind her, the broken door crashed to the ground in pieces.

Xu Binglai was too exhausted to argue. He shot a glance at Shen Suwei and slammed the teapot onto the table. “Get out, both of you, out!”