Under the dim moonlight, he saw the face he had longed for day and night.
She tilted her head back, the tip of her nose red from the cold and a trace of snow clinging to her eyelashes. Yet her eyes were astonishingly bright.
All of Wen Shubai’s restraint collapsed in an instant. He wanted to ask whether she was cold, and why she had suddenly come—but in the end, he lowered his head and kissed her fiercely.
Unlike his usual gentleness, this kiss was wild with the madness of someone who had narrowly escaped losing what mattered most.
His lips lingered over hers before pressing down heavily, carrying an undeniable, commanding force. Once he breached her tightly closed lips, he ventured deeper, leaving her no chance to retreat.
Wen Shubai’s kiss was cold at first, but grew hotter by the moment. Ji Zhaoxi could barely breathe beneath it, her entire face flushed crimson, her muffled whimpers swallowed between their lips.
Their breaths tangled together. Their bodies, chilled by the cold, gradually began to heat up, and their breathing grew heavier and heavier. The room filled with an ambiguous, intimate atmosphere.
Only when he sensed that she was nearly out of breath did Wen Shubai finally let her go, reluctantly.
Afterward, both of them breathed hard. Wen Shubai held her tightly, burying his face in the crook of her neck. His voice was hoarse.
“Zhaoxi, I missed you so much…”
He thought of her while planting immortal grass, while cultivating, and even in his dreams…
Nestled in his arms, Ji Zhaoxi hugged him and murmured, “Senior Brother, I missed you too.”
The thought that he had been punished by the Sect Leader made her heart ache.
She really wanted Senior Brother to go back with her, to butcher pigs with her and help her honor her parents.
But her talent for cultivation was so extraordinary that she couldn’t bear to leave.
A genius could never abandon their stage!
Ji Zhaoxi was terribly conflicted.
The wooden hut was chilly. Wen Shubai got up and lit the fire, then spread several layers of clothing over the wooden bed.
Tomorrow, he would have to go down the mountain to buy some bedding.
Once the bed was made, Wen Shubai hung Ji Zhaoxi’s outer robe nearby before carrying her onto the bed and lying down with her.
“Are you cold?” Wen Shubai asked, putting an arm around her and kissing her forehead.
Ji Zhaoxi shook her head. She lightly nipped at his neck. Wen Shubai rubbed her head, his voice tinged with guilt.
“Junior Sister, I’m sorry you have to make do for tonight.”
He hadn’t expected her to come, and the bed was hard. The hut was bare and empty.
As he spoke, a sudden stab of pain came from his neck. He paused, then coaxed her gently, “All right, I won’t say anything else.”
The fire in the earthfire brazier continued to burn. Outside the wooden hut, the wind howled. The two of them spoke in hushed voices. Before long, only the faint sound of their breathing remained.
At dawn, the peaks of the Heavenly Severance Sect were blanketed beneath thick snow. Hundreds of disciples, dressed in light robes, trained on the practice grounds.
“Ha!”
The disciples drew their swords in unison. The ringing of steel cleaved through the air, sending the snow drifting overhead into spiraling whirlwinds.
Liu Fuyin’s face was red from the cold as she trained earnestly, her gaze occasionally drifting toward the upper side of the mountain.
Ji Zhaoxi hadn’t come to training for several days, and Liu Fuyin hadn’t seen her anywhere else, either.
Holding her sword, Liu Fuyin circulated her spiritual energy through her body.
She had heard that Senior Brother had gone out to gain experience. Could Ji Zhaoxi have gone with him…?
As soon as training ended, Liuli approached her with an air of mystery. She was holding something in her hands.
“Do you want to read my young lady’s biography?”
She had only finished organizing half of it, but even that half was already legendary enough.
The corner of Liu Fuyin’s mouth twitched. “No.”
Why would she read the biography of a Pig Butcher? If she wanted to read anything, she would read the history of the Liu family.
Liuli’s face flushed with anger. “Just wait! One day, you’ll want to read it and won’t be able to!”
With that, Liuli stormed off.
That evening, Liuli went to pick up the food boxes and, while she was at it, politely collected the Second Elder’s as well.
The Second Elder came hurrying over and immediately spotted Liuli carrying his food box.
“Thank you, Liuli.”
Liuli smiled, shook her head, and slipped a book into the Second Elder’s hands.
The Second Elder hurriedly shoved it back. “I’m already this old. What would I be reading books for? You read it yourself, Liuli. I’ve never been in the habit of reading.”
With that, he quickly ran off. He had disliked reading since he was young, so why was someone still trying to force books into his arms now that he had come to the Heavenly Severance Sect?
Liuli: “…”
These people would regret it sooner or later!
After dinner, Liuli continued working on the remaining portion of the biography. She remembered the sword technique Ji Zhaoxi had used last time, but after thinking for ages, she still couldn’t come up with a name.
So she hurriedly wrote a letter and sent it off with a spirit crane.
[Young lady! Emergency! What was the name of the sword technique you used to defeat Senior Brother last time?]
This was very important to her.
The New Year was almost here, and her biography would certainly be given to every member of the Ji family.
As Liuli counted down the days, she felt the weight of her responsibility growing heavier and heavier.
Elsewhere, the Second Elder was happily digging into his meal.
Hot dishes like these were perfect for winter. What was the point of abstaining from food?
He had only taken two bites when a disciple hurried in.
“Second Elder, the Sect Leader wants to see you.”
The disciple looked hesitant. “The Sect Leader seems to be very angry.”
The Second Elder: “…”
This was bad.
He hurriedly gobbled down the rest of the food, each bite larger than the last.
The disciple hesitated. “Second Elder, perhaps you should go first and—”
Before he could finish, the Second Elder let out a huge belch and set the empty food box aside.
“Let’s go!”
Sure enough, the moment he reached the immortal island, the Second Elder saw the Sect Leader standing there with a dark expression.
The Second Elder obediently stood below him.
“She went to find Shu Bai?” the Sect Leader asked in a low voice.
The Second Elder stared at him blankly. “Sect Leader, who are you talking about?”
The Sect Leader said coolly, “I heard that someone told her where Shu Bai was.”
The Second Elder furrowed his brows tightly. “Who?! How dare they break the rules?”
The Sect Leader’s gaze settled on the Second Elder.
The Second Elder looked at him with an expression of solemn determination. “Sect Leader, leave this matter to me. I’ll definitely find that person.”
The Sect Leader: “…”
Did the Second Elder think he was an idiot?
The Second Elder still wore an utterly serious expression.
Only he knew that his back was already drenched in sweat.
Halfway up Silver Shard Snow Mountain, a place that even birds had once feared to approach, laughter now rang through the air.
The snow had piled up so thickly that it filled the rugged slope, turning it into a natural slide.
Ji Zhaoxi had found a thick wooden board from somewhere. The two of them squeezed onto it, excitement shining in her eyes.
“Senior Brother, hold on tight!”
The wooden board shot down the snowy slope. Wind roared beside their ears, while flying snow struck their faces with a cool sting, bringing with it an exhilarating thrill.
There was a slight rise at the end of the slope. Because they were moving too fast, the wooden board jolted violently.
“Ah—!”
The board, along with both of them, was flung into the air. They lost their balance, but Wen Shubai reached out and caught Ji Zhaoxi securely around the waist.
The two of them tumbled together through the snow, landing squarely in a nearby mound of soft powder.
