“Do we have a chance of obtaining the ‘Immortal Ice Flower’?”
“Of course!” Mizong nodded. “If Kongque can master that level of lightness kung fu, he can take you to the ice cave.”
“How is his training going?” I thought of Kongque and Yu Lie. Sometimes their personalities overlapped, but I knew they were different individuals. Mizong had said Kongque was just Yu Lie’s body.
“From the current situation, it’s going very smoothly! His internal energy is strong, so there should be no problem!”
Mizong’s tone was firm, but doubt flickered in his eyes. Was there something he hadn’t explained clearly?
“If there’s anything, you’d better tell me clearly. If I find out later, don’t think I’ll let you off!” I warned, noticing Tianji’s wandering gaze, which deepened my suspicions. “Speak! What are you hiding from me?”
“Well… it’s nothing!” Tianji awkwardly laughed and waved his hand.
“Is that so?” I coldly observed Mizong beside him.
“Yes! It’s nothing!” Mizong exclaimed, pulling Tianji along as they ran, saying, “Even if we didn’t intend to, you must think positively!”
Feeling depressed as she watched the two figures disappear, her heart sank, realizing she would likely have a sleepless night.
[Main Text: Chapter Twenty-Two – Who Exactly Is He]
Upon entering the Ice and Snow Mountain, she first saw a graceful figure with a jade-like face and a few strands of hair, holding a long sword that enhanced his heroic appearance. His untamed arrogance and cold gaze were unmistakably characteristics of Yu Lie.
“Yu Lie…” she murmured, approaching the figure.
Seeing her, his expression suddenly tightened, the sword falling as he stood and uttered, “Madam!”
Instantly regaining her senses, she realized it was actually Kong Jue standing before her.
Laughing awkwardly, she asked, “Why are you practicing sword skills?”
“Master said…”
“Little imp!” Before Kong Jue could finish, Mizong appeared, “You’re moving so quickly. I wonder if Tian Mei has arrived.”
“I have something to ask you!” Mizong tried to escape, but she quickly signaled Xie Ying, and he was soon surrounded. Smiling triumphantly, she said, “Trying to run? Where’s Tianji?”
“Darling, if you want to find me, just say so directly!” Tianji said, being brought over by Huo Ling Yun and Leng Ao Hun.
“If I didn’t do this, you wouldn’t cooperate!” She looked at the two old men seriously. “I want to talk to you privately about something important.”
Seeing her serious demeanor, they stopped joking and walked into a side ice cave. Tianji asked, “Are you asking about Kong Jue?”
“I want to know if Kong Jue is really Yu Lie. Something about him seems strange. Are you hiding something from me?” She looked at Kong Jue outside the cave, who appeared cold under the ice and snow’s reflection.
“Alas!” Mizong sighed, “We didn’t mean to hide…”
“I don’t want to hear ‘actually’ or ‘but’. Just tell me, is he Yu Lie or not?”
Mizong hesitated, glancing at Tianji, who avoided eye contact. Seeing her suppressed anger, Tianji quickly laughed, “Darling, don’t be angry! You can’t get angry!”
“Then tell me!” Reminded that she was pregnant, she took a deep breath.
“He… we’ve always said his body is Yu Lie’s!” Mizong’s vague words carried deep emotion.
“Are you saying his current consciousness is gathered from Xue Jiao? Is that true or false?” She was so angry she could barely speak.
“Not entirely wrong!” Tianji said carefully, “Actually, we only deceived you a little bit…”
“What part?” She asked calmly.
“My junior brother can resurrect someone, as long as there’s Xue Jiao!” Tianji quickly moved aside after speaking.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because the time Xue Jiao can support is unstable. Without the ‘Immortal Ice Flower’, he could die again at any moment!” Tianji said nervously. “When we initially saved him, my junior brother wanted to experiment. If you’re angry, blame him, not me.”
“Little imp, you can’t blame me. Fortunately, I saved him. My senior brother and I spent three years teaching him everything, and now it’s all paying off.” Mizong looked like a hero.
“You two… really are…” Her heart was filled with shock, joy, fear, and worry. When excited, her stomach felt uncomfortable. Squatting down, she held her belly and gritted her teeth, softly cursing, “You two old bastards, one day I’ll… I’ll…”
“Darling!”
“Little imp, are you okay?”
“You…
“Why are you just standing there? Call someone… trying to drive me mad!” She glared at the two old men, left speechless.
After her scolding, they reacted, and people from outside the ice cave quickly came in.
“Xiao Ai, Xiao Ai…” Nan Gong Mo nervously took her pulse.
“I’m fine!” she gently shook her head, her gaze falling on Kong Jue behind the crowd. Yu Lie? Even with answers from the two old men, she still couldn’t be certain. If you are truly Yu Lie, then remember everything from the past.
“I think the little imp’s condition isn’t great. Let’s go to Ling Xiao Peak in a couple of days.” Mizong winked at her before leaving, prompting her to glare back fiercely.
Back at her previous residence, she recalled past events, unable to suppress a slight smile. However, given Tian Mei’s speed, he should have arrived at Ice and Snow Mountain by now. Why hasn’t he appeared? What is he waiting for?
Leng Ao Hun had spread the power of the Blue Flame Order throughout Ice and Snow Mountain’s interior, mostly hidden near them, preventing Tian Mei’s sudden appearance. Hearing sword sounds nearby, she walked over, thinking Kong Jue would be practicing sword at this time.
Unlike the previous Xiao Yao, his face was now indifferent. Since returning to Ice and Snow Mountain, he had been changing, his simplicity gradually disappearing, as if he were becoming more like Yu Lie.
“Madam?”
Kong Jue saw her and stopped practicing, walking over. “How has Madam’s health been these past few days?”
She nodded lightly, carefully staring at him. As he became uncomfortable under her gaze, she smiled and said, “I want to ask you something. You only have three years of memory. Aren’t you curious about what happened before?”
“Before…” Kong Jue furrowed his brow. “I’ve always believed that whether it’s before or now, it’s still ‘me.’ As long as I know who I am now, why must I search for my past self? Isn’t the present more important than the past?”
Kong Jue’s words stunned her. He wasn’t wrong. She awkwardly chuckled and asked, “If your past and present were completely different people, which would you choose?”
“Why is Madam asking such a strange question?” Kong Jue was puzzled, then abruptly asked, “Did Madam know me before? Am I… the person you’re talking about?”
“I’m just asking casually.” Unable to answer, feeling panic, she could only turn and flee.
She thought, I can’t tell him that he’s using Yu Lie’s body, so he must remember the past. No! Kong Jue is Kong Jue, Yu Lie is Yu Lie. Everything is fate. No matter who ‘he’ is, just because of that identical face, I don’t want anything to happen to him. Once we’re on Lingxiao Peak, everything will be beyond control.
“Madam, we meet again!”
A seductive, laughing voice startled her to a stop.
“I thought you wouldn’t come.” Looking at Tianmai, she stepped back slightly, afraid.
“Are you afraid of me?” Tianmai suddenly appeared in front of her, grabbing her hand, his smiling face eerily cold.
“Who wouldn’t be afraid of you!” She struggled but remained tightly held. “Just tell me directly and stop playing games!”
“Come to Lingxiao Peak with me. Only you can get the ‘Not Dead Ice Flower’, right?” Tianmai smiled wickedly, wrapping his arm around her waist and lifting her off the ground.
“Can you enter that ice cave?”
“My plan is to get you inside!” Tianmai landed on a hidden side of the snowy mountain, where three little demons waited. “Go now, it’s time for you to act.”
