Chapter 123

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Chapter 123: Kill a Person

"I know," Ming He murmured, her gaze lowered, her voice devoid of emotion, as if she were merely commenting on the weather. Her expression was cold, showing no trace of disbelief or trembling.

"I’ve known for a while," she continued. She had realized it the moment she decided to take the last Blizzard Pill.

She lifted her eyes to meet Song Guanting’s. "So, what now?"

Was there anything else? Could she now go to the Ice Palace to see Qin Chu Yi?

Her eyes, once vibrant and enchanting like peach blossoms, now gleamed coldly, resembling a solitary moon. They mirrored the same indifference she had shown when she first met Qin Chu Yi.

Faced with such a gaze, Song Guanting was momentarily stunned, barely able to suppress a gasp. "Do you really not care at all?"

This was the path of cultivation, the ultimate pursuit of every human, the Great Path—a lifelong aspiration!

It was true that she harbored feelings for Qin Chu Yi, but if asked to choose between her cultivation path and her beloved, she couldn’t answer.

For her, it wasn’t a matter of comparison or a choice to be made.

Qin Chu Yi did not return her feelings.

"I do care," Ming He replied, her head still held high, her lips pale, her eyes cold. How could she not care about the future she once so eagerly anticipated?

"But Senior Sister survived, didn’t she?" Ming He’s lips curved into a faint smile, a subtle warmth softening her otherwise icy demeanor.

Her aura, previously heavy and dark, now radiated a brilliance that outshone even the brightest starlight.

A sword cultivator never regrets their decisions; sacrificing her cultivation path to save her Senior Sister was her choice.

Once decided, she would not look back.

Because her Senior Sister was worth it.

Moreover, she never believed that the path to cultivation was solely tied to one’s level of cultivation; they were, in fact, two distinct concepts.

Ming He’s hand rested on the Jing Ying Sword at her waist, her expression serene. "Where is the Ice Palace?"

"Leave through this hall door and head west. The coldest palace at the far west is the one you seek," Song Guanting instructed, her mouth opening as if to say more, but the words never came.

"The Ice Palace is there, and Young Master Qin is there as well," she added, turning to gaze out the window at the palace she had been watching all along.

But she could only watch; there was nothing more she could do.

"Okay," Ming He nodded, her gaze shifting outward as she stepped through the hall door, the world expanding with her every step.

The breeze on Qin Huang Mountain was reminiscent of that day in Tianwu City, with trees swaying and leaves falling, the palaces standing majestically.

Ming He walked slowly.

The destruction of her path meant she could no longer use spiritual energy, and thus, she could not employ her speed. Despite her anxiety, she could only move forward step by step.

Song Guanting did not offer to accompany her; both Duan Wu and Chu Yi were nowhere to be found. The vast Qin Huang Mountain felt eerily empty.

Ming He didn’t know the reason and didn’t care; all she wanted was to see Qin Chu Yi.

The distance didn’t matter; knowing her Senior Sister was there was enough.

Though she had just regained consciousness from severe injuries, her wounds not fully healed, she pressed on tirelessly. She walked past the long corridors of the Qin Huang Mountain palaces, through the Secret Realm of the Ling Pool, and across the bustling training grounds, moving forward until she reached where the birds and beasts faded away.

Song Guanting had said to go west, to the coldest place.

The west was cold—the Ice Palace.

Ming He repeated these words continuously, using her sword as a crutch, inching forward step by step until a palace loomed before her, emanating a chilling aura that seemed to rise from the depths of her heart.

She paused, her gaze lingering on the flamboyant characters "Ice Palace" above, her eyes clouded with complex emotions. Those were Qin Chu Yi’s strokes, so these two characters were also the handiwork of her Senior Sister?

A palace erected for her Senior Sister.

Ming He mused, slowly raising her hand to push open the hall door, stepping forward into the palace, her silhouette fading away, the blue fabric of her robe swaying and disappearing into the shadows.

"Can she truly do this?" A deep, aged voice echoed from behind her, laden with the compassion and depth of a powerful ally.

"She will undoubtedly succeed." The reply was crisp, imbued with certainty. "If she doesn’t…"

The voice trailed off with a sigh, falling silent, only watching the hall door as it closed, as if seeing the person inside, so resolute, reminiscent of someone from the past.

The Ice Palace, true to its name, was constructed of profound ice, radiating a cold aura both inside and out. Mist swirled around, not as a spiritual energy vortex, but as a shroud of chilling air.

As Ming He entered, she couldn’t help but shiver; without spiritual energy to shield her, her severely injured body felt no different from an ordinary person’s. The cold enveloped her, making her tremble as if her very soul might freeze.

But it was merely cold air; it wouldn’t claim her life.

Ming He thought this way, moving forward without hesitation, passing through the palace’s elegant structures, always heading west toward the colder regions.

She crossed through a rockery with flowing water, descending step by step from the warm light into the dark chill, ultimately reaching the base of the loft in the far west of the Ice Palace, where she saw a woman in red attire lying quietly on an ice bed.

It was the very same ice coffin that trapped Feng Xin, the master of the Phoenix clan. The cold pierced to the bone, threatening to sap her reason.

Ming He’s eyes filled with moisture; her Senior Sister was so proud and spirited, how could she lose consciousness like Feng Xin and be trapped in ice?

“Senior Sister.” Ming He walked slowly toward her.

After about fifteen minutes, she finally positioned herself beside Qin Chu Yi. The woman’s features were as exquisite as ever, though her eyes were tightly shut, having lost their spirited edge. There were no traces of blood on her lips, and her body bore no wounds; she seemed to be merely asleep.

“Ming He.” Qiu Qiu jumped from behind Qin Chu Yi and landed on Ming He’s shoulder. Almost the moment it settled, the chill around Ming He dissipated, and warmth embraced her once again.

"I will protect Senior Sister here. I will nourish her meridians with the strength of a divine beast; she won’t be harmed." Qiu Qiu stood on Ming He’s shoulder, lowering its head so she couldn’t see its eyes, speaking softly.

Then, in an instant, it lifted its gaze to glance at Ming He, hesitating for a moment before gently brushing its wings across Qin Chu Yi’s forehead and floating outside the ice room.

“Ming He.” Qin Chu Yi slowly opened her eyes at Ming He’s hopeful gaze. “Are you alright?” Her first reaction was to concern herself with Ming He’s well-being.

Ming He’s heart trembled slightly, fearful that Qin Chu Yi would notice the deficiency in her spiritual ocean. She reached out to hold her, unconsciously blocking her line of sight. “I’m fine, I’m good.”

Holding Qin Chu Yi, she understood that it was Qiu Qiu who had granted her this brief moment of awareness, making her value this fleeting interaction even more. After clarifying the situation in just a few words, she looked at Qin Chu Yi’s determined face, “Senior Sister, don’t worry, I will definitely find the spiritual medicine.”

"I am the person of great fortune for the human race." She said, her eyes filled with confidence and certainty.

"You certainly will." Qin Chu Yi raised her hand and gently traced Ming He’s outline, her usual cold gaze filled with warmth. “You are the brightest star among all the constellations, shining more brilliantly than the crescent moon at dawn.”

As she spoke, her right hand lifted again, revealing a jade pendant shaped like a crescent moon, sparkling and luminous, competing with the rising sun. “I want to give this to you.” A bright moon for you.

Qin Chu Yi smiled warmly, hanging the jade pendant around Ming He’s neck, its cold pale glow resting just like the previous Spirit Gathering Stone pendant.

“Senior Sister.” Ming He murmured, her expression stunned, as if realizing something. "You wanted to bid on the rainbow glazed stone…" Was it to create the jade pendant?

She suddenly thought of the Merchants’ Guild auction.

So that was why when she sought out Qin Chu Yi earlier, she mentioned being busy… because of this pendant?

The crescent jade pendant hung at her neck, warmth dispelling the cold, as if she stood in the sunlight. The pendant’s aura was warm and gentle, distinctly Qin Chu Yi’s essence.

This pendant could only have been crafted by Qin Chu Yi herself.

Yet, she had never known that Qin Chu Yi also had the ability to make artifacts.

"Yes." Qin Chu Yi nestled gently against Ming He, nodding in acknowledgment, "I know the Spirit Gathering Stone jade pendant was a keepsake left to you by your mother."

When she decided to scheme against Ming He to obtain the Star Lock, Duanwu had already compiled her past into a jade slip placed on her desk; she knew everything about Ming He.

"It shattered because of me." If Ming He hadn’t traveled thousands of miles to the central region to see her, she wouldn’t have encountered the Blood God Wilderness and the demon race’s puppet army.

"Therefore, I must make it up to you." Qin Chu Yi raised her head to look at Ming He, a gentle smile in her eyes, unique to a woman facing her beloved, filled with charm and brightness. "Consider it a token of our love."

If Ming He had not had the Spirit Gathering Stone jade pendant, they wouldn’t have crossed paths, and none of what followed would have occurred.

So, it was indeed a token of their love.

"But Senior Sister has already given me tokens of love." Ming He embraced her, laughing, "The Moon Crescent Dagger, Sword Flight, Four-direction Compass—aren’t those all tokens?"

The warmth in Ming He’s eyes was evident. "But I still haven’t given anything to Senior Sister."

"What will you give me then?" Qin Chu Yi raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Where’s my token of love?"

She found Ming He’s reasoning quite valid, slightly pursing her lips with her palm up, making a gesture of request.

Ming He chuckled, "I… I don’t have anything special on me right now." She had spoken without thinking, and now she realized that she truly had nothing suitable in her storage ring to give Qin Chu Yi.

Moreover, she couldn’t open the storage ring at that moment.

Ming He’s brows darkened briefly before a smile returned, "How about next time?"

She gazed sincerely at Qin Chu Yi, "Once I find the spiritual medicine to awaken you, I will present you with my token of love."

"Alright." Qin Chu Yi replied with a smile, but the next moment, her expression dimmed slightly, "But I don’t know how long it will take."

A chilling aura engulfed her; the backlash from blood reversal dimmed her vitality, and she initially believed she would surely die.

"If I had gone earlier…" Qin Chu Yi looked down, recalling how Ming He had appeared, smeared in blood and despair, her heart filled with sorrow.

"I’m fine." Ming He held Qin Chu Yi tightly, her eyes trembling as she assured her, "Senior Sister, it won’t be long." She earnestly answered Qin Chu Yi’s words, but only silence followed.

Ming He’s eyes were dark, unblinking, holding her for a long while before releasing her. By then, Qin Chu Yi had closed her eyes and fallen back into slumber, and Qiu Qiu’s strength of a divine beast could only support her for so long.

Ming He gently adjusted Qin Chu Yi’s position and stroked her forehead. Her gaze was soft and radiant as she whispered in her ear once more, "It won’t be long."

"The mountains and rivers will surely become clear." So, we will establish a contract.

And then, we will wander freely in the world.

Ming He stood up, fiddling with the Crescent Moon jade pendant at her neck, her gaze gentle and affectionate. "But for now, I have things to attend to." So, she couldn’t remain here guarding you.

She moved slowly, retracing her steps out of the ice room, ascending the stairs, and gradually returning to the Ice Palace’s surface, her eyes icy and her aura contained; she was still a sword cultivator, but she was no longer the same sword cultivator as before.

"Qiu Qiu, I leave Senior Sister in your care." Ming He looked at the Little Black Beast floating in the air, serving as her protector. Before her consciousness had vanished in Tianwu City, she had confirmed its safety, so she felt no worry now.

"Senior Sister will be fine." Qiu Qiu lowered its head, its voice trembling slightly.

But I cannot guarantee your safety.

It knew the path Ming He was about to embark on, yet it had no other choice but to watch from the sidelines.

Only hope, only trust.

"Be careful on your own." Qiu Qiu hesitated for a moment before asking, "Where do you plan to go?"

"Of course, to find medicine." Ming He paused ever so slightly but did not turn around. "And to do another thing."

"What thing?" Qiu Qiu focused its energy, condensing into a golden light that merged with her silhouette, its eyes complex, pure in the depths of its little beast heart.

"To kill someone." Ming He said this, gripping the Jing Ying Sword and not pausing any longer, walking forward step by step with determination, beginning her journey.