Chapter 71: Song of Frost and Snow

Fiercely?

Luo Xu’s eyes remained unchanged as he clasped that little bottle and continued to stare. “I gave you a bed to sleep in, but I can’t even look at you?”

Ming Zhuo said, “You can’t.”

“So many people died in Peidu, and all the sects are bound to come to settle debts. News travels very fast. By tomorrow morning at the latest, someone will certainly come to your door.” Luo Xu lifted that small porcelain bottle up and warned Ming Zhuo, “You want to deal with them when my fingerprints are all over your face?”

Ming Zhuo didn’t move, but smiled, “Why can’t I? I’ll simply allow everyone under heaven to know that I have a contract with you, then we’ll see who would dare to come looking for me.”

He acted like a fox borrowing a tiger’s power—having the contract meant that killing him would be the equivalent of killing Luo Xu. Since Luo Xu was the Heavenly Sea Lord, no sect could openly oppose him.

Luo Xu said, “A good idea, but if you understand the situation in the Heavenly Sea, you would know there are just as many people wanting to kill me as there are you.”

Ming Zhuo said, "Wouldn’t that be perfect—they conspire together, we collaborate in our mutual disgrace—each party has their own allies.”

"Yesterday you wanted me to get lost, and today you want to collude with me," Luo Xu, with his elbow resting on his knee, said. "It’s evident that what people say, ‘a ruler's heart is hard to fathom,’ indeed has some truth.”

"Who is to blame for that?" Ming Zhuo blew at the black leopard's fur and looked at Luo Xu, "It was you who brazenly and openly took me away. Now, even without the contract, people would think you and I are colluding, deliberately setting up this situation.”

Everyone else died, but Luo Xu didn't. Not only did he survive, but he also took Yongze away. In the eyes of others, wouldn’t this look like the two of them have colluded?

Luo Xu said, "If I hadn't taken you away yesterday, how would you have dealt with those agitated sect disciples outside Peidu? Would you have killed them all?"

Ming Zhuo pretended to be serious: "Yes, I'd've killed them all." 

But unfortunately, Luo Xu was not from Cui Ruishan's group; he wasn't easy to deceive: "First you killed Ming Han, luring Cui Ruiquan to the audience, then you killed Cui Ruiquan, bringing others into the capital. Every step was calculated clearly, so why in the end would you fight them to the death?" 

"You think I had a backup plan?" Ming Zhuo said with a half-smile, "You overestimate me. You should know that when a person is taking revenge, they can't think that far ahead." 

He circled around the question without saying anything substantial. Given his temperament, each person he killed was not done impulsively, so to deal with the various sects, he must have had other arrangements.

Luo Xu lowered his arm, ready to toss the small porcelain bottle over, but for some reason, he changed his mind at the last moment: "Apply the medicine."

Ming Zhuo, holding the black panther, glanced at the small porcelain bottle with his eyes, as if it were something harmful.

Luo Xu said, "Afraid it's poisoned?"

Ming Zhuo smirked slightly: "If you poison me, it will be you who suffers." 

"Since you're not afraid it's poisoned," Luo Xu said slowly, "then why don't you come over?" 

"Naturally because of you," Ming Zhuo slowed his speech, "you could grab a person and press them down."

He didn't fall for it. He whistled and called Prime Minister Hua over. Both leopards crowded around him, and he was content, ignoring Luo Xu completely.

Luo Xu casually closed the wooden box, still holding the small porcelain bottle between his fingers. He raised his other hand and touched his neck; the choking sensation was gone, now his skin felt like it was lacking something.

That dog Ming Han.

Luo Xu's eyes were deep and dark. After thinking it over, he still blamed Ming Han.

Ming Zhuo seemed to have fallen asleep, surrounded by the leopards, his breathing very light. Luo Xu didn't intend to look at him, but his gaze always moved ahead of his thoughts.

That fair face was half-buried, revealing only a profile. This person's robe was never worn properly. In the dim light and shadows, the area from his neck to collarbone looked like fresh porcelain.

Luo Xu slightly pressed his thumb, turning the small porcelain bottle in his hand, as if estimating its temperature. After a moment, he averted his gaze, maintaining that posture, and began to wait for dawn.

The room seemed small but it actually had drapes on all four sides. Luo Xu didn't want any light when he rested; he was used to sleeping in darkness. In the past, no one except Luo You could approach his sleeping quarters, but yesterday he had carried someone in himself.

He had broken his own rule, so who could he blame?

At dawn the next day, Luo Xu left the bed chamber. As soon as he left, Ming Zhuo woke up.

"Your master ran away," he tilted his head and said to the black panther, "Did he leave you here specifically to watch over me?"

Luo You half-closed its eyes and lightly flicked its tail, patting Ming Zhuo's chest. Its lazy demeanour was somewhat similar to its master's, letting Ming Zhuo hug and rub it, its neck fur puffing up like a furball.

Ming Zhuo sat up, and stretched his muscles, and the strength consumed by the Blood Shackle Curse had fully recovered, but he hadn't removed the "manji" finger chain, so his spiritual energy was still limited. However, Ming Zhuo was not in a hurry. He got up, walked around, and examined the drapes on all four sides, noticing they were all inscribed with "manji" fire incantations.

"Is he a monk?" Ming Zhuo found it amusing. "Aside from the Fanfeng Sect, I haven't seen any good people hang such incantations in their bedchambers."

Luo You followed Ming Zhuo but couldn’t answer. It lowered its head and nudged Ming Zhuo’s back, pushing him forward. Ming Zhuo lifted a drape and discovered a bathing room behind it.

A bath, and new robes.

Ming Zhuo didn't stand on ceremony and really used the bathing room.

Meanwhile, Luo Xu had left the bed chamber and was greeted by the sight of falling snow. A few people stood at the steps below, all were Heavenly Sea Imperial Guards. When they saw Luo Xu coming out, they called out, "Lord."

Luo Xu was neatly dressed, not looking like someone who hadn't slept all night. He dropped the curtain, breathed warm air into his hands, and asked, "Have they arrived?"

One of the guards, seeing Luo Xu descending the steps, quickly held up an umbrella, "They are here, just as the Lord predicted, several people arrived early in the morning!"

Luo Xu asked, "Which people have come?"

"The leaders of all the major sects from the two southern provinces have sent their name cards. The ones who came are from South Emperor Mountain," the guard presented the name cards. "Everyone of note is gathered in the reception hall; the rest have been sent away. It's said they argued on the peaks of the four mountains for half the night."

Luo Xu couldn't be bothered to look at the visiting cards and took a long stride: "Go and meet them."

The Heavenly Sea, as the name implied, was the Sea of Heaven. It was suspended among the clouds, supported by the four heavenly pillars, like a giant sieve, with the bottom being a sealing spell array woven from the skin of the great Da’a serpent. Ordinary beings with divine abilities could ascend in only two ways: through the Sea Ascension Formation on the peaks of the four mountains, or with a secret permission from the Heavenly Sea Lord.

Luo Xu was travelling yesterday and didn't grant any secret permissions, so today's visitors were mostly from the Qiankun Sect.

The reception hall wasn't far, and Heavenly Sea Imperial Guards stood in rows under the corridor. Luo Xu walked slowly, seemingly intentionally making people wait. When he reached the entrance, the guard holding the umbrella lifted the curtain for him. He bent down and entered, his face expressionless.

Because it was still early, the hall was lit with lamps. Some people were drinking tea, some were sitting idly. When they saw Luo Xu enter, they all stood up and greeted, "Imperial Lord!"

Luo Xu rarely showed himself, but this time he was polite: "In this cold weather, what brings you all here?"

The person sitting idly was dressed in mourning clothes, looking like he had cried all night. He was a frail young man. Hearing Luo Xu's words, he suppressed his sorrow and asked, "May I ask, the Lord, where is Yongze now‽"

Luo Xu took his seat: "He is a guest at my residence."

The young man immediately reddened his eyes: "Good, good! Since he is here, why doesn't he come out to meet us?"

Luo Xu said unhurriedly, "The Lord is unwell and not fit to see guests these days."

Another person suddenly stood up, "What Lord? He dares to call himself a Lord? The news spread everywhere last night. He... he killed everyone who went to see him!"

Luo Xu was slightly surprised, "Is there such a thing?"

The young man said, "Imperial Lord was invited along, so you must know the details! I dare to ask, why did Yongze kill my Shifu‽"

Luo Xu had guessed his identity but still asked, "Who is your Shifu?"

The young man felt as though he had been struck hard, not expecting there were still people who didn't recognise him. "I... we are from the Qiankun Sect..."

"So, disciples of Cui Ruishan," Luo Xu lifted his tea, stirring the foam. "In your opinion, how should I respond to this?"

The young man said, "Yongze first unjustly killed my Shibo, and now he has killed my Shifu. We from the Qiankun Sect want to know the reasons. If the Lord could speak truthfully, we would be immensely grateful!"

Luo Xu sipped his tea. "Hasn't the news spread throughout the realm? Your Shibo died because of a breach of etiquette in front of the hall."

Someone interjected, "What kind of reason is that? This... it's just Yongze's excuse for his bloodthirsty nature! Killing Immortal Master Ruiquan, it must have been out of jealousy."

Another person added, "Indeed, his spiritual roots are too poor. It's quite possible he envied seeing others achieve divine enlightenment. However, did he ever consider that a ruler must pay with their life for murder?"

Since they were from the Qiankun Sect, naturally their conversation leaned in favour of their sect. The young man was even more heartbroken after hearing everyone speak. "If not for the tragic deaths of my Shifu and Shibo, how could I dare to come and face the Lord? Yesterday's terrible news... I can't believe it..."

He resembled his Shifu, also someone who was prone to tears. But amidst their clamour, Luo Xu didn't even raise an eyelid.

One person said, "If Yongze doesn't show himself today, we won't leave. We must let him know that the Qiankun Sect is not to be trifled with..."

"Such audacity?" Luo Xu had grown tired of this. He casually splashed the tea. "Mu Chao, drag them out."

The guards outside the hall swiftly opened the curtains, letting in the cold wind. The leader among them came forward and began pulling several people out. The young man hadn't expected Luo Xu to suddenly turn hostile. He struggled and shouted, "Imperial Lord! Imperial Lord! Yongze has lost his humanity. If you aid and abet tyranny—"

"Lift your head and look at whose territory this is, according to the flags outside. With Yongze in my hands, do you think you can meddle?" Luo Xu's voice was icy cold. "Scram."

The curtain fell, and the young man continued shouting, but before long, all sounds ceased. The hall fell into a profound silence, and the remaining crowd stood there like quails, leaderless— how dare they make any noise?

At that moment, the curtain was lifted again, and a woman's voice said, "Such heavy snow, have any of you seen my disciple?"

She entered—a female swordsman—tall and imposing. She had a long sword and a wine gourd at her waist and her sleeve was adorned with several embroidered Fire Fish.

Someone exclaimed, "Ah, it's Sanhai-jun!"

Meanwhile, Ming Zhuo had changed his clothes and was lifting the curtain out of the sleeping hall. Snowflakes drifted over, landing on his nose. He touched it lightly, feeling slightly damp. As he lifted his head again, he saw snowflakes flying in the sky like pear blossoms, blowing against his face.

Ming Zhuo had never left Peidu before, so naturally, he had never seen snow. Just as he was about to take a closer look, he suddenly heard footsteps. He turned and saw a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl swordsman walking out from the doorway.

This girl swordsman had injured eyes, covered with a white silk cloth. She held a sword in one hand and a Fire Fish lantern in the other, looking around in confusion.

Ming Zhuo hadn't seen many girls before. He walked a few steps to her side, lifted his hand, and curiously asked, "Are you lost?"

The girl swordsman had already heard his footsteps and nodded slightly, somewhat shyly saying, "I'm sorry... This is my first time here, and the snow is too heavy. I couldn't hear the directions clearly."

Ming Zhuo asked, "Where are you trying to go?"

The young swordswoman said, "Ng, it should be the reception hall. That's what my Shifu said."

Ming Zhuo asked, "Who is your Shifu?"

"My Shifu is Sanhai-jun, Jiang Shuangke," the young swordswoman smiled gently, "I am Jiang Xueqing, a disciple of the Posuo Sect. Are you one of the Heavenly" Sea Guards?"(1)

The Author Has Something to Say

Thanks for reading.

I hope everyone is always happy in the New Year w

Foot Notes

1. The title of the chapter comes from their names. Shuangke is “霜客” or “Frost Visitor” and Xueqing is “雪晴” or “Fine Snow”.