Chapter 388: Heavy Responsibility!
Along the way, Yun Che kept thinking of various ways to tease Xia Qingyue, even considering whether to shamelessly pester her into sleeping here with him... But after entering the ice pavilion where Chu Yuechan had once lived, all his thoughts seemed to be sealed off by the coldness of the place, leaving him dazed for a long time.
The furnishings here were simple — only a bed, a table, and a mirror. The bed was made of cold jade, with no bedding whatsoever. When he touched it, only hardness and bone-piercing cold met his hand.
The air here was very still, very cold. Although Chu Yuechan had left two years ago, he could still faintly detect her snow lotus-like scent.
"Little Fairy... she has always lived in a place like this?" Yun Che murmured.
"Senior Master lived here since she was a child. For decades, nothing here has changed. Master, as well as the other senior and junior masters, and the fellow sisters, all live in similar places," Xia Qingyue said.
"You live in places like this. Don't you find it bitter and boring?" The ice pavilion was large, but everything could be seen at a glance. Yun Che turned around, his expression complicated.
"No," Xia Qingyue shook her head. "Once you get used to it, it doesn't feel bitter. Moreover, such an environment is most suitable for us Bing Yun disciples. It allows us to keep our hearts as still as water and focus single-mindedly on cultivation."
"Hah... I simply cannot understand the women of Bing Yun Fairy Palace!" Yun Che said indignantly. "Every single one of you is stunningly beautiful. You could find any kind of man you want. With the protection of a powerful man, you could live a life free of worries. So why must you suffer and push yourselves like this? And what a waste of so many beautiful women!"
That last sentence was what Yun Che had wanted to shout out for a long time.
"Sisters in the palace either were once alone and helpless, or they pursue the profound path. For sisters who were once lonely and drifting, this is a stable home where they no longer have to suffer bullying. For sisters who pursue the profound path, this is the most suitable place for them. So to us, this is not suffering," Xia Qingyue said softly. She herself clearly belonged to the latter category. "Many women are willing to become appendages to men. If they find the right person to rely on, they can indeed enjoy a lifetime of stability, even wealth and honor. But women who are mere appendages, without a self, often have little luck and short lives. Some women, if they do not have enough power themselves, cannot even stay together with their husbands and children..."
As she said this, a tremor suddenly appeared in Xia Qingyue's voice, but she quickly returned to normal.
"Outsiders often spread rumors that Bing Yun Fairy Palace has extremely high requirements not only for the aptitude of new disciples but also for their appearance. That is why Bing Yun women are all of peerless beauty. In truth, that is just their own baseless speculation." Xia Qingyue said quietly. "Bing Yun Fairy Palace only requires aptitude from its disciples; there has never been any requirement for appearance. It's just that the Ice Cloud Art not only condenses profound energy into ice but also tempers the body and preserves youth. It makes the cultivator's skin like ice and jade, soft and smooth, and their face like flawless snow lotus. A cold, enchanting icy aura naturally emanates from them. The sisters all cultivate the Ice Cloud Art from childhood, and when they grow up, naturally they all have captivating beauty. But because of that, they are extremely prone to attracting the covetousness of men. That is why we women of the palace never slacken in our cultivation, ensuring that the palace's strength always stands at the pinnacle of Cang Feng. Otherwise, a sect composed entirely of beautiful women could never have stood firm for a thousand years."
Xia Qingyue's words made Yun Che subconsciously reach out and touch his own face. Seeing this, Xia Qingyue's lips twitched slightly, and she fell silent.
Yun Che looked at the cold jade bed and was lost in thought... Perhaps for the women of Bing Yun, everything here was already a habit. But as long as one was a normal man, one would not be willing to see his woman live for a long time in such a cold, suffering place. During those five months with Chu Yuechan, although she was paralyzed, at least his embrace was much softer than this cold jade bed. At least he could tell her various interesting stories every day, unlike this place, which was so cold and lonely...
They were used to it, but no woman would truly like such a life. Here, they would adapt and get used to it. Perhaps they would be sad, perhaps they would be happy, but they could never have a sense of happiness. Because happiness comes from the love of parents and family, and the care of a destined man...
Chu Yuechan had left Bing Yun Fairy Palace and even dispersed the Ice Cloud Art she had cultivated for decades. But in her heart, she felt both sad and fortunate. Because she had met Yun Che. In those short five months, for the first time in her life, she truly felt like a woman.
Once an ice heart is stained by worldly attachment, the mark left behind is a hundred times deeper than that of an ordinary woman. That is why she was so resolute for Yun Che, even willing to betray the Bing Yun Fairy Palace that had filled her life for decades.
In that regard, the fate of Bing Yun women was indeed somewhat tragic... though they themselves did not think so.
Especially the fact that they could not marry, could not fall in love, and could not even have intimate contact with men... That infuriated Yun Che!
It wasn't just a waste of resources... it was a waste of the most premium kind! Over the past thousand years, how many peerless beauties had the Bing Yun Fairy Palace produced, only to carry their ice hearts to the grave...
Waste of resources was shameful! Especially for men, this kind of waste was absolutely, absolutely, absolutely unforgivable!
As he thought this, a surge of "lofty ambition" suddenly ignited in Yun Che's heart... As the first male disciple in the history of Bing Yun Fairy Palace... shouldn't he take on the great responsibility of saving his fellow sisters and resisting this waste!?
As soon as this thought appeared, the blood in Yun Che's body nearly boiled over. Although the responsibility was extremely heavy and the pressure was as great as a mountain, as a man—especially the first man to sneak into Bing Yun Fairy Palace—if he didn't shoulder this responsibility, he would be unworthy of his identity as a man!
"...What are you thinking?" Yun Che's eyes suddenly grew bright, and even a hint of a dangerous smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Xia Qingyue asked with some vigilance.
"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking of a very important matter... Although it's important, there's still plenty of time, so no need to rush." Yun Che immediately restrained his expression and said calmly.
Xia Qingyue's beautiful eyes fixed on his face with slight suspicion for a moment, then she suddenly asked: "Master and the others said you performed the Ice God Divine Art earlier. I didn't expect you to comprehend it in just one day... What level have you reached now?"
Yun Che extended his hand, and on his palm, a small Ice God Tree quickly grew: "Barely reached the fourth level, 'Ice God Tree.' The first three levels are all foundational. After the third level, cultivation becomes more difficult. I estimate it will take at least five or six days to reach the completion of the fourth level."
Looking at the Ice God Tree in Yun Che's hand, even though Xia Qingyue was prepared, her gaze still trembled violently. She whispered: "I never thought that the disabled meridians, the ridiculed and pitied Xiao Che from Liu Yun City, would possess such talent..."
"Aren't you the same?" Yun Che said with a smile. "Who would have thought that a merchant's daughter from little Liu Yun City would defeat the universally recognized number one of the younger generation in the ranking battle, then become the first king realm in Cang Feng's history among the younger generation, and now be designated as the Young Palace Master of Bing Yun Fairy Palace?"
Yun Che and Xia Qingyue were undoubtedly the two most outstanding among the younger generation in the Cang Feng Kingdom. In fact, even among the older generation, few could surpass them. And yet both came from Liu Yun City, the smallest city in Cang Feng, one that most people had forgotten. They were also a couple with complex ties.
At that moment, they both thought of the marvel of fate. They looked at each other in silence, the same waves rising in their hearts.
Finally, Yun Che broke the sudden silence and said seriously: "Qingyue, my wife, you still haven't answered me... How long will it take for you to cultivate the Ice God Divine Art to its great perfection?"
"..." Xia Qingyue turned around. A gust of cold wind stirred, and before Yun Che could say another word, her graceful figure had turned into a blur. Her voice drifted in from the window: "In a little while, Senior Master Qianxue will personally bring you the Snow Heart Pill and Ice Cicada Jade Dew. Take them to strengthen your profound power and ice-based skills... Rest early."
"Hey, I haven't—"
With the Flurry Snow Dance steps, Xia Qingyue had already left his perception range in a few breaths. Yun Che could only dejectedly retract his foot, which had subconsciously moved to chase after her.
Not long after, Murong Qianxue did indeed bring the Snow Heart Pill and Ice Cicada Jade Dew, but she didn't say a single word to Yun Che. She left coldly... Faced with this ice beauty, whose temperament somewhat resembled Chu Yuechan's, Yun Che naturally dared not flirt.
As the night grew deeper, Yun Che lay on the cold jade bed where Chu Yuechan had slept since childhood, but he could not sleep for a long time. He was not afraid of the cold, but the cold jade bed was too hard—he couldn't get used to it. Moreover, his mind was entirely filled with Chu Yuechan's figure...
Little Fairy, where exactly are you?
Do you know that I didn't die? And now I'm in the place where you lived for decades, sleeping on the bed you slept on.
Are you now living in seclusion somewhere no one can disturb you? Are you and our child doing well...
When you needed me most, I wasn't by your side. You gave birth to our child... I couldn't witness his birth, couldn't be there with you to watch him grow as a baby... You had to bear everything alone.
Will it be a boy or a girl? If it's a boy, will he look like me? If it's a girl... she will surely be as beautiful as you...
As the hour approached midnight, Yun Che still hadn't fallen asleep. He simply sat up on the cold jade bed, swallowed the Snow Heart Pill and Ice Cicada Jade Dew in one gulp, then closed his eyes and settled into meditation, slowly refining the icy power within them... The Snow Heart Pill and Ice Cicada Jade Dew were almost the finest spiritual medicines of Bing Yun Fairy Palace. For someone of equal cultivation, taking them like this would be tantamount to suicide. But Yun Che's body could easily refine even the blood and flesh of a king profound beast, so these medicines were child's play.
On the second day of Yun Che's stay at Bing Yun Fairy Palace, at the sect's main hall assembly, Gong Yuxian officially announced Yun Che as a disciple of Bing Yun Fairy Palace... The feeling of standing alone amidst a sea of flowers, gazed upon by so many stunning women, was something Yun Che figured he would never forget.
That same day, he helped Mu Lanyi and Chu Yueli open all their profound gates... Although this was a earth-shattering event for Bing Yun Fairy Palace, for Yun Che, it was a huge advantage gained with minimal effort, all done in broad daylight. The feeling was simply too good.
The rest of the time, he stayed in the Bing Yun Divine Hall, continuing to comprehend the Ice God Divine Art. As the Ice God Divine Art progressed, his profound power silently grew as well.