Chapter 139: Reflections

Within the courtyard of Master Guyu, Mu Ziyan, a woman of spirited and heroic bearing, sat across from her aunt, watching her with a cheerful gaze. Though her name suggested a gentle and refined temperament, Mu Ziyan’s personality was the exact opposite. She was restless and active, yet she usually maintained a carefree demeanor and was not one for idle chatter. However, before her aunt, this short-haired girl always revealed her most genuine self.

"Aunt, congratulations! You have finally branched out and taken a disciple," Mu Ziyan said to Guyu.

"What’s this, Ziyan? It sounds like there’s quite a bit of jealousy in your tone," Master Guyu replied, pouring her niece a cup of jasmine tea.

"Well, isn't there? I am your own niece, and you never opened a back door for me to become your disciple. How could I not be jealous?" Mu Ziyan said, toying with her teacup.

Master Guyu had been in a wonderful mood lately. She smiled faintly and said, "You little girl, you’ve already benefited, yet you still complain. Countless people would envy the fact that you were able to apprentice under my Sect Leader senior sister, yet you insist on trying to take advantage of me. Besides, for all these years, you haven't exactly been shy about 'learning' things from my Listening Rain Pavilion," she added with a fond, affectionate touch.

"Hehe, look at you, Aunt. I was just saying that for the sake of it," Mu Ziyan said nonchalantly. She took a sip of the fragrant tea and gave her aunt a thumbs-up.

Guyu smiled and shifted the topic. "Ziyan, you aren't young anymore. Since you haven't joined my inner sect of Taoism, it is time you considered marriage. But with your personality, and that short hair of yours, I wonder if any man could ever truly fancy you."

Mu Ziyan laughed softly. "Aunt, here you go again. Haven't I told you? Even if I never join the Taoist sect, I will never look for a man. I, Mu Ziyan, refuse to accept why the world must hold men in such high regard while looking down on women. Are we women born only to serve those foul men?"

Guyu sighed. "Ziyan, you are different from me. I have been in the Taoist sect for far too long; there is no turning back now. By the time I realized I wanted something else, I had already reached this age. I am your family, and naturally, I worry for you."

Mu Ziyan looked up at the sky and fell silent, as if only the heavens were worthy of conquering her. Master Guyu knew her niece was headstrong and competitive; unless she found someone far stronger than herself, she would likely never be convinced. Guyu’s gaze shifted as she thought of a certain man. She had formed an excellent impression of him when they first met in Guihai City. Could it be fate that he and Ziyan were destined to cross paths? Thinking of this, Guyu cleared her throat and said, "Ziyan, have you heard about the Spirit Rise Tournament?"

Still staring at the clouds in the sky, Mu Ziyan said dismissively, "A bunch of ants from the Guihai family; I have no interest in paying attention to them." The girl was truly arrogant, but she possessed the qualifications to be so.

Master Guyu smiled in a peculiar way. "Then perhaps you also don't know of a young man named Mo Bai."

"Mo Bai? Mo Bai?" Mu Ziyan repeated the name twice, then shook her head before nodding. "Oh, I think I’ve heard of him. He seems to be linked to your precious disciple. Could it be, could it be that they are a pair?"

Master Guyu shook her head helplessly. "Do not speak nonsense. How can you force such a pairing? It is fortunate you are not a member of my sect, or I would have to punish you for such idle talk in front of me."

Mu Ziyan scratched her short hair—a gesture that should have been masculine, yet on her, it carried a distinct and alluring charm, despite being a rather unkempt habit for a man. "Ah, is that not the case?"

"Of course not. Why else would I be introducing him to you?" Master Guyu finally played her trump card, stealing a glance at Mu Ziyan to gauge her reaction.

As expected, Mu Ziyan reacted as if facing a formidable enemy, looking quite flustered. Just as Master Guyu was about to press the advantage, Mu Ziyan quickly said, "Aunt, such wonderful news—you’ve taken on a head disciple! As your niece, how could I not have a gift? It’s a pity I haven't prepared anything. I shall head to the back mountain immediately to find something worthy as a congratulatory gift." Before Guyu could respond, she turned, a shadow flashed, and with a leap, she vaulted out of the Listening Rain Pavilion. Master Guyu’s brow twitched as she sighed internally; in the entire Yihua Sect, only her niece could jump over a wall with such reckless disregard for decorum.

*Drip, drip.* Water droplets from the stalactites on the stone wall fell into the cold pool, creating ripples. "Seventh Senior Sister, you really are here. Tsk, tsk, it’s freezing in here!" Huang Wan'er, dressed in pale yellow, tightened her clothes as she arrived at the most peculiar place in the Yihua Sect: the Flower Ice Pool. She exhaled a puff of mist as she spoke.

Xiao Xue slowly opened her eyes. This was her sixth day of solitary cultivation at the Flower Ice Pool since returning from Guihai City. Her attire was as white as snow, and having spent these days here, she appeared even colder, giving off an aura that made others afraid to approach.

"Wan'er, you're here. Is something the matter? Did Master send you to summon me because I didn't attend the disciple-induction ceremony a few days ago?" Xiao Xue opened her eyes, and a flash of cold light seemed to emanate from them.

"Seventh Senior Sister, you're overthinking it. Master dotes on you too much; why would she send me to reprimand you? It’s just that some special people have arrived at the Yihua Sect today. I didn't know if you wanted to see them, so I came to tip you off." Huang Wan'er rubbed her red, chilled hands, her tone full of implication.

"Oh? Who is it, and why should I see them?" Xiao Xue asked.

"Well, nothing too special. It’s just that Mo Bai, who fought alongside you against the Ten Thousand Spear Array at the Spirit Rise Tournament—he’s here," Huang Wan'er replied.

Xiao Xue’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly closed her eyes again. "He is here to ask Master to clear the spirit gates for the young master of the Wu family. It should have nothing to do with me. If there is nothing else, Wan'er, you should leave. Your cultivation is not deep enough; staying here too long is not good for you."

Huang Wan'er stuck out her tongue. "Fine, I’ve told you, Senior Sister. Whether you see him or not is your business. I'm leaving. Yikes, this haunted place is truly cold. Next time I come to see you, I'll have to wear a thick cotton coat." She walked away as she spoke.

After the sound of Huang Wan'er’s footsteps faded, Xiao Xue slowly opened her eyes. She stood up and looked at the ice-like water of the cold pool. The mirror-like surface reflected a beautiful woman in white—her own reflection. Yet, the reflection became increasingly blurred, eventually shifting into the image of a man. In the reflection, he was wielding spiritual energy, clashing against a massive, sweeping giant spear.

Xiao Xue’s eyes flickered. She shook her form and plunged into the cold pool, shattering the image of the water into countless fragments.

"Brother Mo, do you think the moon at the Yihua Sect is as bright as the one at our Yuntian Sect? Why do I feel like the one here isn't as big as ours?" The little demoness, Nalan Xin'er, lay on a hilltop opposite Feng Mountain, her feet dangling and swaying incessantly.

Mo Bai and Wu Luohua sat beside her, though their expressions were quite different. Mo Bai held an exquisite wine flask—a gift of homemade Yihua Sect wine sent by the Red Forest woman. Mo Bai sipped the wine while enjoying the moon, feeling quite content. Wu Luohua, however, could only watch the moon empty-handed, as Mo Bai had forbidden him from drinking tonight, fearing it would affect his treatment by Master Gumeng tomorrow. What a formidable reason; it left poor "Little Flower" with nothing but the moon for company.

"Isn't the moon the same wherever you look? Little girl, that question is truly foolish," Wu Luohua said, unable to drink and relegated to bickering with Nalan Xin'er.

"Brother Little Flower is talking nonsense! The peaks of our Yuntian Sect pierce the clouds, especially the Heaven Vein Peak. Looking at the moon from the summit is like being right next to it. I can almost reach out and touch that chubby little ball!" the little demoness said naively.

"I give up. This is the first time I've ever heard someone describe the moon as a 'chubby little ball.' What happens if it's a crescent moon?" Wu Luohua retorted.

"If it's crescent?" The little demoness pondered for a moment. "If it's curved, then I won't admire the moon; I'll go look at the sun instead. The sun is always round, always chubby, hehe."

Wu Luohua looked at Mo Bai helplessly. Mo Bai laughed, "Little Flower, you have burdens now; you aren't the carefree young gentleman you once were, which is why you can no longer win a war of words with Xin'er." With a *sip*, Mo Bai took another drink of the fine wine, leaving Little Flower agonizingly thirsty.

"Big Brother Mo, if you're going to drink, could you stop making those sounds? You're ruining the ambiance of moon-viewing," Wu Luohua complained.

*Sip.*

Wu Luohua widened his eyes at Mo Bai, but Mo Bai spread his hands to show he wasn't drinking. Little Flower turned his head and saw that, at some point, the little demoness had produced a wine flask of her own and was lying on the ground, head tilted back, drinking away.

*Sip.* Little Flower said miserably, "Xin'er, you've learned bad habits! Be careful you don't choke!"

The bright moon hung in the sky, but no one ever watched it all night long. As the wind began to pick up, Mo Bai saw Wu Luohua and Nalan Xin'er back to their respective rooms. Only then did he feel at ease, waiting for the results of the following day. But just then, he caught a whiff of a strange floral scent, and with a soft *thump*, Mo Bai collapsed in the courtyard.

A dark shadow flew silently into the courtyard. She looked down at the fallen Mo Bai, and without making a sound, she gently raised her hand, gathered a burst of spiritual energy, and struck directly at Mo Bai’s back.