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Qu Yingsi, the Sect Master of Xingyang Sect, had three children. Qu Yaoyao was the youngest in the family, while the Young Sect Master, the eldest, was named Qu Yushu—Qu Yaoyao’s older brother.
It was the dead of winter, with cold winds howling and heavy snow falling outside. Qu Yushu had rushed back, covered in dust and exhaustion. He casually brushed the scattered snow from his shoulders, his handsome face etched with worry.
"Yaoyao." He strode quickly to the bedside, sitting beside Qu Yaoyao and gently supporting her arm. "Let your brother see—are you still feeling unwell anywhere?"
The night the evil entity invaded Xingyang Sect was particularly ill-timed. It happened to coincide with Qu Yushu’s absence from the sect, while Sect Master Qu Yingsi remained secluded year-round in the rear peak’s stone cavern, immersed in cultivation and rarely emerging. One could say that at that time, Qu Yaoyao was the highest-ranking person in the entire Xingyang Sect. Yet, despite her status as the Sect Master’s youngest daughter, she possessed little real ability, which was why she fell victim to the evil entity’s scheme.
Little Snow Lotus was turned over and examined several times by him, still dazed and not fully aware.
Her soul spirit had yet to fully merge with the body, and coupled with having barely slept all night, she was utterly exhausted and drowsy.
Her silence, however, led Qu Yushu to misunderstand. He stroked Qu Yaoyao’s face and asked, "Are you angry with me for not returning in time?"
Ning Lu entered the room just in time to hear this. As a disciple of Xingyang Sect and Qu Yushu’s personal attendant, she couldn’t help but defend him: "The Snow Beast wreaked havoc in the town, leaving the Young Sect Master with no time to spare. He simply couldn’t break away."
Her tone carried a hint of complaint, though it was unclear whom she was upset with. "The Young Sect Master was already injured. When he learned of Third Miss’s accident, he was so overwhelmed with anger and anxiety that he coughed up blood and fainted. He was so worried about you that he disregarded his own condition and returned by sword flight."
Ning Lu had always followed Qu Yushu closely and had never seen him so frantic before. She was about to say more when Qu Yushu frowned and stopped her, "Lu’er!"
He coughed softly a few times, his face pale, and looked at Qu Yaoyao with a humble demeanor. "It was your brother’s fault."
Without offering a single word in his own defense, Qu Yushu lowered his head. "As long as Yaoyao recovers, you may punish your brother however you wish."
He seemed like a very good older brother.
When Qu Yushu’s hand rested on Qu Yaoyao’s face, Little Snow Lotus grew more alert. After listening silently for a while, she roughly understood the situation. Clearing her throat, she quickly spoke up, "I don’t blame you, Brother."
The real Qu Yaoyao was already dead—even if they searched, she could never be found. Little Snow Lotus, her soul spirit scattered, had unexpectedly been reborn in this body. After much thought, she decided to live on, for now, as Qu Yaoyao.
Curiously studying the brother before her, Qu Yaoyao blinked her lashes. To show she truly wasn’t angry, she offered him a soft, harmless smile.
Perhaps still recovering from illness, Qu Yushu’s complexion was pale, giving him the gentle air of a frail scholar. His appearance matched his temperament—handsome and refined, with delicate, elegant brows and eyes. The stray curls at his forehead added a touch of youthfulness, placing him somewhere between a boy and a man. Dressed in a blue robe, he appeared gentle and cultured, with no hint of menace.
Having arrived through the snow, Qu Yushu carried the chill of ice and frost—a temperature that felt most secure to Little Snow Lotus. Unconsciously, she felt a little closer to him.
Qu Yushu paused, as if he hadn’t quite heard what she said, and lifted his gaze. "What did you say?"
Little Snow Lotus secretly grasped the cool hem of his robe, her fingertips trembling with comfort, and obediently repeated, "I said, I don’t blame you, Brother."
This time, Qu Yushu heard clearly. His dark eyes flickered with a strange light as he followed Qu Yaoyao's movement, lowering his gaze to stare at her hand clutching his sleeve, falling silent. Yun Zhi, standing nearby, sensed the awkward atmosphere and softly called out, "Young Sect Master."
She glanced at Qu Yaoyao and pointed to her own head, tactfully explaining, "The third young lady suffered a fright earlier, and… she has forgotten many things."
In other words, she had lost her memory.
"No wonder," Qu Yushu murmured softly, composing himself before looking back at Qu Yaoyao.
"Memories can be recovered slowly over time. What's most important now is to regain your health." Qu Yushu noticed the glaring blue-purple bruise on her neck and gently withdrew his sleeve from her grasp.
Standing up, he spoke gently to Qu Yaoyao, "Qingxi Immortal Venerable is already aware of this matter. He just sent a disciple to deliver a message, asking me to bring you to see him."
The news of Qu Yaoyao's resurrection had already spread throughout the major immortal sects. As the foremost among tens of thousands of sects, Wanmen Immortal Sect had naturally received the news as well.
Little Snow Lotus was still lingering over that cool sensation, but upon hearing the words "Immortal Venerable," her body trembled uncontrollably, and she couldn't help but recall that terrifying night.
"Q-Qingxi Immortal Venerable?" Little Snow Lotus only knew that the one she adored was an Immortal Venerable who favored wearing white robes, but she was unaware of his name or origins.
Seeing that Qu Yaoyao couldn't even remember Qingxi Immortal Venerable, Qu Yushu curved his lips slightly but did not elaborate. "Yun Zhi will explain all of this to you gradually later. Your brother will go change his clothes first."
Having gone without sleep day and night, he was utterly exhausted.
Outside, the snow continued to fall, showing signs of growing heavier.
Qu Yushu had arrived in haste, but now that he saw Qu Yaoyao was safe, his frantic pace gradually steadied. As soon as he stepped out of Qu Yaoyao's room, Ning Lu hurriedly opened an umbrella, shielding Qu Yushu from the fierce wind and snow. Her tone was ambiguous as she remarked, "I thought we had finally rid ourselves of that scourge, but who would have thought she would come back to life."
"Truly, heaven has no eyes."
Qu Yushu remained silent. After walking a few steps forward, he stared at the white snow on the ground and said, "To the ancestral hall."
He wanted to personally examine Qu Yaoyao's life lamp.
"…"
After Qu Yushu left, Qu Yaoyao was forced to get out of bed.
She sat before the mirror, allowing Yun Zhi to dress her and do her hair. Yun Zhi was extremely excited, pulling out over a dozen sets of dresses in succession. "Young lady, take a look quickly. Which one would you like to wear today?"
Before her eyes was a sea of red, purple, pink, and orange, each dress embroidered with bold and exaggerated patterns that glittered so brightly it made Little Snow Lotus squint. She rubbed her eyes, scanning the colorful array of dresses, and hesitantly asked, "Are there any plain-colored ones?"
As a pure and beautiful snow lotus flower, she cherished her natural color.
Unfortunately, the original Qu Yaoyao had a preference for all sorts of flashy and ornate clothing, and even her maid, Yun Zhi, had been influenced by her.
Yun Zhi rummaged through the colorful dresses, muttering, "What's so nice about plain colors? Young lady looks best in floral patterns. Every time you go out wearing a flowery dress, others can only look on with envy and jealousy."
"Young lady, try this one quickly." Yun Zhi picked up a goose-yellow embroidered dress adorned with pearls and gemstones.
Little Snow Lotus opened her mouth to refuse but didn't know how to say it.
At her core, she was still a snow lotus, lacking any experience of being human. She remained in a state of bewildered ignorance about many things, still in the learning phase. Forced into that cumbersome dress, Qu Yaoyao hung her head like a wilted flower, feeling the gown was both heavy and messy.
Yun Zhi earnestly persuaded, "It's rare for Qingxi Immortal Venerable to summon you personally. Naturally, you should wear your most beautiful clothes so that the Immortal Venerable will notice you more."
Little Snow Lotus had nearly forgotten to ask, "Who exactly is Qingxi Immortal Venerable?"
Yun Zhi smiled mysteriously, leaning in to whisper, "Naturally, he is your future husband."
The Xingyang Sect was one of the six major sects of the Wanmen Immortal Sect, and the Wanmen Immortal Sect stood as the leader among tens of thousands of immortal sects. The Qingxi Immortal Venerable Yun Zhi spoke of was an existence that transcended even the Wanmen Immortal Sect, revered by all disciples of the immortal sects.
It was precisely because of such a formidable fiancé that Qu Yaoyao dared to act lawlessly, with no one daring to provoke her. Yun Zhi had no time to elaborate further, so she simply summarized, "Qingxi Immortal Venerable wields immense power and possesses unparalleled beauty. He is the most extraordinary figure in this world."
Could he possibly compare to the Immortal Venerable she adored?
Little Snow Lotus felt somewhat downcast, still unwilling to believe that the Immortal Venerable had killed her.
In the end, she couldn't change out of that goose-yellow floral dress. Yun Zhi pushed her out the door and, seeing the fierce wind and snow outside, picked up a matching cloak to drape over Qu Yaoyao. "This endless snow is truly maddening."
Little Snow Lotus reached out to catch a snowflake, then paused, sensing something amiss. "How many days has it been snowing?"
"About three or four days," Yun Zhi replied, tucking her hand back into the cloak. Her young mistress was most afraid of the cold.
Little Snow Lotus was somewhat surprised. On the day she transformed into form, there had been no snow. She had assumed she entered Qu Yaoyao's body immediately after her death, but it seemed Qu Yaoyao had died at a different time, leaving a gap of three or four days in between.
During those three or four days when her spirit had dissipated, how had it managed to gather again and enter Qu Yaoyao's body?
"Yaoyao." Before she could figure it out, Qu Yushu appeared, holding an umbrella.
He had changed into an elegant green robe and walked over to her, sheltering her under the umbrella. "Have you been waiting long?"
Previously, she hadn't noticed anything, but facing Qu Yushu directly, Little Snow Lotus realized how petite Qu Yaoyao was. At eye level, she could only see Qu Yushu's chin. Tilting her head to look at this older brother, she replied honestly, "I haven't been waiting. I just came out."
From what she learned from Yun Zhi, Qu Yaoyao's older brother had always been indulgent and tolerant toward her, with a gentle temperament. In contrast, Qu Yaoyao had never treated him kindly, bullying him and throwing tantrums. As Yun Zhi put it in her attempt to whitewash the situation, "The young mistress is still young and doesn't understand things. It's only natural for her to be a bit willful."
But was it really as simple as Yun Zhi made it sound?
Although Little Snow Lotus was inexperienced in worldly matters, she could sense Qu Yushu's earlier attitude—his demeanor was overly submissive, not the kind of reaction that would arise from a younger sister's ordinary willfulness or mischief.
"Brother." Kind-hearted by nature, she couldn't bear to see such a good older brother being mistreated again. Feeling the chill emanating from Qu Yushu, she moved closer and took hold of his arm. "Let's go."
This was also a good opportunity for her to learn more about the environment she now lived in.
Qu Yushu stiffened slightly, wanting to pull his arm away but finding no reason to do so. He could only respond softly, "Alright."
Such a soft, affectionate, and intimate younger sister was something he couldn't quite adjust to.
"…"
The Xingyang Sect was not far from the Wanmen Immortal Sect. By riding a wind-drawn carriage, they could reach it in just two quarters of an hour.
On the way, seeing Qu Yaoyao's curiosity about the scenery outside the window, Yun Zhi explained, "All of this is the territory of the Wanmen Immortal Sect. If you like it, I can take you to explore it slowly in the future."
The sedan chair drifted through the wind in the sky. Qu Yaoyao gazed at the mountains and rivers below and exclaimed in surprise, "Is the Wanmen Immortal Sect really this big?"
As a snow lotus born in the cold pond, her world had only ever been as wide as the pond itself.
Yun Zhi smiled and casually recited, "Six sects, four pavilions, thirteen peaks—the peerless Xianxu conceals the universe."
"Our Xingyang Sect is one of the six sects of the Wanmen Immortal Sect. Although we are the closest to the Zongzong among the six, our territory is also the smallest."
Qu Yaoyao understood the first half of Yun Zhi's words but was puzzled by the latter part. "What does 'the peerless Xianxu conceals the universe' mean?"
Qu Yushu had been sitting quietly beside them, listening to their conversation. He had not intended to speak much, but when Qu Yaoyao turned her gaze toward him, he had no choice but to explain, "In addition to the six sects, four pavilions, and thirteen peaks, the Wanmen Immortal Sect also has a Wangzhen Xianxu."
"Look, miss! That's the Xianxu!" The sedan chair had already arrived at the Zongzong, and Yun Zhi excitedly pointed it out to Qu Yaoyao.
Qu Yaoyao followed the direction of her finger and saw only a barrier shrouded in golden light and immortal mist. Yun Zhi said, "Qingxi Immortal Venerable lives in the Xianxu. The security there is very strict, so we rarely get to enter on ordinary days."
Because Qingxi Immortal Venerable had personally summoned them this time, the sedan chair easily passed through the Zongzong and stopped outside the Xianxu.
Qu Yaoyao was helped out of the sedan chair by Qu Yushu. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she felt a familiar spiritual energy surge into her soul spirit. It was then that she realized the cold pond where she was born was actually inside this Xianxu.
The cold pond, the Xianxu, the Immortal Venerable who had fallen into demonhood…
The memories of that night uncontrollably flooded back, and Qu Yaoyao trembled inexplicably, quickly moving closer to Qu Yushu.
"What's wrong?" Qu Yushu tilted the umbrella toward her, thinking snow had fallen on her.
The panic in Qu Yaoyao's eyes was unmistakable. After a moment's thought, she asked, "How many Immortal Venerables live here?"
Qu Yushu, not understanding her meaning, replied, "Only two Immortal Venerables."
Throughout the entire Cultivation World, there were only two Immortal Venerables, and both lived within this Xianxu.
The small number made Qu Yaoyao uneasy. "Then… do they look the same?"
Before Qu Yushu could answer, someone emerged from the barrier on the right side of the Xianxu. He nodded to the group outside and said calmly, "The Immortal Venerable still has some important matters to attend to. Please follow me inside to wait."
This was Gu Tianci, the head disciple under Qingxi Immortal Venerable.
"Thank you for your trouble." Seeing Qu Yaoyao standing there dumbfounded, Qu Yushu discreetly took hold of her wrist.
Because there were two Immortal Venerables in the Xianxu, it was also referred to as Wangxu and Zhenxu. Qingxi Immortal Venerable resided in Wangxu. Following Gu Tianci into Wangxu, Qu Yaoyao stepped onto the long, winding corridor and felt an increasing sense of familiarity the further she walked.
…This corridor—it seemed she had walked it when she transformed into form.
"I… I don't feel well. Can I go back first?" Qu Yaoyao began to feel a sense of fear.
Everyone turned to look at her. Gu Tianci glanced at her and said firmly, "The Immortal Venerable summoned you this time precisely to examine your injuries. If you are feeling unwell, you can inform the Immortal Venerable of everything later."
Wuwu, I don't want to.
"Brother." Qu Yaoyao turned her pleading gaze to Qu Yushu, her eyes clear, bright, and pitiful.
Having grown accustomed to Qu Yaoyao's tantrums and willfulness, when had Qu Yushu ever seen her yield to him?
His heart felt as if it had been lightly scratched. Frowning slightly, he was about to speak when Gu Tianci added, "The Immortal Venerable has been in seclusion for several months and only emerged two hours ago. Despite being occupied with numerous matters, he still cares deeply for the young lady. I hope Miss Qu will not act willfully."
Secluded for several months and only emerged two hours ago?
Qu Yaoyao seized the key point, but before she could inquire further, Gu Tianci nodded to Qu Yushu and said, "Young Sect Master and Yun Zhi, please follow me. The Immortal Venerable has some matters he wishes to discuss with you privately."
"Miss Qu, this way, please." Gu Tianci led the solitary Qu Yaoyao into a pavilion surrounded by water on three sides.
As he left, he gave Qu Yaoyao a warning glance. "Xianxu is filled with arrays and spiritual arts. I must trouble Miss Qu not to wander around again. The Immortal Venerable will be here shortly."
The implication in his words seemed to suggest that Qu Yaoyao had often wandered around here in the past.
Recalling that her previous death had been due to wandering off, Qu Yaoyao quickly waved her hands. "Don't worry, I absolutely won't wander around."
At her core, she was merely a little snow lotus. Frightened by Gu Tianci's few words, she sat timidly and obediently on the stone chair.
She had no idea that the real Qu Yaoyao would never be this well-behaved, nor would she remain patient after waiting two or three hours without losing her temper, let alone dozing off.
She thought, since Gu Tianci said Qingxi Immortal Venerable had just emerged from seclusion after several months, didn't that mean he couldn't possibly be the Immortal Venerable she had encountered?
Having reasoned this through, Qu Yaoyao felt reassured. She was simply too tired.
Her soul, not yet fully attuned, was utterly exhausted. The overwhelming drowsiness was uncontrollable, and she repeatedly fell asleep only to be startled awake.
"Has he still not arrived?" Startled awake once more, Qu Yaoyao rubbed her eyes, sensing that the sky seemed to have darkened.
She hadn't expected Gu Tianci's "shortly" to be this slow, leaving her to sit idly here for an entire day. Yawning, she propped her head on the back of her hand in a half-asleep state, mumbling incoherently, "If he doesn't come soon, it'll be dark."
Truly, she had a good temper.
Precisely because she understood nothing, she was unaware that they were deliberately leaving her unattended.
After several more cycles of waking and sleeping, Qu Yaoyao simply lay her head on the stone table to sleep.
From afar came the clear cry of a crane. Hearing it, she drowsily opened her eyes, and in her line of sight, a corner of white clothing suddenly appeared.
Soft fabric glowing faintly, white boots embroidered with silver-patterned totems—Qu Yaoyao's hazy eyes slowly widened, fixed intently on those boots as they stepped closer, startling her into full wakefulness.
??! Exactly the same.
Wah, help! The hem of the robe and the boots were identical to those worn by the fallen immortal that night! Qu Yaoyao remembered vividly because that fallen immortal had once pressed his foot against the youth's face, and the beautiful embroidered totems on his robe had been thoroughly soaked with the youth's blood!
The surrounding air grew thin. Qu Yaoyao dared not move, swallowing hard with difficulty.
Seeing her lowered head as if trembling, the owner of the boots stopped before her, as if scrutinizing something. After a moment, two concise words came from above: "Look up."
The cool, unhurried tone brooked no refusal.