Chapter 54: Bone-Piercing Cold

Outside the Ancient Battlefield.

Bai Qiulan, Sun Ruowei, and the others had already arrived.

All of them were under a hundred years old, just barely meeting the age limit to enter the Heaven’s Chosen Ancient Battlefield. They were right at the edge of that restriction.

For example, the Sect Master of the Grand Dao Sect had already passed the hundred-year mark and could no longer enter. One could only sigh—such was fate.

"You’re in the Unity Dao Realm and still entering the Heaven’s Chosen Ancient Battlefield? Isn’t that just bullying?" Sun Ruowei said with some exasperation.

Bai Qiulan, still dressed in her flowing white robes, stood where the breeze accentuated her impossibly curvaceous figure. Countless gazes couldn’t help but turn her way, again and again.

"It’s true I’ve reached Unity Dao," she replied lightly, "but the Everlasting Heaven’s Chosen Ranking isn’t based on strength alone. Bone quality, combat ability, age—many factors are considered. My ranking may very well be lower than yours."

She smiled faintly as she spoke.

"Don’t mock me," Sun Ruowei huffed. "I’m still a good eighty thousand miles away from Unity Dao. We’re practically the same age, remember?"

As the two chatted, a refined and elegant young man approached.

"Junior Sister Bai, long time no see."

The newcomer was Xu Mozhi, an elder from the Mountain-River Pagoda Sect, skilled in artifact crafting.

"This is a jade hairpin I forged recently—it nourishes the face and calms the mind. I think it suits you perfectly. May I gift it to you?" Xu Mozhi wore a graceful smile.

In his hand appeared a jade hairpin of exquisite craftsmanship, embedded with numerous formation patterns. It radiated potent spiritual light, clearly something that had cost Xu Mozhi an enormous amount of effort and energy.

Sun Ruowei couldn’t help but roll her eyes—dramatically.

"Oh wow, truly, love makes people blind. I’m a whole live person standing right here, and this guy doesn’t even spare me a glance, let alone say a single word to me," she said sarcastically.

Xu Mozhi looked slightly embarrassed—he really had gotten too excited.

It had been over ten years since he last saw Bai Qiulan, and he never would have thought she hadn’t faded with time. Instead, she had only become even more radiant and dazzling than before.

Who could possibly resist that?

"My apologies, Junior Sister. It’s just... it’s been so long since I’ve seen Junior Sister Bai that I lost myself a little."

Sun Ruowei: ???

"Oh, how nice of you, Xu Mozhi. What do you mean by ‘this junior sister’? Huh? This? You seriously forgot what my name is?!"

Xu Mozhi: ...

Bai Qiulan remained calm. "Thank you for your kind intentions, Daoist Xu. However, you and I share no affection. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to accept your gift."

"How could we not share affection? We once fought side by side, resisted the demon race together—"

"I ask you not to persist. Qiulan’s heart is wholly devoted to the Dao. I have no other intentions. The more you insist, the more you’ll only hurt yourself," Bai Qiulan replied firmly.

Xu Mozhi’s expression dimmed.

"I don’t harbor any other thoughts for you. It’s just that this jade hairpin was made with painstaking care, and in my eyes, it matches you perfectly—as if it were made for you. Even if there’s no affection between us, I still hope you’ll accept it, to give the hairpin its rightful owner."

A faint furrow appeared between Bai Qiulan’s brows.

"I don’t wish to speak words without compassion. Please take your leave, Daoist Xu, before we damage what civility remains between us."

Xu Mozhi: ...

"I think that hairpin suits me just fine. Why don’t you give it to me instead?" Sun Ruowei said with a cheeky grin.

Xu Mozhi shot her a glance and walked off, shoulders drooping.

Sun Ruowei exploded.

"What the hell was that?! What did that look even mean?! He—he—he—!"

Bai Qiulan reached out and pressed her palm onto Sun Ruowei’s fluffy head.

"Behave."

Unexpectedly, Sun Ruowei jolted violently.

She suddenly turned, eyes wide, staring at Bai Qiulan in disbelief.

Bai Qiulan paused, confused.

She looked behind her—there was nothing there.

But then, Sun Ruowei grabbed Bai Qiulan’s hand and held it in her own.

"Why is your hand this cold?" Sun Ruowei blurted out.

"Cold?"

Bai Qiulan looked slightly dazed.

She raised her other hand and touched it—but didn’t feel anything cold.

Sun Ruowei immediately grabbed that hand too.

“This one’s just as freezing! Why is it like this? Your hand feels like pure ice—don’t you feel it at all?”

“Your body—what about your body?”

Sun Ruowei’s expression was full of panic, her eyes reddening. She pushed up Bai Qiulan’s sleeve.

Her skin was stunning—smooth and luminous, like the finest silk.

But the more Sun Ruowei touched, the more shocked she became.

Cold.

Freezing.

Bone-piercing cold.

A chill that froze the soul.

“What the hell is going on with you? Are you hiding something from me? You’re in the Unity Dao Realm—how can you not know that your body’s turned this cold?!”

Bai Qiulan frowned.

She touched her own arm again, but still couldn’t sense any chill.

Was it the effect of the Chaotic Lunar Yin Divine Body?

She didn’t know for certain, but still, Bai Qiulan smiled. “Don’t make such a fuss. I just cultivated a special technique. It’ll be fine in a little while.”

“For real?” Sun Ruowei asked, clearly not convinced. “I’m telling you, Bai Qiulan, don’t you dare lie to me. We’re best sisters—if you lie to me, I’ll be seriously hurt!”

“I’m not lying to you. Why would I? It really is just a side effect from cultivating a powerful technique. If I hadn’t practiced it, how else could I have broken into Unity Dao so fast? It’s nothing—just temporary. I’ll be fine soon.”

“Really?”

“Really!”

“But it’s way too cold! I mean, it already feels that bad just touching with my hand. Here, let me try with my arm—”

She pressed her arm against Bai Qiulan’s.

In an instant, goosebumps erupted all across Sun Ruowei’s arm.

She immediately jerked away.

“The skin on your hands is thicker, so the sensation is bearable. ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) It’s like touching a block of thousand-year profound ice. But the skin on your arms is thinner. Just a brush and it’s unbearable.”

“You’re sure you’re okay?”

A faint smile appeared on Bai Qiulan’s face.

“I’m really okay. Don’t worry.”

“Alright, but I’m going to start touching you regularly—just in case anything changes, we’ll catch it right away!”

Bai Qiulan nodded gently. “Don’t worry.”

Her gaze turned toward the direction of the Heaven’s Chosen Ancient Battlefield.

There was something strange in her eyes.

Cold.

As cold as thousand-year profound ice.

In that moment, a trace of hesitation crept into her heart.

She had thought about it before—if, during her yin-yang dual cultivation with Lu Ye, he hadn’t felt even the slightest comfort...

Could it really be said that he had taken advantage of her?

Each time, Lu Ye had been forced to endure that unbearable, extreme cold...

That so-called betrayal of master and ancestors—did it even hold water anymore?

Bai Qiulan... was truly lost.