Chapter 38#

Heaven Bestows a Snowflake#

Mystic Sect, Beichen Hall.

Dantai Jing sat withered on the cold Xuanwu stone seat. Looking from afar, his back was straight, and his silver-gray hair trailed to the ground, as awe-inspiring as ever. Motuo Yanna reported on Su Ruhui’s funeral arrangements. According to the demands of the Dantai clan in Lizhou, Su Ruhui’s coffin would depart tomorrow morning for the ancestral graveyard of the Dantai family in Lizhou.

Dantai Jing remained unmarried his entire life, and rumors had long circulated that he was impotent. Dantai Jing allowed the rumors to spread, determined to cultivate diligently. The Dantai clan could not shake his iron will, nor did they dare to force this autocratic Grand Sect Master. Before Su Ruhui entered the Black Street, the Dantai clan had repeatedly tried to persuade him to change his surname to Dantai and become an adopted son of the Dantai family. It wasn’t until Su Ruhui entered the Black Street, his future ruined, that Lizhou finally gave up. However, no matter what, Su Ruhui was Dantai Xun’s son, the last bloodline of the Dantai direct lineage. Only Su Ruhui’s descendants might awaken the “Blizzard” secret technique. Now that Su Ruhui had died, the direct bloodline of the Dantai clan was severed.

News had just reached the Dantai family, and it was said that the Dantai family’s old ancestor was bedridden.

“Grand Sect Master, Hui’er’s funeral arrangements have been made. This subordinate takes his leave.” Motuo Yanna said cautiously.

Dantai Jing waved his sleeve, and the Star Officials respectfully exited Beichen Hall. The heavy doors slowly closed, leaving only deep darkness and flickering candlelight in the hall. Dantai Jing sat motionless, like a steel statue.

After a long while, he suddenly found a small, flower-adorned note at his feet. His clear, cold gaze paused, and he bent down to pick up the note.

On it was written in wild, flowing cursive script—

Grand Sect Master, we will meet again.

Jiang Xueya

Jiang Xueya escaped from the Immortal’s Cave but did not immediately leave the palace city. Instead, she came to Beichen Hall to leave this note.

“Insolent brat.”

Dantai Jing’s brow furrowed deeply. He placed the note on a candlestick, letting it burn to ashes.

Biandu, Qinghefang.

Shentu walked on the snowy path, holding an umbrella he had “borrowed” from Yan Jinyu. He liked mortal things. His straw hat and linen clothes were borrowed from a passerby, though the person didn’t seem willing to lend them. To make the chance encounter passerby agree, he had to knock him out. Now, he was passing by the naked passerby, who lay bruised and swollen by the snowy path. To prevent the man from freezing to death in the street, Shentu thoughtfully left a hand warmer for him.

The Mystic Sect had imposed a curfew, and the streets were already deserted. Shentu turned a corner. In the distance, a small, flat-topped white shed stood in the middle of the street. A fire burned under a large pot, and steam rose from it. A smiling woman and a person with a paper bag over their head stood beside the pot. As Shentu approached, the “paper bag” served a bowl of steaming wontons in a rooster-patterned porcelain bowl and bowed deeply, “Guest, since you’re new here, please try our wontons.”

His voice was deep and strange, but unlike Shentu, who was unaccustomed to mortal pronunciation, he deliberately spoke that way to conceal his gender and identity.

“Is this the latest fashion among mortals? I want one too.” Shentu looked at the paper bag on his head with interest. “Wudaliang Biscuits” was written on it in ink.

“No, Shentu,” the “paper bag” said, “this is just a way for me to conceal my true appearance. I didn’t have a mask, and I happened to have eaten this family’s biscuits before, so I’m making do.”

“Are the biscuits delicious? Can I have a portion?”

“They taste good. I’ll take you to try them tomorrow. For now, try the shrimp wontons I made.” As the “paper bag” spoke, Shentu had already sat down to eat the wontons. “Did only you come from the Snow Realm? Where is my esteemed father, our great demon ancestor, King Jun?”

“He’s old,” Shentu said.

Under the paper bag mask, the person was smiling. “He was scared witless by Su Guanyu. Twenty years of slumber still haven’t restored his courage to enter the human world. Longevity hasn’t made him braver; instead, it’s made him cherish his life more. Our demon race already struggles with procreation, and yet our strongest is a coward. No wonder mortals thrive in the blessed lands while we struggle to survive in the wind and snow. By the way, have you met Jiang Quexie?”

Shentu’s movements stopped, and his monkey mask tilted slightly.

“Even you think this person poses a great threat to us? I’ve looked through his records. Although he was the founder of Shenji Guicang, during his most active period, the most puppets he created were dual-cultivation beauty puppets. The number of famous mechanical beast puppets was less than one percent of the dual-cultivation beauty puppets. He’s just a mortal child indulging in debauchery,” Shentu sighed. “He was chosen as the top of our clan’s kill list simply because he is Su Guanyu’s son.”

“You’re wrong. There’s something you don’t know, Shentu. Have you heard of flesh puppets?” the “paper bag” said.

“I’ve heard of them.”

The “paper bag” pushed the woman behind him in front of Shentu. “This is a flesh puppet personally crafted by Su Ruhui. From her skin and muscles to her meridians and blood vessels, everything is identical to a real person. And all of this comes from the inspiration star array at the core of her head. The star array has deciphered some mystery, allowing the puppet to grow and react. I heard that Su Ruhui’s method for making puppets was to build a skeleton with meteoric iron, then place the star array. Once the star array is complete, the flesh, blood, and meridians will grow on their own.”

“Like a child growing up?”

“A child takes decades to grow, but a puppet can be completed in a few hours, or even a few breaths. How did he acquire such profound knowledge?” The “paper bag” lifted the puppet’s facial skin, revealing its facial bones under the lantern light. Shentu saw the snowflake emblem in the center of her facial bones and was startled. The “paper bag” sighed, “You recognize this emblem, don’t you?”

“Of course,” Shentu tilted his head, examining the puppet’s facial bones. “Isn’t this the emblem of our Snow Realm’s Heavenly Extreme?”

The Snow Realm’s Heavenly Extreme is considered the end of the world. It is tens of thousands of miles away, the ancient homeland of the demon race. A deep sea stretches across it, which no demon has ever been able to cross. And above that deep sea, a giant emblem floats—a snowflake.

“The elders of the clan once said that the secrets of the world are hidden within the snowflake, and whoever comprehends it will become a celestial being. From ancient times until now, no demon has been able to see through that snowflake.” The “paper bag” paused slightly and said, “We investigated Su Ruhui’s past and retraced his footsteps. He never even entered the heart of the Snow Realm. The furthest he went into the Snow Realm was when he raided the Black Street Greed Wolf Mine at the age of seventeen, and that place was only two hundred miles from the Great Wall. He never truly entered the heart of the Snow Realm. How could he have obtained this snowflake emblem on his own?”

Shentu blinked and said, “Twenty years ago, Su Guanyu knocked on the Heavenly Gate and visited the Snow Realm’s Heavenly Extreme. Could this be what Su Guanyu left for that child?”

The “paper bag” smiled. “Yes, Dantai Jing imprisoned Su Ruhui, kept him alive, and spied on his dreams. The world says Dantai Jing is cruel, treating his own nephew so ruthlessly. The common people are shallow, living their lives in the fields, how can they understand the heart of a grandmaster? The Dantai clan has held great power for hundreds of years with the ‘Blizzard’ secret technique, and the aristocratic families have long been dissatisfied. Dantai Xun was assassinated, Dantai Jing practiced asceticism, and the direct lineage of the Dantai clan is about to die out. Even without our clan coveting it, the human world is like an egg piled precariously, and chaos could erupt at any moment. And the only thing that can make all families submit and win the hearts of the people is naturally the supreme treasure left by Su Guanyu.” The “paper bag” sighed, “Su Guanyu, what a nostalgic name. He was clearly the first cultivator in this world, from ancient times to the present, to enter the Celestial Realm, yet the ignorant ants treat him as a joke.”

Shentu stroked his chin and pondered, “Why did Dantai Jing practice asceticism? Is it possible that he is actually impotent?”

The “paper bag” smiled meaningfully but did not answer Shentu’s question.

Shentu asked again, “Since the ‘snowflake’ can comprehend the mysteries of the world, can it tell me the ultimate truth of martial arts? I’ve been stuck in the ‘Observing Fire’ realm for too long. I need a battle.”

The “paper bag” looked at the steam rising from the large pot, the curling white smoke obscuring his vision. He said, “Then go kill Su Ruhui. For thousands of years, from the human world to the Snow Realm, only Su Guanyu reached the Celestial Realm. Perhaps the ‘snowflake’ helped him. Kill Su Ruhui and seize the ‘snowflake.’ However, do not act in Biandu. There are many Mystic Sect masters in Biandu, and we cannot expose our tracks yet.”

“I understand.”

The “paper bag” put down the large ladle. “I should go. I’ll leave this pot of wontons for you. Remember to clean up the stall. If the patrolling soldiers find it tomorrow, you’ll be fined.”

“Thank you, Your Highness. You truly are a good fox.” After thanking him, Shentu took off his mask, opened his mouth wide, and swallowed the shrimp wontons along with the large iron pot.

Biandu, Shunkangfang.

Sang Chiyu pulled Su Ruhui up from the snow. “Su Ruhui!”

Su Ruhui leaned in Sang Chiyu’s arms, his lips pale. Snowflakes fell on the boy’s brows, making it hard to tell if the snow was paler or his face was paler. Half of Sang Chiyu’s heart froze, and a chill spread from his chest, traveling through his limbs. He didn’t know what was wrong with Su Ruhui. How could he have collapsed again for no reason? Even with a puppet body, could he not recover completely?

“So uncomfortable…” Su Ruhui murmured.

Sang Chiyu’s trembling hand reached for Su Ruhui’s forehead. It was burning hot, as if he could fry an egg on it. He picked up Su Ruhui in his arms, carried him into the house, and placed him on the bed. Then he took out the communication compass from Su Ruhui’s embrace and connected to Jiang Xueya’s talisman seal.

“What’s up?” Jiang Xueya’s voice came through.

Sang Chiyu said in a deep voice, “Is there something wrong with Su Ruhui’s puppet body?”

“Bullshit! I personally supervised the creation of that flesh puppet. What could be wrong with it, besides not being able to have children?” Jiang Xueya asked, “What happened to him?”

“His forehead is very hot, his lips are chapped,” Sang Chiyu frowned, taking Su Ruhui’s pulse. “His pulse is faster than normal.”

Su Ruhui’s breath was faint, and his limbs felt like they were filled with lead, aching and heavy, unable to lift.

Jiang Xueya asked again, “When his spiritual consciousness transferred to the Immortal’s Cave, where was his puppet body?”

“In the main hall of the small courtyard.”

“Oh…” Jiang Xueya said, “I see. That’s a bit troublesome.”

Sang Chiyu’s heart sank. He recalled Su Ruhui’s days in the Immortal’s Cave, growing thinner and weaker day by day. He had watched helplessly as Su Ruhui drew closer to death. Was he going to repeat those days again? Sang Chiyu asked hoarsely, “How is Su Ruhui’s condition? Please tell me truthfully, Lord Jiang.”

“Do you have any alcohol at home? Rub some on him—forehead, armpits, palms—and make him drink more hot water.”

Sang Chiyu was stunned. “That’s all?”

“What else? When spiritual consciousness shifts, a puppet body without spiritual consciousness is like being in a coma. It’s a snowy night, and this fool was sleeping in the hall. Who wouldn’t get a fever? I thought you two were enemies. What’s the situation now? Why aren’t you taking advantage of his illness to kill him, instead looking so mournful?”

Sang Chiyu looked up and met a pair of smiling eyes. Su Ruhui was looking at him from his side, his dark eyes twinkling with a smile.

In that instant, Sang Chiyu understood. He had been tricked by Su Ruhui again.

“So why?” Su Ruhui asked with a smile. “Aren’t we enemies? You seem to care about me a lot, and you cried for me before. Just now, you looked like you were about to cry again.” Su Ruhui raised his hand, his cold fingertips tracing Sang Chiyu’s slightly reddened eyes. “Why, Sang Chiyu?”

“Sang Chiyu cried?” Jiang Xueya’s voice grew louder. “When did that happen?”

Sang Chiyu cut off the compass communication, and Jiang Xueya’s voice abruptly stopped. His fingertips, holding the compass, turned white.

Jiang Xueya’s talisman seal vibrated again. The guy was persistently trying to contact Su Ruhui. Sang Chiyu simply pried out the spirit stone from the communication star array at the bottom of the compass, and the compass finally fell silent.

“Su Ruhui,” Sang Chiyu’s voice was hoarse, “don’t joke about things like this again.”

“I wasn’t joking,” Su Ruhui touched his forehead. “I really was uncomfortable. I never said there was a problem with my puppet body; you just guessed it.”

Sang Chiyu fell silent. Indeed, Su Ruhui hadn’t said anything from beginning to end. He himself was worried and confused, even contacting Jiang Xueya with the compass. Su Ruhui smiled at him, and Sang Chiyu had a strange feeling that he was transparent under Su Ruhui’s gaze, completely exposed.

Bastard, Su Ruhui was a bastard.

Sang Chiyu stood up and said, “I’m leaving. Take care.”

Author’s note:

Jiang Xueya: (Angry) Let me gossip!