Everyone received their own room, which, among other things, also had a small qi-gathering array that was comparable in output to the large formation the group used to recover their energy. Zhu Xuelian regarded the fascinating piece of technology and wondered if Xiang Liling and the others interested in Formations had similar thoughts on its efficiency, or what kind of person the expert who created it was.
She also wondered if Yaoyue would be interested in it, or the grand formation that kept the temperature in the ice castle to pleasant levels, while also preventing the ice from melting.
She wondered when she would see Yaoyue again.
With a moment to herself, and long after the adrenaline left her, she also thought about the situation and the one they just barely survived.
Their advantage was their small number. Lei Yangming managed to organize them and distribute their roles effectively and quickly. But what kind of genius strategist was on the side of the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion who could organize thousands of disciples and react so quickly?
Zhu Xuelian knew next to nothing about strategy or tactics — her education mostly revolved around playing music, history, classic literature, looking pretty and being a good wife. Whatever she knew of battles she read in classic literature, but whether any of those things were accurate, real or modern was not something she could confidently opine on.
She did, however, know that if the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion reacted any slower, Wu Yulan’s impact would have left a brutal wedge in their formation. If Zhu Xuelian had also contributed then, like she did, it was not unthinkable to imagine the entire siege force could’ve been wiped out by the Frozen Peak Palace.
In this battle of opportunity, they went up against a master, Zhu Xuelian thought, and they likely had the rare honor of claiming that they went against this person and lived. Zhu Xuelian was certain that if they should face the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion army now, without the element of surprise, that they wouldn’t find much achievement against them even if they were fully rested.
Modern cultivators may have forgotten the essence of battle or stopped developing useful fighting experience, but the lessons in strategy, leadership and war were all things that could survive the ages and had to be learned with the mind, not the heart.
While lamenting that they did not have such an expert on their side, Zhu Xuelian thought of Epsilon, but she wasn’t certain why. Maybe she was just thinking about Yaoyue.
If Yaoyue were awake, these Heavenly Mountain Pavilion villains would not see another sunrise.
There was a knock on her door, and Zhu Xuelian straightened her dress, then answered.
Mu Jingyu smiled at Zhu Xuelian when the door opened. “Sister Zhu, may I come in?”
Zhu Xuelian smiled and opened the door wide open, then stepped to the side. “Be my guest.”
Mu Jingyu nodded gratefully, then went over to the bed and sat down. Zhu Xuelian joined her on the bed and sat next to her.
Zhu Xuelian gestured to the icy tea set on the nightstand. “If you’d like some tea, feel free.”
Mu Jingyu smiled and poured tea into two cups, and offered one to Zhu Xuelian.
“Eternal Red gave cups like these once to Wu Yulan and I,” Zhu Xuelian said, staring at the cup made of ice.
Mu Jingyu lifted an eyebrow and stared at Zhu Xuelian.
“They were empty, of course, but we’d praise that the ‘tea’ was incredibly fragrant, or remark on its taste,” Zhu Xuelian said.
“Why?” Mu Jingyu asked. “If the cups were empty?”
Zhu Xuelian chuckled. “The cups were cold, and our bodies were on fire. So we’d do anything to feel the cold just a little bit longer. After a while, I even thought back on the tea I did drink in life, and the memories were so vivid I could really taste it and enjoy its scent.”
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Mu Jingyu was quiet as she listened to Zhu Xuelian’s story about her experience with Eternal Red.
“But I think that maybe thinking like this was wrong. Wu Yulan and I were struggling for our lives. In truth, we just wanted to live together; we wanted to survive, to continue our journey. Together. Maybe we were just describing the tea to each other, to live the same dream, and forget about reality,” Zhu Xuelian concluded.
Mu Jingyu was thoughtful for a very long moment, then she stumbled onto a possible meaning of Zhu Xuelian’s story. “Sister Zhu, are you thinking that this situation and that situation are similar?”
Zhu Xuelian smiled. “Maybe?” she asked, and then meaningfully took a sip of tea. “How’s the tea?”
Mu Jingyu also took a sip and smiled. “Sister Zhu, this tea is like any other tea, but this moment and this life are as fragrant as snow flowers, and as vibrant as the sky when it rains at dusk.”
Zhu Xuelian blinked. Snow flowers were a reference to her name, and the dusk rain was a reference to Mu Jingyu’s name.
Zhu Xuelian put the cup down and giggled, interlocking the fingers of her left hand with Mu Jingyu’s. “You are very eloquent, Jingyu, but your master might be disappointed if she overheard your words.”
Mu Jingyu also giggled, a faint rose cloud settling on her cheeks. “There are things this Jingyu can do, and there are things she can’t do.”
“Freezing your heart and killing your desires is one of the ones you can’t do?” Zhu Xuelian asked.
Mu Jingyu shrugged lightly. “Who can say, Sister Zhu? I admire you deeply, and wholly, and the affinity I have for you is more than just this,” Mu Jingyu said. “The first time I saw you, I felt our hearts were similar. The sword in yours and the sword in mine must’ve been friends in another life. When I saw your swordsmanship… Well, things are now like this.”
Zhu Xuelian smiled and closed her eyes. “I thought the same thing when I saw you, and when I saw your swordsmanship. I thought that it would be very fortunate if we could cultivate the sword together.”
Mu Jingyu’s melting smile erased the blush from her cheeks, but filled her expression with joy and adoration. She squeezed Zhu Xuelian’s fingers, and the two remained silent for a long time. They were satisfied just listening to each other’s breathing and their soft heartbeats.
“Xuelian,” after a while, Mu Jingyu started, “Do you think you can save the disciples of the Frozen Peak Palace, like you did for the Galaxy Sword disciples?”
To this, Zhu Xuelian shook her head. “The sect doesn’t have the energy for it. There’s barely enough for us to escape when things come to that.”
When, not if.
To make her point, Zhu Xuelian tapped the air with her fingertip, and something like a transparent scroll rolled out in front of Mu Jingyu.
[ Energy: 3,144,846 ]
Mu Jingyu stared at the number and chewed on her lower lip. The joy and adoration slowly faded.
“It took ten times that much for the Galaxy Sword disciples. So, this thing… I don’t think we can accomplish it,” Zhu Xuelian said. “I am sorry.”
Mu Jingyu shook her head. “Please, don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. Besides, not all is lost. It’s like you say: we just have to kill them all. Right?”
Zhu Xuelian smiled, but its warmth didn’t reach her eyes. “That’s right.”
There are things this Zhu Xuelian can do, and there are things she can’t…
“Greetings, Frozen Peak Palace!” a voice boomed through the heavens, so loud that it caused the tea cups to vibrate on the nightstand. “This is your daily reminder that you should surrender. For a united Sky Continent and all under the Heavenly Mountain Pavilion’s heaven. Don’t die for nothing. Live for a better tomorrow!”
Zhu Xuelian narrowed her eyes at the words and only realized she was squeezing Mu Jingyu’s fingers a bit too hard when the girl winced.
“Sorry,” Zhu Xuelian whispered. “Did I hurt you?”
Mu Jingyu shook her head. “It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”
Zhu Xuelian’s expression darkened. “That man who shouted those words… I will definitely kill him.”
There are things this Zhu Xuelian can’t do, but that man I am sending to hell.
Mu Jingyu giggled. “You remind me of my master when she loses her composure and gets mad.”
Zhu Xuelian blinked. “Your master can lose her composure and feel anger?”
Mu Jingyu laughed. “Of course. Like me, she was also the worst disciple of her master!”
Zhu Xuelian laughed at Mu Jingyu’s words, and they laughed together, forgetting all about the rude reminder that their days were numbered.
Then Mu Jingyu blinked and looked at the scroll. “Is that number supposed to go up?”
Zhu Xuelian also looked at the projection, and, indeed, the number changed.
[ Energy: 3,212,376 ]
“I don’t think so. Unless the Galaxy Sword disciples are using the Killing Field formation…” Zhu Xuelian seemed as bewildered as Mu Jingyu.
“Does this mean… there is a chance…?” Mu Jingyu asked.
Zhu Xuelian smiled when the number jumped up by another few hundreds. “I think so. If we can hold out that long.”
Mu Jingyu jumped to her feet excitedly. “That is wonderful! See? It is too early to lose hope!”
Zhu Xuelian chuckled. Wasn’t she the one who was supposed to say that it was too early to lose hope?
“Anyway, Yangming wanted me to tell you that we are holding a meeting later tonight,” Mu Jingyu said.
Zhu Xuelian nodded. “I’ll be there, Jingyu.”
“A-all right. I’ll… I’ll go now…” she said, even though she looked like she really wanted to stay. In the end, she decided to go anyway, and closed the door behind her.
Zhu Xuelian stared at the number, and its occasional change, and wondered how long it would take to gather enough energy to power the translocation spell.
Weeks? Months? Years?
More inexplicably, why did she feel that leaving those poor Galaxy Sword survivors in the care of Epsilon was the best mistake she ever made?
