Yaohua glanced at the villagers sitting down to rest. After enduring days of snowstorms, their cheeks had sunken from emaciation, and their eyes were listless. They wouldn't be able to hold on much longer if they continued walking.
Upon learning that they were going to settle down here, the tired villagers instantly perked up.
Yaohua sat on a high rock. Watching them bustling about, she suddenly felt that it was time for her to leave.
This sword had appeared so coincidentally that it was bound to bring trouble in the future. It would be better to just leave like this, go in search of the snow demon, and leave the ice field.
She had already lingered in the ice field for far too long.
However, Fairy Ziying was still unconscious.
Yaohua's gaze landed on a spot not far away.
Fairy Ziying had been placed in a carriage, covered with several layers of quilts. Her complexion had become rosier than when they first started, and the wounds on her body were slowly healing at an extremely slow pace, but she just wouldn't wake up.
Oh well, since she had been entrusted with a task, she should be loyal to it.
She might as well wait a bit longer.
In the following days, in accordance with her promise, Yaohua distributed the seeds of the immortal peach tree and taught the villagers how to plant them using the previous method. She also gave them potatoes.
It was unknown how long it would take for the immortal peach tree to germinate, grow, and become a small tree that could blossom and bear fruit.
As she stayed by the unconscious Fairy Ziying, Yaohua's anxiety grew with each passing day.
Later on, she almost talked to Fairy Yuanzhi every day.
Spiritual power couldn't be used on the ice field, and Fairy Yuanzhi's power was limited. Just talking couldn't soothe her emotions.
Night fell.
The stars filled the sky outside the window. Yaohua got up, wrapping herself in a robe.
The charcoal fire crackled in the room, filling it with warmth.
"Yaohua, why did you kill someone that day?"
The gentle and clear voice was just the same as always. Yaohua stared blankly at her master, who was walking towards her through the starlight.
"Master, you know everything?"
The Phoenix Clan had sharp senses, but for some reason, Yaohua couldn't quite make out her master's expression.
"Master, are you angry?"
Her heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt a sense of weightlessness.
"Why did you kill someone?"
Instead of answering her question, her master stubbornly asked her again.
Thinking of that day's scene, Yaohua covered her chest and opened her mouth.
"Master, I... I did it to protect them..."
"Was it really to protect them?"
Her master's cold figure gradually approached. Yaohua stared blankly at him, smelling the unique fragrance on his body.
She couldn't remember how many days it had been since she last saw her master.
"Master, I... I miss you so much."
The fragrant fingers lifted her chin. Those eyes that seemed to hold the stars of the ages and all sentient beings in the world stared intently at her.
Yaohua reached out and grasped her master's fingers.
"Yaohua, why did you kill someone?"
She did it to...
Yaohua wanted to say that it was to protect the villagers, but the words got stuck in her throat.
At first, she had wanted to protect the villagers, but then things got out of control.
For days on end, the feeling of the exhilarating massacre had been lingering in her mind and she couldn't shake it off no matter what.
She didn't know how to start, and she felt ashamed of her master's teachings.
Her nose twitched, and she couldn't help but shed tears.
"Master, I was wrong."
The moment the words left her lips, she seemed to see the disappointment in her master's eyes.
Yaohua's heart clenched, and she suddenly opened her eyes.
The charcoal basin in the room still retained some warmth. The stars twinkled outside the window, and the snow on the ground reflected a faint light.
Had all of that just now...
Been a dream?
Yaohua slowly raised her hand and covered her chest.
Was it really just a dream?
Then why did it feel so real?
Master, have you noticed that I'm missing?
In Cangling Hall, Chongming opened his eyes, covering his chest with a slight frown on his forehead.
Just now, he seemed to have sensed Yaohua's location.
He reached out and grasped the phoenix tail feather on the table. Chongming frowned in silence.
This was a phoenix tail feather that Yaohua had accidentally dropped while playing in Cangling Hall when she was a child. He had cherished it for many years. But since the day Qingcang had broken into Cangling Hall and informed him that Yaohua was missing, he had always kept it on the table and tried all kinds of methods to find Yaohua's whereabouts.
Today was the first time he had sensed Yaohua's presence.
It was a pity that it had only lasted for a moment.
Chongming let out a soft sigh and picked up the dull - colored tail feather. Just now, this tail feather had completely lost its effectiveness.
He didn't sleep a wink all night.
The next day, Yaohua went to visit Fairy Ziying again, as usual bringing the broken sword with her.
Although there was spiritual power in the broken sword, she didn't know how to use it. In the Divine Continent, with the protection of spiritual power, injuries would heal faster. Although she didn't know if placing this sword beside Fairy Ziying would have any effect, there was no other way now. She might as well give it a try.
Yaohua placed the sword beside her pillow. Just as she put it down, she heard an exclamation from outside the door.
"Why is there a red flower here?"
A red flower?
Could it be a plum blossom?
Yaohua suddenly became interested. Although this was an ice field, she had never seen a plum blossom here before.
Following the sound, she saw a delicate and charming red flower struggling to grow in a crack in the rock, with a bit of ice and snow still remaining on its petals.
It was... a phoenix flower!
Yaohua's pupils trembled slightly. She stared at the phoenix flower for a long time, unable to say a word.
Why was there a phoenix flower here?
It clearly shouldn't be growing here!
Thinking of last night's dream, Yaohua slowly tightened her fingers.
"System, has Master come to the ice field to look for me?"
After a rustling and ear - piercing sound, the system's weak voice rang out: "The god still doesn't know that the host is stranded in the ice field."
In an instant, the fire in Yaohua's heart went out.
"Detecting that the host has no intention of asking questions, the system will automatically fall into slumber."
Yaohua's gaze returned to the phoenix flower, but at this moment, the color of the phoenix flower was gradually fading.
"Oh no, this flower is going to freeze to death!" Immortal Muyang, who had been watching the commotion, saw this and ran away at full speed. "I'll go and fetch Jiang Mo."
It was only to be expected that a flower that shouldn't have been growing here would freeze to death.
Yaohua thought so in her heart, but she couldn't take her eyes off it.
She had heard that Immortal Jiang Mo had planted a whole yard of flowers. Maybe he really had a way?
Immortal Jiang Mo arrived late. He was a flower - lover. Seeing the wilting phoenix flower, his expression immediately showed some worry.
"This is a phoenix flower. It needs to be transplanted to a warm place as soon as possible."
Qing Shi, who was following behind him, suddenly let out a sound of surprise.
"Your Excellency, isn't this the phoenix flower you planted in your yard?"
Yaohua's attention was immediately drawn over.
Bailu had once said that Immortal Jiang Mo had planted a whole yard of red flowers. Could it be that... they were all phoenix flowers?
But phoenix flowers were extremely difficult to survive in cold places. Why did Immortal Jiang Mo plant this kind of flower in his yard?
Yaohua's mind raced. Seeing Immortal Jiang Mo dig out the phoenix flower and leave in a hurry, she quickly followed.
"Yaohua, what's wrong?" Seeing Yaohua following absent - mindedly, Qing Shi stopped and waited for her.