"Stinky girl, if you have any questions, just come out with them. There's no need to beat around the bush. After all, I'm your master," Master said softly upon hearing Hu Ke'er's words.
"Well, actually, what I want to ask is about Senior Sister Bai Susu," Hu Ke'er said in a low voice.
"Why on earth is Bai Susu in the Frosty Despair? Isn't that a place only for disciples who've been punished? Also, who's that armored uncle we saw fighting with Senior Sister Bai Susu?"
"..."
Master fell silent for a moment after hearing Hu Ke'er's words.
"Girl, are you sure you really want to know the truth about these things?"
"Since you've sent us into the Frosty Despair to find Senior Sister Bai Susu, you should at least tell us what we're up against," Hu Ke'er said softly after exchanging a look with Chen Tianyi and seeing him nod.
"Alright then," Master said as he picked up his wine gourd and took a sip.
"Actually, Bai Susu didn't enter the Frosty Despair because she was punished. She went there voluntarily."
"What? Why?" Hu Ke'er and Chen Tianyi both exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with confusion.
"Because she wanted to take a step further in her cultivation at that time, so she chose to subdue a magical treasure from our sect. However, that treasure was extremely strange," Master said after finishing his drink, squinting his eyes as if lost in memory.
"Strange? It's just a magical treasure. Even if she failed to subdue it, there's no need for her to enter the Frosty Despair, right?" Chen Tianyi frowned and asked doubtfully.
"It's different. That magical treasure was a flying sword, and it was the first sword I'd ever seen with its own consciousness," Master said.
"What?!" Chen Tianyi looked shocked upon hearing Master's words.
"Uncle Zheng, are you saying that the flying sword developed its own consciousness?" Chen Tianyi continued to ask.
"Yes," Master nodded slightly.
"Well... what's so strange about a flying sword developing its own consciousness?" Hu Ke'er asked in confusion when she saw Chen Tianyi's shocked expression.
"Little Junior Sister, you've just started your cultivation and don't know this yet. Generally speaking, weak magical treasures won't develop their own consciousness. And those powerful magical treasures have usually been refined by someone, so it's very difficult for them to develop their own consciousness. Even if they do, their owners will usually erase it," Chen Tianyi explained.
"What? Why? Isn't it better for a magical treasure to have consciousness? It can protect its master actively when the master is in danger," Hu Ke'er became even more confused after hearing Chen Tianyi's explanation.
"Of course not. If a magical treasure has its own consciousness, it will also have its own temper. Little Junior Sister, imagine that during a battle, you want the flying sword to attack, but it just wants to stay in its scabbard motionless. Wouldn't that delay important matters? If things go wrong, it might even cost you your life!" Chen Tianyi said seriously.
"Moreover, all things have spirits. Even flying swords or other magical treasures, when they gain spiritual wisdom, are no longer just simple magical treasures. They can be regarded as demons, just like other living beings in the world who cultivate. So generally, such magical treasures with spiritual wisdom are regarded as taboos, and they're also called demon weapons," Chen Tianyi added.
"Oh, I see. Then how did the magical treasure Master mentioned develop its own consciousness?" Hu Ke'er asked, looking at Master with a confused expression.
"That's because the previous owner of that flying sword didn't erase the spiritual consciousness of Nether Moon in time. Instead, he treated it like a friend," Master said.
"This..." Hu Ke'er was stunned for a moment upon hearing Master's words.
"What about the owner of Nether Moon?"
"Nether Moon's owner died in a great battle, but the flying sword was left behind," Master said softly.
"Although the flying sword was left behind, after it learned of its master's death, it started hurting people everywhere. At that time, the sect leader spent a lot of effort to subdue Nether Moon and seal it in the Frosty Despair," Master continued.
"Hey? Could it be that the middle - aged man in black armor we saw before was Nether Moon?" A bold idea suddenly popped into Hu Ke'er's mind after hearing Master's words.
"Yes," Master nodded slightly.
"Wow! It really is!" Hu Ke'er couldn't help but shout out after getting Master's confirmation.
"So Senior Sister Bai Susu entered the Frosty Despair for the demon weapon Nether Moon?"
"Yes, that's right," Master nodded slightly.
"Moreover, Bai Susu's situation at that time was the same as yours now," Master said.
"The same situation?" Hu Ke'er was stunned for a moment upon hearing Master's words.
"What do you mean by the same situation, Master?" Hu Ke'er was a bit confused.
"Since I don't like taking in disciples very much, she was preparing for the inner - sect test alone at that time. Although her cultivation talent was extremely high, she never had a suitable flying sword, and she didn't have the support of companions. So in order to increase her chances of passing the exam, she always wanted a suitable weapon. I don't know where she heard the legend of Nether Moon, but she directly rushed into the Frosty Despair to look for it, and then she never came back," Master said.
"What?" Hu Ke'er was stunned for a moment upon hearing Master's words.
"Um... Master, I'd like to take the liberty of asking, how long has Senior Sister Bai Susu been in the Frosty Despair?"
"Three years," Master said softly.
"Hey? It's been three years. Haven't you ever thought about sending someone into the Frosty Despair to look for Senior Sister Bai Susu?"
"Of course I have! I've looked for her!" Master took another sip of wine and paused for a moment before saying.
"Because of the restrictions of the Frosty Despair, people of my generation can't stay there for a long time. So I discussed it with the sect leader. We sent more than a dozen junior disciples in to investigate one after another, but none of the disciples we sent came back. I don't even know if they're still alive," Master said as he stroked his beard.
"After sending several groups of people in and getting no news, the sect leader and I both thought that Bai Susu was probably dead. So in the end, we had no choice but to give up looking for her," Master added.
"I see!" Hu Ke'er nodded slightly upon hearing Master's words.
"Until two days ago when you two reported seeing Bai Susu, I realized that she was actually still alive. Finally, I discussed it with the sect leader and decided to send you two into the Frosty Despair to look for Bai Susu," Master said, looking at Hu Ke'er and continuing.
"No wonder. But there's still one thing I don't understand..."