The Ling Xiao Ice Art . . .
Bing Xin-Yue's realization about her earlier misjudgment left her feeling embarrassed and regretful. She couldn't believe she had assumed Cha-Eun Xiao had ulterior motives. Her heart warmed as she saw his fierce demeanor soften. She quickly apologized, her voice filled with genuine regret, "Please don't be mad, Master Feng. I was narrow-minded and made an unfair judgment about your personality. My concerns got the best of me. Please forgive me."
With a blush on her face, she lowered her head and hurriedly walked out, feeling like a little girl who had made a big mistake. On the other side, Wen-Ren Chu-Chu, having finally understood the cause of the argument between her master and Cha-Eun Xiao, couldn't help but smile. She decided not to intervene this time and let her master handle the situation.
Wen-Ren Chu-Chu then turned her attention to Cha-Eun Xiao and asked, "Brother Feng, isn't there any other method that can cure my master?"
She shifted the topic to avoid the awkwardness caused by the earlier conversation. As Bing Xin-Yue's disciple, she felt it was her duty to show concern for her master's well-being, even if the timing was less than ideal. Despite his anger, Cha-Eun Xiao responded promptly, "The two options I mentioned earlier are the only methods I know of. I can't think of any other alternatives."
As he prepared to continue speaking, his attention was suddenly captured by the presence of a stunning young woman standing in front of him. Her beauty was beyond words, and her mere presence seemed ethereal. With her long, flowing hair, slender figure, and soft, mesmerizing eyes, she was a vision of elegance and grace.
Cha-Eun Xiao was taken aback by her beauty and couldn't help but exclaim, "Ahh! Who... who are you?"
Describing the girl before him with ordinary words would not do her justice, as she appeared to be the most beautiful woman from any of the higher realms.
She was a vision of beauty that seemed more fitting for the heavens than the mortal world. Cha-Eun Xiao couldn't help but be captivated by her radiance. He had previously thought that Su Ye-Yue was the most beautiful woman in the Land of Han-Yang, but standing before him was another breathtaking beauty. This girl's beauty was on par with Su Ye-Yue's, if not more so, as it held a mature allure that Su Ye-Yue's youthful charm couldn't match.
She was flawless, her beauty so mesmerizing that it could ensnare an entire kingdom. There wasn't a single imperfection to be found in her appearance.
When she asked who she was, Wen-Ren Chu-Chu couldn't hide her satisfaction at the reaction she had intentionally provoked. She had grown annoyed with Cha-Eun Xiao's insistence that she was ugly, even after she had explained that she was hiding her true appearance. Now, seeing his astonishment, she felt a sense of triumph. She twirled in front of him, her smile radiant as she asked, "Well, am I beautiful or not?"
To Cha-Eun Xiao's surprise, he couldn't resist a retort. He maintained his facade of indifference and replied, "Very ugly. And you're quite plump, too. 'Beautiful' is a word that doesn't suit you at all. Using it to describe you is a desecration of the term. It's not your fault that you're ugly, but asking people if you're beautiful is just audacious and..."
"You!" Wen-Ren Chu-Chu exploded in anger and lunged for his throat.
Cha-Eun Xiao quickly intervened, stopping her in her tracks. He knew that physically he couldn't match her, but he had a powerful bargaining chip. He threatened, "Wait! Do you want me to solve your cultivation problems or not? I might not be able to beat you in a fight, but if you lay a finger on me now, I swear I'll never create another Regeneration Lotus for you. Your issues will remain unresolved. If you dare to touch me, I won't fight back. You can do whatever you want."
Reluctantly, Wen-Ren Chu-Chu released her grip, seething with frustration. She spoke with anger, "Brother Feng, it's incredibly petty of you to threaten me like this. What are you trying to achieve?"
Cha-Eun Xiao retorted with a huff, "I'll do whatever it takes not to be used as a punching bag. I know which is more important. Do you?"
Wen-Ren Chu-Chu was growing increasingly irritated, but another thought crossed her mind, causing her to sigh and fall into silence. Cha-Eun Xiao, sensing her frustration, decided to let the matter rest. With a friendly smile, he said, "Alright, let's drop it. I'm a magnanimous person, so I won't tease you about it. By the way, what level have you reached in your cultivation of the Ling Xiao Ice Art?"
The mention of "Ling Xiao Ice Art" sent shockwaves through Wen-Ren Chu-Chu and even reached Bing Xin-Yue, who was eavesdropping outside the room. This was the very martial art they both practiced, the one that made the Regeneration Lotus an essential element of their cultivation.
Although Bing Xin-Yue had shared some information about her sect and martial art with Cha-Eun Xiao, she had never revealed the name of the art itself. Yet, here he was, casually mentioning it. It was a clear indication that he had a deep understanding of their sect.
"I'm at the Grade of Ren, Level Seven," Wen-Ren Chu-Chu replied after a moment's contemplation, deciding to be honest.
"Grade of Ren, Level Seven," Cha-Eun Xiao nodded thoughtfully. "That's quite impressive. However, as you advance to the Grade of Di, progress will slow down significantly. And when you reach the Grade of Tian, it will slow down even further."
Wen-Ren Chu-Chu was taken aback. "How do you know this?"
Cha-Eun Xiao flashed a meaningful smile. "I have my ways."
In reality, these were the only details Cha-Eun Xiao knew about the Misty Cloud Palace's martial art. The Misty Cloud Palace had always been shrouded in mystery in the Qing-Yun Realm, and very few cultivators were privy to its secrets. Cha-Eun Xiao, despite his status as the Xiao Monarch, had no strong connections or deep roots. He was essentially a lone cultivator, so he shouldn't have had access to the inner workings of the great sects.