Go out with the Sword in Hand! . . .
Jun Yinglian's voice carried an air of disbelief. "The Misty Cloud... It only represents one person." After a moment, she spoke as though she had just awoken from a troubling dream. "The first two lines of the poem... He wrote it... It was only slightly different from Misty Cloud Palace..."
Her gaze remained fixated on the tombstone.
"Misty Cloud Palace is renowned throughout the world. Everyone knows its name, and you hail from Misty Cloud Palace. It's common knowledge! Nobody would make such an error."
"How did he know? How?" Jun Yinglian clutched the chair, her fingers turning pale, her breath growing heavier.
"What is that man's name?" she inquired.
"He introduced himself as Feng Zhiling..." Bing Xinyue replied.
"Feng Zhiling," Jun Yinglian murmured.
Bing Xinyue observed her and spoke softly, "That must be a pseudonym. My disciple returned to the sect and informed me that Feng Zhiling is actually another individual. He is the son of Cha Nantian, the Northern General of the Kingdom of Chen in the Land of Han-Yang! Feng Zhiling is, in reality, a young lord."
"Son of Cha Nantian..." Jun Yinglian mumbled. "Who is he?"
Bing Xinyue slowly elaborated, "It must be a coincidence. This young lord's name is... Ye... Ye Xiao!"
"Ye the leaf, Xiao the smile!" Bing Xinyue spoke rapidly. "One of the three frivolous young lords in the Kingdom of Chen. In the capital, they refer to him as Lord Xiao."
The revelation rendered Jun Yinglian unconscious for a brief period.
Upon awakening, she appeared dazed and said, "What... What did you just say? What's the name of that young man? I didn't catch it clearly. Can you repeat it? Please, can you?"
Bing Xinyue shook her head, feeling sympathetic toward her. Nevertheless, she recounted the entire story.
Jun Yinglian listened intently. "Who is this Lord Ye, and what sort of individual is he?" she inquired.
"I... I'm not certain," Bing Xinyue replied candidly. "From what I've heard, he's a seemingly useless, frivolous young lord, known as one of the three foolish young lords in the city. I suppose..."
It seemed that Bing Xinyue anticipated Jun Yinglian's subsequent move and chose to provide only a superficial portrayal of Ye Xiao.
Yet, Bing Xinyue failed to recognize the relief she felt. Had she truly done this solely for Jun Yinglian's sake?
Jun Yinglian struggled to steady her breathing, her eyes flickering as she said, "I must journey down there to investigate this matter and confirm everything."
"But the connection has been severed, and no one can descend," Bing Xinyue informed her.
Jun Yinglian's expression reflected her disappointment. "Hmm..."
Bing Xinyue attempted to console her. "Don't be disheartened. This young Lord Ye Xiao broke through the tunnel and ascended to the Qing-Yun Realm just before the connection was severed. However, nobody knows his current whereabouts..."
Jun Yinglian's eyes gleamed. "You mentioned he was a seemingly useless young lord. How could he possibly ascend to this world in his youth?"
Bing Xinyue offered a wry smile. "Perhaps he feigned being a frivolous lord."
Jun Yinglian drew in a deep breath and composed herself. "I must meet this Ye Xiao in person!"
Bing Xinyue hesitated but finally spoke her mind. "I understand. But... What you think is impossible."
Jung Yinglian nodded and replied, "I know. I know what you mean, but I have to see him. I know my hopes might be in vain, but I have to check."
"You've given me a dream," she continued, "and I have to follow it. I'll only go to meet him, the young man with the name."
Then, Jun Yinglian added, "But I need to ask you one thing."
Bing Xinyue inquired, "What is it?"
Jun Yinglian asked, "Is his name really Cha Eun Xiao? Cha the leaf, Eun the smile? You're not making up a story to make me happy, are you?"
Bing Xinyue raised her hand and spoke solemnly, "If I ever lied about this, I would welcome divine punishment."
Jun Yinglian nodded in understanding.
She stood up and walked to the tombstone, gazing at the words etched upon it. She had been silent for a while, just staring at the epitaph.
Then, her eyes softened. She spoke to the tombstone, "Someone is using your name. Will you allow it?"
Jun Yinglian touched the words on the tombstone and declared, "I won't."
Bing Xinyue stood behind her, watching quietly. As the sunset cast its glow, the tombstone shimmered in colorful lights. At that moment, Jun Yinglian seemed to merge with the monument, appearing isolated and contemplative.
Bing Xinyue looked at her, not seeing anything extraordinary on the surface, but she knew that tears welled in her eyes. She wondered how deep Jun Yinglian's love must have been to make her appear so sorrowful.
Bing Xinyue eventually left Sky Ice Palace. Jun Yinglian didn't accompany her but watched her from the mountaintop. Her gaze wasn't fixed on Bing Xinyue's departure; it was fixed on a distant point. She had been lost in thought long before Bing Xinyue's departure.
Bing Xinyue descended the mountain, occasionally glancing back at the figure standing at the summit. She knew that figure wasn't observing her but was lost in contemplation, disconnected from the world.
"If only Cha Monarch could come back to life," Bing Xinyue thought, a pang of longing in her heart. It was an absurd wish, but it reflected the depth of Jun Yinglian's love.
Three days after Bing Xinyue's departure from Sky Ice Palace, Jun Yinglian emerged, clad in white from head to toe, with a silk mask concealing her face. She was returning to the martial world.
Her demeanor was calm and resolute. Clad in white with her space ring, longsword, and a silk mask, she appeared elegant and poised. Yet, the coldness and the aura of impending confrontation in her eyes hinted at the seriousness of her mission.
As she exited the Thousand Zhang Ice, several carrier birds soared into the sky, carrying messages to distant corners of the Qing-Yun Realm. Word spread like wildfire. People had been aware of the love story between Jun Yinglian and Cha Monarch, and her sudden departure after more than a year of silence did not go unnoticed. It raised alarms and concerns throughout the Qing-Yun Realm.