"Ah, you're finally back." Zhiyan's eyes lit up, and she hurled herself excitedly at someone, still finding the icy beauty easy on the eyes.
"Naughty again," Ming Yihan bent down and naturally caught Zhiyan who had thrown herself at him, his gaze softened, and his voice couldn't help but carry a hint of doting.
"Not at all!" Zhiyan stuck out her tongue and wrapped her arms dominantly around his neck, her delicate and smooth face instantly blossoming into a resplendent smile as beautiful as spring flowers, beyond compare.
Ming Yihan's heart unexpectedly tightened; he had seen all the vicissitudes of life, yet none were as shocking as this smile.
"You may leave," he said coldly, turning his gaze to Qianhe (the boy) who was standing to the side, and with that command, only he and Zhiyan were left in the room.
"Are you the Demon Emperor?" Zhiyan looked up at Ming Yihan, who had once again become icy, pouting her small mouth in discontent. Damn it, wasn't this person quite gentle just now? How did he revert back to an ice block so suddenly?
"Mhm," the man responded indifferently with a single word, continuing to flip through the gold-embossed invitation in front of him, the writing intricate, beyond Zhiyan's comprehension.
"To think the Demon Realm's palace is hidden within Misty Ridge." Zhiyan murmured thoughtfully. Since ancient times, there had been an insurmountable gulf between humans and the Demon Realm. Whenever the Demon Clan emerged, it inevitably brought calamity to humans. The enmity between humans and demons was irreconcilable, yet until now, no one knew that the mysterious and powerful Demon Clan was actually hidden within the human world.
This news, if released, would surely shock countless people.
"Yes, but not entirely," Ming Yihan cast a fleeting glance at Zhiyan, his demeanor impassive. The power of the Demon Clan was immense; this small Misty Ridge was merely the tip of the iceberg...
"..." Zhiyan fell silent, the conversation that followed was lukewarm, and the next morning when she awoke on the ice-cold bed, the Yin Energy within her had thickened considerably after a night of absorption, with vistas of icy snowy landscapes filling her mind.
The room was spacious and cold, with Ming Yihan nowhere to be seen. Bored, Zhiyan sat on the ice-cold bed, contemplating whether the Yang Energy within her, which could manifest flames, meant the Yin Energy might condense into something else?
With a shiver of her mind and a push from her intent, the Yin Energy within her surged out through her index finger, only to retract as soon as it reached her fingernail.
It seemed there was still hope. Zhiyan's eyes brightened, and she refocused her concentration. A streak of freezing energy shot out from her index finger, whoosh, and a shower of silvery white threads burst forth, sharp as swords, cutting through the hanging gauze in front of her.
This speed and effect were far beyond her expectation – gathering energy into a sword, turning ice into blades. Such hidden attacking methods could often catch an opponent off guard during a fight. The corners of her lips curled up slightly; her tender face revealed a faint smile. This world was indeed full of wonders.
She spent almost the entire morning concentrating on condensing ice into blades, and by the time Ming Yihan appeared before Zhiyan again, it was already the afternoon of that day. The delicate little girl was still engrossed in her antics, with a face full of fascination and obsession, her expression alternately excited, sighing, and suddenly enlightened...
Ming Yihan's face was drawn with lines of disapproval. Was this still his bedroom?
The hanging gauze was shredded into pieces, the antique decorations were knocked over, the wall hangings broken and scattered everywhere, the floor was slippery with numerous ice crystals scattered about – the entire bedroom looked like it had been trampled by a tyrant, completely wrecked. And the one responsible for the mess showed no signs of awareness, still thoroughly enjoying the chaos.
"You..." Ming Yihan's lips twitched, and after hesitating for two seconds, he finally couldn't help but speak up. She had taken over his bed and now even destroyed his entire bedroom. This little child really had no sense of being an outsider.
"Wow, you're finally back, wah, you jerk, to leave Yanyan all alone, wah..." Suddenly seeing the icy man, Zhiyan first showed a joyful expression, and then her eyes shifted, a storm cloud instantly crowding her little face as she pouted grievously and complained.
Ming Yihan's gaze remained calm as he watched Zhiyan's solo act. His ice-blue eyes gleamed with a lustrous light under the refraction of the crystal ball, and his handsome and tall stature, like that of a deity, exuded an untouchable and noble presence. He seemed like a natural-born expert, shrouded in an air of mystery and high-born elegance.
"Wah, you're so mean, not even comforting me!" Zhiyan rubbed her eyes, damn it, is he even a man? She made herself look so pitiful, but he was still standing there, motionless.
"Let's go, I'll take you to pick a gift, and send you out before it gets dark," sighed Ming Yihan as he squatted down, picked up the little figure, and with a flicker of his form, the next second, they appeared in the Ice Palace's treasury.
Zhiyan was dazzled by the glittering gold in front of her, countless gold coins, jewels, antiques, and various crystal stones and treasures made it hard for one to keep their eyes open.
"Pick whatever you like," he said indifferently, as if it didn't matter to him. Zhiyan's body trembled slightly, and a trace of disappointment flickered through her clear watery eyes. A parting gift, huh? Her lips twisted into a sardonic smile, and when she looked up again, her little face resumed its usual coldness.
"I have no use for these. If you have a medicine cauldron, maybe I'll consider it," she said unabashedly as her gaze swept over the pile of artifacts. It would be foolish not to take advantage of a good deal, but she wouldn't lower her dignity for a pile of gold and silver.
"A medicine cauldron?" Ming Yihan's gaze suddenly sharpened, looking at the girl in front of him with complexity. What did she want with that?
"You don't have one?"
"Wait a moment!" As he saw the alienated indifference on her face, Ming Yihan's heart suddenly tightened. He should be happy, yet why couldn't he feel even a bit of joy?
With a single gesture, he summoned a deep purple cauldron half the height of a person that appeared in front of Zhiyan with a buzz. A cold aura continuously emanated from it, and it looked quite ordinary.
"Purple Iron Cold Cauldron, forged from Purple Iron Ore and cold iron, infused with an artifact spirit, you just need to drop blood to claim ownership," he explained as he noticed the confusion in Zhiyan's eyes.
Zhiyan's eyes lit up, and she walked excitedly to the cauldron. With mental activation, a slender ice needle was summoned, and she fiercely stabbed it into her fingertip. Blood welled up, dropping onto the dust-covered cauldron, and with a flash of purple light, the previously inconspicuous cauldron suddenly radiated a compelling purple aura, enveloping it with a cold purple glow.
A cool sensation entered her mind, originating from the cauldron in front of her, "Take in!" With a light shout, the half-person-tall cauldron disappeared instantly, concealed within Zhiyan's body. "Appear!" In less than a half second, it reappeared in its original spot. It was simple and easy to operate, just like the Qiankun Bracelet.
After about ten rounds of taking it in and putting it out, Zhiyan finally stopped this silly game.
"Walk straight ahead from here to get out," Ming Yihan pointed ahead and said, rare tenderness in his voice.
"You really can't stay?" Zhiyan wrapped her arms pitifully around Ming Yihan's swan-like, pale, and beautiful neck.
"Go, this place isn't suitable for you." His gaze became focused, as Ming Yihan looked into Zhiyan's eyes and refused. His hand by his side tightened slightly, and a flicker of unusual color passed through his blue eyes.
"Then I'm leaving, goodbye." Seeing the determination on his face, Zhiyan smiled in acceptance. They were just strangers meeting by chance. She had been too demanding. With a wave of her little hand, she left decisively. Ming Yihan gazed after her for a long time until he could no longer see that pink figure, and then he vanished, leaving no trace. With his departure, the white snow disappeared without a trace. The trees remained trees, and the mountains remained mountains. Where was there ever an Ice Palace?