"Marvelous! Today is a day of great joy, as Taiyan and Tianyan unite in harmony. A celebration is indeed in order."
"And on this occasion, to add joy upon joy, I have a daughter, Lingmiao. Perhaps…"
A blurred image replayed in Luo Lingmiao's fragmented dream: two kings laughing jovially on a high stage while deciding the fate of a young girl below.
The intricacies of political maneuvering and mutual benefits were concepts she neither understood nor wanted to understand.
At that moment, though, she had no choice but to suppress her inner turmoil, force a smile, and rise to bow.
"Your daughter obeys."
Obedience, compliance—these were her duties. Born into royalty, freedom was never part of her destiny.
In the stillness of her room, Luo Lingmiao's serene sleeping face began to tense. Her brows furrowed, her eyelashes fluttered, and her breathing quickened as if gripped by a nightmare.
"I refuse… I don't want to… I won't…"
"Lingmiao, are you alright?"
A voice, unfamiliar yet tinged with kindness, broke through the haze of her distress.
Opening her eyes, Luo Lingmiao saw Senior Sister Qianhua sitting beside her bed, her expression full of concern. Beside her stood Elder Wuyun.
"Master… Senior Sister, I…"
Luo Lingmiao tried to rise and bow, but a sudden wave of pain surged through her body, turning her face pale. She collapsed back onto the bed, caught just in time by Qianhua.
"Don't push yourself," Wuyun said, her eyes seemingly piercing through Luo Lingmiao's very being. "Your condition is precarious, but this is also your opportunity."
"Master, what happened to her? Her body feels so cold," Qianhua asked, shivering despite her Golden Core cultivation.
Luo Lingmiao herself was equally baffled, though the stark contrast of her black-and-white hair offered a silent clue.
"Qianhua, step outside for now," Wuyun instructed. "And remember—what happened here is not to be spoken of. If anyone asks, tell them it's under my orders."
"Yes, Master."
Though filled with questions, Qianhua obeyed. After helping Luo Lingmiao back onto her bed, she reluctantly left the room.
"Master, what's happening to me?" Luo Lingmiao asked once they were alone.
"You needn't worry—it's not a bad thing," Wuyun reassured her, gently stroking her hair. "Do you recall the Seventh Sequence barging into your bathing chamber?"
At this, Luo Lingmiao's face turned red with embarrassment and anger. She balled her fists, clutching the sheets tightly.
"Yes," she murmured. "I sensed him through the formation and thought he wanted to discuss Xiao Yi. So I allowed him inside. But then… he… he jumped into my bath!"
"He shouldn't have done that, I agree. But it was a matter of necessity. He must've been unable to suppress the awakening of his Dao Body, forcing him to act," Wuyun explained.
"His Dao Body? Why would that…" Luo Lingmiao trailed off, her thoughts drifting toward her own transformation.
"The Xuanming Dao Body produces extreme cold during awakening—a cold so potent it can cause spiritual roots to mutate. He likely intended for you to acquire an Ice Root," Wuyun clarified.
"However, your mutation remains incomplete. The extreme cold lingers within your meridians, causing the pain you've been feeling."
Two Choices
"You must make a decision now," Wuyun continued. "Will you pursue full mutation of your spiritual root, or stop here?"
"If you choose to stop, I can expel the residual cold from your body. Though you won't gain an Ice Root, your spiritual energy will retain traces of the Xuanming chill, enhancing your combat strength."
"And if I choose to continue?" Luo Lingmiao asked cautiously.
"To complete the mutation, you'll need to stay by his side, absorbing the cold he produces. The most effective way would be through dual cultivation," Wuyun admitted.
"The benefits of an Ice Root are immense, but so are the challenges. Every breakthrough in cultivation will be significantly harder. However, overcoming these trials will strengthen your root further, eventually reaching Heavenly Root quality."
"But I must warn you," Wuyun added, her tone grave. "Your connection to him won't remain hidden. The simultaneous appearance of an Ice Root and a Xuanming Dao Body will inevitably fuel rumors."
"You've always been independent, joining the Dao Sect to escape Xiao Yi's engagement. I know relying on another man isn't your ideal path. But remember, the choice you make today will shape your destiny more than any decision you've made before."
"If you wish to reject him, I will support you fully—even arranging to dissolve your engagement. Follow your heart."
Luo Lingmiao's Dilemma
Luo Lingmiao fell silent, her mind a storm of conflicting emotions. She trusted Wuyun's sincerity; the elder's care was a stark contrast to the scheming hypocrisy she had endured in the royal court.
"Thank you, Master," Luo Lingmiao finally said, her voice steady. "I would like to meet him first—before I decide."
Midnight Shenanigans
That night, the system's notification rang out with eerie punctuality.
[Ding! New Check-in Location: Changsheng Dao Sect, Water Lineage, Seventh Pavilion, Luo Lingmiao's Bathtub. Reward: Xuanming Codex.]
"...What?"
"...WHAT?!"
"...WHAT!!?!"
Lu Bingxuan stared at the prompt, his emotions cycling rapidly between disbelief, outrage, and resignation.
At first, relief washed over him—it was happening in his own residence this time. But that relief evaporated the moment he read the rest of the notification.
If there was one thing worse than dying of social embarrassment, it was dying a second time in the exact same context.
This time, it wasn't him barging into someone else's bath—it was someone else needing to come to his.
"System, you really outdid yourself this time," Lu Bingxuan muttered, half in awe and half in despair.
Still, the reward—the Xuanming Codex—was tantalizingly relevant to his Dao Body. Its value was undeniable.
"...Forget it. Let's focus on breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage first," Lu Bingxuan grumbled.
Resolving to ignore the system's antics for now, he resumed his cultivation. At the rate he was progressing, reaching Foundation Establishment was only a matter of days.