121: Chapter 121 Cold Frost's Doubts, Xiao Nianyin Fabricates an Excuse

"Correct, a mirror."

Xiao Nianyin's spiritual power shifted at her fingertips, transforming into the phantom of a clear ice mirror.

"It can reflect the myriad phenomena of the world, the seven emotions and six desires, and the mundane life of the Mortal World."

"True 'Stainless' state is not about isolation or eradication, but... reflecting, accommodating, and even... after understanding, still being able to maintain the clarity and transcendence of one's original heart."

Her gaze, like a sword forged of ice and fire, pierced toward Leng Ningshuang.

"Your current 'Ice Heart' pursues silence and isolation too deliberately."

"It seems solid and flawless, but in truth, it is as fragile as colored glass."

"Once you encounter a 'scene' that can truly reflect into your heart's lake, or an existence that can ignite the 'fire' hidden deep within you, this mirror... will be at risk of shattering."

Leng Ningshuang's mind shook violently!

Xiao Nianyin's words exploded in her Dao Heart like a thunderclap!

She had always felt her Cultivation had reached a Bottleneck and it was difficult to Breakthrough to the realm of 'Heavenly Maidens Descent'; so this was the crux of the problem!

She had been striving to 'exclude', rather than 'reflect' and 'understand'!

"Then... how should this Disciple Cultivate this 'Mirror Heart'?"

Leng Ningshuang's voice trembled slightly with excitement, and her gaze toward Xiao Nianyin now held a nearly pious longing.

The Sect Master was indeed unfathomable, able to see through the crux of her Mystic Ice Heavenly Maiden Art at a glance from a completely different perspective of Cultivation Techniques!

However, the doubts in her heart had not completely dissipated.

Why was the Sect Master suddenly teaching her so selflessly?

This was completely different from her previous attitude. And... what about Xu Ruyu? Shouldn't the Sect Master be more concerned about her own Personal Disciple?

Xiao Nianyin seemed to see through her thoughts and suddenly changed the subject:

"The Three-Month Agreement between you and Xu Ruyu can be said to have been personally set by this Seat."

Hearing Xiao Nianyin take the initiative to mention this, Leng Ningshuang couldn't help but feel a chill in her heart.

"This person, Xu Ruyu," Xiao Nianyin's tone was flat as the wisp of ice-fire spiritual power at her fingertips silently dissipated, "is quite strange."

She paused, seemingly weighing her words, but what she said made Leng Ningshuang's heart tighten:

"Furthermore... he has a treacherous mind and acts despicably."

Leng Ningshuang's pupils constricted slightly.

Despicable?

The Sect Master actually used such a word to describe her own Personal Disciple?

"Sect Master..." Leng Ningshuang couldn't help but speak, her ice-blue eyes full of confusion, "This Disciple has one thing she doesn't understand."

"Speak," Xiao Nianyin's expression remained unchanged.

"Isn't Xu Ruyu... the Sect Master's Personal Disciple?" Leng Ningshuang looked directly at Xiao Nianyin, her tone sincere. "Previously, at the Outer Sect Disciple recruitment, the Sect Master went against all opinions to take him as a student, even setting the Three-Month Agreement just to protect his status."

"Moreover, not long ago, Xu Ruyu just repelled the provocation of the Meiying Sect for our Hehuan Sect, raising our Sect's morale. So why..."

She paused, but still voiced the doubt in her heart:

"Why is the Sect Master pointing out things for this Disciple now instead? And Xu Ruyu... this Disciple heard he has already moved out of Ningyin Hall and gone to Tingzhu Peak in the back mountain? Has there been some change in this?"

The air in the secret chamber seemed to freeze for a moment.

Xiao Nianyin looked at Leng Ningshuang quietly. There was no emotional ripple in those ice-like eyes, but Leng Ningshuang keenly felt the surrounding temperature seem to drop a few more degrees.

After a long time, Xiao Nianyin spoke slowly, her voice low and cold:

"You are indeed sharp."

She stood up, her plain white robe flowing with a faint radiance under the reflection of the ice crystals.

She walked to the Cold Jade Wall on one side of the secret chamber, her back to Leng Ningshuang, seemingly lost in certain thoughts.

Leng Ningshuang held her breath and waited.

She knew her question just now had touched upon some secrets.

But her personality had always been direct; if she didn't understand, she asked, never hiding anything.

This was also her path of cultivation—a heart like an ice mirror, reflecting the truth.

"Everything this Seat did before..." Xiao Nianyin finally spoke, her voice carrying a hint of complex and indefinable meaning, "was out of necessity."

Leng Ningshuang's heart skipped a beat.

"This person, Xu Ruyu," Xiao Nianyin turned around, her gaze as sharp as an ice blade, "holds a very important secret of this Seat."

A secret?

Leng Ningshuang was stunned.

"A secret... sufficient to shake this Seat's position as Sect Master, and even endanger my life." Xiao Nianyin's voice had no fluctuations, as if she were stating something unrelated to herself. "Because of this, this Seat previously had no choice but to deal with him superficially, even against my will taking him as a student and giving him the status and protection of a Personal Disciple."

"All of this was merely to keep him stable and prevent him from leaking the secret."

Leng Ningshuang's breathing suddenly became rapid.

She finally understood!

No wonder the Sect Master had protected Xu Ruyu like that before, even breaking conventions! It turned out... she was being controlled by him!

An unspeakable anger rose from the bottom of her heart.

Xu Ruyu... he was actually so despicable! Using the Sect Master's secret as blackmail to force her to take him as a student!

Where was the natural talent or resilient Heart-Nature? This was clearly a despicable and shameless person taking advantage of someone's peril!

"Then now..." Leng Ningshuang's voice trembled slightly with anger.

"Now, the situation has changed." Xiao Nianyin walked back to the Mystic Ice Prayer Mat and sat down again, looking at Leng Ningshuang calmly. "This Seat's cultivation has basically recovered, and I am no longer controlled by others as before. But that secret... is still in his hands."

Her tone suddenly turned cold, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness:

"Therefore, this Seat needs you—to kill him during the battle of the Three-Month Agreement."

"Boom—!"

It was as if a thunderclap had exploded in Leng Ningshuang's mind!

Kill him?

The Sect Master actually wanted her to... kill Xu Ruyu?

Although her heart was already filled with disgust for Xu Ruyu's despicable behavior, the word "kill" still made Leng Ningshuang feel a chill.

Since she began her Cultivation, although she had experienced many battles, she had never truly taken a life. Moreover, he was the Sect Master's Personal Disciple...

"Sect Master, this..." Leng Ningshuang didn't know how to respond for a moment.

"What? You can't bring yourself to do it?" Xiao Nianyin's voice was as cold as iron. "Do you know how much turmoil the secret in Xu Ruyu's hands would cause the Hehuan Sect if it were leaked?"

"How many Disciples would suffer because of it? If this Seat's position as Sect Master is unstable, how will those forces that have long coveted the Sect take advantage of the situation?"

She stared at Leng Ningshuang, emphasizing each word:

"Sometimes, to protect more people, one must make a choice. Since Xu Ruyu chose to use a secret as blackmail and walk this path of no return, he should have the awareness to face the consequences."

Leng Ningshuang fell silent.

She indeed hated evil with a passion.

If Xu Ruyu was truly as the Sect Master said—a despicable person who blackmailed and forced the Sect Master to submit—then his death would indeed not be a loss.

Moreover, this also concerned the stability and safety of the entire Sect...

"This Disciple understands." After a long time, Leng Ningshuang took a deep breath, a hint of determination flashing in her ice-blue eyes. "It's just... although this Disciple's cultivation is higher than his, there is indeed something strange about Xu Ruyu."

"Previously on the Law Execution Platform, with his Qi Refining cultivation, he was actually able to..."