Given to Lin Qianxue

...On the western side of Purple Bamboo Peak, atop a precipice.

There stood a solitary pavilion named Frost Sword Pavilion.

Before even drawing near, a bone-chilling coldness rushed forth, and the surrounding purple bamboos were covered in a layer of crystalline white frost.

This was the harshest and coldest place on Purple Bamboo Peak, and also the cultivation site of the Fifth Junior Sister, Lin Qianxue.

Zheng! Zheng! Zheng!

The crisp and stirring cries of a sword echoed through the wind and snow.

Su Ye stood in the distance, quietly watching the graceful figure dancing with a sword in the snow.

Lin Qianxue was dressed in white that outshone the snow, her figure tall and cold. The longsword in her hand was like a dragon; with every stroke, ice crystals danced through the air.

She possessed a Supreme Grade Ice Spirit Root and, moreover, an Innate Sword Heart.

This Physique predestined her to be a peerless Genius born for the sword, and also fated her personality to be cold and aloof.

But in Su Ye's eyes, this usually icy Junior Sister was actually a tsundere who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside.

"This strike was slow."

Su Ye spoke indifferently, his voice piercing through the wind and snow to reach Lin Qianxue's ears clearly.

Lin Qianxue's figure paused, and the sky-filling sword light suddenly retracted.

She turned around; her ethereal and refined face still bore no expression, but her originally sharp gaze softened instantly the moment she saw Su Ye.

"Senior Brother."

She sheathed her sword into its scabbard, her voice cold yet carrying a trace of imperceptible reliance.

"Why are you here?"

Su Ye walked forward slowly, casually waving away the surrounding chill.

"What, can't I come to see my most diligent Junior Sister if there's nothing wrong?"

Light Snow pursed her lips slightly and said nothing, only silently walking to the stone table to pour a cup of hot tea she had prepared long ago for Su Ye.

The tea was scalding and steaming; clearly, she had been waiting for him all along.

Su Ye took the teacup and took a sip, warmth entering his stomach.

"Light Snow, your Sword Intent has improved again."

"That move just now, 'Frost Chills the Nine Provinces,' already has some proficiency."

Receiving Su Ye's praise, a very faint smile finally appeared on Lin Qianxue's face, which was usually like a ten-thousand-year-old iceberg.

"It's not enough."

She shook her head gently, her gaze firm. "Compared to Senior Brother, I am still far behind."

"How old are you? You don't need to push yourself so hard."

Su Ye sighed; this girl was good in every way, except she was too stubborn and competitive.

He put down the teacup, took out the brocade box containing the "profound ice heart protection mirror" from his storage ring, and pushed it toward her.

"It's for you."

Lin Qianxue was stunned for a moment, looking at the brocade box with some confusion.

"What is this?"

"You'll know once you open it."

Lin Qianxue opened it as told.

Instantly, an Aura several times colder than the surroundings erupted.

A crystal-clear jade pendant lay quietly in the box, as if it contained the power of a ten-thousand-year-old snow mountain.

"This is..."

Lin Qianxue's pupils constricted slightly as she felt the desire and cheering from the Ice Spirit Root within her body.

"ten thousand year profound ice marrow?"

"Good eyes."

Su Ye praised, "This is called the profound ice heart protection mirror, an Earth Rank supreme grade defensive Magic Treasure."

"It can not only protect your heart Meridians but also nourish your Sword Heart. In a critical moment, it can unleash absolute zero to injure enemies."

"Your swordplay is unstoppable, but you often neglect your own defense. This is exactly what you lack."

Lin Qianxue's fingers gently touched the jade pendant; the icy sensation made her feel incredibly comfortable.

This was not just a Magic Treasure, but also Senior Brother's meticulous care for her.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

She didn't decline like Wan'er did, because she knew Su Ye's personality.

Since he gave it, it was sincere.

She silently picked up the jade pendant, hung it at her waist, and wore it close to her body.

"As long as I live, it will not break."

This was her answer: simple, direct, yet heavy as a thousand catties.

Su Ye smiled; this girl's way of expressing herself was always so hardcore.

"Don't be in a hurry, there's one more thing."

Su Ye gave a mysterious smile and flipped his palm again.

This time, what appeared was a rusty, tattered-looking scabbard.

Lin Qianxue's brows furrowed slightly.

Although she didn't despise it, with her sword dao attainment, she really couldn't see anything special about this piece of scrap metal.

"Senior Brother, this is..."

"Used for sharpening swords?"

Su Ye shook his head, put away his smile, and said seriously:

"Light Snow, close your eyes and use your Innate Sword Heart to sense it."

"Remember, don't look with your eyes; look with your heart."

Seeing Su Ye so solemn, Lin Qianxue didn't dare to be negligent.

She took a deep breath, slowly closed her eyes, adjusted her breathing, and brought her state to its Peak.

Then, she reached out her slender fingers and gently grasped the rusty scabbard.

Boom!

The moment she grasped the scabbard, an ancient, weathered, and extremely overbearing intent, like a flash flood, surged into her Sea of Consciousness!

Lin Qianxue's delicate body trembled violently, and her face instantly turned pale.

In her perception, how was this some scrap metal?

This was clearly a peerless Sword Emperor who stood tall between heaven and earth, standing above the Nine Heavens, looking down upon all living beings!

That Sword Intent, though only a sliver, seemed capable of severing time and space, severing Karma, and severing all laws in the world!

"This... this is..."

Stormy waves surged in Lin Qianxue's heart.

This was the ultimate power of the sword dao!

This was the Realm she dreamed of!

[System Notification: Lin Qianxue's Innate Sword Heart has resonated with the Ancient Sword Emperor's Sword Intent and is entering a state of Epiphany.]

Su Ye looked at Lin Qianxue, who was trembling all over and surrounded by Sword Qi, and nodded with satisfaction.

As expected, this thing could only show its value in the hands of a true Sword Cultivator.

He didn't disturb her, just quietly stood aside to protect her.

The Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art operated quietly, forcibly plundering all the Spiritual Qi within a ten-mile radius and gathering it around Frost Sword Pavilion to provide ample energy for Lin Qianxue.

Time passed minute by minute.

A full hour passed.

The Aura on Lin Qianxue's body began to climb steadily.

The Bottleneck of the Golden Core Great Perfection was as fragile as paper under the impact of this supreme Sword Intent.

Crack!

It was as if something had shattered.

A fierce and extreme ice Sword Intent soared into the sky, directly tearing a huge rift in the clouds above Frost Sword Pavilion!

"Break!"

Lin Qianxue suddenly opened her eyes, and two substantial sword beams shot out from them, freezing the air in front of her into ice dregs.

The rusty scabbard in her hand was also vibrating slightly at this moment, as if it had met a soulmate.

"Half-step Nascent Soul..."

Lin Qianxue looked down at her hands, her eyes filled with shock.

With just one realization, not only did her cultivation break through, but even her long-stagnant Sword Intent had entered a brand new level.

Extreme Cold Sword Intent, Major Achievement!

"Phew..."

She let out a long breath and turned to look at Su Ye; the indifference in her eyes had long since vanished, replaced by a kind of fanatical worship.

And... a trace of deep affection.

"Senior Brother, this scabbard..."

"It's for you."

Su Ye shrugged and said nonchalantly, "I just picked it up at a market stall. I originally wanted to use it as a fire poker, but since it's useful to you, take it and play with it."

Lin Qianxue gripped the scabbard tightly, her knuckles turning somewhat white.

Picked it up casually?

Who are you kidding!

A supreme treasure like this, containing an ancient Legacy, wouldn't even have a few copies in the Holy Land's treasury.

Senior Brother must have paid a huge price to obtain it, right?

Yet, in order not to give her a psychological burden, he actually said he picked it up.

"Senior Brother..."

Lin Qianxue bit her lip, a never-before-felt emotion surging in her heart.

She suddenly took a step forward and made an extremely bold move.

She reached out her arms, forcefully hugged Su Ye's waist, and buried her face in his chest.

Her cold body pressed against Su Ye's warm chest.

"Thank you."

Her voice was slightly choked up, yet exceptionally firm.

Su Ye was stunned for a moment; feeling the slightly trembling body of the beauty in his arms, he was also somewhat surprised.

Was this still that tsundere Junior Sister?

It seemed this offensive of "money power" plus "Opportunity" had an outstanding effect.

He smiled and patted Lin Qianxue's back, feeling her slender waist that could be held in one hand.

"Alright, how old are you, still crying?"

"With all this chill on you, aren't you afraid of freezing your Senior Brother?"

Hearing this, Lin Qianxue hurriedly let go and retreated two steps in a bit of a panic.

Although her face regained its coldness, the tips of her ears were flushed red.

"Who... who's crying?"

She turned around, her back to Su Ye, tightly clutching the scabbard.

"I'm going to stabilize my Realm."

After saying that, she rushed into the depths of the pavilion as if fleeing, though her footsteps seemed a bit disorganized.

Su Ye looked at her slightly disheveled back and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"This girl."

Having handled two Junior Sisters, Su Ye's mood was exceptionally pleasant.

He turned around and cast his gaze toward the majestic palace at the top of Purple Bamboo Peak—Cold Jade Palace.

There lived the true Revered Master of Purple Bamboo Peak, and also the most difficult one to handle.

The number one beauty of Taichu Holy Land, the Taiyin Sacred Body, a Great Power of Tribulation Crossing Realm.

Yun Yuzhen.

She was also Su Ye's tsundere and protective Revered Master.

"It's also time to go 'pay respects' to Revered Master."

Su Ye touched the ten jars of "nine brews immortal drunken brew" and fifty boxes of "beauty nourishing paste" in his storage ring.

Of course, the most important thing was the ten thousand shadow recording stones that recorded Revered Master's dark history.

This was the ultimate weapon for handling this Great Power of Tribulation Crossing Realm.

"Revered Master, oh Revered Master, I've brought you some good things this time."

"I hope when you see those bills, you won't cry out of heartache."

Cold Jade Palace stood tall at the summit of Purple Bamboo Peak.

It snowed here year-round, and the temperature was outrageously low. Even an ordinary Golden Core Cultivator, without a special Magic Treasure for protection, would have their Meridians frozen after staying here for a short while.

The palace was carved entirely from ten-thousand-year-old profound ice, crystal clear, as if the Guanghan Immortal Palace had fallen into the mortal world.

Su Ye stood before the towering ice crystal gates of the palace and tightened the Purple-Gold Cloud-Patterned Robe on his body.

"Tsk, Revered Master's old habit still hasn't changed. Living in such a cold place, isn't she afraid of freezing her body?"

He muttered to himself, but his eyes showed a hint of doting and helplessness.

To outsiders, this was the Forbidden Ground of Purple Bamboo Peak, protected by the Taichu Holy Land's most terrifying "Nine Heavens Ten Earths Taiyin Extinction Grand Array." Even a Mahayana stage powerhouse would lose a layer of skin trying to break in.

But for Su Ye, this place was like his own back garden.

He skillfully performed a hand seal, spiritual power flowing from his fingertips to form a complex rune, which he lightly pressed onto the gate.

Buzz—

The originally chilling grand array actually dispersed like melting spring snow to open a path.

The heavy ice gate also let out a muffled roar, slowly opening to both sides.

"Rebellious Disciple, don't you know how to knock before coming in?"

A cold and majestic, yet somewhat lazy voice came faintly from the depths of the palace.

The voice wasn't loud, but it contained a terrifying pressure that could change the very color of the heavens and earth.

Tribulation Crossing Realm, Tenth Heaven!

This was a terrifying existence standing at the pinnacle of the cultivation world's pyramid.

If it were any other Peak Revered Master or Elder, they would have been trembling in fear and kneeling for mercy upon hearing this voice.

But Su Ye just picked his ear, a wicked smile playing on his lips.

"Knock? If I knocked, wouldn't it make this Disciple seem too distant from Revered Master?"

He strode forward, directly crossing the threshold and walking toward the inner chambers in the depths of the palace.

Passing through the long ice-crystal corridor, the scene before him suddenly opened up.

This was an extremely spacious and luxurious inner chamber.

The floor was paved with warm jade, and the walls were inlaid with night-luminescent pearls, their soft glow dispelling the chill.

In the center of the hall, reclining on a cloud couch carved from supreme grade cold marrow, was an exquisitely beautiful figure.

The woman was dressed in a moon-white flowing immortal dress, the hem spreading across the couch like clouds and mist.

Her long black hair was loosely scattered, with a few strands falling over the full curves of her chest, rising and falling slightly with her breath.

Her skin was like congealed fat, her eyebrows like distant mountains, and her phoenix eyes were long and majestic, yet the corners of her eyes carried a naturally born charm.

This was the Peak Master of Purple Bamboo Peak in Taichu Holy Land, Su Ye's Revered Master, Yun Yuzhen.

At this moment, she was holding a Jade Slip, seemingly reviewing the Sect's records. Seeing Su Ye enter, she didn't even bother to lift an eyelid.

"Hmph, glib-tongued."

Yun Yuzhen's red lips parted slightly; though her tone was cold, a trace of imperceptible joy flashed in the depths of her phoenix eyes.

"I heard you were quite impressive out there?"

"First, you shattered Zhao Wuji's spirit boat, then you forced Li Tianba to kneel in Jubao Workshop."

"Now the entire Taichu Holy Land is saying that my Purple Bamboo Peak has produced a Devil King."

She put down the Jade Slip and sat up straight, an Aura as deep as an abyss and as vast as a prison instantly enveloping Su Ye.

She seemed to want to give this Disciple, who had just returned to the mountain, a little "lesson."

Su Ye felt his shoulders grow heavy, as if he were carrying an ancient divine mountain.

But not only did he not back down, he instead walked forward with a grin and sat down directly beside Yun Yuzhen's cloud couch.

"Revered Master is wronging this Disciple."

"This Disciple was spreading the Divine Might of our Purple Bamboo Peak!"

"That Zhao Wuji relied on being a Saint candidate to look down on everyone. If this Disciple hadn't acted, wouldn't that have shamed your face, Revered Master?"

While speaking, Su Ye very naturally reached out and grabbed Yun Yuzhen's jade-like foot resting by the couch.

It felt cool and delicate, like the finest mutton-fat jade.

Yun Yuzhen's delicate body trembled slightly, and that terrifying pressure instantly became somewhat unstable.

"Impudent!"

Her beautiful eyes glared, and she tried to pull her foot back, only to find it was held firmly by Su Ye.

"No respect for your Elders, who told you you could sit up here? Get down!"

Although she scolded him, her foot didn't really use force to break free; instead, her toes curled slightly, showing a bit of cute shyness.

"Revered Master, don't move. This Disciple saw that you've been overworked these past few days and specially learned a set of 'Heavenly Demon Tendon-Relaxing Hands' to give you a massage."

Su Ye said thick-skinnedly, his fingers already skillfully beginning to press on the Acupoints of her sole.

The Heaven Swallowing Demonic Art operated, and a stream of warm Pure Yang Qi flowed from his fingertips into Yun Yuzhen's body.