Jun Mo Xie's eyes swept further, only to stop again in shock. On the last wall, four neat altars had been carved directly into the ice.
Each altar bore a name: "Jun Wu Hui." "Jun Wu Meng." "Jun Mo You." "Jun Mo Chou."
Beneath them was one final inscription: "Set up by the unfilial sister-in-law, Han Yan Yao."
Jun Mo Xie's heart shook violently as no more words were necessary.
In this cold prison, her heart had never strayed. She had already regarded herself as the Jun Family's daughter-in-law long before the world would acknowledge it.
'A love stronger than gold, deeper than oceans...!'
This weak, frail lady had carved her resolve into ice and blood.
This was why the Xiao Family treated her with such cruelty.
Jun Mo Xie drew in a deep breath. Without uttering a sound, his heart acknowledged her... this woman was truly his third aunt.
A woman whose stubbornness could move heaven itself. A woman worthy of respect!
But just as this thought echoed in his mind, Han Yan Yao suddenly sighed, her soft voice breaking the silence.
"Who is there? Please reveal yourself."
Jun Mo Xie stiffened. His concealment skill had never once been seen through.
Even peak experts could not detect him, yet this woman, with her frail cultivation, had sensed him?
"Please reveal yourself." Han Yan Yao's voice carried no panic, only calmness edged with cold. "Your abilities are extraordinary, but I can still feel your existence."
Jun Mo Xie's breath stilled.
Her masked face lifted, her eyes as cold as snow. Without expression, her features were flawless, an ethereal beauty untainted by worldly desires.
At that instant, Jun Mo Xie understood the phrase: as clear as ice, as clean as jade.
Han Yan Yao was like a spirit born of heaven and earth, pure, untouchable. Adornments would only mar her perfection. Before her, no impure thoughts could arise, only admiration and reverence.
She blinked slowly, then continued, her voice steady.
"The person hidden in the shadows... I admit, your concealment is flawless. I cannot force you to appear. But do you think I would not know? I have lived alone in this cave for ten whole years! No one else has ever crossed its threshold.
"I know every stone, every curve, every breath of this cave. I know how it smells when snow falls heavily outside, how the air shifts when the winds change, how the Qi flows with every season. This place is carved into my very bones.
"You may fool my Xuan skills, but you cannot fool the senses I have honed through ten years of solitude."
Her tone sharpened slightly, like steel hidden beneath silk.
"I know someone is here. Are you still unwilling to show yourself? With your abilities... do you truly need to fear a woman like me?"
Jun Mo Xie couldn't help but laugh bitterly. A low chuckle escaped his lips, echoing faintly off the icy walls like ripples breaking the silence of a frozen lake. With that laugh, the air around him shimmered. The void trembled, and he stepped out of the shadows, undoing his concealment.
He had indeed overlooked something. When one was trapped alone in a place like this for ten long years, with no voices, no warmth, no human presence… one inevitably sharpened their senses to the smallest changes. Even the faintest shift in air, the softest thread of warmth, would not escape them.
But the man who emerged was not the Jun Mo Xie of now, as he deliberately chose his original appearance.
Crrrk… shatter!
The air cracked like glass as though reality itself broke apart. From within, a figure walked forth.
Han Yan Yao's pupils contracted sharply. She watched the void tear open, watched an extraordinarily handsome man step out, every movement dignified and effortless. His scarlet eyes glimmered with unfathomable depth, like an endless sea of stars where secrets slept eternally. His silver hair cascaded like molten moonlight, each strand glistening brightly against the reflection of the ice walls. His long robe swayed gently in the chill, yet somehow his presence dispelled the bitter cold.
In that instant, the cave seemed to thaw; his arrival was like spring breaking through eternal winter, warmth flowing into every crevice of the frozen prison.
"You… who are you?" Han Yan Yao's lips trembled slightly, her voice soft, yet it quivered like the pluck of a zither string. Her heart skipped a beat, betraying the calm mask she tried to wear. She shook her head abruptly, retreating half a step, but her composure faltered, her foot stumbled lightly against the stone floor…
Jun Mo Xie only smiled, a curve of lips carrying amusement yet veiled with a trace of sorrow. He gave no answer. Instead, he raised his hand with a casual wave.
RUMBLE!
The entire cave trembled, an echo booming like thunder trapped beneath the ice. In the center of the chamber, frost surged upward, forming into shape, sharp lines condensed, then softened. Within moments, a majestic chair of pure ice stood proudly, its surface gleaming like crystal under moonlight.
Tap… tap… tap…
Jun Mo Xie strolled over with measured steps, the echo of his boots striking the floor as though marking his presence against ten years of silence. With quiet grace, he seated himself, his gaze settling upon Han Yan Yao. His voice, low yet resonant, spread warmly through the cold air.
"Who I am… is not important. First and foremost, this old man must apologize to you."
Han Yan Yao blinked, stunned. She had no idea who this mysterious figure was, yet her instincts screamed he was no ordinary expert; his presence alone dwarfed everything she had ever encountered. She quickly waved her hand, shaking her head.
"Please don't… Senior, there is no need. I don't even know who you are… why would you apologize to me?"
Jun Mo Xie smiled faintly, eyes narrowing with a hint of playfulness. His tone carried a teasing lightness, yet every word seemed to carry weight.
"Who I am is irrelevant. What matters… is that I carry a connection to the Jun Family of Tian Xiang City."
Clang!
It was as if his words struck directly into her heart.
Han Yan Yao's entire body shivered, her eyes instantly lighting up with desperate hope. She stepped forward unconsciously, her voice trembling as she spoke rapidly:
"Y-you said… Jun? Jun Family? Is… is what you said true?"
Jun Mo Xie leaned back in his chair, resting one hand upon its carved armrest. His scarlet eyes glittered mischievously, a trace of warmth behind the depth. His lips curved into a calm, confident smile.
"Would this old man need to deceive… a weak young lady such as yourself? The only thing you need to know… is this: Jun Mo Xie… is my disciple."
His words rolled across the chamber like a bell toll and silence fell.
Han Yan Yao froze in place, her delicate frame quivering ever so slightly. Her wide eyes brimmed with disbelief, shock, and something far deeper, hidden in the depths of her trembling heart.
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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