"Many thanks, Lord Qianhua!"
Leng Yanqiu accepted a Lunar Seed, a flash of pleasant surprise crossing her haughty expression. Just as she was about to speak, a voice rang out.
"Yanqiu, you have no need to thank him at all."
In response, a group of twenty to thirty people appeared. They emerged from the icy radiance of the Bing Xuan Sect, all women who appeared to be of considerable age. Leading them was an old woman with white hair and beard, who seemed to move with some difficulty, supported by a young girl.
When the old woman and her entourage appeared, the Bing Xuan Sect elders, led by True Person Yuhua, hurriedly bowed in greeting, addressing her as Ancestral Patriarch.
The Eighteen Chief Disciples and the Nine Personal Disciples did the same.
Even the seemingly arrogant Leng Yanqiu gave a slight bow and respectfully called out, "Ancestral Patriarch."
Witnessing this scene, the crowd gathered at the foot of the mountain couldn't help but murmur amongst themselves.
They had long heard rumors that the Bing Xuan Sect's Ancestral Patriarch was still alive. It was said this Ancestral Patriarch had lived for three thousand years and had been by the side of the sect's founding ancestor, Yun Nishang, back in the day. They wondered if it was true.
"The Bing Xuan Heart is connected to the seven Lunar Seeds," the Bing Xuan Sect's Ancestral Patriarch said slowly, her gaze fixed on Si Qianhua not far away with evident distaste. "When the Bing Xuan Heart opens later, the seven Lunar Seeds will automatically return to their positions. At that time, even if he doesn't want to hand them over, he won't have a choice."
"Heh heh."
Si Qianhua remained unmoved, still standing with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression quite leisurely, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia, it's been a while."
"Hmph!"
Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia snorted coldly and rebuked, "Si Qianhua, don't think this old woman doesn't know what you're scheming. Let me tell you! It's absolutely impossible. I advise you not to indulge in wishful thinking."
"The Ancestral Patriarch worries too much."
Si Qianhua's smile remained as gentle as a spring breeze.
"Worries too much? Hmph! Si Qianhua, you'd best take your people and leave. Otherwise, don't blame this old woman for being impolite!"
"Oh?"
Si Qianhua let out a soft, amused sound, staring at Zhu Xia before laughing. "Since that's the case, then I shall take my leave first."
With that, he led his people away swiftly.
Seeing Si Qianhua depart, Leng Yanqiu seemed somewhat displeased. "Ancestral Patriarch, Lord Qianhua only wanted to help us."
"Yanqiu, how many times have I told you not to collude with people from the Nine-Hua Alliance? Why won't you listen? He isn't helping you at all; he's just using you. There are things you simply don't know."
As she spoke, Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia sighed wearily, shaking her head slightly as if helpless. "Forget it, forget it. Let's prepare for the matter of the Bing Xuan Heart first."
Among the crowd.
Wei Qing watched the Bing Xuan Sect's Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia, then glanced at the departing Si Qianhua, seeming somewhat confused.
Indeed.
Zhu Xia, like him, had once been one of the seven Color Envoys created by the Empress, and she was the leader of the seven, the one the Empress trusted most. When the Empress performed her blood escape back then, she had even entrusted Zhu Xia with overseeing the Bing Xuan Sect's affairs.
Originally, everything was fine. But ever since their consciousness seas suddenly fell into chaos five hundred years ago, and they awakened again, many of Zhu Xia's actions had been incomprehensible to Wei Qing. That's why he had long suspected that Zhu Xia had found a Leng Yanqiu in an attempt to replace the Empress.
He had thought Zhu Xia was collaborating with the Nine-Hua Alliance, but seeing Zhu Xia's attitude towards Si Qianhua just now left Wei Qing puzzled again.
"What trick is that wretched woman Zhu Xia playing now!"
At that moment, Liu Piaopiao also appeared, asking in confusion, "Weren't you suspecting that Zhu Xia and the Nine-Hua Alliance had been secretly plotting this together? How come..." Clearly, Liu Piaopiao had also noticed the oddity.
Wei Qing frowned and shook his head. He didn't know either.
"We... may have truly misunderstood Zhu Xia."
Suddenly, another man appeared beside Wei Qing. This middle-aged man looked quite stern and somewhat profound.
Both Wei Qing and Liu Piaopiao recognized this man. Like them, he was one of the Empress's seven Color Envoys: Wan Wei.
"Wan Wei?"
Seeing Wan Wei appear, both Wei Qing and Liu Piaopiao were very surprised, as Wan Wei was notoriously elusive. The two hadn't seen any trace of him for many years. Upon seeing Wan Wei now, Liu Piaopiao immediately demanded, "Where have you been all these years? Why only show up now? I almost suspected you had betrayed us like the others and followed Zhu Xia!"
"I've been lying low within the Bing Xuan Sect all these years."
Wan Wei's words startled both Wei Qing and Liu Piaopiao. They asked suspiciously, "What were you doing lying low in the Bing Xuan Sect?"
"Ever since you suspected Zhu Xia was trying to use Leng Yanqiu to replace the Empress, I've been quietly infiltrating the Bing Xuan Sect to investigate this matter."
Wan Wei furrowed his brows, his expression particularly serious. "There is no one behind Zhu Xia. She hasn't been conspiring with the Nine-Hua Alliance either. She has been doing all these things entirely on her own."
"What do you mean we misunderstood her?" Liu Piaopiao snapped. "Whether she conspired with others or not, the fact is she's using the Bing Xuan Heart to summon the Empress's seven soul manifestations, right? Having Leng Yanqiu first fuse with the Bing Xuan Heart before summoning the Empress's soul manifestations—if that's not to replace the Empress, then what is it?"
"Remember? We asked her this question back then."
Wan Wei said gravely, "She said she has always been acting according to the Empress's decree, never once violating it."
Indeed.
Ever since suspecting Zhu Xia wanted to use the Bing Xuan Heart to replace the Empress, Wei Qing and Liu Piaopiao had questioned Zhu Xia more than once.
And each time, Zhu Xia said she was only acting according to the Empress's decree.
But.
What Liu Piaopiao couldn't understand was: the seven soul beads sealed within contained the Empress's seven soul manifestations. How could the Empress possibly allow someone else to fuse with her own soul manifestations? Wei Qing didn't know the answer, Liu Piaopiao didn't know, and Wan Wei didn't know either. They had asked Zhu Xia about it, and Zhu Xia replied that she didn't know either.
Subsequently, both Liu Piaopiao and Wei Qing fell silent. If someone else had said this, they would never have believed it. But precisely because it came from Wan Wei's mouth, they had to consider it carefully.
"The Empress created the seven of us, placing us under Zhu Xia's leadership. Before the Empress disappeared, she instructed us to observe cause and effect, leaving only Zhu Xia behind at the Bing Xuan Sect."
After a moment, Wan Wei continued, speaking as if in a daze, "The Empress's divination skills were peerless. If Zhu Xia truly harbored malicious intent, I think the Empress would have known. And..." He paused, then added, "And, five hundred years ago, the consciousness seas of all of us fell into chaos, except for Zhu Xia's. Our memories are missing... but hers are not..."
Yes.
Five hundred years ago, the consciousness seas of the other six envoys fell into chaos; only Zhu Xia's did not.
This was also the real reason Wei Qing and the others suspected Zhu Xia of plotting.
Just as Wan Wei was speaking, the massive iceberg suddenly underwent an abnormal change.
The icy radiance from the Bing Xuan Sect grew exceptionally intense. Leng Yanqiu sat cross-legged within it, while the nearby Ancestral Patriarch Zhu Xia seemed to have cast several unknown spirit seals. Instantly, the icy radiance bloomed layer by layer like a flower, its brilliance extremely dazzling, forcing people to shut their eyes.
A Lunar Seed in Liu Piaopiao's hand was sucked towards it as if completely out of her control.
Simultaneously, from all directions, several other Lunar Seeds surged into the icy radiance.