“You little girl…sigh.”
Wan Shuang looked at Xun Xue in that state, feeling both annoyed and amused. After staring for a long while, she finally let out a long sigh.
Her gaze returned to Xun Xue as she brought up the matter at hand. “So, what do you plan to do with that human locked in the Ice Prison? You can’t keep her confined forever, can you?”
“Oh Wan Shuang sister~ do you really need to ask me that?”
Xun Xue raised her head, her azure eyes clear and innocent.
She instinctively rubbed her cheek against the soft hair atop her daughter’s head and said matter-of-factly, “You’re the leader! Of course, this kind of thing is up to you!”
The implication was clear: aside from my Xiaoqiancha, whether others are locked up or released has nothing to do with me.
Wan Shuang felt a migraine coming on again.
Great, that question was a waste of breath.
She took a deep breath and resignedly spoke again, this time stating her decision plainly.
“Fine. I’ll decide to release the person. After all, she’s your daughter’s fellow disciple. Keeping her locked up forever is unreasonable, and it would put you in a difficult position.”
“More importantly, the Tianyuan Sect will come to inquire sooner or later. Better to take the initiative to show goodwill and make an alliance.”
“Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, I’ll follow whatever Wan Shuang sister says!”
Xun Xue nodded carelessly, her attention immediately returning to the little treasure in her arms.
She looked down at Lu Qiancha’s drooping, slightly messy blue ears and naturally lowered her head, extending her warm tongue to gently lick the soft ear edges a few times.
“!!!”
Lu Qiancha, who had been playing dead moments ago, instantly jolted!
That warm, moist touch shot through her sensitive ears like electricity.
Almost instinctively, she raised a paw and forcefully pushed Xun Xue’s face away—so close to her—and with a hint of lingering grievance in her voice, her fur bristling, she exclaimed, “W-what are you doing!”
“Just grooming your fur, silly. I used to be groomed like this when I was little. It feels really good.”
Xun Xue paused her movement, her clear blue eyes full of genuine confusion as she tilted her head, not understanding what the problem was.
Lu Qiancha was about to say something when the corner of her eye suddenly caught Wan Shuang sitting quietly nearby—the silver-gray gaze fixed on her with an ambiguous smile.
At that moment, Lu Qiancha shivered, swallowing the protest rising to her lips. In the end, blushing, she muttered awkwardly and softly, “It’s… it’s really itchy… stop licking…”
“Then I’ll go slower.”
Xun Xue seemed to take that as permission, happily curving her eyes into a smile.
Not only did she not stop, but she moved even closer — she slightly parted her lips and actually took the petite tip of Lu Qiancha’s ear fully into her warm, moist mouth.
Her tongue even intentionally, or perhaps unintentionally, brushed over the tiny cartilage inside the sensitive ear.
“Uu-ny~”
An indescribable electric current, mixed with itchiness and a strange comfort, instantly swept over Lu Qiancha’s entire body!
She trembled violently, her eyes uncontrollably squinting shut as a soft, complaining yet inexplicably soothing whimper escaped her throat.
Her ear tips twitched uncontrollably under the warm embrace, and all the strength in her body seemed drained away by this overly intimate action…
Wan Shuang watched this mother-daughter interaction with a helpless smile and thought: Who even grooms like this…
Shaking her head, Wan Shuang decided to give these two, who were like sisters, some ample private space. She stepped out of the wooden hut to inform the guards to release the prisoner.
***
Frostlands Ice Prison.
The biting cold pierced the skin, ice shards sharp as blades.
Shangguan Yunzhu sat cross-legged on the freezing Mystic Ice Bed, eyes closed, focusing on circulating her spiritual energy to recover her strength, yet her mind was a tangled mess.
What about Lu Qiancha Senior Brother, who was captured with her? Would the Snow Wolves treat him badly? The overwhelming anxiety threatened to consume her.
Clack—!
The heavy Mystic Ice Iron Gate suddenly sounded as it unlocked.
Shangguan Yunzhu’s eyes snapped open, gaze sharp as a sword.
The door opened, and a silver-gray figure, radiating immense aura, stepped in—it was none other than Wan Shuang, the Wolf Clan Leader who had earlier exuded terrifying pressure.
“Human,”
Wan Shuang’s cold voice echoed in the empty Ice Prison, emotionless, “You may leave now.”
With that said, she turned and prepared to leave, as if merely handling a trivial matter.
“Wait!” Shangguan Yunzhu suddenly stood, residual Red Flame Qi faintly rippling around her.
Suppressing her hostility, she demanded, “Why did your tribe arbitrarily capture disciples of the Tianyuan Sect?! Also, where is the fellow disciple who was captured with me now?!”
“You damaged our Yin-Yang Killing Formation and stole our Precious Medicine. Capturing you was only right.”
Wan Shuang glanced at Shangguan Yunzhu and tossed out a single sentence.
“…!” Shangguan Yunzhu’s breath caught, her cheeks flushing bright red!
If not for that formation, she would have long fallen into the hands of the Shigong.
She inhaled deeply, suppressing the urge to argue. With solemn sincerity, she cupped her fists toward Wan Shuang’s back.
“Senior… earlier, to break the deadlock, it was truly necessary to destroy your tribe’s formation. I… on behalf of that fellow disciple and myself, sincerely apologize to your tribe!”
“Save the apologies.”
Wan Shuang’s tone was indifferent. “Your fellow disciple… has already paid the price for their ‘transgression.’”
(She was referring to the 800 lashes on Lu Qiancha’s backside.)
After a pause, she added, “Leave. Your Jin Zhi has been lifted.”
With that, her figure flickered and disappeared like a shadow melting into the ice wall.
“?!”
A heavy weight settled on Shangguan Yunzhu’s heart.
Paid the price? What price?! Lu Senior Brother… could it be… severely punished because of her? A flood of worry and guilt overwhelmed her instantly.
She hurriedly called out, “Senior! Wait! Where is my fellow disciple now?!”
Only her anxious cries echoed in the gloomy Ice Prison.
After several breaths, an impatient voice transmitted through the cold stone walls: “Your fellow disciple left on their own long ago. At this moment… she is likely no longer within my Xueyuan Territory!”
“…Thank you, Senior, for the explanation!”
Shangguan Yunzhu bowed deeply toward the empty depths of the Ice Prison. Despite endless doubts and worries, she could only leave for now. She quickly exited the chilling prison.
***
At the Snow Wolf Tribe Settlement.
The biting cold of the prison was replaced by a wind carrying the crispness of snow and the scent of smoke and fire.
Before her eyes, a vast cluster of wooden houses and stone towers built along the mountain rose in orderly fashion.
Figures bustling to and fro were wolves, large and small, their fur pure white and fluffy. Children chased and played, warriors carried prey home, women hung laundry…
Aside from the difference in species, the lively everyday life bore a resemblance to human towns, only with a rougher and quieter atmosphere befitting the frost-covered world.
As Shangguan Yunzhu scanned the surroundings, searching for any sign of Lu Qiancha or a way out, a sudden flash in the corner of her eye caught her attention—a very conspicuous figure on the road not far away!
It was Qiancha?!
Lu Qiancha’s face, devoid of hope, was being ruthlessly pinched by Xun Xue’s doting smile.
Her small blue ears were occasionally sucked on affectionately.
Her fluffy big tail was held in the woman’s fair palm, gently stroked in an absent-minded rhythm…
She looked like a large, exquisitely crafted doll, utterly powerless in the arms of that stunning woman, only able to let out occasional faint whimpers filled with helplessness and embarrassment in protest…… only to be completely ignored.
Shangguan Yunzhu hurried forward and in a flash, politely yet firmly blocked the two figures ahead.
Her gaze fixed on the stunning blue-haired woman, whose clear blue eyes held natural charm and a hint of puzzlement.
“Who are you?”
Xun Xue tilted her head, looking at this human in front of her.
“You are… Qiancha’s sister, right?”
Shangguan Yunzhu considered her words carefully, striving for courtesy, “I am Shangguan Yunzhu. Thanks to Miss Qiancha’s noble help, I was able to escape. Sorry to block your way so abruptly.”
She cast a glance at the listless Lu Qiancha in Xun Xue’s arms, her eyes full of concern and complicated gratitude.
Xun Xue stopped stroking the tail and blinked her bright blue eyes, as if inspecting some new curiosity. Then she smiled, a bit sly and proud, “My name is Xun Xue~”
She hugged the little one closer, her chin affectionately brushing against her head, adding, “And you’re wrong! I’m not her sister, I’m this child’s—mother.”
“I-I’m sorry! My eyes deceived me. Please forgive my rudeness, Senior!”
Shangguan Yunzhu hurriedly bowed, cheeks slightly flushed with embarrassment at her mistaken assumption.
“It’s alright.”
Xun Xue smiled lightly, then passed through the way Shangguan Yunzhu had made.