"What kind of answer am I supposed to give to elder sister…? Maybe I should just come clean."
A lone figure whispered those words in her heart as she trekked across the frozen peaks, her breath vanishing into the wind like fading regrets. A week had passed since her disappearance — a week since she had abandoned the sect in her reckless pursuit of power. Now, every step she took crunched with the weight of that choice.
Back then, she had thought strength was all that mattered. But now… she wasn't so sure. Even if she had gained power beyond her dreams, it wasn't truly hers. It was because of him.
If that man hadn't appeared in the tournament… if he hadn't stepped into her life with such defiance and disregard… would she even be alive to return? Most likely not. Her body would be buried beneath the tomb's icy depths, her name nothing more than a sorrowful echo to her elder sister. Yet here she was — alive, walking under the same sky again — all because of him.
Her cheeks flushed as his image flashed in her mind — the way he fought, the way he looked at her, the way he saved her without expecting anything in return.
She raised her blade, a long katana with a shimmering blue handle, and stared at her reflection on the frosted steel.
"He gave me a second chance at life…" she murmured. "Elder Sister will definitely scold me for what I've done, but at least I'll get to see her again. I'll gladly accept any punishment that comes."
A shiver ran through her body — not from the cold, but from the thought of facing her sister's wrath. Before this, she had never cared much — not about cultivation, not about rules, not even about her sister's own solitary training. But now, with her emotions returned, everything felt different.
She cared.
Her elder sister — once stoic and distant — had changed too. After she returned from her own mysterious journey, she began smiling more often, laughing softly when they trained together, and showing warmth she never had before. Though she still wore her icy mask before others, to her younger sister… she was radiant.
"I wonder if I've become like her now," she thought as she touched her chest.
She still remembered the day her Ice Heart shattered. Rumors had long claimed that those whose Ice Hearts broke would become crippled — failures of the Frozen Cloud Asgard. But instead of losing her strength, she had gained something far greater. She felt alive. She felt loved.
She had even… fallen in love.
…
…
…
"Wait—what in the world am I thinking?!?"
The young woman froze mid-step, her face burning as she knocked her knuckles lightly against her head.
"I… I fell in love?!" she muttered, half in disbelief, half in panic. "The sect forbids such emotions! If anyone finds out, I'll be crippled and expelled for sure… but…"
Her voice softened, eyes trembling like the fragile snowflakes drifting around her.
"…why does it feel… so warm?"
"If I hide it properly… no one will know. Right?"
She took a deep breath, steadying herself before continuing her quiet trek toward home. The howling wind swept past her, scattering flakes of snow that glimmered under the pale moonlight. After a week of wandering, she could finally see the outline of her sect through the icy fog — the towering spires of Frozen Cloud Asgard.
But as she drew closer, her heart sank.
The main gates were sealed.
It was to be expected — the sect was preparing for the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament three months from now. Disciples were confined within the grounds to focus on their cultivation, and no one was permitted to enter or leave. Normally, the restriction didn't apply to high-ranking members like her; she could come and go as she pleased.
But this time was different.
She had left in secret. If she walked through that gate now, everyone would know immediately. The guards would report to the elders, word would spread… and soon, her elder sister — and even Mother — would come storming in to question her disappearance.
"When I left, I suppressed my cultivation and slipped out unnoticed… if I go back the same way, the barrier will flare up. Everyone will know."
Her brow furrowed as she weighed her options, anxiety creeping into her chest.
"What am I going to do…?" she thought, biting her lip.
Then — a flicker of memory surfaced. A buried shard of the past she had tried to forget. Her body tensed as the memory replayed itself, sharp and cold like a blade drawn across her mind.
There was one place.
A forbidden place.
A hidden tunnel beneath the sect — carved deep under the mountain of ice, leading from the inner compound all the way beyond the storm barrier.
She and her elder sister had discovered it as children, by pure accident. Back then, it was nothing more than a dark, mysterious cave they stumbled upon while exploring. Their childish curiosity had driven them to venture inside, laughing and daring each other to go deeper. But before they could reach the end, the Asgard Mistress herself had caught them.
The punishment that followed… she could still remember the pain and humiliation vividly. Afterward, the Asgard Mistress had the tunnel sealed to prevent anyone from using it again.
"I wonder if it's still there…" she murmured softly, a spark of hope flickering in her eyes.
Without wasting another moment, she took to the skies. Her figure glided above the frozen peaks, her robes fluttering like petals in a blizzard. The cold bit at her skin, but she pressed on, guided by memory and instinct.
Her flight brought her to a desolate, forgotten place — a frozen lake surrounded by ancient pines, long buried beneath layers of snow. In the center stood a small stone pavilion atop an island, lonely and silent under the silver moon.
She remembered it well. Once, it had been a training ground for young disciples. But after the sect expanded its territory and erected the snow barrier, this area was abandoned — swallowed by storms and time.
Now, it stood as a ghost of the past… and perhaps, her only way back home.
The disciples of Frozen Cloud Asgard were trained to perfection — their cultivation had long since rendered them immune to the biting cold. Even in temperatures that would freeze steel and shatter stone, they could walk through the snowfields as if strolling through a garden.
"I remember this place being much bigger the last time I came here…"
The lone beauty, Chu Yueli, murmured softly as her boots touched the frozen ground. Before her stood a small pavilion — the very same one she and her sister had once visited as children, back when curiosity outweighed caution.
Memories stirred like snowflakes in the wind. Back then, they were forbidden to leave the sect — not until they were chosen for a great ceremony or mission. But the hearts of children were not so easily restrained. They longed to see the world beyond the snow barrier. And in their naivety, they found a secret tunnel beneath this very pavilion — one that led out of the sect.
Because of their relationship with the Asgard Mistress, the two sisters had been granted this exclusive training ground. It once belonged to the Asgard Mistress herself during her youth. And though years had passed, the place still carried her aura — cold, dignified, and heavy with memory.
Chu Yueli brushed the frost from the old stone door and gave it a gentle push. The hinges groaned softly as the frozen wood shifted, revealing the familiar sight within.
The pavilion was just as she remembered — untouched by time, yet scarred by abandonment. Snow and ice crept through the cracks, forming crystalline layers over the empty floor. The furnishings that once adorned the hall had long been taken back to the sect, leaving behind only silence and frost.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"I thought she destroyed this place years ago…" she whispered. "Why didn't she?"
The Asgard Mistress had once told her that this place had been sealed — destroyed to prevent anyone from repeating their mistake. Yet here it stood, preserved beneath the snow, as if someone couldn't bear to erase it completely.
Yueli stepped inside, her breath echoing faintly in the still air. Each step echoed through the empty hall, stirring fragments of her past. The memory of her punishment — of her sister standing beside her, shielding her from the Asgard Mistress's fury — surfaced once more.
Despite the pain, a small smile curved her lips.
"It was all worth it," she said softly.
Because that moment, painful as it was, had been theirs — a bond only the two of them shared.
At the end of the narrow hall, she stopped before what seemed to be an ordinary wall. Her gaze sharpened. She reached out, brushing her gloved fingers across the icy surface, tracing faint indentations she remembered from long ago.
"If my memory serves me right, it should be around…"
Chu Yueli murmured as her gloved hand brushed slowly across the frosted wall, feeling for the faint trace of memory that lingered beneath the ice. Her fingers slid over smooth stone — then stopped. Something sharp pricked her palm.
When she looked closer, her eyes widened slightly.
It was the crest of Frozen Cloud Asgard, half-buried beneath a thick layer of frost. Time and snow had nearly erased it, but the intricate design was unmistakable.
A faint smile curved her lips. "Found it."
She gathered a thread of her icy profound energy in her palm and poured it gently into the crest. The moment her power touched the frozen emblem, a pale blue glow rippled across its surface.
Click…
A dull mechanical sound echoed through the empty hall. The floor beneath her began to tremble — and then the stone slabs started to sink, one by one, forming a narrow stairway descending into the depths below.
Chu Yueli didn't hesitate. Drawing a quiet breath, she stepped forward and began her descent into the darkness.
The cold air thickened as she moved deeper underground. Her soft footsteps echoed faintly through the narrow space, accompanied only by the slow grinding of stone above her as the stairway sealed itself shut.
Back then, she had often wondered why this tunnel existed in the Asgard Mistress's private training grounds. Was it meant as an escape route, in case the sect ever fell into chaos? Or perhaps a secret passage the Asgard Mistress used to leave in solitude?
She never found an answer. And perhaps, no one ever would.
When she reached the base of the stairs, she found another crest embedded into the icy wall. She pressed her hand against it, and the stairs behind her folded back into place — erasing all trace of the entrance.
The tunnel ahead shimmered faintly under the soft, ghostly glow of icy-blue crystals embedded within the walls.
"It's still the same…" she whispered.
Despite the passing years, nothing had changed. The tunnel was rough and uneven — not the polished, symmetrical design of sect architecture, but a natural-looking cave carved straight through the frozen mountain. And yet, it endured perfectly, untouched by decay or time.
As she walked, her sandals left faint prints on the frosted ground, each step stirring echoes of a distant memory.
The last time she had walked this path, she had been a mischievous little girl following her sister. They had discovered the old icy pavilion together — and hidden within it, the same crest she just touched. They had pressed it out of curiosity, and before they knew it, the stairs had appeared.
They descended, giggling and daring each other forward, until the stone stairs suddenly vanished behind them — trapping them inside.
Panic had set in. But by then, it was too late. They could only move forward.
When they finally emerged on the other side, the Asgard Mistress was already there, waiting — her face calm, her eyes colder than the storm outside.
Even now, Chu Yueli could still remember that moment vividly. The suffocating silence. The frozen dread in her heart. The quiet fury behind that emotionless gaze.
She smiled faintly, shaking her head. "We really messed up back then…"
The faint echo of her voice disappeared into the tunnel, swallowed by the cold and the dark — just like the memories she tried so hard to bury.
"By right, this tunnel should lead back to the pavilion in our training zone…"
Chu Yueli's voice echoed softly against the icy walls as she walked. The thought that this hidden passage had remained untouched all these years made her uneasy. If someone from outside ever discovered it — a spy, an intruder — they could slip into Frozen Cloud Asgard completely undetected.
Even worse, any disciple could sneak out at will.
Her mind wandered briefly. She could use it to sneak out too… to meet him again.
Mihawk.
Just the name sent a ripple through her heart.
"…Sigh." She let out a long breath, the faintest wisp of warmth vanishing into the cold air. "Am I really that in love with him?"
The question lingered, unanswered. She shook her head firmly, forcing the thought away. Elder Sister comes first. No matter what feelings bloomed in her heart, they could never outweigh that bond.
After a long walk beneath the mountain, she finally reached the opposite end of the tunnel. Like before, a familiar crest was carved into the icy wall. She pressed her palm against it, and the ground began to shift once more.
Click…
The stone slabs rose silently, forming the staircase that led back into the sect. A wave of cold light spilled from above as she climbed up — emerging beneath a pavilion deep within Frozen Cloud Asgard.
This place was different. Unlike the forgotten ruin outside the barrier, this pavilion was vibrant, meticulously kept, and filled with traces of life. The sisters had reclaimed it together after regaining permission from the Asgard Mistress — a place that once symbolized their shared growth and devotion.
But now, the air inside was… heavy.
Chu Yueli quietly closed the tunnel behind her, sealing away the passage once more. She took a cautious step forward, scanning the area to make sure no one had noticed her arrival.
Then—
"So, the fool of a sister finally returns?"
The voice cut through the silence like a shard of ice. Cold, elegant, and sharp enough to make her flinch.
Yueli froze. Her heart skipped. The air around her turned frigid as a chilling wave of profound energy spread through the room.
"How was your secluded training, by the way?"
That voice… that frost… she could never mistake it.
Slowly, she turned toward the sound.
Standing by the pavilion's doorway was a woman of incomparable beauty — serene as snow, radiant as moonlight. Her icy blue robes fluttered softly in the breeze, her presence exuding both grace and authority.
Chu Yuechan.
Her elder sister.
"E–Elder sister…" Yueli's eyes softened. Despite the fear curling in her chest, a smile found its way to her lips. After all she'd been through — the pain, the exhaustion, the near-death experience — just seeing Yuechan again filled her heart with relief.
But the warmth in her smile wasn't returned.
"Don't 'elder sister' me."
Yuechan's tone was calm — too calm. Frost began to gather at her feet, spreading across the floor in intricate, snowflake-like patterns. Her beautiful smile held no affection, no gentleness.
It was the smile of someone truly — and dangerously — angry.
Real angry.
The air between them grew colder still.
And for the first time since returning, Chu Yueli found herself shivering — not from the cold, but from the storm she knew was about to come.
"Eeep!" Chu Yueli yelped, the sound leaving her throat like a wounded bird. She'd never seen Yuechan like this. Panic fluttered in her chest. "elder sister… I… I can—n… explain—"
"Kneel."
The single word cut her off like a blade.
Yuechan's voice was ice—sharp, absolute. Yueli's hands trembled, but she obeyed without hesitation. She dropped to the stone floor and bowed, forehead nearly touching the frost. The action was automatic, filial; love for her sister outweighed pride or fear.
Yuechan stood over her, taller, composed, every inch the Asgard disciple who carried authority as easily as breath. Her smile was all wrong—arranged, cruelly serene. "Do you realize what you have done?" she asked, and contempt threaded through the words.
Yueli said nothing. She could not meet those eyes; the guilt warmed her cheeks darker than any fever.
"I was worried sick." Yuechan's tone shifted from controlled to sharp. "I brought you food, wanted to talk. The training chamber was empty. I searched—everywhere. You were simply gone. You didn't tell the Asgard Mistress. You didn't tell me." Each accusation landed with cold precision.
Yueli opened her mouth, swallowed, tried to steady the tremor in her voice. "Elder sister—"
"Explain." Yuechan's hand dropped to her side, fingers flexing as the air around them tightened. She cut Yueli off again before a single word came. "Explain everything. No omissions. No lies."
Yueli's throat worked. She expected a blow, punishment—anything but this measured demand. She steeled herself and began.
Before she could speak, Yuechan closed her eyes briefly and inhaled once, deliberately. The room seemed to hold its breath. A subtle haze of frost spread where she stood, and Yueli felt it like a physical pressure against her chest. Yuechan's aura had shifted—focused, probing.
"I'll know if you hide anything," Yuechan said quietly. Her voice was softer, but the warning was absolute. "My senses will tell me if your pulse lies to you."
Beneath that calm, Yueli felt the old, familiar power—an unerring, intimate scrutiny reserved for those who mattered most. She swallowed hard and met her sister's gaze. The next words would decide how the storm inside Yuechan unfurled.
Chu Yueli drew a deep breath. There was no point in hiding anymore.
She came clean.
From the moment she left the sect to the chaos of the tournament — her disguise, the battles, her meeting with the legendary swordsman Mihawk, the brief encounter with the Moon Empress, and the near-death ordeal that followed. She laid it all bare. Every word trembled with guilt and sincerity.
Chu Yuechan listened in silence. Her expression did not change — no anger, no relief — only the calm, unreadable stillness of falling snow. Yet her eyes were sharp, following every word, every breath.
Inside, her emotions churned like a storm beneath the ice. She wanted to lash out, to scold, to demand why. But she remembered someone's words — words that had tempered her once merciless heart. Listen first. Don't act rashly. Even a blizzard begins with a single snowflake.
So she listened.
This was her sister — her only blood relative left in this cold world. The one she had sworn to protect no matter what. And though Yueli's recklessness infuriated her, Yuechan couldn't bear to shatter the fragile trust they had built over the years.
When Yueli finally finished, she lowered her head. "…And that's about it."
She hesitated, then reached into her sleeve and revealed a delicate treasure ring, its faint glow catching the cold light of the pavilion. "This… was given to me by Mihawk."
Yuechan's gaze flickered briefly toward it — then away, utterly indifferent.
Wealth, artifacts, power — she had seen all of it, held more than most could dream. Yun Che and the others had already reshaped her understanding of what true treasure was: not gold or relics, but strength, trust, and the lives worth protecting.
She simply exhaled, her breath misting in the frigid air.
"So…" Yuechan said quietly, her tone deceptively calm. "You went to that tournament… knowing it could cost you your life?"
Yueli's voice was small. "Yes."
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Then Yuechan moved — slow, deliberate. Her footsteps echoed softly as she crossed the distance between them. Yueli looked up, hesitant.
"Elder sister, I—"
SLAP!
The sound cracked through the room like lightning.
Yueli's head snapped to the side, a flash of heat blooming across her cheek. The sting spread slowly, sharper than the cold, sharper than any punishment she had ever received.
Her mind froze.
It wasn't the pain that shocked her — Yuechan had been far harsher in the past, when emotion meant nothing to her. No, this time… it was different. The slap carried no profound strength, no killing intent. Yet it hurt more deeply than any blow ever could.
Yueli's knees wavered, and she barely kept herself from falling. Her wide eyes trembled as she looked up at her sister.
Yuechan's hand hung midair for a heartbeat before slowly lowering. Her fingers shook. Her voice, when she spoke, was not cold — but heavy, strained, breaking at the edges.
"You fool…" she whispered. "Do you have any idea what it felt like… thinking you were gone?"
The icy air between them quivered, carrying warmth for the first time.
Chu Yueli slowly turned her head, her cheek still stinging from the slap. She expected to see the same cold, unreadable face her sister always wore — but what she saw instead shattered her completely.
Chu Yuechan's expression was not stoic. Not icy.
It was pain.
Real, trembling pain.
Tears slid down her flawless cheeks, glittering like frozen crystals as they fell. Her body quivered, but not from the cold — from sorrow.
Yueli froze. Her breath caught in her throat.
She had seen her sister angry before. She had seen her emotionless, ruthless, or distant — but never like this. Never broken.
"W-What…?" Yueli whispered, her voice barely a breath.
Yuechan's voice cracked as it escaped her lips.
"What were you thinking?! Do you have any idea what would have happened if that Mihawk hadn't saved you?! Did you even think— even once— to consult me before doing something so reckless?!"
Her voice was sharp, but each word trembled with grief more than fury.
The tears wouldn't stop. They streamed freely now, glistening under the faint glow of the pavilion's icy walls.
"Have you ever considered how I would feel," Yuechan continued, her voice breaking mid-sentence, "if my beloved sister—the only family I have left—died alone in some unknown place… and I never even knew?"
Each word hit Yueli like a spear through her chest.
Every syllable carried guilt, love, and fear twisted together — and it tore her apart from within.
She couldn't reply. Her lips parted, but no words came. The guilt crushed her throat shut.
She wanted to say something — to explain, to defend herself — but what could she say? That she'd once thought death meant nothing? That she had been ready to throw her life away for strength?
Her hands tightened against her knees as she bowed deeply, her tears falling soundlessly onto the frosted floor.
Back then, when Yuechan had almost died and returned through the help of that mysterious senior, Yueli hadn't understood. She hadn't felt that fear, that unbearable grief that came from nearly losing someone precious. To cultivators, death was a familiar shadow — vengeance, sacrifice, loss… they were part of life.
But now…
Now that her Ice Heart was gone, she felt it.
The warmth. The pain. The fear of losing love.
And it hurt more than anything she had ever known.
Yuechan's voice softened, the edge fading into a raw whisper.
"Why…?"
Her tears fell harder, catching the light like shattered ice.
"Why didn't you tell me…? Do you hold so little regard for me now?"
It was the most fragile, vulnerable tone Chu Yuechan had ever shown anyone. Not as the Asgard prodigy, not as the cold beauty feared by all — but as a sister whose heart had finally cracked open.
Only two people had ever seen her like this: Yun Che… and her own sister, Chu Yueli.
And that knowledge only made the guilt sharper.
"Elder Sister…" her voice cracked, heavy with regret. "I'm sorry…"
But deep inside, she knew — sorry would never be enough.
Chu Yueli's trembling hands reached forward, gripping her sister's shoulders. Her touch was gentle but desperate — as if she feared Yuechan might fade away if she let go.
"It's not like that…" she whispered, her voice cracking as she tried to hold back her own tears. "I wanted us to be what we used to be… the unbeatable sisters who could face anything together — as equals."
Her voice wavered as she wiped at Yuechan's tears with her sleeve, but her own began to fall in their place.
"But… you grew stronger. And distant. I… stayed weak."
Yueli's breath hitched. The words were hard to say, each one tearing through her chest.
"For so long, you ignored me," she continued softly. "You refused to even look at me. Even when I took my first disciple, you didn't say a word. Not even a glance."
Yuechan's eyes widened slightly, her tears pausing midstream.
"But when you came back…" Yueli smiled faintly through her tears, the expression trembling on her lips. "When you came back, you were different. You were you again. You cared. You talked. You laughed with me, just like before you cultivated the Frozen Cloud Arts."
Her voice softened further, heavy with both love and sorrow.
"For the first time in years, I had my sister back. We trained together, talked about everything… we were close again. I was so happy — truly happy — that I even forgot about strength and titles."
Her eyes glistened as she looked directly into Yuechan's.
"But your power kept growing. Faster, higher, beyond anything I could ever reach. And I… I knew it was only a matter of time before you drifted away again. Before I was left behind once more."
Her hands tightened slightly on Yuechan's shoulders, trembling with emotion.
"So I wanted to close that gap," Yueli whispered. "I wanted to stand beside you again… not behind you. So that no matter what happens, we'll always be together."
The silence that followed was almost sacred.
And then — it was Chu Yuechan's turn to bow her head.
For once, the elder sister who stood tall before all of Frozen Cloud Asgard could not meet her younger sister's eyes.
Her tears fell quietly, tracing the same path Yueli's had moments before. The realization hit her like a blade — she had always been looking forward, always chasing power, never turning around to see who she left behind.
She had told herself it was for Yueli's sake. That strength meant protection. That distance meant safety.
But the truth… was far colder.
She had abandoned her.
Her heart tightened painfully as the weight of years pressed down upon her. Ever since she began cultivating the Frozen Cloud Arts, she had let that coldness consume her. She became what Asgard demanded of its disciples:
Beautiful.
Stronger.
And colder.
That was the true nature of the Frozen Cloud Asgard — a place that demanded perfection, at the cost of warmth.
If it hadn't been for Yun Che, she might never have broken free. He had thawed her heart, reminded her what it meant to care — to feel. Because of him, she had rediscovered the bond she thought she'd lost forever.
And now, realizing that Yueli had risked everything for her — for their bond — made her heart ache in ways she could barely understand.
All this time… her little sister had only wanted to be by her side again.
To be part of the unbeatable duo they once were.
Yuechan raised her head, her vision blurred by tears, and looked at the woman kneeling before her — not as the Asgard Mistress's disciple, not as a cultivator — but as her sister.
Her lips trembled as she whispered, barely audible, "Yueli… you fool…"
But her voice was tender now — warm, trembling, and full of love.
It wasn't Chu Yueli's heart that broke — it was Chu Yuechan's.
The moment she realized what her little sister had done, her composure shattered completely. She had slapped Yueli not out of cruelty, but out of guilt — a desperate, pitiful attempt to mask her own shame.
She was the horrible sister.
The one who left her behind.
The one who didn't deserve such devotion.
And yet, even after all that, Yueli had still looked up to her. Still loved her.
Chu Yueli had poured her heart out — every word, every tear, every wound laid bare. For the first time, the weight she had carried for years began to lift. No matter what happened next, she had spoken her truth. Whether her sister believed her or not no longer mattered.
She closed her eyes, bracing herself for another scolding, for the cold wrath she had come to expect from the legendary Frozen Fairy.
But instead…
Something soft pressed against her chest.
Her breath hitched. She opened her eyes — and froze.
Chu Yuechan had thrown herself forward, wrapping her arms tightly around her.
The elder sister, who once embodied the unyielding frost of Asgard, was now trembling — holding her like a lifeline, burying her face against her shoulder, refusing to let go.
"I'm sorry…" Yuechan whispered between broken sobs. "I'm sorry, Yueli… I shouldn't have left you behind. I wasn't there when you needed me the most. I turned my back on you… on us. I forgot I even had a wonderful sister standing beside me…"
Her voice broke entirely as she choked on her tears. "When you needed me, I wasn't there. I left you all alone… I'm so sorry…"
Yueli couldn't hold back anymore. The moment those words reached her ears, her body trembled — and all the emotions she had suppressed burst free.
Her tears flowed endlessly as she cried into her sister's embrace — her despair, her guilt, her loneliness, her helplessness inside that accursed tomb. Everything she'd been carrying for so long poured out at once.
She was thirty years old… a full-grown woman, a sect senior. But right now, she wept like a child — a little girl who had finally found her home again.
For the first time in years, she felt warm. Safe. Whole.
She was glad her Ice Heart had shattered.
It had given her back the one thing cultivation had stolen — feeling.
And now, in her sister's arms, she felt truly complete.
They held each other for what felt like forever — two figures amidst the snow, trembling, crying, and finally healing.
When Yueli finally found her voice again, it came between soft sniffles and uneven breaths.
"Elder Sister…" she whispered. "I'm sorry too. I was afraid… afraid that if I told you, you'd never let me go. I wanted to grow stronger for you — not to surpass you, but to stand beside you… just like before."
Yuechan smiled faintly through her tears, her expression soft and full of affection. She gently wiped away Yueli's tears with her sleeve, then rested her hand atop her sister's head, stroking her hair as she once did when they were young.
"You should be sorry," she murmured, her voice regaining a touch of that familiar firmness. "Next time, you tell me. If there's danger, I'll go with you — or face it for you. You don't have to carry that burden alone anymore."
Her tone softened again, though her words carried the weight of authority only an elder sister could command.
"But it's over now. The past is gone. What matters is that you came back."
Yuechan tightened her embrace one last time, her warmth melting through the frost in both their hearts.
"I promise you this," she said softly. "If I grow stronger, so will you. I'll never leave you behind again."
Then, pulling back just enough to meet Yueli's tear-filled eyes, she added in a tone that was half stern, half tender:
"From now on, you're not leaving my sight. Not for a single moment. That's your punishment for scaring me half to death."
Yueli let out a choked laugh through her tears. "Y-Yes… big sister."
The words slipped out naturally — soft, trembling, yet full of warmth. It had been so long since she called her that. The title once buried under cold formality now bloomed again, tender and alive.
Chu Yuechan froze for a moment. That familiar calling… it had been years since she'd heard it. Something deep inside her chest tightened, and her eyes softened.
Yueli's own eyes widened as the realization sank in. Then, through the tears, she smiled — a bright, unguarded smile that cracked the last of the ice between them.
"Big sister…" she whispered, voice shaky but full of relief. "You promised, right? We'll be together like we used to? Even if I go to the bathroom?"
For a moment, Chu Yuechan could only blink — then a small laugh escaped her lips. It was rare, delicate, and beautiful.
She raised her hand and gave Yueli a light chop on the head. "That's an exception," she said gently. "But you know what I mean."
"Big sister… sob… hnn… I promise."
Yueli's composure broke again. She buried her face against her sister's chest, crying freely this time — not out of guilt or despair, but relief. Pure, unrestrained relief.
In that moment, she wasn't the elegant Fairy of Frozen Cloud Asgard. She wasn't a cultivator, nor a disciple. She was just Chu Yueli, a little sister in her big sister's arms.
Regaining her emotions had been the greatest blessing in her life. Because now, she could feel this — warmth, love, and the unbreakable bond she once lost.
The same warmth shone in Chu Yuechan's heart as she held her sister close, guilt finally melting away. She could only hope that Yueli would truly forgive her for being so blind before.
Unknowingly, both sisters carried the same thought — silent gratitude toward the man who had changed everything. The man who had melted the frost within their hearts.
Yun Che.
The reason they could stand here, crying and laughing together again.
Yuechan slowly lifted Yueli's face, her touch tender as she wiped away her tears with her sleeve. Her other hand gently rubbed Yueli's head, just like she used to when they were young.
"I'm just glad you're alive," Yuechan whispered softly. "You could've asked me to go with you to that tournament, you know."
"I wanted to…" Yueli murmured, her eyes shimmering. "But I wanted to grow stronger on my own. To make you proud — not because I relied on you, but because I stood beside you."
Yuechan smiled, brushing a loose strand of hair from her sister's cheek before resting her palm against her head. Her tone was low, soothing, almost melodic.
"You've already made me proud," she said. "But remember — the unbeatable duo always stays together. Am I right?"
Yueli nodded through her tears, smiling like a child again. "Hnnn… next time, I'll ask you to come with me, big sister."
The words sounded childish now, something she hadn't said in decades. But to Chu Yuechan, it was perfect.
Because for the first time in so long — her little sister was hers again.
"Li'er, if you want…" Chu Yuechan hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting aside as a faint blush dusted her cheeks. "You can call me Onee-san."
Yueli blinked, tilting her head slightly. "Onee… san? What does that mean?"
The sound of it was foreign, melodic, almost playful — and completely unfamiliar.
Yuechan's lips curved into a shy smile. "It means big sister — but in another language."
She had learned it from Retsu, who came from a faraway place where people spoke differently from them. The first time Yuechan heard her use that gentle tone and strange words, curiosity had bloomed in her heart. There was something melodic, almost soothing, about that foreign speech.
Since Yueli didn't know Retsu, Yuechan decided not to mention her name — not yet. It's better if they meet one day, she thought quietly.
She chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, a rare gesture of shyness for someone usually so composed. "Someone taught me a few words… and honestly, I didn't realize how beautiful their language sounds until I tried it myself. Especially the way they address people — the honorifics, the emotion in their tone. It feels… warm."
Her voice softened further, a nostalgic glow flickering in her eyes as she continued, "They have these little endings they use — -chan, -san, -sama… titles that carry meaning beyond words. But since my name already ends with '-chan,' it sounded strange whenever they tried calling me that."
A faint laugh escaped her lips as she recalled the memory. They just stuck with calling her sister instead. It was the same with Cang Yue. Retsu once tried calling her Yue-chan, but it didn't quite fit either. So in the end, she simply called both her and Cang Yue sister.
That small habit eventually spread among their companions, and before long, the two of them had affectionately earned the titles 'Sister Yuechan' and 'Sister Yue.'
Yueli blinked, still trying to wrap her head around it. "Ehhh? That sounds kind of foreign," she said, her tone innocent and curious.
Yuechan gave a small hum of agreement. "Hnnn… it is. But I like it. You can use it if you want — Onee-san means the same as 'Elder Sister' or 'Big Sister.' It just feels… softer."
Yueli's eyes lit up with childlike amusement. She gave it a little thought, then smiled warmly. "Then… Onee-san."
The way she said it — hesitant yet affectionate — made Yuechan's heart flutter unexpectedly. It sounded strange at first, but hearing it from Yueli's lips… it just felt right.
She found herself smiling — genuinely smiling — and reached out to pat her sister's head again, her fingers threading softly through Yueli's silky hair.
"You're just so cute, you know that?" Yuechan teased lightly.
The compliment made Yueli's face turn pink in an instant. She turned her gaze aside, flustered, yet unable to hide the shy grin spreading across her lips.
"E-Ehh? I'm not cute… I'm thirty years old!" she protested weakly.
Yuechan laughed softly, the sound gentle and teasing. "Age doesn't matter. You'll always be my adorable little sister."
Yueli puffed her cheeks slightly but couldn't stop smiling. The pavilion that had once echoed with cold silence now felt warm — filled with laughter, love, and the sound of two sisters rediscovering the bond they once lost.
After a while, the two sisters finally calmed down from their emotional storm. Their tears had dried, replaced by the soft glow of relief that lingered between them. The Ice Heart might be gone — shattered — but neither of them wished to have it back.
They preferred this warmth.
Chu Yuechan's hand still rested gently on her sister's head, fingers gliding through her hair in slow, soothing motions. The silence between them was peaceful — no longer heavy, but comforting.
Then Yuechan decided to break it.
"By the way," she began softly, her tone casual yet curious, "you mentioned that this Mihawk saved your life. Twice, wasn't it? And that he gave you treasures from the vault without hesitation…"
Her fingers paused, and she tilted her head slightly, her curiosity surfacing. "What kind of person is he, exactly?"
There was genuine interest in her voice — not just as a sister, but as someone who'd heard whispers of this mysterious swordsman shaking the entire realm.
The name Mihawk had spread like wildfire across the Sky Profound Continent. According to the Asgard informants, he had single-handedly defeated several high-ranking cultivators — even an elder from the Heavenly Sword Villa — with a power that defied reason. The sects whispered of him as a prodigy, a monster of the blade, a man so strong that even the Four Great Sects avoided provoking him.
Some rumors even claimed he had clashed with an Emperor Profound Realm expert from the Sacred Grounds… and survived.
Unscathed.
Yuechan had dismissed most of it as exaggeration — until now.
To think her own sister had not only met this man, but owed him her life…
She frowned slightly. His name was foreign, his demeanor unusual. And for a fleeting moment, Yuechan recalled another man she knew — one equally heaven-defying, whose words and smile had turned her world upside down.
"Could it be… him?" she thought, shaking her head lightly. "No. Impossible. That Mihawk is about Yueli's age… and that rascal barely turned twenty."
Still… the similarities were uncanny.
Her musings were interrupted when she noticed Yueli's face turning bright red.
"Yueli?" Yuechan blinked, watching her sister's flustered expression with growing amusement. "What's wrong?"
Yueli's lips parted, her voice caught somewhere between embarrassment and a nervous laugh. "N-Nothing! I just— umm…"
Her blush deepened, spreading all the way to her ears.
"He's… kind of cute."
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Yuechan's brows lifted slightly, intrigued.
Yueli fidgeted with her sleeves as she spoke, her voice soft and honest. "He saved my life twice, you know. Even helped me recover and improve my cultivation. I used to think men were… well, scum." She smiled awkwardly, the faintest laugh escaping her lips. "But he's different. He doesn't have that… aura. There were times he could've taken advantage of me, but he didn't. Not once."
Her tone grew tender, her expression distant — recalling memories that clearly meant something to her.
"He just… saved me. Helped me. Gave me everything I needed, without asking for anything in return. He didn't even see me as a burden."
For a moment, Yuechan didn't speak. She simply watched her sister — the warmth in her voice, the faint, bashful smile on her face.
It was familiar. Painfully familiar.
That tone. That expression. The light in her eyes.
It was the same look Yuechan had worn — once — when she'd spoken about that man.
Her lips curved into a faint, knowing smile.
"So," she thought quietly, "that's how it begins."
Seeing Yueli blush and smile shyly at the same time, Chu Yuechan could only draw one conclusion.
"Li'er…" she said softly, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Are you in love with him?"
The words hit Yueli like lightning.
"Wha—?! N-No! Of course not!" she stammered, waving her hands in panic. "I mean… i-it's forbidden for us to feel love! If anyone in the sect finds out, I could be crippled and expelled. I wouldn't dare…"
Yuechan watched her flustered reaction quietly, then let out a small sigh, her eyes softening.
If it had been her old self — the cold, emotionless version molded by Frozen Cloud Asgard's teachings — she might have scolded Yueli on the spot. She might have called her foolish, reckless, even hunted down the man herself to erase the 'distraction'.
But that was before.
Now that she understood what it meant to love, to feel, Yuechan's heart ached for her sister instead.
"Li'er…" she said gently, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder. "You don't have to hide it. It's written all over your face. We're sisters, aren't we? You don't have to pretend in front of me. Your secret is safe here."
Yueli puffed her cheeks in embarrassment, her blush deepening until her face was almost red as a cherry blossom. "Muuu… is it that obvious?"
Yuechan chuckled softly — but before she could tease her more, Yueli's eyes narrowed playfully.
"Onee-san," she said with a smirk, "don't you think you have it too?"
Yuechan blinked. "What are you talking about?"
"Love," Yueli said plainly, her tone firm.
Yuechan froze, caught completely off guard.
"You always look in the same direction every day since you came back," Yueli continued, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow. "And every time, you've got that same look on your face — that faint blush, that faraway gaze. That's not admiration, Onee-san… that's longing."
She leaned forward slightly, her grin widening. "You wanted to go to him, didn't you? But you couldn't, because of your position and your duties. I wouldn't have noticed if you did it once or twice… but you do it every day. Before I left, I even thought you were sick. Turns out, you're just love-sick."
Chu Yuechan's face went from calm to crimson in seconds.
"W-What…?" she stammered, utterly flustered. She had been so sure those small, private moments had gone unnoticed — the quiet times she'd stared at the horizon, lost in thought of him.
To think her sister had seen all of it.
Finally, Yuechan sighed in defeat, hiding her blushing face with a hand. "Yueli… you're far too sharp for your own good sometimes."
Yueli's teasing grin softened into a proud smile. "Of course. I am your sister, after all."
Yuechan couldn't help but laugh quietly at that — the sound gentle and wistful.
In truth, Yueli's observation was spot on. The same look she saw in her sister's eyes was one she had witnessed before — in Xia Qingyue, the Asgard's pearl she once trained before the said pearl became the Asgard Mistress's personal disciple.
After Xia Qingyue's cultivation had reached perfection, she often found herself staring silently toward the direction of that massive energy disturbance that shook the realm nearly two years ago. She did it every day — emotionless on the surface, yet her eyes always carried a quiet yearning.
At the time, Yuechan hadn't understood it. But now, she did.
That expression belonged to someone who missed someone dearly.
And the source of that energy — of that look — had been none other than a man named Yun Che.
The same man who had shaken her heart, too.
A faint smile curved Yuechan's lips. "Hnnn… you're right, Yueli. I suppose I've made it a habit."
Her voice softened, wistful yet warm. "There was… someone. Someone who changed how I see the world."
She didn't say his name — she couldn't. Not to her sister. Not when that same man already had a wife within their sect.
When Yuechan had first learned the truth — that Yun Che's wife was none other than Xia Qingyue — she had been shocked. Conflicted.
For a brief, furious moment, she'd even wanted to punish him for it. For having Retsu, Cang Yue… and herself.
But that anger never lasted. Because beneath the jealousy was something else — understanding.
When she learned that Xia Qingyue had left him on their wedding night because of Asgard's cruel laws, Yuechan's heart softened completely.
She couldn't blame him.
Not anymore.
Well, she didn't know the whole story — not yet. But she couldn't help smirking when she heard that Yun Che had "slapped" the faces of the entire Xiao Clan during his own wedding. The image alone almost made her laugh.
It seemed her little sister didn't truly recognize him beyond the rumors — only as the husband of her disciple, Xia Qingyue, and the man who had caused a few uproars in the past.
Yueli tried to suppress a nervous laugh but soon fell quiet, her expression softening into worry. The memory of punishment still haunted her — the first and last time the Asgard Mistress, their foster mother, had beaten them for breaking sect rules.
They had been just children then, but the punishment had been merciless. The pain, the fear, the humiliation — it was something she swore she would never experience again.
"Onee-san…" Yueli said softly, her voice trembling. "We could get in trouble for this. For… our feelings. If the Mistress finds out, she might punish us again. She might force us to re-cultivate our Ice Hearts and seal our emotions forever."
Her eyes glistened as she spoke, and Yuechan's heart clenched. The younger sister who once hid behind her during storms now trembled not from pain, but from the fear of losing the warmth they had just regained — the bond, the laughter, and even her growing affection for Mihawk.
Seeing that vulnerable, innocent look on Yueli's face stirred something fierce and protective within Chu Yuechan — an instinct buried deep beneath layers of discipline and ice.
She cupped her sister's cheek and smiled faintly. "Don't worry," she said with quiet confidence. "Your Onee-san will protect you. Sect laws or not — if anyone dares to hurt you, I am strong enough to stop them."
Yueli blinked, tilting her head in confusion. "Ehhh? You broke through again?!"
Yuechan gave a calm nod, her smile deepening. "Hnnn. I was planning to come find you after it happened, but when I sensed your aura approaching, I decided to wait here. I figured you'd return the same way you left — through the hidden path, not the front gate."
But as she took Yueli's hand in hers — warmth meeting warmth — Yuechan suddenly froze.
A faint ripple of energy pulsed beneath Yueli's skin.
Yuechan's Observation Haki, which had only recently advanced to a higher level, reacted instinctively. What she sensed nearly made her heart stop.
Her eyes widened as she stared at her sister in disbelief.
"Li'er…" she whispered, tightening her grip. "You… you're at the peak of the Emperor Profound Realm?"
The realization sent a tremor through her body. She could feel it clearly — the power coiled within Yueli's veins, flowing with divine purity.
"And these veins…" Yuechan's voice faltered, her eyes narrowing in astonishment. "The Heavenly God Spiritual Veins? How is this possible?"
She could hardly believe what she was sensing. In just a single week, her sister's cultivation had soared to match her own. It had taken Yuechan months of relentless training to achieve this stage, yet Yueli had reached it in mere days.
"What kind of encounter did you have in that tomb?" Yuechan breathed, half in awe, half in disbelief. "Even with fortuitous chances, this speed… this growth… it's absurd."
Her heart swelled with pride and shock all at once.
The little sister she had once shielded — the girl who used to hide behind her robes — now stood shoulder to shoulder with her.
Both sisters stood quietly for a long moment, the hum of their combined auras filling the frozen pavilion.
Between them, the snow itself seemed to bow.
The power they now carried made them the mightiest pair Frozen Cloud Asgard had ever produced—stronger even than their Mistress, stronger than the famed Seven Fairies who once stood at the sect's peak. The Asgard now had not one, not two, but three Thrones. It was enough to establish their sect as the undisputed ruler of the Blue Wind Empire's spiritual world.
And yet, within the calm of that realization, Chu Yuechan sensed something else.
Her sister's energy… it resonated with her own.
The same transformation—the same impossible condition.
Her Ice Heart had not merely shattered; it had evolved.
But such evolution was thought to be impossible. There was only one man in the world capable of melting the frozen will of a disciple of Asgard, of breaking the Ice Heart indirectly and leaving the soul intact.
Could it be…?
Her eyes sharpened. Did she meet him?
Yueli saw the question forming before Yuechan could even speak it. She hesitated, searching for words, but in the end she sighed and came clean.
"Hnnn… I was planning to tell you," she began quietly. "Back in the tomb, Mihawk used a… miraculous skill. It revived me—restored me completely. Onee-san, imagine being healed from crippling wounds, your veins repaired, your heart whole again. What kind of existence can do that?"
Her voice trembled as she recalled it. "I lost everything that day—my profound veins, my Ice Heart, all of my cultivation. Then he appeared… like a hawk diving through the storm. He destroyed the elders in an instant and saved me. But when I was revived, my soul was too weak. I was possessed by a rogue spirit from the tomb. I attacked him endlessly, but he defeated me without killing me. He purified my body and destroyed the soul. He said it had corrupted me from within."
She paused, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Chu Yuechan listened in silence, her thoughts in turmoil.
A miraculous power that could resurrect someone fully, restore crippled veins, purify corruption? She had never heard of such a thing—not in any realm of cultivation. And yet, something about the way Yueli described him… the calm strength, the flashiness in the tournament… it felt too familiar.
No, she thought, it can't be him. It's impossible.
But a part of her heart whispered otherwise.
Then Yueli added softly, "But… I did find something strange."
Yuechan's gaze lifted. "What kind of strange?"
Yueli nodded, her expression serious. "When my cultivation rose to this level, he said my veins were still bound by the Sky Profound Realm, that my body couldn't handle the energy properly. So he gave me a pill—to expand my veins and stabilize my foundation. He said it would let me reach the full potential of my power."
She looked up at her sister, eyes humble despite her new strength. "Onee-san, even if our cultivation is the same, I'm still weaker than you. I couldn't defeat our Mistress, much less you."
She reached into her spatial ring and drew out a small, luminous pill. Its surface shimmered faintly with the same profound glow that Yuechan remembered all too well.
Too similar.
Her pulse quickened as she stared at the pill resting in Yueli's palm. The energy emanating from it was unmistakable—pure, balanced, carrying a trace of divine origin.
"This is…"
Chu Yuechan's breath hitched the moment her eyes fell on the pill resting in her sister's palm. The faint, radiant glow. The balance of energy within it. The scent of pure vitality that lingered in the air.
There was no mistaking it.
It was that pill.
The very same type that had once rested in her own hand — given to her by him.
Her expression faltered for a split second, enough to make Yueli tilt her head curiously.
"Onee-san? Do you… know what kind of pill this is?"
Yuechan blinked once, quickly masking her reaction. Her lips curved into a faint, almost forced smile. "Ah… no. I've never seen this pill before. What did he call it?"
She kept her tone calm, almost casual, though her heart was pounding beneath her icy composure. She knew this pill. She knew its texture, its essence, its maker.
It was identical to the pill she had once been given before her own breakthrough — the one that had shattered her bottleneck and lifted her to the seventh level of the Emperor Profound Realm.
And now, that same pill… had come from Mihawk.
In that moment, the puzzle pieces began to fall into place. The mysterious swordsman. The heaven-defying medicine. The bold arrogance on the tournament stage. The flashes of power that seemed to transcend logic itself.
There was only one man she knew who possessed such strength… and such audacity.
Yun Che.
But she couldn't be certain. Not yet.
She needed more proof.
The thought of it almost made her laugh. If it really was him, then this whole situation was far more complicated — and far more amusing — than she could have imagined.
Taking her sister's words at face value, Yueli continued innocently, "As I remember, he called it a Stabilization Pill. I don't know exactly what that means, but he told me to take one every month until my energy settles. He said it'd take about six months before I can safely ascend to the Tyrant Profound Realm."
Yuechan fought to maintain her calm expression, but her mind was racing.
Stabilization Pill… The name might be different, but the effect was unmistakable. Only one alchemist could craft something like that.
Her lips curved slightly as she forced a small nod. "Is that so? Don't worry, Yueli. I'll help you when that time comes. We'll make sure your breakthrough is smooth."
She paused, then added in a seemingly offhand tone, "Did he give you anything else? Aside from the treasure ring?"
Yueli tilted her head thoughtfully. "Ahhh, now that you mention it… yes. The swordsman gave me this."
She reached to her side and lifted the weapon she'd carried since her return.
The moment Yuechan saw it, her composure cracked.
It was a curved sword — elegant, slender, and deadly. The blade gleamed like liquid moonlight, etched with flowing floral patterns that shimmered faintly in the light. Its hilt was wrapped in deep azure silk, the same hue as Yueli's eyes.
Beautiful. Perfectly balanced. Forged for her and her alone.
But the shape — the unmistakable curve of that blade — told another story.
Her fingers twitched involuntarily. Her breath caught in her throat.
No… It can't be…
There were only two people she had ever known to wield that kind of sword.
One man.
One woman.
Both foreign. Both extraordinary. Both carrying blades that cut through not just steel, but destiny itself.
Yuechan's mind went silent as the truth settled in.
That sword, that pill, that aura…
There was only one explanation left.
Her gaze slowly lifted from the blade to her sister's face, her heart pounding.
"So it really was you…" she thought.
Her lips parted, but no sound came out—only the faintest whisper melting into the cold air.
For a heartbeat, Chu Yuechan's aura flared—not with jealousy or petty spite, but with a controlled, dangerous heat: the kind of energy that said she wanted to drag someone before her and teach them manners with a blade, all while smiling politely. Yueli, watching, felt a flicker of fear.
"Umm… Onee-san?" she asked tentatively. "Are you okay? You seem… angry."
Yuechan blinked, closed her eyes, and forced the ladylike calm back into her posture. The dangerous edge softened into something warmer—protective, possessive, almost indulgent. "Ahh—no. Don't worry, my dear. I'm grateful to the man who saved you." She paused, lips quirking. "But I am annoyed with him as well."
Yueli nodded slowly, trying to follow the complicated mix of feelings, and let out a small, puzzled sigh. Secretly, she hoped she hadn't met that Mihawk—if she had, and if his power truly matched the rumors, then she might be the one who would end up humbled once the whole truth came out.
Yuechan reached up to pat her sister's head again. Yueli purred at the gesture, comforted and giddy all at once. But beneath Yuechan's casual touch, a mischievous thought had taken root.
Ufufufufu… she thought, smiling to herself. So he went to the tomb instead of the capital… and found my little sister. He saved her, spoiled her, and left me with only a few tricks. How rude.
She let the thought curl into a quiet promise. "Ufufufu… When I find you, rascal, expect a beating."
=================
Inside a modest house tucked away in a hidden realm, the young man paused mid-motion. A chill crawled up his spine — not the cold of winter, but a crawling prickling of dread he hadn't felt in years. It was the kind of warning that always came before trouble: petty, inevitable, and oddly familiar.
One of his companions — a lithe woman who'd traveled with him through storms and skirmishes — watched him with concern. She had never seen him look so pale. "Danna-sama, are you all right? You look like you've seen a ghost."
He tried to laugh, but it came out thin. "I don't know," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "It's this feeling... like I'm about to get in trouble for something I did. Like I'm about to be beaten senseless and there's nothing I can do about it."