"'Heaven Suspended Across the Starry River'—so that's how Yun Tianhe got his name. Come to think of it, there was always a lot of debate in past lives about who Su Yu truly loved," Daniel Davis thought to himself as he watched Xuanxiao's silent expression. Clearly, the mention of Yun Tianhe and Su Yu had stirred up some old memories for him.
Xuanxiao and Su Yu were each admired by many within the Qionghua Sect. Su Yao, the sect master, might even have had feelings for Xuanxiao in the past. Her dislike for Su Yu wasn't only about Su Yu's talent; jealousy might have played a role too. As for Su Yu, her quiet elegance made her a favorite among the male disciples, Yun Tianqing being her most fervent admirer. But who Su Yu truly loved might only be known to her alone.
That said, Su Yu undeniably had feelings for Yun Tianqing. Despite her seemingly gentle demeanor, she was a strong-willed woman with a decisive nature. Otherwise, she wouldn't have left the Qionghua Sect so resolutely with Yun Tianqing, nor would she have reincarnated so soon after her death.
"Yun Tianhe, how are your parents?" Xuanxiao finally broke his silence, his voice calm yet tinged with emotion.
"Why bother asking when I'm sure Su Yao has already told you?" Daniel thought, rolling his eyes as he observed the surroundings rather than focusing on the conversation.
"They passed away a long time ago," Yun Tianhe replied, scratching his head awkwardly.
"I see... Did they send you here?" Xuanxiao pressed.
"No, my parents never told me anything. I accidentally stumbled upon their tomb and saw some things there. I wanted to know what kind of people they were, so I came to the Qionghua Sect," Yun Tianhe explained before pausing and then asking, "But how do you know my parents?"
"I am Xuanxiao, your parents' senior brother," Xuanxiao said, his gaze shifting to the Wangshu Sword in Yun Tianhe's hands. "The sword you carry is Wangshu, the counterpart to Yihe, which rests in this icy wall. They are a pair—yin and yang, named after the sun and moon deities. Both swords originally belonged to the sect. Yihe was my sword, and Wangshu was your mother Su Yu's."
"Yin and Yang swords... So Tianhe's father must have been..." Han Lingsha exclaimed but abruptly stopped mid-sentence, covering her mouth as if realizing she had said too much.
"You're surprisingly quick on the uptake," Daniel thought, smirking slightly. Although she didn't finish her sentence, it was easy to infer what Han Lingsha meant. Only Yun Tianhe remained clueless, his expression as innocent and confused as ever.
"You were my parents' senior brother?" Yun Tianhe asked, eyes wide.
"You don't believe me? The fact that you've reached this forbidden place is no accident. I suspect the Wangshu and Yihe swords, reunited after so long, resonated with each other," Xuanxiao explained.
"It's true! The Wangshu Sword led us here," Han Lingsha confirmed with a nod.
"I'm not saying I don't believe you, but the sect master said my father left the Qionghua Sect a long time ago. She never even mentioned my mother," Yun Tianhe said, his tone mixed with doubt and curiosity.
"Su Yao... Hmph." Xuanxiao scoffed, his voice dripping with disdain at the mention of Su Yao's name.
"Since you've made it this far, I assume you carry the Lingguang Zao Jade," Xuanxiao continued, deliberately changing the subject.
"Lingguang Zao Jade? Is it this?" Yun Tianhe asked, taking out the green jade disk that had opened the gate to the forbidden area.
"Lingguang Zao Jade... I never thought I'd see it again in my lifetime. I remember the days when the three of us trained in the way of the sword. Now, in the blink of an eye, I'm the only one left," Xuanxiao said with a deep sigh, his gaze fixed on the jade.
"You're the only one left? Why are you staying here in such a cold place all by yourself?" Han Lingsha asked, curiosity filling her voice.
"Yun Tianhe, you must have been particularly sensitive to the cold since you were a child. It must have been hard for you to come here," Xuanxiao said, ignoring Han Lingsha and turning his attention to Yun Tianhe.
"Not at all. I feel fine, actually. It's not cold to me at all, though my parents were especially afraid of the cold," Yun Tianhe replied nonchalantly, scratching his head again.
"What? That's impossible!" Xuanxiao's calm demeanor shattered as he stared at Yun Tianhe in disbelief. It took him several moments to regain his composure.
"This... this is extraordinary," Xuanxiao finally said, his tone tinged with wonder.
While Yun Tianhe, Han Lingsha, and Liu Mengli looked baffled, Daniel understood Xuanxiao's reaction. Yun Tianhe's immunity to cold wasn't just unusual—it was miraculous. Su Yu, as the wielder of the Wangshu Sword, should have passed on her sensitivity to cold to her son. This was a known side effect of the sword's power, which even affected Yun Tianqing over time. Yet Yun Tianhe had somehow broken that pattern.
Daniel had tested Yun Tianhe's unique resistance, using ice-based techniques to see if he could feel anything. Even the concept of "absolute zero," often touted as the pinnacle of ice magic, seemed to have little effect on Yun Tianhe. Similarly, fire-based experiments showed that Yun Tianhe was completely unaffected by extreme heat, describing the sensation as merely "warm."
Through these experiments, Daniel realized that Yun Tianhe could likely bathe in lava and remain unharmed. If he were to face someone like Akainu, the Magma Admiral, Akainu would likely be left frustrated and powerless.
This exceptional trait extended to Yun Tianhe's potential as a swordsman. If Xuanxiao were to relinquish the Yihe Sword, Yun Tianhe could wield it without suffering its adverse effects. His body was perfectly suited for such weapons—a testament to his extraordinary talent.
Just as Xuanxiao was marveling at Yun Tianhe's abilities, another voice interrupted the group.
"This is quite the lively gathering," the voice said, its tone familiar. Before the group could react, Murong Ziying appeared behind them, his expression stern.
"Yun Tianhe, you've got some nerve. How dare you trespass in the forbidden grounds of the sect?" Murong Ziying scolded, his voice sharp with disapproval.
"But, Uncle, you're here too, aren't you?" Yun Tianhe replied, his tone genuinely puzzled.
Murong Ziying froze for a moment, caught off guard by the unexpected rebuttal. His face darkened as he shouted, "Outrageous!"
Yun Tianhe's knack for unintentionally disarming people with his simple honesty was unparalleled. Even Murong Ziying, usually unflappable, found himself at a loss for words.
"Since you're already here, there's no need for such dramatics. There's nothing in these forbidden grounds that can't be seen," Xuanxiao interjected calmly.
"You are...?" Murong Ziying asked, his gaze shifting to Xuanxiao, who was still encased in ice.
"This is Xuanxiao, Yun Tianhe's parents' senior brother," Han Lingsha quickly explained.
"Master Xuanxiao! Please accept my respects," Murong Ziying said, bowing deeply.
"You carry a sword chest forged from Cold Moon Ice Soul. Who taught you the ways of the sword?" Xuanxiao asked, his tone mild.
"I am Murong Ziying. I was taught by Elder Zonglian, who also passed on the art of sword forging to me," Murong Ziying replied.
"How is Zonglian now?" Xuanxiao asked.
"My master passed away several years ago," Murong Ziying said solemnly.
"That is truly unfortunate," Xuanxiao said, his voice tinged with sorrow. Zonglian had been a master swordsmith who had forged both the Wangshu and Yihe swords.
"Zonglian left instructions for me to treat you with the utmost respect should I ever meet you. He also instructed me to follow any command you might have, even if it means risking my life," Murong Ziying added.
"Zonglian was thoughtful as ever. I do have two requests," Xuanxiao said.
"Please, Master Xuanxiao, instruct me," Murong Ziying replied, bowing again.
"First, do not report what has transpired here to the sect master. Second, do not punish these four for trespassing," Xuanxiao said.
"As you wish," Murong Ziying said after a brief moment of hesitation.
"See? No punishment! Ha-ha!" Yun Tianhe cheered, punching the air in excitement.
"It's time for you all to leave. You've been here long enough," Xuanxiao said, closing his eyes to signal the end of the conversation.
As they left the forbidden grounds, Daniel took one last glance at the Yihe Sword embedded in the ice. He knew the real battle was far from over. Removing the Wangshu and Yihe swords from this world could resolve some immediate issues, but it wouldn't address the root problems: the Qionghua Sect's obsession with ascension and its ongoing conflict with the Demon Realm.
If left unchecked, the cycle of destruction would only repeat. And for Liu Mengli's sake, Daniel was determined to find a way to break that cycle once and for all.
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