The moment Han Qing Li heard Lin Shuan's words—
"It was because of them that my family died..."
—the atmosphere atop the ancient mountain changed completely.
The peaceful morning vanished.
The gentle sounds of the waterfall no longer felt soothing.
The cool breeze no longer carried comfort.
Instead—
a chilling silence spread across the surroundings.
Han Qing Li slowly looked toward the pack of Black Leopards.
Their purple eyes gleamed with savage intelligence.
Their dark fur blended perfectly with the forest shadows.
These were not ordinary Talismanic Beasts.
They were weapons.
Living weapons.
Tools used by the Yue Sha Empire.
The same empire that had destroyed Lin Shuan's clan.
The same empire that had stolen everything from him.
Han Qing Li's grip around her sword tightened.
Her beautiful blue eyes gradually became colder.
Colder.
And colder.
Until even the surrounding air began freezing.
A faint frost aura emerged from her body.
Then—
it exploded.
BOOOOOOM!
An ocean of pale-blue frost spread outward.
The mountain trembled.
The lake rippled violently.
The air itself seemed to freeze.
Within moments—
a vast icy domain covered nearly a thousand kilometers.
Countless snowflakes descended from the sky.
Ancient frost laws manifested around her.
A gigantic protective barrier formed above the domain.
Like a frozen heavenly canopy.
It sealed the battlefield completely.
Preventing the coming battle from spreading beyond the region.
Preventing innocent creatures from being affected.
Han Qing Li slowly raised her head.
Her appearance changed.
Frost marks appeared beneath her eyes.
Elegant.
Ancient.
Beautiful.
Yet terrifying.
The silver-blue patterns resembled divine runes carved by heaven itself.
Her long black hair fluttered behind her.
The cold aura surrounding her made her appear less like a princess—
and more like a Frost Goddess descending into the mortal world.
Even Lin Shuan stared briefly.
Because in this moment—
Han Qing Li was unbelievably beautiful.
And unbelievably dangerous.
The Black Leopards immediately sensed danger.
Several stepped backward instinctively.
But Han Qing Li had already moved.
Frost gathered around her sword.
The blade became covered in crystalline ice.
Ancient sword intent erupted.
The temperature plummeted instantly.
Han Qing Li's voice echoed softly.
"Extreme Frost Sword Ray."
SWOOOOSH!
A brilliant beam of icy light erupted from her sword.
The attack crossed the battlefield instantly.
Like a frozen star descending from heaven.
The leading Rank Seven Black Leopard barely had time to react.
BOOM!
The sword ray struck directly.
A violent explosion of frost erupted.
The leopard was sent flying.
Blood sprayed through the air.
Its body smashed through multiple trees before crashing into the mountainside.
The surrounding leopards were thrown backward several meters.
Their formation shattered instantly.
Han Qing Li's expression remained calm.
Cold.
Merciless.
She took another step forward.
The battle had begun.
ROOOOAR!
The Black Leopards attacked simultaneously.
Their movements were incredibly fast.
Almost impossible for ordinary cultivators to follow.
Dark shadows flashed across the battlefield.
Sharp claws tore through the air.
Every attack was precise.
Every attack aimed to kill.
Yet Han Qing Li moved gracefully between them.
Like a snowflake dancing within a storm.
Her sword flashed repeatedly.
One attack after another.
One leopard after another.
Frost-covered wounds began appearing across their bodies.
Meanwhile—
Lin Shuan remained motionless.
Watching.
Silent.
His eyes followed every leopard.
Every movement.
Every breath.
Every killing intent.
The hatred hidden deep within his heart slowly awakened.
The memories returned.
His clan.
His parents.
The burning homes.
The blood.
The screams.
The despair.
The helplessness.
Everything returned.
His fists clenched.
Lightning suddenly crackled across his body.
CRACK!
CRACK!
CRACK!
White lightning surged wildly around him.
The surrounding air exploded.
Then—
an even more terrifying power awakened.
A frost aura.
Ancient.
Pure.
Dominating.
BOOOOOOM!
An enormous frost explosion erupted from his body.
White ice spread across the battlefield.
The ground froze instantly.
The lake surface partially crystallized.
The surrounding temperature dropped to unbelievable levels.
Han Qing Li's eyes widened.
Because she noticed something impossible.
Her own frost energy—
was being pulled toward Lin Shuan.
As if obeying a king.
As if responding to a higher authority.
"What...?"
For a moment—
she became distracted.
And that moment was enough.
A Black Leopard suddenly appeared behind her.
Its claws descended.
A killing strike.
Han Qing Li's expression changed.
Too late.
She couldn't dodge.
But before the claws could reach her—
Lin Shuan disappeared.
CRACK!
A lightning flash erupted.
The next moment—
he appeared behind the leopard.
A sword pierced upward.
Directly through its abdomen.
The blade emerged from its back.
The leopard's eyes widened.
Then its body collapsed lifelessly.
Han Qing Li stared.
Shock filled her face.
She hadn't even seen Lin Shuan move.
The speed was unbelievable.
The battle intensified.
More leopards attacked.
Their numbers overwhelmed the battlefield.
Even Han Qing Li began struggling.
A Rank Seven Black Leopard lunged toward Lin Shuan.
Han Qing Li instantly reacted.
Her sword flashed.
The leopard died immediately.
But another claw struck her shoulder.
Blood appeared.
A shallow wound.
Yet it was enough to make Lin Shuan's expression darken.
Then—
all remaining leopards attacked together.
Dozens of shadows surged forward.
Every direction blocked.
Every escape route sealed.
Han Qing Li immediately realized the danger.
Even she would struggle against this assault.
The leopards closed in.
Closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Then—
Lin Shuan stepped forward.
Directly in front of her.
Protecting her.
"Shuan Hao!"
Han Qing Li's eyes widened.
She reached out.
Trying to stop him.
Trying to pull him back.
But she was too late.
The leopards arrived.
And at that exact moment—
Lin Shuan raised his head.
His white eyes shone like frozen stars.
The Frost Mark on his forehead glowed.
A terrifying pressure descended.
Then—
the world exploded.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!
The mountain shook violently.
The lake erupted into massive waves.
The ancient forest trembled.
The earth cracked apart.
Countless trees within five hundred kilometers were uprooted instantly.
The protective domain Han Qing Li had created shattered completely.
The sky itself seemed to freeze.
Everything turned white.
Pure white.
Absolute white.
Han Qing Li could no longer hear anything.
Could no longer feel anything.
Only endless frost remained.
Several moments later—
the explosion finally subsided.
Silence returned.
Han Qing Li slowly opened her eyes.
Her heart pounded violently.
Her breathing became unstable.
And then—
she saw it.
Every Black Leopard.
Every single one.
Frozen.
Not merely covered in ice.
They had become giant ice statues.
Dozens of colossal frozen pillars stood across the battlefield.
Perfectly preserved.
Completely motionless.
Han Qing Li's mind went blank.
"What..."
"What kind of power was that?"
She stared at Lin Shuan.
Unable to understand.
Unable to believe.
A Meridian Tracer cultivator?
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible.
He had instantly annihilated Rank Seven Talismanic Beasts.
Creatures capable of fighting powerful experts.
Creatures feared across entire regions.
Yet they had been defeated instantly.
Han Qing Li remembered Yan Feng Luo mocking Lin Shuan.
Treating him as weak.
Treating him as insignificant.
Now—
that memory seemed ridiculous.
Perhaps—
he really was hiding his cultivation.
Perhaps—
he was actually a Divine Cycle Emperor.
Perhaps—
everyone had been fooled.
The frozen statues suddenly cracked.
CRACK.
CRACK.
CRACK.
Thousands of cracks spread across the ice.
Then—
the statues shattered.
The frozen remains disintegrated into countless particles.
The Black Leopards ceased to exist.
Nothing remained.
Except—
floating crystals.
Brilliant crystals.
Immortal Seeds.
Energy Crystals.
The cores of Rank Seven beings.
Lin Shuan's eyes immediately lit up.
A smile appeared.
He extended his hand.
The crystals flew toward him.
One.
Two.
Ten.
Twenty.
All of them gathered around him.
Like stars surrounding a king.
Han Qing Li stared in disbelief.
Again.
Shock.
Confusion.
Disbelief.
"What is happening?"
Meanwhile—
Lin Shuan walked toward the leopards he had personally killed earlier.
Without hesitation—
he cut open their bodies.
His movements were efficient.
Experienced.
Natural.
He extracted their Energy Crystals.
Then—
his expression changed.
A strange seal covered several crystals.
But the moment the beasts died—
the seals dissolved.
Disappearing completely.
Lin Shuan became delighted.
"This is the first time..."
"I've obtained Energy Crystals this valuable."
Excitement filled his voice.
"My training will become much easier now."
Han Qing Li remained frozen.
Watching.
Unable to look away.
The scene disturbed her.
Not because it was cruel.
But because of how natural it seemed to him.
As if he had done this countless times.
As if survival itself had taught him this lesson.
Finally—
she spoke.
"Shuan Hao..."
Lin Shuan turned.
Her voice trembled slightly.
"You are... so ruthless."
The young cultivator froze.
Han Qing Li looked toward the extracted crystals.
"You killed them."
"And immediately took their Energy Crystals."
"How can you do that so easily?"
Silence.
The wind blew softly.
The waterfall roared below.
For several moments—
Lin Shuan said nothing.
Then—
his expression changed.
The usual smile disappeared.
The carefree attitude vanished.
Only seriousness remained.
"Qing Li."
His voice was quiet.
Very quiet.
"You wanted to know who I am."
Han Qing Li looked at him.
"You wanted to know my secret."
The young princess nodded slowly.
Lin Shuan lowered his gaze.
Then—
he finally spoke.
"Then listen."
The wind seemed to stop.
Even Tian Wuchen became silent.
Lin Shuan's voice grew heavier.
"The Yue Sha Empire..."
"...destroyed my clan."
Han Qing Li's breathing stopped.
"They killed my mother."
A painful smile appeared.
"They killed my father."
His fists tightened.
"They killed everyone."
The words carried years of grief.
Years of hatred.
Years of loneliness.
"I was the only one who survived."
His voice trembled slightly.
"Only me."
The Frost Mark on his forehead faintly glowed.
"I should have died too."
"But this mark protected me."
He touched his forehead.
"And after that..."
His eyes slowly became cold.
Very cold.
"I swore an oath."
The killing intent around him intensified.
"I would not rest."
"I would not stop."
"I would not forgive."
His voice echoed through the mountain.
"Until I avenge them."
The pain hidden inside him finally surfaced.
Raw.
Unfiltered.
Real.
"When my enemies stand before me..."
"How can I let them leave?"
His eyes trembled.
Almost breaking.
"I'll destroy them."
"I'll destroy every person who harmed my family."
"I'll destroy everyone responsible."
For a moment—
tears almost appeared.
Almost.
But Lin Shuan forced them back.
Because he hated crying.
Because he believed tears belonged to the weak.
And he could not afford weakness.
Not anymore.
Han Qing Li felt her chest tighten painfully.
Her own hands clenched.
So tightly that blood appeared from her palms.
She finally understood.
Everything.
The loneliness.
The caution.
The secrets.
The endless determination.
The relentless training.
It all made sense now.
He wasn't hiding because he enjoyed solitude.
He was protecting himself.
Preserving his life.
Waiting for the day he could take revenge.
The day he could seek justice.
For a long time—
neither spoke.
Then—
Han Qing Li stepped forward.
Slowly.
Carefully.
She placed her hand on his shoulder.
A gentle touch.
A warm touch.
Lin Shuan looked up.
Han Qing Li's eyes were soft.
Filled with understanding.
Filled with sympathy.
Filled with determination.
"Shuan Hao..."
Her voice was quiet.
"I'm sorry."
Lin Shuan froze.
"I shouldn't have asked that question."
The young princess shook her head.
"But I told you before."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"You're not alone."
The words struck deeply.
Han Qing Li looked directly into his eyes.
"If you want revenge..."
Her voice became firm.
"I'll stand beside you."
Lin Shuan stared silently.
"If you fight..."
"I'll fight."
"If you walk forward..."
"I'll walk forward."
The morning sunlight reflected within her eyes.
Warm.
Steady.
Sincere.
"I am with you."
For the first time in a long while—
the burden inside Lin Shuan's heart felt lighter.
Just a little.
A small smile finally appeared.
A genuine smile.
"Thank you, Qing Li."
The princess smiled back.
The heavy atmosphere gradually faded.
The hatred.
The sadness.
The grief.
None of it disappeared.
But it no longer felt unbearable.
Lin Shuan suddenly stretched.
Then pointed toward the horizon.
A mischievous grin appeared.
"Qing Li."
"Hm?"
"Let's go see the big moon in the capital."
Han Qing Li blinked.
Then laughed softly.
The tension vanished completely.
"Alright."
She nodded.
"Let's go."
And beneath the bright morning sky—
the two young cultivators prepared to continue their journey together.