Chapter 6

Bright Clothes and Snow

Zhi Yan House is located in one of Qing Yuan Mountain’s side peaks, separated two mountain peaks away from the big gate.   To travel pa.s.s the two mountains, with ample supplies and overnight journeys, you can pa.s.s through them in 3 days time.  If you’re faster, 2 days is also possible.

But from what Hu Sha can see, their journey this time took less than 1 incense stick time.  So this is what the ‘Shrink Land’ method do.

She turns her head to look at Fang Zhun, she still sees the same slender and frail young man.  If she was a little unwilling to be a disciple back then, that unwillingness has turned into surprise and admiration.

A celestial!  He is a real life celestial!  If her father knows she managed to obtain a celestial teacher, he will laugh even in his sleep.

This is a snow-covered peak, everything within sight are covered with snow.  Right in the middle of the peak is a frozen lake, the surface gleaming resembling a mirror.   And Zhi Yan House is built in an island the middle of the lake.

“We have arrived.”

Fang Zhun gently releases her hand.  Hu Sha is blown by a strong winter wind after he did that, falling into a small pit.  No matter what she do, she can’t climb out.

Cold!  Why is it so cold?  Will she have to bury herself in quilt everyday once she lives here?

Fang Zhun drags her out of the pit like he is dragging a little dog.  As he pats away the snow from her clothes, he sighs, “s.h.i.+fu forgot you are just a mortal, not accustomed to extreme cold weathers.  All the Qing Yuan disciples have had experiences prior to entering, so s.h.i.+fu forgot this was even an issue.”

Hu Sha’s lips turn purple from the cold, she has to exert a lot of effort to even smile, “s.h.i.+fu……. I, I will try my best……”

He holds her hand once again so this disciple who had just come wouldn’t die from the cold.  He uses his celestial energy to protect her and waits until the color of her lips recovers before leading her away.

“s.h.i.+fu, will the Zhi Yan House be this cold?” Hu Sha carefully asks, secretly regretting not asking for quilts and thick clothing from Auntie Lu.

Fang Zhun shakes his head, “The island is not affected by warmth or cold.  But if you wish to cultivate, you have to overcome the constraints of heat or snow.”

After he finished speaking, he suddenly stops, his eyes trained at the frozen lake in front.   Hu Sha who didn’t understand anything stares at the direction he is looking and sees a black spot moving against the snowy background heading towards them.

In the blink of an eye, that black spot turns slightly larger, to the size of a green pea.  Then even larger, approximately to the size of a pear.

It is actually a man, wearing a gaudy robe while riding some sort of a snow-white beast as it stroll leisurely on the frozen lake.

In no time, they reached the two of them.  The man rests his elbow on the beast’s head and props his chin against it as he smilingly looks over, his eyes narrow and bright like stars.

“I was wondering why s.h.i.+fu secretly left the mountain without even telling us, turns out s.h.i.+fu went there to pick up a junior sister.” His tone is light and leisurely, not at all afraid of his teacher.

Fang Zhun frowns lightly, he didn’t look upset at his words at all as he says, “Feng Yi, why did you take Xue Suan Ni out?”

Feng Yi pats Xue Suan Ni’s head as it shakes it’s head in delight.  It looks like a big cat.

“s.h.i.+fu is out, Senior Brother too.  This kid always wants to cry when n.o.body is around.  He looks pitiful so I took him out to receive s.h.i.+fu and Junior Sister.”

When Fang Zhun hears that, he pats Xue Suan Ni’s head.

“Come here, meet you Junior Sister.  Her name is Hu Sha,” he pushes Hu Sha in front, “Call Second Senior Brother.”

Hu Sha’s nose and face are red from the cold and her body is aching from her fall earlier on.  The moment she hears that he is her senior brother, she puts out her hand respectfully and greets him, “Hu Sha greets Second Senior Brother………”  Before she even finish, her fluttering grey skirt suddenly falls.  She actually broke her waist girdle from the fall earlier on!

“Ah———“ she screams as she tries to hold her skirt in place, adamantly wis.h.i.+ng she can jump back to the snow pit and never goes out anymore.

This is it, her face is gone.  She is so embarra.s.sed she can’t even put up her head in front of the two people, much less check their expressions.

Feng Yi immediately jumps down from Xue Suan Ni and walk across the snow before placing his flashy flowery robe on her shoulder.

“This place is cold, Junior Sister must be mindful of your health.  Do not get sick,” he pats her shoulder, smiling as his eyes turns to two little moon-like crescent.

Hu Sha nods, her ears burning in shame.

Fang Zhun asks, “Where is Feng Di?”

Feng Yi shakes his head, “I don’t know.  The people from Wu Qu Department came a couple of times earlier to look for him, I have no idea where he went to.”

Fang Zhun did not reply.  The sound of bells suddenly sounded from the mountain peak in a distance, three long and three short chimes, “Never mind.  The sect leader must be calling to discuss about the Great Celestial Gathering.  I should go.  Feng Yi, you bring Hu Sha back and tell her about Qing Yuan’s rules.   When Feng Di comes back, tell him to look for me in Yu Hua Palace.”

After he finish speaking, he disappears with a slight movement of his sleeves.

Feng Yi replies him with a yes before turning to Hu Sha with a smile, “Come here, Junior Sister.  I’ll let you ride on Xue Suan Ni so you wouldn’t be cold.”

He pats Xue Suan Ni’s back.  The spirit beast seems unhappy, it’s blue eyes trained at Hu Sha in hostility as a howl comes out of it’s throat.

Hu Sha retreats two steps, waving her hands, “N-no, never mind!  I can walk on my own!”

“Don’t be afraid, it wouldn’t bite you!”  Feng Yi forcefully lifts her up and place her on the beast’s back.  The beast immediately reacts, shaking it’s head violently and glares at her with murderous eyes.  It pound it’s paws on the ground and the snow begins to crack.

Hu Sha’s legs weakens, she quickly jump off, “I think it’s better if I just walk.”

Feng Yi pats the beast’s head while muttering in astonishment, “Interesting.  You have never react to other people like this before, is it because Junior Sister is a girl?  Where did you learn to get all jealous like this?”

Xue Suan Ni looks embarra.s.sed but is still unwilling to back down.  It glares at Hu Sha from where it stands.

Feng Yi laughs, “I’m sorry, Junior Sister.  This Xue Suan Ni is a female.  It’s still young and is spoiled rotten by us.”

Hu Sha was about to shake her head to say it was fine but he speaks first, “Then you just have to go this way, please don’t be offended.”  Her entire world moves again as he lifts her up and place her above the beast.  Before the beast even gets to react, he jumps on it’s back and pats it, “Hurry up, Xiao Guai.  If you throw tantrum again, we won’t like you anymore!”

It made an aggrieved sound, but quickly though reluctantly travels through the snow.  Feng Yi slants his upper body as he absentmindedly plays with the beast’s soft long fur, “Where did Junior Sister comes from?  You look young, why did you come to Mount Qing Yuan?”

Because he is very close to her, Hu Sha feels like her heart is going out of her chest. She is embarra.s.sed and does not dare to move, “I…… I am from Jia Xing.  Second Senior Brother probably never hears that place.  I came to Mount Qing Yuan…… by coincidence.”

The body behind her suddenly stiffens.  “Jia Xing?  You are from Jia Xing?  How did you……” he murmurs.

Hu Sha asks him in confusion, “Second Senior Brother knows Jia Xing?”

After a while, he props up his body and answers in a lazy manner, “No, I’ve never heard of that place.  That’s why I thought it sounds weird.”

Hu Sha turns around to look at him.  From close proximity, his eyes look so dark and his face looks so pretty.  She thinks he looks really elegant in flashy robes.  If worn by other people, they would look so foolish.

Her shoulder suddenly feels warm when he places his hand on it.  Her body trembles greatly when he speaks close to her ear, “It’s going to run, don’t move.”

Xue Suan Ni suddenly jumps, leaping more than ten zhang up before landing gently on the island in the middle of the lake.

The winter wind blows on the two people.  Hu Sha thinks there is a certain scent on his clothes.

His hand is holding her waist firmly and Hu Sha turns red like a peach blossom.

Then, he jumps down from the Xue Suan Ni.  His clothes, his dark hair and his leisurely manner with the snow gently floating around looks like a scene from a painting.  It is an unforgettable view, one that Hu Sha cannot bring herself to forget.