In the dead of winter, atop the snow-blanketed peaks of the northern steppe, fierce winds howled through the frozen land.

It was midday now, and beneath the warm sun, amid the silver-clad world, nowhere offered any place to hide from the light.

Wrapped in that warmth, Ziqing drifted hazily, feeling as if she’d returned to that moment long ago — back when she’d first found him unconscious on Liuxian Island, and had declared to him just as she was declaring now.

“Beiyue, I like you. You belong to me, and only me…”

Murmuring, murmuring, she finally lost all sense of consciousness entirely.

Jun Beiyue wore only a fitted black outfit, wrapping Ziqing snugly in his fox-fur cloak before pulling her into his arms. He stroked her soft bangs and smiled. “Silly girl. You’ve been mine for a long time now. Only mine.”

Beads of sweat clung to the tip of his nose and his brow, a hint of wicked satisfaction lingering in his eyes, an unrestrained smile curling at his lips.

Thoroughly satisfied, he gathered her into his arms and pressed forward once more.

What was happening up ahead?

Yingzi was still trailing the head of Nangong City and Madam Situ from a distance. Based on the current situation, they still seemed to have some way to go before reaching their destination. As for that group of Xiongnu from earlier, they’d vanished entirely.

Yingzi glanced at the terrain ahead and murmured, “Has Master arrived?”

There was only one path ahead — forward or back. Clearly, somewhere up there must be an excellent hiding place.

“He’s here. Keep following, don’t spook them,” a shadow guard reported truthfully.

“Already here, that fast!” Yingzi muttered to himself, a mischievous grin spreading across his face — though it quickly turned serious again.

By the looks of it, Master intended to follow the trail all the way to the end, until he actually laid eyes on Yelu Qianqian. It was the safest approach — the snow forest held too many unknowns, and until she was found, not spooking the enemy was the wisest course.

Yingzi and the others quietly kept trailing them, while the head of Nangong City and Madam Situ picked up their pace, growing more alarmed by the moment.

“Father, the speed of that group ahead…”

Madam Situ was thoroughly puzzled, chasing after them while examining the footprints in the snow — the size of the prints suggested they were very likely Xiongnu.

“Xiongnu?” the head of Nangong City had noticed it too.

“Could we have misjudged the situation?” Madam Situ frowned deeply. The Xiongnu had no reason to be trailing the two of them, father and daughter.

“Let’s catch up and see! Whoever it is, they’re moving fast!”

The head of Nangong City didn’t dwell on it further, quickening his pace. Though Madam Situ had been the one urging him along the whole way, in truth, her speed was nowhere near his own.

He’d simply been holding back for his daughter’s sake.

But the Gu Nanny and her people were Xiongnu, raised in the snowlands since childhood — running through snow, they were far faster than ordinary people.

At that moment, the Gu Nanny, guided by the multicolored venomous lizard, was already nearing the cave.

Baili Weisheng continued dozing in the tree as always — partly laziness, but also standing watch for Nanny Qin, keeping an eye out for any shadow guards who might stumble upon them.

Suddenly, his half-closed eyes snapped open — and for the first time, a flicker of genuine fear showed in those clear, bright eyes.

No one knew quite what had come over him. He seemed to sense something, sniffed the air, and then immediately slid down from the tree.

Seeing him drop down so suddenly, Nanny Qin assumed something had happened and hurried over. “Someone’s coming?”

Baili Weisheng said nothing, head lowered, turning to leave in a hurry.

Nanny Qin blocked his way at once. “What’s going on? Where are you going?”

Still, Baili Weisheng didn’t answer, pushing her hand aside to leave.

Growing anxious, Nanny Qin grabbed his arm. “What exactly is going on? What do you mean by this?”

It was only then that Baili Weisheng raised his head to look at her — and in that instant, Nanny Qin was so startled she released her grip on reflex, watching in stunned silence as he said nothing more and hurried away.

That look in Baili Weisheng’s eyes just now — a terrifying, blood-red intensity, as if he meant to devour someone alive!

Nanny Qin was utterly shaken. She couldn’t fathom how those once clear, bright eyes could turn so horrifying in an instant.

What on earth had happened to this young man, normally so sunny and cheerful?

“Nanny, what’s going on?”

“What’s wrong with him? Where’s he going?”

……

The guards all looked over in confusion. Nanny Qin finally came back to herself and gave chase without explanation, but by the time she reached the forest, there wasn’t even a shadow of him left. She had no choice but to hurry back.

“Nanny, what’s gotten into that kid?” a guard pressed. After all, it was Baili Weisheng who had led them here to hide, and Baili Weisheng who had helped them make contact with Madam Situ.

For such a crucial figure to suddenly flee like this, without a word —

Could Nanny Qin possibly stay calm? Could the guards possibly not grow suspicious?

“I don’t know either. From the looks of it—”

Before Nanny Qin could finish, a guard cut in firmly, “Nanny, it doesn’t look like this place is safe to stay any longer. That kid’s always been strange — I never trusted him.”

Nanny Qin was about to respond when the two guards who’d gone out to scout returned. She asked at once, “Well? Any movement?”

“None, everything’s quiet!” the guards answered honestly — of course, they had no way of sensing the movements of either the head of Nangong City and Madam Situ, or the shadow guards.