In the northern snowy region, heavy snow had sealed the mountains for half a month. Heaven and earth merged into one color, with nothing visible above the vast expanse of accumulated snow. The small inn halfway up Mount Jiwu hadn’t seen a customer for quite some time. Encountering such stormy weather, the owner didn’t expect any guests to arrive, so he hadn’t even bothered to keep the door open.

In the afternoon, the innkeeper was dozing by the fire stove, clutching his beloved small wine flask, when suddenly the wooden door was pushed open. Wind and snow immediately surged in, blowing over a cylinder of chopsticks that had been placed on the table, scattering them across the floor.

“Close the door, quickly close it! It’s freezing!” The owner was startled awake and shouted loudly, waving his sleeves.

“Uncle Xue, your temper is getting worse and worse.” Along with these teasing words, a woman dressed in white fox fur and wearing a white hooded felt hat entered.

Hearing this voice, Uncle Xue stopped his complaints. Squinting his eyes against the wind and snow blowing in through the doorway, he watched as the woman who had entered pulled off her cold-weather felt hat, revealing a beautiful face—it was none other than Yusang.

“Oh, so it’s A-Sang!” Uncle Xue smiled, setting down his wine flask and walking over to greet her. He took the items from Yusang’s hands and placed them on the table, then pulled her over to sit by the fire.

“Earlier, I heard that you had run down the mountain while Immortal Lord Bai Zhi was in closed-door cultivation, but I didn’t believe it…” Uncle Xue began with a knowing smile.

Yusang sat down, rubbing her hands by the fire as she interrupted, “Uncle Xue, stop pretending. Is there anything about who comes and goes on Mount Jiwu that you don’t know?”

Having been seen through, Uncle Xue smiled slyly and said, “I just keep watch here and try not to cause trouble. I don’t meddle in other affairs and know nothing about anything else.”

“I know, I know. Don’t worry, I definitely won’t implicate you in anything.” Yusang patted the back of Uncle Xue’s hand reassuringly.

…

“So you’re planning to return to the mountain? But the Blue Attendant beside the Immortal Lord said that some time ago, the Immortal Lord personally went down the mountain to bring you back, yet you refused to return.”

“And here you claim you don’t know about mountain affairs, yet you’re so well-informed about such gossip.” Yusang glanced at Uncle Xue, who immediately put on that same act of playing dumb with a foolish smile.

“I’m not going up the mountain this time. I just… I just wanted to come up and take a look while passing by…” Yusang said, lowering her head slightly and fixing her gaze on the red flames in the fire stove.

“Are you hoping to gather information about what’s happening on the mountain?” Uncle Xue saw through Yusang’s thoughts and asked with a smile.

Yusang looked up at Uncle Xue and nodded, then asked hesitantly, “Is Immortal Lord Bai Zhi very angry that I refused to return?”

Uncle Xue picked up the wine flask from the table and took a small sip, saying, “Let me put it this way—when Immortal Lord Bai Zhi returned from the mortal realm, his expression was truly colder than the thousand-year-old snow accumulated on this mountain. Although he didn’t say anything outwardly, based on your understanding of Immortal Lord Bai Zhi, you should realize that he was indeed very angry.”

“He is angry after all.” Yusang pressed her lips together in self-reproach and dejection, yet felt helpless about it.

“In all six realms, there are truly very few people who can provoke Immortal Lord Bai Zhi to anger. I’ve lived on this mountain for several thousand years and have only witnessed it twice. Once was years ago when he brought you up the mountain, and then Young Master Zi Feng came to cause a great disturbance on the mountain, resulting in the two brothers turning against each other and breaking off relations. The other time is now. You see, Immortal Lord Bai Zhi truly cares deeply for you, so try to spare him some worry.”

“I know he’s good to me, but I can’t always live under his protection forever. One hundred years, one thousand years, ten thousand years—should it just continue like this indefinitely?”

“Alright, alright, you have your reasons. I won’t interfere anymore.” The old innkeeper took another sip of wine, shifted his position to find a comfortable posture, closed his eyes, and began dozing again.

Seeing that Uncle Xue had no intention of continuing the conversation, Yusang sat for a while longer before quietly rising. She picked up the fox fur and felt hat from the table, put them back on, and went outside. The wind and snow were raging fiercely outside. Yusang raised her head against the wind, squinting her eyes to look up above. A snow-covered mountain that resembled a jade brush stood before her, so tall its peak was invisible, extending straight into the white, misty sky—this was Mount Jiwu.

Half an hour later, Yusang returned to the small town at the foot of the mountain. Carrying snow and wind on her body, she entered a manor compound where a maid dressed in cotton clothing immediately came forward to guide her into a warm pavilion.

Outside, the wind and snow were fierce, but the warm pavilion was comfortable and cozy. Four or five bronze fire braziers were placed throughout the room, heating it until it felt like early summer, even bringing a touch of dry heat.

“Have you taken your medicine?” Yusang asked softly while removing her fox fur at the door and handing it to the maid.

The maid shook her head and was about to explain when Yusang signaled with her eyes that it wasn’t necessary, waving her hand to indicate she should leave.

After the maid departed, Yusang straightened her clothes, took a deep breath, put on a smile, lifted the gauze curtain and pearl beads that served as a partition to enter the inner chamber. There she discovered a figure in white single-layer clothing standing with hands clasped behind his back at the window. The window in front of him was wide open, and outside was an inner city river. The river breeze was carrying snowflakes that drifted inside.

“Why did you open the window while wearing so little?” Yusang quickly walked over to close the window and conveniently picked up an outer robe that was draped nearby to put on Yan Qige.

“Constantly lying down is truly tedious.” Yan Qige smiled as he turned around, his face pale as paper, and his cheeks much thinner compared to when he was in the Western Region desert half a year ago.

“You’re currently ill and need to rest quietly. That’s what the doctor said.”

“Those doctors only know how to say those two words.”

“What kind of talk is that? When you’re sick, you must recuperate and take medicine. Otherwise, how will you get better?”

“I’ve had this illness for half a year now. I’ve been recuperating all this time, but haven’t seen any improvement. Perhaps it just won’t get better…”

“What nonsense are you spouting? There are so many doctors in the world—surely one of them can cure you. Besides, I’m a demon and live a long life. I have plenty of time to slowly search for one for you.”

Seeing Yusang’s serious expression, Yan Qige laughed. He lifted his robe and sat down on the soft couch by the window, saying, “Fine, pretend I didn’t say anything. I can see you’re covered in cold air—where did you just go?”

Yusang turned aside, pretending to pour tea, and said, “I… didn’t go anywhere.”

“Someone came looking for you earlier.”

“Who?” Yusang turned around with hot tea in hand, asking while passing it to Yan Qige.

“Who do you think I am?” Before Yan Qige could answer, a charming, soft voice had already floated into Yusang’s ears.

Yusang turned her head to look in the direction of the voice and saw a graceful figure materializing by the window. She wore a crimson dress with flowing skirts, her beautiful face lightly swaying—it was none other than Huayi, whom they hadn’t seen for quite some time.

“Sister Huayi.” Yusang smiled and called out, about to go forward to greet her, but Huayi sidestepped to avoid her hand and gracefully sat down beside Yan Qige, saying, “How dare you still call me sister? After being apart for two years without sending even a single message, I kindly came to see you. I was just chatting with Young Master Yan Qi and reminiscing about old times, yet you hurriedly shut me out by the window. I don’t acknowledge such a sister.”

Yusang moved closer, shamelessly hugging Huayi’s arm, and said, “It’s my fault, alright? But our Young Master Yan Qi here is currently as fragile as paper and can’t withstand the wind. Who told you to stay outside the window instead of coming in?”

“Oh my, no wonder! In these two years, Young Master Yan Qi has indeed become quite thin. Tsk, tsk, tsk, it truly breaks one’s heart.” Huayi held her silk fan to her chest, looking heartbroken as she reached out to grasp Yan Qige’s wrist.

“Miss Huayi, I appreciate your concern.” Yan Qige calmly smiled at Huayi.