“Does this path lead to the underground palace? What if it’s a dead end? What if there are traps ahead…” Mumbling echoed through the passage.

Everyone advanced with magical artifacts lighting the way. The endless darkness and bone-chilling cold were enough to erode confidence and make people restless.

Someone from Qing Cliff couldn’t help but say, “If Senior Brother Song wanted to harm you, you would have died ten thousand times already!”

“I’m not doubting Brother Song’s intentions. I’m just saying if our luck is bad, or if Brother Song remembered the path incorrectly…”

“Friend Song risked his life to protect us, and you speak ill of him?”

Child of Midnight Manjusri led the way at the front, hearing this with some bewilderment.

They were just walking; why were they anxious and worried, and seemingly about to start arguing?

Suddenly, a faint flute melody drifted toward them. Everyone was drawn to the gentle music, and the arguing gradually subsided.

Miao Yan took out a Mermaid King Pearl and made it float in the air, illuminating the path ahead.

She began to play “The Falling Flowers and Moon Melody.” The flute sounds were melodious like wind blowing fallen flowers.

Unlike the gentle glow of magical artifacts, accompanied by the clear flute music, it had a special power that soothed people’s hearts.

The Sound Immortal Sect music cultivators thought Miao Yan had become very strange. She didn’t like playing the flute before, considering the short flute undignified, and being too proud of her status to casually play music for others.

Previously, they could imitate Immortal Miao Yan in their actions and words. Miao Yan was perfect like a benchmark, never out of line, never making mistakes, never changing. If even Miao Yan changed, many people lost their standards and didn’t know where to go.

Worry and unease rose in their hearts, but were gradually soothed by the melody, leaving only a sense of melancholy.

Everyone moved forward quietly until a thick, completely black door blocked their way.

“The entrance to the underground palace!” Everyone was excited, looking expectantly at Child of Midnight Manjusri.

Miao Yan put down her short flute, signaling her distracted sect sisters to stay close to her.

Child of Midnight Manjusri thrust his Snow Blade forward and forcefully pushed open the door.

A violent wind swept through. Miao Yan felt a sudden spinning sensation, falling uncontrollably downward.

A moment later, she opened her eyes and heard the exclamations of her sect sisters.

In an instant, the darkness receded like an ebbing tide, and the night wind carrying the scent of green grass and moisture hit their faces.

Miao Yan looked up and took a deep breath, feeling for the first time how bright the moonlight was, bright enough to be dazzling.

A crimson stream meandered forward, with lush grass along its banks. Wisps of clouds floated in the sky, and fireflies flew over wildflowers.

The female cultivators had been confined in a cramped space for so long, seeing only the pale ice surface. Suddenly beholding the vastness of heaven and earth, how could they not be stirred:

“So that entrance was a random teleportation formation. I wonder where the others were sent. We separated in such a hurry, without even saying goodbye.”

“What place could be better than here? It seems Senior Sister Miao Yan is blessed with good fortune. Following Senior Sister, we can always turn danger into safety…”

Amidst the laughter and excitement, suddenly came a cold laugh: “My luck seems a bit better.”

The voice was very familiar, and the laughter immediately stopped. Everyone saw a figure emerge from behind a large rock by the stream, and their hearts sank in unison.

Footsteps and the sound of swishing clothes surrounded them from all sides, like the drumbeats of death.

Miao Yan’s face turned pale: “It’s you.”

Their group had endured an earthquake in the ice cave, appearing disheveled with torn white dresses.

The thirty-plus people across the stream also wore Sound Immortal Sect clothing, but their appearance was immaculate, their spiritual energy abundant, their demeanor composed.

“They’re not dead. Could it be that Elder Master Wangshu has already…” Mu Xia said halfway before being stopped by Miao Yan’s glance.

The stream wasn’t wide, the water was shallow and could be crossed in five or six steps.

On both sides of the stream, the female cultivators faced each other with magical artifacts, one side red-eyed with burning anger, the other coldly looking down from a position of superiority.

He Qingqing stood at the front, bathed in moonlight. The reeds at her feet by the stream swayed in the wind.

She was as beautiful as a peony under the moon, yet she made the fresh, gentle night wind turn cold.

Unlike the grief and anxiety of those around her, Miao Yan only asked: “How is my master?”

He Qingqing didn’t speak, seemingly disdaining to answer, glancing at a young female cultivator beside her.

That female cultivator laughed loudly: “Wangshu committed the great crime of treason and has been imprisoned in the Lotus Peak water prison. All her accomplices have been executed! Immortal Miao Yan, where have you been hiding these days? You’ve been quite hard to find…”

“Enough.” He Qingqing interrupted her, saying calmly, “Send a signal so the others don’t need to keep searching, tell them to come here.”

“Yes!” The female cultivator raised her sleeve. A red firework flew out and exploded with a bang.

Mu Xia and the others raised a commotion, quickly adjusting their formation to protect Miao Yan in the center.

Liao Hua urgently transmitted a message: “Everyone, take out all explosion talismans and magical artifacts that can self-destruct, and aim them at He Qingqing simultaneously.”

Miao Yan shook her head: “No.”

“Senior Sister, time is pressing, don’t hesitate anymore.”

“As long as the green mountain remains, there will always be firewood. Senior Sister holds the Sound Immortal Command, making her the rightful successor to the sect leader position. There will eventually be a time for a comeback.”

He Qingqing smiled as if enjoying their desperation and struggle:

“We’re fellow sect members, after all, I don’t want to be too ruthless. Miao Yan, I’ll give you one chance: hand over the Sound Immortal Command in exchange for your master Wangshu’s life!”

But Miao Yan said: “I want to speak with you alone, just the two of us.”

Everyone on both sides of the stream stared at her in shock and suspicion.

Liao Hua urgently said: “Senior Sister, it’s already life and death between us and them, what more is there to say!”

“Are you afraid?” Miao Yan stared steadily at He Qingqing.

“Let’s go then.” He Qingqing agreed readily, seemingly fearless.

“Splash.”

Ripples spread as Miao Yan waded across the river, shattering the jade-like water, and stood before He Qingqing.

He Qingqing waved away those around her and led Miao Yan behind a large rock by the stream.

In this space with no one else, the huge rock and trees completely blocked their figures, and a single talisman could screen them from prying eyes.

Suddenly Miao Yan spoke: “I know you lost.”

He Qingqing’s face turned cold: “Self-deception!”

“I’m not trying to trick you. You appear to have abundant spiritual energy, but you dare not speak much, fearing that once you open your mouth, the uncontrolled spiritual energy will leak out and be detected. My master planned meticulously and couldn’t have failed. Even if she did fail, she would never surrender willingly, and Jiangyun would never spare her life. You can only use her corpse in exchange for the Sound Immortal Command. You had someone send a signal, deliberately telling me, showing me. In truth, only these people escaped, right?”

Miao Yan’s tone was steady.

Listening to her speak so eloquently, He Qingqing’s expression changed rapidly, as if recalling some painful memories she was unwilling to revisit.

She finally smiled and said: “Miao Yan, worthy of the name Miao Yan.”

Before she finished speaking, she summoned Immortal Jiangyun’s Nine Heavens Ring Jade Zither and said coldly: “It’s true I’m injured, but it’s more than enough to subdue the remnants of your defeated forces.”

Her fingertips had already touched the zither strings, but suddenly stopped, because Miao Yan said: “The Sound Immortal Command, I can give it to you.”

He Qingqing was stunned.

“Master raised me. If she lost, I should avenge her and maintain the sect. But if she won, that’s good…” Miao Yan sighed and said, “If she won, she can raise a second Miao Yan.”

“What do you mean?” He Qingqing held the zither motionless.

“I’ve had enough of being Miao Yan.” Miao Yan sighed and said: “Put away that zither. No matter what method you use to suppress your injuries, you’ve paid a price, and you shouldn’t fight with me.”

Any normal person would try to hide their tracks and heal quietly at this point. Yet He Qingqing insisted on taking this risk, trying to turn the tables in a desperate situation.

He Qingqing wondered, who is this person? Is this really Miao Yan? What happened to Miao Yan?

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll take the Sound Immortal Command and then seek revenge?”

“My master must have sent people to hunt you down. If you want revenge, it will probably take many years.” Miao Yan looked toward her anxious and worried sect sisters. “You can leave the Sound Immortal Sect and go anywhere. If you want to return, you must spare their lives and spare my master. The Sound Immortal Sect should not shed more blood. The enmity between the two factions should also end.”

“Do you think so?” He Qingqing didn’t believe her.

Miao Yan took out a white jade command token, and opened her palm, with a burning gaze: “If you agree, take it and go. If you don’t agree, let’s have a battle right now!”

“Don’t you want to leave yourself a way back?” He Qingqing felt complicated emotions.

Miao Yan lowered her head and said softly: “This time in the secret realm, I met someone. I don’t know if he’s alive or dead now, but I will find him, and from then on, live in seclusion with him, withdrawing from the cultivation world.”

He Qingqing didn’t feel joy, only absurdity: “You’ve gone mad?!”

What kind of person was Miao Yan? After years of confrontation, she knew all too well.

“I’m not mad; I’m clearer now than ever before,” said Miao Yan.

He Qingqing mocked: “It’s a pity Wangshu can’t see you like this. She painstakingly wanted you to match with a dao companion of supreme talent, cultivation, and status in every way, yet you say you want to withdraw from the cultivation world with a man.”

She couldn’t help but laugh, laughing with great satisfaction.

“Have you looked at the moon?” Miao Yan suddenly asked.

He Qingqing looked up: “It’s not something rare; just look up and there it is. Who hasn’t seen it?”

Spring moon over empty mountains, the night cool as water. Wisps of floating clouds drifted by, occasionally obscuring the moon’s shadow.

“Not just seeing, but truly looking,” said Miao Yan.

He Qingqing’s thoughts stirred, inexplicably reminded of the peach blossoms in front of Song Academy at Hua Wei Sect, and Chen Hong Zhu sitting on the steps watching the moon.

The two stood side by side by the stream, quietly gazing at the moon and passing clouds for a moment.

“Until I met him, I had never truly seen the moon,” Miao Yan said. “Treasures are easy to seek, but a kindred spirit is hard to find.”

He Qingqing noticed a black cloth corner tied around her wrist, finding it strangely familiar.

“Is it him?!” He Qingqing was surprised.

The same section of a ritual robe, she had once held in her hand too.

Back then she was very young, having narrowly escaped death, and only dared to pull at that person’s scabbard or sleeve.

The sleeve and scabbard were both black, like that person’s deep pupils, without a trace of other colors.

“It is him,” Miao Yan nodded.

She recalled that He Qingqing had joined the Sound Immortal Sect from Qing Cliff, and Song Xun was a friend of Child of Midnight Manjusri, who was He Qingqing’s lifesaver.

It must have been the Child of Midnight Manjusri who gave He Qingqing Song Xun’s “Wind and Snow Formation Melody.” It wasn’t surprising that He Qingqing knew Song Xun.

At first, when He Qingqing heard Miao Yan mention kindred spirits, she feared she had found the composer Song Qian Ji.

But now Miao Yan wanted to retire with Child of Midnight Manjusri, which seemed absurd to her, yet also fortunate.

This was good; Miao Yan would never know who the real composer was.

“This is your choice. I choose the Sound Immortal Command.” He Qingqing reached out.

The command token was pure white, extremely cold to the touch, like snow on a mountaintop.

“You are intelligent and resilient; you could have lived well. But your path is fraught with a thousand dangers. I wish you safety,” said Miao Yan.

After a moment of silence, He Qingqing said sincerely: “You’ve worn a mask for so long, not being your true self, you should have driven yourself mad. But you don’t want to live like that anymore. I wish you freedom.”

“Goodbye then,” Miao Yan turned around.

“No, we should never meet again.”

Miao Yan saw the bright moon hanging in the sky and heard He Qingqing’s voice from behind: “Not meeting again would be for the best.”

Others didn’t know what they had discussed; the two were adversaries, how could they just chat?

A cup of tea later, they finally saw Miao Yan come out first.

Mu Xia and others were like lost birds, anxious and at a loss: “Senior Sister Miao Yan, are you alright?!”

Miao Yan smiled tenderly.

A smile from deep within her heart gave her face a bright radiance: “Don’t call me Senior Sister anymore.”

After saying this, she turned and left.