The Hidden Chill

That afternoon, at the back mountain.

A fierce sword sparring session had just ended. Jiang Bai and Qian Renxue were both slightly out of breath, fine beads of sweat clinging to their temples.

After years of relentless practice, Jiang Bai's swordsmanship had long since undergone a complete transformation. He was no longer the novice who only knew basic stances.

Their sparring had changed from one-sided "instruction" into evenly matched exchanges, often producing exquisite attacks and defenses.

At that moment, they sat back to back on the soft grass, resting and regulating their breathing.

A gentle breeze swept by, bringing the fresh scent of grass and carrying away some of the heat from their bodies.

Qian Renxue picked up the waterskin beside her and tilted her head back to take several drinks. Crystal-clear droplets slid down her long, fair neck and disappeared beneath her collar.

She set down the waterskin and turned her head slightly. Her golden hair brushed against Jiang Bai's shoulder as she suddenly spoke, her voice carrying a rare trace of hesitation and anticipation.

"Jiang Bai, I heard that in a few days... there'll be a lantern festival in Yelin City. Do you... do you have time then? I... I want to go see it with you..."

After saying that, she immediately turned back around, as if she were intently watching the swaying blades of grass ahead.

Whether it was because they had just finished exercising or for some other reason, a faint blush quietly crept across her fair ears and profile.

Jiang Bai agreed almost without thinking. "Sure. I don't have any other plans anyway. Just call me in advance when the time comes, Xue'er."

Hearing his ready agreement, Qian Renxue's tense back visibly relaxed, and a flicker of joy rose in her heart.

She immediately turned to face Jiang Bai, extending her slender, fair pinky finger. Her purple eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "It's a promise! No backing out! Pinky swear!"

Seeing her childish gesture and the pure delight in her eyes, Jiang Bai could not help but smile. He extended his own pinky and hooked it around hers. "I know, I know. Don't you know what kind of person I am? When have I ever gone back on something I promised?"

"That's more like it!"

Qian Renxue happily shook their linked pinkies.

A few days later, in the afternoon.

Jiang Bai decided to prepare himself according to the highest etiquette for a boy going out.

A bath and a change of clothes!

He finished that day's meditation practice early and went to the academy bathhouse for a comfortable wash.

After bathing, he had Fire Dragon control the temperature and quickly dry his hair and body.

Then he changed into a brand-new blue-and-white fitted outfit.

Standing before the only full-length mirror in the dormitory, Jiang Bai carefully examined himself.

At twelve years old, he was already nearly 1.7 meters tall, considered tall among his peers.

He took out an ancient-looking silver hair crown and carefully gathered the hair atop his head into a neat topknot, securing it with the crown.

Several unruly strands hung over his smooth forehead and beside his temples, adding a touch of casual freedom to his appearance.

The long hair at the back of his head hung naturally loose, swaying gently with his movements.

The youth in the mirror had clear features, bright eyes, a straight nose, and lightly colored lips.

Though he still looked somewhat youthful, he already possessed the bearing of a graceful young man.

"Not bad."

Jiang Bai nodded at himself, fairly satisfied.

He walked to the table and placed a small brocade box he had prepared long ago into his Storage Bracelet.

Once everything was ready, he pushed open the dormitory door and headed briskly toward the academy gates.

Beside the grand gates of Spirit Academy stood a carriage.

The two fine horses pulling it looked exceptionally spirited as they waited quietly.

A graceful figure stood silently beside the carriage.

Qian Renxue had clearly dressed up with great care as well.

She had changed into a brand-new white-and-gold one-piece dress.

The hem fell just past her knees, gently swaying with the breeze and her subtle movements, occasionally revealing a stretch of fair, slender calves with elegant lines.

She wore a pair of matching low-heeled golden sandals, making her delicate ankles and snow-white skin appear even more exquisite.

When she saw Jiang Bai emerge from the academy, especially when she saw his completely different, fresh and handsome appearance today, a flash of amazement instantly passed through Qian Renxue's purple eyes.

Soon after, an indescribable sense of secret delight and satisfaction welled up in her heart.

But she quickly concealed it, deliberately putting on a stern expression. After giving a light cough, she spoke to the slightly dazed Jiang Bai.

"Alright, dummy, what are you staring at? Let's go!"

Her tone carried a trace of reproach, but it could not hide the smile in her eyes.

Jiang Bai truly was stunned for a moment by Qian Renxue's completely refreshed appearance.

Coming back to his senses, he rubbed his nose and smiled a little awkwardly. "Xue'er, you look... especially beautiful today."

The blush that had only just faded from Qian Renxue's face climbed back up again. Somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, she glared at Jiang Bai, said nothing more, and turned to board the carriage first with light steps.

Jiang Bai smiled and followed after her.

As a trade hub between the two great empires and a renowned neutral city, Yelin City was far more prosperous than ordinary cities.

More than an hour later, the carriage smoothly arrived outside Yelin City.

The two got out and entered the city side by side.

The moment they stepped through the towering arched city gate, it felt as though they had instantly entered another world.

A deafening yet vibrant clamor crashed over them like a tidal wave!

As far as the eye could see, there were dazzling lights and crowds of people.

Along both sides of Yelin City's main street, every streetlamp, eave, shop entrance, and temporary canopy... every place where something could be hung was already densely covered with all kinds of lanterns!

Multicolored lights reflected off one another, illuminating the entire long street as brightly as day, yet filling it with countless more dreamlike and hazy colors than daylight ever could.

All kinds of vendors crowded both sides of the street.

The cries of hawkers, the sounds of bargaining, children's excited shrieks and laughter, lovers whispering as they leaned against each other, and songs and instruments drifting from distant taverns...

"It's so lively!"

Qian Renxue could not help exclaiming. The brilliant lantern lights reflected in her purple eyes, which were filled with novelty and delight.

She had rarely seen such a pure, passionate folk celebration brimming with the vitality of ordinary life.

"Yeah, it really is nice."

Jiang Bai nodded as well.

Since being reborn in Douluo Continent, he had lived in a remote village before the age of six, then buried himself in cultivation at the academy afterward. He had rarely had the chance to truly immerse himself in and experience this world's worldly prosperity and festive celebrations.

"Come on, let's go over there and take a look. That biggest lantern seems pretty special."

Jiang Bai raised a hand and pointed toward the central square of the main street. There stood a massive lantern several zhang tall, shaped like a phoenix spreading its wings and made entirely of colored glass and silk. It gleamed brilliantly and was undoubtedly the focus of the festival.

"Okay!" Qian Renxue replied eagerly.

The street was packed with people, shoulder to shoulder.

Jiang Bai naturally reached out and gently took Qian Renxue's soft, boneless hand.

Her hand was warm, soft, and smooth, with the delicate texture unique to a young girl. It felt as though he were holding a fine piece of warm jade.

Qian Renxue's hand trembled slightly, but she did not pull away or show the slightest objection. She simply let him hold it.

She lowered her head slightly, her gaze falling on their clasped hands. The blush that had only recently faded from the tips of her ears quietly spread once more, as though it had been colored by the lantern lights around them.

The two walked hand in hand like countless ordinary young visitors, following the crowd slowly toward the dazzling phoenix lantern.

Qian Renxue was occasionally drawn to novel trinkets or performances by the roadside and stopped to watch. Jiang Bai patiently stayed by her side, sometimes chatting softly with her. Both wore relaxed, cheerful smiles.

Beneath the dazzling lights, the handsome youth and stunning girl wandered together hand in hand, forming a scene so beautiful it seemed almost unreal. Passersby frequently glanced their way, amazement and envy visible in their eyes.

However, they did not know.

At an inconspicuous attic window somewhere within this sea of joy.

A pair of cold, venomous eyes, as though forged from every dark emotion in the world, were staring fixedly at them!

Especially at their tightly clasped hands and the glaringly bright, cloudless smiles on their faces.