A Lone Shadow Accompanies, Warmth Exists Alone

Time slipped away inadvertently, and a year had passed.

In the main hall of the Worship Hall, nine hundred and ninety-nine Golden Lotus Lamps floated in the air, while the long nanmu wood tables were piled high with congratulatory gifts sent by various factions.

The Blood Jade Coral sent by the Star Luo Empire shimmered with rosy light under the influence of a Soul Tool, the emerald bells specially crafted by the Heaven Dou Empire chimed with the fluctuations of Soul Power, and even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had broken precedent to send a gift.

Yet, there was no helping it; although those people were unwilling to see the Spirit Hall have a successor, they still had to maintain appearances.

Azure Luan leaned against a gilded pillar and glanced toward the Feather Hall, the cyan feather twining around his fingertip suddenly transforming into a small bird. "Is the Fifth Consecrator refusing to even accept the congratulatory notes?"

"He is busy looking after the little one." Lion toyed with a Jade Marrow Wine Cup, the amber liquid reflecting the grand scene—Qian Renxue, wrapped in swaddling clothes woven from starlight, was being held aloft by twelve Cardinals to receive the baptism of holy light.

In the back garden of the Feather Hall, thirty-six ice pillars rose from the ground.

Pale blue Soul Power flowed from Guang Ling's fingertips, and cold mist condensed under the moonlight into the curved track of a spiral slide.

Qian Lingche was bundled in a sable fur cloak, his round body wedged into a custom-made ice chair, clutching a milk bottle and sucking away with great relish.

"Fifth Consecrator." Bai Yi knelt on one knee at the bottom of the steps. "Elder Ju requests an audience."

"Tell him to go back." Guang Ling flicked his finger, condensing shards of ice into a protective railing. "Tell him the little young master is feeling unwell."

As Bai Yi looked up, he saw the Ice Diamond Flower pendant on Qian Lingche's chest begin to glow.

The floating ice crystals suddenly assembled into a crooked, flying bird, startling him into hurriedly pressing a hand against the sword at his waist.

The ice bird, however, landed with a soft pat on the infant's palm, transforming into a frost flower.

"What are you panicking about?" Guang Ling waved his hand, raising the ice chair by three inches so that Qian Lingche could see the ice slide taking shape. "Go grind that box of Snow Soul Beads from the storeroom into powder and scatter it in the southeast corner."

By the time Bai Yi returned with the jade bowl, the entire garden had transformed into an ice and snow wonderland.

The floating ice swings were adorned with lily-of-the-valley-shaped ice crystals, and the ice sculpture of a Little Snow Fox puffed out bubble-shaped cold mist from its mouth.

"Mix the Snow Soul powder into the Goat Milk Jelly." Guang Ling floated down from the spiral slide while holding the child, Qian Lingche's laughter waking the Ice Spirit Birds in the parasol tree.

At that moment, nine layers of brilliant flames suddenly erupted in the sky toward the Worship Hall, and sun-shaped fireworks illuminated half of Martial Soul City.

Qian Lingche stared at the flowing fire across the sky with wide eyes, suddenly reaching his small hands toward the brightest beam of golden light.

"You want the stars?" Guang Ling joined his fingers and sliced through the night sky, causing countless Ice Diamond Flowers to bloom among the clouds.

The twelve crystals on the dome of the Feather Hall lit up simultaneously, their refracted rainbow light weaving into a flowing galaxy.

The infant in his arms kicked his legs in excitement, his drool soaking the bib embroidered with frost patterns.

At midnight, Bai Yi knelt before the steps for the third time. "Fifth Consecrator, the Pope has ordered someone to deliver a Yin-Yang Warm Jade Pillow."

Guang Ling was busy teaching Qian Lingche how to count using puzzles and did not even look up at the words. "Put it away."

Since Qian Xunji did not love this child, what was the point of these performative gestures?

A sudden cry interrupted their conversation. Qian Lingche had somehow untied his Ice Silkworm Silk Scarf and was stuffing the tassels into his mouth. Guang Ling teleported over and pinched the chubby little wrist.

"Do you need..." Bai Yi looked at the Rattle Drum suspended in mid-air by Soul Power. "...for me to fetch a nanny?"

Bai Yi had followed Guang Ling for many years, and he never would have imagined that the always-playful Fifth Consecrator would have such a serious side, let alone because of raising a child.

"Can they tell the difference between Cold Marrow Fluid and Snow Soul Nectar?" Guang Ling wiped the milk stains from the child's mouth with a cold face. "Those idiots the other day actually used an open flame to warm the milk bottle; it nearly caught fire."

Fine rain condensed into rime on the roof of the ice castle, and Bai Yi lowered his head to stare at the ice crystal flowers growing in the cracks of the floor tiles.

The Angel's Praise playing toward the Worship Hall had somehow turned into a cheerful waltz, while the ice crystal wind chimes at the Feather Hall continued to chime.

Qian Lingche fell into a deep sleep in Guang Ling's arms, the frost flowers on his eyelashes reflecting the flowing, colorful light of the ice soul, looking like stars that had fallen into the Milky Way.

In the second half of the night, Azure Luan's figure appeared at the Feather Hall.

He looked at the sleeping infant, then thought of Qian Daoliu's words, and could only sigh helplessly in the end.

He flicked a cyan feather from his fingertip, and the feather transformed into a stream of light that merged into the infant's swaddling clothes. "Old Five, the Thunder Pattern Jade sent by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan..."

"I used it to pad the dog kennel." Guang Ling did not look up as he carved the railings of an ice bed, where twelve pet squirrels were jumping about, catching pinecones.

Azure Luan chuckled, shook his head, and vanished, yet the cyan feather he had sent transformed into a glowing ice feather in Qian Lingche's palm.

The little one smacked his lips in his sleep, rolled over, and pressed down on the ice sculpture rabbit.

Guang Ling looked at Qian Lingche and sighed. "The little one likes ice so much now, and he isn't afraid of the cold. I hope that's a good thing."

The moonlight shone through the palace's glazed windows, casting Guang Ling's shadow against the wall.