A year slipped by before anyone realized it...
Nine hundred and ninety-nine Golden Lotus Lamps floated in the main hall of the Worship Hall, while the long nanmu table was piled high with congratulatory gifts from various factions.
The Blood Jade Coral sent by the Star Luo Empire glowed with rosy light under the influence of a Soul Tool. The specially made Emerald Bell from the Heaven Dou Empire chimed with every ripple of Soul Power, and even the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had made an exception and sent a gift.
But there was no helping it. Though those people did not want the Spirit Hall to have an heir, they still had to keep up appearances.
Azure Luan leaned against a gilded pillar and glanced toward Feather Hall. The blue feather twined around his fingertip suddenly transformed into a small bird. "The Fifth Consecrator won't even accept the invitation?"
"He's busy taking care of the little one." Lion toyed with his Jade Marrow Wine Cup, its amber liquid reflecting the grand spectacle before them—Qian Renxue, wrapped in swaddling woven from starlight, was being raised by twelve Cardinals to receive the baptism of holy light.
Just then, thirty-six pillars of ice thrust up from the ground in Feather Hall's back garden.
Pale blue Soul Power flowed around Guang Ling's fingertips, and the mist froze beneath the moonlight into the curved track of a winding slide.
Wrapped in a sable cloak, Qian Lingche sat in a custom-made ice chair, his round little body wedged inside as he sucked happily on a Milk Bottle.
"Fifth Consecrator." Bai Yi knelt on one knee at the foot of the steps. "Elder Ju requests an audience."
"Tell him to go back." Guang Ling flicked his finger, shaping the shards of ice into a protective railing. "Say the Young Master is unwell."
When Bai Yi looked up, he saw the Ice Diamond Flower pendant on Qian Lingche's chest begin to glow.
The floating ice suddenly pieced itself together into a crooked little bird. Startled, he hurriedly pressed a hand to the sword at his waist.
But the ice bird plopped into the baby's palm and turned into a frost flower.
"What are you panicking for?" Guang Ling waved his hand, raising the ice chair three inches so Qian Lingche could get a better look at the ice slide taking shape. "Go grind that box of Snow Soul Beads in the storeroom into powder, then scatter it by the southeast corner."
By the time Bai Yi returned with a jade mortar, the whole garden had become a snowy wonderland.
The floating ice swings were adorned with bell-shaped icicles, and the Ice Sculpture Rabbit puffed out bubbles of cold mist.
"Mix the Snow Soul Bead powder into the Goat Milk Jelly." Guang Ling carried the child down the winding slide, drifting lightly to the ground. Qian Lingche's laughter woke the Ice Spirit Bird perched in the parasol tree.
Just then, nine tiers of radiant flames exploded across the sky in the direction of the Worship Hall. Sun-shaped fireworks lit up half of Spirit City.
Qian Lingche stared wide-eyed at the blazing streaks overhead, then suddenly reached out toward the brightest shaft of golden light.
"Want a star?" Guang Ling drew his fingers together and parted the night sky. Countless Ice Diamond Flowers bloomed among the clouds.
The twelve crystals in the dome of Feather Hall lit up at once, their refracted rainbow light weaving into a flowing river of stars.
The baby in his arms kicked excitedly, drool soaking the bib embroidered with frost patterns.
At midnight, Bai Yi knelt at the foot of the steps for the third time. "Fifth Consecrator, the Pope has sent someone with a Yin-Yang Warm Jade Pillow."
Guang Ling was teaching Qian Lingche to count with a puzzle and didn't even look up. "Put it away."
Since Qian Xunji didn't love this child, what was the point of all this show?
A sudden cry interrupted them. At some point, Qian Lingche had pulled apart the Ice Silkworm Silk Scarf and was stuffing its tassels into his mouth. Guang Ling instantly appeared beside him and caught his chubby wrist.
"Would you like..." Bai Yi glanced at the Rattle Drum suspended in midair by Soul Power. "Should I fetch a nanny?"
Bai Yi had followed Guang Ling for many years, but he'd never imagined that the usually playful Fifth Consecrator would be so serious about anything—least of all taking care of a child.
"Can they tell Cold Marrow Fluid from Snow Soul Nectar?" Guang Ling wiped the milk from the corner of the child's mouth with a stern expression. "Those idiots the other day tried to warm the Milk Bottle over an open flame. They nearly set it on fire."
Drizzle gathered into rime atop the ice castle. Bai Yi lowered his head, gazing at the ice flowers growing between the floor tiles.
The "Angel's Praise" from the direction of the Worship Hall had somehow turned into a cheerful waltz, while the ice wind chimes in Feather Hall still chimed softly.
Qian Lingche fell fast asleep in Guang Ling's arms. Frost flowers clung to his lashes, reflecting the shifting colors of the ice, like stars fallen into the Milky Way.
In the dead of night, Azure Luan appeared in Feather Hall.
He looked at the sleeping baby, then thought of what Qian Daoliu had said. In the end, all he could do was sigh helplessly.
A blue feather sprang from his fingertip and became a streak of light as it slipped into the baby's swaddling. "Fifth Brother, the Thunder Pattern Jade the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan sent..."
"I lined the dog's bed with it." Without looking up, Guang Ling carved the railing for the ice bed. Twelve pet squirrels were bouncing at its headboard, catching pine nuts.
Azure Luan chuckled, shook his head, and vanished. The feather he had given Qian Lingche turned into a glowing ice feather in the baby's palm.
The little fellow smacked his lips in his sleep, then rolled over and pinned the Ice Sculpture Rabbit beneath him.
Guang Ling looked at Qian Lingche and sighed. "The little one loves ice so much now, and isn't even afraid of the cold. I hope that's a good sign."
Moonlight passed through the palace's colored-glass windows, casting Guang Ling's shadow across the wall.