Yun Tian and Bailing took more than half a month to reach Beiming Xue Snowfield. They stopped and started along the way, passing through many places. Whenever a place had something fun to do or delicious to eat, they stayed a few days to explore and sample the local specialties. If it had neither, they still stayed a few days-they were tired and needed a rest.
At last, the two reached Beiming Xue Snowfield.
"Brother Yun, this is all your fault! You're the reason we only just got to Beiming Xue Snowfield."
"Little Bailing, that's not fair. Who was eating the whole way, insisting on trying every tasty thing she saw? And who kept complaining she was tired and asking to rest?"
Bailing thought it over carefully. That did seem to be what had happened. Her face reddened, but she stubbornly refused to admit it.
"No, it wasn't! I didn't!"
"Oh, little Bailing, still denying it? Big White, tell me, wasn't she like that the whole way?"
(Big White was White Tiger's name.)
"Uh..."
The little white tiger looked at Yun Tian.
"She was, wasn't she?"
The little white tiger was about to agree, but then she caught sight of Bailing glaring at her. Her survival instinct made the decision for her in an instant.
"I don't know."
Hearing the little white tiger's answer, Bailing immediately said,
"See? See? I wasn't! The eyes of the masses are sharp and clear!"
Yun Tian looked at White Tiger.
"Big White, I never thought you were that kind of person."
"I~ de~ spise~ you!"
White Tiger, meanwhile, turned a deaf ear to the world outside her window. She tilted her head toward the sky, pursed her lips, and even hummed a tune, looking for all the world as though he could say whatever he liked, but she wasn't listening. She looked exactly like that rabbit from Year Hare Affair.
"All right, all right, stop clowning around. Let's go," Yun Tian said.
Yun Tian and Bailing walked along the road to Beiming Mountain Manor. By now, snowflakes as big as goose feathers were falling from the sky. The damn things came down as though they cost nothing-which, admittedly, they didn't.
As he walked, Yun Tian asked inwardly,
"Ling'er, where are Nangong Wentian and the others now?"
"Hmm? Let me check."
"Brother Tian, I found them. Nangong Wentian's group has already reached Clear Spring Mountain."
"Oh? Clear Spring Mountain? Is that where Nangong Wentian first meets Dongfang Tiexin?"
"That's right. That's the place."
"That won't do. As the protagonist, Nangong Wentian should focus on saving the world. How could he let romance trip him up? So let me bear that burden for him."
"Ah, I'm so great. Even I'm moved by my own selflessness."
"How can I be so kind? Maybe this is my unique personal charm."
Ling'er simply watched quietly as Yun Tian talked to himself.
"Bailing, I'm heading out for a bit. Want to come?"
"Hmm? Where are you going, Brother Yun?"
"To Clear Spring Mountain. Nangong Wentian and the others will run into trouble there, so I'm going to pay them a visit."
"Oh, then I want to come."
"All right. Let's go."
Yun Tian waved his hand, opening a passage.
"Let's go."
The two stepped into the passage.
Clear Spring Mountain.
Somewhere in the mountains, a group of people were wrestling in a huge mud pit. More precisely, one muscular man was wrestling a group of elderly people, women, and children. That man was the Heaven-Earth Alliance Leader's subordinate, the Wrestling General. Single-handedly, he defeated them all.
"Hahaha! I've turned Clear Spring Town's water source into a mud pool, but not a single one of you can beat me!"
"You wretched lackey of the Heaven-Earth Alliance Leader! Polluting our water source is going too far! The Heaven-Earth Alliance Leader not only ruined Clear Spring Town's water source, he also turned the Void Beast into a demon beast!"
"Hahahahaha! You old geezer, you can still talk? Looks like you haven't been thrown around enough. Let's wrestle a few more rounds!"
With that, he grabbed the old man and hurled him away. Just before the old man hit the ground, a fat boy leaped out and caught him. That boy was Ximen Xiao. Nangong Wentian also spoke up,
"You wretched lackey of the Heaven-Earth Alliance Leader! What's so impressive about bullying an old man? If you've got any guts, come fight me, Nangong Wentian!"
"Gladly!"
The two stepped into the mud pit. As soon as the match began, the Wrestling General rushed up to Nangong Wentian so quickly that even he almost failed to react. The Wrestling General seized him in a firm grip, but Nangong Wentian broke free. Then his wristguard lit up, and he knocked the Wrestling General flat with a single punch.
"Wrestling General, leave Clear Spring Town at once, and never come back!"
The Wrestling General thought, "Damn it, I actually lost! No, I have to hurry and tell Her Highness the Princess!"
"Hmph! Nangong Wentian, just you wait!"
With that, he fled, shouting as he ran,
"Nangong Wentian, I'll be back!"
(Hiding in the shadows, Yun Tian thought, "Damn, why does the Wrestling General's line sound so familiar? He reminds me of a wolf who once shouted, 'I love frying pans!' What's going on?")
"Wonderful! The Wrestling General's been driven off!"
"You're amazing!"
"Yes, it's all thanks to you!"
At this point, the rescued old man said,
"Young hero, on behalf of the residents of Clear Spring Town, thank you. Please let me hold a feast to show our gratitude."
"Everyone deserves the credit."
That evening, Nangong Wentian's group and the residents of Clear Spring Town sat in a circle in town, eating together.
The village chief said, "Young Master Wentian, thank you for driving off the Wrestling General for us."
"Big Brother is amazing!"
Nangong Wentian said, "Ah, hahahahaha!"
"Looks like I didn't need to step in at all this time."
Ximen Xiao said, "Wentian has the Heaven Crystal Beast and his wristguard. No wonder everyone loves him. I don't have anything."
"Young Master Ximen, thank you for saving me."
"It was nothing. By the way, I heard there's a treasure on Clear Spring Mountain. Do you know anything about it, Village Chief?"
"I do. It's inside the Frozen Waterfall behind Clear Spring Mountain, but no one has ever managed to retrieve it."
"I'll go get it right now!"
Before he had even finished speaking, Ximen Xiao ran off.
The village chief said, "Young people certainly act decisively."
When Xiao Long saw Ximen Xiao leave, he followed him.
(Yun Tian asked, "Ling'er, is Ximen Xiao the only one who can get that Water Dragon Cannon?"
"Yes. It's something the Heavenly Dao prepared specifically for Ximen Xiao. Only he can retrieve it."
"No wonder. I was wondering why nobody in Clear Spring Town had taken it when they clearly knew where it was."
Bailing asked, "Brother Yun, what did Ximen Xiao go to do?"
"To claim a fortuitous opportunity meant for him alone."
"Hmm? If it's a fortuitous opportunity, aren't you going to take it, Brother Yun?"
"That thing's called the Water Dragon Cannon. It's not very powerful, though it's fine for water fights. Besides, only Ximen Xiao can get it. I could too, of course, but I'm not interested."
"Oh, right. Bailing, here's a little trinket for you."
Yun Tian tossed her a ring.
When Bailing saw that it was a ring, her imagination instinctively ran wild. She even picked out names for their children.
"Bailing, that's a Storage Ring. You can store things inside it."
"Ah. Oh."
Bailing thought, "Honestly, Brother Yun! Why didn't you say so sooner? You made me go as far as picking out names for our children!")
After Ximen Xiao and Xiao Long reached the waterfall, they searched for a while and, sure enough, spotted the treasure in the ice. Ximen Xiao hammered away at the ice, digging several meters deep without finding it. Then Xiao Long realized that what they had seen was a reflection in the sunlight-the treasure was above them. In the end, the two worked together to retrieve it. Ximen Xiao opened the treasure chest, and a light shone out. A legendary golden drop.
Clear Spring Town.
Everyone was chatting when the earth suddenly shook and the mountains trembled. The Wrestling General appeared, riding the Mud Worm.
"Ah! It's the Wrestling General!"
"Hahaha! Nangong Wentian, I told you I'd be back for revenge! This time, I have the Mud Worm our princess gave me. Let's see what you can do now!"
"Wrestling General, you actually dared to come back! Watch me teach you a lesson! Heaven Crystal Beast, transform!"
"All right!"
The Heaven Crystal Beast leaped up, about to transform, but just then, the Mud Worm spat out a mouthful of clay, trapping the Heaven Crystal Beast in it.
"Heaven Crystal Beast, are you all right?"
"This clay is too hard! I can't move!"
"Ah! What do we do?"
"Hahahahahahaha! Nangong Wentian, let's see what you can do now! Mud Worm, crush him!"
At the command, the Mud Worm charged straight at Nangong Wentian to crush him. Nangong Wentian could only dodge, and before long, he was panting for breath. At that critical moment, a jet of water shot toward the Wrestling General. Ximen Xiao had returned. The water washed over the Mud Worm, and soon it stripped away the mud covering its body.
The Wrestling General shouted, "Mud Worm, attack!"
"I can't! My protective layer has been washed away!"
Seeing his chance, Nangong Wentian hurriedly shattered the clay trapping the Heaven Crystal Beast.
"Heaven Crystal Beast, transform!"
After the transformation, Nangong Wentian charged straight at the Wrestling General. Just then, someone suddenly appeared in the sky and attacked him. It was Dongfang Tiexin. Just before her attack landed, Yun Tian made his entrance. In an instant, he appeared in front of Dongfang Tiexin and caught her sword between his fingers.
"Little lady, attacking people by surprise isn't a good habit."
Dongfang Tiexin had intended to attack again, but when she saw Yun Tian's face, her first thought was, He's so handsome. Then she immediately backed away.
"Who are you?"
"Me? My name's Yun Tian. I'm a traveler, wandering from place to place."
"Who are you?"
Had anyone else asked, Dongfang Tiexin would have ignored him and attacked long ago. But since it was Yun Tian asking, she answered almost as though under a spell.
"My name is Dongfang Tiexin."
"Oh, Dongfang Tiexin. That's a lovely name."
Hearing Yun Tian praise her name, Dongfang Tiexin's expression remained unchanged, but a trace of delight stirred in her heart without her even realizing it.
"Hmph! Don't think I'll let you off just because you said that!"
"Oh? But you're no match for me. Don't tell me you want to try?"
Yun Tian returned Dongfang Tiexin's sword to her.
"Then I'll try! I'll show you how strong I am!"
"All right, come on."
Dongfang Tiexin attacked at once, while Yun Tian did nothing but dodge.
"What's so impressive about only dodging? If you've got any guts, fight me head-on!"
"Little lady, that's not quite right. I think dodging well is a skill too. But since you're trying so hard, I'll indulge your request a little."
Yun Tian suddenly appeared in front of Dongfang Tiexin, knocked away her weapon, and tapped her forehead. Dongfang Tiexin hadn't even reacted before she felt the pain. The sudden sting sent her tumbling straight toward the ground. Just as she thought she was about to hit it, someone appeared and caught her in his arms. It was Yun Tian. Looking at Dongfang Tiexin, who still had her eyes closed in his embrace, he said,
"Little lady, it's all right. You're safe now."
Dongfang Tiexin opened her eyes and sighed in relief when she saw she was unharmed. But when she realized she was in Yun Tian's arms, she immediately blushed and hurriedly wriggled free.
"Hmph! You pervert!"
"Hey, little lady, that's not fair. I saved you."
"Uh... I don't care!" Dongfang Tiexin immediately invoked a girl's special privilege: refusing to listen to reason.
Once Dongfang Tiexin had calmed down, she said to Nangong Wentian, "You were lucky this time. Someone saved you. Next time, I'll definitely capture you!"
After addressing Nangong Wentian, she looked at Yun Tian. What had just happened surfaced in her mind again, and a blush crept over her face. "Next time, I'll definitely beat you!"
(Yun Tian noticed that Dongfang Tiexin's gaze was ice-cold when she spoke to Nangong Wentian, but filled with embarrassed indignation when she spoke to him. He knew his first step had succeeded.)
"Sure, little lady. I'll be waiting."
"Wrestling General, we're leaving."
After saying that, Dongfang Tiexin left as though fleeing. Seeing her depart, the Wrestling General hurriedly left as well.
Before you continue