Da Ming Xia 45

Chapter Forty-Five:

The Blackwater Divine Palace

. The sixteen peaks of Changbai Mountain are diverse in form, vying for beauty, rugged and precipitous, each with its own unique shape, some white, some yellow, some blue, some green, surrounding Tianchi Lake.

Baitou Peak, located southeast of Tianchi, is the tallest of the sixteen peaks. At this time, Baitou Peak, along with the other peaks and even the entire Tianchi Lake, was still Chinese territory. It hadn't been given to a neighboring country because it was a place where a great leader had fought, out of consideration for comrades and brothers in the international proletarian sentiment. Therefore, Ding Erye's ascent of this peak wouldn't cause any international disputes.

Ding Shou and Wang Tingxiang climbed the mountain, leaving Li Chunmei, Chang Jiu, and others behind as guards. Only Bo Huatu shamelessly offered to be their guide, and unable to refuse, they had to go along.

At this time of year, Changbai Mountain was still covered in snow and ice. Looking around, Ding Shou and the others saw towering trees, creeping grasses, fallen deadwood, and ethereal frost—a magnificent snow-covered forest, a scene of northern beauty.

"My lords, Changbai Mountain is the sacred mountain of our Jurchen people. It is rich in resources and has nurtured countless people..." Since arriving at the mountain, Bo Huatu hadn't stopped talking, his incessant chatter becoming increasingly annoying.

If it weren't for needing the Three Guards, Ding Shou would have loved to stuff a wad of snow into that mouth. He could only endure it. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a wisp of purple fur rushing across the snowfield. "Brother Ziheng, what's that?"

Before Wang Tingxiang could get a closer look, Bo Huatu blurted out, "A sable."

Ding Shou gave an "oh." Sables resemble weasels in shape, with yellowish-black fur, sometimes tinged with purple. They have pointed snouts and long whiskers on both sides, but their limbs are relatively short, with the forelimbs shorter than the hind limbs. They usually live in the forest, hunting birds and rodents during the day. Their fur is extremely valuable, used to make fur hats and collars that are not only light and warm but also waterproof, melting snow as soon as it falls.

Because sable fur was so precious, the palace needed a large quantity every year. A single sable pelt was less than a foot square, and it took more than sixty pelts to make just one fur coat. The *Book of Jin* records that people at the time loved to use sable tails as decorations for hats. However, due to the rampant granting of official positions, sable tails were insufficient, so dog tails were used instead, hence the idiom "dog tails for sable coats."

Ding Shou, delighted at the sight of the sable, thought to himself that he might as well hunt a few sables today to make some light fur coats for the women at home. He immediately crept up behind the sables.

Unexpectedly, the beast was extremely cunning, constantly running and stopping, sniffing and looking around, sometimes raising its head to look in all directions, frightening the second master so much that he frequently lay down on the snow to hide his tracks.

Wang Tingxiang, who was following him, was in a childlike mood and didn't take it seriously. But Bo Huatu, who had been in charge of the Right Guard for decades, hadn't suffered this kind of hardship of climbing ice and snow in years. "My lord,"

he said, "sables are suspicious and extremely difficult to catch. If you like, the village has several hundred pelts, along with some local products, which we can give you." "What a joke! Where did you get those hundreds of pelts?" Ding Shou retorted stubbornly.

Bo Huatu smiled bitterly, "They love to eat pine nuts. The village's 'ha' (a derogatory term for sables) have to stay up all night under the trees, holding their breath and shooting in the shadows

. It's not something that can be done overnight." "If you can shoot them, why can't I?" He raised his voice, and a sable in the distance suddenly pricked up its ears, then quickly trotted away and disappeared into the snowfield.

Ding Shou, seeing his prey vanish, felt a surge of frustration and pointed at Bu Huatu, saying, "You can go back now; there's no need for you to come any further."

Seeing Bu Huatu about to say more, Ding Shou said, "I won't disturb our hunt; I'll give you five more imperial edicts."

Bu Huatu thanked him with a beaming smile, but after watching Ding Shou and Wang Tingxiang disappear from sight, he suddenly realized, "Oh no, I forgot to tell them that place is off-limits."

*** *** *** ***

Looking up, the red sun seems near; looking back, the clouds seem low.

The higher they climbed, the deeper the snow became. With each step, half their leg sank in. Wang Tingxiang advised, "Brother, don't be so stubborn. This trip isn't necessarily about hunting sable; experiencing the northern scenery is enough."

Ding Shou, cheeks puffed out, continued on his way, head down. Wang Tingxiang was both amused and exasperated by his younger brother's temperament. Just as he was about to offer some words of advice, Ding Shou suddenly stopped and pointed to a slope ahead. "Brother Ziheng, look!"

Following Ding Shou's direction, Wang Tingxiang was stunned by what he saw.

On the snow-covered plain, a naked young woman lay supine. Her breasts were high and firm, like two inverted bowls, adorned with two red cherries at the bottom. Her waist was slender, her abdomen slightly protruding, and her shapely legs were intertwined. On the slightly raised mound at the base of her thighs, a clump of sparse yet glossy black pubic hair contrasted sharply with the white snow.

"Could it be some woman who suffered from the snow disaster and is now frozen here?" Wang Tingxiang asked.

"This woman is completely naked except for her deerskin boots. What woman would take off her clothes after suffering a disaster?" Ding Shou retorted.

"Oh no!" Wang Tingxiang exclaimed in alarm. More than ten sables rushed out of the dense forest and quickly ran towards the naked woman in the snow. Were these beasts going to eat her?

Seeing that several sables had already reached the girl's side and were heading straight for her round breasts, Ding Shou was too late to save her. He gathered his energy in his dantian and shouted loudly.

The sables, startled, scattered and fled. Suddenly, the girl lying on her back opened her slightly closed, starry eyes, and with a flick of her wrist, a large black net emerged from the snow, capturing the nearest sables. She then stood up angrily and shouted in the direction of the two men, "Which tribe are you from? You've ruined my plans!"

Ding Shou and the other man approached. The girl, ignoring her own lack of clothing, tightened the net herself before pulling a red fur-lined cloak from the snow beneath her. She draped it gracefully over herself, her phoenix eyes wide as she looked at the two men.

"Were you catching sables, young lady?" Wang Tingxiang asked hesitantly.

"Of course I was catching sables! Otherwise, who would strip naked and suffer here in this freezing weather? After lying here for hours, you all ran away with a single shout, and I only caught a few!" the girl chattered on, unforgiving.

Seeing that the girl was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a spirited air, an oval face, thin lips, and bright, lively eyes, Ding Shou immediately felt a sense of goodwill towards her. He smiled and bowed apologetically, saying, "Please forgive us, young lady. Just now, when we saw these beasts rushing towards you, we thought they were going to harm you, so we shouted and threatened them, ruining your plans. We really shouldn't have done that, and we are willing to make amends."

The girl looked at the two of them suspiciously, "You speak in such a refined manner, are you Han Chinese?"

Ding Shou nodded in agreement.

The little girl nodded. "No wonder, no one else would have come here. Oh well, you meant well, no need for compensation."

"You're a very reasonable person," Ding Shou continued, grinning. "May I ask your name?"

"What name? You're asking my name, aren't you?" The little girl giggled. "My name is Hailan."

"Hailan, what a nice name," Ding Shou clapped his hands in praise, continuing to make conversation. "Your method of catching sables is truly unique."

Hailan seemed to enjoy chatting. "What's so unique about it? Sables are cunning and suspicious, and they usually live alone, making them difficult to catch. But when they encounter someone frozen in the snow, they will call for their companions to lie on their bodies and warm them up. I just follow their nature."

Wang Tingxiang muttered from the side, "People can be so selfish and heartless."

"What?" Hailan blinked her big eyes, seemingly not understanding.

"It's nothing, my brother is just praising the girl for being resourceful," Ding Shou said with a smile.

Wang Tingxiang stared at the sable in the black net and said, "Sables are kind by nature, and saving people is their instinct. But people don't know how to be grateful. Instead, they take advantage of this kindness to hunt and kill for profit. They are not even as good as this beast."

Brother Ziheng, didn't you see that I was flirting with a girl? When did you become an animal rights activist? Ding Shou put his hand to his forehead and was speechless.

Instead of the expected anger, Hailan laughed heartily before saying, "No wonder Master said the people down the mountain have strange ideas, especially the Han people. I don't know what they're thinking. All things in nature are meant to nourish people. Does it matter how you capture them?"

Wang Tingxiang immediately flared up and sneered, "Even the most invasive plants, like the venomous snakes and scorpions, are meant to nourish people. Jackals and tigers eat people, but people are meant to nourish them. Between heaven and earth, all things are created by nature. Humans are the most intelligent of all things, and their intelligence and skill are enough to control all things. They can drive them away, imprison them, or kill and eat them. Is this not the will of heaven? The strong oppress the weak, the many bully the few, the wise destroy the foolish. This is the trend of all things. What can heaven do about it?" "

Alright, Brother Wang, I admit you're more impressive than Darwin. Darwin's great-grandfather is probably nowhere to be found reincarnated yet," Ding Shou shook his head and remained silent.

"Why are you shaking your head, my dear brother? Is there something wrong with what I said?" Wang Tingxiang asked when he saw Ding Shou shake his head.

"Yes, yes, yes, natural selection, survival of the fittest, what's wrong with that?" Ding Shou praised without hesitation.

"Natural selection, survival of the fittest." Wang Tingxiang muttered a few words to himself, quite satisfied. This young man's words were always insightful and hit the nail on the head, living up to his reputation as a confidant. It's a pity that he's too close to the powerful eunuchs in the palace. As his elder brother, he should still give him a hand.

Hailan frowned and thought for a while, "What you said seems to make sense, but it's different from what Master said. Why don't you come to my house and hear what Master has to say?"

"That would be great, then we'll be bothering you." Ding Shou was overjoyed.

Hailan loosened the net, and all the captured sables ran out. "Since we don't know if catching them was the right thing to do, let's release them for now, so they don't suffer in the net."

Wang Tingxiang appreciated the young girl's actions, saying that she was teachable. The two followed Hailan to climb to the top of the mountain.

Along the way, Ding Shou cracked jokes, while Hai Lan was in high spirits, chatting enthusiastically and answering every question. She told them that she and her master lived by Tianchi Lake. Her master rarely interacted with others, and when he encountered outsiders, he would vanish into thin air. The local mountain people regarded this as a divine manifestation, and gradually the area was designated as the abode of immortals, rarely visited by humans. As they

approached the summit, a deafening thunderclap suddenly resounded, its power astonishing. Seeing the two men's expressions change, Hai Lan smiled slightly and led them around to a huge rock. From there, they could see two snow-dragon-like columns of water cascading from the sky, splashing countless waves, with snowflakes flying everywhere, ice flowers crisscrossing, and silver light shimmering—a breathtaking sight.

The two were stunned by the beautiful scenery before them when they turned around and couldn't find Hailan. Startled, they hurriedly searched for her, only to find several hot springs hidden beneath the rocks, their waters gurgling and steam rising. Looking around, the birch trees were covered in various frost-covered trees, and in the distance, the waterfall was magnificent and spectacular—a truly beautiful scene, like "a waterfall scattering a thousand piles of snow, and springs rising ten thousand wisps of smoke.

" With a sweet laugh, Hailan emerged from one of the springs like a white fish, completely unconcerned about being naked, and said with a smile, "Would you two like to soak together to warm yourselves up?"

Wang Tingxiang turned away, silently reciting "Don't look at what you shouldn't see," but Ding Shou smiled broadly, "Sure!" and leaped down.

As Ding Shou jumped naked into the hot spring, Hailan tilted her head and stared at him with curiosity in her eyes, saying, "Why are you born different from others?"

After a moment of puzzlement, Ding Shou understood. This woman had grown up with her master since childhood and probably had never seen a naked man. Her lack of embarrassment in front of the two of them was partly due to her nature, and partly because she was completely unaware of the proper separation between men and women. He immediately laughed and said, "Of course I'm different, I'm a man."

"A man? Haven't I ever seen a naked man?" Hailan wrinkled her upturned nose and said with dissatisfaction, "I've seen plenty of naked men."

Ding Shou was dumbfounded. "You've seen plenty? Where have you seen them?"

"After the mountains were opened up, the men from the tribes who went into the mountains to hunt often fished and bathed in the water. Haven't I seen enough of that going up and down the mountains?" Hailan snorted.

Scratching his head, Ding Shou's gaze swept from Hai Lan's firm chest to her slender yet powerful waist. "Then what makes me different?" he asked, puzzled.

With a splash, Hai Lan swam to his side, her jade-like hand reaching down to grasp his limp, lifeless penis. "Yours is bigger than theirs," she said sweetly.

Ding Shou groaned comfortably. Because she was holding his treasure, most of Hai Lan's breasts pressed against his upper arm, feeling the firm yet resilient erection. His previously suppressed desires began to grow stronger in his small hand.

Hai Lan let out a soft "Eh," "This thing can get bigger and harder, how interesting." Releasing her hand, she playfully tapped the coronal sulcus twice with her finger. "

Don't tease me like that," the Second Master thought inwardly, breathing heavily. "Actually, you can stroke it up and down, it will get even bigger."

"Really?" The girl was still unconvinced, so she did as he said, grasping the base of his penis and stroking it a few times.

"Yes, yes, that's it, go faster, go harder..." Ding Shou said, leaning his head back comfortably.

Just as Ding Shou was patiently explaining physiological knowledge to the little flower of Changbai Mountain, he heard a heavy "cough" above his head, which startled him so much that he almost pulled his "treasure" back. How could he have forgotten about the one on the rock?

Seeing that this kid was really out of line, Wang Tingxiang reminded him. Hailan raised her pretty face and said with concern, "Are you feeling cold? Come down and soak in the water with me."

One sentence left Wang Tingxiang frozen on the spot, not knowing what to do. Ding Shou couldn't help but cover his mouth and chuckle. Wang Tingxiang stammered, "Well, thank you for your kindness, miss, but it's no trouble for me..."

When Wang Tingxiang ran out of words, he saw that the two of them had turned to look down the mountain. He couldn't help but follow their gaze and saw a black shadow running upwards at an extremely fast speed, like a wisp of smoke, heading straight for the mountain peak.

Hailan suddenly leaped out of the water, wrapping her cloak around herself. "Why are you here today?" Ignoring the two, she used her lightness skill to chase after the figure.

Ding Shou hastily put on his clothes, exchanging a puzzled glance with Wang Tingxiang. "Brother Ziheng, hold on tight!" He grabbed Wang Tingxiang and sped off towards them.

*** *** *** ***

Changbai Mountain's Heavenly Lake, with its sixteen towering peaks, is reflected in the water, its reflection shimmering, the sky and water merging, clouds and mountains mirroring each other.

A masked man in black stands atop the peak of Changbai Mountain, gazing silently at the Heavenly Lake, the mountain wind whipping his robes.

Hailan stood by the pond, gazing silently at the figure in black atop the mountain, until Ding Shou approached her. "Miss Hailan, who is this?"

Hailan shook her head. "He's here to see my master."

Wang Tingxiang, panting heavily as Ding Shou dragged him up the mountain, asked, "Where is your master?"

A flute melody rang out, its cold tone mirroring the chilly wind of the mountain peak. Hailan smiled and said, "My master has arrived."

Suddenly, a beautiful white figure appeared on the surface of Tianchi Lake. Her black hair reached her waist, she wore white robes and was barefoot. She gently played a bamboo flute, drifting towards them across the azure waters.

The two were captivated by this ethereal beauty. Wang Tingxiang praised, "Her movements are swift as a flying duck, elusive as a spirit. She treads lightly across the waves, her silk stockings stirring up dust. Her movements are unpredictable, sometimes precarious, sometimes serene. Her advances and retreats are uncertain, sometimes appearing, sometimes departing. Her eyes sparkle with brilliance, her face radiant with jade-like light. Even before she utters a word, her breath is as fragrant as a fragrant orchid. Even the Goddess of the Luo River could not surpass

her beauty." Ding Shou, however, stared intently at the woman's feet. It wasn't that he had a foot fetish; it was simply perplexing that this woman's snow-white feet, without any apparent movement, could traverse the waves. Even Bodhidharma, the patriarch of the Southern Tang, needed a reed to cross the river; he couldn't believe that a fairy was truly treading the water before him.

As the woman in white approached the pool, Ding Shou noticed a long trail of water trailing behind her. The flute music abruptly stopped, and her graceful figure soared into the air, her snow-white feet lightly touching the cliff face for leverage. When she landed, she was already three zhang (approximately 10 meters) away from the man in black.

Ding Shou stared intently at the water, seeing nothing unusual, then nudged Hai Lan beside him with his elbow and asked, "What's happening underwater..."

Hai Lan blinked, understanding his meaning, and whistled with a smile.

Suddenly, a monster leaped out of the water. Its head was large and round, covered with white spots, resembling a leopard's head. Its body was nearly ten zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) long, gradually thinning from head to toe, like a snake. Upon seeing Hai Lan, it let out a "roaring" sound, as if whining. "

Holy crap, a water monster! There really are such things in this world!" Ding Shou's eyes widened in astonishment.

Wang Tingxiang became even more excited, muttering, "In the Great Wilderness, there is a mountain called Buxian, and the country of the Sushen people. There is an insect with a beast's head and a snake's body, called the Qin Insect. The records in the Classic of Mountains and Seas are all true."

Hailan was too lazy to pay attention to the two suddenly mentally unstable patients. She walked to the edge of the pool and affectionately patted the monster's head. The monster rubbed its head against Hailan's cloak, then turned and jumped into the water.

Seeing the monster enter the water, Ding Shou finally came to his senses and pointed to the receding waterline, saying, "This thing is..."

"You're the thing," Hailan said displeased. "Little Flower was raised in the palace. It grew up with me since it was a baby. Don't talk to it like that."

"The palace?" Ding Shou asked, puzzled. How did a palace come into the picture?

"It's my home, the Blackwater Divine Palace. Didn't I tell you?" Hailan blinked her big eyes innocently.

"You told me nothing," Ding Shou muttered to himself, pointing to the two figures in black and white standing on the mountaintop, and asked, "Who are those people?"

Hailan pouted and shook her head, saying, "I don't know, but Master said they're Koreans. Ever since I can remember, they've come to challenge Master to a duel every year."

Ding Shou crossed his arms and looked up at the two, saying, "Is this how they fight?" For a long time, neither of them had moved an inch. Was this a duel or a blind date?

Wang Tingxiang, standing nearby, laughed, "Masters exchange blows, stopping when they've made their point. What's the difference between fighting to the death and idle commoners?" "

Oh dear, Brother Ziheng, it seems like you understand everything. Since you came on this mission, how many romantic opportunities have you ruined for me? Have you even calculated it? What kind of expert are you

pretending to be?" Ding Shou gave him a sidelong glance, annoyed. "When they were young, they exchanged at least several hundred blows. Later, they fought less and less, until three years ago, neither of them made a single move," Hailan said, seemingly equally puzzled.

Hearing Hailan's words, Ding Shou seemed to understand. He focused his attention and saw the white-clad beauty's long sleeves flutter slightly without wind, while the black-clad figure subtly shifted, the raised sleeves falling back down without warning, and the black-clad figure straightening up again.

With Ding Shou's keen eyesight, he could see that the raised sleeves concealed dozens of possible hand movements, but the black-clad figure's slight movement completely blocked all subsequent changes. Just as Wang Tingxiang had said, these two were indeed masters.

"Miss Hailan, what martial art does your master practice?" Ding Shou asked, frowning.

"Master said her inner technique is called 'Ice Heart Technique.' When practiced to its depths, it can eliminate the seven emotions and extinguish the six desires, leaving the mind without thoughts."

"Then have you learned this skill?" This skill is not something a human can practice, Ding Shou thought to himself.

Hailan shrugged. "No, Master said that practicing this skill requires giving up too much. She told me to enjoy myself for a few more years and talk about it when I'm older."

Ding Shou's lips curled up. It seemed that this ice-cold beauty's own cultivation wasn't quite up to par yet.

The two stared at each other on the mountain peak for another half an hour. The masked man in black spoke, "Nalan Feixue, you still can't break my Yi Sword Technique." The voice was soft and melodious, revealing it to be a woman.

"Li Mingshu, you can't always anticipate my Ice Heart Technique's 'first move' either." The white-clad beauty named Nalan Feixue spoke in a cold voice, like the unmelted ice on the mountain peak.

Li Mingshu was silent for a moment, then nodded. "Not bad, another draw today."

"Let's fight again next year." Nalan Feixue danced in the cold wind and flew down.

"Farewell." Li Mingshu didn't waste any more words and rushed down the mountain.

"Master is so powerful! She made him run away with his head in his hands again." Hailan clapped her hands and went to greet her.

Nalan Feixue remained expressionless. "Glib-tongued." A hint of warmth lingered in her voice, but when she turned to Ding Shou and Hailan Feixue, her tone instantly turned to icy coldness. "You—go!"

Ding Shou, who had come with a beaming smile to please this icy beauty, was immediately silenced by the dismissal.

"Master, they are friends I invited up the mountain," Hailan protested.

"Not mine," Nalan Feixue's voice remained emotionless.

Ding Shou chuckled, "Even if we've been unwelcome guests today, to be turned away without even a sip of water—is this the Blackwater Divine Palace's way of treating guests?" The

white-clad figure paused. "Fine, then you can have a cup of water."

"Really! Master truly dotes on Hailan the most!" Hailan skipped forward and took Nalan Feixue's arm.

Ding Shou softly asked Wang Tingxiang, "Brother Ziheng, what do you think of this Changbai Snow Fairy?"

"Hard to say," Wang Tingxiang shook his head.

"Speak a few words," Ding Shou urged.

"Within Changbai Mountain, in the Blackwater Divine Palace, if I'm not mistaken, this Nalan should be a remnant of the Blackwater Mohe people, but..." Wang Tingxiang hesitated.

"But what..." Ding Shou pressed.

"The bamboo flute in her hand is made of Xiangfei bamboo, which grows in Jiangnan, but today it's found in the north. There's more to it than meets the eye..." Wang Tingxiang hesitated, finding it difficult to speak.

Ding Shou interjected, "This beauty from the north must have a story..."

*** *** *** ***

If they hadn't been with this master and disciple, Ding Shou and his companion would never have imagined that such an underground palace was hidden beneath the peaks of Tianchi. The palace was filled with interconnected pavilions and magnificent halls, but unfortunately, including Ding Shou and his companion, there were only four people in the vast palace.

"The roof ornaments are elegant and upright, with deep eaves; it is indeed a Tang dynasty design." Wang Tingxiang examined the palace from all angles, marveling at every brick and tile. Hailan found his expression amusing.

Ding Shou lacked Wang Tingxiang's academic consciousness. The palace they were currently in was likely their daily living quarters. He looked around, his interest piqued by a painting hanging on the wall. The painting depicted a woman with her head bowed, playing the flute, her appearance vaguely resembling Nalan Feixue. Several lines of poetry were inscribed beside the painting. Just as he was about to examine it more closely, a white veil fluttered past, obscuring the painting. Turning around, he saw Nalan Feixue place two white jade cups on the table and say calmly, "Drink."

After thanking him, Ding Shou picked up a white jade cup and took a sip. He hissed in surprise, noticing unmelted ice crystals inside. This was truly "ice water." Spitting it out would be impolite, so the Second Master swirled the water in his mouth for a long time before slowly swallowing, feeling a refreshing coolness that penetrated to his very core!

Wang Tingxiang rushed over excitedly, cupping his hands and asking, "May I ask if Palace Master Nalan is a descendant of the Mohe people?"

Nalan Feixue didn't even raise her eyelids, replying indifferently, "So what if I am?"

"There are Tang-style palaces hidden deep within the mountain; if this were reported to the court, it would surely be rewarded," Wang Tingxiang said to himself.

Nalan Feixue shook her head, "I don't care." "

All land under heaven belongs to the emperor, and Liaodong is also under the rule of the Ming Dynasty. We cannot allow these palaces to be lost in the desolate wilderness beyond the Great Wall," Wang Tingxiang declared emphatically.

"The Mohe were bestowed titles by the Tang Dynasty, what does the Divine Palace have to do with the Ming Dynasty?"

This remark nearly made Wang Tingxiang jump up in anger. "The Ming Dynasty's ascension to the throne is unprecedented in history. Now, following the Han and Tang dynasties as the

legitimate successors of Chinese civilization, such treasonous words..." "Brother Ziheng, please calm down," Ding Shou, not wanting to let him offend the beauty, turned and smiled, "This place is blessed with natural beauty and exquisite craftsmanship; only here could nurture such outstanding figures as you and your disciple. Brother Wang, your words just now were somewhat inappropriate; please forgive any offense..."

Nalan Feixue picked up her jade cup and took a sip of iced water, then suddenly asked, "Have you finished your water?"

"Ah? Ah." Ding Shou nodded.

"Let's go," Nalan Feixue said, seeing the guest off.

"Why is this woman so hard to please?" Ding Shou thought, getting annoyed. He turned to Hailan, who was looking at them with her big, bright eyes, and said with a quick twitch of his eye, "Miss Hailan, thank you for your hospitality today. Please come to the capital to visit me sometime, so I can show you my hospitality."

Hearing that they wanted to leave, the young girl looked a little dejected and asked, "What's fun to do there?"

"There are so many! The Taiye Pond ripples in the clear sky, the Baotu Spring gushes forth from Yuquan Mountain, the trees and mist shimmer at Jizhou Gate, the moon shines like frost over Lugou Bridge..." Ding Shou used the skills he had honed in university public speaking and eloquence associations to persuade her. He recounted how the Jurchen ruler, Wanyan Liang, was inspired by the description of "osmanthus blossoms in autumn and lotus flowers for miles" in the poem "Wang Hai Chao," which sparked his ambition to cross the Yangtze River and destroy the Song Dynasty in one fell swoop. He envisioned "leading a million soldiers to West Lake, standing atop the first peak of Wu Mountain

." Regardless of his fate, it at least proved the Jurchens' boundless yearning for the glamorous world. The second master was spitting as he spoke, even digesting the sip of ice water he had just drunk, while the young girl showed little interest. "In the capital, there's also pickled cabbage and minced meat noodles," Wang Tingxiang chimed in, offering up his hometown delicacies.

"Brother Wang, have you eaten anything good?" Ding Shou was speechless for a moment, but Hailan's eyes lit up. "Is that stuff delicious?"

Oh, the little girl is a foodie. Ding Shou perked up again. "Of course it's delicious! In the capital, there's roast duck, minced meat buns, winter vegetable buns, and cuttlefish eggs that melt in your mouth. The taste of the Five Willow Fish is...tsk tsk. When you get to the capital, I guarantee you'll eat something different every day. Do you like to drink? There's Jiangnan Daughter's Red wine, Western Region wine, and the famous Rouge Peach Blossom Wine from the capital..."

Hailan's eyes sparkled as she listened, her mouth practically watering. "Can I eat all of these at your house?"

"Of course. If you don't believe me, you can come with me now." Ding Shou was a little impatient. If the little girl went with him, he didn't believe that this Nalan Palace Master, whose seven emotions and six desires were still intact, could sit peacefully in this lifeless Blackwater Divine Palace.

"Enough!" A sharp shout rang out, and the white jade cup fell to the ground, but no water spilled. The water in Nalan Feixue's cup had frozen into a block of ice.

A figure swayed, a gust of cold wind swept across their faces, and a

pair of snow-white jade palm prints shot towards Ding Shou's chest. "Brother, get out of the way!" Ding Shou shoved Wang Tingxiang aside and raised his palm to meet the attack.

As their palms met, a layer of frost spread visibly from Ding Shou's palms up his body at the point of contact.

"Brother!" Wang Tingxiang exclaimed.

"Master!" Hailan screamed.

With a cold snort, Nalan Feixue withdrew her palms and turned away, secretly using the Ice Heart Technique to calm her anger. She had been so enraged by this brat that she didn't know how much of her cultivation she had ruined .

Ding Shou, still with his arms outstretched, was now covered in frost, like an ice sculpture. "Since you don't want to leave, then stay here forever," Nalan Feixue said bitterly.

"Release him immediately!" Wang Tingxiang shouted sharply.

Hailan was also in tears; she had just made two friends today, and now one was gone.

"If the host insists on keeping a guest in the snow, the guest will stay, but the host will not." With a crisp "snap," the frost on Ding Shou's body shattered, and to everyone's astonishment, Ding Shou moved freely in the blink of an eye.

"You..." Nalan Feixue was filled with doubt and surprise. Her full-force use of her icy true energy had not been able to harm this kid. The martial arts world of the Central Plains was indeed full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.

"Even a grain of rice can shine." Ding Shou sneered, then turned to Hailan and said, "Miss Hailan, Ding Shou is in the capital to welcome your arrival. Brother Ziheng, let's go."

*** ***

Ding Shou descended the mountain quickly, with Wang Tingxiang in hot pursuit. By the time they reached the halfway point, it was already dark. Just as they were wondering how to get down, they saw lights flickering below. Wang Tingxiang was overjoyed. He quickly walked a few steps past Ding Shou and recognized that it was the Jianzhou Right Guard coming up the mountain to search for them. Wang Tingxiang turned around and smiled, "Brother, the Right Guard has come looking for us."

Upon hearing this, Ding Shou showed no joy. His body went limp, and he collapsed onto the snow.

Wang Tingxiang was shocked and quickly went to help him up, only to find that Ding Shou's body was icy cold to the touch, as if he were holding a block of ice.

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