Chapter 1

    In the pitch darkness, where not a single light penetrated, a young woman with waist-length flaming red hair sat. Her lips and eyes were equally fiery in color. Chains bound her legs, making it impossible for her to leave this area. Despairingly, she sat down, hugging her knees.

    Time passed indeterminately; she could do nothing but wait, wait and keep waiting until she could no longer endure.

    She was hopeless…

    She was desolate…

    Tears clear as crystal streamed from her eyes, turning into a fiery red gem before darting off directionless and vanishing without a trace.

    The woman, whose hair, lips, and eyes were once of a flaming red, had now turned deathly pale.

    "Do you think that doing this will solve anything?" A young man, dressed in black with black eyes and black hair, approached her.

    Despite the surrounding darkness, it failed to swallow him; he stood out, striking and dashing, even in darkness around him.

    "If they realize on their own, they will definitely help me seal you," she said, trembling as she looked at him.

    "Ha, ha, ha, how amusing! All four of you did indeed seal me, but now only three remain. Do you think you can do anything to me now?"

    The woman’s lips pressed into a thin line, and she said nothing further, knowing deep down that his words were true.

    The young man leaned in close, "But if you agree to marry me, I will release the world you so dearly love."

    The woman bit her lip until it bled, her body and soul trembling, yet she refused to utter a single word.

    "Then just wait and see. No matter how much you struggle, Yi Long’s spirit is shattered. Nothing can help you now. Just wait... wait for the world you support to slowly collapse," he said, his eyes glittering maliciously.

    "There’s no way," the woman said slowly, distinctly, each word enunciated with resolve.

    The young man moved closer and pressed his lips against hers, "Even if I cannot intervene in that world, the world that exists because of you four will soon collapse now that one is gone," he smirked almost imperceptibly and walked away, leaving her alone.

    Alone, the pale-faced yet still beautiful woman collapsed onto the floor, burying her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

    At the Thara Academy,

    The young man, half-sitting, half-lying down, frowned as the tea in his hand turned to ice. Releasing a bit of his Qi power warmed it slightly, but he could still feel the chill surrounding him.

    "Fourteen, go fetch Seventeen."

    "Yes, Master," the young man near the master stood up, bowed respectfully, and walked away.

    Not far from Dean Zang’s residence, there stood a peculiar structure. It was evident whose craftsmanship it was, for even he, a cultivator, felt the unusual cold here despite usually being unaffected by extremes of heat or cold. No matter how much he increased his internal energy, the chill was palpable.

    "Junior Seventeen!" Fourteen called out loudly.

    Silence…

    No response came.

    This large, strange-looking structure was always referred to by Liu Yi You as an ice castle.

    Li Zun seized the opportunity to enter inside.

    "Seventeen! Are you there?"

    Inside was a large hall where all the furnishings, bizarrely, were made of ice. On an oddly shaped long chair, a little girl lay exhausted under a thick, soft blanket. A turtle slept near her delicate face, and on her small nose, a gray worm rested.

    Li Zun's mouth twitched, then twitched again, wondering why Seventeen's behavior was becoming increasingly negligent.

    He himself had no idea how to discipline her when even their master sometimes failed to catch her, who was he to achieve it?

    Thinking this, he couldn't help but smirk when he remembered the master's face as he tried to discipline his junior disciple.

    "Seventeen, it’s time to wake up."

    Liu Yi You, just roused from sleep, rubbed her eyes groggily. Seeing who had awakened her, she smiled sweetly.

    "Senior Fourteen, you've come just at the right time. Have you come to see how beautiful my ice castle is?" Liu Yi You spoke in a drawn-out, sing-song voice.

    She then unleashed the Frost Storm Technique, swirling around the icy hall. That wasn’t all; from her fingertips, large chunks of white ice formed, dropping heavily to the floor. Soon, another rounded chunk stacked on top of the first.

    Liu Yi You ceased her spellcasting and walked towards the two ice chunks, placing two lotus seeds for eyes and sticking a branch of plum blossoms for a nose.

    Turning to Li Zun, the girl grinned broadly, "Senior Fourteen, let me introduce you. This is Xia Yen, my little friend."

    "Junior, are you drunk?" the young man frowned deeply, his brows furrowing.

    "Senior Fourteen, I’m not drunk, just affected by the alcohol. It will wear off soon after taking some antidote."

    "There’s an antidote for alcohol poisoning?" Senior Fourteen looked at her incredulously.

    "Of course, haven't you heard? When someone has a headache from drinking too much, they say you have to detox," Liu Yi You hiccupped and then smiled broadly.

    Senior Fourteen shook his head in disbelief before finally saying, "Seventeen, Master is calling for you."

    Liu Yi You’s eyes widened and she sobered up instantly. Her small face twisted unattractively as she looked at Li Zun with a hint of resentment.

    "Senior Fourteen, why didn’t you tell me sooner? Are you hoping for Master to punish me?"