The Aloof Girl Opens the Door of Her Heart Only to Him

Zui Xin likewise stared at her coldly, her lips parting.
“You intend to do what?”
Luo Piaoxue let out a few light laughs, then spoke with ruthless cruelty.
“Nothing in particular, I just want to spar with you.”
At her words, one cultivator immediately protested in anger.
“Do you even see how many of us there are? You little girl, who do you think you are?”
“Hmph, since you say so, let’s start with you.”
With that, Luo Piaoxue pointed her long halberd at that cultivator.
In an instant, Luo Piaoxue and the cultivator both vanished.
Seeing his disappearance, everyone except Motu, Zui Xin, and Ren Yongnian was thrown into turmoil.
After all, without any warning, a living person had simply vanished before their eyes.
How could they not be astonished?
But their commotion did not last long, for the ice and snow beneath their feet began to tremble.
Feeling the vibration, everyone looked to Zui Xin.
Since she had been the first to notice Luo Piaoxue, her perceptive ability must be strong.
Zui Xin did not disappoint, and she spoke to the group.
“A beast tide is rushing toward us.”
At her words, everyone took up fighting stances, ready to battle.
After all, these were cultivators ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) who had just arrived behind the pass, their strength beyond doubt.
The earlier uproar had been caused only by Luo Piaoxue’s strange method of teleportation.
Easily sending someone away with no trace—too many possibilities for how it was done.
As for this beast tide, many had already encountered several before arriving here.
Though composed mostly of Hairy Demons, they viewed the beast tide as no different from a swarm of Hairy Demons.
None of them feared this tide.
As the earth’s trembling grew louder, before them appeared the beast tide Zui Xin had described.
Glancing over it, they saw a white-and-blue mass, almost entirely ice- and water-attribute beasts, with scarcely anything else.
Red light flashed in the beasts’ eyes as they gathered and charged the cultivators in unison.
Against their onslaught, Ren Yongnian, Zui Xin, and the others each employed their own methods to block and slay the beasts.

But when their attacks met the beasts, they realized something was wrong.
These beasts were problematic.
Whenever their strikes or blocking maneuvers neared the beasts, a shield of ice would materialize on the beasts’ bodies, repelling the attacks.
The ice shield was extremely sturdy; their assaults had little effect.
At most, the residual shards would strike nearby beasts, inflicting negligible damage.
At the sight of this, many began to consider retreating.
They had come seeking fortune, not to risk their lives against beasts.
Sensing the others’ hesitation, Motu and Zui Xin remained unmoved, though they too had entertained the thought of withdrawing.
Just as someone was about to suggest it, Ren Yongnian stepped forward.
Raising his sword, he announced, “We press the attack. Those ice shields cannot last. This time we will succeed!”
If an ordinary cultivator had said that, no one would have paid it heed.
But Ren Yongnian was no ordinary cultivator.
He was the young prodigy of the Western Desert hegemon sect, Fire-Gold Sect’s most renowned talent.
Thus, all listened carefully and considered his proposal.
Fire-Gold Sect’s influence was immense.
After Ren Yongnian spoke, many who had wanted to retreat abandoned the idea.
Finally, a young independent cultivator voiced agreement.
“I support Brother Ren’s proposal!”
Once one spoke, several others followed.
Soon the majority consented, their voices rising in support.
Hearing them affirm his words, Ren Yongnian watched the approaching beast tide.
He swung his sword, unleashing a wave of flaming sword qi, then boldly promised the group.
“When this secret realm ends, come find me. Fire-Gold Sect will reward you well!”
If before he had commanded respect by prestige and sentiment, now he offered benefit.
With that combination, the cultivators needed no further persuasion.
Even those who had opposed him agreed, albeit reluctantly.
Zui Xin watched Ren Yongnian, impressed.
He truly was capable—within seconds he had rallied the nearly scattered group into unity.
A voice echoed in her mind.
‘You only do it with sect power. In the Qingmu Sect I build, you could do the same.’
‘I understand, sister.’
After replying in her mind, Zui Xin ceased conversing with her sister.
She swung her staff, sending forth a blossom-shaped spirit energy orb that struck a white-furred giant bear ahead.
By now the beast tide had engaged, and Ren Yongnian led everyone in combat.
They did not fight scattered but formed a formation to resist the tide together.
Beside Zui Xin stood Motu and a Golden Spirit-Root cultivator.
These two swung a crescent-moon blade and a spear in battle against the ice beasts.
Motu stayed close to Zui Xin, his blade continuously sweeping to protect her.
The other cultivator focused first on self-preservation, then aided Motu and Zui Xin.
With Zui Xin joining the fray, the three fought in concert, their combined power greatly increased.
Zui Xin’s attacks were especially striking.
Her blossom-shaped spirit orbs took root on the beasts, clinging to their bodies.
The blossoms then drew the beasts’ blood until they perished.
Every beast slain by Zui Xin was reduced to skin and bone.
Meanwhile, Ren Yongnian unleashed continuous bursts of blazing fire from his sword, roasting the surrounding beasts.
Both sides suffered wounds, but the beasts bore the greater losses.
Not only were Ren Yongnian and the cultivators powerful, but the ice shields ceased to appear in close combat.
Thus, under the might of the cultivators, the beasts began to falter.
Just then, with startling suddenness, a rift opened above the cultivators’ formation.
A blood-soaked corpse fell through.
The abrupt event drew everyone’s attention, and they looked at the body.
They realized with shock that it was the cultivator whom Luo Piaoxue had vanished with moments before.
As they registered this, Luo Piaoxue reappeared—not where she had been, but clearly above them.
Indeed, she could fly!
Before they could react further, she parted her lips and spoke.
“I didn’t expect you to have such strength, to hold them off like this.”
“Since that’s so, let them retreat.”
With that, she retrieved a bell and gently shook it.
As its clear, melodious tone sounded, the beasts’ eyes ceased their crimson glow.
Regaining reason, they withdrew, no longer fighting the cultivators.
The cultivators did not pursue but looked up at Luo Piaoxue in the sky.
Finally, Ren Yongnian spoke.
“Who are you?”