673 Han Yan Yao on the Snow Capped Peak (1/2)
As a cunning man, Xiao Xing Yun was fully aware that Han Zhan Meng was suspicious of the Xiao Family, so he had been thinking about how to conceal their intentions lately, but he couldn't find a suitable lie. With a heightened pressure from Han Zhan Meng today, he suddenly came up with this reason.
It actually sounded rather convincing… After all, there was a past example.
Han Zhan Meng was immediately stunned. He frowned and his eyes reflected his inner conflict. He finally said, ”Well then, please help me watch over them carefully. Notify me immediately if there's something wrong!” As he said, he walked out, obviously laden with anxiety. Are both of my daughters going to have the same fate?
He stared upward at the snow-capped peak half veiled by clouds. His emotions surged. His elder daughter had been training in seclusion for ten years up there. It was sort of her punishment, but by her own choice…
Han Zhan Meng sighed and his eyes showed his dismay. Suddenly he launched forward and dashed towards the snow-capped peak.
He did not notice that behind him, a sense of relief appeared in Xiao Xing Yun's malicious eyes. Finally… I've bluffed him through this time.
The snow-capped peak was one of the crucial parts to the oath the Dongfang Family was forced to make!
To collapse of the snow-covered sword peak and the drive out all Xuan Beasts from Tian Fa!
It was the highest peak in the snowy mountains. It resembled a huge sword that was piercing the sky. The peak was roughly in the shape of a cone, and there were two mountain ridges on both side of this peak. The mountain ridges looked like the sword handle while the snow-capped peak the blade.
The majestic looking snow-capped peak stretched over ten square kilometers!
Collapsing the snow-capped peak was an almost impossible task! How could such a large mountain collapse so easily?
As Han Zhan Meng reached the foot of the peak, he could not help recall the battle and the oath made in that fateful year. He felt sorry for the Dongfang Family. An outstanding family of assassins would forever be locked away in seclusion by the oath and there was little hope for them to rise again.
Due to the thinning air, the higher one went up a mountain, the harder it was to breath. An ordinary person would even have the danger of suffocating climbing up the snow-capped mountain. However, for a Xuan practitioner, it was the opposite. There was more Heaven Earth Spiritual Qi concentrated at higher altitudes, so training up here was very beneficial to their cultivation.
Snowflakes swirled as they glided down. The snow-capped peak looked like this all year round. This caused the peak to look a hundred meters higher than its actual height. It was all piled snow that was compressed into ice. If there was enough heat, a small stream could easily form within a few days. But how could there be so much heat in the first place in a location like this…
The cave where Han Yan Yao stayed was near the very top of the peak! The temperature there was even lower. It was twice as cold as the foot of the peak. It would also be more beneficial to train there and many generations of young talents did indeed train there. But the longest they stayed in seclusion was three years while most could only last for a few months. After all, humans were social beings, and the isolation would be soon unbearable and might drive people crazy.
Especially in the last few hundred years, training here had slowly become a form of punishment.
But Han Yan Yao had been staying here for ten years!
As her father, even Han Zhan Meng could not imagine how she had endured the boredom.
His wife and the Great Elder had asked many times for her to come own, but she would always refuse calmly without giving a reason!
As Han Zhan Meng continued to sigh softly, the frost-covered entrance of the cave was visible. He stepped into the darkness.
It was even colder in the cave than outside. Looking around, it was an icy world. The whole cave was only decorated by the naturally occurring reflective ice walls and shiny icicles. There were no furniture or daily goods. There was nothing one could enjoy.
Is this a place where a girl could live?
At the center of the cave, a woman in white with her black hair falling over her shoulders was sitting on a raised platform made by ice. She had her eyes closed and hands placed in front of her abdomen. She was training. There was only calmness on her face as her whole figure seemed to blend in with the icy background. She looked hardly alive.
Han Zhan Meng felt a pain in his heart. Is this still the daughter who would ask me to tell her a story? Where have her smiles and happiness gone to?
”Little Yao.” Han Zhan Meng finally called out softly as mixed feelings exploded within him.
As she heard the sound, she slowly opened her eyes. There was a glimpse of warmth coming from her eyes as she saw that her father was before her. But she remained emotionless. ”Dad, welcome.”
She had passed many years here and the pain in her heart that couldn't be alleviated had rendered her unable to smile. She couldn't even talk much. She had become a part of the snowy mountains, refusing to be melted!
Perhaps no one except him can make her smile again…
Han Zhan Meng only stared at his daughter but couldn't say anything.
The sense of unfamiliarity and distance between them was agonizing.
After a while, Han Yan Yao spoke first. ”What brings dad here today?”
Han Zhan Meng wanted to say many things, but he suppressed those ideas. Instead he said, ”Little Yao. There's a thing that has always been bothering me for ten years. I wanted to hear from you.”
Han Yan Yao raised her brows slightly in surprise. ”Please say.”
”I sent men to check on Jun Wu Yi after you fell in love with him. Honestly, he isn't too bad. But in my opinion, he is inferior to Xiao Han in all aspects. I still don't know why you made the decision. Does Jun Wu Yi really have something so special?”
It was true that this had puzzled him for ten years, but he only decided to mention it again because of the Great Elder's guess just now. What if the Elder's guess was true? Would both his daughters meet the same fate?
Upon hearing the name ”Jun Wu Yi,” Han Yan Yao's eyes glowed with gentleness and her cold face seemed to thaw, but it soon turned back. ”Dad, don't you know? I thought you had long known.”
”Why do you say so?” Han Zhan Meng frowned.
”Jun Wu Yi cannot match Xiao Han's looks and gentleness. No matter Xuan cultivation, skills, or even the background, Jun Wu Yi is completely inferior. To a common woman, Xiao Han is obviously much more outstanding than Jun Wu Yi.”
”Hmm? Since you knew, why did you make the decision…?” Han Zhan Meng didn't expect this answer. He thought his daughter would endlessly praise Jun Wu Yi.
”Yes, considering all the external factors, Xiao Han is better than Wu Yi. But to me, Jun Wu Yi is the real man!”
Han Yan Yao's cold eyes emitted fiery flames as she recalled. ”His Xuan cultivation was low, but he often did things to help others without seek fame and fortune. Although he is not good-looking, he's so open-minded. He's a real gentleman! His family is considered prominent secularly, but he's never arrogant and unreasonable! He's young, but he is willing to sacrifice for his country and became the famous Blood General! These are his good qualities! Father, is Xiao Han like this? If he weren't born into a prominent family, how generous would he be?
”Let's put all this aside first! The most unforgettable is our first encounter in the Magnificent Jewel Hall! I can't forget his handsome nonchalance!”
She slowly raised her head. ”Dad, I'm confident with my looks! I'm sure there are only a few who can match my beauty. I'm sure you agree.”
Han Zhan Meng silently nodded, Han Yan Yao was indeed breathtakingly beautiful. She was easily the prettiest woman in the Silver City even today. He had long been used to the way some of the apprentices would suddenly become stunned and have their eyes glued on his daughter.
”When Jun Wu Yi saw me that day, he was only amazed for a short while and soon returned to his usual calmness.” Han Yan Yao recalled with a shy smile on her face. ”When he left, he didn't turn back his head to look at me again. I had in my possession a herb he wanted; he literally took it from my hand and stuffed a few notes in, then left immediately. I was still a very proud girl then, so of course I wouldn't let him go like that. I followed him. My Xuan cultivation was much higher than his, so he didn't realize.
”I wanted to make a fool of him. But I was surprised to find out that he left so hurriedly because one of his lieutenant was poisoned and the antidote was the herb I had had! The lieutenant had been deeply poisoned, so the herb only allowed him to say his last words before the poison reached his heart and took his life. Jun Wu Yi immediately cried, lying on his body. He tried to suck the poison out from the lieutenant's wounds, but it was obviously to no avail! Dad, it was the first time I saw a man crying and I finally understood what is brotherhood!
”I silently left, but the scene in which he cried lying on his brother's body loitered in my head. He gave up the opportunity to interact with… a beauty like me to save his brother who was almost certainly dead and left without hesitation… A few days later, I met him again. It was when he sent away his elder brother on the day the army headed out…
”The more I interacted, the more I was certain that although he wasn't a genius nor a heir of a super family, he was a true man! He never had to hide anything from me. He was so real and authentic.
”I don't care what others think. I just feel that Xiao Han is too fake. The way he looks at me is full of lust and makes it seem like I am already his. On the other hand, Jun Wu Yi showed empathy and respect. So I love Jun Wu Yi, and despise Xiao Han!”
She sighed.
”Perhaps, it's also because of that that Xiao Han is chosen by you without my approval while Jun Wu Yi is the one I chose by myself. He's the one that I can entrust my life to.”