Chapter 129: Feelings Stir

"Master!" Xueze gazed at the light, intangible mist over the Blue Lake. Anxiety and trepidation washed over her, and she hurriedly shook off Lanshui’s restraining grip.

Qiangui descended gracefully. The three disciples bowed in shame, and Qiangui made no move to bid them rise. Seeing this, Fengxing also knelt, performing a deep kowtow. "This matter was caused by me. I implore you, Great One, to punish me, but do not vent your anger upon others!"

Qiangui was incensed. His pride could not suppress the urge to interrogate and express his shock, so he deigned to address Fengxing. "You mortals are always enticing my disciples to err! If you knew you were unworthy of this grace, why did you come?"

"It concerns my sister’s life; I had no choice! If I could make amends, I would gladly serve and sacrifice myself for lifetimes to come!"

"Hmph! Can my disciple’s life be repaid by you? It is strange, though—what power do you possess that makes my disciples help you, time and time again?"

Fengxing was stunned. He too was confused; even if the Tianshan disciples were righteous and kind, they should not have gone this far, violating sect rules and risking their lives. "I am ashamed of this affair, and I do not know the reason myself. I only keep the great kindness of each benefactor in my heart."

"And what of you and Lianzi? Did you seduce her?"

This question shocked Xueze, who glanced secretly at Fengxing.

Fengxing shook his head, his expression calm. "Lady Lianzi has always been generous and kind; she is a deeply cherished benefactor. How could I harbor ill intentions toward her? Her disregard for her own life to save my sister was entirely unexpected. I had hoped some immortal might offer another way, but I never imagined..."

"Then what exactly happened?"

Qiangui’s fury left everyone trembling. Suddenly, Xueze stood up, dazed.

"Master, it was me!" Xueze replied, weeping. "The fault for what happened to Lianzi lies with me!"

"You? What have you done?"

Xueze said, full of remorse, "Since the events at Apricot Blossom Village, Lianzi’s feelings for Fengxing and Fengnuan have grown deep. She often went down the mountain to see them. Because of several incidents, her admiration for Fengxing deepened. Whenever she had time, she would go down to keep Fengnuan company, right up until the recent emergence of the demon lord. I suspect Lianzi has long held a secret affection for Fengxing, and she considers Fengnuan her own sister, so..."

"Foolish!"

Qiangui was so angry he nearly struck her. Lanshui and Jilin pulled Xueze and Qiangui apart, yet they could not dispel the shock and indignation hanging in the air.

"To think you are my most beloved disciple, and the one Lianzi trusts most! Is this how you act as a senior sister? You saw the mistake but did not stop it, you knew the wrong but did not teach her, and only now do you feel shame?"

"Master, I was wrong!" Xueze knelt, trembling with emotion. "I thought Lianzi was just being playful, and I kept urging her to focus on her cultivation, but I simply did not know how to handle these matters of the heart. Please punish me, but I beg you, Master, do everything in your power to save Lianzi!"

"You want me to save her now? Why didn't you stop her earlier? Why let her go down the mountain? Do you know she could die?"

Fengxing listened in a daze, his heart churning with a thousand thoughts. He could not help but recall every detail of Lianzi’s kindness.

"So, whenever I was away, it was she who took care of everything for me!" Fengxing’s eyes turned red, and tears soaked his clothes.

Watching Lianzi beneath the lake, Fengxing felt both agony and worry. "You must come up safely. If not, what am I to do? I have never failed anyone, must I be indebted to you so deeply?"

Qiangui continued to berate Xueze, who wept in sorrow while enduring waves of pain. When Lianzi’s life was threatened, Xueze could feel it, and at its worst, she suffered as if she were there herself.

Feeling the immense agony, Xueze suddenly recalled, "Wait... we have a life-bond. I can help Lianzi!"

"Junior sister!" Lanshui heard her mutterings and held her tightly, saying sternly, "I will not allow you to be foolish!"

"Senior brother!" Xueze looked at Lanshui with red eyes, struggling bitterly. "Senior brother, I must help Lianzi!"

Lanshui shook his head. "There will be a way. Master will find a way!"

Qiangui looked angrily at the Blue Lake, then cast a glare at Jilin until he let go of his supporting hand. As his gaze shifted to the side, seeing the entanglement between Lanshui and Xueze, Qiangui’s fury boiled over, and he began to cough.

"You three... you four! No, all five of you, reflect upon yourselves! There is not one of you here who is prudent, normal, or without fault—myself included! If this formation and these artifacts cannot save Lianzi, what will you do?"

"Xueze knows her sin is grave. I beg you, Master, do not hold the others responsible!"

"You still have the nerve to speak to me like that?" Qiangui glared at her. "Are you trying to make me—"

"Junior sister!"

"Xueze!"

Qiangui paused, looking at her in alarm. She had fainted, and a layer of frost was spreading across her skin.

"Stop!" Qiangui pulled Lanshui back, preventing him from channeling his inner energy into her. "Their life-bond has not been severed. It seems Lianzi is failing! It is useless to save Xueze; you must save Lianzi!"

"What can be done?" Lanshui looked at Xueze in panic.

Qiangui paced back and forth, desperate and agitated. "If this icy chill reaches her heart, there is no salvation. And this spirit-gathering formation of the Blue Lake has nothing warm to thaw it!"

Lanshui suddenly realized something. He looked at Fengxing and said firmly, "There is!"

Fengxing was stunned, then understood. He nodded and replied, "Yes. No matter how powerful the formation, human emotion is eternally as warm as fire."

Qiangui thought for a moment and said to Fengxing, "This Blue Lake is no ordinary water; it is a place of extreme cold, gathering ice, snow, and spiritual energy. This formation can save lives, but it can also kill. You are not a Tianshan disciple, and you do not possess deep, genuine feelings for Lianzi—you will die if you go down there!"

Jilin sighed. "If Fengxing also has feelings for Lianzi, this deadlock might be broken. If not, going down is simply..."

"If Lianzi can trade her life for another’s, why can’t I? If I lack even this courage and resolve, how could I face my benefactors? I will go down and try; we cannot delay any longer!"

With that, Fengxing walked resolutely into the lake. Every step felt as if he were treading on blades. His body did not freeze, for he felt only a biting cold, as Qiangui was channeling energy to guide him.

White mist rose over the Blue Lake, shrouding the surface like frost. The others could not see Fengxing, so they joined their power together, pouring it into him with all their hearts.

Each step was difficult and freezing, yet he unexpectedly felt no pain.

"Is this because the Master is protecting me with his arts, or is it because I also..."

Fengxing had no time to ponder. He entered the depths of the Blue Lake and found Lianzi and Fengnuan. In that moment, he felt a true throb and contraction in his heart; it had never hurt so much before.

Not long after, the blue light sword rotated and returned, and the staff descended from the sky. Daylight suddenly replaced the darkness.

The sun shone upon the land, bringing a touch of warmth to everyone’s faces, and the frost on the Blue Lake vanished.

A breeze blew, ripples stirred the water, and all chill was gone.

Qiangui retracted his staff and used his arts to probe the water. "It is over!"

Soon, Fengxing emerged, pulling Lianzi out of the water. Though unconscious, she was still clutching Fengnuan protectively.

"Quickly, bring them over!" Qiangui hurried to meet them.

Fengxing handed Lianzi to Qiangui, and Lanshui brought Xueze over. The three of them stood together, channeling their energy to restore the color to Lianzi and Xueze’s faces.

"Master!" Lianzi awoke. She looked around and nervously grabbed Xueze’s hand. "Senior sister, are you alright?"

"What happened?" Qiangui felt a surge of confusion—why had Lianzi woken first?

"Master, Senior sister took the brunt of the formation for me. I am alive only because of her! This was entirely my own stubbornness; please do not punish anyone else!"

Lanshui was startled; he frowned, his eyes never leaving Xueze.

Jilin stood guard, at a loss. "So, the life-bond can be controlled by intent alone? We know far too little about it!"

Qiangui sighed. He leaned down, helped Lianzi up, and said, "Why don't you look at the person you risked your life to save?"

Lianzi looked at Fengxing. She reached out weakly and touched the face of Fengnuan, who was in his arms.

Fengxing watched Lianzi. Every movement she made tugged at his heart. In a trance, something inexplicable blurred his perception.

As soon as Lianzi’s hand touched Fengnuan’s face, the girl jolted awake as if nothing had happened, as if she had merely been sleeping.

"Sister Lianzi!"

"Fengnuan, I am glad you are safe!"

Fengnuan looked around. "You saved me again!"

Fengxing looked at Fengnuan, tears streaming down his face. He stared at Lianzi, unable to speak.

"You should go now. Take care!"

Lianzi smiled and turned to walk slowly toward Qiangui. "Master, I accept my punishment."

Qiangui looked at Fengxing, then led his disciples away, his expression unreadable.

A breeze swept past, and they were gone, leaving only the undulating surface of the lake.

Fengxing stared blankly at the Blue Lake, his expression complex, his heart heavy.

Fengnuan moved closer to Fengxing and wiped the tears from his eyes, feeling both heartbroken and empathetic.

"Brother, what is wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Why didn't you ask Sister Lianzi to stay? She is so kind; she must have risked her life to save me again!"

Fengxing paused. "Again? How many times has she saved you?"

"Whenever you were away, she was the one who gave me endless comfort. Fengnuan knows there is a gap between us and these great ones, but everyone has feelings, don't they? Brother, you..."

Fengxing stood up and turned away, his hands trembling as he wiped the tears from his face.

Since he could remember, this was the first time he had shed so many tears. Perhaps it was for the return of his family, perhaps for the successful end of the ordeal, or perhaps for a sudden, dazed realization.

In the past, Fengxing had always believed himself to be a cold man, devoid of emotion.