Lin Xi, Gao Yanan and the others walked a bit further away under the wind and snow.

“Actually, I still don’t feel fully at ease with him.”

Bian Linghan looked at the distant East Scenery City outlines, saying with a somewhat grave expression, “He has practically handed you the very root of Purgatory Mountain, and I know that our suspicions towards him are not fair at all, he has definitely suffered unimaginable suffering in Purgatory Mountain, but he isn’t the only one who has experienced this. Everyone can change. His coldness has even made me feel as if he didn’t want to meet us.”

“I can understand what you are feeling. You really want your friends to completely open up their hearts to you, even if they are experiencing some troubles. However, we have not personally experienced what he has gone through, haven’t experienced those days in Purgatory Mountain, so there is no way we can truly feel what he is feeling.” Lin Xi turned around to look at Bian Linghan, at this outwardly delicate, but actually extremely strong girl who, if she was in the royal court serving as a civil official, she would have definitely become a tough individual like Liu Xueqing. He said with a sigh, “Actually, it’s hard for even me to get used to his changes. That is why we need even more time to accept this together.”

After a slight pause, he looked at Bian Linghan while seriously adding, “It is because we are friends that even if we lose him, what we need to do is to do our best to bring him back.”

Lin Xi, in the eyes of most Yunqin cultivators, wasn’t the most forgiving person.

His rise to fame was accompanied by iron-blooded battles one after another, accompanied by the collapse of people like Di Choufei and Wenren Cangyue.

However, when they heard him add this at this time, all of the people at his side instead sensed this different part of him that moved others. All of them were able to feel his forgiveness towards his friends, how greatly he cherished them.

In reality, from the day Zhang Ping became Purgatory Mountain’s Patriarch, Lin Xi didn’t ask anything of Zhang Ping either. He never put himself in a position higher than Zhang Ping or try to plan anyone’s life. His intentions had never changed all this time… he only hoped that Zhang Ping was still their friend, he would similarly respect any choice Zhang Ping made.

When Lin Xi added this, Bian Linghan was originally just about to say something. However, when she heard these words, she instead remained silent for a moment, and then nodded her head. She turned around to look at that icy cold metal palace. After taking a deep breath, she quietly said, “I feel like what you say is correct. Regardless of what kind of changes have happened to him, at the very least, he has never fallen short for us. Since we are all true friends, even if his current self is a bit hard for me to accept, what we need to do isn’t to doubt him, but rather to bring him back.”

After getting married, especially after Thousand Leaf Pass’ distinguished meeting, the amount of time Gao Yanan spent with Lin Xi became greater and greater. When Lin Xi spoke, she seemed to be able to directly see into his inner world. That was why she knew that those words Lin Xi spoke before, ‘since you came back, what kind of plans do you have’, actually carried even deeper feelings and meaning.

Lin Xi hoped that Zhang Ping could forget some of the past. There was still everything to yearn for in the future.

Since they were able to prevail over even a powerful enemy like Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, Lin Xi believed that everything was already in the past. These academy youngsters could finally be like how they were in the academy, able to once again long for the future, do things they liked and dreamed of doing.

This was similarly a longing Lin Xi had towards the future… He hoped for more days like the thousand tents gathering by Spirit Summer Lakeside, those days of fluttering fireflies, and fewer and fewer days of pain and slaughter.

“Life should be without toss and turns. Without these events, everyone will live a bit better.”

For some reason, Lin Xi suddenly recalled the Yunqin Emperor in Central Continent City. After casually saying a line of nonsense, he opened up the heavy iron chest Zhang Ping gave him. Then, after just giving the contents a single look, he closed the lid with a bang sound. His expression became a bit pale, his mouth and nose taking in deep breaths.

“What’s wrong? What is inside?”

Gao Yanan, Jiang Xiaoyi, Bian Linghan and Leng Qiuyu were all curious towards Lin Xi’s reaction, unable to help but ask.

Lin Xi said with a bitter expression. “All of you can look inside if you want. However, I advise you not to, or else you might not be able to stomach any food for a long time.”

Gao Yanan and the others stared blankly for a moment, but then they immediately snapped out of their daze. “No can do, I have to at least take a look.” Jiang Xiaoyi chuckled and said.

Lin Xi asked with a strange voice, “Why do you have to?”

“The nastier it is, when we think about how you have to eat it, the happier we will feel.” Jiang Xiaoyi laughed loudly.

“Go to hell! You have absolutely no conscience! I definitely won’t let you have your way! I will give it to Teacher An and have her make it beautiful, appetizing, and delicious!”

Lin Xi reacted. With a kick, he sent a blast of snow towards Jiang Xiaoyi. “You can forget about even looking at it!”

Jiang Xiaoyi roared with laughter as he dodged the snow, at the same time kicking out snow continuously in retaliation and mocking, “What kind of friend are you? You aren’t even letting us take a look at delicious stuff, not sharing any with us.”

“Do you think I’ll believe your words, believe that you’ll eat it? Sure, sure, come here, have a taste right now…”

Lin Xi and Jiang Xiaoyi began to chase after each other on the snow covered ground, attacking each other with snowballs, snowflakes scattering in all directions. Gao Yanan, Bian Linghan and the others couldn’t help but laugh as well, thinking that if those distant Yunqin people saw this, they definitely wouldn’t think that these two youngsters who were mischievously having a snowball fight would actually be Green Luan Academy’s Divine General and his best friend.

“Aiya! Lin Xi, you actually hit my face! You’re going too far!”

Jiang Xiaoyi’s exaggerated voice sounded again.

“You two rascals!” Bian Linghan couldn’t help but knead a snowball, fiercely chucking it at the two of them.

…

While Lin Xi and these Green Luan Academy youngsters were finally able to play around in the snow like ordinary Yunqin youth, in the metal shrine, it was instead still extremely quiet.

Qin Xiyue quietly looked at Zhang Ping.

Zhang Ping grew a bit taller than before, and also a bit darker.

Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, for him, it didn’t seem to only be an additional title. Even before her, Zhang Ping no longer seemed as underripe as before, but rather deep and reserved like a great master.

“I didn’t know you went to Purgatory Mountain, nor did I expect that you would become Purgatory Mountain’s Patriarch.”

In the end, it was still Qin Xiyue who broke the silence. She looked at Zhang Ping’s somewhat cold and rigid face, slowly saying, “Without you, our Green Luan Academy wouldn’t have been able to defeat Purgatory Mountain Patriarch. Every single one of us feels pride for you.”

“I didn’t expect that I would become Purgatory Mountain Patriarch either.” Zhang Ping’s cold and detached eyes obtained a bit of true color for the first time. With a bit of pain and a bit of self-mockery, he said, “Not even in my dreams.”

“Actually, there was always one question I wanted to ask you.” Qin Xiyue quietly thought for a moment, her eyelashes jumping a bit as she said, “Just what was it back then that made you decide to go to Purgatory Mountain?”

“I can understand what you are thinking.” Zhang Ping’s vocal speed became a bit faster than before. He looked at this woman who often appeared in his head, a bitter feeling also appearing at the corners of his lips. “You want to know if my decision to go to Purgatory Mountain has anything to do with you… actually, my way of thinking back then was extremely simple. I only thought that back in the academy, compared to many people, I was just too ordinary. With my status, there was no way I could be a good match for you.”

Qin Xiyue’s heart was moved a bit. Regardless of which girl it was, they might feel moved when they heard these words. It was because going to Purgatory Mountain might result in death at any time, and there was nothing in this world more important than life. Only, the current her seemed to be able to sense the difference with her moved feelings even more clearly .

“What is the reason for those Yunqin common people following you?” She didn’t continue to ask about the issue between the two of them, instead first asking this.

“Purgatory Mountain has all types of ways of nibbling away at the entire world.” Zhang Ping calmly and directly explained, “It was only when I truly took over Purgatory Mountain that I learned that Purgatory Mountain has always used large amounts of resources to pass on their dao through a different method. Yunqin’s Earth Womb Religion has always influenced the people of the world through mercy and relief, but most of the wealth used to provide this relief aid actually came from Purgatory Mountain.”

“Over the past six to seven decades, the Earth Womb Religion has actually accumulated quite a few devout believers. These devout believers don’t know that Purgatory Mountain is the one behind them, but throughout these years, the doctrines passed down to Earth Womb Religion’s believers made them certain that the ones who are wearing our current divine robes are precisely the divine emissaries who helped them all these years.”

“It is just like what some stories say, God can show himself through many different ways. That is why Purgatory Mountain Patriarch was not able to ultimately descend upon Yunqin. Otherwise, if he appeared in Yunqin through the identity of Earth Womb’s God, who knows just how many billows this would stir up.”

“Purgatory Mountain Patriarch is indeed an extremely terrifying, but also an extremely formidable figure.” Qin Xiyue looked at Zhang Ping. “You used these methods to display Purgatory Mountain’s power bit by bit, even handing it to Lin Xi, is all of this to let us understand that you can still be trusted?”

Zhang Ping’s head hung slightly, not replying to this question.

Qin Xiyue’s voice became a bit softer. “Only, there are many elders and children among these Yunqin commoners. Moving through the wind and snow like this is a bit too difficult. Why didn’t you have them leave first?”

“It will end here.” Zhang Ping slowly said. “They believed the Earth Womb God for so many years. Now that they have finally seen the divine emissary of their faith, this is already a miracle for them. Even though it is difficult for them, they must definitely feel extremely happy inside.”

Qin Xiyue quietly looked at Zhang Ping, a bit moved as she said with a sigh, “The previous Purgatory Mountain Patriarch was extremely formidable, but you are extremely formidable as well. You’ve indeed already become a formidable person.”

Zhang Ping’s head hung, remaining silent.

Then, he finally stood up. He walked towards Qin Xiyue, walking before her, looking at her refined appearance and beautiful, clear eyes. “I do not care at all if I am formidable, the only thing I care about is that I was finally able to return and stand in front of you. I only wish for you to know that if it wasn’t because of you, I might not have been able to still stand here alive.”

Zhang Ping and Qin Xiyue were already extremely close. His hand was also extremely close to Qin Xiyue’s.

He reached out his hand, wishing to hold Qin Xiyue’s hand.