1 - The Eldest Martial Sister Gave Up Treatment

### Chapter 4: Sorceress Queen, Bai Lian! Time flowed like water. The middle of the night had passed. In the early hours of April 1st, Bai Lian walked alone across the vast ice field shrouded in night. Just a quarter of an hour ago, she had left the snowy mountain where Qian Xue resided. There, she had erected a grave for Qian Xue, unsure if anyone would ever come to mourn him. Before departing, she also treated the external injuries of the severely wounded You Gui. After completing all these tasks, she even remembered to add firewood to the stove burning in the room. Though this wouldn't really aid in You Gui's recovery, if he had even a sliver of consciousness, he might feel a bit warmer and find some solace. As if a person departing this world might find some enjoyment in that moment. There was no need for lamentable music. The persistent howling of the northern wind and the unchanging, monotonous white was enough to fill one's heart with melancholy. The flowers were white. The snow was white. Bai Lian was white. This world was white. The difference was that the snow, Bai Lian, and the world were all cold, while the flower spinning in Bai Lian's hand was warm. Bai Lian followed the guidance of the warm flower, moving forward. Just as she initially suspected, the direction indicated by the Soul-Locking Flower was towards the Haitang Spring Courtyard. "It seems those responsible have the same goal as those in the game, perhaps they are the same group," she sighed gently. The game event was called [Return of the Souls], and was it Qian Xue’s soul that would return? In the game, Tong Yao experienced this event firsthand. First, Qin Shou Zuo, whom she regarded as a father, perished in the chaos at the Du Xian Sect. Then, within a mere ten years, her own parents also perished in the internal strife of the Underworld Pavilion. Even the frigid winds of the last month of winter weren't as fiercely cold, were they? Bai Lian could understand why Tong Yao became so cold after acquiring power. It's that principle again — [Stamp your foot, and they'll feel it!] This was rapid growth exchanged with blood and farewells. To be frank, such growth might not be worth having at all! Bai Lian glanced at the beautiful flower in her palm. "Perhaps..." Maybe she shouldn't speak of Qian Xue to Tong Yao; it might be better if Tong Yao was left with an impression. "What do you think?" Bai Lian spoke softly. Her voice was quickly swallowed by the northern wind and swirling snow. Unexpectedly, her palm felt suddenly hot. "?!" Bai Lian was startled. Could it be that Qian Xue’s consciousness was sealed within this flower? Yet, no matter how she tried, she couldn't sense any fluctuation from the Soul-Locking Flower. "...Never mind." She would deal with it when the time came. Bai Lian lightly leaped onto a cliff. Standing on barren, steep rocks, a small basin appeared before her. The scenery in the basin was entirely different from what lay behind her. The Haitang Spring Courtyard. Set amidst ice and snow, it luxuriated in the silkiness of Jiangnan spring! Where elsewhere rivers were frozen solid, here babbling streams and lush blossoms created a lively scene. Anyone with sight could tell there was something amiss here. The system offered no hint, yet Bai Lian hesitated. If she stepped into the "abyss," would she become like Qian Xue, unable ever to see her master and fellow disciples again?