Chapter Twenty-Three: The Mutation of the Icy Heart

In this way, Han Tianyue and his companions led Princess Qingfeng out of the territory pursued by the Old Demon of Black Mountain. By now, they had left the domain of Black Mountain and entered a region of rolling hills.

The hills were dotted with numerous villages, and it was common to see small groups of people walking together along the paths.

Because of the matter with the scarecrow, they had spoken little on the journey, each afraid that words would stir up unnecessary sorrow. In silence, they traveled until nightfall, when at last they arrived at a village.

Before they even reached the village gates, they saw an old man sitting on a low stool at the edge of the settlement. When he noticed Han Tianyue and the others approaching as a group, the old man smiled gently.

Han Tianyue returned the smile and then led the group into the village.

The houses here were scattered, with considerable distance between neighbors, and the atmosphere was rather desolate.

They approached the nearest household, but received no reply when they knocked.

Just then, the old man from before walked over and said, “No one’s lived here for a long time.”

“No one?” Han Tianyue asked in confusion.

The old man sighed. “Nowadays, everyone in the village has gone away. Only we old bones are still at home.”

“Have they abandoned the village?” Han Tianyue pressed further.

The old man shook his head. “They’ve all gone to find work in distant places. They only come home once a year.”

Hearing this, Han Tianyue let out a long sigh.

The old man glanced over the group with a smile. “You must be travelers passing through. Are you hoping to spend the night here?”

Fang Zhe stepped forward. “Yes, Grandpa, may we spend the night at your house?”

The old man’s face broke into a warm, welcoming smile. “Of course!”

He led them to his house, a spacious two-story dwelling.

“Wow, your place is really nice!” The group followed him inside, marveling at the neat and well-furnished rooms. Everything was spotlessly clean, drawing words of praise from everyone.

The old man set down his pipe and brought out some food for them.

Han Tianyue thanked him repeatedly.

The old man chuckled softly. “You really remind me of my grandson. Watching you eat brings him to mind. It’s been so long since I’ve seen him. I’m just an old man now, who knows how many days I have left. My only hope is to see him once more before I go.”

As he spoke, his smile was radiant—a radiance that pierced Han Tianyue’s soul, transforming into a chill that spread through the room.

They chatted with the old man late into the night, bringing him great joy.

Han Tianyue, however, sat in silence apart from the others. Deep within, his soul’s heart of ice began to mutate. What was once pure and crystalline now darkened, blackness seeping through the ice, clashing against his soul. Outwardly, Han Tianyue’s body began to freeze.

“What’s wrong with you?” Mao Xuanzi grabbed Han Tianyue’s hand. “Don’t frighten these mortals.”

Mao Xuanzi’s warmth flowed into Han Tianyue, colliding with the storm within. Sandwiched between the heat and the cold, Han Tianyue’s soul twisted in agony.

A guttural howl tore through the village.

The old man, alarmed by the noise, asked anxiously, “What’s happening?”

Mao Xuanzi gripped Han Tianyue’s hand tightly. “Grandpa, it’s nothing—just one of his old illnesses acting up.”

Unable to bear it any longer, Han Tianyue wrenched himself free and bolted from the house, racing into the fields beyond the village, where his body was consumed by ice.

The others rushed after him, only to find the village engulfed in a sea of snow, cold winds howling as if winter had arrived overnight.

Qingfeng moved to Han Tianyue’s side. Her elfin fingers, capable of purifying the human soul, touched his frozen form. With her touch, the storm within Han Tianyue’s heart of ice was subdued at last.

He reined in the freezing energy, and the world around them returned to normal.

The old man, witnessing this miracle, was both agitated and exhilarated, waving his arms and shouting, “So magic really does exist in this world! Grandson, you were right! There is wonder in this world!”

He was like a youth of seventeen or eighteen, dancing for joy.

Not wishing to disturb the old man further, the group quietly left the village that night.

As they walked, Han Tianyue himself was unsure of the changes within. He wanted to consult the old presence deep within his soul, but that consciousness had not yet awakened. “I’ll have to wait until he wakes again to ask.”

Just then, a rainbow appeared before their eyes.

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