When the White Moonlight Holds the Script - Chapter 28

“I’m truly unsettled…”

Su Chaya gazed toward the direction of the snow-capped mountains, her delicate brows tightly furrowed.

The old clan chief paced beside her, pulling a pipe from his robe and lighting it.
The fiery embers glowed and faded.

“Since they’ve already entered, you should set your mind at ease.”

“But, Father…”

“What else can we do?” The old clan chief grinned wryly. “How many times have you reminded the Immortal Alliance about this? What was their response?”

“…”

“They brushed it off, didn’t they? If they don’t even care, what can we do? The immortal artifact was given to us by them. We were born in this snowy realm for generations, merely the designated guardians they appointed.”

“In our position,” the old clan chief spoke earnestly, “my dear, some things are easier if you pretend not to know or see them.”

“Think it over carefully.”

With that, he let out a self-mocking chuckle, turned around, and hunched over as he slowly walked back into the great tent.

The snow continued to fall quietly.

Su Chaya remained silent for a long time.

The entanglement between the Deer Cloud Clan and the Immortal Alliance dates back to an earlier time.

Centuries ago, the demon race launched a massive invasion of the cultivation world. Parts of the demon realm merged with the cultivation realm unfortunately, a certain area of the snowy border became the passage through which the demon realm opened to the mortal world.

At that time, the Deer Cloud Clan was a reclusive remnant tribe residing in the snowy border, their veins flowing with ancient bloodlines and formidable strength. They voluntarily engaged in a bloody battle against the demons to prevent them from infiltrating the lands of the Central Plains’ human race.

However, with the passage wide open and demonic energy unceasing, the demons could regenerate endlessly even if slain, they would revive. The Deer Cloud Clan suffered heavy casualties yet could not eradicate the demons completely.

In the end, the Immortal Alliance arrived in the snowy border, bringing an immortal artifact that transformed into a small realm independent of the world, sealing the passage to the demon realm so that demonic energy could no longer encroach.

The Deer Cloud Clan was severely weakened by this ordeal, never to regain their former glory. At one point, their numbers dwindled to less than a hundred.

The Immortal Alliance helped the remaining clanspeople establish a new settlement and entrusted the immortal artifact to the care of the Deer Cloud Clan’s chief.

According to the Immortal Alliance, the immortal artifact could convert demonic energy from the demon realm into spiritual energy, allowing the small realm to nurture various spiritual materials and exotic beasts. The Deer Cloud Clan was to activate the artifact once every few decades, permitting cultivators from the cultivation world to enter for training. The clan could also draw resources from it, benefiting both parties.

Thus, the Deer Cloud Clan became known to all as the guardians of the secret realm.

This story was orally passed down to Su Chaya the moment she officially assumed the role of young clan chief.

To the Deer Cloud Clan, the Immortal Alliance was not their benefactor until the clan was on the verge of extinction, the Alliance had remained silent, only appearing at the last moment with the immortal artifact, likely out of fear of the Deer Cloud Clan’s power and a desire to weaken their influence.

Such petty schemes were not lost on the Deer Cloud Clan.

Yet, they were not exactly enemies either. The Deer Cloud Clan’s choice to stand their ground was their own decision, unrelated to the Immortal Alliance.

So, they owed each other nothing. Su Chaya had no obligation to warn those people, but…

Lately, she had felt that something was amiss.

It was as if something crucial was being concealed, and events were spiraling further and further in the wrong direction.

Su Chaya was the most spiritually sensitive shaman of the Deer Cloud Clan, and the future had already given her a warning.

That dream…

Su Chaya closed her eyes.

She heard countless ancestors wailing in agony. They had grown antlers like deer, blood-tears streaming from the corners of their eyes, murmuring things even Su Chaya could not comprehend.

After witnessing that scene for only a moment, she jolted awake from her dream, her back drenched in cold sweat.

The night deepened.

Su Chaya, frozen like a wooden sculpture in the snow, finally stirred.

She turned, not to return to the main tent, but to contact her trusted aides.

A group of them slipped silently into the snowy mountains, another entrance to the immortal artifact, leading to the core of the secret realm. As the clan leader, she had the authority to access it. An intuition told her she needed to go there.

“Who goes there?!” Su Chaya shouted.

Entering the core, as always, a massive glowing green jade illuminated the dark, cavern-like space, its light pulsing like a breath.

But beside the jade stood a shadowy figure, silent and ominous.

The shadow spoke.

“You must be the current leader of the Deer Cloud Clan,” the uninvited guest said politely. “A pleasure.”

“What do you want? Step away from there!”

Su Chaya’s gaze was icy, her jade-like hands, adorned with crystal chains, crossed.

It was the opening stance of an attack formation.

Behind her, her trusted aides drew their weapons, pointing them at the shadow.

The shadow chuckled. “No need for such hostility, Clan Leader.”

“In a way, my visit here is to help you.”

With that, it raised a claw and pulled back the hood from its head.

A pair of spiral horns were revealed.

The next day.

A thick fog rose in the forest.

Zhu Zhihan and her senior brothers held onto one end of a rope as they walked through the forest, with Luan Wu at the rear, gripping the rope’s tail this was the magical tool they had used to enter the secret realm, preventing them from being separated during teleportation.

After careful consideration, Zhu Zhihan insisted that everyone keep hold of the tool throughout the day and “consulted” Luan Wu on what to do if they became separated.

Luan Wu seemed to sense something and gifted each of them a protective blade intent.

This level of hinting would not attract the interference of the Heavenly Dao.

And so, they walked in a line through the fog, resembling the corpse escorts from certain legends.

Whether anyone was secretly watching them, if there was, they were likely frightened off by their eerie procession.

For half a day, it was calm. No cultivators came to rob them, and the unexpected event from her memories did not occur.

Yet, the unease in Zhu Zhihan’s heart grew heavier.

Wan Mengchen, perhaps noticing her anxiety, did not question why she insisted on everyone holding the rope and occasionally cracked jokes to lighten the mood.

Just then, the sixth junior brother at the front let out a startled cry.

“What’s wrong?” Wan Mengchen asked nervously.

Soon, everyone understood why he had cried out.

A few steps forward, and their view suddenly opened up.

The thick fog seemed to dissipate considerably, revealing a clear sky ahead, like an endless ice plain. In the distance stood a towering peak, similar to the snow-capped mountains near their encampment in the real world.

Their group had actually emerged from the sea of trees!

Faced with such a magnificent sight, everyone couldn’t help but hold their breath.

“Shall we go take a look?” the sixth junior brother suggested.

No one objected.

So, holding the rope, they stepped onto the ice plain.

They walked for a while.

In the distance, the sixth junior brother spotted a splash of color green leaves and small yellow flowers, emitting a faint spiritual energy.

He rubbed his eyes. “Look over there! Is that a spirit herb?”

Zhu Zhihan also looked, carefully examining it. “It should be.”

The sixth junior brother’s eyes lit up.

This was a spiritual herb they hadn’t encountered even after nearly ten days of exploring the secret realm!

He moved to pick it.

But just then, an unexpected turn of events occurred.

“Boom!”

The ground shook violently, accompanied by deafening roars.

The ice layer and the earth beneath it cracked with sharp, creaking sounds.

The Sixth Brother nearly fell flat on his face.

“What is this!?” he shouted.

But his voice was drowned out by the surrounding noise.

Everyone struggled to stay on their feet, swaying unsteadily. Fortunately, tied together by a rope, they could still support each other with some stability.

The cracks in the ground widened.

As Sixth Brother fought to maintain his balance, a terrifying thought crossed his mind, if even the ground beneath their feet ceased to exist, where could they possibly stand?

“Thud!”

A dull thud echoed from behind, as if something heavy had struck the ground.

A thick layer of ice spread beneath their feet once more, lifting them slightly into the air. This icy platform shielded them from the tremors and prevented them from falling into the fissures.

Sixth Brother finally steadied himself, his heart still racing.

He turned his head. “Sect Master!”

Luan Wu raised her scabbard and gave a slight nod, as if to reassure him.

Then, her gaze shifted into the distance, her brow furrowing.

Sixth Brother followed her line of sight.

What he saw horrified him countless monsters with deer heads and human bodies! Dense and swarming!

These monsters were charging in their direction!

No, not toward them, but these creatures seemed intent on trampling the entire ice plain!

Anyone witnessing this scene firsthand would inevitably turn pale.

It was an overwhelming, sky-darkening force. In their presence, the few individuals seemed utterly insignificant.

Sixth Brother no longer had the heart to mourn the spiritual herb he hadn’t managed to pick.

Zhu Zhihan also looked into the distance.

The calamity she remembered had finally arrived.

In her previous life, she hadn’t reached the ice plain. Now, she finally understood what had happened back then.

What were those monsters?

Were they the reason she and her sectmates had been separated?

No, it couldn’t be just that.

There must be something more, something yet to unfold.

She remembered black mist rising from the ground back then, denser than the fog in the forest. That mist had swallowed them, and then…

Just as this thought crossed her mind, wisps of black mist began seeping out from the cracks in the ground.

Not good!

“Everyone, hold tight to the rope!” she yelled.

Instinctively, she turned to Luan Wu, waiting for her command or some kind of response, but noticed something off about Luan Wu’s demeanor.

Luan Wu hung her head slightly, her expression cold to the point of indifference. Beneath her dark, curled lashes, her eyes seemed to have taken on a shade of dark red.

This appearance abruptly reminded Zhu Zhihan of that night in the Sumeru Realm, when Luan Wu’s eyes had been the same color.

“Master?” she prompted softly.

Luan Wu’s pupils contracted slightly, like a creature long accustomed to darkness suddenly struck by sunlight. Still, she managed to react.

A moment later, Zhu Zhihan saw Luan Wu close her eyes. Her voice was somewhat hoarse.

“This is demonic energy.”

Zhu Zhihan was stunned. “Demonic energy?”

She observed more carefully. “It seems different from the demonic energy I’ve seen before.”

“Indeed, it is different.” Luan Wu closed her eyes again, as if suppressing something. “It’s not pure demonic energy.”

Zhu Zhihan knew that Luan Wu detested anything related to demons. Seeing that Luan Wu understood these matters, she breathed a sigh of relief.

“What should we do?” she asked, seeking Luan Wu’s advice.

Threads of black mist coiled around Luan Wu, who tried to shake them off, but they only clung tighter.

Luan Wu’s brow furrowed even more deeply.

“I’ll find a way.”

Before she could finish speaking, the ground shattered more completely, and a denser, purer black mist surged out, engulfing them almost instantly.

This time, even Zhu Zhihan recognized it as demonic energy.

It was pitch black, impossible to see even a hand in front of her face.

Surrounded by the black mist, Zhu Zhihan felt the malevolent thoughts and turbulent emotions it carried rushing toward her.

Not far away, she heard a muffled groan, sounding like Luan Wu’s voice.

Recalling Luan Wu’s reactions, Zhu Zhihan belatedly realized that the black mist seemed to affect Luan Wu more deeply not just emotionally, but something more!

She reached out, trying to follow the rope to find Luan Wu’s direction.

But before she could, her consciousness grew hazy, and she was swallowed by the black mist.

[What is your greatest desire in this life?]

Zhu Zhihan felt as if she were submerged in water. A vague, genderless voice seeped into her thoughts, pervasive and inescapable.

[In this life of yours. ]

The voice sounded like garbled static.

Zhu Zhihan: ?

The voice abruptly cut off. Then, Zhu Zhihan felt a bright light before her eyes, and the heavy pressure on her eyelids vanished.

She opened her eyes.

Before her was a place resembling a woman’s private chamber, but larger than an ordinary one more like the scale of a palace.

Where was this?

Memories flooded back, and she understood she was trapped in an illusion created by the black mist.

She remembered that in her previous life, she had seen her parents.

In that illusion, she didn’t have her troublesome constitution or illness. The wandering Taoist who visited when she was six said she would live a long, prosperous life, and her parents adored her even more.

A few years later, her parents had a younger sister, but their affection for her remained unchanged, as loving as ever.

Gazing at the little girl in the swaddling clothes, she sincerely looked forward to her sister growing up: “I’m so lonely by myself. When you’re older, you must play with me!”

But the illusion had shattered in the end.

Because she had never actually seen what her sister looked like, the illusion could only extract elements from her memories, not fabricate them from nothing.

So, where was this?

It seemed this wasn’t her home from her previous life. Her family had been merely wealthy, not extravagant enough to build something so spacious.

She stood up and moved around, feeling that her body seemed different somehow.

Standing before a bronze mirror, she saw a woman in her twenties, her features fully matured, with snow-white hair casually cascading down. There were faint red marks on her neck. Wait, red marks!?

Her usually impassive expression finally shifted.

As if to shatter the faint hope in her heart, there was a slight movement from the bed curtains behind her. A pair of hands parted the silk drapes.

Someone stepped barefoot behind her, leaning in close.

Zhu Zhihan’s body stiffened, feeling only the scalding heat where their skin touched.

Pale, slender arms crossed in front of her, holding her intimately.

“What’s wrong?” A familiar, slightly hoarse female voice sounded by her ear.

Zhu Zhihan stared in disbelief at the bronze mirror before her.

In the bronze mirror, the reflection showed another person’s face, one she knew all too well, someone she had seen not long ago.

Her master, Luan Wu.

Zhu Zhihan was shattered.

This can’t be right. Was this truly the desire of her heart?

It must be the black mist messing up!

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