The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

The mountain wind howled, and plum blossoms and snowflakes fluttered down.

He Lichen stood on the snow-covered mountain path, his long, slender fingers with distinct knuckles holding a star chart with flowing starlight, his body surrounded by starlight like an inverted Milky Way.

With his other hand, he held Tang Xixue's soft hand tightly, not letting go, but instead gripping it even tighter.

He gazed at the silver-robed figure opposite him, his eyes cold and icy.

"Yun Boyan, you're being far too nosy."

His voice remained clear and melodious, tempered by frost and snow, each word spoken slowly and deliberately:

"This is a private matter between me and Zhizhi, and it has nothing to do with you—an outsider."

Yun Boyan stood holding his sword, his silver robe fluttering, his sword aura as sharp as frost.

Upon hearing this, he was not angry at all; instead, he raised the corners of his lips, his smile carrying a sharp hint of mockery.

"outsider?"

He raised the silver-white longsword in his hand, with a string of silver bell tassels hanging from the hilt.

The sword tassel was exquisitely crafted, with small, delicate ice crystal bells that tinkled melodiously in the wind.

"The silver bell tassel on this Butterfly Sword was a gift from my sister-in-law."

He paused, then spoke each word with resounding emphasis:

"She is my elder brother's disciple, and also the one he loves—"

He looked up at Tang Xixue. Those usually cool and aloof eyes now held a hint of grievance, a hint of accusation, and a hint of resentment, as if abandoned by a heartless person.

"Sister-in-law, just tell me, do you admit it or not!"

Am I really an outsider to you?

He Lichen's hand holding the star chart tightened slightly.

He glanced sideways at Tang Xixue beside him.

A barely perceptible hint of helplessness surfaced in those clear, cold eyes.

Zhizhi just said that she came to Shanheque to look for someone.

Xie Jinlian – Kunlun Sword Immortal.

Yun Boyan's elder brother.

He is Zhizhi's master.

This is definitely a formidable rival!

It is in no way inferior to Tangxi Night.

That guy has at least maintained the demeanor of an older brother and hasn't crossed the line yet.

Judging from Yun Boyan's attitude, Xie Jinlian has already revealed his hand!

He Lichen lowered her eyes, concealing her helplessness.

But the knuckles of the hand holding the astrolabe were slightly white.

"Hmm, I haven't introduced him to Brother Huaixian yet."

Tang Xixue spoke confidently, her voice soft and clear, carrying a touch of nonchalant composure:

"I have come here for my master, Xie Jinlian."

She paused, looked at Yun Boyan, and smiled slightly.

"Ayan, he's not an outsider. He's someone—"

She thought for a moment and found a suitable word:

"Younger brother, I suppose."

She didn't mention the term "brother-in-law," afraid that her Huai Xian brother would burst into tears on the spot.

The words fell.

The hand that He Lichen was holding trembled slightly.

He lowered his eyes, gazing at their intertwined hands and her smiling, peach-blossom eyes.

younger brother.

They are not outsiders.

But he couldn't suppress the inexplicable bitterness in his heart.

"..."

Yun Boyan's hand, which was gripping the sword hilt, also paused.

younger brother.

He is considered the younger brother.

They are not outsiders.

But why—

Is the impact of this statement greater than that of an outsider?

He stood there, his silver robe fluttering in the mountain wind, but the fierce sword aura around him suddenly weakened a bit.

"Ayan, is this how you greet me?"

Tang Xixue looked at him, her eyes crinkling with a smile:

"Aren't you afraid the sword energy will send me flying?"

She gently patted He Lichen's hand; the movement was extremely light, yet it carried a sense of reassurance.

He Lichen was slightly taken aback.

Then, he slowly released his grip.

A hint of reluctance surfaced in those clear, cold eyes.

Yun Boyan sheathed his sword and landed in front of her.

He looked at her, his eyes still holding a hint of resentment.

But more than anything, it's a deep-seated emotion that they're unwilling to acknowledge.

"Sister-in-law, it was my brother who sent me to pick you up."

He spoke, his voice calm, as if stating a fact:

"It was a misunderstanding."

He would never admit that when he saw her holding hands with someone else, he felt an overwhelming pang of jealousy.

It was so sour that his internal organs ached.

But what right does he have to be jealous?

He was just his elder brother's younger brother.

He could only take his brother's Butterfly Sword as a token of respect for his brother, to teach those ignorant vixens outside a lesson.

How dare she seduce his wonderful sister-in-law!

"Sister-in-law, please."

He stretched out his hand.

He held his palm up in front of her.

Tang Xixue looked at the hand, then at his feignedly indifferent face, and her lips curved into a smile.

She placed her hand on it.

It fell into his warm palm.

The next instant, Yun Boyan gripped her hand tightly and gently pulled her onto the sword.

The Butterfly Sword rose into the air, steadily supporting the weight of the two.

"Since Ayan has come to pick me up, I'll be going now."

Tang Xixue stood on her sword, turning to look at He Lichen. Her peach blossom eyes were filled with laughter, bright as stars.

"Brother Huaixian, see you next time."

He Lichen stood there, watching the figure gradually disappear into the distance.

The warm touch lingered even after her hand slipped from his.

But at this moment, my palm feels empty.

He gripped the astrolabe tightly in his hand.

The knuckles are turning white.

Yun Boyan even gave him a provocative look.

Songjun and Qingdai followed behind and witnessed everything.

Looking at his Imperial Preceptor's solitary figure standing in the wind, Song Jun couldn't help but sigh:

"Has our husband become a discarded husband?"

Qingdai, dressed in a green robe and exuding a scholarly air, glanced at him upon hearing this:

"Congratulations, now your family members can eat vegetarian food."

"Shh, don't say it."

Song Jun lowered his voice and secretly glanced at the star chart in He Lichen's hand—the starlight on the chart flowed, and there was a faint sense of thunder.

"I'm afraid that the Star Array in your hands might get out of control and cause collateral damage."

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Is your prince so popular? Someone even tried to steal him away halfway through the journey."

Qingdai withdrew her gaze and looked at the figure that had flown away on a sword, her eyes filled with pride.

"That's natural."

She raised her chin.

"Our prince is beyond goodness—he is simply a jewel in the clouds, the moon over the nine provinces."

Songjun glanced at her silently.

She glanced again at her father's lonely figure.

He suddenly felt that this "talent war" had probably only just begun.

In the distance, the sword light faded into the sea of ​​clouds.

At the end of the mountain path, He Lichen still stood in the same place.

The starlight shone through, illuminating his cool and aloof features.

"grown ups."

Songjun's voice came from behind, softly, as if afraid of disturbing something.

He Lichen stirred slightly.

Those clear, cold eyes finally returned from the empty sky.

He lowered his eyes, gazing at the astrolabe in his palm—the stars on the astrolabe were still dazzling, but the sharp killing intent from before was gone.

Like waking from a dream.

He tapped lightly with his fingertips.

The Zhou Tian Star Array slowly dissipated.

The illusory image of the Milky Way stretching across the sky gradually faded away and eventually disappeared without a trace.

Sunlight streamed down again, shining on the snow-covered white jade steps of the mountain path, on his shoulders, and on his slightly drooping eyelashes.

He didn't turn around.

With a light touch of her toes, her moon-white crane cloak billowed in a solitary arc in the wind.

With a few leaps and bounds, he was back on the top of the Star-Picking Tower.

He stood on the rooftop, looking down at the scattered palaces nestled in the mountains.

The Firefly Palace lay quietly in the embrace of Merlin at the edge of his sight.

Beneath the plum blossom tree, there was a red figure.

Tang Xixue was bending over, personally pushing the white jade wheelchair.

A snow-white figure sat in a wheelchair, her snow-white hair gleaming in the sunlight.

Her eyes were covered by a white veil, obscuring her face, yet her ethereal and otherworldly aura could still be felt from this distance.

Kunlun Sword Immortal – Xie Jinlian.

He Lichen gazed at that figure, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the edge of the star chart.

He counted on his fingers.

The astrolabe slowly rotates, with countless points of light moving across it, weaving together an unbreakable celestial net.

His gaze pierced through the net, through the barriers of time and space, and looked toward the past that belonged to Xie Jinlian.

Thousands of thunderbolts fell from the heavens.

Lightning flashed like a waterfall, and electric snakes danced wildly, tearing the entire sky into countless fragments.

That thunder was no ordinary thunder; it was the punishment of Heaven, the strangulation of the rules, and the wrath from the highest place to crush all who defy it.

And right in the middle of that sea of ​​thunder.

A figure in silver-white stood holding a sword.

That sword was named Butterfly's Departure.

It was so light that it seemed it could carry a butterfly, yet at that moment, it carried a power powerful enough to shake the heavens and the earth.

A flash of sword light appeared.

That figure braved the myriad thunderbolts, defying the heavens.

Like a butterfly, with its fragile wings, it crashes into the sky that is destined to crush it.

Finally—the last strike.

He cleaved through that invisible barrier.

At the end of the path for the soul to return, a beam of light descended.

Following the light, she opened her eyes.

His figure, like a butterfly with broken wings, fell from the heavens.

They fell into endless darkness.

It fell into a long slumber.

He fell into the white jade wheelchair.

He Lichen stood on the Star-Picking Tower, gazing at the figure in the wheelchair.

It's very windy.

The wind made his moon-white crane cloak flutter, and the strand of frost-white hair on his head tremble gently.

He slowly uttered the name:

"Kunlun Sword Immortal - Xie Jinlian".

The sound was very soft, as soft as a sigh in the wind.

Those were people who risked their lives to carve out a path to survival for Zhizhi.

He Lichen lowered her eyes and slowly spoke into the distance:

Thanks.