```
The chilly patter of rain echoed by his ears, his skin trembling in the cold wind.
Pei Ye opened his eyes to a vast and dim cave, where the entrance was veiled with a curtain of rain, beyond which lay the lush expanse of Cang Mountain wrapped in pale mists.
His position hadn't changed; the woman in white still sat beside him.
"[Heart Slash] is but a moment's deed, you didn't waste much time," Ming Qi Tian said softly.
Pei Ye seemed somewhat sluggish, stiff for a moment before replying in a low voice, "...yeah."
"The next sword competition will start in an hour, this is the time for your 'Ice-Snow Body' to complete a full cycle automatically," the woman said.
Pei Ye stared at the rain curtain, his gaze fixed on the scene before him as he opened his eyes, for the first time, even the anger and pain seemed to have faded from the youth's form, as if everything was sinking into a numb chill.
He turned his head lethargically and hoarsely said, "...I'm sorry, I——"