Muya found two Ling Emperor-level captains to drive the carriage, taking Yun Chuxue with her as they left the tribe and headed towards the distant Snow Mountain. The Snow Mountain was over a thousand kilometers away from the tribe, which meant a journey of at least ten days at the carriage's pace.
At night, Muya and her companions found a secluded place to rest. Because Yun Chuxue did not have spiritual power to protect her body, she felt sleepy like an ordinary person at night. Muya did not feel like sleeping, and Yun Chuxue, leaning against her, gradually fell asleep on her shoulder.
Seeing her like this, Muya didn't move but instead shifted slightly away, allowing Yun Chuxue to slowly slide onto Muya's lap, making her sleep more comfortably.
The two captains took turns keeping watch while Muya kept her eyes on Yun Chuxue. Gently brushing the hair from Yun Chuxue's face, Muya smiled and thought, "If I were a man, I would surely marry you. Or if you were a man, I would certainly marry you. But why aren't you? And why am I not? Although I can't understand what you've gone through all these years, I can feel it now."
As dawn broke, Yun Chuxue's drowsy appearance elicited sympathy. She felt very comfortable and thought, "The stone isn't as hard as I imagined." Opening her eyes, she realized it wasn't a stone; it was Muya's lap. Embarrassed, she quickly stood up.
"Help me up; my legs are numb."
"Oh."
In the carriage, Muya pulled Yun Chuxue to sit beside her. "Yun Chuxue, did you sleep well last night?"
"…You didn't sleep at all?"
"No, but I saw you crying. What were you crying about? Were you feeling wronged?"
Crying? Yun Chuxue didn't understand. She hadn't had any nightmares, and even if she had, she wouldn't cry like a child.
"Hmm?"
"No, maybe… maybe it was sand in my eyes."
"Really?"
Muya looked at her with a questioning gaze.
"Maybe… yes."
Muya chuckled softly. She had only been teasing Yun Chuxue, and Yun Chuxue had taken it seriously.
Ten days later, Yun Chuxue and Muya arrived at the foot of the Snow Mountain. Muya instructed the two captains to find a suitable spot and set up two tents to rest and recuperate for a day.
Muya and Yun Chuxue's tent was positioned below a tiered stone ledge, while the two captains were stationed above them to provide timely assistance in case of an emergency.
Yun Chuxue looked out and saw a vast green plain and forest. The mountain wind blew, and the chilly sensation made her sneeze.
"Come inside, don't catch a cold."
Catch a cold? I just came out, Yun Chuxue thought.
Without overthinking, Yun Chuxue went inside to help with the arrangements. During this, Muya teased her, saying, "Hey, Yun Chuxue, are you the maid, or am I the maid? Why does it feel like I'm the one serving you?"
"Um… you should rest, I'll handle it."
After laying out the bedsheets and setting up the stove, Yun Chuxue put in a few charcoal pieces. She was about to light the fire but realized she had no spiritual power. Embarrassed, she stood up and looked at Muya.
"What's wrong? Why are you just standing there?"
Muya glanced back and saw that the stove wasn't lit. She understood then that Yun Chuxue's spiritual power was sealed, preventing her from lighting the fire.
Muya snapped her fingers, and a burst of spiritual energy shot onto the charcoal, instantly igniting it. "I forgot, sorry. Come over here and sit down."
Muya pointed to the spot beside her. Yun Chuxue sat down, and Muya said, "Give me your hand."
Yun Chuxue obediently extended her hand. Muya held it and examined it closely. "Tsk, your hands are so beautiful. What a waste to use them for killing."
Hearing this, Yun Chuxue felt a twinge of bitterness. If it weren't for the interference of the man in black, she would be on her path to revenge right now.
"By the way, Yun Chuxue, do you want to know the strength of that man in black?"
Yun Chuxue was shocked, thinking, "How does she know about the man in black? Could there have been someone nearby eavesdropping at the time? That's unlikely. This tribe only has two Ling Shen level experts. Even if she had been there, wouldn't the man in black have sensed someone else's presence?"
"Don't overthink it. Our tribe has a secret technique that allows us to see things thousands of miles away, but we cannot hear the sounds. The high priest told me about it after you arrived."
"Can you tell me the strength of that man in black?"
"He is at the early stage of Ling Shen level."
Early stage Ling Shen level! Yun Chuxue couldn't believe it. How could someone at the early stage of Ling Shen level be so powerful? Her own explosive power at the time had surpassed the peak of Ling Shen level, yet it had been effortlessly blocked by him. This was something no early-stage Ling Shen level cultivator could do.
"Although I'm not sure, I can tell from your expression that when you sensed his level, you thought he was at the peak of Ling Shen level. He must have used a domain's power, which made you mistakenly believe he was at the peak."
"A domain? A domain I couldn't sense? My most powerful attack at the late stage of Ling Shen level was easily blocked by someone at the early stage?" Yun Chuxue laughed bitterly, her delicate body trembling. Her mindset had hit rock bottom. "I was hailed as the most gifted person on Tianling Continent. I reached the Ling Shen level at twenty-nine, something many people can only dream of. But there are always people better than you. My strongest attack was easily blocked by someone who just stepped into the Ling Shen level. I'm so resentful."
As Yun Chuxue spoke, tears slowly trickled down, falling onto Muya's hand. Muya knew that this revelation would be a heavy blow to Yun Chuxue. She didn't really care, though. After all, a crippled Ling Shen level expert was less valuable to her than a maid.
Muya gently let go of Yun Chuxue's hand and walked over to the stove. She took out several skewers of meat and started her secret barbecue.
In no time, the meat was cooked, and the tantalizing aroma filled the air. Muya sat down beside Yun Chuxue and handed her a skewer. "Here, eat."
Seeing Yun Chuxue unresponsive, Muya spoke more sternly, "That's an order."
Yun Chuxue finally took a skewer and examined it.
"When I was very young, I was already the tribe leader. The pressure was immense, and I was often overwhelmed. When I was in a bad mood, I liked to eat barbecue. I would grill some wild game or vegetables—anything grilled, I loved. Paired with my secret seasoning, the taste was better than any delicacy. What do you think, Yun… Chuxue?"
Muya was taken aback. Before she finished speaking, Yun Chuxue had already finished eating.
"Mm, thank you. It was delicious. Is there more?"
Muya chuckled softly, surprised at how practical Yun Chuxue was.
After eating, night fell. In the tent, they could occasionally hear the chirping of birds and insects outside, as well as the sound of the wind rustling through the grass and flowers, creating a serene and otherworldly atmosphere.
Yun Chuxue couldn't sleep. Her mind was in turmoil, replaying the events of that day. She felt an overwhelming sense of resentment.
At that moment, a warm hand reached out from behind her, wrapping around her waist.
Muya snuggled closer to Yun Chuxue and softly said, "Yun Chuxue, go to sleep. Stop thinking about everything. Just let it go."
"Mm, alright."