Chapter 18: The Night With the Ice Queen
Chapter 18: The Night With the Ice Queen
The Azure Sky Sect's Inner Grounds were quiet under the soft glow of the full moon, a contrast to the storm brewing beneath its surface. The towering palaces, illuminated by spiritual lanterns, cast long shadows across the marble pathways.
At the center of it all, Leon Xian walked beside Qin Yue, his steps slow, relaxed—yet completely aware of the unspoken tension between them.
---
A Moment Between Powerhouses
The bamboo trees swayed in the cool night breeze as Qin Yue led Leon to a quiet pavilion overlooking a crystal-clear lake. The reflection of the moon shimmered on the water's surface, mirroring their silent figures.
She stopped, her back still facing him.
"Sit."
Leon raised an eyebrow but complied, taking a seat on the stone bench. He rested one arm on the backrest, his posture casual but his gaze sharp, locked onto her.
"You don't seem like the type to invite a man to a secluded place at night," he teased.
Qin Yue ignored his words, her hands resting lightly on the table as she finally turned toward him.
Her icy-blue eyes locked onto his, and for the first time since their acquaintance, her gaze wasn't just cold—it held something deeper, unreadable.
"You confuse me," she admitted.
Leon smirked. "I get that a lot."
Her gaze didn't waver. "I don't like what I don't understand."
Leon tilted his head. "And what exactly don't you understand?"
She leaned forward slightly, the moonlight casting a soft glow over her flawless features.
"You defy logic," she said. "A nobody outer disciple doesn't rise to the peak of the sect in mere days. A man who copies techniques instantly shouldn't exist. And yet—you do."
Leon chuckled. "Maybe I'm just special."
Qin Yue's expression remained unchanging, but her fingers lightly tapped against the table, a habit of someone deep in thought.
For the first time, her control seemed slightly shaken.
"You're hiding something," she finally said.
Leon's smirk widened. "Everyone's hiding something, Ice Queen."
Her fingers stopped tapping.
"You don't fear me," she observed. "Every man in this sect either grovels before me or avoids me entirely. Yet, you…"
She leaned even closer, her voice dropping slightly.
"…You act like you can have me."
Leon's heart skipped a beat.
Not because of her words—but because of the way she said them.
Not a challenge. Not an insult.
A statement.
Leon chuckled, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "Can I?"
Qin Yue's lips parted slightly, but for once—she had no immediate answer.
The tension between them was palpable, something neither of them fully acknowledged but both could feel.
Then, suddenly—
BOOM!
A loud explosion echoed in the distance, shattering the moment.
Leon's gaze flickered toward the Inner Sect's northern sector.
Qin Yue immediately stood up, her icy aura surging. "An attack?"
Leon sighed, standing as well. "And here I thought we were finally having a romantic moment."
Qin Yue ignored his comment, her eyes sharp. "Let's go."
And in an instant—they vanished into the night.
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The Shadow Pavilion's Move
In the depths of the Inner Sect, a group of masked disciples stood over the wreckage of a destroyed training hall, their cloaks fluttering in the wind.
Among them, a figure clad in black armor stepped forward, his voice smooth yet filled with amusement.
"That should get his attention," he muttered.
A disciple kneeled before him. "Shall we proceed with the next phase?"
The armored figure nodded. "Leon Xian is dangerous… but he's still human."
He tilted his head, golden eyes gleaming under the moonlight.
"And every human has a weakness."
The kneeling disciple hesitated. "And if he survives this?"
The leader smirked.
"Then we make him regret it."
---
Leon & Qin Yue Arrive
BOOM!
Leon and Qin Yue landed on a shattered rooftop, overlooking the burning remnants of a training hall.
Disciples rushed to put out the flames, while elders shouted orders. The entire sector was in chaos.
Leon's eyes narrowed.
"This wasn't a random attack," he muttered.
Qin Yue nodded. "Someone did this to provoke you."
Before Leon could respond—
A new voice cut through the air.
"You finally arrived, Leon Xian."
Leon turned, his smirk returning as he saw the masked figures standing in the courtyard below.
The leader of the group stepped forward, his black armor gleaming under the moonlight. His voice was calm, but his killing intent was suffocating.
"You've risen too quickly," he said. "Time to remind you of your place."
Leon chuckled. "People keep trying to do that… and they keep failing."
The masked figure's golden eyes gleamed.
"Then let's see if you can survive the night."