Host! I told you to do a task! I didn't tell you to bbb.

Liu Yunshu stepped forward and gently parted the drooping vines, revealing a simple and ancient blue stone door behind them.

"Could this stone gate be the entrance to the icy pool?"

She reached out and gently touched the surface of the stone door; it was cold and rough to the touch, bearing the marks of time.

Xiao Hanxing strode forward and tried to push the heavy stone door with his palm, but it did not budge, only producing a dull echo.

"It seems there's a mechanism locking it," he said, frowning.

Mu Yunling curiously leaned forward, her fingertips just touching the uneven texture on the stone door.

Suddenly, I was pricked by something sharp, and blood instantly seeped out.

Just then, the patterns on the stone gate suddenly emitted a dark golden light, rapidly absorbing her blood droplets.

She gasped and withdrew her hand; there was no blood left on her fingertips, only a faint red mark.

"There's something strange about this stone gate!" Shen Run immediately shielded Mu Yunling behind him, drew his longsword, and the sword light gleamed coldly in the mist.

Xiao Hanxing bent down to examine it closely and discovered that the patterns on the stone door were actually a fragmented star map.

Mu Yunling just touched the missing part of the star map.

At this moment, that spot is being slowly filled with blood.

"It's a blood pact mechanism."

His expression was solemn as he lightly tapped the stone door with his black iron folding fan. "It requires the blood of someone with a specific bloodline to open."

Liu Yunshu traced the star map pattern with her fingertips, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Miss Mu's blood can activate mechanisms; could she have some connection to this valley?"

Mu Yunling shook her head blankly, the red marks on her fingertips still faintly burning: "I...I don't remember anything, how could it be related to this place?"

Her voice was somewhat flustered, and she subconsciously moved closer to Liu Yunshu.

Xiao Hanxing's gaze swept over the incomplete outline of the star map, and he suddenly remembered the secrets of the Western Regions that Xiao Luochen had mentioned.

"Rumor has it that the ancient tribes of the Western Regions possess a guardian mechanism that ensures the continuation of bloodlines. Could it be that Miss Mu is...?"

Before the words were finished, the stone gate suddenly trembled violently, and the star map that had absorbed the blood beads instantly lit up with a full golden light.

The stone gate slowly opened inward, and a bone-chilling cold air, along with white mist, rushed out.

"Watch out!" Xiao Hanxing instinctively pulled Liu Yunshu behind him and stood in front of her.

Behind the stone gate was not the icy pool one might imagine, but a deep, dark tunnel.

Embedded in the tunnel walls are luminous pearls that glow with a cold, eerie blue light, illuminating the path ahead in a hazy, indistinct way.

The cold air was continuously gushing out from deep within the tunnel.

"This tunnel leads somewhere unknown. Everyone stay close to me and do not touch anything around you."

Xiao Hanxing stepped in first, his dark blue figure appearing even more upright in the dim blue light.

Liu Yunshu pulled Mu Yunling close behind, while Shen Run brought up the rear.

The four of them walked on the cold bluestone slabs in the tunnel, their footsteps echoing in the empty tunnel.

The four walked for a while, and the cold air deep inside the tunnel became increasingly biting.

The pale blue light of the luminous pearl cast long, narrow shadows of the four people on the damp stone wall, swaying gently with each step.

Liu Yunshu's sharp gaze swept across both sides of the tunnel.

The stone wall is covered with intricate ancient seal script, the characters are blurred and difficult to decipher, yet they faintly exude an eerie aura.

"These characters... resemble totem inscriptions of ancient tribes from the Western Regions."

Xiao Hanxing stopped in his tracks, pointing his black iron folding fan to a relatively clear engraving, a hint of inquiry flashing in his eyes.

"It is said that the ancient tribes believed in the power of the stars, and this inscription may be related to the star map mechanism we just saw."

Shen Run leaned closer to examine it, his brows furrowing slightly.

"The handwriting is too old; I only recognize a few characters, which seem to mean 'protect' or 'inherit'."

Mu Yunling unconsciously released Liu Yunshu's hand, her gaze drawn to the patterns on the stone wall.

She reached out and touched the patterns carved with the movement of stars, and the stone wall suddenly rotated inward, revealing a narrow, hidden door.

An even more biting chill, carrying ice shards, rushed towards her. She cried out in alarm and lost her balance, falling into the darkness behind the hidden door.

"Yun Ling!" Shen Run cried out in alarm, leaping forward to grab her hand, but was pulled by a sudden suction force and fell into the abyss together.

"Brother Shen! Miss Mu!"

Liu Yunshu strode forward, but the stone wall suddenly slammed shut, completely sealing off the hidden door.

She slammed her fist against the stone wall, only to feel her fingertips go numb. A fleeting golden light flashed across the inscription on the stone surface, and then there was no further movement.

"This stone wall mechanism is connected to the star map we just saw. Forcibly breaking it will only trigger an even more dangerous restriction."

Xiao Hanxing reached out and grabbed her wrist. The warmth of his palm seeped through the thin fabric, dispelling some of the chill.

He traced the inscriptions on the stone wall with his fingertips, his gaze sharp as an eagle's.

"Just now, Miss Mu touched the 'return' node of the Star Inscription. The hidden door should open along the path set by the ancient clan, so it may not be a dead end."

Liu Yunshu's fingertips trembled slightly, but her tone remained calm:

"The tunnel is deep and dark, and Brother Shen and Miss Mu are missing. We must find them as soon as possible."

When she looked up, her eyes were filled with anxiety, and beads of mist slid down her temples.

It hit the back of their clasped hands, and the icy touch made them both startled slightly.

Xiao Hanxing's Adam's apple bobbed, and his fingertips unconsciously caressed the delicate skin on her wrist.

God help me too!

With the two people out of the way, it saved me a lot of effort in deliberately creating time alone.

He suppressed the surging joy in his heart, but his tone became increasingly calm:

"Miss Liu, don't worry. Although the ancient clan's mechanisms are treacherous, they often leave a way out. Brother Shen's martial arts are not weak, and he is protecting Miss Mu, so he will surely be safe for the time being."

He released her wrist, twirled the black iron folding fan in his palm, and pointed the tip of the fan into the depths of the tunnel.

"Before the secret door closed, I saw a faint light at the bottom of the abyss, which suggests there's another passage. If we explore along the tunnel, we might find a side path connecting to the secret door."

Liu Yunshu nodded, and the two walked side by side.

The pale blue light of the luminous pearl reflected on their faces, making their features distinct.

"Be careful!"

Xiao Hanxing suddenly reached out and put his arm around her waist, pulling her to his side.

At the same time, an icicle suddenly fell from the cliff face overhead.

With a "crack," it smashed onto the bluestone slab, shattering into countless sharp shards of ice.

Just as the two breathed a sigh of relief, several icicles fell one after another like sharp blades.

Xiao Hanxing suddenly tightened his grip on Liu Yunshu's arm, shielding her in front of him.

He lightly touched the ground with his toes, and spun around with her to avoid the flying ice shards.

The black iron folding fan unfolded with a "whoosh," shattering the falling ice shards.

As soon as he landed, Xiao Hanxing's toes touched the broken ice on the ground.

His eyes flashed, and he pretended to slip, leaning towards Liu Yunshu.

Liu Yunshu subconsciously reached out to steady him, but as soon as her palm touched his firm chest, she was pulled off balance by a clever force.

The two of them fell to the ground, and Xiao Hanxing's lips landed squarely on Liu Yunshu's lips.

The moment their lips touched, the surrounding chill seemed to freeze instantly.

Liu Yunshu froze, her eyes widening suddenly as she looked into Xiao Hanxing's face, which was so close to hers.

"Let go... Ugh!"

She had barely opened her mouth to speak when, taking advantage of her slightly erratic breathing, he deepened the unexpected kiss.

The moment their lips touched, the scent of cold plum blossoms mingled with the crisp, chilly air from the depths of the tunnel, entwining around their noses like vines.

Xiao Hanxing's eyes were filled with fascination. Her taste was as sweet as ever, with a hint of her usual cold plum fragrance, which made one's heart burn.

Liu Yunshu's mind went completely blank, and she only felt the warm touch on her lips with a burning force.

He gripped her lower back with his palm, not with much force, but enough to immobilize her.

The faint blush on the tips of her ears instantly spread to her cheeks, and even her breath became hot.

She instinctively turned her head to struggle, but he gently pressed her chin with his fingertips and turned her face back with a little force.

"Mmm..." He swallowed the soft sobs.

Xiao Hanxing could clearly feel the stiffness in the person in her arms, as well as the fleeting panic and embarrassment in her eyes.

Her appearance was even more vibrant than her usual cool and gentle demeanor.

His Adam's apple bobbed, and the heat in his heart almost overwhelmed his reason, but in the end, he couldn't bear to really make her angry.

After lingering for only a moment, he slowly released her, but his nose remained pressed against hers, their warm breaths mingling together.

"I'm sorry."

His voice was hoarse, with a hint of barely perceptible panting.

There was not a trace of apology in his eyes, but rather a triumphant smile and an intense, unyielding affection.

"My footing was too slippery just now, and I lost my balance for a moment."

How could Liu Yunshu believe such a clumsy excuse?

She pushed him away abruptly, staggered to her feet, and her moon-white skirt was covered with tiny ice crystals, but she didn't bother to brush them off.

She raised her hand to cover her burning lips, lowered her eyes, and dared not look at him, her voice trembling slightly: "Alliance Leader Xiao... please have some self-respect."

Xiao Hanxing slowly stood up, tapping his black iron folding fan lightly in his palm.

Ice crystals slid off his dark blue robe, but the smile in his eyes remained undiminished.

He gazed at Liu Yunshu's flushed ears and tense back, the lingering sweet taste in his throat becoming increasingly clear.

His voice was low and hoarse, yet carried a hint of deliberate grievance: "I was being presumptuous, Miss Liu, please don't take offense."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a muffled rumble suddenly came from deep within the tunnel.

The luminous pearl on the cliff face dimmed suddenly, then lit up again in an instant.

As light and darkness alternated, the surrounding chill grew increasingly biting, and even breathing carried a white mist.

Liu Yunshu suppressed her panic and embarrassment, and when she turned around, she had regained some composure, but her fingertips were still trembling slightly.

"We shouldn't stay here any longer; finding Brother Shen and the others is the priority."

She took a step forward, but her pace was quicker than before, as if she was deliberately avoiding the gaze of those behind her.

Xiao Hanxing followed, his eyes dark and deep. His gaze fell on her shoulders, which were slightly stiff from the cold air, and he finally couldn't help but speak:

"The tunnel is very cold. If Miss Liu feels uncomfortable, perhaps..."

Before he could finish speaking, a narrow crack suddenly appeared in the ground in front of him.

A bone-chilling cold air, mixed with fine wisps of ice mist, seeped out from the cracks.

Caught off guard, Liu Yunshu lost her footing and was about to fall when her wrist was suddenly grabbed by the person behind her.

With no foothold in sight, Xiao Hanxing was pulled into the abyss along with him.