After being chosen by the Ice Queen

Qingyan Town was more desolate than Gu Yan had expected.

Most of the houses were low and old. The caravan trodden along the dirt road, leaving ruts that crisscrossed the road, and dust rose lightly in the twilight. There weren't many pedestrians, and they all hurried along. The slight commotion caused by the caravan's entry into the town quickly subsided; a few children peered into the distance before being pulled back inside by their adults.

Yuelai Inn is the only two-story wooden building in town, and it looks quite old. As expected, Team Leader Wang made thoughtful arrangements. The innkeeper was a lean old man. When he saw Gu Yan and his companion, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes, but his attitude was extremely respectful. He personally led them to the two adjacent upper rooms at the far east end of the second floor.

The room was fairly clean, containing only a bed, a table, a chair, and an old washbasin stand. The window paper was somewhat torn, and the evening breeze carried a cool mountain air in.

The town is built on the mountainside, and as night falls, only a few lights remain.

A knock sounded at the door; it was Su Wanqing.

She changed out of her filthy suit and into a coarse cloth dress that Team Leader Wang had found for her. It didn't fit, but it was washed until it was faded and didn't smell bad. Her wet hair was simply dried and draped over her shoulders. Under the dim light of the oil lamp, her face appeared somewhat elegant and refined.

"I'm a little scared." She came in, closed the door, and spoke in a low voice, "The way the innkeeper looked at me just now... and those waiters downstairs, whispering among themselves. Team Leader Wang arranged for the food to be delivered to our room; I think he was protecting us, and also afraid that we would cause a bigger commotion."

Gu Yan nodded: "He did the right thing. You shouldn't show your face right now. Just stay put. I need to go out for a bit."

"go out?"

"Find out the town, see who this Zhao Xiaoqi is. Gather some information while you're at it. You're relatively safe in your room. In case of any emergency," he flipped his hand, revealing a dull coin in his palm, "hold it and focus on me. It might not have any special effect now, but it'll be useful as a weak beacon of communication between us. I'll get back as soon as possible."

Su Wanqing bit her lip, took it, and held it tightly in her palm: "Be careful."

Gu Yan changed into dark casual clothes, carrying Huiming on his back like a long umbrella. He silently pushed open the back window, tapped his fingers on the windowsill, and landed in the alley behind the inn.

In Qingyan Town, most households turn off their lights early at night. Only a few places with lanterns hanging in the air can be heard playing drinking games. Gu Yan moved around the eaves and corners of the alleys.

He quickly located a courtyard in the center of town, with a lantern hanging at the entrance and a plaque that read "Qingyan Town Patrol".

Gu Yan didn't rush in, but instead went around to a tavern on the side and back. There weren't many people in the tavern; around a small oil lamp, three or five men were drinking alone, while the innkeeper was dozing behind the counter.

Gu Yan ordered the cheapest wine, sat in the shadows in the corner, and slowly drank it, while his ears picked up all the hushed conversations around him.

"...Have you heard? Old Wang's caravan returned today; they were almost wiped out by that beast outside Black Wind Gorge!"

"Tsk, another death? This is unbearable..."

"Death is common, but the key thing is that Old Wang brought back two people. A man and a woman, both young-looking. According to Old Liu, who was there at the time, the man was terrifying; he cleaved the demonic Black Wind Dog in two with a single stroke! Clean and efficient."

"Really? Which immortal master?"

"Whether she's a celestial master or not, I don't know, but what's even more eerie is that woman... Old Liu secretly told me that she looks exactly like the Holy Maiden in the painting!"

"Hiss—are you drunk? What nonsense are you talking about! The Holy Maiden was already..."

"Why would I lie to you! Old Wang immediately knelt down and cried out, 'Holy Maiden!' Many people saw it!"

The tavern fell silent for a moment, several pairs of eyes meeting in surprise and uncertainty.

"You can't just say things like that... If it's true... then we need to report it to Zhao Xiaoqi right away!"

"Why bother reporting it? Old Wang must have already told him. I reckon Zhao Xiaoqi is having a headache right now too."

"Alas, these are turbulent times. Things aren't peaceful in the north. I've heard that demons are stirring again at Demon Suppression Pass, and the beasts in our Black Wind Gorge are becoming increasingly arrogant. This world..."

Gu Yan listened quietly. His and Su Wanqing's arrival had already attracted the attention of the officials. That Zhao Xiaoqi was probably weighing the pros and cons and considering how to deal with it.

The tavern's curtain was suddenly flung open, letting in a gust of cold wind. A man wearing worn leather armor and a sword at his waist strode in.

The conversation in the tavern stopped abruptly, and everyone lowered their heads.

"Lord Zhao...Lord Zhao!" The shopkeeper hurriedly went to greet him.

Zhao Xiaoqi was a low-ranking official of the ninth grade in Qingyan Town. His gaze swept across the crowd in the tavern with lightning speed, lingering for a moment on the unfamiliar face of Gu Yan. Gu Yan concealed his aura, acting like an ordinary passerby.

Zhao Xiaoqi didn't say anything, but simply told the shopkeeper, "Give me a pot of strong liquor to go." He paid, took the pot, glanced at Gu Yan, and strode away.

After sitting for a while and failing to gather any more useful information, Gu Yan left money for the drinks and got up to leave. He then wandered around the town again.

He discovered that several households on the edge of the town, near the direction of Black Wind Gorge, had particularly weak auras and were slightly tainted by demonic energy, suggesting that someone in the family had been affected by demonic energy and had been ill for a long time.

Near an abandoned earth god temple in the northwest corner of the town, a faint trace of demonic energy lingers.

Back at the inn, it was late at night, and all was quiet. Gu Yan was about to climb out the window to go back to his room when he stopped in his tracks.

Outside his room, in a corner of the corridor, a small figure was huddled up. He was about eight or nine years old, dressed in rags, thin and bony, clutching a tattered cloth bag in his arms.

Gu Yan appeared silently in front of him. The child was clearly startled, and looked up sharply. His dirty little face had eyes that shone brightly in the darkness.

"Immortal...Immortal Master?" The child's voice was dry and hoarse, trembling with sobs. "Please, save my mother..."

Gu Yan crouched down and could see the demonic aura emanating from the child.

"What's wrong with your mother?"

"My mother... my mother was injured by a monster in Black Wind Gorge. She's had a fever and is delirious. The doctor in town saw her, and the medicine hasn't helped. The talisman water that Lord Zhao gave us is almost used up... Today I heard... I heard that a celestial master who can kill monsters with a single strike has come to town, and... and a Holy Maiden..." The child stammered, tears streaming down his face. "Please, have mercy and look at my mother! I'm begging you!"

Gu Yan helped him up. The child's hands were icy cold, but he gripped Gu Yan's sleeve with great strength.

Saintess… Gu Yan’s heart stirred.

"lead the way."

The child paused for a moment, then quickly scrambled to his feet and staggered ahead to lead the way. Gu Yan followed him through the dark alleyways to a dilapidated wooden house on the edge of town.

The room reeked of medicine. Under the oil lamp, a pale-faced woman lay on a broken wooden bed. A faint, malevolent aura emanated from her left shoulder, eroding her life force.

Gu Yan stepped forward, his fingers lightly pressing against the woman's forehead, a wisp of candlelight penetrating her.

The demonic aura was mixed and carried the distinctive stench of dogs; it had already invaded the meridians and lungs, and ordinary medicines were indeed unable to eradicate it.

He hesitated for a moment. Forcibly washing away the evil influence with the breath of the candle might dispel it, but the woman's body was too weak and she might not be able to withstand it.

The afterimage of Orochi within him felt a slight longing for the slightly purer demonic energy of the dog demon.

...You can give it a try.

Gu Yan placed his right palm on the bruise on the woman's shoulder. His consciousness sank into his body, drawing upon the wisp of Yamata no Yoru's power.

A wisp of energy emanated from his palm, touching the demonic aura of the dog demon. Like ice and snow meeting a red-hot iron rod, the demonic aura of the dog demon was silently melted away. Instantly, the demonic aura swirling around the woman's wound vanished without a trace, and the bruises faded at a visible speed.

"Mmm..." The woman let out a long groan, her tightly furrowed brows relaxing.

Gu Yan stopped and looked inward at himself. The power of Orochi had grown slightly stronger, and the awakening level fluctuated from 0.01% to 0.011%. A faint buzzing sound came from Huiming, as if it was somewhat dissatisfied with not being fed.

The child rushed to the bedside, and seeing his mother's visibly improved complexion, burst into tears of joy. He turned around and was about to kowtow to Gu Yan.

"No need," Gu Yan said, supporting him. "The demonic energy has been eliminated, but his vital energy has been severely depleted, and he needs to rest. Tomorrow, go to the pharmacy and get some mild tonics according to the prescription."

The child was extremely grateful.