A god-level alchemist, starting by manually crafting forbidden pills.

"Don't even think about it!"

The ice crystals, white and pure, emitted a sharp hiss.

Her body swelled up, transforming into a massive ice wall that blocked Bai Jie and Luo Fan.

"She's mine! She'll always be mine!"

"Only freezing her will keep her safe! Only freezing her will prevent her from getting hurt!"

Countless weeping, pleading, and desperate faces appeared on the ice wall.

Those were the people who died because of her in Bai Jie's memory.

"Did you see that?"

With a smug look, Bingjing Baijie said, "Every time she cares about someone, she ends up killing that person!"

"Therefore, freezing is the right thing to do! Ruthlessness is the right thing to do!"

"You outsiders deserve to die!"

The ice wall collapsed with a roar, turning into sharp ice crystal fragments that swept towards Luo Fan!

This attack was more than ten times stronger than the ice needles from before!

The entire snowfield trembled, and countless dark cracks appeared in the sky.

This is a full-force attack from the inner demon, determined to completely annihilate this intruder!

Luo Fan stood still, without retreating.

He looked at the overwhelming tsunami of ice crystals, then at Bai Jie, who was huddled and trembling behind the ice wall.

Then he smiled.

"Senior sister, do you believe me?"

He asked softly.

Bai Jie, curled up, looked up blankly.

Through the transparent ice wall, she saw Luo Fan's eyes burning with ghostly blue flames.

In those eyes, there was no fear, no hesitation, only absolute trust and tenderness.

"I…"

Her lips trembled slightly.

"Please trust me just this once, okay?"

Luo Fan's voice remained soft, "I won't die, and you won't kill anyone."

"Trust your ice; it can protect, not harm."

"Believe that your heart can be warm, not just cold."

Luo Fan spread his arms wide, neither dodging nor avoiding, and faced the icy tsunami head-on!

Bai Jie's pupils suddenly contracted, and in that instant...

Something long frozen inside her shattered with a bang!

boom--!!!

A chilling power, more terrifying and purer than an ice crystal tsunami, exploded from her body!

That power did not come from inner demons, nor from illusions, but from the deepest part of her own soul!

It is Bai Jie, who has been frozen by fear and guilt for more than 20 years and has never truly died!

"Break it!!!"

A clear shout echoed across the entire snowfield.

Her moon-white dress fluttered in the wind, her long hair moved without any breeze, and the fear and confusion in her eyes faded away.

She raised her hand and gently clenched it towards the icy tsunami.

Snap! Snap!

The tsunami froze.

All the ice crystal fragments were three feet away from Luo Fan.

Frozen in mid-air by an even more terrifying chill.

Then, it shattered inch by inch, turning into countless ice crystal powders that fell down in a flurry.

"you…"

Bingjing Baijie's expression changed drastically, and she tried to back away.

But Bai Jie didn't give her a chance.

She turned around, looked at the icy phantom that looked exactly like her, and smiled.

"I used to think that being frozen meant I wouldn't get hurt."

I used to think that if I pushed everyone away, I wouldn't lose anything.

"I used to think that being emotionless and without desire meant I wouldn't feel pain, but now I know..."

"Being frozen will only make me colder and more lonely."

"Pushing everyone away will only make me live in regret and fear forever."

"Being emotionless and without desire is not living; it's being a walking corpse."

Her gaze passed over the icy phantom and landed on Luo Fan.

For the first time, a genuine, warm smile appeared in her eyes.

"Besides, there are people willing to melt the ice and snow for me, and people willing to believe that I won't kill them."

"Someone is willing to tell me that my ice can also protect people."

She stretched out her hand, palm up, towards Luo Fan.

"Xiao Fan, could you hold my hand and walk out with me?"

Luo Fan smiled.

He stepped forward and took Bai Jie's soft, white hand in his.

It was a bit cold, but also a bit warm.

boom!

The snowfield suddenly fell silent.

Ice Crystal White let out a resentful roar, her body gradually disintegrating and dissipating.

This time, it's a true disappearance.

Because the last trace of fear and hesitation in Bai Jie's heart had been completely severed.

The snow-covered lake that had confined her heart for over a decade collapsed and melted away.

The leaden-gray clouds in the sky dispersed, revealing the azure sky.

The snowflakes stopped falling, and the gates of the ice palace swung open with a roar.

Inside, it was no longer a cold cage, but a valley full of flowers.

Bai Jie stood on the melting snow, looking at Luo Fan with tears in her eyes but a smile on her lips.

That was a smile Luo Fan had never seen before, a smile that revealed the truest form of his being, devoid of all pretense and defense.

"Senior sister."

Luo Fan squeezed her small hand. "Let's go."

in the valley.

Luo Fan opened his eyes. He was still standing in front of Bai Jie, his fingertip still touching her brow.

Bai Jie slowly opened her eyes, which were no longer cold and empty, no longer filled with murderous intent.

It was just covered with a thin layer of mist, and there was an indescribable gentleness about it.

"Master... Xiao Fan..."

She spoke, her voice a little hoarse.

"Yes, I'm here."

Luo Fan looked at her and grinned.

Bai Jie stared at him blankly for a long time, then suddenly reached out and touched Luo Fan's neck.

There was a small sword mark on it, and I touched his face and arm, my fingertips were cold.

"sorry."

She said softly, "I hurt you."

"It's a minor injury, nothing serious."

Luo Fan shook his head, a bright smile on his face. "It's good that Senior Sister is alright."

Bai Jie was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "You saw everything?"

Luo Fan knew what she was asking and nodded: "I saw some."

"Those are my memories from before I was five years old."

Bai Jie lowered her eyes. "My family all died overnight, and only I was brought back by my master."

"From then on, I told myself that I couldn't care about anyone and I couldn't have any feelings anymore."

"Because of emotions, there is a weakness, and there is the possibility of losing again."

Luo Fan grasped her hand. "Senior sister, a weakness isn't necessarily a vulnerability; sometimes it can be armor."

Bai Jie looked up at him, her eyes filled with even more tears.

But she didn't let the tears fall; she just took a deep breath and nodded.

"Um."

She stood up, feeling the surging spiritual energy within her body, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

"My cultivation level?"

"You've broken through?" Luo Fan asked with a smile.

Bai Jie nodded, "He's reached the peak of the second level of Foundation Establishment."

Not only did she break through, she also directly crossed a minor realm, reaching the peak of the second level of Foundation Establishment!

A breakthrough in mental state often leads to a more stable and powerful improvement in cultivation than arduous practice.

Congratulations, Senior Sister.

Luo Fan was genuinely happy for her.

Bai Jie looked at him and suddenly asked, "You... you've broken through too?"

"Eighth level of Qi Refining".

Luo Fan did not hide anything.

A complex look flashed in Bai Jie's eyes.

Even at the eighth level of Qi Refining, she was still very weak in the eyes of someone at the peak of the second level of Foundation Establishment.

But just now, in the illusion, he showed such determination and warmth.

That power, enough to melt her, was something no ordinary Qi Refining Level 8 cultivator could possess.

Just how many secrets is this little rascal hiding?

But she didn't ask.

He said softly, "Let's leave here first. Although the Illusionary Heart Butterfly has temporarily retreated, if the source of the Seven Emotions Miasma is not eliminated, we will fall into the illusion again."

"Senior sister is right."

Luo Fan glanced around. "But before we leave, we probably need to deal with that first."

He raised his hand and pointed forward.

Bai Jie looked in the direction he pointed.

Deep in the valley, in the center of that colorful pool.

A giant lotus flower with seven-colored petals is slowly blooming.

Each petal on the petal is a different color, corresponding to the seven emotions and seven desires: joy, anger, sorrow, grief, fear, and terror.

From the center of the petals, a thick, seven-colored miasma continuously spewed out.

The Illusionary Heart Butterflies were fluttering around the lotus, scattering their scales into the miasma, making it even more eerie and deadly.

"The Bewitching Lotus?"

Bai Jie's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly. "This must be the source of the Seven Emotions Miasma, the mother of the Illusionary Heart Butterfly."

"It seems we won't be able to get out of this valley unless we solve this problem."

Luo Fan clenched his fist, a fighting spirit flashing in his eyes. He looked at Bai Jie, "Join forces?"

Bai Jie looked at the confidence and eagerness in his eyes and suddenly smiled.

"it is good."

The smile was faint, yet as beautiful as the first melting of snow.