Madam Cold Fang looked at Han Yu silently after asking why he had entered Smiling Spring.
The cold wind swept across the snowy plains while the frozen corpses remained behind them in the distance. Han Yu could feel that strange pressure again. It was not active hostility, rely the natural presence of soone far stronger than him.
Then the woman suddenly spoke again.
"What are you doing here?" she asked. "Are you looking for Smiling Spring too?"
Han Yu blinked.
The question surprised him.
Looking for Smiling Spring?
The way she said it sounded as if she herself had been searching for it.
His mind moved quickly.
"Wait..." Han Yu looked at her carefully. "If you’re searching for Smiling Spring too..."
He paused.
"Then you are not with that Bat Beast?"
Madam Cold Fang’s calm expression finally changed.
Her eyes narrowed.
"You’ve seen him?" she asked imdiately.
"I have." Han Yu nodded. "I fought him earlier too."
The woman fell silent.
Her brows furrowed slightly.
She glanced toward the frozen camp in the distance.
"This place is unsuitable."
Before Han Yu could react, she waved her hand.
The world blurred.
Han Yu’s eyes widened.
He felt space twisting around him.
The snowfields below vanished into streaks.
The wind roared past his ears.
He could not even control his body.
They crossed mountain after mountain.
Frozen forests.
Snow valleys.
Ice cliffs.
Nearly a hundred kiloters disappeared beneath them within minutes.
Finally they landed atop a snow covered mountain peak overlooking endless white plains.
Madam Cold Fang released him.
Han Yu steadied himself and inhaled deeply.
His heart still beat quickly.
That speed...
He had never moved that fast before.
Even Lady Rot Rose’s realm manipulations had not given him such a feeling.
The woman stood near the cliff edge while the wind moved her black hair.
"Tell ," she spoke calmly.
"Everything."
Han Yu smiled bitterly internally.
He had little choice.
Thus he began speaking.
He told her about the mission.
How he had been sent by the sect to investigate disappearances.
How he had arrived at Tropic Snow Town.
How he had learned about frozen corpses.
He spoke of the victims frozen from the inside out.
Then he paused briefly.
"I had seen corpses like that before," Han Yu said.
Madam Cold Fang looked at him.
"Back near Frost Plu Town."
"I thought..."
Han Yu hesitated.
"That perhaps you were behind it."
He watched her expression carefully.
Nothing changed.
No anger.
No displeasure.
She rely listened.
Thus Han Yu continued.
He told her about Palm Hand Lu.
The smiling corpses.
The ritual.
The longevity records.
The cave.
Smiling Spring.
Then finally the Bat Beast.
He explained how he had observed the man entering the hidden realm and morized the sigils.
Madam Cold Fang suddenly turned.
"Wait."
"You entered?"
Han Yu nodded.
"I did."
For the first ti genuine surprise appeared on her face.
"You actually entered Smiling Spring?"
"I did." Han Yu repeated.
Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
"Can you enter again?"
Han Yu shook his head.
"I tried already."
"Nothing worked."
"The Frost Bat probably sealed the entrance or changed the thod."
Madam Cold Fang looked away.
"Figures."
Her voice turned quieter.
"All these years..."
"He is still as troubleso as ever."
Han Yu imdiately caught the implication.
"You know him?"
Madam Cold Fang nodded.
"I do."
"Then..." Han Yu hesitated. "That Bat Beastkin..."
"He is not a Beastkin."
Han Yu blinked.
"He isn’t?"
"No."
Madam Cold Fang looked toward the distant frozen horizon.
"He is a beast."
Han Yu frowned imdiately.
"A beast?"
"How is that possible?"
As far as he knew beasts could only take human forms after reaching extraordinary realms.
True transformation belonged to immortal beasts.
That was common knowledge.
Madam Cold Fang seed unsurprised by his confusion.
"It is possible."
"There are exceptions."
She turned slightly.
"Several species can take humanoid forms long before reaching immortality."
"Spirit Foxes are one example."
Han Yu imdiately rembered their battle.
The Frost Bat had shouted sothing then.
No human’s Ice Dao Comprehension can be higher than a Frost Bat.
At the ti Han Yu thought it was rely arrogance.
Now...
"Frost Bat..." Han Yu muttered.
He looked at her.
"He really is one?"
Madam Cold Fang nodded.
"He is indeed."
Han Yu grew thoughtful.
Everything slowly began rearranging inside his mind.
The frost.
The rituals.
The bat murals.
The smiling spring.
The reflection.
The worship.
Then another question appeared.
"You know him personally?"
Madam Cold Fang remained silent for several monts.
The wind blew through the mountain peak.
Finally she spoke.
"Yes."
Han Yu waited.
Her gaze moved toward the endless snowy north.
"I have known him..."
"For a very long ti."
Sothing in her voice changed.
It was subtle.
Very subtle.
Yet Han Yu noticed it.
The coldness remained.
But beneath it...
There seed to be fatigue.
mory.
Perhaps even regret.
Han Yu suddenly beca very curious.
Because for the first ti since eting Madam Cold Fang...
She looked human.
Not an untouchable expert.
Not an icy cultivator.
Just soone rembering the past.
"He..." she paused.
"He was not always like this."
Han Yu’s eyes narrowed.
The wind howled across the mountain.
And for the first ti...
He felt that Smiling Spring might be far older and more complicated than he had imagined.
Han Yu remained silent for several monts after hearing Madam Cold Fang say the Frost Bat was not rely soone she knew.
He looked at her.
The snow drifted around the mountain peak while the distant winds howled below.
"How do you know him?" Han Yu finally asked.
Madam Cold Fang looked toward the frozen horizon.
Then calmly replied.
"Because he is my brother."
Han Yu froze.
His mind blanked for a second.
"What?"
He stared at her.
"Wait..." He suddenly looked at her more carefully. "Then that ans..."
"You’re a Frost Bat too?"
"I am."
For the first ti since Han Yu had known her...
She smiled.
It was faint.
Very faint.
Yet it existed.
And when she did, Han Yu finally noticed sothing he had missed all those years.
Sharp fangs.
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