A Song of Ice and Fire

"Young Master, when we interrogate him, should we be polite, or...?" The speaker was Du Jiu. Qi Shiyun had assigned two men to him. Lianshan Xin had stationed Qi Wenbin near his own home, telling him to focus on breaking through to the Qi Condensation realm first. In passing, he was also to protect Lianshan Xin's parents and look after the business of Huichun Hall. Du Jiu was clearly more adaptable, so Lianshan Xin had kept him stationed permanently at Bailudong Academy, making him easily available at his beck and call. Now, Du Jiu was once again demonstrating his flexibility. He had not let down Lianshan Xin's high regard. Lianshan Xin thought for a moment before instructing, "First find out if the He family he comes from has any prominent figures." "They don't." The speaker was Zeng Ningbing. From the moment He Ruoyu was seized until he was taken away, Zeng Ningbing had not spoken a single word to plead for him. Of course, she had already stood back up. No matter how peculiar her predilections, under broad daylight she would still act like a normal person. Seeing how prudently Lianshan Xin operated, Zeng Ningbing took the initiative to explain, "Although the He family is a lesser clan, they have never produced any great figures. If they had, He Ruoyu wouldn't have been so fawning toward me. He wanted to use me to climb into the Golden Scale Alliance." Lianshan Xin nodded. "I didn't expect you to realize that." Zeng Ningbing snorted coldly. "I'm not stupid. If He Ruoyu truly loved me, naturally I wouldn't treat him with such coldness and use him." "Is that so?" Lianshan Xin was half-skeptical. Every fool claimed they weren't stupid. "We should still look into it. In case the He family has some foundation, we can clear up any misunderstandings in time," Lianshan Xin said. Du Jiu nodded slightly. "If it turns out the He family really has no backing, then don't hold back on the rough methods. Focus on investigating his ties to Lin Xiangwen." Du Jiu pondered. "You suspect Lin Xiangwen, Sir?" "Yes." "If Sir suspects him, then the 'Purple Lightning Sword' might truly have some problems." Du Jiu elevated his level of concern. He did not believe Lianshan Xin was framing anyone. After all, Lianshan Xin had been the first to report the Qu household's collusion with demons, which had already been verified. Earlier, he had ordered Du Jiu and Qi Wenbin to investigate Dai Yueying, and she had indeed turned out to be a Demon Cult heretic. In Du Jiu's eyes, although Lianshan Xin was a bit ruthless in his methods, he was thoroughly conscientious and possessed an extraordinarily keen nose when it came to capturing Demon Cult heretics. "This subordinate will interrogate him personally." After Du Jiu left, Zeng Ningbing sneered coldly, "You want to frame He Ruoyu." "What do you mean?" "He Ruoyu is only two years older than us; he's practically our peer. The dispute between you and him could have been settled with swords, yet you brought in 'Nine Heavens.' You obviously want to put him to death." Surprised, Lianshan Xin re-examined Zeng Ningbing. Then, entirely as expected, he realized that the Emperor's genetics were remarkably good. Dai Yueying possessed a rare internal charm physique, endowed with a naturally enticing, seductive aura. Zeng Ningbing, on the other hand, went for a completely different style—an ice-cold beauty, stunning and aloof. She wore a silver-white silk gown pure as snow, overlaid with an ice-blue gossamer robe thin as cicada wings. The smooth fabric gleamed like a sheet of ice, reflecting the twilight with a cold, dim luster, as though gathering all the late-autumn chill around her to keep everyone thousands of miles away. Lianshan Xin shifted his gaze upward, quietly admiring her face. Zeng Ningbing's eyebrows were slender like distant, frost-cloaked mountains, yet far from gentle or relaxed; slightly drawn together, they held a perennial frost, sweeping sharply up toward her temples with a haughty, unapproachable aloofness. The bridge of her nose was straight as if sculpted from ice and jade, its contours stark and crisp, mirroring an expression devoid of any gentle curve. Only her lips lent a touch of color to this icy spirit—a faint coral hue, like the most restrained blush of a winter plum on the verge of blooming. Far from offering warmth, this color only accentuated the frigid sharpness of her face, exuding a solitary, almost cruel beauty that dared anyone to look too closely. Of course, Lianshan Xin stared boldly. He even crossed the line a bit. "Ice-cold beauty, you shouldn't talk so much, did you know that?" Zeng Ningbing gave a cold snort. "In front of other men, I don't talk this much." Lianshan Xin smiled. "Are you naturally this good at this?" "Are you humiliating me?" Zeng Ningbing's expression shifted slightly, her eyes indignant with shame. Lianshan Xin shrugged and admitted openly, "Yes, I am. What, don't you like being humiliated by me?" "I don't. Lianshan Xin, I warn you, there's a fifty percent chance you'll end up a dead man." "Why do I get the feeling you really like it, or even enjoy it?" Lianshan Xin became increasingly certain of Zeng Ningbing's predilection. Of course, he respected it greatly. In fact, he was quite happy for her. Had she lacked this peculiar predilection, her path in life would have narrowed. "Lianshan Xin, what kind of person do you take me for?" Zeng Ningbing was genuinely angry. Lianshan Xin thought seriously about it, then replied with complete sincerity, "A woman of extreme contrasts?" Zeng Ningbing's grip on her sword stiffened. "Though men really like that kind of contrast," Lianshan Xin added. "I... It's because of the martial art I cultivate! It has nothing to do with my true nature!" Zeng Ningbing also realized she seemed to be throwing herself at him. Usually, others were the ones fawning over her. As the dignified Fairy Ningbing, she couldn't behave like this. So she tried hard to explain herself. "Hm? A cultivation manual?" What did this have to do with a cultivation manual? No one understands your bloodline better than I do. It's built right into your genes. Still, Zeng Ningbing had no clue about that. "What manual do you practice?" Lianshan Xin asked. Zeng Ningbing hesitated. "What? You still want to keep secrets from me?" Lianshan Xin's tone hardened slightly, and Zeng Ningbing, who had already been ready to lay it all bare, blurted out immediately, "The Frost and Flowing Flame Record." "The Frost and Flowing Flame Record? What is that?" This was the first time Lianshan Xin had heard of it. Zeng Ningbing explained, "It's one of the most treasured martial arts enshrined by the Golden Scale Alliance. Unlike other arts, from the Qi Condensation realm onward, the Frost and Flowing Flame Record allows one to attempt condensing true qi of two distinct attributes, yielding twice the power of martial artists at the same stage. Before the Qi Condensation realm, I focused on Frost, which is why my strikes carry such a heavy chill. After Qi Condensation, I will be able to cultivate both Frost and Flowing Flame together." Lianshan Xin wore an odd expression. "Frost and Flowing Flame... ice and fire?" "That's right. Extreme contrast yields extreme power; that is the Frost and Flowing Flame Record. This martial art has also indirectly influenced my personality. Lianshan Xin, don't think that just because you defeated me, I've fallen in love with you at first sight. I simply refuse to be humiliated like this by any other man. If you won't let me remain pure and unsullied, I will show you what it means to kill with Flowing Flame." Zeng Ningbing's earnest explanation fell entirely on deaf ears. He muttered once more, "Double Heavens of Ice and Fire... her path really is broadening more and more." "How do you know the killing technique of the Frost and Flowing Flame Record at the Qi Condensation realm is the Double Heavens of Ice and Fire?" Zeng Ningbing asked, rather taken aback. Lianshan Xin: "..." That feeling came over him again: