Snow no longer fell on the mountainside, but in a dense pine forest not far fromTianxun Sect, chaos had long replaced peace.
"Fenglan, I swear, if you eat one more snow rabbit—!"
"I was stress-eating, Fenglie-ge!" Liu Fenglan argued, cheeks still puffed out with roasted meat as LiuZhenhai tried to confiscate his plate.
Jiang Fenglie exhaled sharply and slumped against the tree trunk, muttering, "How are we supposed to rescue anyone with this circus?"
Nearby, Yun Huayin sat with his arms crossed, tails twitching in irritation. "The imperial soldiers are still tracking us, and we've had to change routes four times in three days. If this continues, we'll run out of food and patience."
"They're not far," Canglong Shuiyun added, brushing snow off his robes, eyes scanning the horizon. "And I sense more interference from the celestial side. Shengjie's lies are spreading."
Fenglan groaned, "Why does every god we meet have drama?"
Huayin smacked his fan into his palm. "Because immortality is boring without it."
Suddenly, Zhenhai raised a hand. "Quiet. Look."
A faint shimmer in the air pulsed above the icy river. A ripple of energy. A whistling, like distant songbirds… no, not birds.
Strings.
Back in the spirit realm, atop a cliff that overlooked a vast jade sea, Mo Tianzun and Zhao Longxuan sat cross-legged, facing one another.
Between them floated a delicate blue zither, its surface humming with pure Yin qi. On the other side, Mo Tianzun's bone-white flute, carved from the bones of a divine beast, gleamed with soft Yang energy. Opposing forces. But in perfect harmony.
Longxuan's fingers danced on the strings. Mo Tianzun lifted the flute to his lips.
Together, they played.
Notes like starlight shimmered into the air. A thousand melodies weaving into one celestial chord. The very air trembled. Waves below stilled. Trees bent forward in reverence.
Before them, a spiral of glowing mist unfurled, forming an ethereal portal, swirling silver and gold.
Longxuan lowered his hand, breath uneven. "It's ready."
Mo Tianzun nodded. "Go."
"…What?" Longxuan frowned. "Us. We open it, we go through—together."
Tianzun looked away for a moment. "I need to delay. There's something I must retrieve. Something dangerous… if left behind."
"What's more important than your safety?" Longxuan's voice turned hoarse. "Than reuniting with our people? You don't have to do this alone anymore—"
"I'm not leaving forever," Tianzun said gently. "You'll go through. Wait for me. I'll find you."
Longxuan's jaw clenched. His heart didn't want to accept it. But his soul… trusted.
"…If you take more than three days, I'm dragging you back by your white hair."
Mo Tianzun smiled faintly. "You'd better."
They stood together before the portal.
Longxuan placed his hand on Tianzun's cheek, then leaned forward and kissed him softly.
"Don't die again," he whispered.
"I won't. I've already come back once—for you."
And then, with one last look, Longxuan stepped into the glowing light—and vanished.
Mo Tianzun stood alone, the cold air whipping around him. His eyes closed for a brief moment. Then, his aura flared faintly—darker, more ancient than before.
He turned and walked away, disappearing into the snow-laced mountains.
—————
Meanwhile, on the mortal side—back by the forest—the portal shimmered open.
"Longxuan!" the Liu Twins shouted in unison as the Crown Prince stumbled through, nearly collapsing.
Fenglie caught him by the shoulder. "Where's Tianzun?!"
"He's… coming," Longxuan replied, voice heavy with emotion but steadied by trust.
Huayin's ears flicked. "That's Mo Tianzun for you. Dramatic exits and secret errands."
Shuiyun chuckled. "We'll keep an eye on the sky."
Longxuan looked up.
The silver swirl of the portal faded.
But the sound of a flute still echoed faintly.
Calling. Beckoning. A promise unbroken.
—————
Author's Note: Damn, I actually forgot to edit and upload this chapter due to my laziness and tiredness after School. sleeping at 9 pm then waking up at 3 am going to school at 6 am, going back to home at 5 pm lol, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Philippines, really.