Twelve hours had already passed. If Maxwell Jing hadn't managed to cure the poison...
He refused to believe Maxwell Jing was dead. Maxwell had once said, before he died, he would never allow himself to die—so he must still be alive!
The journey should have taken over half a month, but the group managed to arrive in just ten days.
Snowpeak Mountain was bitterly cold, but everyone possessed inner strength, so there was no need to wrap up like sticky rice dumplings.
Morgan Shangguan draped in a white fox fur cloak, stood in the snow, looking as if she might be swallowed by the endless whiteness at any moment. It gave her an ethereal, almost celestial aura.
Damien Gray still wore his signature black robe. With his skills, the cold was no concern, but he worried Morgan Shangguan might freeze, so he insisted she wear the cloak—even though she considered it a burden she’d rather do without.
They had finally reached Snowpeak Mountain, but with its vast expanse, the question of where the treasure was hidden remained. Within the mountain range lay a valley known as Snowvale. Snowvale was not uninhabited; in fact, it was a well-known force in the martial world. Its master, Quentin Huang, had long retired here and no longer meddled in worldly affairs.
Now, everyone was debating whether to greet Quentin Huang. If they didn’t, how would they find shelter in such a frigid place? Pinpointing the treasure’s exact location would take time. But if they did, it might mean another person to share the spoils. Quentin Huang may have withdrawn from the world, but it didn’t mean he wouldn’t covet the treasure!
Before the group could finish their discussion, Damien Gray was already heading toward Snowvale. He cared little for the others or the treasure; his only concern was that Morgan Shangguan shouldn’t have to suffer in the freezing cold.
Morgan Shangguan seemed to know what he was thinking. She smiled softly and, with Susie Yun in tow, followed after him.
Seeing this, the others followed toward Snowvale as well.
With the Ghostmaster and Cloud Guildmaster both heading there, it hardly mattered whether the rest went or not. Even if they didn’t, Quentin Huang would soon know their intentions. After all, this was his territory, and so many prominent martial artists arriving at once was bound to arouse suspicion. Once they realized this, no one hesitated any longer.
Quentin Huang was a generous host, carefree by nature. When he learned they were here seeking treasure, he showed no sign of greed, simply saying they could stay in Snowvale until they found it.
Morgan Shangguan found herself liking him—his carefree manner was genuine.
"Papa..."
Just then, a girl of about thirteen or fourteen dashed in from outside. Her pale cheeks and tiny nose were red from the cold, and her large, round eyes sparkled with life. Despite the crowd, she showed no shyness, greeting everyone with a sweet smile and a cheerful, "Hello, everyone!"
Quentin Huang scolded her, "Mind your manners!" though his eyes were full of affection.
The girl stuck out her tongue playfully and said, "Please forgive my papa! He’s always so fussy!"
Her words made everyone laugh. She was truly endearing—her sweet smile lifted the mood of all who saw her.
Quentin Huang shook his head helplessly, clearly used to her boldness. He asked, "Rushing in like that, what’s the matter?"
Jenna Huang shook her head. "No, not really! Big Brother said guests had arrived, so I came to see for myself—just in case you forgot to take care of them, Papa!"
Samuel Huang walked in just as she spoke, shaking his head with a smile. "Xiao Jiu, do you really think you’re the housekeeper? How could Papa ever neglect his guests?"
Hearing the name, Ethan Gu suddenly looked up at the adorable girl. So she was Xiao Jiu?
Jenna Huang wrinkled her nose. "Big Brother, then why did you tell me about the guests? Wasn’t it so I’d help Papa?"
Samuel Huang shook his head. "I only told you because I know you love excitement—not because I expect you to help Papa!"
Jenna Huang huffed, "You two are always picking on me!" Then she turned and ran out.
Ethan Gu greeted Damien Gray and followed her out as well.
Quentin Huang laughed. "My daughter just loves to make trouble. Please don’t take it to heart!"
"Not at all! Miss Huang is truly genuine!"
"Indeed! Valley Master, you’re too polite!"
After a round of pleasantries, Quentin Huang instructed the servants to show everyone to their rooms. After days of hard travel, everyone was exhausted.
Ethan Gu followed Jenna Huang into Snowpeak Mountain, but he wasn’t as familiar with the terrain as she was. Before long, he lost track of her and had to retrace his steps. By chance, he looked up and saw two figures in the distance.
Though they were far away, he couldn’t mistake that silhouette. It was Maxwell Jing—he was alive!
Jenna Huang walked up to Maxwell Jing, her little face scrunching up. "Brother Jing, I’m sorry..."
Maxwell Jing turned to look at her, reached out to ruffle her hair, and smiled. "Silly girl, it’s not your fault!"
Jenna Huang took the object from his hand—it looked like an ice crystal, but was tinged with red. "How could it not be my fault? I promised to help you guard the Snow Jade Branch, but Big Brother tattled to Papa and I got grounded for a month. I missed the time when the Snow Jade Branch matured!"
Maxwell Jing patted her head and smiled. "It’s fine. I don’t need it anymore. If you keep blaming yourself, I’ll start feeling guilty!"
Jenna Huang looked at him, then suddenly hugged him and burst into tears. Maxwell Jing quickly patted her back, asking, "What’s wrong? Why are you crying all of a sudden?"
Jenna Huang sobbed, "Seeing you like this makes me sad! Since you won’t cry, I’ll cry for you!"
Maxwell Jing gently patted her back, comforting her. "Xiao Jiu, I’m really fine. I don’t need the Snow Jade Branch anymore."
Legend has it that the matured Snow Jade Branch can cure the Oblivion Elixir, but that’s just a legend—who knows if it’s true?
The Snow Jade Branch matures in an instant. Before it does, no one knows how long it has been growing or how much longer it will take. Once mature, it shatters within a quarter of an hour and enters another state.
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