If the misunderstanding with the Freewind Palace Lord hadn’t happened, Evan Chu might have taken Ethan Fenn back first before returning to this cave. He wasn’t the petty type, but as a sect master, he had to maintain at least some basic dignity.
Now, after entering the cave, he went straight to the edge of the Cold Pool. This time, he deliberately didn’t use Watershift—he wanted to personally experience just how cold it really was inside this cave. Sure enough, it didn’t disappoint.
At this moment, a thin layer of ice visibly formed on Evan Chu’s body. It was faint, but the chill was so piercing that even he couldn’t help but shiver. This was his reaction even with his heaven-defying internal seal; if it were someone else, who knows what would happen. Notably, he hadn’t activated Chaos Dragon Force for protection, yet even so, it showed just how abnormal this place was.
Evan Chu immediately shook off the ice with Chaos Dragon Force, then activated Watershift—the cold vanished in an instant. He gazed quietly at the Cold Pool, muttering to himself, “I wonder when that Sacred Snow Lotus will finally mature.”
“No point rushing. When the time comes, it’ll mature on its own. You should just wait quietly.” Luna, the Sword Spirit, spoke up at that moment.
“Sister Moon, are you afraid of the cold?” Evan Chu suddenly asked.
“Why do you ask? Of course I’m afraid of the cold. But now that I’m a soul body, it doesn’t bother me anymore. You’re not trying to make me come out, are you?” Luna instantly caught on and replied.
“I knew I couldn’t hide anything from you. I really do want you to come out and sit here with me for a while and chat. Honestly, I’ve had this thought for a long time, but I’ve just been busy and never found the right moment. You won’t refuse, will you?” Evan Chu said, gazing at the Sacred Snow Lotus in the Cold Pool.
“I can come out, but you’ll have to close your eyes for a moment. Otherwise, I won’t agree!” Luna said.
“I know what you’re worried about. Sooner or later you’ll be my woman, so why fuss over it? Besides, haven’t you seen my body enough times already? Doesn’t that mean I’m the one getting the short end of the stick?” Evan Chu joked.
“Fine, if you won’t agree then forget it. Don’t bother me for no reason—this lady is going to sleep!” Luna said.
“No, no, no! I’ll do as you say! You know I’m in a foul mood right now and really need someone to keep me company. I’ve waited so long for this day—please, come out!” Evan Chu pleaded.
A white light flashed between Evan Chu’s brows, and a tiny silver sword flew out, circling in the air a few times before landing behind him. He really wanted to turn around and look, but in the end, he restrained himself.
After a while, Luna walked up beside him. Evan Chu looked at her, dressed in white more dazzling than snow, and said, “Can I call you Yara? That name has been in my heart for so long—surely you won’t refuse?”
Luna laughed, “Nice try, but I’m not falling for it. Just call me Sister Moon. You do realize Coldglass Ice Gales can erupt here at any moment, right? Honestly, you might be the only person in the world crazy enough to sit calmly at the edge of the Cold Pool.”
Evan Chu stared at Luna, utterly captivated. Though her form was still a bit hazy, it was far clearer than before. Seeing her now felt like gazing at a dreamlike reflection in water—so surreal, so enchanting.
Evan Chu had always known how beautiful Luna was. Even his other peerless beauties couldn’t compare; it was as if Luna had gathered all the world’s beauty into herself—words and ink couldn’t do her justice.
“Sister Moon, you’re truly beautiful—so beautiful it makes people look up to you, makes them afraid to show even a hint of disrespect.” Evan Chu said.
All women love to hear praise from the man they care about, and Luna was no exception. But she wasn’t an ordinary person—she could only bury her happiness deep in her heart, never letting it show on her face.
“You’re such a smooth talker. Do you think saying these things will help? If you really restore my body, I’ll naturally become your woman. For now, you’d better keep those thoughts buried—I'm not some naive girl who’ll be won over by a few sweet words.” Luna said.
“Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mean anything by it. Just seeing you again makes me happy. By the way, what’s the barrier around the Cold Pool, and how do I break it?” Evan Chu asked.
“I was starting to think you’d never ask. It’s actually a natural barrier—any place with heavenly treasures will have one. Breaking it isn’t hard; just probe it with your divine sense and you’ll figure it out,” Luna replied.
“Is there really a seven-colored Sacred Snow Lotus in there? How long until it matures?” Evan Chu asked.
“The Sacred Snow Lotus is secondary—the real treasure is the Cold Soul Pearl. It’s similar to the Water Spirit Pearl, but with a different attribute. On this world’s interface, it’s not that useful, but in other realms, it’s a big deal,” Luna explained.
Once again, Evan Chu was reminded that Luna’s background in another world was anything but simple. He thought back to the time he saw Solarion Palace appear in the skies above the Mermaid Kingdom—a force that could make a palace fly must be terrifying.
“Even if that Cold Soul Pearl is valuable, it’s useless to me right now—might as well be trash. What I really want is the Sacred Snow Lotus; only with it can I guarantee unsealing the Frostbane Sword,” Evan Chu said.
“That Sacred Snow Lotus will need at least half a month to mature. Are you really going to wait here for half a month?” Luna asked.
“Half a month? Are you kidding me? That’s way too long—I thought breaking the barrier would be enough to get it!” Evan Chu said with a helpless smile.
“Don’t be so ungrateful. Do you even know how long it takes a Sacred Snow Lotus to mature? If you’re lucky, it can take a hundred years, and only in places with powerful cold qi. This cave has the right conditions, which is why there are so many Sacred Snow Lotuses here.
Some lotuses need over a thousand years to mature. Even the shortest takes a hundred years. If you’re only waiting a dozen days after a century has passed, shouldn’t you be satisfied? Or do you want to wait decades instead?” Luna snapped, honestly wanting to kick Evan Chu into the Cold Pool for his attitude.
“I was just venting, no need to get mad. I’ll wait here until the Sacred Snow Lotus matures. The Azure Tide Ruins should be stable for now—hopefully Rumeng will let Sister Ping and Ling’er know when she gets back,” Evan Chu said.
Just then, the water in the Cold Pool suddenly surged. A stream of black qi shot out, racing straight toward Evan Chu… (To be continued at noon)