Ice Forbidden Island. Within the Ice Palace, the island's senior figures had all gathered.
Luo Li sat in the seat of honor, while Bing Long, Ran Yunting, and the other Elders took their seats on either side. One of the Elders was delivering a report on the restoration of the island's restrictions and formations.
The cataclysmic battle last time had nearly obliterated the Ice Forbidden Island's protective formations entirely. The Disciples had been working on repairs ever since, and only today had the job finally been completed.
However, the collapsed ice peaks could never be restored to their former glory. Fortunately, the Disciples had been evacuated in advance and no casualties had occurred, which was a rare piece of good news.
Luo Li had kept her eyes closed throughout, and only after the Elder finished her report did she give a slight nod, though she showed no intention of speaking.
Bing Long glanced at her, then turned to another person and asked, "Thirteenth Elder, is there any news of that person?"
Upon hearing this, the Thirteenth Elder, Yu Xueqing, shook her head with a somber expression. "No. We searched for him for a year before with absolutely no trace. If he hadn't shown himself of his own accord back then, we never would have found him. If he wants to hide his whereabouts this time, we'll be just as helpless."
Sighed Bing Long.
"Stop looking for him." Luo Li suddenly opened her eyes and spoke in an indifferent tone.
"Supreme Elder…"
"He doesn't want you to find him, so what can you do? Besides, after a battle like that, he'll certainly need time to heal."
"Heal?" Bing Long and the others raised their eyebrows in surprise, but quickly caught on. "You mean…"
"He used a forbidden power. He must have paid some kind of price." Luo Li said calmly.
"He's injured?" Ran Yunting's eyes lit up, a trace of eagerness surfacing on her face. "If that's the case, then shouldn't we…"
Before she could finish, Luo Li shot her a cold glare. Ran Yunting immediately fell silent, not daring to utter another word.
"Ice Heart Valley has endured to this day, and it was no easy feat. My lifelong wish is not to push Ice Heart Valley further forward, but simply to preserve the foundation our ancestors built. Do you understand?" Luo Li's beautiful eyes swept across the room, brimming with boundless authority.
The group felt a jolt of alarm, grasping the meaning behind Luo Li's words. They rose at once and bowed respectfully. "We understand."
"Good. If you understand, then stop bringing trouble upon Ice Heart Valley."
Ran Yunting's face turned pale. "This disciple was wrong!"
Luo Li nodded slightly, satisfied with her response. Then she suddenly smiled. "Pull back everyone who's searching for him. He'll return."
"He'll come back?" Some of the Elders who weren't fully informed blanched. That day when Yang Kai had slain Luo Hai, the battle had been absolutely terrifying. The thought that this man might return to Ice Forbidden Island again left them deeply unsettled.
Bing Long seemed to know something, and said with a smile, "There's still someone staying on Ice Forbidden Island. Naturally, he should come back."
Ran Yunting thought for a moment, then said thoughtfully, "You mean that Disciple called Qing Ya?"
"Yes. Qing Ya and Su Yan joined Ice Heart Valley together. They're very close. Even if Yang Kai doesn't return, Su Yan certainly will."
"Should we go have a word with Qing Ya?" Ran Yunting furrowed her brows.
"I went to see her a few days ago already." Bing Long let out a bitter laugh.
"Oh? How did it go? Does she know where Yang Kai and Su Yan are? Does she understand Yang Kai's attitude toward our Ice Heart Valley?" Ran Yunting pressed.
"I went to see her, but I wasn't able to meet her." A look of embarrassment appeared on Bing Long's face.
"What do you mean?" The Elders were utterly astonished.
"Yang Kai left a stone puppet to guard her. When I went over, that stone puppet turned me away." Bing Long explained with a bitter smile, her face still showing lingering fear. "If Qing Ya hadn't intervened in time, I might have been injured."
"That stone puppet is that powerful?" Ran Yunting's expression changed drastically.
She had seen the stone puppet before, back when she had ordered Ice Butterfly to kill Qing Ya — it was the stone puppet that had protected her. But at the time, all of her attention had been focused on Yang Kai and Su Yan, so she hadn't paid much mind to that strange creature.
Now, hearing Bing Long bring it up, she realized just how extraordinary the stone puppet truly was.
"In a direct confrontation, I would absolutely not be a match for it." Bing Long's expression was grave.
A collective gasp rippled through the room.
Bing Long was the foremost expert among Ice Heart Valley's Return to the Void Realm cultivators. On the entire Scarlet Star, she was one of the very best. But even she was no match — did that mean the stone puppet had strength approaching that of the Void King Realm?
What kind of existence was that?
All eyes turned to Luo Li, hoping she could shed some light.
"Don't look at me. I don't know the origins of that stone puppet either. It might be an ancient remnant puppet, or perhaps some kind of strange creature."
Even the Supreme Elder didn't know? Everyone's hearts clenched. In their minds, the Supreme Elder was practically omnipotent, but today that belief had been shattered.
And the root of it all still traced back to Yang Kai.
"That Disciple called Qing Ya still feels gratitude toward Ice Heart Valley. Otherwise, she wouldn't have stopped the stone puppet from attacking Bing Long. Don't bother her anymore — have someone take good care of her instead. Yang Kai and Su Yan will come back for her eventually."
"Yes!" Bing Long nodded respectfully.
"If he comes again next time… make sure you don't give him any cause for offense!" With that parting words, Luo Li's figure vanished without a trace.
The Elders exchanged glances and dispersed one by one. Only Ran Yunting remained behind, her face etched with endless regret.
…