"Yun'er, Xiu'er, Yao'er!" Bing Yun called out softly, her voice tinged with exhaustion.
"Your disciples are here!" An Ruoyun, Sun Yunxiu, and Ji Yao each stepped forward in unison. These three were the first disciples Bing Yun had ever taken under her wing, and they were also the only three in all of Ice Heart Valley at the second layer of the Emperor Realm.
"Have the disciples leave through the spatial formation. I'll stay behind and delay them for as long as I can."
The three disciples exchanged glances. In the end, it was An Ruoyun who answered. "Master, it's not that we refuse to follow your orders, but... we're afraid no one will be willing to leave."
More than half of Ice Heart Valley's remaining seven thousand disciples had been orphans since birth, brought into the valley at a young age, raised and nurtured with care. To them, Ice Heart Valley was their home, their very root. Now that their home was in peril, who among them would want to flee?
One could say that throughout the entire Northern Region — perhaps even the entire Star Boundary — it would be difficult to find any sect that rivaled Ice Heart Valley in terms of cohesion and solidarity.
Days ago, An Ruoyun and the others had already made preparations, intending to send some disciples out of the valley ahead of time. But after making inquiries, not a single disciple was willing to flee to safety. They had all declared their intention to live and die with their sect.
"Whether they want to leave or not, they must leave. Save as many as you can." Bing Yun's expression turned grave as she issued her command. "Go now and make the arrangements. Take the disciples you deem most promising and leave the Northern Region."
The three women stood in silence, unmoving.
The Southern Gate army watching from the side felt a stirring in their hearts, silently cursing themselves for having caused trouble with these women over mere riches. Now that their sect-protecting formation had been shattered, they bore the greatest responsibility for what was to come.
"Go now!" Bing Yun saw that they still hadn't moved and couldn't help but raise her voice in a sharp reprimand.
Seeing their master's anger, the three women instinctively flinched.
Just then, a crisp cracking sound rang out across the land. The luminous barrier that had enshrouded Ice Heart Valley suddenly shattered like fine porcelain, breaking apart inch by inch.
The last thin layer of protection tore apart, and Ice Heart Valley was fully exposed.
"The formation is broken!" The expressions of the Southern Gate army shifted.
Bing Yun and her disciples' faces turned cold as frost.
"Bing Yun, Feng has arrived!"
A shout suddenly echoed from outside. Immediately after, waves of howling wind surged in from every direction. Powerful streams of divine sense swept across the treasured ground of Ice Heart Valley, and soon, the sounds of battle reached everyone's ears.
The disciples of Ice Heart Valley had encountered the invading enemies.
Swish, swish, swish...
Sound after sound of things cutting through the air rang out. In the blink of an eye, Bing Yun and her group found themselves surrounded by more than twenty figures, each one radiating the aura of the Emperor Realm.
At the forefront stood Feng Xuan and Yao Zhuo, both of whom possessed the formidable cultivation of the third layer of the Emperor Realm.
"So this is Ice Heart Valley's sect-protecting formation? Nothing impressive!" Feng Xuan hovered in the void, looking down at Bing Yun and the others with a smile that was equal parts smug and contemptuous.
Bing Yun's face was as dark as still water. Her beautiful eyes swept across each of the Emperor Realm cultivators one by one. While many met her gaze with calm composure, even more averted their eyes with flickering, guilty expressions.
Ice Heart Valley had stood in the Northern Region for countless years and had never feuded with any sect. On the contrary, many of its female disciples had married into other sects over the years. Though Bing Yun had established a rule that any disciple who married out would sever all ties with Ice Heart Valley, rules were only rules — the lingering bonds of connection could not truly be undone.
In other words, over the long years, Bing Yun had developed some degree of ties with virtually every major sect in the Northern Region. In each generation, outstanding disciples had married into these sects.
Yet now, the powerhouses of these very sects had followed Feng Xuan in breaking through Ice Heart Valley's protective formation, storming into its heart, and surrounding Bing Yun and the rest. Such betrayal was enough to send a chill through one's bones.
Faced with Bing Yun's searing gaze, these people couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.
"Sect Master Chen, Ice Heart Valley has never had any enmity with your Cangle Valley. On the contrary, a hundred years ago when Sect Master Chen was afflicted with Flame Poison, it was I who stepped in to help you neutralize the toxin. Does Sect Master Chen truly intend to cause trouble for my Ice Heart Valley today as well?" An Ruoyun's eyes turned cold as she fixed her gaze on a half-aged elder.
The elder's weathered face flushed slightly, and he averted his gaze in silence.
An Ruoyun turned to look at another woman dressed in elegant robes. "Elder Yu, when you once visited Ice Heart Valley as a guest, you called us 'sisters' with such warmth and affection. To show up uninvited today is truly a surprise."
The woman addressed as Elder Yu forced an awkward smile. "Sister An, please don't blame me. I have my own difficulties — I was left with no choice. Besides, Sect Master Feng doesn't actually intend to make things difficult for your Ice Heart Valley. His only wish is to inquire about someone's background. Surely your Ice Heart Valley can just tell him? Sister An, why not simply share what Sect Master Feng wants to know? I'll put in a good word for you, and I promise no one will trouble you."
An Ruoyun let out a cold laugh. "Elder Yu's kind intentions are noted, but I'll have to decline."
Elder Yu's brow furrowed. "Sister An, why must you make things so difficult? You—"
"Save your breath! In hindsight, my past friendship with you was nothing but a lapse in judgment — I failed to see you for the heartless ingrate you truly are!"
The words were merciless, and Elder Yu's face flushed red with fury. She shouted, "Truly ungrateful! Taking kindness for granted! Sister An, if you continue down this path, you will meet a wretched end today!"