Beneath the frozen lake, Chu Qiao lost touch with Yuwen Yue and eventually lost herself as well.
As she weakened, her master grew stronger. Chu Qiao gave up more of herself to save him, while an inexplicable heat lingered behind her.
It felt as though every inch of her skin was being pinched, tearing her soul apart.
There was neither pain nor relief at that moment.
All she could do was close her eyes, letting the heat flow through her while she floated in a void.
A faint red fire burned on her back, flickering in and out of existence.
It was as if her body was being summoned by an ancient decree known as Feng Yun Faling (the Wind and Cloud Decree).
At first, it appeared like a flower, but inside, it was filled with ancient inscriptions and texts.
Chu Qiao's memories flashed before her—who she is, what she must do, and where she should go.
All she could recall was bidding farewell to her younger self and hearing a voice call out, "Xinger, Xinger, Xinger!"
As the last call echoed, she opened her eyes to a blinding light.
But in an instant, Chu Qiao found herself in a completely different realm. Then, just as quickly, she was back at the frozen lake.
It felt like mere moments stretched into days, then weeks, months, and eventually years.
Meanwhile, Yan Xun, the Prince of Yan, desperately searched for Chu Qiao. He visited the frozen lake, offering incense and burning snow papers—blank papers that revealed or concealed messages as they were sprinkled with a special powder.
Losing both a best friend and the love of his life was a torment Yan Xun couldn't forgive. Yet, with a cold and merciless heart, he betrayed Chu Qiao.
In the heat of battle, he also killed the heir of the Eyes of God, adding to his anguish. The pain of deciding who would live and who would die was unbearable.
Driven by desperation and madness, Yan Xun distanced himself from grief, focusing on restoring Yanbei from ruin to prosperity.
Over time, he succumbed to his dark side. After the tragedy at the icy lake, he led countless battles from the shadows, never directly engaging in combat himself. He commanded his armies with ruthless efficiency, showing no mercy to those who opposed him.
Yan Xun grew strong, famous, and powerful, but remained empty inside.
Fulfilling the prophecy of Xiaolong, the "Sleeping Dragon" of the North, the Prince restored half of Yanbei's former glory.
Yet, each victory came at a cost. With every triumph for his people, Yan Xun paid a personal price, becoming increasingly self-defeated, selfish, and cold.
Alone and wrapped in golden fabric, Chu Qiao curled up in a fetal position.
Surrounded by ice, there was only eerie silence. Though she didn't feel cold, her body continued to radiate heat.
The snow around her melted, forming an oval shape that became her temporary refuge. She couldn't control this unknown event.
The power at play was immense and magical. Like a sleeping beauty awaiting a prince's kiss, Chu Qiao lay there, lost in timeless slumber.
In her sleep, Chu Qiao dreamed of a journey to the underworld, traversing an endless desert under a scorching sun that didn't burn her skin.
In the dream, she wore a flowing white satin dress, the finest fabric from the Ximeng Continent. A cloak covered half of her face, with beautiful beads draped on her forehead and tied to a light shawl around her neck.
She gazed around and asked, "Is this all there is? Just endless dunes and sand?"
Sitting in the middle of the desert, she scooped up sand in her hands, letting it slip through her fingers like an hourglass. She repeated this over and over, until the name "Xinger" came to her mind.
Chu Qiao struggled to remember who "Xinger" was, the name echoing in her mind. She wondered about Yuwen Yue and what had happened in between, but the memories eluded her.
Flashbacks replayed in her mind: her last battle with Yuwen Hao and the Liang state spy Yin Xin, falling off the cliff, and hitting her head on a large stone underwater. Her body floated in the Yellow River for days.
Eventually, servants found her unconscious and locked her in a cage. From that point on, Chu Qiao lost her memories, remembering only her own name.
After a long time, a sudden sandstorm struck.
Chu Qiao used her long shawl to protect herself, though she couldn't tell how long she was trapped.
She closed her eyes, waiting for the storm to pass.
When she opened them, the sandstorm was gone.
But in her dreams, she found herself in a new place.
"Where are the dunes and sand?" she wondered.
Chu Qiao saw a swirling, hollow tube filled with glittering colors and magnificent lights. She knew she had to enter without fear.
As she stepped in, her dress tore, exposing a vivid flower tattoo on her back. The tattoo seemed to burn like red flames, though she felt no pain. Each step made the tattoo feel like it was being etched into her skin.
After seven steps, she was swallowed by the tube and woke up startled.
She looked around, confused. "Where is my long white dress? Why am I here covered only in gold fabric? Where is the endless desert, the sand, and the dunes?"
With no answers, she felt the cold snow around her. Wrapping herself tightly in her Jin Bu, she noticed a beautiful girl nearby.
The girl wore black tight-fitting clothes with a titanium light chain chestplate, a red satin mask, and had her hair styled in a ponytail. Her dark lips contrasted with her angelic face, and she carried a long whip at her waist.
The girl wore a large rattan hat and an indigo scarf. Her attire seemed familiar to Chu Qiao, who suddenly felt a sharp pain in her forehead. She touched her head, looking worried, and noticed that the girl's palms were burned.
The girl sat beside Chu Qiao but couldn't touch her because of the steamy foam forming around them. Chu Qiao seemed like a volcano about to erupt. The girl said, "Mimi Gongzhu, you need to learn to control your powers. I am the Viper. Do you remember me?"
Chu Qiao experienced another sharp pain in her head, and though memories flashed before her eyes, they vanished almost instantly. Viper then asked, "Can you walk? I've secured you here since I rescued you from the frozen lake. It's been several weeks."
Chu Qiao felt strange in her surroundings but sensed a deep familiarity with the girl.
"Mimi Gongzhu, are you alright? We can't stay here; ravine animals are lurking. We need to move," Viper said.
Chu Qiao asked, "Do you have any safe clothes for me to wear?"
Viper quickly took out a bag and handed Chu Qiao a white silk dress, a rattan hat, and a thin indigo scarf with gold-embroidered plum blossoms.
Viper helped Chu Qiao put on the dress and draped the indigo scarf around her neck. She then covered Chu Qiao with the Jin Bu, a gold fabric that concealed her body while showing only her face.
This was the first time Chu Qiao stood on her feet since the tragedy at the icy lake.
Viper and Chu Qiao traveled through the snowy landscape towards Chu Jing Palace. Throughout the journey, Chu Qiao remained silent, her questions unasked.
Viper watched her with pity, saddened by Chu Qiao's memory loss. She thought, "She really has forgotten everything, including our childhood together."
Viper had grown up in Chu Palace, where her father served as an elite officer in the Chu army. Handpicked by King Chu Teng Gao, she became the personal attendant and lady guard for the Secret Princess.
During the Wei empire's attack on Chu Jing, Viper was tasked with finding and assisting the Secret Princess to restore their fallen empire.
Years ago, when Chu Qiao was six, she was on the brink of death. In a dramatic act of sacrifice, one of her royal sisters stepped in front of the Wei executioner to save Chu Qiao. The sister claimed to be the Secret Princess, deceiving the executioners and declaring Chu Qiao a decoy princess.
Despite the sister's brave but futile attempt to fool the enemy, the executioner remained angered, clearly seeing through the deception.
Suddenly, Chu Qiao bit the executioner's hand and ran to hide, with little Viper following her. They found a safe spot, but Viper quickly covered Chu Qiao's mouth.
A sharp, crisp sound echoed, and both children's eyes widened in shock as they witnessed what happened next.
"Shak"
The two pair of eyes cannot believe what they saw.
The cut of the sword was fast and easy.
Chu Qiao saw her sister's head was cut and the blood is dripping on the floor.
She bit Viper's hand and cried soundlessly.
It was Chu Qiao's first witness of a dead family.
"Viper, are we there yet?" Chu Qiao finally asked.
"Almost! Please be patient, Mimi Gongzhu. We're taking the safest route for your protection," Viper replied.
Chu Qiao asked, "What's the meaning of the indigo scarf with plum blossoms? Why do you have a plain one, and I have the embroidered one?"
"It's not the right time to explain, but I'll tell you once we reach the walls," Viper's voice was firm.
"Does it have to do with my last name, Chu?" Chu Qiao pressed.
Viper paused and said, "Are you sure you want to know now?"
"This indigo scarf identifies you as a true descendant of the Chu royal family. The Hing Ba Na on your back represents the power you've had since birth. It appears and disappears based on your wishes, but you must accept both the rewards and the consequences."
"Accept both rewards and consequences? Hing Ba Na on my back?" Chu Qiao was confused, and Viper seemed uncomfortable continuing the explanation.
"The flower tattoo on your back is the key to unlock…" Viper abruptly stopped, sensing a ghostly presence trailing them.
She picked up a bluish feather from the ground, recognizing the sign of a sharp-eyed spy.
"Run! Run!" Viper shouted to Chu Qiao. "I'll explain everything when we get there. Hurry!"
Chu Qiao, holding her bow, ran quickly behind Viper.
To throw off their pursuers, Viper suddenly sat down and began meditating.
Chu Qiao, puzzled, asked, "I thought we were being chased. Why are you sitting here in a Zen position?"
Ignoring the mockery, Viper continued her meditation, summoning the Dong Feng (east wind) to erase their tracks and hide their trail.
Chu Qiao watched in confusion but couldn't make Viper stop.
A strong wind swept through, swirling and erasing their footprints, leaving no trace behind.