He Lan Tianxia

The commotion had already alerted one person: the white-haired woman. Today, she had again sent Jin Chuchu to the spirit monkey for training; she planned to return to the Valley of Annihilation, as the Shangyuan Ancient Realm, which had caused trouble for Murong Junlan, was probably beyond repair. Just as she reached the entrance of the Valley of Annihilation, she heard the sounds of fighting from the other side of the cliff. Without hesitation, the white-haired woman flew over.

The woman had just finished eating the spiritual flower, and the scenes from before gradually came back to her mind. At this moment, the white-haired woman had obviously seen the snow lingzhi mushroom, but since all the flowers had been picked, she shook her head and thought for a moment, and had already guessed the general idea. This snow lingzhi mushroom that Murong Junlan had taken a liking to was definitely not an ordinary thing, and she could also guess that the flowers must be in the woman's sleeve.

The white-haired woman pushed off with her feet and lunged forward, unleashing a deadly and chilling palm strike. Boom! Boom! Boom! Several rocks beneath her feet crumbled into dust.

"Yan'er, be careful." Murong Junlan dropped the centipede and turned to deal with the white-haired woman.

Knowing Murong Junlan's prowess, the white-haired woman tried to shift her target. But Murong Junlan was perfectly capable of guessing her intentions, and with a series of swift and decisive moves, he kept the white-haired woman constantly on the move.

Seeing that Yan'er was unprotected, the centipede pounced down. Murong Junlan saw this and freed one hand to strike, but the centipede, relying on the strength of its tail, suddenly bent forward and sprang straight at Yan'er's face.

"Yan'er, be careful." Murong Junlan wanted to withdraw his hand to break the attack, but the white-haired woman refused and forced Murong Junlan to retreat. Just as the centipede's tail was about to slap his face, Yan'er suddenly pulled out a thin rope and swung it in the air. A rainbow rose with the wind, and the rope swept straight across the centipede's tail. With a "smack," the centipede swayed in pain and almost crashed into the cliff.

"Silver Ring Dream Shadow?" The white-haired woman was taken aback. Murong Junlan's thin rope was already in place, just a hair's breadth away from touching her. Unwilling to give up, the white-haired woman seized an opportunity to throw the blood centipede to Murong Junlan and turned to deal with the woman.

She unleashed the techniques from the Ice Sculpture Cave one after another. Murong Junlan had already taught Yan'er these moves, so when the white-haired woman used them, Yan'er only needed to practice them more.

As the saying goes, "One should look at someone with new eyes after a day's absence," and Yan'er's martial arts skills have improved so quickly that the white-haired woman has a faint worry. If only Jin Chuchu had half of that level of skill.

When the white-haired woman attacked Yan'er again, Murong Junlan broke free from the centipede and protected Yan'er. After all, his Yan'er had only been practicing martial arts for two or three months. Murong Junlan leaned his back against Yan'er and told her, "Don't leave me."

"Your Highness, shall we try the Dreamlike Twin Shadows?" Yan'er looked very expectant, her clear, bright eyes making it impossible for Murong Junlan to refuse. However, having learned his lesson last time, Murong Junlan felt he had to be cautious, so he asked with concern:

"Can you?"

"should be okay."

"Okay. If it doesn't work, we'll leave." Murong Junlan cast a doting look at Yan'er.

"Take this!" Yan'er shouted, unleashing a move called "Gathering of Wind and Clouds" that struck directly at the white-haired woman. At the same time, Murong Junlan's thin ropes also swiftly appeared, the two ropes instantly soaring into the air.

The white-haired woman dared not underestimate her opponent this time, but she caught a glimpse of the large blood centipede that had been ignored to the side, so she shouted loudly at the large blood centipede: "Blood centipede, attack!"

The giant blood centipede possesses sentience, especially the blood centipede spirit that has guarded the Ganoderma lucidum and snow lotus for thousands of years. The blood centipede spirit immediately swung its tail and pounced. The two faced off against the human and the centipede, their two thin ropes weaving between the white-haired woman and the blood centipede, like two supple yet sharp swords, capable of injuring with a single touch, and a slight misstep could cost them their lives.

Because Yan'er had eaten the Lingzhi and Snow Lotus, the fragrant scent emanating from her body attracted the giant blood centipede, which then relentlessly attacked her. Yan'er's recent efforts hadn't been in vain; coupled with her unexpected advancement of three levels, the power of "Dreamlike Twin Shadows" made the white-haired woman frown. Looking at the composed Prince Murong beside Yan'er, the white-haired woman felt a fleeting sense of nostalgia, as if she were back in the era of the Qi King. In that instant of surprise, Yan'er's thin rope struck first, its touch feeling like the sharp blade of wind. Just as the white-haired woman was about to parry, another thin rope followed, tearing a large gash in her left sleeve with a hiss. She immediately used "Destruction Moon Probe" to evade the "Dreamlike Soul Chaser" of the twin ropes. The white-haired woman managed to dodge, but the blood centipede wasn't so lucky. "Dream Chaser" swiftly severed its two hind legs, and the blood centipede, enduring the pain, scurried back under the snow lingzhi tree, refusing to come out again.

It seemed that Prince Murong had almost mastered the techniques she had studied over the years to crack the "Double Shadow of Dreams." She had estimated that Murong Junlan would gain some insights upon entering the Ice Sculpture Cave, but she never expected him to completely crack it in just a few days. Such wisdom surpassed even that of the former Prince Qi. A sudden sense of unease arose in the white-haired woman's heart. She had originally thought that her millennia-old foundation, the Valley of Destruction, was an invincible force. Now it seemed that the Valley of Destruction, which had once inspired awe and fear in the world, was so vulnerable in the face of the passage of time.

With a hiss, a large tear appeared in the right sleeve of the white-haired woman's dress. She stood there, a contemptuous sneer on her face. She refused to believe she would lose to these two unknown juniors. Disgrace, utter disgrace! She reached out and pulled at the air, instantly summoning wisps of black clouds. Simultaneously, she unleashed her "Destruction Cold Yin Palm" with both hands, striking the clouds. The clouds dispersed into a cloud of smoke, and the white-haired woman suddenly leaped into the air, spinning upwards and hurtling towards the smoke. In an instant, the entire sky became a chaotic, boundless void.

"The Realm of Chaos?" Yan'er shouted at Murong Junlan.

The Realm of Chaos? Although Murong Junlan had never been to this realm, he knew that the white-haired woman was always unpredictable. What Yan'er could possibly know was the strange phenomenon caused by the white-haired woman in the Ancient Cave of Annihilation. Murong Junlan immediately thought of the ancient restrictions, but it was too late. The two great vortexes of chaos rushed towards them, the gale making it impossible to open their eyes. Murong Junlan swiftly reached out and hugged his Yan'er, while with his other hand he twisted two thin ropes towards a large rock on the cliff. Then he wrapped the other end around their waists to resist the vortex's pull from the Realm of Chaos.

"The primordial realm, the ultimate chaos." The white-haired woman uttered a faint, ethereal voice, as if trying to pull the soul away.

"The Soul Separation Sutra?" Murong Junlan was shocked upon hearing this. He had never come into contact with this technique before. It had been lost for a long time, but he had seen a record of it in the family genealogy, which described its power. It had once wiped out thousands of people in an entire village overnight. This technique first bewitched people with its sound, and then used its power to absorb their souls. He never expected to encounter it. Just how many vicious and evil spells had this white-haired woman practiced?

"Yan'er, hold me and look into my eyes." Murong Junlan asked Yan'er to do this so that she would focus her heart on him. However, Yan'er's foundation was weak after all. She had just calmed down when she let go of Murong Junlan's arms and turned to look at the Chaos Realm.

In a panic, Murong Junlan immediately waved his hand three times in the air, setting up three restrictions to isolate the two of them from the outside world. Murong Junlan thought that this would avoid the "Soul Separation Sutra" technique. However, as soon as he looked down, he found that the woman's face was flushed red and she was desperately pushing away his arms, intending to turn towards the Chaos Realm.

Murong Junlan had no choice but to add three more restrictions, making it six. He looked at the woman in his arms with concern, his expression unwavering; his brows were tightly furrowed, and he couldn't concentrate. If this continued, the woman's thoughts would become chaotic, and she would go mad. When Yan'er pushed his hand away again, Murong Junlan had no choice but to pull her back into his arms and kiss her lips.

Time seemed to stand still. Yan'er's consciousness returned to reality with Murong Junlan's gentle kiss. She stared blankly at the handsome, sharply angled eyebrows, the tender, dark eyes, and the sharply defined features so close to hers—how could he be so captivating! Oh, she remembered! She had traveled thousands of years, traversing mountains and rivers, to find this breathtakingly beautiful face! The woman remained dazed for a moment, then returned the kiss with eyes full of spring…

"Do you remember me?" Murong Junlan asked suspiciously.

"Yes, Your Highness..." Yan'er nodded shyly, her face once again being cupped in the hands of the delighted Murong Junlan. The fragrance of snow lotus lingered between their lips, seeping into their hearts...

The wind howled through the snow-covered cliffs, yet it couldn't penetrate the gaps in the Six Restrictions. The white-haired woman, who was creating the "Chaotic Realm," watched from afar. After a moment of stillness, her face suddenly contorted, a chilling aura condensed, and she spread her five fingers, grabbing the two dark clouds gathered above her head. She slammed them down on the Six Restrictions with a deafening boom, then turned and vanished into the vast wilderness.

With a loud "boom," Murong Junlan and the white-haired woman clashed in mid-air. After the white-haired woman disappeared, Murong Junlan waved his hand, gathering all the remaining snow lotus flowers into his sleeve. He then took Yan'er's hand and ran freely across the snow...

Since Yan'er regained her memories, the bear cave seemed to have suddenly become warm. Murong Junlan was always beaming as he took Yan'er to practice martial arts in the snowy region and pick snow lotus flowers on the cliff. The two lived a life that was the envy of all. It was from this time that the woman learned that her surname was He and her full name was He Yan'er.

As dawn broke, Murong Junlan, as usual, rose early and sat by the other bed where Yan'er slept. He quietly watched his Yan'er sleep peacefully like a child, her delicate face radiant with youthful beauty. He reached out to brush aside a few playful strands of hair, but fearing to disturb her sleeping face, he couldn't help but lean down, gazing at her fragrant breath. In a daze… the woman smiled brightly, gently pecked his thin lips, and then darted away from under his arm.

Murong Junlan was startled and immediately embraced the sleeping woman, as if afraid she would run away. The woman opened her sleepy eyes, looked at the somewhat bewildered prince, and said, "Your Highness, I want to sleep a little longer," before nestling comfortably against Murong Junlan's lap and falling asleep again. Murong Junlan took out the purple bamboo flute from his waist and gently played a soft melody, instantly filling the stone cave with the scent of early morning.

Unbeknownst to them, they had already spent over four months in the snowy region. Yan'er's martial arts skills had improved daily, and she had found several large bundles of snow lotus for Lingyi, enough to heal him for a while. Considering Lingyi's high energy expenditure, Murong Junlan had uprooted any large snow lotus plants he saw. The Red Hare had been sent away by Murong Junlan the last time they arrived in the snowy region, so now they had to be pulled along by a net. Murong Junlan took two-thirds for himself and gave the remaining third to the woman. Then, the two used their desert lightness skills to run hand in hand.

After walking for a while, Murong Junlan stopped near the Valley of Destruction. Before he could speak, he heard Yan'er beside him break off a tree branch and hand it to him, saying, "Your Highness, look." The branch was broken off piece by piece, with ice blocks missing from each section.

"The Annihilation Frost Palm?" Murong Junlan examined the tree branch closely. "The Annihilation Frost Palm's power level is still not up to the next level. It seems the white-haired woman has taken on a disciple. Yan'er, let's hide the snow lotus first and go see who the white-haired woman has taken on?"

"Alright." So the two found a snow cave and hid the snow lotus, concealing themselves beside a large rock at the entrance of the Valley of Destruction. Several hours passed, but the white-haired woman did not appear, nor was there any sign of the spirit monkey. The cave entrance remained calm and uneventful. However, judging from the folds in the tree branches, Murong Junlan deduced that the person practicing martial arts could not have left for more than an hour.

"Your Highness, why don't we go inside and take a look?" Yan'er turned to look at Murong Junlan beside her.

"It's dangerous inside. Why don't I go in alone and you hide in the snow lotus cave?" Actually, Murong Junlan had wanted to come in for a long time, but he was worried that it would be dangerous for Yan'er to go in. If she was not careful, she might fall into the white-haired woman's trap, which would be troublesome.

"With you here, I'm not afraid." The woman looked at Murong Junlan pitifully, her gaze softening the hardness in his heart that threatened to reject her. Seeing that Murong Junlan was still hesitating, the woman threw out another "soft hammer," whispering, "Your Highness, if you leave me behind, what if the white-haired woman comes back from outside and takes me away?"

This was exactly what Murong Junlan was worried about. "Fine, let's go together." Murong Junlan took Yan'er's hand and headed towards the Valley of Annihilation. The cave entrance was eerily quiet, with no trace of footsteps on the snow. The two entered the cave without incident.

The things inside the cave seem to have been cleaned up. The cave wall that was broken last time has even been patched up with ice. It looks like they're living quite comfortably.

"Your Highness, look." Yan'er picked something up from the ground and handed it to Murong Junlan.

"A gold and jade hairpin?" Murong Junlan subconsciously looked at Yan'er's hair, then at the gold and jade hairpin. "It looks like a headdress from our Du Yan Kingdom. Could it be that the white-haired woman went to Du Yan Kingdom again? Who exactly did she capture?"

"Don't worry, this doesn't belong to the Empress Dowager, it belongs to a young woman in the harem," Yan'er assured her.

"How do you know?" Murong Junlan looked at Yan'er with some doubt, thinking to himself, "I haven't even paid attention to this, how could you, a woman who doesn't wear makeup or hair ornaments, know about it?"

The woman smiled at Murong Junlan and said, "I studied history and have specifically researched various headdresses worn by women in ancient times."

"What are you saying? I don't understand. Even if you did know, Murong Junlan frowned and asked, 'Who do you think it could be?'"

"I don't know about that," the woman replied directly.

"Didn't you say you were studying history?" Murong Junlan asked with a mocking expression.

"Your Highness, there is no such thing as the Valley of Destruction in history. This hole appeared out of nowhere."

"You don't know, do you?" Murong Junlan looked at the embarrassed Yan'er with a half-smile, and suddenly reached out and touched the tip of the woman's nose, saying, "I thought our Yan'er was so smart."

"Oh dear, I've been tricked!" Enraged, the woman punched Murong Junlan in the chest. Murong Junlan didn't dodge; instead, he frowned, clutched his chest, and crouched down in pain. The woman was startled and hurriedly rubbed her chest, asking if it hurt. Murong Junlan grabbed her hand and pressed it against his heart, feigning great pain.

"It hurts here." Upon hearing this, the woman thought, "You treacherous minister! I clearly hit your right side, so why does it hurt on the left?" "Then let me make up for it with another punch," she thought quickly, throwing another punch with her left hand. Murong Junlan clenched his right fist and said pitifully in a soft voice, "My beloved concubine, you really hit me?"

"You deserve a beating..." The woman was about to continue when a hand covered her mouth. Murong Junlan made a shushing gesture. Then, the white-haired woman and the monkey entered one after the other.