The Sect Master's Mother and the Ice Snow Palace Lord
Shen Jun strode right in, the formation sealing shut behind him.
A cave mansion had been artificially carved into the mountain wall—the source of that voice just now. As he pressed deeper inside, the space gradually widened until, at the very end, he spotted a female cultivator seated cross-legged on a rush cushion.
She wore a plain white robe that radiated an aloof aura. Willow brows framed phoenix eyes, her beauty unmatched, and even the loose garment couldn't hide her stunning figure.
This was none other than Shen Jun's mother, the Supreme Elder of the Wind Spirit Sword Sect, Jiang Xue.
"Mother, you wanted to see me?" Shen Jun took a seat across from her.
Jiang Xue's eyes snapped open, a faint glint flashing in her phoenix gaze. "How are things with the Taiqing Sect?" she asked coolly.
Shen Jun chuckled. "Everything's going smoothly. All the female cultivators we sent over are pregnant. In a few years, the Wind Spirit Sword Sect will gain a bunch more prodigies!"
Jiang Xue gave a soft hum. "I hear the girl from the Bihai Sect is pregnant too?"
Shen Jun gave a wry smile. "Yeah. Word's spread to every sect by now. That Bihai girl's got a heavenly spirit root—with Qin Changqing's talents, this kid's probably gonna be an immortal spirit root, one of a kind in the world."
The news had blown up across the top ten sects half a month ago, putting everyone on edge.
An immortal spirit root was the stuff of legends—a heaven-defying constitution that guaranteed ascension to immortality, as long as you didn't croak midway.
With one in the fold, your sect was guaranteed an immortal powerhouse down the line. Who wouldn't be tempted?
Watching the Bihai Sect snag one had every other sect green with envy.
It wasn't like the sects lacked heavenly spirit roots; the problem was finding female cultivators with them who could pair up with Qin Changqing. Take the Haoyang Sect, Taiyi Sword Sect, and Thunder Sword Sect—they all had a few heavenly spirit root disciples, but they were all men. No babies from that.
The other sects either had the same issue or special circumstances that made arrangements tricky.
For instance, the Wind Spirit Sword Sect's own Supreme Elder, Jiang Xue, right here—she had a heavenly spirit root. But her position was way too sensitive. She was Sect Master Shen Jun's birth mother. No one dared even whisper the idea.
Now every major sect was dispatching disciples to scour Jing Nation for women with heavenly spirit roots. The Wind Spirit Sword Sect was no exception.
"So, what's your plan?" Jiang Xue asked flatly.
Shen Jun sighed. "I've already sent people out searching everywhere, hoping to find a female disciple with a heavenly spirit root."
Jiang Xue shook her head slightly. "Heavenly spirit roots don't grow on trees. In centuries, how many has our Wind Spirit Sword Sect even taken in?"
"No other options, though..." Shen Jun was helpless too.
Jiang Xue's phoenix eyes lifted faintly, her tone light as drifting clouds. "Why look far afield when it's right here? Aren't I a heavenly spirit root?"
Shen Jun's eyes widened. "Mother, you..."
He'd thought of it ages ago. Elders had even dropped hints now and then. He'd just willfully ignored them—didn't want to bring it up, didn't dare. He worried she'd reject it, and honestly, it sat wrong with him too.
Shen Jun was the sect master, after all—a cultivator of over a millennium. He could be a human old ancestor. Suddenly gaining a little brother? How was he supposed to swallow that?
And he'd met Qin Changqing—a kid who'd only been cultivating a few decades. If the guy actually hooked up with his mom and they had a kid... how awkward would that make every future encounter?
Jiang Xue saw right through his hesitation, her voice turning icy. "Jun'er, you're the sect master now. Why so narrow-minded? Don't you grasp the value of an immortal spirit root? It's just borrowing a seed. If it revives the sect, what does any of this matter?"
Of course Shen Jun wanted to revitalize the sect. He just couldn't get past his own hang-ups. Gritting his teeth, he said, "What about Father?"
"I've already discussed it with him," Jiang Xue replied indifferently. "He has no objections."
If even his father was fine with it, what could he say?
Shen Jun's heart churned with mixed feelings, but he nodded. "Mother's sense of righteousness humbles me. I have no objections."
"Make the arrangements," Jiang Xue said. "The sooner, the better. Don't let the other sects beat us to it."
"Yes!"
——
A vast expanse of ice and snow stretched endlessly, a world of desolate white.
At the edge of the blizzard stood a cluster of pristine white palaces, seemingly carved from a single colossal block of ice—a testament to the builder's terrifying divine abilities.
This was the Ice Snow Palace, one of Jing Nation's top ten sects.
Unlike the others, it was mostly female disciples cultivating yin-soft techniques. Male disciples were rare, so their numbers were slimmer than the other nine sects. But thanks to its ancient legacy and deep foundations, it held firm in the top ten.
Ice Heart Hall.
Atop the throne sat a stunning silver-haired beauty, her skin like ice and jade. A veil shrouded most of her face, revealing only a pair of gem-blue eyes.
This was the Ice Snow Palace Lord, Yu Bingbing, bearer of the innate Profound Ice Body—a physique on par with a heavenly spirit root.
Below her stood the palace's elders and higher-ups, mostly women.
"Palace Lord, we've confirmed it—the Wind Spirit Sword Sect is preparing to send Senior Jiang to Qingyun Mansion!"
An old woman leaning on a dragon-headed cane spoke urgently.
"Indeed, Palace Lord! That's an immortal spirit root we're talking about. Every sect's scrambling for female heavenly spirit root cultivators to breed one. Without an immortal guarding us, the Ice Snow Palace will get booted from the top ten someday! This is the tide of destiny!"
Yu Bingbing's profound ice body matched a heavenly spirit root in potency. Pairing with Qin Changqing would surely produce an offspring rivaling an immortal spirit root.
Shock flickered in Yu Bingbing's beautiful eyes. "Senior Jiang? She's actually agreed?"
The old woman nodded. "Senior Jiang's Shen Jun's mother—a Huashen Heavenly Lord. Who'd dare force her?"
Conflict swirled in Yu Bingbing's gaze. After a long silence, she said, "But our palace rules..."
Ice Snow Palace disciples pursued the Dao single-mindedly, detached from worldly desires. A key rule: the Palace Lord took no dao companion and bore no heirs.
The elders pressed her. "Palace Lord, rules are made by people. This isn't the time to cling to them—it's the sect's future at stake!"
"Please reconsider!"
"Palace Lord, just agree! It's an immortal spirit root!"
Faced with their pleas, Yu Bingbing finally closed her eyes and nodded.
"No time to waste! Palace Lord, set out at once. The sooner the better—get there early, birth the heir early, and we'll stay ahead of the pack!"
The elders clearly weren't letting her off the hook, bowing once more.
A flush of embarrassment crossed Yu Bingbing's face.
I already agreed—why keep pushing? Can't I have a moment to steel myself?
But under their expectant stares, she bit her silver teeth, let out a cold huff, and erupted in white spiritual light—shooting out of the hall in an instant.
"Hurry, protect the Palace Lord!"
The elders rejoiced and chased after her.