In less than fifteen minutes, Yun Shunnian's skin had returned to its original smooth and delicate state.
During this time, Yun Shunnian also discovered that this hot spring not only had the effect of healing burns but also made people sleepy.
Yun Shunnian raised her hand, grabbed a sharp stone by the hot spring, and clutched it tightly in her hand, constantly reminding herself of the stinging pain in her palm.
This way, Yun Shunnian finally sobered up a bit. She quickly threw away the stone in her hand, sprang out of the hot spring pit, and used her spiritual power to put on her clothes.
"Who?"
Yun Shunnian adjusted her collar and was about to leave when a faint sound came from behind a rock not far away.
Yun Shunnian's crescent eyes immediately sharpened, and she raised her hand, slashing with Fiery Blade.
The solid mountain rock was thus split in two by Yun Shunnian.
The scene on the other side of the rock was thus revealed unexpectedly.
It turned out to be a snake's nest. A white viper was coiled in its nest, its forked tongue flicking at the snake eggs in its embrace.
When Yun Shunnian split the rock, the white snake's tongue had not yet retracted from touching the snake eggs. Its eyes, however, instantly caught sight of Yun Shunnian.
Immediately after, the white snake seemed to feel embarrassed, its snake face inexplicably turning red.
This made Yun Shunnian quite awkward too.
The snake was just trying to protect its babies and hadn't done anything wrong, yet she, on her first visit to the hot springs of Buliang Mountain for healing, had smashed its nest.
"I'm so sorry. I'll try to fix it."
The white snake seemed to understand Yun Shunnian's words. The slight wariness in its snake eyes vanished with Yun Shunnian's apology. The white snake turned its back, hiding its reddened snake face.
Buliang Mountain had a harsh climate. The white snake was born here during a time when an eagle was snatching snake eggs. It happened to be its hatching season, and it fell into the spring water when it broke free from its shell.
With the boost from the spring water, it managed to survive. Here, it had no natural predators, and the mountain mice were enough for it to eat. Thus, year after year passed.
Even if it were slow-witted, it had developed some intelligence. But with intelligence came more than just instinct. It had thoughts and emotions, yet no snake companions of the same kind. This was truly difficult for the white snake.
Therefore, the white snake felt no wariness or resistance upon seeing Yun Shunnian.
Instead, it felt an end to its long-standing loneliness, which excited it as it licked the cold snake eggs it had found outside.
The sound of hurried footsteps grew clearer.
Yun Shunnian's heart began to pound with the rapid footsteps.
"Snake, can you cooperate with me?" Yun Shunnian said to the white snake before her, her voice quickening.
Friends walk together; one second later, and they're gone.
This thought flashed through the white snake's little head, and it immediately flicked its tongue.
Within seconds, Zhaoxue burst in with his sword and approached Yun Shunnian, subtly checking if she was injured. "What happened?"
"Zhaoxue, I'm so scared. It looks like it's going to eat me." Yun Shunnian didn't answer first but instead threw herself into Zhaoxue's arms, pointing at the white snake.
As soon as Yun Shunnian spoke, she felt goosebumps erupt on her skin from nervousness.
Yun Shunnian had originally seen her little maid use a similar tactic to enchant the guards around her father, and she thought Zhaoxue might develop some special feelings for her because of this.
"It's okay, I'll kill it." Zhaoxue's attention was entirely on the white snake Yun Shunnian was pointing at, and he didn't notice Yun Shunnian's feigned娇态 in his arms.
Zhaoxue's voice was extremely cold, and dark energy coiled in his phoenix eyes.
The moment the white snake met Mu Qi's gaze, its excited snake brain instantly cooled down.
A pure and simple white snake, unaware of the complexities in the heart of a courtship-seeking phoenix, merely glanced at Yun Shunnian before fleeing in the opposite direction of Yun Shunnian and Zhaoxue, clutching a cold egg.
Sensing Zhaoxue's intention to pursue, Yun Shunnian stopped him in time.
"Zhaoxue, my snake is quite intelligent. I'll take it as a spirit pet if I have the chance. Let's go back to the Nine Heavens first." After speaking, Yun Shunnian realized that her words were in stark contrast to her earlier display of fear.
But there was nothing she could do now; she couldn't truly harm that little white snake.
Zhaoxue looked down and met Yun Shunnian's eyes, pausing for a moment. He then realized Yun Shunnian had affectionately called him by name.
"Okay," Zhaoxue replied.
Yun Shunnian let out a sigh of relief and walked out of Buliang Mountain.
Zhaoxue followed behind Yun Shunnian, but his gaze stopped when it landed on her head. Su Dan Novel Network.
Zhaoxue turned around and saw a hairpin not far from the hot spring.
Zhaoxue's eyes narrowed, and he cast a spell to retrieve the hairpin.
The hairpin didn't seem particularly special in its design, but the red bead at the top of its shaft had lava flowing within it, emitting a soft, beautiful glow.
These few steps filled Yun Shunnian with immense disappointment and dejection. Had she been too obvious, too over the top?
Did Zhaoxue now loathe her?
Yun Shunnian lowered her head, lost in her emotions, and dared not look at Zhaoxue again.
The Nine Heavens were very far from the extreme north. For mortals, it might be a journey of a lifetime, but for them, beings of the Nine Heavens, it was only a matter of a few days.
During the journey, neither Yun Shunnian nor Mu Qi spoke, nor did either try to distance themselves from the other.
A day later, Yun Shunnian and Mu Qi stopped at an inn. Coincidentally, Yun Shunnian encountered her cousin there.
"Why are you here?" As soon as Yun Shunnian entered the inn, she noticed the man leaning against the counter, exuding a strong spiritual aura.
"It's all because of you. Hurry up and come back to the Nine Heavens with me." The man seemed to sense her presence and turned to meet her gaze. He quickly strode over and grabbed Yun Shunnian by the back of her collar.
Feng Huo and Yun Shunnian faced each other, both clearly finding the other annoying. Zhaoxue, standing behind Yun Shunnian, only saw their intimate actions and familiar tone, and dark energy once again swirled in his phoenix eyes.
"You go back by yourself first. I need to rest now." Yun Shunnian pushed him away, then, realizing something, pulled her cousin Feng Huo in front of Zhaoxue.
"Zhaoxue, this is my cousin, Feng Huo."