A few days earlier…
The library was quiet, wrapped in soft evening light.
Ye Ziyun sat at the long table, reading calmly.
Beside her, Karma leaned back in his chair, far too relaxed for a place meant for studying.
Bored, he leaned closer and flicked a strand of her hair with his fingers.
Ye Ziyun's eyes twitched.
"…Karma."
"Yeah?" he replied lazily, not even looking at her.
"Stop messing around."
Karma blinked, then grinned.
"Eh? I've been doing this since we were kids. It's become a habit now. You're only complaining now?"
She slapped his hand away without mercy.
"This isn't home. And you're annoying."
"Ouch," Karma said dramatically, clutching his chest.
"So cold. Truly heartless."
Even so, Ye Ziyun didn't move away.
She was clearly used to his behavior.
Just then, footsteps echoed down the aisle.
Nie Li appeared between the shelves.
"Hi. We meet again."
Ye Ziyun looked up.
"…Nie Li."
Nie Li walked closer.
"I hope I didn't interrupt."
From the side, Shen Yue and his men watched silently.
"…Looks like someone has bad timing."
"Did you see that?"
"It looks like Nie Li interrupted Young Master Karma's date with Miss Ziyun."
Shen Yue's gaze darkened.
No matter how he looked at it, the scene annoyed him.
Family background or talent—how can Nie Li compare to me?
His fingers tightened.
Behind him, a lackey sneered.
"Boss, should we go teach that brat a lesson?"
Another lackey hesitated and scratched his head.
"Uh… about yesterday…"
He lowered his voice.
"Boss, you kind of… wet your pants."
The air froze.
Shen Yue spun around, face twisted in rage.
"There's no need to mention that!" he shouted.
He pointed at them furiously.
"And don't act like you were any better!"
"All of you got beaten up by Karma!"
The lackeys stiffened.
Their confidence vanished as memories resurfaced.
Shen Yue crossed his arms, voice cold.
"Find an opportunity."
"Teach that brat Nie li a lesson."
His eyes narrowed.
"But do it quietly. Watch out for Karma and don't let Ziyun find out."
"…Yes, Boss," they replied quickly.
Back at the table.
"Yesterday," Ye Ziyun said softly,
"My family confirmed that the complete Icewind Blizzard inscription is a Silver Rank inscription."
Nie Li nodded calmly.
"Ah. So that's how it is."
While they talked, Karma leaned beside Ye Ziyun, half resting on the table.
His fingers were busy.
He gently twirled a strand of her lavender hair, let it go, then picked up another.
Soft.
Smooth.
Interesting.
Ye Ziyun's eyebrow twitched.
He's so calm about it, she thought, glancing at Nie Li.
As if creating a Silver Rank inscription is nothing.
Her lips pressed together.
He's knowledgeable but never shows off.
Unlike me… I get proud so easily.
Compared to him… what do I even have to be proud of?
Another tug on her hair.
"…Karma," she said slowly.
"Hm?" he replied, still distracted.
"This one's shiny."
She shot him a warning look.
He smiled brightly—and kept playing with her hair anyway.
"Oh, right," Ye Ziyun said, forcing herself back on topic.
"This is the soul crystal you asked me to bring."
She handed it toward Nie Li.
Nie Li shook his head.
"You don't need to give it to me. Just inject your soul energy into it."
"…Okay," Ye Ziyun replied.
She paused and glanced sideways.
Karma was now carefully separating strands of her hair like it was a treasure.
"…Are you even listening?" she asked.
He nodded instantly.
"Yep. Soul energy. Crystal. Very important."
Then he added cheerfully,
"Also, your hair smells nice."
Ye Ziyun sighed.
Nie Li looked at them and lowered his gaze, smiling faintly.
Same as always, he thought.
The carefree, shameless Karma.
The easily flustered but patient Ziyun.
Time had turned back.
Some things never change.
Ye Ziyun placed both hands on the soul crystal.
Nie Li watched closely.
"The white light of the Snow Wind attribute…" he murmured.
Inside the crystal, a shape formed.
A legendary soul form.
Ice Phoenix.
Ye Ziyun leaned forward, eyes shining.
"It's the Snow Wind Ice Phoenix?"
Nie Li nodded.
"I'll teach you a cultivation technique that matches it perfectly."
Her lips parted in surprise.
"Teach me… a cultivation technique?"
She hesitated.
But my family's technique… could there really be something stronger?
Nie Li met her gaze, serious and steady.
"The Nine Revolutions Ice Phoenix Technique."
For the first time, Karma's fingers finally stopped playing with Ye Ziyun's hair.
He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand, staring at the crystal with a rare look of "deep thought."
"…Hmm."
Ye Ziyun blinked.
"Oh? He's actually paying attention?"
Karma nodded slowly, very seriously.
"No wonder," he said.
"Your temper's bad."
Ye Ziyun stiffened.
"…What?"
Karma pointed at the crystal, completely confident.
"Cold attribute. Cold soul. Cold heart."
He nodded again.
"I knew it."
Smack.
Ye Ziyun slapped his shoulder without hesitation.
"Hey!" Karma laughed, rubbing his arm.
"See? Proof!"
Nie Li covered his mouth, a quiet snicker escaping him.
Ye Ziyun glared at both of them, cheeks faintly warm.
"…You're both annoying."
Nie li smiled faintly.
"I'll teach you the formula right now."
Ye Ziyun sat quietly, hands folded, still processing the cultivation technique Nie Li had just explained.
"This technique is much stronger than what I was practicing before…" she said softly, eyes shining.
Nie Li waved it off with a small smile.
"It's no big deal."
Ye Ziyun stood up and bowed slightly.
"Hehe… I really must thank you."
From the side, Shen Yue watched the scene, his expression twisting.
His fists clenched.
Footsteps echoed.
Shen Yue stepped forward and moved toward the empty seat beside Ye Ziyun.
At that exact moment—
Karma lifted his head.
He just looked at Shen Yue.
Their eyes met.
Shen Yue's step froze mid-motion.
Shen Yue swallowed.
"…Hmph."
Without another word, he turned sharply and walked past Ye Ziyun.
Nie Li blinked.
Shen Yue dropped into the seat beside him instead.
"…?"
Nie Li looked at him.
Shen Yue stared straight ahead, jaw tight.
From across the table, Karma leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head.
Ye Ziyun glanced between them, confused.
Nie Li lowered his head slightly, lips twitching.
…He didn't even need to speak.
Karma leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, grinning brightly.
"So?" he said casually.
"Why the long face, huh? Wasn't yesterday fun?"
Shen Yue's smile twitched.
Veins popped on his forehead.
Ye Ziyun glanced between them, confused.
Shen Yue straightened, forcing a confident smile.
"My family and Ziyun's family have had a long-standing relationship," he said firmly.
"We've known each other since childhood."
Karma tilted his head.
"Ohhh?"
Shen Yue continued, warming up to his speech.
"We even know each other's likes and habits clearly."
"One could say there's great understanding and chemistry between us."
Ye Ziyun froze.
…Are we really that familiar with each other?!
She hesitated, then looked toward Nie Li nervously.
That… I hope Nie Li won't misunderstand…
Karma rested his chin on his hand, eyes half-lidded.
"Is that so," he murmured lightly.
"Alright," he said cheerfully.
"Since you understand her so well, let's hear it."
He pointed lazily.
"Tell us. What do you know about Ziyun?"
Shen Yue smirked.
"Ziyun likes eating banana orchids, reading, and staring out the window."
Ye Ziyun blinked.
"…Erm."
Karma chuckled.
"Actually," he said easily,
"Ziyun doesn't like eating banana orchids."
Shen Yue stiffened.
Karma leaned forward slightly, eyes sharp but smiling.
"Actually the old geezer ye mo told her that banana orchids help increase soul energy," he added.
"That's the only reason she eats them."
Ye Ziyun's cheeks puffed up instantly.
"Hey! Show some respect to Grandpa!"
Karma continued casually, flipping open a thick book on the table.
"And who would actually enjoy reading this kind of dry, difficult stuff?"
"No one."
He closed the book with a soft thump.
"She likes adventure," Karma said.
"She wants to see the world outside."
He turned his head toward the window.
"That's why she always stares out there."
Shen Yue exploded.
"What rubbish are you spouting?!"
Silence fell.
Ye Ziyun looked between Karma and Shen Yue.
Shen Yue stared at Karma, unable to speak.
Then—
Nie Li spoke.
Calm. Casual. Almost careless.
"Oh," he said, tilting his head slightly.
"There's also a butterfly-shaped birthmark on Ziyun's body."
"…!"
Ye Ziyun's face instantly turned red.
Shen Yue slammed his hand onto the table. "HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?!"
Karma stopped smiling.
The carefree grin vanished completely.
Karma's gaze shifted slowly toward Nie Li, his expression unreadable—serious, heavy.
Nie Li froze for a split second, then coughed lightly.
"Ahem."
"NIE LI! YOU JERK!"
Ye Ziyun slammed both hands on the table, her face burning red from ear to ear.
Nie Li flinched backward, hands raised in surrender. "H-Hey—wait—!"
"HMPH!"
She spun on her heel, hair flying, and stormed off between the shelves.
STOMP. STOMP.
Her footsteps echoed angrily through the library.
A few seconds later—
"…Did she," Nie Li asked carefully, scratching his cheek,
"run off because she's angry?"
Shen Yue stared at him like he'd just witnessed a miracle of stupidity.
He leaned forward, voice low and venomous. "You'd better remember this," he said coldly.
"I'll definitely make you regret this."
Karma finally spoke.
Soft. Flat.
"…You're loud."
Shen Yue stiffened.
Something in Karma's tone made his instincts scream.
"…Tch."
Shen Yue clicked his tongue, stood up, and turned away. "Better be more self-aware, brat."
He stormed out of the library.
The City Lord's Mansion.
The sunset painted the sky orange and gold as Ye Ziyun stormed through the courtyard.
"NIE LI, YOU BASTARD! BASTARD!" she shouted, stomping her foot hard enough to echo.
She stopped suddenly.
Her anger faltered.
Ye Ziyun looked around carefully, heart pounding.
"…Nie Li knows so many things about me," she thought. "He couldn't have been hiding around here and spying on me… right?"
Her cheeks flushed pink.
"If he even knows about the butterfly-shaped birthmark on my left chest…"
Her steps slowed.
"…No. That's impossible," she told herself quickly. "The City Lord's Mansion is heavily guarded. He definitely couldn't have gotten in."
She hugged her arms lightly.
"Then that means…" her thoughts trailed off. "He's seen my naked body…?"
Her face burned hotter.
"And the Nine Revolutions Ice Phoenix Technique as well…"
"Why would he give me something so powerful?"
Ye Ziyun hurried back to her room, her thoughts a mess.
"I'd better get to cultivating," she muttered, pressing a hand to her chest. "And stop thinking about those things!"
SLAM!
The door shut behind her.
Outside, the sky over Glory City slowly darkened, sunset bleeding into night as clouds rolled past the rooftops.
Inside the room, Ye Ziyun sat down cross-legged.
The moment she calmed her breathing, the soul force surged.
A soft blue glow filled the room, swirling gently around her body like flowing water. Cold, clear, and pure.
Her eyes widened.
"I… broke through?" she whispered.
Her heart pounded. "The Nine Revolutions Ice Phoenix Technique… it's far stronger than I imagined."
She clenched her fist lightly, feeling the changes in her body. "The value of this cultivation technique is immeasurable…"
Her voice softened. "…Nie Li…"
Then she suddenly shook her head hard.
"No way!" she exclaimed, cheeks puffing as she crossed her arms. "I can't forgive him!"
She turned away with a huff. "Hmph!"
Back in the library.
Nie Li glanced at Karma's face.
Nope. Not staying here.
He slowly stood up, forcing an awkward smile.
"Ahh… I-I'll see you later, Karma," he said carefully.
"B-Bye. Good night."
He took one step back.
Then—
"Sit down."
Nie Li froze.
His spine shivered like it had just been struck by lightning.
"…!"
He gulped.
Slowly—very slowly—he turned back.
"…Y-Yes."
He sat back down immediately
Nie Li stared straight ahead, not daring to move.
I'm dead, he thought.
I'm absolutely dead.
Infont of him, Karma rested his chin on his hand, eyes half-lidded.
The room fell silent once more.