The air in the Moonspring Gardens pavilion crackled, not just with spiritual energy, but with the palpable tension of expectation. Before Long Hu stood the delegation from the Northern Dominion – three elders cloaked in arctic furs, their faces etched with the perpetual skepticism of shrewd merchants, their eyes missing nothing. Behind them, Master Tian stood impassively, his presence a silent guarantee of the Empress's oversight. And in the background, a faint golden glow from Xianxia's sanctum reminded Long Hu of the true audience.
The centerpiece of their tribute: a crystal case containing three 'Frozen Heart Orchids.' Each blossom pulsed with a cold, ethereal light, said to bloom only in the frigid depths of the Northern wastes. They were beautiful, but Long Hu's unique intuition screamed of discord. Beneath the surface beauty, a faint, almost imperceptible chill radiated—a malicious resonance far colder than the orchids' natural aura. It was the same insidious hum he'd felt in the archives, and briefly, in the Moonspring Gardens. A signature of the cosmic shadow.
"Our Frozen Heart Orchids," Elder Theron, the delegation's stern leader, began, his voice raspy like grinding ice. "Purest specimens. But the Azure Heaven Realm is known for its... discerning eye. We await your judgment, Apprentice." A subtle sneer barely touched his lips. It was a test, thinly veiled.
Long Hu met his gaze, then focused on the first orchid. He placed his hands gently on the crystal casing, his unique spiritual sense extending, bypassing the protective array. He delved past the orchid's cold purity, searching for the discordant hum. There it was: a miniscule, almost invisible speck of grey frost, clinging to the orchid's central stamen, a parasitic spiritual ice that absorbed rather than radiated. It was nearly indistinguishable from the flower itself.
He closed his eyes, focusing. This was different from the spiritual impurities in gems or streams. This 'frost' felt... deliberate. Malicious. He drew it in, not into his core, but into the ethereal space where his shattered Dao heart resided. The chill was profound, searing, threatening to freeze his very thoughts. But he held on, his burgeoning resistance fueled by defiance. The grey frost dissipated, leaving behind a faint, almost painful memory of barren landscapes and utter desolation.
The orchid inside the casing pulsed, its cold light intensifying, its petals unfurling a fraction more, shimmering with newfound vitality. The difference was subtle, but undeniable.
Elder Theron's eyes widened, a flicker of surprise breaking through his hardened facade. "Impossible," he muttered, leaning forward. "No purification array... no known method..."
Long Hu moved to the next orchid, then the last, the process growing slightly easier each time. He worked with a quiet intensity, his movements precise, almost ritualistic. The chamber filled with the vibrant, invigorated aura of purified orchids, dispelling the lingering tension.
As he finished the third orchid, and it flared with an unprecedented, pristine cold light, a terrifying vision consumed him: *He saw Elder Theron, not in this pavilion, but years ago, deep within a desolate, frost-bitten void. The same shadowy cosmic figure from his previous memory loomed over Theron, not destroying him, but subtly *touching* him, leaving behind a faint, grey mark—the exact mark of the parasitic frost he had just purified from the orchids. The figure whispered, a chilling promise of power in exchange for... something. Theron's eyes, even then, held a desperate, avaricious gleam.*
Long Hu gasped, clutching the crystal casing, his knuckles white. The vision vanished, leaving him breathless, his body shaking. He looked at Elder Theron, who now stared at the purified orchids with a mixture of awe and dawning apprehension. The elder's face, etched with suspicion, seemed to perfectly mirror the one in his memory. This was no mere test of the palace. This was a direct, terrifying link.
Empress Xianxia, stepping forward from the shadow of her sanctum, regarded the delegation with a triumphant, cool smile. "As you see," her voice was like melting ice, smooth and cutting, "the Azure Heaven Realm's discernment is without equal. Apprentice Long Hu has ensured your tribute is of the highest purity, befitting its origin." Her gaze flickered to Long Hu, a silent command to compose himself.
Elder Theron, his initial skepticism replaced by profound unease, bowed stiffly. "Indeed, Empress. The Azure Heaven Realm's methods are... enlightening. We shall convey your message to our Lord." He avoided looking at Long Hu, his eyes now holding a subtle fear. The delegation made their hurried farewells, their usual bravado replaced by an unnerving haste.
Long Hu stood amidst the now brilliantly glowing orchids, his hands still trembling. The delegation, seemingly just a group of shrewd merchants, were something more. They were connected. And the cosmic shadow, the entity that had shattered him, was weaving its influence even into the heart of other realms. The Empress's game was no longer just about vengeance. It was about survival. And he, her reluctant apprentice, had just discovered the terrifying scope of their shared enemy.