Wu Juan’s expression darkened like a stormy sea. Her slender fingers twirled swiftly as she cried aloud, “Strike!” The vast net woven from her long silken ribbons suddenly crisscrossed and twisted chaotically like tangled hemp. Several long ribbons extended outward, swiftly coiling tightly around the golden bracelet worn on the arm of Shi Hufa, whose body radiated brilliant golden light.
The golden bracelet was emitting powerful golden rays, suppressing Yang Jin’s puppets so that they could barely raise their heads. Suddenly, Wu Juan’s ribbons wrapped tightly around the bracelet, entangling its golden rays. Taken completely off guard, the golden light was instantly bound into a massive bundle of cloth.
Wu Juan’s figure soared gracefully like a swallow darting through the trees. Accompanying her elegant form was the silk handkerchief embroidered with peonies that had first appeared when she arrived. Suddenly, the handkerchief expanded dozens of times in size, like a giant silk curtain. With a flick, it unfurled and enveloped Wu Juan, spinning around and pulling in the unsteady Yang Jin beside her. Wu Juan cried, “Ah Jin, let’s go!”
The silk handkerchief wrapped both of them tightly, transforming into a wisp of light smoke that shot straight toward the window.
Wu Juan’s expression was as calm as still water. With a flick of her slender fingers, she shouted, “Now!” The massive net formed by the long silk ribbons suddenly crisscrossed, twisting into a tangled mess. Several long ribbons extended from the chaos, swiftly wrapping tightly around the radiant red bracelet of the Stone Guardian, which was emitting golden light.
The red bracelet, which had been suppressing Yang Jin’s puppet with its golden rays, was suddenly ensnared by Wu Juan’s ribbons. The golden light was tightly entangled, and in an instant, the bracelet was wrapped into a large cloth bundle.
Wu Juan’s figure soared like a swift swallow through the forest. Along with her graceful movement, the embroidered handkerchief adorned with peonies, which had appeared when she first revealed herself, also rose into the air. The handkerchief suddenly expanded dozens of times its original size, resembling a vast curtain. It unfurled and enveloped Wu Juan, then spun around, also catching the faltering Yang Jin within its folds. Wu Juan called out, “Ah Jin, let’s go!”
The handkerchief, now carrying both of them, transformed into a wisp of smoke and darted straight towards the window.
The Stone Guardian, witnessing this, was not alarmed but instead let out a cold laugh. “Trying to escape? Where do you think you’re going?” Ignoring the ensnared red bracelet in the air, he raised his left hand high, forming a fist, and chanted, “Invincible Vajra, suppress the evil. Command!” A shadowy fist shot out, catching up to the rapidly fleeing handkerchief and striking it, sending it spinning sideways.
With a loud thud, the handkerchief hit the ground, and Wu Juan and Yang Jin were thrown out, landing hard on the floor. Yang Jin, already weakened, was dazed and unable to get up. Wu Juan quickly rose to help him. Yang Jin initially wanted to push her hand away but hesitated and allowed her to assist him to his feet.
The Stone Guardian laughed heartily. “I always knew you were treacherous, and now I’ve caught you red-handed. Did you really think you could act against me just because you’re a sect leader? You’re only tolerated because of the sect leader’s favor. Now, for this boy, you’ve committed treason. Even the sect leader can’t save you now. First, I’ll deal with him, then you!”
With that, he clenched his fist and chanted, thrusting it forward. A shadowy fist shot out like a spear, straight towards Yang Jin.
The shadowy fist moved with lightning speed, reaching Yang Jin in an instant. Despite Yang Jin desperately commanding his puppet to come to his aid, the puppet had just freed itself from the golden light of the red bracelet and was too far away to help in time.
Wu Juan, seeing this, was terrified. She knew the Stone Guardian’s Vajra Shadow Fist was indestructible. If it hit Yang Jin, he would surely die. Her ribbons were occupied with the red bracelet, and her handkerchief was damaged. With no other tools at her disposal, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and pull Yang Jin behind her, shielding him with her own body.
Just as the shadowy fist was about to strike Yang Jin, Wu Juan moved swiftly, positioning herself between Yang Jin and the fist. The fist struck her lightly, as if it had no force, but it pierced through her body, emerging from her chest.
Yang Jin, who had thought he was doomed, was pulled aside by Wu Juan, stumbling as he watched her take the blow. A bloody hand emerged from her chest, and he let out a scream of despair.
Wu Juan looked at Yang Jin, wanting to speak, but blood gushed from her mouth, splattering onto Yang Jin. He was at a loss, reaching out but unsure what to do. Wu Juan, with a determined look, pushed him away and clasped her hands together, using all her strength to chant, “Frozen for a thousand miles, solidify!”
As her chant ended, ice began to form from the point where the fist had pierced her chest, spreading rapidly. The ice was not ordinary; it was crystal clear, like pure crystal, and under the moonlight, it shimmered, freezing the shadowy fist within her body.
The Stone Guardian, shocked that his fist had struck Wu Juan instead of Yang Jin, was momentarily stunned. Wu Juan’s ice spell locked his spiritual energy within the fist. Before he could react, he felt himself lifted into the air. Looking down, he saw that four puppets had sneaked up behind him and grabbed him.
Realizing that the puppets, which had been suppressed by his red bracelet, had been freed when Wu Juan ensnared it, the Stone Guardian panicked. He tried to cast a spell to escape, but one of the puppets bit into his arm, tearing off a chunk of flesh. The other three puppets pounced, biting into him, and he screamed in agony as he struggled with them.
Yang Jin, having successfully commanded the puppets to ambush the Stone Guardian, turned to see Wu Juan, her body from the chest down, along with the monstrous hand, completely encased in ice. Her face was pale as snow, her eyes deeply gazing at him, yet she smiled.
“Wu… sister, how… how did it come to this…” Yang Jin embraced Wu Juan, his hands trembling, unsure of what to do, and suddenly burst into tears.
Since his family’s tragedy, Yang Jin had cried countless times. He had been a pampered young master, never having experienced true hardship. Suddenly, his world had turned upside down: his father died tragically in prison, his family was exiled, and soon after, his only remaining relative, his brother, also passed away. It was a series of unbearable sorrows.
But since being rescued by the sect and vowing to avenge his father, he had steeled his heart and not shed a single tear. Yet tonight, discovering that he had been used, that his father had been cursed and framed, and that the sect had no intention of helping him, he realized the truth. The only one who truly cared for him was Wu Juan, who was now gravely injured and likely beyond saving. Recalling how he had deceived and manipulated her, he was overwhelmed with regret and sorrow, unable to hold back his tears.
“Ah Jin, are you finally crying for me?” Wu Juan smiled, struggling to lift her un-frozen arm to wipe Yang Jin’s tears.
Yang Jin grabbed her hand, placing it over his heart, and sobbed, “Sister, how are you feeling? What… what can we do?”
Wu Juan smiled softly. “Don’t cry, Ah Jin. Actually, this is good. I once told you I liked you, and though you brushed it off, you never believed me. Now that I’ve given my life for you, you should believe me, right?”
Yang Jin cried out, “Sister, I’m sorry. Everything I said before was a lie. I understand now, I really do. Please, don’t die, okay?”
Wu Juan sighed faintly. “When I was young, my mother told me that a woman’s life is about waiting for the man destined for her. I never thought that when I met you, it would be too late… I often fantasized about starting over, how wonderful that would be. Ah Jin, I liked you from the moment I saw you. You approached me, called me sister, said you liked me, but it was all to deceive me into showing you the secret manuals. Yet, I was still happy, even knowing you were lying… Ah Jin, if I die and reincarnate as a good woman, would you marry me when we meet again?”
Yang Jin nodded repeatedly, crying too hard to speak.
In Wu Juan’s bittersweet smile, tears filled her eyes, a mix of joy and sorrow. Suddenly, she felt a surge of immense spiritual energy from the shadowy fist in her chest, overwhelming her ice spell. She turned to see a figure staggering to its feet—it was the Stone Guardian, who had been trapped by the puppets. Alarmed, she quickly turned back, wanting to warn Yang Jin.
Yang Jin saw the look of shock in Wu Juan’s tearful eyes, and before she could speak, the icy hand embedded in her chest trembled. The ice spread rapidly, freezing her from head to toe, her face still bearing the expression of shock as she tried to speak.
Yang Jin turned to see the Stone Guardian, now free but covered in wounds, bloodied and crazed.
With a roar, the Stone Guardian retracted the shadowy fist, now shrunk to a fraction of its size. The frozen Wu Juan, under the impact, cracked like a spider’s web from her chest outward, her beautiful face shattering into ice crystals, her body disintegrating into a flurry of snowflakes.
With a loud crash, the handkerchief slammed to the ground, ejecting Wu Juan and Yang Jin forcefully. Yang Jin, already weakened, was thrown down and dazed, unable to rise. Seeing this, Wu Juan quickly stood and rushed to support him. Though Yang Jin initially tried to shake off her hand, he suddenly froze, made no further move, and allowed Wu Juan to help him stand up with great effort.
Shi Hufa laughed loudly, “I’ve always known you were a wicked girl. Just as I suspected! Heh, you never even considered that although you’re a sect leader, everyone only tolerates you out of respect for the sect leader. Did you really think you could get away with fighting back? This time, you’ve committed a betrayal for this boy. I’m afraid even the sect leader won’t be able to protect you anymore. First, I’ll deal with this boy, then I’ll handle you!”
Saying this, he formed his fingers into a fist, chanted incantations, and thrust forward. Instantly, a massive fist-shaped shadow flew straight like a spear, aiming directly at Yang Jin.
The fist-shaped shadow came with lightning speed, reaching Yang Jin’s face in the blink of an eye. Though Yang Jin desperately commanded his puppet to come to his rescue, the puppet had just barely escaped the golden light from the bracelet and was still more than ten paces away. How could it possibly arrive in time?
Seeing this, Wu Juan was terrified, her face paling. She knew all too well that Shi Hufa’s Vajra shadow fist was invincible, capable of shattering anything. If it landed a direct hit, Yang Jin would have no chance of survival. Her ribbons were still binding the golden bracelet, and her silk handkerchief was already damaged. She had no other magical tools left. In this desperate moment, she gritted her teeth, pulled Yang Jin behind her with all her strength, and positioned her own body in front of him as a shield.
Just as the fist was about to strike Yang Jin, Wu Juan suddenly moved, twisting her body to block the path between Yang Jin and the fist. The fist lightly brushed against her, as if it had encountered no resistance at all. It pierced straight through her back and burst out from her chest and abdomen.
Yang Jin had thought this blow would surely end his life. Unexpectedly, Wu Juan pulled him aside, causing him to stumble. Then he watched helplessly as Wu Juan threw herself in front of him. With a bloodcurdling scream, a blood-soaked giant hand pierced through Wu Juan’s body.
Yang Jin opened his mouth in stunned silence, staring blankly at Wu Juan’s beautiful face twisted in pain, his eyes filled with disbelief. Then he saw the blood-soaked hand protruding from her chest and abdomen. Shocked into action, he let out a despairing scream.
Wu Juan looked at Yang Jin as if she wanted to say something. As she opened her mouth, a jet of blood shot out, splattering across Yang Jin’s body in droplets. Overwhelmed and not knowing what to do, Yang Jin reached out his hands helplessly. Wu Juan’s face was filled with determination. She looked at Yang Jin for a moment, then pushed him away with the last of her strength. With both hands clasped together, she rasped with all her might, “Frost over a thousand miles, freeze!”
As Wu Juan’s incantation ended, starting from where the fist had pierced her chest and abdomen, her entire body was suddenly encased in ice. This ice was unlike ordinary ice—it was pure and crystal-like, glowing translucent under the moonlight. Even the shadow of the giant fist was frozen solid inside her body.
Shi Hufa had not expected his punch to strike Wu Juan, who had sacrificed herself to protect Yang Jin. Seeing the punch pierce through her body, his heart trembled. He was momentarily stunned. When Wu Juan’s “Frost over a thousand miles” froze his spiritual essence bound within the fist shadow, Shi Hufa was shocked. Just as he tried to summon his magic to break free, suddenly he felt his feet leave the ground. Looking down, he was horrified to find himself grabbed by four puppets sneaking up from behind, lifted high into the air.
Shi Hufa was startled and immediately tried to chant a spell to escape. But he felt a sharp pain in his arm as one of the puppets opened its massive mouth and bit into his forearm, spurting blood and tearing off a large chunk of flesh. The other three puppets pounced as well, each opening their bloodstained mouths, revealing cold, gleaming teeth, and biting down. Shi Hufa screamed in pain as he rolled on the ground entangled with the four puppets.
Yang Jin, having successfully commanded the four puppets to ambush Shi Hufa, hurriedly turned to look at Wu Juan. From her chest downward, including the monstrous hand, she had completely turned into a frozen statue. At this moment, Wu Juan’s face was pale like snow, her eyes gazing deeply at him, yet a faint smile remained on her face.
“Wu… Sister, how could you… be like this…” Yang Jin rushed forward, embracing Wu Juan, his hands trembling helplessly, suddenly bursting into tears.
Since his family’s great tragedy, Yang Jin had cried countless times. He had been a spoiled young master, never having tasted the bitterness of life. Suddenly, his world turned upside down—his father died tragically in prison, his family was exiled, and soon after, his only remaining relative, his older brother, also died. It was an unbearable grief.
However, since being rescued by members of the sect, vowing revenge, and seeking to save his father, he had been filled with sorrow but hadn’t shed a single tear. But tonight, upon suddenly learning that he had been manipulated, that his father had been cursed and framed, and that the sect had unknowingly failed to help him, he finally understood Wu Juan, who truly cared for him. Yet now, she was grievously wounded, clearly beyond salvation. Recalling his previous deception and betrayal of Wu Juan, he felt unbearable regret and pain, tears finally streaming down uncontrollably.
“Ah Jin, you finally cried for me, didn’t you?” Wu Juan smiled, still managing to lift her unfrozen hand with great effort to wipe Yang Jin’s tears.
Yang Jin tightly grasped Wu Juan’s hand, placing it against his heart, sobbing loudly, “Sister, how are you feeling? What should we do now?”
Wu Juan smiled gently, “Don’t cry, Ah Jin. Actually, this is fine. Before, when I told you I loved you, you only gave me polite responses but never truly believed me. Now I’ve given my life for you. You must believe me now, right?”
Yang Jin cried out, “Sister, I’m so sorry. Everything I said before was a lie. Now I understand. Please don’t die, okay?”
Wu Juan sighed softly, “When I was little, my mother told me that a woman’s life is all about waiting for the man destined for her. I never expected that by the time I met you, it was already too late… I often imagined foolishly, how wonderful it would be if everything could start over. Ah Jin, the moment I saw you, I liked you. You approached me, calling me ‘sister,’ saying you loved me, only to trick me into stealing the secret manual for you. Yet I still felt happy, even knowing you were deceiving me… Ah Jin, when I’m gone, if I’m reborn as a good woman in my next life and meet you again, will you marry me?”
Yang Jin nodded repeatedly, sobbing so hard he couldn’t speak another word.
Wu Juan’s bitter smile carried tears brimming in her eyes, a mixture of sorrow and joy. Suddenly, she felt a surge of immense energy from the wound where the fist had pierced her chest. The ice binding her could no longer contain it. She turned her head and saw a figure shakily rising—it was Shi Hufa, who had previously been captured by the puppets. Alarmed, she quickly turned back, wanting to warn Yang Jin.
Yang Jin saw the sudden surprise flash in Wu Juan’s tear-filled eyes. Then, before she could speak, the icy hand protruding from her chest suddenly trembled. The frosty cracks rapidly spread upward from her chest and neck, freezing her from head to toe into an ice statue. Her face remained frozen in the expression of shock as her mouth opened to speak.
Yang Jin quickly turned his head and saw that Shi Hufa had somehow broken free. His entire body was a mess of wounds, bleeding profusely like a blood-soaked figure, his eyes burning with madness.
With a furious roar, Shi Hufa pulled the fist shadow back. It had shrunk to just a few inches in size. The impact of this movement caused dozens of cracks to spread like a spiderweb from Wu Juan’s chest outward across her frozen body. Her exquisitely beautiful face shattered into fragments of ice crystals, and in an instant, her entire body disintegrated into a flurry of snowflakes, scattering into the air.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage