Down in the plaza, Lin Ji'an remained blissfully ignorant of the political and romantic war she had just sparked.
She was just incredibly happy that she didn't have to walk another step on her own, letting herself relax entirely into the cold, unwavering support of her favorite villain.
***
The silence that gripped the Assembly Plaza was so absolute that one could hear the rustle of the silk banners flapping in the high-altitude wind.
The collective gaze of thousands of disciples, elders, and deacons was locked onto the impossible tableau unfolding in the center of the white stone courtyard.
Xie Wangchen, the terrifying,
unapproachable Ice Genius of the Eternal Cloud Peak, was currently acting as a human support beam for a soot-covered, exhausted chef from Class 9.
The possessive, ferocious grip he had on Lin Ji'an's arms was a blatant warning to the universe to keep its distance.
