Deep within these ancient mountains, not a soul was to be found. With Yue'er being so young, and seeing the lion standing guard nearby, she promptly stripped herself bare and leapt into the water. The lion heard a splash behind him and glanced back with concern. Seeing his young mistress splashing about in the water, her face lit up with joy, he finally relaxed. It seemed the young mistress truly knew how to swim. With that settled, the lion needn't fret for her safety; keeping watch on their surroundings would suffice. Yue'er floated in the cool, clear water, the refreshing sensation washing over her body. Lying back with her head resting on a rock, she kicked her feet at the surface, giggling softly. "Mistress, the mountain water is cold. Do not soak too long—its better to get out now!" The lion turned to watch her in the water and called out. "I'll stay a while longer. I haven't washed my hair yet!" Yue'er replied, sinking her body lower until her entire head was submerged. She untied her hair and rinsed it in the water. The lion kept watch over their surroundings while observing her in the water. Suddenly, it whipped its head around and exclaimed, "Mistress, rise at once! Someone approaches!" "What?" Yue'er surfaced, her hair splayed wetly across her face, obscuring her vision. She hastily pushed it aside and scanned the woods, catching a faint glimpse of a figure approaching on a sword. "Quick!" she whispered urgently. "Get into the space!" With a flick of her thoughts, she drew it into the space. Just as she prepared to rise and find cover, the figure emerged from the woods. Startled, she instantly suppressed her aura and sank beneath the water. Xiao Junyan's indifferent gaze swept the surroundings, his handsome brows slightly furrowed. He had distinctly sensed the aura of a Sacred Beast nearby moments ago. How could it have vanished upon reaching this spot? He stood motionless, carefully sweeping the area with his divine sense. Still, he detected nothing. Glancing towards the waterfall, he heard the thunderous roar of the cascading water. The air was thick with mist, and where sunlight met the spray, a rainbow arched brilliantly across the falls. Thus, he strode over. Seeing the water was clear and clean, he crouched down, scooped up a handful from the edge, and washed his face. About two meters upstream from him, Yue'er, holding her breath underwater, could no longer endure it. She quietly surfaced, took a deep breath with her face turned upwards, then slipped back down silently. The roar of the waterfall provided a perfect cover, and Xiao Junyan, two meters downstream, remained oblivious. After washing his face, he took off his upper garment, loosened his sash, and removed his boots. Clad only in his undergarments and barefoot, he made his way to the rock where the waterfall crashed down. There, he sat cross-legged and began to cultivate his spirit energy. The force of the cascading water and its icy chill proved an ideal training ground for one mastering the Frost Art. As his spirit energy circulated within, the qi within his meridians followed suit. His divine sense extended outward, sharpening his five senses and sixth awareness to extraordinary clarity. Yue'er remained submerged in the water. After holding her breath for an extended period without seeing the figure depart, she quietly surfaced to take a breath. Having lingered too long in the icy mountain waters, her small body was beginning to struggle. Her lips trembled slightly, and her teeth chattered softly, emitting a faint, delicate sound.