A Man in the Snow: Starting with a Sword Challenge to the Northern Liang Prince's Palace

Mud Bottle Alley is very quiet.

It was unusually quiet.

Cai Jinjian's body still lay at the alley entrance, the blood already congealed, leaving a dark brown mark on the bluestone slab.

The residents on both sides of the alley kept their doors and windows tightly shut, and no one dared to come out to look. Those idle men who usually sunbathed at the alley entrance had long since disappeared.

Chen Ping'an stood deep in the alley, holding the blood-stained porcelain shard in his hand.

His chest felt like it was on fire, and every breath felt like swallowing a handful of shards of glass. But he didn't sit down or lean against the wall; he just stood there, like a wooden stake driven into the ground.

Fu Nanhua has arrived.

He walked in from the alley entrance with a composed gait, dressed in white as snow, and with a gentle smile on his face.

As he passed Cai Jinjian's body, he glanced down at it, then continued walking as if passing a dead tree.

He stopped when he was three zhang away from Chen Ping'an.

Fu Nanhua uttered the name in a voice that was neither loud nor soft, carrying an indescribable meaning: "You actually killed her."

Chen Ping'an gripped the porcelain shard tightly, his knuckles turning white.

He looked up at the handsome young man and said coldly, "She severed my bridge to immortality, so why can't I kill her?"

Fu Nanhua looked at him and smiled.

Fu Nanhua nodded and said, "She severed your bridge to immortality, so she deserves to die, but she deserves to die, and it's not up to you to kill her."

Chen Ping'an didn't speak, he just stared intently at him.

Fu Nanhua continued, "Do you know who she is? She's a fairy from Yunxia Mountain. You're just a peasant, a mortal. If you kill her, Yunxia Mountain won't let you off the hook, and neither will those who want to curry favor with Yunxia Mountain."

Chen Ping'an's voice was calmer than that of a twelve or thirteen-year-old child: "If they want to come, then let them come."

Fu Nanhua paused for a moment, then smiled, this time with a hint of genuine appreciation in his smile.

"Very interesting, but unfortunately, he's going to die."

His smile faded, and his eyes turned cold.

"It's a pity you killed my woman. Even if she deserved to die, she was still one of my women."

He raised his right hand, joined his index and middle fingers together, and flicked it gently.

A sword aura shot out from his fingertips, aiming straight for Chen Ping'an's brow.

That sword energy was incredibly sharp, carrying its full power. Although the rules of the Lizhu Cave Heaven suppressed its cultivation, it could still easily kill Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an didn't dodge; all he could do was fight.

He turned to the side, avoiding the vital spot between his eyebrows, letting the sword energy graz his left shoulder. Blood splattered, and a piece of flesh was sliced ​​off his left shoulder, almost revealing the bone.

The excruciating pain made his vision go black, but he did not collapse.

He clutched the porcelain shard and lunged at Fu Nanhua.

Fu Nanhua frowned slightly, not expecting this young man to risk his life for his own. He raised his hand and unleashed another sword aura, this time aiming straight for Chen Ping'an's heart.

Chen Ping'an still did not dodge.

He charged forward, letting the sword energy pierce through his right chest. Blood gushed from the wound, staining his tattered short jacket red.

But his speed didn't decrease; instead, it increased.

The distance of three zhang (approximately 10 meters) can be covered in the blink of an eye.

The porcelain shard traced an arc, aiming straight for Fu Nanhua's throat.

Fu Nanhua's pupils contracted, and he retreated rapidly.

He was a cultivator from the mountains, and even with his cultivation suppressed, his movement speed was much faster than that of ordinary people.

But Mud Bottle Alley was too narrow, with earthen walls on both sides and a dead end behind him. Chen Ping'an knew the terrain of this area like the back of his hand, and every move he made sealed off his retreat.

A shard of porcelain grazed Fu Nanhua's neck, drawing a trickle of blood.

Fu Nanhua's expression changed.

He retreated to the end of the alley, his back slamming against the earthen wall, with nowhere to go. Chen Ping'an followed closely, and the porcelain shards pierced him again, this time at his heart.

Fu Nanhua raised his hand and slapped Chen Ping'an in the chest.

That palm strike used all his strength, enough to shatter gold and split rocks. Chen Ping'an was sent flying backward, crashing into the opposite wall, spitting out blood. Using the force of the impact, he lunged forward again.

The porcelain shard pierced through for the third time.

This time it's the eyes.

Fu Nanhua finally panicked.

He had never seen anyone like this before. He was just an ordinary person, seriously injured, and had no chance of winning, yet he fought like a wounded wild beast, relentlessly until the very end.

He raised his hand to block, but Chen Ping'an was too fast. The porcelain shard pierced through his fingers and went straight for his face.

Just as the porcelain shard was about to pierce Fu Nanhua's eyeball.

Time stopped.

It didn't just slow down, it completely stopped.

Chen Ping'an's porcelain shard stopped an inch in front of Fu Nanhua, motionless, and Fu Nanhua's terrified expression froze on his face. Dust in the alley hung in mid-air, sunlight filtering through the dust and refracting into tiny spots of light.

Everything was still.

Qi Jingchun walked from the alley entrance, dressed in a blue robe and carrying a book, his steps unhurried. He walked past Cai Jinjian's corpse, past the still dust, and stood behind Chen Ping'an and Fu Nanhua.

"Chen Ping'an, that's enough."

Time resumed its flow.

Fu Nanhua staggered backward and sat down on the ground with a thud, his face pale.

He reached up and touched his face, his fingers finding a thin line of blood—the mark of a shard of porcelain. Just an inch further, and his eye would have been gone.

He looked up at Qi Jingchun, his lips trembling, wanting to say something but unable to utter a word.

Qi Jingchun didn't look at him, but looked down at Chen Ping'an.

The boy leaned against the wall, covered in blood, with three serious injuries to his left shoulder, right chest, and chest, from which blood could not be stopped flowing.

His face was as white as paper, but his eyes were still bright as he stared intently at Fu Nanhua.

"Mr. Qi, he's trying to kill me," Chen Ping'an said in a hoarse voice.

Qi Jingchun nodded: "I know."

Chen Ping'an gritted his teeth: "He deserves to die."

Qi Jingchun was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Killing him is not the best option."

Chen Ping'an was stunned.

Qi Jingchun looked at him, her eyes filled with heartache and helplessness.

"Chen Ping'an, you've killed Cai Jinjian, that's enough. If you kill him too, there'll be no turning back."

Chen Pingan lowered his head and remained silent.

Qi Jingchun turned to look at Fu Nanhua.

Fu Nanhua had gotten up from the ground and regained his composure. He straightened his clothes, cupped his hands to Qi Jingchun, and said, "Thank you for saving me, Your Majesty."

Qi Jingchun said calmly, "You should be glad I came. If he had killed you, I wouldn't have stopped him. But if you have killed him, I will have stopped him."

Fu Nanhua opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing.

"roll."

Fu Nanhua's face turned ashen. He turned and walked away, but when he reached the alley entrance, he glanced back at Chen Ping'an with hatred and apprehension in his eyes.

Qi Jingchun squatted down and looked at Chen Ping'an.

The boy leaned against the wall, barely able to hold on. His eyelids were drooping, his breathing was getting weaker and weaker, but he was still trying his best not to close his eyes.

Qi Jingchun reached out and gently placed her hand on his shoulder, transferring a gentle stream of spiritual energy to stabilize his injuries.

"Go to sleep," he said.

Chen Ping'an looked at him, his lips moving slightly: "Mr. Qi, Cai Jinjian."

Qi Jingchun said softly, "I will handle it."

Chen Pingan then closed his eyes and fainted.

When he reached the alley entrance, he stopped and glanced at Cai Jinjian's body.

He raised his hand, and a beam of azure light shot from his palm, enveloping the corpse. Fine strands of light appeared on the surface of the corpse, traces of the soul.

Qi Jingchun used the power of a Confucian sage to collect those strands of light one by one and condense them into a ball of light.

The ball of light slowly swirled in his palm, radiating a faint vitality.

He wants to resurrect Cai Jinjian.

It wasn't because he pitied her, but for Chen Ping'an's sake. That child had already carried too much; he couldn't bear the burden of another life, even if that life deserved to end.

Qi Jingchun carefully put away the ball of light and turned to leave.

He suddenly stopped when he reached the corner of the alley.

"Come out," he said.

Ye Yun emerged from the shadows and stood in front of Qi Jingchun.

The two stared at each other for a moment.

Qi Jingchun smiled slightly: "Ye Yun, were you about to make a move just now?"

Ye Yun said frankly, "I almost couldn't hold back. Chen Ping'an can't die. There's a karmic connection between us that we need to resolve."

Qi Jingchun nodded: "I see."

He looked at Ye Yun, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes: "That's why I didn't stop you."

Ye Yun was taken aback.

Qi Jingchun smiled and said, "I know you're watching. With you here, Ping An won't die. That's why I can do what I have to do with peace of mind."

Ye Yun remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Mr. Qi, why didn't you stop him sooner? What if he had really died?"

Qi Jingchun gazed at the distant town and said softly, "He won't die. I'm watching over him, Old Man Yang is watching over him, and you're watching over him."

Ye Yun's heart skipped a beat.

Qi Jingchun patted his shoulder and turned to leave.

After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned back: "Young Master Ye, if you have time tomorrow, please come to the academy for a visit. I have a few words I'd like to say to you."

Ye Yun nodded and said, "Okay."

Qi Jingchun smiled, turned around, and disappeared into the alley.