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

(Thanks to HELL 122 for the donation)

The news of Ye Yun's slaying of a peak Immortal Realm demon spread like wildfire throughout the Sword Qi Great Wall.

The tavern has never been doing so well.

Every day when the door opens, sword cultivators flood in, filling all the tables and chairs. Most of them come to make friends with Ye Yun.

Ye Yun neither chased people away nor tried to be overly attentive; he simply wiped the counter, poured wine, and collected money as usual, just like before.

He had sensed spying auras near the tavern for three consecutive days. The auras were very faint, so faint that ordinary cultivators could not detect them at all, but Ye Yun's sword intent was most sensitive to killing intent.

He could tell which gazes were curious, which were awe-inspiring, and which were probing.

That night, Ye Yun changed into dark clothes, quietly left the tavern, and climbed onto the city wall.

The moonlight was beautiful, shining on the mottled city bricks, giving them a cold, white glow.

The sword cultivators on night watch patrolled in the distance, their torches flickering in the wind. Ye Yun walked along the city wall for a while, found a secluded crenellation, sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes, and spread his divine sense.

Ye Yun suddenly opened his eyes and used his supernatural power, "Return of Light".

Sword intent flowed within his body, and the scene before him began to rewind. He saw himself walking past, and then he saw the sword cultivators patrolling earlier. The scene continued to rewind, stopping two hours earlier.

In the alley outside the tavern, a dark figure clung to the wall, peering towards the tavern.

The shadowy figure was entirely black, like a solidified entity of the night, without a face or outline, only a pair of eerie green eyes gleaming in the darkness.

It lingered in the alley for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, then silently retreated and disappeared at the end of the long street.

Ye Yun wanted to see the face of the dark figure clearly, but the image in the "reflection" was blurred here, as if some force was interfering, or as if the dark figure itself did not have a face that could be seen clearly.

Are they demons?

The next morning, Ye Yun went to the eldest sword immortal's place.

Chen Qingdu was brewing tea in the courtyard. His hair was white, and he was sitting in an old rattan chair. An iron kettle sat on a clay stove in front of him, and the water was boiling, bubbling and steaming.

Upon seeing Ye Yunlai, he did not get up, but simply pointed to the chair opposite him.

"sit."

Ye Yun sat down and recounted what had happened the previous night.

After listening to the story, Chen Qingdu's expression gradually became serious. He poured Ye Yun a cup of tea and remained silent for a moment.

"Barbarians?"

Ye Yun nodded: "That should be true."

Chen Qingdu picked up his teacup and took a sip.

The scalding tea paused for a moment at his lips. He put down the cup and his gaze fell on the distant city wall.

"It seems you have quite a few followers."

Ye Yun remained silent.

Chen Qing looked at him and asked, "Are you scared?"

Ye Yun thought for a moment, then shook his head: "I'm not afraid."

Why?

"Being afraid is useless."

Chen Qingdu suddenly smiled, a smile that contained both approval and a hint of indescribable emotion.

He stood up, walked to the courtyard wall, and took down an old sword that was hanging on the wall.

"Then let's play along and lure the snake out of its hole."

That afternoon, a rumor began to circulate throughout the Sword Qi Great Wall: the tavern owner, Ye Yun, was about to leave the city to carry out a secret mission.

The news spread incredibly fast, abnormally fast.

Ye Yun knew that this was Chen Qingdu's arrangement; he had laid out the bait and was just waiting to see if the snake would bite.

Three days later, Ye Yun left the Sword Qi Great Wall.

He was dressed in an old blue robe, with an ordinary longsword hanging at his waist, and walked slowly south along the desolate path outside the city.

After walking across a rocky beach and crossing a dry riverbed, he entered a narrow canyon with steep cliffs on both sides and the valley floor covered with gravel and withered grass.

When Ye Yun reached the middle of the canyon, he suddenly stopped.

Three dark figures lunged out from the shadows.

The leader was a tall woman in black with a cold and beautiful face. Two short swords hung at her waist. She landed three zhang in front of Ye Yun, while the other two dark figures landed on the mountain walls on either side, blocking his retreat.

The woman in black spoke, her voice icy: "Ye Yun, the God of War wishes to see you."

Ye Yun looked at her, a slight smile playing on his lips; the fish had taken the bait.

"I'll treat him to drinks at the pub, so he can see me anytime."

The woman in black's face darkened, and she placed her right hand on the hilt of her knife.

Just as she was about to draw her sword.

Suddenly, countless sword lights appeared on the mountain walls on both sides of the canyon.

The sword light burst forth from the rocks, from under the withered grass, and from the cracks in the rubble, like a large net that enveloped the entire canyon.

"Actually, I've been waiting for you for several days."

The woman in black's pupils contracted sharply, and she turned to break through the encirclement.

Ye Yun made a move.

Four natal flying swords flew out simultaneously, and the "golden light" transformed into thousands of sword beams, sealing off her retreat. The "cage" silently unfolded, trapping the woman in black inside.

The two dark figures were pulverized by the thousands of sword energies; they were merely two minor demons at the Golden Core stage, used as exploratory pawns.

The woman in black was trapped in the "cage" and struggled desperately. Her cultivation level was Jade Purity Realm, and even with her full power, she could not escape the predicament.

With a thought, Ye Yun's sword shone brightly. It was neither dazzling nor sharp, but it carried an irresistible power, like the will of heaven or the rule of heaven.

As the sword flashed, the black-clad woman's dagger flew out of her hand, and she was pinned to the ground, unable to move.

"Take him back!"

Suddenly, several sword cultivators used specially made chains to bind the woman in black. The chains were covered with runes and were specifically designed to seal the cultivation of demons. Even a powerful demon in the Ascension Realm would not be able to break free once bound.

The woman in black was pinned to the ground, but suddenly burst into laughter.

The laughter was sharp and piercing, echoing through the canyon and startling a flock of crows that seemed to have flown in from nowhere.

"Ye Yun, do you think you've won?" She raised her head, her eyes full of mockery.

"The God of War said that the end of the cycle of reincarnation is the otherworldly demon! You will also walk that path!"

Ye Yun looked at her and frowned.

The Outer Heavenly Demons are the land of evil thoughts of cultivators, the place where the Dao Ancestor suppressed them.

We can only take it one step at a time.

The gates of the Sword Qi Great Wall were already in sight, and sword cultivators were checking passersby at the gates; everything seemed normal.

Chen Qingdu's move was simple, but what Ye Yun didn't understand was that as a fourteenth-realm great sword cultivator of the Great Wall of Sword Qi, he knew everything that happened in the Great Wall of Sword Qi.

Why should he have to go and catch it himself?

Ye Yun stood alone outside the city, gazing at the majestic city wall. Sunlight shone on the wall, making the mottled sword marks and bullet holes particularly clear, like a face covered in scars.

When they returned to the tavern, it was almost dark. Dong Bude sat in his usual spot, a pot of wine in front of him, which he had already drunk more than half of.

Seeing Ye Yun enter, he looked up, a hint of worry in his cloudy old eyes.

"I heard you went out of town, how was it?"

Ye Yun sat down opposite him and poured herself a glass of wine.

"I went out for a walk and actually found something worthwhile."

Dong Bude stared at him for a few moments, then asked no more questions. He simply picked up his wine glass and clinked it against Ye Yun's.

"Be careful, your life is more important."

Ye Yun nodded.

Night fell, and the tavern closed. Ye Yun sat alone behind the counter and downed his drink in one gulp.

Outside the window, a dark shadow silently swept past.

Ye Yun paused slightly, then looked up. Outside the window, there was only moonlight and wind; nothing else.

He frowned, stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.

The night wind blew in, carrying the pungent, untamed smell of the wilderness. He stood by the window, gazing at the long street outside. The street was deserted, save for a few lanterns swaying in the wind, casting a dim, yellowish light.

He looked at it for a long time, then closed the window, walked back to the counter, and sat down.

My fingers tapped lightly on the table, once, once, and again.

Zhou Mi, what you want is that "one". Why did you suddenly come to me? What are you trying to do?