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

The demon race's offensive came faster than expected.

Just past noon, the horns sounded again outside the city. This time, instead of a low, muffled thunder, they were sharp, piercing screechs, like some wild beast being skinned alive. The demon army regrouped, with the three-headed immortal-level demon still holding the line, but their formation had changed. They no longer surged forward like a tide, but instead split into three routes: flanking from the left and right, and launching a strong attack from the center.

Ye Yun opened his eyes, tucked the wine gourd into his waistband, and stood up.

With a hum, the four flying swords hovered at his sides once more. He glanced at Dong Bude, who was still dozing beside him, and kicked the old man: "Get up, you're here."

Dong Budong suddenly woke up with a start, grabbed "Hanmei," wiped the blood from his face, and squinted at the outside of the city: "Damn it, again?"

The surviving sword cultivators on the city wall rose to their feet. Their numbers were 30% fewer than the first wave, and some were so injured they could barely stand, but no one retreated.

Ning Yao stood at the highest point, her white clothes soaked in blood, her voice hoarse but still firm: "We've held on! Hold on for one more wave! Reinforcements are on their way!"

No one knew if reinforcements would come, but everyone believed it.

When the second wave of attacks crashed into the city wall, the entire Great Wall of Sword Qi trembled.

On the left flank was a group of rhinoceros-like monsters with single horns on their heads, which rammed into the city gate one after another, making a dull thud.

The right flank was made up of avian demons, swooping down from the sky, their sharp claws tearing at the swordsmen on the city walls. The central route was the most ferocious, with demonic beasts climbing the walls, knives in their mouths, using all four claws, their climbing speed astonishing.

Ye Yun guarded the middle section, unleashing four swords simultaneously, slaying wave after wave of demons. But the number of demons was simply too great; one wave was killed, and another appeared, seemingly endless.

The "golden light" split into hundreds of beams, slicing down a flock of birds. The "purple sky" summoned heavenly lightning, blasting apart a group of creatures climbing the wall. The "cage" trapped a Jade Purity Realm demon beast, which was then beheaded with a single strike of the "Sword of Law." Ye Yun's hands were sore from killing, and his arms ached so much he could barely lift them, but he dared not stop; to stop meant certain death.

Dong Bude was on his left, and the old man was killing even more fiercely than in the first wave. His left arm was already useless, hanging limply at his side, so he wielded his sword with one hand, stabbing again and again into the monster's belly, twisting it, and then pulling it out. Blood splattered all over his face, but he didn't even blink.

"Old Dong, to your left!" Ye Yun shouted.

Dong was unable to turn sideways, and a wolf demon missed its target, its throat pierced by Dong's sword.

But the city's defenses were crumbling bit by bit. The sword cultivators were exhausted, too many were injured, and the demon race's offensive was growing ever more ferocious. Some were dragged off the city walls by demonic beasts, their screams quickly drowned out. Some were corroded by the poisonous mist, their bodies festering and collapsing to the ground. Some were snatched up by flying beasts, then thrown down and smashed into a bloody pulp.

Ye Yun was swinging his sword when suddenly his heart skipped a beat.

It wasn't a premonition of impending danger, but rather an inexplicable unease, like a needle pricking his heart. While slaying the demons, he also focused his attention on sensing something amiss—something was wrong; there was unusual activity behind him.

He turned around.

When he turned around, his blood seemed to freeze.

Sword Qi at the Great Wall gate.

The city gates are opening.

It wasn't opened by the demon race; it was opened from the inside by someone.

A middle-aged swordsman clad in armor stood beside the city gate winch, holding a token in his hand. The token emitted an eerie black light, which writhed like a living thing and spread along the winch's iron chains.

The winch turned, and the heavy city gate slowly opened, revealing a massive, dark army of demons outside.

"What are you doing?!" a sword cultivator nearby exclaimed.

The man was expressionless, his eyes vacant, as if his soul had been ripped out. He turned around, looking in the direction of the city wall, and his lips twitched slightly, whether in a smile or a twitch was unclear.

Then he leaped off the city wall and landed in the demon army.

Instead of tearing him apart, the demons parted to make way for him. He stumbled and ran towards the three-headed immortal demon, his figure quickly disappearing into the black tide.

"spy!"

"Someone has opened the city gates!"

"Stop him! Close the city gates immediately!"

Chaos reigned on the city walls.

But it was too late. The city gates were wide open, and the demons outside swarmed in, trampling through the gate openings and squeezing like meat patties to get inside.

At the forefront was a group of wild boar-like monsters with tusks like knives, which smashed through the defensive fortifications in the city gate and rushed into the city.

The defenses of the Sword Qi Great Wall collapsed instantly.

The sword cultivators on the city wall panicked. Some shouted to close the city gates, some shouted to kill the enemy, and some stood there helplessly. The demon race's offensive poured in through the breach in the city gates, attacking from both sides, leaving the city wall attacked from both sides.

Ye Yun had only one thought in his mind: the city gate must not be lost.

If the city gates fall, the demon army will advance unimpeded, and the Sword Qi Great Wall will be finished.

There are still wounded, women and children, and those who cannot fight inside the city. The sword cultivators on the city walls will be surrounded, and none of them will survive.

He did not hesitate.

Ye Yun leaped from the city wall, his four flying swords clearing a path, carving a bloody trail through the surging tide of demons. He landed on the ground, his feet sinking into a pool of blood, his back against the city gate, his face facing the endless demons outside the city.

"Golden Light" transformed into a golden light curtain, blocking the way. "Purple Cloud" summoned heavenly lightning, shattering the demonic beast charging at the forefront. "Cage" transformed into black chains, blocking the gaps on both sides of the city gate. "Sword of Law" hung above his head, ready to sever any attack based on the laws of nature.

He alone blocked the city gate.

The torrent of demons crashed against him like waves hitting rocks, shattering and dispersing, only to surge forth again. A Nascent Soul realm demon beast lunged forward, only to be cleaved in two by the "golden light." Two Golden Core realm demon beasts circled around from the side, trapped in the "cage," their hearts pierced by the "Sword of Law." Three, five, ten—they were endless.

Ye Yun quickly sustained new wounds. The claws of a Jade Purity Realm demon beast slashed across his back, tearing five deep gashes that exposed bone. A venomous snake demon beast bit his calf, injecting venom that caused his entire leg to go numb. He gritted his teeth, severed the snake's head with his sword, and used "Purple Cloud" to summon heavenly lightning to burn the wound, charring the flesh black before barely stopping the spread of the venom.

But he dared not back down.

If we retreat, the city gates will truly be lost.

Someone on the city wall shouted, "Boss Ye is down there all alone!"

"Go help him!"

"The city gates! Close the city gates first!"

Qian Shouxin led a group of swordsmen down the city wall. He was covered in blood, a broken arrow lodged in his left shoulder, and he limped as he ran. He rushed to the city gate winch and saw that the black light left by the traitor was still spreading, and the strange power of the token was corroding the winch's mechanism.

"Damn it!" Qian Shouxin kicked the winch, turned around and shouted to the swordsman behind him, "Get a few of you to help! Get rid of this damn light!"

Several sword cultivators rushed forward, slashing with their swords, tearing with their hands, and dispersing with their spiritual energy. The black light seemed alive, scattering and then gathering again, becoming even denser than before.

Outside the city gate, Ye Yun was almost at his breaking point.

The spiritual energy of the four flying swords was rapidly depleting, and his wounds multiplied, leaving blood pooling on the ground. His vision began to darken, and his ears rang, but he remained standing, not retreating an inch.

"Close the city gates!" he shouted, turning around, his voice hoarse and barely human. "Quickly!"

Qian Shouxin gritted his teeth, took out a talisman from his pocket, and stuck it on the winch. The talisman burned, and the black light finally began to fade. He and several sword cultivators turned the winch together, and the heavy city gate slowly closed.

One foot, two feet, three feet.

Outside the city gate, Ye Yun was still desperately trying to hold off the demons. A Jade Purity Realm bear demon rushed over and struck him in the chest with a paw, breaking two of his ribs. He was sent flying backward and crashed into the city gate.

But he immediately stood up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and continued killing.

The city gates were finally closed.

At the very last moment before the gates closed, the three-headed immortal demon moved.

Instead of rushing towards the city gate, they attacked simultaneously.

The tiger demon unleashed a punch, the force transforming into a black beam of light that pierced through the city gate and hurtled towards Ye Yun. The snake demon spewed out a cloud of poisonous mist, its green tinged with black, corroding the air in its wake. The eagle demon flapped its wings, sending countless feathers flying like arrows.

A joint sneak attack by three peak-level immortal demons.

Ye Yun had nowhere to avoid it.

He gritted his teeth, and the four flying swords retracted, protecting him. "Golden Light" formed a shield, "Purple Cloud" wove a net, "Cage" formed a wall, and "Sword of Law" erected the last barrier.

boom--

Ye Yun was blasted away, crashing through the two wooden fences in the city gate and falling onto the street inside the city, rolling for more than ten feet before coming to a stop.

Ye Yun was ambushed by three powerful demons and lost consciousness in an instant.

He heard someone calling him, heard footsteps running from afar, and heard Qian Shouxin's voice: "Boss Ye! Boss Ye, hang in there!"

In a daze, he saw a figure rushing towards him, white-haired, covered in blood, carrying a sword.

Dong Bude.

The old man squatted down, turned him over, carried him on his back, and stood up to run towards the city. Dong Bude's left arm was completely useless, so he could only support Ye Yun's body with his right arm, running unsteadily, but quickly.

"You brat, don't die!" Dong Bude's voice rang in my ears, trembling.

"You fucking bastard, don't you dare die!"

Ye Yun wanted to laugh, but felt her eyelids were very heavy, so she closed her eyes and fell asleep.