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

Ye Yun did not draw his sword. Not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't. The crystal was in Zhou Mi's hands; if he drew his sword, Zhou Mi could simply move a finger and that wisp of soul would vanish. He released his hand from the hilt of the sword, letting it hang at his side, and the four flying swords were also retrieved, hovering around him, their sword light dim.

Zhou Mi looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips, like watching a fish that had taken the bait but was still struggling. "Clever," he said, turning and walking to the center of the altar. Standing beside the crystal, he gently tapped it with his finger. The crystal rang crisply, like a wind chime. The spirits within dispersed and then gathered again, like startled fish.

"Her soul was very weak," Zhou Mi said. "As weak as an oil lamp about to go out. It would extinguish with a gust of wind, scatter with a touch. Do you know how much effort I had to put in to save her?"

Ye Yun remained silent. He gazed at the soul within the crystal, at the wisp of white, faint smoke that seemed poised to dissipate at any moment. That was Pu She. She was still there; she hadn't completely vanished.

Zhou Mi picked up a crystal shard from the altar and examined it closely. "It was unearthed from ancient ruins. It's a very ancient altar, even older than the Sword Qi Great Wall. The altar is covered in runes, exactly like your Reincarnation Sword Technique." He turned to Ye Yun. "Do you know what this means?"

Ye Yun knew. The Reincarnation Sword Technique wasn't a mortal sword path; it came from beyond the heavens, from the untamed demons. That altar was very likely left behind by that ancient sword immortal who embarked on the path of reincarnation. Zhou Mi had found his legacy.

"What do you want to say?" Ye Yun asked.

Zhou Mi placed the crystal shards back on the altar and clapped his hands. "I want to say, I also have your Samsara Sword Technique. No less than yours." He raised his hand, and a ball of black light appeared in his palm. Within the black light was a small rune, identical to the pattern on Ye Yun's Law Sword. "I have the first to sixth levels of the Samsara Sword Technique. Only the seventh level, I lack."

Ye Yun's pupils contracted slightly. Zhou Mi was also practicing the Reincarnation Sword Technique? He had never heard of it before.

"Surprised?" Zhou Mi laughed. "You thought you were the only one who knew the Samsara Sword Technique? The legacy left by that ancient sword immortal wasn't just one copy. You got one, and I got another. Your copy was modified, with the most dangerous parts removed. Mine is the original. The authentic version."

He clenched his fist, and the black light dissipated. The runes disappeared, but the oppressive feeling in the air remained. Ye Yun sensed a familiar aura—the Samsara Sword Domain. Zhou Mi also mastered the Samsara Sword Domain, but it was different from his; it was more violent and darker, like an untamed beast.

"So now you know why I want you?" Zhou Mi walked up to Ye Yun, only three steps away. "It's not your sword technique, it's you. Your sword technique and my sword technique share the same origin but flow differently. If combined, they can complete the seventh level. The seventh level of the Reincarnation Sword Technique—The Lord of Reincarnation."

Ye Yun stared coldly at him. "You want to become a demon beyond the heavens."

Zhou Mi shook his head. "No. I want to surpass the Outer Heavenly Demon. That ancient sword immortal fell halfway there. I want to finish the path he didn't complete." He opened his arms, as if embracing the entire hall. "The Outer Heavenly Demon is not the end, but the beginning. The true Lord of Reincarnation can control life and death, and can reshape heaven and earth. At that time, what are the Vast World, the Wild World, and the Azure World? They will all be nothing more than pieces on a chessboard."

Ye Yun looked at him calmly. "You're insane."

Zhou Mi smiled. "Perhaps. But only a madman can accomplish great things, isn't he?" He turned and walked back to the altar, picked up the crystal, and held it in his hands as if it were a precious treasure. "This grand sacrifice requires a large number of living souls as a catalyst. I've already sent people to capture them. There are plenty of living beings in this desolate world; we can't capture them all." He looked down at the soul within the crystal. "Her soul is the core of the grand sacrifice. With her, I can communicate with life and death and open the gates of reincarnation."

Ye Yun's fingers trembled. A murderous intent surged from the depths of his heart, as scalding as magma. He wanted to rush forward, kill Zhou Mi with a single sword strike, and snatch the crystal. But he restrained himself. He couldn't act impulsively. Impulsiveness meant death. If he died, Pu She's soul would truly be gone.

"When will your grand ceremony begin?" Ye Yun asked.

Zhou Mi glanced at him, a hint of surprise in his eyes. "You're not going to stop me?"

"Can we stop them?"

Zhou Mi smiled. "Clever." He placed the crystal back in the center of the altar, turned, and walked deeper into the hall. After a few steps, he stopped and said without turning his head, "The great sacrifice is in seven days. You have seven days to think it over: whether you cooperate with me or oppose me." He disappeared into the darkness of the corridor, his footsteps growing fainter and fainter until they could no longer be heard.

Ye Yun stood before the altar, gazing at the crystal for a long time. Four flying swords hovered beside him, their light flickering, mirroring his emotions. He reached out, intending to touch the crystal, but stopped halfway. A transparent barrier surrounded the crystal, runes flowing across it—a meticulously laid restriction. He couldn't reach it.

He pulled his hand back and clenched it into a fist.

"Park She, wait a little longer," he whispered. "I will definitely get you out of here."

He turned and left the main hall. Following the path he had come from, he traversed the corridors, avoiding sentries and patrols, and slipped out of the formation through the weak point in the northwest corner. Once outside the palace grounds, he sat down behind a hill, cross-legged, eyes closed, the Sword of Law hovering above his head, slowly rotating.

Seven days. He only has seven days.

Zhou Mi's grand sacrifice requires a large number of living souls. He can't save the innocent souls captured, but he can stop the sacrifice. The core of the sacrifice is Pu She's soul; as long as he steals the crystal, the sacrifice cannot proceed. But how? The palace is heavily guarded, Zhou Mi possesses the strength of the fourteenth realm, and there are countless powerful demons. Forcibly taking it would be suicide.

Ye Yun opened his eyes and took out the jade pendant that A Liang had given him from his pocket. It was blue, round, with a square hole in the center and the character "Liang" engraved on it. A Liang had said that if he encountered any difficulties in the wilderness, he should go to this place, mention his name, and someone would help him. But that place was deep in the wilderness, and it would take at least three days to travel there and back. He only had seven days; three days for the round trip, leaving him four days to prepare—that would be enough time.

He clutched the jade pendant in his hand, stood up, and walked deeper into the wilderness.

After two days of walking, they found the place Ah Liang had mentioned. It was a small village hidden in a valley, inhabited not by demons, but by humans. Humans also existed in the Wilderness World, mostly descendants of slaves captured by the demons. They had lived in the Wilderness for generations and no longer spoke the language of the Great Wilderness World. Ye Yun took out the jade pendant, gestured, and said "Ah Liang." An old man looked at the jade pendant, then at Ye Yun, nodded, and led him into a stone house.

Three people were sitting in the house. Two men and one woman, all sword cultivators, veterans of the Sword Qi Great Wall. One was surnamed Zhang, one Li, and one Wang. They had guarded the Sword Qi Great Wall for hundreds of years. After the Great Wall fell, they didn't go to the Vast World, but came to the Wilderness, lying in wait for an opportunity.

"Boss Ye?" Old Zhang stood up, looked him up and down, and said, "Ah Liang mentioned you. He said you would come."

Ye Yun nodded. "I need help."

Old Zhang smiled. "We've been waiting for this day for a long time."

Ye Yun led the three people back. The journey took two and a half days, half a day faster than the way there. By the time they returned to the hills near the palace, it was already evening of the sixth day. Tomorrow was the day of the grand ceremony.

Ye Yun lay prone on the hill, using "Reflection of Light" to spy on the array surrounding the palace. The array had changed; it was more secure than a few days ago, the runes glowed brighter, and the patrols were spaced closer together. Zhou Mi knew he was nearby and was on guard against him.

"How do we fight?" Old Zhang asked.

Ye Yun gazed at the distant palace, remaining silent for a moment. "When the grand ceremony begins tomorrow, Zhou Mi will be standing on the altar. At that time, his attention will be on the crystal, making it the weakest point in his defenses. I'll enter from the front to draw his attention. You guys will flank from the side and seize the crystal."

Old Zhang frowned. "You're going to attract it head-on by yourself? That's suicide."

Ye Yun nodded. "Perhaps. But this is the only way to buy you time."

The three men exchanged a glance, remaining silent. Ye Yun took out a portrait of Nangong Pushe from his robes, unfolded it, and looked at it. His white robes were as pure as snow, his demeanor as aloof as plum blossoms. He folded the portrait, placed it back in his robes, and held it close to his heart.

"Tomorrow," he said, "either I take her away, or I stay here with her."

No one speaks.

Night fell. The desolate night was as black as ink, so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face. Ye Yun sat cross-legged on the hill, four flying swords hovering around him, and the Sword of Law slowly rotating above his head. He did not sleep; he closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into the lake of his heart.

In the lake of my heart, the water is still, like a mirror. Standing on the lake is a person—clad in white as snow, pure and aloof like a plum blossom. Nangong Pushe.

Ye Yun looked at her, and she looked at Ye Yun. The two of them were separated by the lake, and neither of them spoke.

"Park She," Ye Yun finally spoke, "I'll pick you up tomorrow."

Nangong Pushe didn't speak. She looked at him, her eyes calm, as calm as a lake. Then she smiled. A very faint smile, almost imperceptible, but Ye Yun saw it. It was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen in his life.

Ye Yun opened his eyes. Dawn had broken. A hazy light pierced through the gray mist, illuminating the desolate land. In the distance, the deep, resonant sound of drums echoed from the direction of the palace. The grand sacrifice had begun.

Ye Yun stood up, dusted himself off, and four flying swords hovered at his sides, their light brighter than ever before. The Sword of Law hung above his head, its tip pointing towards the palace.

"Let's go," he said.

The four people rushed down the hill and ran towards the palace.