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

When Chen Ping'an rushed onto the altar, Zhou Mi was standing in the center, his body shrouded in black mist.

The mist seemed to have a life of its own, swirling around Zhou Mi, occasionally entering his mouth and nose, then emerging from his pores. Each time it entered, Zhou Mi's aura grew stronger, but his face paled a little more.

He was burning his own life.

Chen Ping'an could see clearly that Zhou Mi's hair was mostly white, his skin was as dry as tree bark, his eye sockets were deep-set, and his cheekbones were prominent. But his eyes were frighteningly bright, like two will-o'-the-wisps.

The stabbings were performed simultaneously on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month.

One sword to the throat, one sword to the heart. This is Chen Ping'an's most frequently used starting stance—simple, direct, and without any frills.

Zhou Mi raised his hand, his arm covered in black scales. Chu Yi stabbed at it, producing a piercing metallic sound, leaving only a white mark. Shi Wu followed closely behind, stabbing at the same spot, deepening the white mark slightly, but still failing to pierce through.

"Is that all you've got?" Zhou Mi grinned, revealing a mouthful of black teeth.

He struck out with his palm, the wind from which carried black mist. Before it even reached his face, Chen Ping'an could smell a putrid stench, like a corpse that had been rotting for years.

Chen Ping'an didn't take the blow head-on, but dodged to the side. The palm strike grazed his ear and hit the stone pillar behind him. A black palm print immediately appeared on the pillar, and the stone around the print corroded, making a sizzling sound.

Zhou Mi's speed was much faster than he had expected.

The second palm strike came immediately afterward. Chen Ping'an had no time to dodge and could only raise his sword to block. Chu Yi held the sword in front of him and took the blow head-on.

"boom--"

Chen Ping'an was sent flying backward, crashing into a stone pillar at the edge of the altar. The pillar broke, and shards of stone rained down on him. He coughed up blood, his chest feeling as if a heavy rock was pressing down on it.

"Peace!" Ning Yao shouted, and was about to rush over.

They blocked her way from both sides.

"Don't rush." ​​Zuo You's voice was calm, but the veins on his sword-wielding hand were bulging. "Aim carefully before you strike."

Ah Liang has already moved.

Instead of attacking head-on, he circled around to Zhou Mi's rear. His swordsmanship was never about fancy moves; it was all about speed and power. This strike, imbued with all his strength, slammed into the back of Zhou Mi's neck.

The blade sliced ​​into flesh, severing the cervical vertebrae, and cutting from the back of the neck down to the shoulder. Black blood gushed out, splattering all over Ah Liang's face.

Zhou Mi let out a scream, a sound that didn't sound human, but more like the roar of some wild beast. He turned around abruptly and clawed at A Liang's head.

Ah Liang couldn't dodge in time and was struck on the shoulder by the claw's force. Three deep, bloody gashes immediately appeared on his shoulder, revealing the bone, and blood flowed down his arm.

But instead of retreating, he took a step forward and thrust his sword at Zhou Mi's chest again.

This time, Zhou Mi was on guard. Black mist condensed into a shield on his chest, blocking A Liang's sword. At the same time, his arm suddenly lengthened, coiling around A Liang's arm like a snake.

Ah Liang's expression changed, and he tried to break free, but Zhou Mi's arms were like iron hoops, tightening more and more. He heard his arm bones creaking, as if they were about to break at any moment.

The swords on either side arrived.

His sword was the fastest and most accurate, aimed straight for Zhou Mi's eye. Zhou Mi had no choice but to release A Liang and raise his hand to shield his eyes. Swords from both sides pierced through his palms, their tips emerging from the back of his hands.

Zhou Mi roared and lashed out to the left and right with his other hand. Zuo You and Yu released their swords and retreated, but they weren't fast enough. The claws swept across their chests, tearing their clothes and revealing the flesh beneath. Five bloody gashes appeared on their flesh, dripping with blood.

Chen Ping'an climbed out of the rubble, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and rushed back up.

The first and fifteenth of the lunar month drew an arc in the air, one to the left and one to the right, aiming for Zhou Mi's ribs. Zhou Mi blocked with both hands, but A Liang and the others attacked simultaneously, diverting his attention.

Ah Liang slashed at his knee with one sword and thrust at his back with the other.

Zhou Mi had to divide his attention into three parts, splitting the black mist into three streams to block the attacks of the three men. However, this created an opening in his defense against Chen Ping'an.

The swords pierced his ribs simultaneously on the first and fifteenth of the month, the tips emerging from his back.

Zhou Mi let out a scream, his body jolted violently, and black mist surged out from his body, knocking the three of them back at the same time.

Chen Ping'an took three steps back to regain his balance, while A Liang took five steps back, plus two steps to the left and right.

The three exchanged a glance and charged forward again.

But this time, Zhou Mi changed.

His body began to swell, his clothes bursting open to reveal black scales beneath. These scales covered his entire body, from neck to ankle, with not an inch of skin exposed. His fingers transformed into claws, the nails growing to three inches long and as sharp as scimitars. His eyes turned completely black, devoid of white, like two black holes.

His aura surged, climbing from the Jade Purity Realm all the way up, directly breaking through the threshold of the Immortal Realm.

"This is the power of the Heavenly Demon?" Zhou Mi looked down at his hands, his voice filled with madness. "This is... the power of a god?"

He laughed, and the laughter echoed through the empty palace, as if it came from hell.

Chen Ping'an gripped the first and fifteenth of the lunar month tightly, his palms sweating profusely.

He knew that this was the real battle.

Zhou Mi made a move.

His speed was unbelievable. Chen Ping'an only saw a black shadow flash by before he felt something hit his chest. He was sent flying, tumbling several times in the air before landing.

Looking down, he saw five bloody gashes on his chest, the flesh torn open, revealing the bone underneath.

If he hadn't shifted his body slightly at the last moment, that claw would have ripped out his heart.

"Ping An!" Ning Yao rushed over and helped him up.

"I'm fine." Chen Ping'an pushed her away and stood up. "Don't come any closer, step back."

Ning Yao wanted to say something, but seeing Chen Ping'an's gaze, she swallowed her words. She retreated to the edge of the altar, gripped her flying sword, and prepared to act at any moment.

Zhou Mi did not pursue Chen Ping'an, but instead turned to the left and right.

He was too fast; before Zuo You could react, Zhou Mi was already in front of him. A claw reached for his face, and Zuo You raised his sword to block, but the sword was caught by the claw, making a piercing metallic sound.

With a forceful twist, Zhou Mi managed to braid the swords on both sides into a twisted rope.

Zuo You's expression changed drastically, and he released his sword and retreated. However, he was not as fast as Zhou Mi, and the claw wind swept across his chest, sending him flying. He crashed into the steps of the altar, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Ah Liang attacked from the side, slashing at Zhou Mi's neck with his sword.

Without turning his head, Zhou Mi swung his claw and grabbed A Liang's sword blade. He squeezed the blade tightly, and cracks appeared on the surface.

Ah Liang's expression changed, and he tried to draw his sword, but Zhou Mi held it tightly and it wouldn't budge.

Zhou Mi turned his head, looked at A Liang, and grinned.

"Your sword is good. But it's not enough."

He slapped Ah Liang in the chest, and Ah Liang flew out like a kite with a broken string, crashing into the wall, leaving a human-shaped dent in the wall.

Ah Liang slid down the wall, spitting out mouthfuls of blood.

Three tricks.

In just three moves, Chen Ping'an, A Liang, and Zuo You were all seriously injured.

This is the power of the Heavenly Demon.

Chen Ping'an propped himself up on his knees, glanced at A Liang and Zuo You lying on the ground, and then at Zhou Mi standing in the center of the altar.

Zhou Mi stood there, his body shrouded in black mist, like a demon god. His aura continued to rise, and with each breath, his power increased.

From within the crack, a black eye was watching everything with appreciation, as if observing a good show.

Chen Pingan took a deep breath and gripped the first and fifteenth of the lunar month tightly.

He knew that they couldn't win on their own.

He looked at Ye Yun.

Ye Yun knelt beneath the altar, covered in blood, his breath so faint it was almost imperceptible. But he did not fall; he was looking, looking at Zhou Mi, looking at the crack, looking at the black eye.

His eyes were bright, so bright that they didn't seem like those of a wounded person.

What is he looking at?

Chen Ping'an didn't know, but he knew that Ye Yun must be looking at something important.

"Chen Ping'an." Ye Yun's voice suddenly rang out, very soft but very clear, "Hold him off."

Chen Ping'an was taken aback: "What are you going to do?"

Ye Yun did not answer; he closed his eyes.

The Sword of Law hovered before him, its blade shimmering with a faint light. The light was dim, like a candle flickering in the wind, as if it might be extinguished at any moment. But it did not go out.

Ye Yun formed hand seals, and the Samsara Sword Domain unfolded once more.

This time, the sword domain was small, covering only a small area in the center of the altar. However, the power of reincarnation within the sword domain was more concentrated than before, with black and white light intertwining to form a vortex.

At the center of the vortex lies meticulousness.

Ye Yun was looking for that link.

The invisible black line connecting Zhou Mi and the Heavenly Demon.

In the previous battle, he struck the line with his sword, not severing it completely, but creating a crack. The reason Zhou Mi's power fluctuated was because the crack in the line was affecting the transmission of the Heavenly Demon's power.

Now, he is about to strike again with his sword.

If that connection can be completely severed, Zhou Mi will lose the power of the Heavenly Demon. At that point, he will be a cripple.

But this strike will take time.

Someone needs to keep Zhou Mi occupied and create opportunities for him.

Chen Ping'an understood.

He glanced at Ning Yao: "Help me."

Ning Yao nodded without saying anything.

The two rushed towards Zhou Mi at the same time.

Chen Ping'an launched a frontal attack, with Chu Yi and Shi Wu transforming into two streaks of white light, aiming straight for Zhou Mi's face. Zhou Mi raised his hand to block, his claws grabbing Chu Yi, and with a forceful flick, he sent Chen Ping'an and his sword flying.

But Chen Pingan flipped in the air, landed steadily, and then rushed up again.

Ning Yao attacked from the side, her flying sword as nimble as a snake, specifically targeting Zhou Mi's weaknesses. She thrust her sword into his armpit, the tip penetrating an inch, and black blood flowed out.

Zhou Mi turned to look at Ning Yao, a murderous glint in his eyes.

He lashed out with his claw at Ning Yao, who dodged, but she wasn't fast enough. Her arm was struck by the claw's force, tearing her skin. She gritted her teeth, refusing to retreat, and thrust her sword at Zhou Mi's eyes.

Zhou Mi turned his head, and the sword pierced his forehead, leaving only a white mark.

He slapped Ning Yao on the shoulder with his backhand. Ning Yao was sent flying, crashing into a stone pillar and spitting out blood.

"Ning Yao!" Chen Ping'an shouted.

"I'm alright!" Ning Yao climbed out from the rubble, her face pale but her eyes resolute. "Continue!"

Chen Ping'an gritted his teeth and charged toward Zhou Mi once again.

He had lost count of how many times this had happened. Each time he was sent flying, and each time he got back up. His body was covered in wounds—claw marks, handprints, bruises. His clothes were torn to shreds, and there wasn't a single patch of unscathed skin on his body.

But he did not back down.

Because Ye Yun needs time.

Below the altar, Ye Yun closed his eyes, veins bulging on his forehead.

He was looking for that line.

The black line connecting Zhou Mi and the Heavenly Demon was faintly visible in the afterglow. It was so thin, as thin as a hair, and it was constantly moving.

Ye Yun locked onto the target several times, but lost sight of it each time due to the movement of the line.

He needs to get closer, to see more clearly.

He opened his eyes and looked at Chen Ping'an.

Chen Ping'an was sent flying by Zhou Mi's palm strike, tumbling through the air and leaving a trail of blood.

Ye Yun took a deep breath and stood up, supporting himself on his knees.

His legs were shaking, his waist was shaking, his whole body was shaking. But he stood up.

He dragged the sword of law and walked step by step toward the center of the altar.

With each step, another bloody footprint appeared on the ground.

"Ye Yun!" Ning Yao's eyes reddened when she saw him. "You—"

"Shut up," Ye Yun said calmly. "Let me handle this."

He walked to the center of the altar and stood three zhang behind Zhou Mi.

Zhou Mi sensed something and turned to look at him.

"You're still alive?" Zhou Mi laughed. "You're pretty tough."

Ye Yun ignored him and closed his eyes.

With his full power unleashed, time seemed to slow down in his perception. Chen Ping'an's sword, A Liang's sword, Zuo You's sword, Ning Yao's sword—everything seemed to slow down.

Only that line became clear in his perception.

A black line extended from the crack, connecting to Zhou Mi's brow. There was a fissure on the line, left by his previous sword strike.

The crack is slowly healing; the power of the Heavenly Demon is repairing it. Once the crack is completely healed, Zhou Mi's power will stabilize, and by then, there will truly be no chance.

Ye Yun raised the sword of law.

The light emanating from the sword was faint, but very stable.

He gritted his teeth and used the last bit of strength he had.

"cut."

The sword of law fell, slashing at that line.

This time, he didn't use sword energy, sword domain, or anything fancy. He simply used the blade to cut that line.

The moment the blade pierced the line, Zhou Mi let out a scream.

The sound didn't seem to come from a human; it was more like the wailing of a soul being torn apart.

The crack widened along that line.

It went from one path to three, and from three to countless, as dense as a spider web.

Zhou Mi's power began to fluctuate violently, sometimes surging to the Immortal Realm, sometimes plummeting to the Golden Core Realm. His body also became unstable, sometimes swelling into a monster, sometimes shrinking back into human form.

Within the crack, the black eye shifted and looked at Ye Yun.

There was no anger or murderous intent in his eyes, only something strange.

It's like watching an interesting little insect.

Ye Yun sensed that gaze, but he ignored it.

He stared intently at the line, at the crack on it.

not enough.

It hasn't broken yet.

He needs to strike again.

But he had no strength left.

The sword of law slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a crisp sound. His knees buckled, and he knelt on the ground.

"Ye Yun!" Chen Ping'an rushed over and helped him up.

Ye Yun grabbed Chen Ping'an's hand with a strength that belied his impending death.

"It's...severed..." His voice was soft, a smile playing on his lips. "Not completely severed...but it's enough...enough for you to fight..."

Chen Pingan looked down into Ye Yun's eyes.

There was no fear, no regret in those eyes, only a terrifying calm.

"It's up to you now," Ye Yun said, then closed his eyes.

Chen Ping'an felt the body in his arms sink, and Ye Yun completely fainted.

He took a deep breath, gently placed Ye Yun on the ground, and then stood up.

He turned around and looked at Zhou Mi.

Zhou Mi stood in the center of the altar, trembling all over, his strength fluctuating. His face was filled with fear and anger, and a hint of despair that was barely perceptible.

"You..." his voice was hoarse, "you will all die!"

He opened his arms, and the power of the Heavenly Demon surged wildly into his body.

Within the crack, the black eye closed.

It's as if they've seen enough.