Chapter 24: Twin Swords Dance, Snow Turns to Ice

Beads of sweat trickled down Black Hunter’s neck, one after another. When he had spoken earlier, he hadn’t thought things through—his only concern had been to seize the treasure. Now, faced with Mister Ji’s probing, he realized that if he failed to answer and provoked this unfathomable man’s displeasure, today would end badly for him indeed.

“Y-yes…” Black Hunter stammered, unable to utter another word. He hadn’t the faintest idea what was inside the box—how could he possibly answer? He couldn’t help but glance repeatedly at Wan Zhongtian, hoping he might know what the box contained. But Wan Zhongtian was in no position to help; his head throbbed as if it would explode, and he didn’t notice Black Hunter’s looks, let alone care about him.

“Oh? You can’t answer? Are you toying with me, then?” Though Mister Ji spoke with a smile, to Black Hunter he seemed no different from a grim judge of the underworld, exuding an unspeakable, chilling menace.

“I wouldn’t dare, sir, I wouldn’t dare! This box actually belongs to Peaceful Dragon Fort. I was ordered to reclaim something that had been stolen by a traitor to our fort. Before I set out, I wasn’t told what it was. In a moment of impulse, I claimed it was mine. Please, your lordship, forgive me!” Unable to hide the truth any longer, Black Hunter confessed everything in detail.

“Nonsense! You villain, you and Peaceful Dragon Fort clearly colluded with a man named Wan Xudong to covet the possessions of my Sister Yingying’s family. You slaughtered them all, wiped out the whole Jiang family, and now you’ve chased us here to kill Sister Yingying! Sir, you must not believe this villain!” Su Mu was incensed by Black Hunter’s lies. This man twisted the truth, omitting his own evil deeds and slandering Jiang Yingying instead. Though Su Mu was weak from blood loss, he mustered the strength to kneel before Mister Ji and plead their case.

“You little wretch! I spoke the truth. As for this nonsense about colluding with Wan Xudong and destroying the Jiang family, it’s absurd! Wan Xudong is the seventh ranked Tiangang Star of our Peaceful Dragon Fort—we’re family, there’s no talk of collusion. And as for Jiang Yingying, she was the thirtieth ranked Tiangang Star of our fort. She was caught by Brother Wan stealing our treasure and fleeing. The fort master ordered her pursuit and the retrieval of our treasure. Every word I’ve said is true!” Black Hunter hurried to defend himself, afraid Mister Ji might believe Su Mu. This was the first time he’d heard such things from Su Mu; he had no idea what Jiang Yingying had told the boy, and now he was being denounced before Mister Ji.

“Don’t listen to them, sir! I saw with my own eyes—they chased Sister Yingying until she had no way out and had to leap into a river to escape. If I hadn’t found her, she would have frozen to death on the riverbank. And my sister’s face was slashed by these villains—it’s the absolute truth!” Su Mu insisted.

“Enough. I have no interest in your affairs. When I ask, you answer—nothing more,” Mister Ji interrupted coldly, seeing the two arguing endlessly.

The two of them immediately fell silent, not daring to defy the man before them.

“Little one, you say your sister entrusted this box to you?”

“Yes,” Su Mu replied hastily. “The item in the box is something Sister Yingying brought out of the Jiang family. It’s more precious to her than her life. She trusted me with it. Even if it costs me my life, I must protect it.”

Mister Ji fell silent for a moment, then asked, “Why did you come to Youma County? Do you live nearby?”

Su Mu paused, then answered honestly, “My home’s quite far from here—Jiangnan Town, Anping County, in the Northern Pastures Prefecture. We came to Youma County because Sister and I are on our way to see someone, to ask for help to save my good friend An Rui. This is the only way.”

“Oh? Where are you headed? Who are you seeking?”

“I can’t tell you. I’ve never even met you,” Su Mu responded, to everyone’s surprise.

Mister Ji glanced at Su Mu with unexpected interest.

“Hmph, where else could she be going but that wretched Jin Xue Palace? Who knows which old flame she’s managed to seduce there. She didn’t even realize she dropped the Double Fish Token,” came a voice—none other than Wan Zhongtian, who, now that his vision had cleared and his headache had eased, had heard the question and answered without thinking.

“How dare you slander Jin Xue Palace!” A crisp voice rang out from the sacred palanquin. Xiao Shuang’s face was livid as she turned to Wen Yuge for instruction.

“Master, allow me to teach this insolent slanderer a lesson,” she begged.

Wen Yuge’s expression turned cold as she nodded.

“Go with Xiao Mo. Capture him for me. I never imagined Jin Xue Palace, though always discreet, would draw such baseless rumors.”

Xiao Shuang and Xiao Mo exchanged a delighted look, then, with their orders, floated gracefully down from the palanquin. Their snow-white robes trailed behind them like flowing glaciers, making them seem like goddesses treading on clouds. Each drew a slender, flexible sword from her waist, no wider than a finger. With a light flick of the wrist, the swords let out a crisp, metallic rustle.

Wan Zhongtian was stunned by the spectacle. He had only grumbled casually, yet he had provoked two young girls, both intent on teaching him a lesson.

It was only now that he noticed the sacred palanquin above and realized the true master of Jin Xue Palace was present. He resented his earlier careless words, but he wasn’t about to bow his head. These two young girls—what threat could they pose? Even the young man upon the palanquin seemed not especially powerful. His own art of Vital Energy was fierce indeed; even those with higher cultivation than his could do little against him. Perhaps this was a chance to show off and remind these people not to underestimate him. Though he was no match for Mister Ji, he feared no one else here.

“Ladies, it was just a slip of the tongue. There’s no need to press so hard. I apologize—let’s just let it go. If it comes to a fight, it will only sour things,” he said.

“Ridiculous! No one slanders Jin Xue Palace and stands there spouting nonsense!” Xiao Shuang snapped, sword held out crosswise.

“You’re both so young—don’t be reckless with your swords. What if you hurt yourselves? I’ve already apologized. Do you think I’m afraid of you?” Wan Zhongtian snorted, his tone anything but apologetic.

Xiao Mo interjected, “Xiao Shuang, don’t waste words on this shameless man. Let’s seize him and report to the master.”

Both girls brandished their flexible swords. With their left hands, they traced a series of incantations down the blades, from hilt to tip. Two faint blue-white glows shimmered along the swords. The girls tapped the ground thrice with their feet, then raised their swords skyward. A cold wind swept in, carrying countless snowflakes, which swirled like bees returning to the hive, gathering around the swords until the blades were completely enveloped.

The snowflakes compressed into minuscule shards of ice, and as the flexible swords were swung, they trailed long, shimmering tails like brilliant rivers of stars—a dazzling, beautiful sight.

This sorcery was unlike anything Su Mu had ever seen, even when Du Feiyang demonstrated his soul magic. The girls’ technique was strange and beautiful, though it didn’t seem especially powerful. Su Mu had never witnessed a method that condensed snow and ice in this fashion; he was deeply curious.

“Villain, surrender at once!” The two girls pointed their swords at Wan Zhongtian, the blades flickering like comets across the sky, their faces flushed with indignation and challenge.

“You forced my hand. Let me warn you—my Vital Energy art can be dangerous. Be careful. In a duel, life and death are ruled by fate. If you die or are wounded, blame no one but yourselves,” Wan Zhongtian replied, unyielding, his temper flaring at being goaded by two young girls. He was ready to injure if necessary.

“Enough talk! Let’s see what earth-shattering skills you have!” The two girls were not twins, but since childhood, they had grown up together, inseparable, and cultivated the same soul arts. Over time, they had become so attuned to each other that they could fight as one, a quality that made Wen Yuge especially fond of them. He was not worried about them facing an opponent here—he was more intrigued by Mister Ji’s apparent interest in the filthy little boy, wondering what he himself might have overlooked.

To everyone’s surprise, the girls, after forming their magical seals and conjuring their spells, charged straight at Wan Zhongtian, intent on close combat—a tactic more suited to those who trained their bodies than to soul cultivators.

Wan Zhongtian was bewildered. Their spellcasting had been odd enough, but now they were rushing in as if to brawl like physical cultivators. He almost laughed. If they had attacked from range, he might have been wary, but now they were playing right into his hands.

He didn’t hesitate. With a circular motion of his hands, his eyes shone with a faint light. Hundreds—thousands—of transparent ripples, each the size of a pinky finger, appeared before the girls, forming a wall of traps they were about to charge into. His control was exquisite; the force would not kill them, only injure. He had no wish to make mortal enemies of Jin Xue Palace.

To his surprise, the girls didn’t slow down. Instead, they moved even faster. Xiao Shuang flicked her flexible sword, making it tremble rapidly before her, the icy-blue tail whirling in a dense curtain like a whip. The icy shards collided with the countless ripples, producing a never-ending, muted rumble.

What was astonishing was that the icy tails, conjured by sorcery, should have been destroyed by the multitude of ripples, but each time the tiny shards vanished, they immediately reformed—an endless cycle.

Xiao Mo switched her incantation, rapidly forming new seals. At her command—“Condense!”—three crystal-clear ice shields appeared before them, each composed of dozens of wafer-thin layers, with faint gaps between. Any stray ripples that struck the shields were absorbed, each layer dispersing their force, rendering the girls untouched.

Even as they dispelled his attacks, their speed did not falter. In a flash, they were upon Wan Zhongtian. His confidence faded; how could his usually unstoppable Vital Energy barrage fail against two young girls? He cursed himself for not using full force from the start.

“Black Hunter! Black Hunter! Help me!” he yelled, flustered, as the girls’ icy “whips,” like chains binding the soul, lashed toward him. Wan Zhongtian tried to fend them off, but overwhelmed, he couldn’t help but cry out for help.