Chapter One Hundred Seventeen: Flying Snow

Guihai Yidao’s palm erupted in a brilliant blue glow, a hue that only appears when flames reach their absolute zenith. "Miss Xiao, it seems one of us must die here today." Before the words had even faded, his hand-blade struck with the force of a thunderclap, slashing down toward Xiao Xue.

Xiao Xue’s gaze flickered with surprise; she had not expected such formidable power from Guihai Yidao’s technique. Yet, the shock vanished in an instant. The next moment, with a sharp hum, her Thousand-Year Ice Thorn lunged forward to meet the blade. Before the steel could connect, the biting chill arrived first. The onlookers heard a screeching, grinding roar—the sound of fire and ice clashing in violent opposition.

Guihai Yidao’s Flame Blade was exceptionally sharp. Though it stalled briefly upon meeting the Thousand-Year Ice Thorn, it quickly seized the initiative, its edge beginning to corrode and shatter Xiao Xue’s icy aura.

Xiao Xue’s brow furrowed. She realized that unless she revealed her true prowess, it would be difficult to shake off this young man. With that thought, her eyes snapped open. Without any visible release of spiritual energy, the Thousand-Year Ice Thorn in her hand seemed to find renewed vigor; it transformed instantly, swelling into a colossal, dragon-like shape. Accompanied by a howling gale of wind and snow, it surged forward, extinguishing the Flame Blade in a single stroke.

Guihai Yidao’s hand trembled. He frowned deeply, stunned by the sheer power of this young, beautiful woman. He swore he would never forget that bone-chilling sensation. With a vicious laugh, he sneered, "So cold, so icy... Hmph, let us see how you fare against my dual blades." As he spoke, his other hand moved with lightning speed, forming a second hand-blade. This one, however, burned with a fierce, scorching crimson, as radiant as the sun.

At that moment, three ice flowers manifested around Xiao Xue. Unlike the colored flowers of the Yihua Sect, these were crystalline and translucent—a manifestation perhaps unique to her alone. She had completely transcended the traditional Yihua Arts. The prodigy of the Yihua Sect, a genius of her generation, had finally begun to unleash her full lethality against the Guihai clan.

The biting wind raged across the wilderness, and Guihai Yidao could not help but shudder. But that was not what shocked him most; the next second, he stood frozen in disbelief. He stared at his own hand—the one that had unleashed the solar fire, the hand of supreme, searing heat—and realized it had been frozen stiff by the gale. The flames had been extinguished without a trace. *Heaven above, how could such a terrifying spirit technique exist? Is she even human?*

Drained of the courage to continue the struggle, Guihai Yidao summoned the last of his strength. He pressed his "Yin-fire" palm against his own body, chanting a series of incantations through chattering teeth. A trickle of blood escaped his lips. Just as Xiao Xue’s blizzard descended, a shroud of mysterious mist swirled beneath his feet, and he vanished into thin air.

Xiao Xue said indifferently, "I did not expect you to possess such a skill for evasion." Unfortunately, the cultivators who had accompanied him were not so fortunate. The air was filled with their cries of fear and agony, but Xiao Xue had already departed, leaving only the endless, howling snow in her wake.

Within Guihai City, Honglin Nü and Jiu Xi stood on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Guihai Pavilion. Before long, they saw the man they were waiting for hurrying toward them—he had come in search of the most honored guest staying within the pavilion.

Honglin Nü offered a charming smile. "Brother Jiu Xi, he has arrived, just as Mo Bai predicted. I wonder, will you handle Jin Tianzu, or shall I?"

The man they were waiting for was Guihai Rong’an. They had conspired at the inn to split their forces: one group, led by Mo Bai and Master Yun Fa, would sabotage the Arsenal of Ten Thousand Spears, while Honglin Nü and Jiu Xi would assassinate Guihai Rong’an. The Guihai clan could not be left unchecked; since the enemy had issued their ruthless "Guihai Decree," it was only fitting to provide a proper response.

Jiu Xi’s expression was grave. "Why must we allow him to meet with Jin Tianzu?"

Honglin Nü replied gently, "You are right, Brother Jiu Xi. That 'Undying Golden Lamp' old man is indeed a troublesome foe."

"But," Jiu Xi countered, "no matter how troublesome he is, he is no match for you, Lady Honglin. With just a few words, you managed to lure Jin Tianzu away."

Honglin Nü giggled. She knew exactly what Jiu Xi meant. A flamboyant character like the gift-bearer, Jun Burang, was not one to be easily dismissed at the Spirit Rising Tournament. With a few calculated remarks, Honglin Nü had manipulated Jun Burang into inviting Jin Tianzu away, leaving Guihai Rong’an to arrive at an empty room.

Jiu Xi and Honglin Nü exchanged a glance, then moved in unison. Though their internal arts differed, both slipped into the room of the "Undying Golden Lamp" without making a sound.

"Eldest Young Master, you have arrived," a lackey stationed outside greeted him respectfully.

"Yes," Guihai Rong’an asked, "has the old master risen?"

"The... the old master left in the middle of the night," the lackey replied. "Did he not go to see you?"

Guihai Rong’an cursed under his breath. He could not believe that the 'Young Master Qing' was so significant that his father had forbidden even a master like Jin Tianzu from meeting him. He had not expected to find the room empty so early in the morning. He sighed. "Notify Master Jin Tianzu that the moment he returns, he is to meet us at the Guihai Main Hall. My brother has already captured Wu Luohua; we shall sweep the Yihua Sect from the tournament today."

The lackey nodded and bowed as Guihai Rong’an turned to leave. But as he turned, he saw a beautiful figure in red standing in the corridor. A melodious, enchanting voice drifted toward him: "Leaving so soon, Eldest Young Master? Won't you stay a while longer?"

Guihai Rong’an froze. He recognized her instantly—it was Honglin Nü of the Yihua Sect. Her presence in the Guihai Pavilion was not strange in itself, but the fact that she was standing right outside Jin Tianzu’s room, surrounded by his own men, was impossible. Clearly, she had been waiting for him. Had she planned this? His heart skipped a beat. The events of the last two days were spiraling beyond his control; there were too many experts, and his small schemes were failing in the face of the grander tide.

"Lady Honglin, it is still early, and the tournament has not yet begun. I suggest you go and rest. This is not a place for you." Guihai Rong’an was probing, but when he saw that Honglin Nü did not answer, instead stepping closer to him, he instinctively retreated toward Jin Tianzu’s room.

"Oh? Is there nothing else for us to discuss besides the tournament?" Honglin Nü teased.

Guihai Rong’an felt his throat tighten. Truth be told, he preferred mature women like Honglin Nü over the pure, young girls. Watching her provocative gaze and the sway of her figure, he found himself lost in thought. It was a cruel twist of fate that such a mesmerizing woman was his sworn enemy. "Naturally," Guihai Rong’an said stiffly, "we have never been on the same path."

Honglin Nü laughed aloud. "Then why don't we try our best to ensure we end up on the same one?"

*Thud.* With that single sentence, she forced Guihai Rong’an back against Jin Tianzu’s door. "How?" he asked. No sooner had the word left his lips than he felt his throat gripped by a massive hand. He was a master of the "Ghost Hand" technique, usually the one doing the strangling, but now, he was the one being seized. The sensation was unbearable. He struggled, desperate to break the iron grip, but found he could not move an inch.

The lackey beside him had been completely bewitched by Honglin Nü’s flirtatious smile and had failed to notice his master’s distress. Honglin Nü brushed past the lackey, gave him a charming smile, and tapped his arm; the man was instantly silenced. He truly lived up to the saying: "To die beneath a peony flower is to die a romantic death"—though his death was perhaps not quite as poetic as he might have hoped.

Honglin Nü leaned in close to Guihai Rong’an, her face inches from his, and whispered into his ear: "It seems we are indeed not on the same path, Eldest Young Master. You were right."

*Splice.* Honglin Nü’s thirteen-section chain whip pierced through Guihai Rong’an, passing clean through his heart. *Crash.* The wooden door shattered. Jiu Xi brushed the sawdust from his sleeves. "This method of killing is certainly effective."

Guihai Rong’an finally caught sight of the owner of the hand that held him. "You... you... you!" He could say no more. With a heavy thud, his corpse slid to the floor.

A thunderous boom shook the building as an old man with a golden beard descended from the sky. He saw Guihai Rong’an’s lifeless body and flew into a blind rage. He had never imagined someone would dare kill right outside his door, let alone kill Guihai Rong’an! Jin Tianzu cursed himself, regretting having left his room at such a critical moment to accept Brother Jun’s invitation to discuss the past. Had he been there, Rong’an would never have died.

Consumed by fury, Jin Tianzu unleashed two golden swords of spiritual energy toward Jiu Xi and Honglin Nü. The two of them immediately summoned the arts of their respective sects to hold their ground.