Fang Shuwen glanced at the corpse, then set it down and continued forward.

The corpse’s identity could be discerned from its clothes; it was one of the group of three men and one woman from Flying Snow City.

The head had been severed by a sword. As for who had done it, Fang Shuwen didn’t need to guess... because the person was right ahead.

After passing through a doorway, Fang Shuwen saw a fight.

To be more accurate, it was a siege.

The besieged man held a sword with a faint crimson edge. His sword techniques were sharp and ruthless, and although he faced four opponents, they couldn’t get the better of him.

The four were the other three members of Flying Snow City’s group of three men and one woman, along with the Ascetic Monk who wielded a Convenient Shovel and wore a large string of Prayer Beads around his neck.

At this very moment, True Qi circulated around the Great Monk’s body, his internal qi and blood churning relentlessly.

The sixty-eight-pound Convenient Shovel in his hands moved as if it were a blade of grass. He wielded it with scoops, chops, spins, and thrusts... with the force of a roaring tiger.

Among the other three, the leader used a Palm Technique. His palms were like flying flowers and drifting snow—formless as they rose, soundless as they fell.

Yet a single, feather-light press of his palm could effortlessly obliterate a large chunk of the stone pillar by the door.

Another person employed a Fingering Technique, apparently driven by a form of Yin Cold Inner Power. A frosty chill emanated from his fingertips, leaving faint specks of ice crystals in its wake.

The last one, the woman, used dual blades.

She was extremely fast, like a butterfly flitting through flowers. As her dual blades danced, sharp glints of light constantly radiated from their edges, leaving countless slash marks on the ground.

All four were experts, yet no matter how formidable their techniques were, they couldn’t break through even a fraction of the Swordsman’s defense.

The man casually moved his sword, first parrying a downward strike from the Convenient Shovel, then shaking his head slightly.

"An unknown, boorish monk. All you have is brute force. You’re just making a fool of yourself."

His sword shifted, and a finger landed on the blade’s flat, spreading a layer of frost along its edge.

The Swordsman smiled.

"If it were Wu Lingxiao using this Frost Ice Finger, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to hold my sword right now."

With a tremor of his blade, the ice crystals shattered with a CRACKLE. He twisted his sword, aiming for his opponent’s fingers.

Just then, a sharp blade descended from the sky. The man shifted his sword’s momentum once more.

The dual blades pressed down as his sword pointed to the heavens.

DING! The woman spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying backward.

The force of the impact split the skin between her thumbs and forefingers, and blood trickled down her fingertips, yet she stubbornly refused to let go of her dual blades.

Seeing this, the Swordsman said softly:

"Shuang Feixue is indeed a magnificent sight. A pity your blade’s intent is too rushed, pushing things to their limit, yet it’s neither rushed enough nor pushed far enough."

"Fortunately, you have a good temperament... Give you another ten years, and your achievements might reach a new level."

"It’s just a pity..."

As he spoke, a palm had already landed silently on the center of his back.

The leader’s eyes were icy cold.

"Shut up!"

The Swordsman sneered.

"What? Does my critique of them displease you, Grand Commander Liang?"

"But I said it five years ago, your Clear Frost and Falling Snow Palm is... hard to put into words..."

"If Wu Lingxiao had been willing to teach you the Great Cold Scripture, your accomplishments would be far greater. But now... your palm has landed, but where is the power?"

Grand Commander Liang’s expression changed. It wasn’t that he hadn’t channeled his power; rather, where his power should have been, there was nothing.

Instead, an incredibly sharp Sword Qi shot back through his palm. It didn’t follow his meridians but instantly pierced through his entire arm, a blood-red gash of Sword Qi opening a wound on his back shoulder.

Not only was he sent flying, but the residual Sword Qi didn’t stop, leaving a small hole, less than an inch wide, in the wall.

"Grand Commander!!"

The man using the Fingering Technique watched as, of the people around him, one had been decapitated, another sent flying with unknown injuries, and now the Grand Commander’s attack had not only failed but had cost him an arm.

For a moment, his heart swelled with hatred.

He channeled power into two fingers, and a chill spread through the area, impeding movement.

The Swordsman smiled faintly. With a casual flick of the dark red longsword in his hand, he sliced through the pervasive chill. His blade didn’t stop, continuing straight for the man’s two fingers.

If this strike landed, his two fingers would surely be severed.

Just as the blade was about to connect, the Swordsman’s brow suddenly furrowed. He abruptly twisted his sword, instantly unleashing a flash of sharp energy to one side.

The moment the Sword Qi left the blade, it swelled violently.

It carved a deep gash across the ground as it shot straight toward a nearby building.

The person standing before the door simply shifted their feet slightly and sidestepped the sharp attack.

He looked down, his eyebrows raising slightly.

"What sharp Sword Qi."

With that one strike, the Swordsman had actually sliced the building in two.

"Who are you?"

The Swordsman looked at the person before the door. He was young, dressed plainly, but had handsome features.

Fang Shuwen ignored him. He had originally planned to enter quickly, but seeing the exquisite Martial Arts they were using, he had unconsciously stopped to watch for a while.

His gaze shifted and landed on Grand Commander Liang.

When Grand Commander Liang saw him, his expression changed as well.

"Young hero, it’s you? Why have you come back?"

"I’m looking for a group of people."

Fang Shuwen asked softly,

"Have any of you seen a group of people in red?"

From what the red-robed man had said, he knew that group of people in red was likely planning to ambush the members of Jinghua Pavilion later.

But with Flying Snow City in such a chaotic state tonight, it was hard to say if they could still ambush anyone.