Proud Sword Soaring Clouds

Chapter 301: Chapter 242: Threat

As far as the eye could see, the ice mountains appeared to stretch for thousands of miles. Bathed in the noon sun, they formed a shimmering, golden line, as if separating the world into two completely different realms.

Song Mingyue gazed at the spectacular scene, her arm linked with Ling Xiao’s. She squinted and murmured, "It’s so magnificent!"

Most people would never have the chance to come to a place like this in their lifetime, let alone witness such a majestic scene—towering, rolling mountains made entirely of crystal-clear ice!

Large swaths of the ice mountains were covered in thick snow, looking as if they had existed for countless years and exuding an air of desolate antiquity. Ling Xiao also squinted, his eyes fixed on the Adventurers ahead.

One by one, the men shed their heavy leather coats, revealing lean, practical attire underneath. They had arrived. Although the air was freezing, the sun was shining overhead and the ice mountains blocked the wind, making it much warmer than it had been out on the vast, snowy plains.

"What are they doing?"

Song Mingyue watched their movements in confusion, her gaze fixed on Ling Xiao as she asked.

"They’re going to climb," Ling Xiao replied with certainty, watching as the men pulled sharp iron spikes, heavy hammers, and ropes from their rings.

"Heavens... they’re going to climb *this* ice mountain?" Song Mingyue placed a slender hand on her forehead and looked up at the majestic peak, clicking her tongue in disbelief. "How long will that take?"

Ling Xiao chuckled. "It’s like someone seeing the ocean for the first time. They wonder at its vastness and if it’s even possible to reach the other side."

Song Mingyue stuck out her tongue, a rare, playful gesture. The more time she spent with Ling Xiao, the more her girlish mannerisms returned. "But the ocean *is* boundless," she retorted. "Very few people can actually cross it from one side to the other!"

"Alright, it’s time for us to make an appearance," Ling Xiao said, giving Song Mingyue a confident smile as he watched the Adventurers slowly begin their ascent.

Song Mingyue didn’t know what Ling Xiao was planning. ’I thought we were going to keep tailing them to the very end,’ she mused. But she didn’t ask. The two of them shot forward, appearing at the base of the ice mountain in a matter of seconds.

The moment the pair came into view, they were spotted. Up on the mountain, the face of the young Adventurer’s Guild leader at the head of the group turned ashen. The corners of his mouth twitched violently, and a profound fear flickered in the depths of his eyes.

’They followed us for so long without leaving a single trace, and we actually thought of ourselves as the "kings" of the northern ice plains, that no one could escape our notice. How laughably naive!’

The others had only managed to climb a few dozen meters. The ice mountain was exceptionally steep and impossibly slick; climbing it under normal circumstances would be impossible.

They had to hammer the iron spikes they carried deep into the ice, secure their ropes, and use special gear. The soles of their boots and the palms of their thick gloves were covered in sharp spikes. Even so, their progress was incredibly slow.

By the time Ling Xiao and Song Mingyue reached the base of the cliff, even the lowest climber was dozens of meters up. For Martial Artists like them, that height was trivial. The problem was, if the two people below waited with swords drawn, or even had crossbows, the men on the ice would be complete sitting ducks.

For a moment, everyone in the Adventurer’s Guild on the mountain fell silent, frozen in place. The young guild leader raised an eyebrow and asked nonchalantly, "Where did you two come from? Here to try your luck in the Polar Ice Sea as well? You’ve got guts, coming all this way with just the two of you. Since fate brought us together, we’re friends. My name is Zhang Danian, leader of this Adventurer’s Guild. If you two need to cross this mountain to reach the Ice Sea, we wouldn’t mind paving the way!"

The moment Zhang Danian finished speaking, his subordinates let out a collective sigh of relief. They praised their leader’s courage and cunning; he was acting as if he’d never laid eyes on the pair before. ’Maybe they don’t know who we are,’ they hoped, though it seemed unlikely since the two had obviously been following them. Still, in this godforsaken place, the situation was highly disadvantageous for their group, despite their superior numbers. Their leader extending an olive branch was exactly what they wanted.

Ling Xiao smiled. "That’s kind of you. But I have to ask, why did you all go to such trouble looking for the two of us a few days back?"

Zhang Danian’s heart sank. ’So they came for us after all,’ he thought. He frowned for a moment before his expression smoothed over. He released the tight grip he had on his iron spike, stored his heavy hammer in his ring, and turned to face them, letting the rope support his weight. He smiled warmly and said with utmost sincerity, "I won’t lie to you, my friends. Our guild was extorted, and we’re short on supplies. When we encountered you, we hoped to purchase some from you. We had no idea you were both so formidable. Our actions were a disgrace. For any offense we’ve caused, I, Danian, offer my sincerest apologies."

Song Mingyue found herself somewhat impressed by this guild leader, Zhang Danian. He didn’t seem exceptionally powerful, but he was calm, capable, and diplomatically shrewd, leaving her with a good impression. The words she’d been planning to say—a direct threat to get information about the Silkworm Raiser—were now caught in her throat.

Ling Xiao smiled faintly, his eyes glinting. "Let’s not mince words. Since you’ve been so forthright, it would be petty of me to press the issue. However, I have just one question. Answer it honestly, and I will leave at once without making things difficult..." As he spoke, he saw a flicker of disbelief in the eyes of the rugged man with the big beard, Ah Ku. Ling Xiao’s smile slowly vanished. He pointed to a section of the ice mountain nearby as the Demon Blood Red Lotus Sword materialized in his hand. With a SWISH, it unleashed a crimson Sword Qi more than ten meters long, a dazzling streak of red in the pure white world. With a flick of his wrist, Ling Xiao sent the Sword Qi slicing into the face of the ice mountain dozens of meters away.

CRACKLE... SIZZLE... CRACK!

Following the sound, as the Adventurers stared, mouths agape and eyes wide, huge chunks of ice began to shear off the mountain face—then more, and more!

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

A torrent of ice shards, large and small, cascaded down the mountain face like a sudden storm. In the blink of an eye, a new mound of shattered ice had formed on the ground below, piling up to over ten meters high and twenty meters across.

The display was silent, yet utterly stunning.

The young guild leader, Zhang Danian, stared blankly at the section of the mountain that had been shaved away, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.

The newly exposed cliff face was perfectly sheer and as smooth as a mirror, without a single imperfection.

HISS!

The dozen or so members of the guild all sucked in a sharp breath. A chill shot down their spines, making them shiver in unison. The eyes of Big Beard Ah Ku flickered, his face a mask of utter shock.

After a long pause, Zhang Danian spoke, his voice laced with bitterness. "Heh... heh... Friend, your strength is truly astonishing. A sight to behold. Whatever it is you want to ask, I will answer to the best of my knowledge!" In that instant, Zhang Danian was certain. ’Even the great Qin Zhan, a Tier Five Sword Sect master, probably couldn’t have executed a strike with such divine precision!’

’Causing that much damage isn’t the hard part. Even I, a mere Tier Two Demon Swordsman, could probably shatter a large section of ice with a full-power attack.’

’But to slice a section dozens of meters across into a perfectly vertical, mirror-smooth surface... I’d just have to laugh and change the subject. Forget me—I’m sure even Qin Zhan himself couldn’t pull off a feat of such precision!’

’Without a doubt, he must be a disciple from some hidden, powerful clan!’

’So young, and already this powerful! Dammit...’ Zhang Danian cursed furiously in his mind. ’I already knew it, but it bears repeating: this goddamn world has never been fair! Fairness is a joke!’

"I only want to know one thing: who is the Silkworm Raiser, and what kind of silkworms are being raised?" With a flick of his wrist, Ling Xiao made the Demon Blood Red Lotus Sword vanish. The move left the onlookers staring, wide-eyed. ’He really is a master! To have such immense Spiritual Power!’

Ling Xiao’s question made the forced smile on Zhang Danian’s face freeze solid. He stammered for a moment before managing to reply, "W-what Silkworm Raiser? Heh, in a world of ice and snow like this, how could any silkworm survive? You’re joking, friend." He let out a dry laugh, his handsome face contorting. Inwardly, he was cursing his past actions. ’If I hadn’t gone looking for trouble then, I wouldn’t be at his mercy now!’

Ling Xiao sneered. "Not being honest, are we?" As he spoke, he rose into the air and hovered beside Zhang Danian, a casual smile on his face. "Look. This mountain is a difficult climb for you, but for me, it’s no obstacle at all. So if you refuse to talk, I have plenty of ways to make you." He glanced at the rope suspending Zhang Danian and added with a placid smile, "If this were to snap... I’m sure a fall from a hundred meters or so wouldn’t kill you."

"You... Ugh, fine! It’s just my bad luck!" Zhang Danian’s face was a mask of defeat as he shook his head. "I’ll tell you the truth. But you have to promise to let us all go. You’re a superior being. You and a bunch of struggling Adventurers like us are from different worlds. You can’t go back on your word!"

"That depends on whether or not your answer satisfies me." Ling Xiao’s casual, conversational tone as he floated there extinguished the last flicker of hope in Zhang Danian’s heart.

’This guy... he has to be at least at the level of a Peak Demon Sword Master,’ he thought. ’No, maybe... he’s even a Sword Sect master!’ (To be continued. If you want to know what happens next, please log in to www.qidian.com. There are more Chapters, support the author, and support legitimate reading!)

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