Across the vast expanse of white snow, red plum blossoms bloomed in the bitter cold. Nine peerless masters gathered in Plum Valley to battle the Undying Demon God. One side was a heroic champion of heaven, the other an unparalleled tyrant; righteous and evil locked in a battle of wits and courage, sending towering waves crashing through the martial world. The hero's resolve falters, yet tender love runs deep, journeying thousands of miles only to return to the place of yearning...
Heavy snow fell in torrents. The plum blossoms blanketing the valley bloomed in the freezing weather, like a brush of rouge painted over white jade. As the white snow drifted down, the entire valley turned into a vast, ethereal dreamscape. Yet, within a ten-foot radius of the eight figures standing motionless in the center of the valley, not a single snowflake fell.
Bai Dongshi, dressed in scholar's robes, looked around and spoke in a loud voice, "Fellow heroes, today's battle with Lei Zhentian concerns the very survival of the martial world. I hope everyone will cast aside life and death, and give this fight everything you have."
No sooner had he finished speaking than the black-robed elder to his left burst into hearty laughter. "Brother Bai speaks the truth! If this old man's single life can exchange for peace in the world, I shall die with honor! Hahaha!" This elder, named Dong Lian, possessed profound internal energy. Having trained in Tongzi Gong since childhood, his external iron-skin techniques had reached the absolute pinnacle. When he spoke, his breath was like rolling thunder, leaving everyone's ears ringing and their minds shaken.
Bai Dongshi nodded. "Excellent. With these words from Elder Dong, Dongshi can rest easy." He then turned to the beautiful woman in the purple dress standing beside him. "Yunniang, we must learn from Senior Dong's noble bearing." The middle-aged beauty, Lu Yunniang, was filled with joy, a rosy blush rising to her cheeks. She had long been infatuated with Bai Dongshi, and hearing him address her so intimately as "Yunniang" naturally made her unspeakably happy.
Before her thoughts could settle, a high-pitched howl suddenly pierced the blue sky from dozens of miles away. In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the sound had already closed within a thousand yards. Everyone turned to look. High up on the towering snowy peak, a green speck was hurtling down with the momentum of taking a thousand miles in a single stride, leaving an avalanche cascading behind him like a deluge.
Though the gathered heroes were all widely experienced, it was their first time witnessing such a heart-stopping sight. Involuntarily, they held their breath, secretly worrying for the newcomer. But in the next instant, they knew he was in no danger. As he neared the foot of the mountain, his figure blurred, leaving the ice and snow behind as he glided right before them. He was a youth in green robes, around twenty years of age. He was not particularly tall, nor was he exceptionally handsome, but his entire being exuded a bright, carefree, and noble aura that instantly won people over. The youth turned back to look at the cascading snow, laughed aloud, and then cupped his hands to the gathered heroes. "Cang Lei, disciple of General Wuwo of Western Mount Tian, greets the seniors!"
Bai Dongshi was startled. He took a step forward, cupped his hands, and asked, "Ah, may I ask where your esteemed master, Elder Senior Qu, is?"
Cang Lei replied apologetically, "Last month, my master caught a wind-cold. It was just a minor illness, but it prevented him from keeping the appointment. He felt deeply ashamed to let you down, Sir. When he ordered me to descend the mountain, he repeatedly instructed me to beg for your forgiveness."
Bai Dongshi sighed. Cang Lei knew the man thought he could not compare to his master, but he did not take offense and merely smiled faintly.
Cang Lei looked around, thinking to himself, *This old monk is probably Master Fangkong of Shaolin, and that Daoist priest must be Mu Xiuzi of the Wudang Sect—it is said his swordplay even surpasses that of his sect leader. That lady must be the Ethereal Weaver, Lu Yunniang, famous in Xiangxi for her double mastery of needle techniques and qinggong. As for that old man in brocade robes, he must be Liu Nianfeng of Qiuwu Mountain Villa. Though his martial arts are high, his character is utterly deplorable...*
Bai Dongshi introduced him to the experts present, though he was unfamiliar with only one: a middle-aged man in black, around forty years of age, whose cold expression sent a shiver down one's spine. Bai Dongshi announced loudly, "This is Tan Jian, Hero Tan, known as 'Ghost Hand'." Shang Lei's mind raced like lightning, but try as he might, he could not recall any "Hero Tan" in the jianghu. He could only maintain his manners: "Greetings, Hero Tan."
He turned to Gu Qingyao, his eyes lighting up. Though she was not peerlessly beautiful, she possessed delicate features, an ethereal aura, and an indescribable, pure elegance. Without waiting for Bai Dongshi's introduction, he smiled and said, "This must be Senior Sister Gu of the Huijian Sect. Shang Lei pays his respects."
Gu Qingyao showed a look of surprise and returned the greeting. Bai Dongshi found it strange: "What? Has Young Hero Shang met Miss Gu before?"
Shang Lei smiled. "No, but Abbess Dacheng once brought the Chenyi Sword to show my master. Meeting you today, I recognized Senior Sister Gu immediately." Gu Qingyao felt a secret joy in her heart.
"Mr. Bai, may I ask for the latest news on Lei Zhentian?" Liu Nianfeng's voice sounded hoarse. At the mention of the name "Lei Zhentian," his right hand holding the steel whip involuntarily trembled slightly.
Bai Dongshi looked at him, drew several sheets of paper from his robe, and read aloud: "On the third day of the twelfth lunar month, Lei Zhentian passed through Yun Gorge. Over a hundred and forty light cavalry of the Tiger-Leopard Cavalry launched a night ambush. After fighting for a quarter of an hour, the Tiger-Leopard Cavalry was erased from the jianghu."
"On the seventh day of the first lunar month, Lei Zhentian passed through Deguan Gorge. Blocked by the Raft Gang, a great battle raged for a day. Over a hundred vessels of various types were burned, three hundred enemies were slain, and more than a thousand were burned to death."
"On the morning of the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, Lei Zhentian was ambushed at Mount Xiaocang. Fighting until noon, he wiped out all the enemies, including the Poison Yama, Dan Shi."
Having finished reading the papers, Bai Dongshi looked up to find everyone silent. He couldn't help but sigh: "Lei Zhentian rode alone from the east, traveling over a thousand miles. Wherever he went, he left a heavy trail of slaughter; just hearing of it makes one's blood run cold. If we do not eliminate him today, how many more brave heroes will die under his Shenshang Halberd?"
Shang Lei, not knowing the full story, whispered to Gu Qingyao, "Senior Sister Gu, what treasure is this Lei fellow trying to obtain? A martial arts manual, or some peerless treasure?"
Gu Qingyao's expression turned solemn. "Today, he wants to claim the Three Treasures of Extinction."
"What?" Shang Lei's face paled completely, and he blurted out.
The Three Treasures of Extinction consisted of the "Heaven-Shaking Earth-Shattering Thunderbolt Pellet," the "Soul-Shattering Gut-Wrenching Incense," and the "Grass-Eradicating Heaven-Slaying Gu." The "Heaven-Shaking Earth-Shattering Thunderbolt Pellet" was an incredibly powerful gunpowder projectile weapon. The "Soul-Shattering Gut-Wrenching Incense" was considered the world's finest knockout incense—colorless, odorless, impervious to the wind, and capable of penetrating the pores, making it impossible to guard against even if one held their breath. Most terrifying of all was the "Grass-Eradicating Heaven-Slaying Gu." Once released, it truly left not a single blade of grass behind; within a hundred miles, no living soul could escape except for the one who unleashed the Gu poison. All three treasures were so utterly malicious that successive leaders of the Demonic Cult never dared to use them lightly, as each appearance would throw the jianghu into chaos. Furthermore, internal struggles within the Demonic Cult over these three treasures had led to bloody massacres, nearly tearing the cult apart several times. By the time of the fifteenth cult leader, the three treasures were sealed away in a secret location, and subsequent leaders were forced to take a blood oath never to unseal them. Since then, the Three Treasures of Extinction had vanished from the world, gradually forgotten by the people of the jianghu. No one expected that they would stir up such a storm once again today.
"Aren't the Three Treasures sealed away? How does Lei Zhentian know their whereabouts?" Shang Lei asked in confusion. Gu Qingyao, who held a favorable impression of this young and handsome junior brother, explained the reason to him in a low voice.
As it turned out, six months ago, thousands of experts from the nine great sects, following a plan devised by Bai Dongshi, launched a surprise attack on the headquarters of the Demon Cult in the Haotian Abyss. They wiped out the demons, and even the Cult Leader, Cui Baichang, died after a fierce battle, causing the Demon Cult to fall into decline from then on. Bai Dongshi became known as the world's greatest strategist, not only because he had devised a flawless plan, planted an inside agent within the Demon Cult, and neutralized layers upon layers of traps and mechanisms, leading to a resounding success. Furthermore, the insider had brought back earth-shattering news: on the day the Haotian Abyss was breached, Cui Baichang had handed the keys to the Three Nirvana Treasures to Lei Zhentian, along with the authority to open them. Today was the very day he was to open the treasures.
Shang Lei's mind whirled, and he asked Bai Dongshi, "May I ask, Sir, how do you know that Lei Zhentian will retrieve the treasures today?"
Bai Dongshi laughed heartily. "It is no wonder Young Hero Shang finds it strange. You should know that the 'No Blade of Grass Left, Eternal Execution' among the Three Nirvana Treasures is an extremely rare poison. Only the fragrance of the Ice Calamus flower can suppress it. Once the venomous Gu smells this fragrance, it will regard the person holding the stalk as its master and obey their commands. The Ice Calamus has been kept in a crystal box by successive leaders of the Demon Cult, and it blooms every year on the eighth day of the first lunar month. Today is the day it blooms. If Lei Zhentian does not take advantage of the blooming of the Ice Calamus to retrieve the treasures, he will have to wait another year. I, Dongshi, spread this news throughout the Jianghu so that he could no longer delay."
Shang Lei immediately realized that Bai Dongshi had publicized this news because he wanted to leave Lei Zhentian with no place to hide, hunted down at every moment. Although this scheme was somewhat ruthless, it concerned the survival of the orthodox sects of the Jianghu. Though he felt some dissatisfaction, it was not appropriate for him to say anything.
Master Fangkong softly chanted a Buddhist moniker. "It is said that Lei Zhentian has Hu blood. He was born mute, but his hearing far surpasses that of ordinary people, and his divine strength is unmatched."
"No matter how great his strength, he is merely a brute. What is there to boast about?" Dong Lian said angrily, his snow-white beard trembling, looking exceptionally spirited.
Shang Lei found this amusing. Stealing a glance at Gu Qingyao, he saw her looking at him with curiosity. He then raised his head and mimicked Dong Lian's expression. Gu Qingyao could not help but show a hint of amusement in her eyes, before quickly putting on a reproachful look, clearly scolding him for not showing respect to his elders. He stuck out his tongue in response.
Bai Dongshi suddenly turned to "Ghost Hand" Tan Jian and said, "Brother Tan, you have fought Lei Zhentian four times, so you must be familiar with his martial arts. Could you tell us about it?"
Everyone was inwardly shocked. Tan Jian stared straight ahead and spoke coldly, "Lei Zhentian's martial arts have reached the absolute pinnacle, possessing an unimaginably fierce and domineering power. I have clashed with him four times. The first time, I was defeated within thirty moves. Three years later, we fought again, and I lasted sixty moves. Another three years after that, I managed to hold out for over a hundred moves. A year after that, having trained bitterly day and night and mastered my 'Ghost Hand' ultimate technique to the realm of grand completion, I went to challenge him again. To my surprise, I was wounded and defeated after barely over ten moves, and my defeat was absolute and unquestionable."
Fangkong looked worried. "If that is the case, has his martial arts already reached the level of being unrivaled under heaven?"