The plum blossom is the first messenger of spring. Even in the bitter cold of winter, it blooms in full glory, joining two other resilient plants, the pine and the bamboo, to form the "Three Friends," defying the freezing cold to display their fragrance and beauty.
As spring just began to bud, in a forest on Wuhua Mountain on the outskirts of Kunming, amidst barren trees surrounded by a vast expanse of white snow, the golden plum forest bloomed brilliantly like a miracle. Countless golden branches swayed in the wind, scattering their fragrance across the white snow, leaving one utterly enchanted.
In the rear mountain, where the cliffs soared into the blue clouds, the golden hue was even more brilliant. There, century-old plum trees grew close together, their branches and leaves intertwining, their fragrance rich and heavy. One could not help but wonder if there was any other place under heaven more worthy of human praise.
Amidst this poetic scenery, a scholar in Confucian robes and a headwrap had appeared unnoticed, slowly walking through the plum forest.
The scholar walked slowly yet so lightly that even though the snow was a foot deep, not a single footprint could be seen. He headed toward the towering cliff and stopped beneath an ancient plum tree, gazing intently at the petals, his robes fluttering in the wind.
In this setting, the scholar in his Confucian robes looked like an immortal standing in Penglai. Except for the occasional gust of wind, the surroundings were utterly silent; when the wind died down, the faint chirping of insects could be heard from far below at the foot of the cliff.
The scholar suddenly bent down to pick up a dry branch from the snow. Strangely, a few sparse petals still clung to it, remaining remarkably fresh. Was it because they were preserved by the layer of snow, or was it due to the resilient vitality of the flower itself?
In the distance, the sound of footsteps approached, though they were extremely faint.
The scholar's expression shifted slightly. A smirk played on his lips, and with a gentle flick of his hand, the dry plum branch flew out and embedded itself deep into the stone cliff.
Only then did several figures come into view. In the blink of an eye, they had drawn close at a shocking speed, far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.
Having detected them beforehand, the scholar maintained his indifferent smile, though his expression grew colder.
As the figures passed the mouth of the valley, they spotted the scholar and paused for a brief moment. After a slight hesitation, they cautiously approached.
The scholar muttered:
"Why are there only four of them? Could it be that my wish won't be fulfilled this time?"
The four came to a halt about one zhang away from the robed scholar. A tall, red-faced man among them, dressed in Taoist robes, spoke in a booming voice:
"Shenjun is indeed a man of his word! It turns out we are the ones who are late... Hahaha!"
His laughter echoed off the cliffside, loud enough to ring in one's ears.
The scholar coldly swept his gaze over the four as if sizing them up, before his eyes settled on a withered, thin old man.
The old man wore an exquisitely woven cotton coat, and on his back was a longsword that was far too long for his small frame, nearly scraping the ground.
The scholar's attention was drawn to the old man, likely due to his unusual appearance:
deep-set eyes, sunken cheeks, and a hooked nose like a hawk's beak. A single glance was enough to tell that he was a sinister individual.
Although all four had smiles on their faces, it was clearly forced, unable to conceal the anxiety and dread in their hearts.
When people know they are about to plunge into a matter of life and death, they cannot help but show such an attitude. Among them, a very handsome youth's face was pale with fear, his entire body trembling.
The reactions of the four did not escape the scholar's sharp eyes. A strange gleam flashed deep within them, vanishing in an instant, before he finally spoke in response:
"Very well! The Sect Leaders of the Five Great Sects have come here today."
"The three of you have made this Mei Shanmin very pleased. However..."
Pausing for a moment, the scholar's eyes flashed with a terrifying killing intent as he continued:
"Why have the Sect Leaders of the Kunlun and Diancang sects, the 'Void-Treading' Zhuo Deng and the 'Returning Wind Sword' Hero Xie Xing, not yet arrived? Could it be that they look down on this Mai?"
The red-faced Daoist, leader of the Five Great Sects and Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect, Daoist Master Chi Yang, smiled and replied upon hearing this:
"Since the Divine Lord made the appointment, how could we dare not to come? It is only that..."
The withered, thin old man cut in with a cold voice:
"It is only that someone even more formidable than you, Divine Lord, has already taken them away..."
Here, he paused, letting out a dry, mysterious smirk before adding:
"If you, Divine Lord, were to encounter that person, I, Li E, would be the most delighted of all!"
Mai Shanmin's expression changed as he asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Daoist Master Chi Yang interrupted, "Please do not be angry, Divine Lord. Hero Xie of the Returning Wind Sword and the Void-Treading Hero Zhuo passed away one after another just a few months ago. Thus, they could not keep their promise made to the Divine Lord three years ago. However..."
He pointed toward the handsome youth and continued, "This is the orphaned son of Hero Xie of the Returning Wind Sword, known as the 'Fallen Blossom Sword' Xie Changqing. He is currently the seventh-generation Sect Leader of the Diancang Sect, and has come today to fulfill the promise on his father's behalf."
Mai Shanmin glanced at Li E, then turned to Xie Changqing. "Brother Xie, you are extraordinarily handsome; your late father was truly blessed. I deeply admire you for coming here to fulfill the promise on your father's behalf. However, this is a matter of the previous generation, and it is enough for us to settle it among ourselves. If you feel it is unnecessary, Brother Xie, you do not need to involve yourself in this matter."
These words aligned perfectly with Xie Changqing's own thoughts.
He knew very well that this was a life-and-death duel. Since the opponent dared to challenge the five Sect Leaders of the current Five Great Sects, his internal energy and martial arts were naturally extraordinary. Furthermore, no one in the jianghu was unfamiliar with the name of the Seven Luminaries Divine Lord, Mai Shanmin.
Yet, as he was now the Sect Leader of one of the Five Great Sects, there were many things he had to strive to do. This was both for the honor of the Diancang Sect and because his position in the jianghu was by no means insignificant.
Therefore, after thinking it over once more, Xie Changqing did his best to control his emotions, keeping his face expressionless. He raised his head, looked straight at his opponent, and replied, "What the Divine Lord says is very true. However, once a true man speaks, his word should not be changed, regardless of whether he can carry it through. My late father and the Divine Lord made a pact, and now I am following his dying wish to fulfill that promise. Therefore, regardless of success or failure, life or death, I do not care."
The Seven Luminaries Divine Lord, Mai Shanmin, nodded, secretly admiring the youth's heroic spirit. He spoke, "Everyone has their own ambitions, and they should not be forced. Since you have made your decision, Brother Xie, this Mai can only accept it with respect."
Having said that, Mai Shanmin turned to Daoist Master Chi Yang. "Three years ago, on the summit of Mount Tai, your Five Great Sects challenged the martial world to compete for the title of the Number One Sword Under Heaven..."
Mai Shanmin suddenly stopped speaking and threw his head back, letting out a long laugh. The laughter echoed off the cliffside, resounding endlessly. Once he finished laughing, he continued, "Why would I, the Seven Luminaries Divine Lord, care about such madness!"
"If you like it, you may freely call yourselves the 'Number One Swordplay Under Heaven' for all I care. However, I never expected that the Sect Leaders of the self-proclaimed Five Great Sects would band together and use despicable means to injure my friend, the 'Soul-Severing Single Sword' Wu Zhaoyun, by the waterfall in Tianjin..."
Suddenly, Li E leaped in front of Mai Shanmin and said aggressively:
"No need for useless talk! Wu Zhaoyun brought death upon himself, so who else is there to blame? Today, the four of us have traveled a thousand miles here with the sole purpose of witnessing firsthand the world-renowned martial arts of you, the Seven Brilliances Divine Lord, to see if the rumors are true! Now, each of us will take turns keeping you company!"
Mai Shanmin gave a cold smile and replied:
"I only fear you lack the qualifications to experience my Seven Arts!"
Daoist Master Chi Yang showed no anger at his opponent's contempt, still smiling casually:
"Of course! The Seven Brilliances Divine Lord is peerless under heaven in swordsmanship, lightness skill, palm power, as well as poetry, calligraphy, painting, and charm. As for us, we are merely crude martial artists, how could we compare to the Divine Lord, who is a master of both the literary and martial arts!"
Li E cut in:
"Especially the last one, which we could never hope to match."
Daoist Master Chi Yang laughed heartily in agreement:
"Hero Li speaks the absolute truth! The Divine Lord is gallant and dashing, while we are merely uncouth fools—how could we compare? Today, this old Daoist, along with the Sect Leader of the Kongtong Sect, Sword God Hero Li, the Sect Leader of Emei, Reverend Ku An, and the Sect Leader of the Diancang Sect, my worthy nephew Xie of the 'Fallen Blossom Sword', have come here for our agreed duel to seek instruction from the Divine Lord's swordsmanship and palm power. If we are fortunate enough to win one match against the Divine Lord, we will proceed to test your third skill, lightness skill... as for the remaining Four Brilliances of poetry, calligraphy, painting, and charm, we dare not try!"
Mai Shanmin replied with a cold smile:
"If so, then very well! First, I, Mai, would like to seek instruction from Hero Li, who calls himself the 'World's Greatest Swordsman', to see just how miraculous your swordplay is that you dare to be so arrogant..."
Curling his lips into a cold smile, the Seven Brilliances Divine Lord Mai Shanmin continued:
"Afterward, no matter how extraordinary your martial arts may be, I, Mai, will accommodate you and will certainly not disappoint. In any case, whoever has come here today, if you cannot defeat me, do not even think of returning alive! Conversely, if I, Mai, am defeated by your hands, I will also lose my life here! Now that I have made myself clear, there is no need for you to lecture me on the code of the Jianghu!"
"Just deal with me exactly as you dealt with Wu Zhaoyun before!"
It was now dusk. There was no moon tonight, but the ground remained bright, illuminated by the brilliant white snow everywhere.
Furthermore, all five people present possessed profound inner energy, allowing them to see everything as clearly as in broad daylight.
Mai Shanmin's eyes swept over his opponents like lightning, suddenly realizing that although each of them had a different expression, they seemed to have planned beforehand, maintaining a resolute composure.
This discovery gave the Seven Brilliances Divine Lord Mai Shanmin pause, yet he composed himself and thought:
"No matter what schemes and tricks they play, could I not handle them? Moreover, they were supposed to have five people, but now there are only three and a wet-behind-the-ears brat?"
Sword God Li E let out a cold snort:
"What you say suits me perfectly. No need for more words, let us begin right now."
With those words, he swiftly drew his longsword and swung it in a rapid circle like lightning, sending countless rays of light radiating all around.
Only then did Reverend Ku An, who had remained silent from the beginning, finally speak:
"The Divine Lord spoke very well. Today's duel should be regarded as a battle to the death. Although we are not yet the giants of the martial world, fighting us will not tarnish your reputation. Therefore, we should have clear rules..."
The Seven Brilliances Divine Lord asked:
"What is your high opinion, Reverend?"
Reverend Ku'an replied, "In this monk's opinion, the first match should be a contest of swords, but there is no need to exchange blows directly..."
Pointing in front of him, he continued, "Let us draw a circle. Daoist Master Chiyang, Hero Li, Young Benefactor Xie, and I will each stand at a designated position on the circle. If the Divine Lord, standing in the center, can break out of this sword formation within half a shichen, we shall concede defeat!"
Mai Shanmin thought quickly, then nodded. "Very well! This Mai accepts!"
Reverend Ku'an continued, "In that case, would the Divine Lord please draw the circle?"
Mai Shanmin reached out and snapped off a plum branch in full bloom with twenty or thirty blossoms. Channeling his inner energy into it, he caused all the blossoms to fall from the branch. Smiling, he said, "I did not expect that today I would have the heart to ruthlessly crush these petals..."
With that, he gave his sleeve a gentle flick. The flowers were drawn up into his sleeve, then fell one by one to form a perfect circle on the snow!
The technique was truly spectacular to behold!
Reverend Ku'an nodded in admiration, not only because of the superb method used to draw the circle, but also because the circle formed by the petals was extremely small.
Obviously, the smaller the circle, the harder it would be for the person confined inside to break out. To willingly strip away one's own advantage before a life-and-death battle like this could only be the act of a madman who disregarded his own life, or someone with absolute confidence in his own abilities. How could this not strike fear into Daoist Master Chiyang and the others?
Standing in the center of the circle, the Qiyao Divine Lord said curtly, "Please make your move, so that this Mai may experience your so-called 'Number One Swordplay'!"
Sword God Li E was the first to draw his longsword, taking his position at the southern point of the circle.
Daoist Master Chiyang, Reverend Ku'an, and Xie Changqing drew their swords as well, occupying the remaining three positions.
Daoist Master Chiyang spoke up, "This match is a contest of swords. Divine Lord, please present your weapon!"
The Qiyao Divine Lord slightly raised the bare plum branch and replied with a smile, "For the past ten years, this Mai has not used a weapon. But since I am facing the most renowned masters of the martial world today, I must use this plum branch to seek your guidance. Please, make your move!"
Hearing these words, the expressions of all his opponents changed.
The Qiyao Divine Lord threw his head back and laughed. "Do not underestimate this plum branch. In my hands, it is no different from a saber or a sword."
Speaking for the group, Daoist Master Chiyang said, "Since the Divine Lord has said so, please forgive our discourtesy!"
Instantly, four swords traced brilliant arcs of light, weaving a dense screen of sword shadows around the Qiyao Divine Lord.
Mai Shanmin noticed that the sword techniques were highly bizarre, unlike any style from the Wudang, Emei, Diancang, or Kongtong sects. The endless stream of sword shadows was as dense as a steel wall, so tight that not even a drop of rain could penetrate it.
Clearly, everyone had established from the beginning that this was a life-and-death battle, so there was no holding back from taking a life.
The circle was only about one zhang wide; two swords from opposite sides could easily touch. Standing in the center, Mai Shanmin had to employ incredibly miraculous movement techniques to avoid being injured.
As Mai Shanmin executed his lightness skill to evade the attacks, he thought to himself, *"No wonder they proposed this method. They had planned this all along, using a bizarre sword style that belongs to no known sect. They must have spent the last three years devising this solely for today's life-and-death battle... I had thought they would use their own sects' swordplay, which, even with their four swords combined, would not be so difficult to deal with."*
Mei Shanmin suddenly felt a pang of regret. If only he had brought the Meixiang Sword and used it to execute the "Quzhi Sword Style" to directly confront and break the enemy's sword formation. But now, with only a plum branch, he could not deflect the longswords of four opponents, all of which were famous blades. Escaping the sword formation would be no easy feat. As he focused his attention on observing the formation, Mei Shanmin suddenly heard the clashing of swords...
This sword formation had originally been devised by Venerable Ku'an, Daoist Priest Chiyang, Sword God Li E, and Huifeng Sword Xie Xing to deal with the Qiyao Divine Lord, anticipating a fierce and brutal battle.
The Qiyao Divine Lord, Mei Shanmin, was renowned in the martial world for his ruthless heart and merciless hand, a man who subdued opponents and claimed lives with supreme martial arts. Though he had traveled the jianghu for a long time, no one had ever lasted more than twenty moves against him.
Therefore, the four of them had prepared this sword formation to face the battle. With four sect leaders joining forces and preparing meticulously, the sword formation was bound to be their masterpiece.
Unfortunately, Huifeng Sword Xie Xing was now dead. His replacement, Xie Changqing, lacked sufficient internal power and had only trained for a few months, so he had not yet mastered it. Naturally, he could not coordinate smoothly with the other three, which led to his sword clashing with another's, revealing a flaw in the formation.
The Qiyao Divine Lord was highly experienced and quick to react; the moment he heard the clashing of swords, he knew there was a flaw in the formation. Instantly, he thrust his plum branch—infused with internal energy so that it was no less formidable than a real blade—into the spot where the clash had just occurred. At the same time, he struck upward with his left palm, his razor-sharp palm wind accurately targeting two flashes of sword light.
Luoying Sword Xie Changqing felt a jolt in his wrist. A strange, powerful force caused him to freeze, his entire body trembling as the sword in his hand ground to a halt.
The sword formation was originally airtight, but now that one person had suddenly stopped, it meant they had broken their own formation. It would not be easy to coordinate and recover!
Seizing the opportunity, the Qiyao Divine Lord unleashed another palm strike. At the same time, he tapped out repeatedly with his plum branch, creating bursts of light like a blossoming plum branch radiating in all directions, carrying a fierce force that shattered the sword formation...
Seeing that the situation was unfavorable, Sword God Li E withdrew his sword, breaking away from the continuous flow of the formation's moves. He swung his sword down toward his opponent's left shoulder with his ultimate technique, "Rainbow Supporting the Heavens."
Mei Shanmin, the Qiyao Divine Lord, saw the sword light flash like a rainbow. He immediately executed his footwork to evade the deadly strike, while his plum branch precisely tapped against the blade of Xie Changqing's sword.
Before Xie Changqing could regain his composure, the plum branch struck again. He struggled to keep the sword from flying out of his hand, but because of this, he lost his footing and was forced to retreat.
Though slow to describe, these events unfolded in a mere instant.
Seeing the sword formation collapse, Venerable Ku'an and Daoist Priest Chiyang each hastily thrust a sword toward the Qiyao Divine Lord.
Having missed with his previous move, Sword God Li E quickly withdrew his sword. With a loud shout, he thrust three times in rapid succession, targeting his opponent's vital acupoints.
Channeling more internal energy into his plum branch, the Qiyao Divine Lord tapped the blade of Venerable Ku'an—who was the first to strike—deflecting his sword to the side. Seizing the momentum, he sprang upward and leaped out of the formation.
Their faces flushed with embarrassment, the four opponents quickly withdrew their swords. Venerable Ku'an stepped forward and said awkwardly:
"The Divine Lord's movement technique is indeed extraordinary. In this sword duel, we have clearly been defeated!"
The Qiyao Divine Lord quickly replied:
"In that case, what is the second formation? Please enlighten me, Venerable..."
Reverend Ku An said:
"In this round, this old monk and the Shenjun shall test our palm force against each other."
He bent down, intending to pick up a plum blossom that Qiyao Shenjun had tossed down to mark the ring for the previous match, only to suddenly realize that the flowers were all deeply embedded in the ground, with only their petals flared open. Startled, he thought to himself:
"Ah! Qiyao Shenjun is truly an eccentric genius of the martial world. With just a gentle shake of a branch, the flowers fell in such perfect alignment. Only someone with supreme internal energy could channel their power into so many delicate petals at once... Looking at him, he does not seem very old, yet his cultivation is so profound. If we hadn't prepared a plan beforehand today, the Sect Leaders of the Five Great Sects would surely have perished here on Mount Hua!"
Despite these thoughts, he calmly picked up a plum blossom and looked at Qiyao Shenjun:
"The Shenjun's internal energy is truly something this old monk has seen for the first time. Now, I would like to propose the method for our duel of palm force..."
Holding the flower between his fingers, he continued:
"To test my palm force against the number one expert of the martial world in such a celestial setting, this old monk suddenly feels a refined whim. I would like to use this flower to test our palm force."
Qiyao Shenjun raised an eyebrow and asked:
"Please elaborate, Reverend..."
Reverend Ku An placed the flower in the palm of his right hand, then slowly extended his open hand forward and tilted it sideways, yet the flower did not fall. He smiled and said:
"The Shenjun shall also place a flower in your palm like this. We will clash palms in such a way that the flowers in our palms neither fall nor get crushed. If this old monk loses this round, all four of us will bow our heads and submit to the Shenjun's decision. I wonder if the Shenjun agrees to this method?"
Qiyao Shenjun laughed heartily and replied:
"Reverend is indeed a man of refined tastes! Who wouldn't agree to such an ingenious method of dueling? Naturally, how could I possibly object?"
With that, he bent down to pick up a flower, placed it in his palm, and extended his hand forward to face Reverend Ku An, adding:
"For this match, I ask Brother Xie, the Fallen Sword Hero, to act as witness. If no winner is decided within one double-hour, it shall be considered my loss."
Hearing this, Xie Changqing was overjoyed in his heart and immediately stepped to the side, while Daoist Priest Chiyang and Sword God Li E remained standing behind Reverend Ku An.
Qiyao Shenjun did not pay it much mind. He took two sliding steps forward, his elbow slightly bent, and his right palm facing forward.
Reverend Ku An also took a step forward, his movements identical to his opponent's. The two flowers between their palms met, and the moment they touched, they became firmly stuck together.
Although he immediately felt an extremely powerful, soft yet cold palm force pushing into his body from his opponent, Qiyao Shenjun thought to himself:
"Reverend Ku An is truly walking into his own grave! In less than half a double-hour, he will surely be injured by my 'Shadow of Floating Fragrance' palm force... I didn't expect him to come up with such a method..."
But just as the thought crossed his mind, Qiyao Shenjun suddenly felt the pressure against his palm surge with an extraordinarily fierce power. He realized that he had underestimated his opponent too much just now.
By now, his hand was slightly numb, and he had almost met with defeat. Qiyao Shenjun quickly composed himself, focusing his entire mind and channeling all his internal energy to concentrate it in his palm.
This development arose beyond Qiyao Shenjun's expectations for a very simple reason.
Reverend Ku An's palm force was inferior to his opponent's, but the four Sect Leaders had already devised a devious scheme beforehand, which was why they had Reverend Ku An propose this method of dueling.
Among the four in the arena, Sword God Li E not only possessed superb swordsmanship but also the most profound palm strength. Furthermore, he had mastered the technique of "Borrowing Force to Strike Force," which had long been lost in the martial world.
At this moment, Li E stood between Reverend Ku An and Daoist Master Chi Yang. His left palm pressed firmly against Daoist Master Chi Yang, while his right palm pressed against the center of Reverend Ku An's back. He channeled his own internal energy along with Daoist Master Chi Yang's into Reverend Ku An's body, causing the force pushing against their opponent to suddenly triple!
Thus, Qi Yao Shen Jun had to pit his internal energy against all three great masters. Consequently, although his cultivation had reached a supreme realm, he was forced to struggle desperately to cope.
Only now did Qi Yao Shen Jun realize he had been tricked, but it was already too late. When internal masters engaged in a contest of internal energy, they were forced to focus their minds and exert their utmost strength. The slightest slip or distraction would immediately result in severe damage to their internal organs.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, all four men had poured all their internal energy into the duel. As a result, sweat drenched everyone's foreheads. No one dared to lose focus; their entire power was concentrated in their palms, while the other parts of their bodies felt as if they no longer belonged to them.
At such a moment, even an ordinary person with normal strength could push them over, causing them to be instantly injured by their opponent's palm force.
The heat from their internal energy melted the snow beneath their feet, which slowly flowed over and soaked the shoes of Xie Changqing, who was standing nearby.
Yet, Xie Changqing did not even notice. He was completely transfixed by the terrifying clash of palms, his mind anxiously wondering:
— "What should I do? What should I do now?"
Xie Changqing observed the state of the battle and gradually came to a decision.
By now, Qi Yao Shen Jun had weathered the sudden surge, regained his balance, and was gradually gaining the upper hand. Reverend Ku An's palms had begun to tremble slightly.
It must be noted that Reverend Ku An was already seventy years of age. Although his internal energy was profound, the passage of time no longer allowed him to maintain his stamina, and his body could no longer regenerate internal energy as it did in his youth.
Sword God Li E used the "Borrowing Force to Strike Force" technique to channel his own internal energy and that of Daoist Master Chi Yang into Reverend Ku An's body. However, because this was external energy, his body naturally could not adapt to it immediately, making it highly susceptible to a backlash.
Luoying Sword Xie Changqing also recognized this. Seeing that the defeat of the three Sect Leaders was not far off, he thought to himself:
— "This is a life-and-death struggle, involving the lives of all four men. I cannot die! I must act! Although doing so is underhanded, who doesn't have a bit of self-preservation? Right now, there is no one else in the arena. How could my actions spread to the Jianghu? This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
He then stepped forward slowly, choosing the most advantageous position. His handsome face suddenly turned sinister and filled with killing intent.
He looked at Qi Yao Shen Jun's broad forehead and slightly thin, otherworldly face, and those eyes, flashing with divine light, which never wavered from his opponents...
Xie Changqing hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth. Raising both hands, he struck Qi Yao Shen Jun's two vital acupoints, Jianjing and Canghai, in rapid succession, using the Diancang Sect's ultimate technique, the "Seven Deadly Hand Technique."
Qi Yao Shen Jun was concentrating all his divine energy on the palm duel, completely oblivious to the developments outside. Suddenly, he felt a wave of numbness, his arms went limp, and then a fierce, powerful force surged into his body.
The last thing Qi Yao Shen Jun felt was the handsome yet sinister face of a young man flashing before his eyes, before he slipped completely into unconsciousness.
The plum forest still wafted its rich fragrance, and the ground remained blanketed in white snow...
Wuhua Mountain returned to a silence so profound, it was as if nothing had ever happened.
Although Daoist Master Chiyang, Reverend Ku'an, Sword God Li E, and "Falling Petals Sword" Xie Changqing returned victorious, their hearts were heavy with gloom.
From the mouth of the valley, a young beggar clad in a patchwork robe of a hundred patches suddenly appeared. He walked swiftly to the motionless body of Qiyao Shenjun lying on the snow, bent down to check his breath and then his chest, before standing up with a sigh.
The young beggar stood there for a moment, about to lift Qiyao Shenjun's corpse, but paused and muttered to himself:
"It is better to leave him here. The snow will cover him, forming a grave.
He will be able to gaze upon the wondrous scenery of this place and keep company with the plum forest. In this way, heaven and earth have not treated him unkindly!"
With that, he slowly raised his head. Suddenly, his eyes fell upon the scabbard of Sword God Li E, still resting on a stone slab about three zhang away. An idea flashed in his mind. He ran over, picked up the scabbard, and then vanished from the forest.
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This novel is also known as *The Poison Sword and the Plum Fragrance*.