Wild clouds stretched for thousands of miles, and heavy snow fell ceaselessly. In the vast darkness, the howling northern wind surged and roared across the endless snowy plains like towering, earth-shaking waves.
In the distance, countless peaks pierced the sky, their summits crowned with pristine white snow, standing silently as the snow-covered terrain stretched endlessly without a trace of human presence.
Hooves shattered the wind and snow as a black horse emerged from the east in the boundless stillness, halting motionless before a steep mountain path.
The steed’s whinny was instantly swallowed by the mountain gales.
The man on horseback released the reins, his emerald eyes clear and brilliant as he calmly gazed down at the tranquil city nestled beneath the snow-capped peaks in the distance. The fierce wind whipped his black robes, snapping loudly, and his mask was torn away, revealing a hideous, grotesque face.
His expression was indifferent, his tall figure seeming to merge with the thick darkness.
In the silence, several sharp, thin twangs of bowstrings suddenly rang out. As the first sound faded, a chorus of buzzing bowstrings echoed from all directions. Arrows sliced through the snowstorm, hurtling toward Su Dan Gu.
The iron arrows surged forth with overwhelming force, swift as lightning, their momentum halting the wind and snow as a chilling glint filled the sky.
The arrow rain fell densely like a spider’s web, layer upon layer enveloping the area like a sieve—no matter how unyielding the target, it would be stripped of flesh.
The taut bowstrings sent shivers down the spine, yet Su Dan Gu remained unmoving, as if hearing nothing. Only when surrounded by the gleam of arrows did he slowly raise his eyes. His long blade left its sheath, and his restrained Internal Force surged forth. Where the blade pointed, a powerful and imposing gust swept through.
In a flurry of clashing blades and arrows, the projectiles fell one by one, piercing holes into the snowy ground.
The atmosphere grew tense as the raging wind continued its onslaught.
Su Dan Gu raised his arm, and with a crisp sound, sheathed his blade, his gaze cold and detached.
From the heights of the mountain path came several sinister laughs. Shadows shifted, and the sound of hooves echoed as a man draped in a white cloak, holding a longbow and wearing a mask, appeared on the cliff. His muscular frame was robust and towering.
The crunching of footsteps filled the air as dozens of assassins, similarly clad in white cloaks, emerged from various directions, flanking him. Each wielded sharp blades, their masked faces revealing pairs of murderous, glaring eyes fixed intently on Su Dan Gu.
On the outermost perimeter, over a dozen archers drew their bowstrings taut, ready to coordinate with the assassins for a ranged assault.
The leader’s eyes were icy as he glanced at the scattered arrows on the ground. Discarding his bow, he drew his saber and pointed its tip at Su Dan Gu.
“Su Dan Gu, I’ve been waiting for you for days! I’ve prepared thoroughly, laying a trap from which there’s no escape—all to claim your head and use your skull as a wine cup! Even if your martial skills are unparalleled, and you possess the strength of three heads and six arms, today you won’t escape even if you grow wings! A year from today will mark the anniversary of your death!”
With his command, he spurred his horse down the mountain path.
The others shouted loudly, brandishing their blades as they charged toward Su Dan Gu alongside him.
Faced with the overwhelming onslaught of numerous adversaries, Su Dan Gu’s expression remained unchanged, his gaze steady. He raised his arm and slowly drew his blade, his black robes taut, his lean arms brimming with formidable power.
The leader’s face contorted ferociously as he roared, raising his saber: “Kill! Kill him…”
Before his words faded, a blunt long blade sliced through the air with a sharp whistle.
The man's fierce expression froze on his face, his voice caught in his throat as he met a pair of eyes.Those were deep jade-green eyes, cold, calm, and detached as if gazing down upon the mortal world from the clouds. Beneath the snowy night, a faint, eerie azure seemed to flicker within their depths.
The man’s eyes widened in terror.
Two blades clashed, emitting a sharp, resonant ring and scattering sparks like scattered stars.
The long sword in the man’s hand shattered with a series of grating cracks, its fragments falling to the ground like drifting snowflakes.
Those jade-green eyes stared coldly at him.
Asura Yaksa, violent and bloodthirsty.
A surge of fear and despair, rising from the depths of his heart, seized the man. Recalling the long-circulated legends of the Royal Court, he tried to draw the dagger at his waist, but his arms felt weak and limp. He could only watch helplessly as Su Dan Gu’s long blade swept toward his throat.
The hilt slipped from the man’s grasp. He tumbled from his horse, closed his eyes, and felt a cold pressure against his forehead—the blade pressing against his skull.
The excruciating pain never came. Su Dan Gu did not kill him.
The man’s heart pounded wildly as he opened his eyes.
Su Dan Gu sat astride his horse, the tip of his long blade resting on the man’s scalp, his gaze sweeping the surroundings with overwhelming authority.
The onlookers, having witnessed him single-handedly and effortlessly break through their encirclement and unhorse their leader, knew none among them stood a chance. Their previously soaring morale vanished instantly. They exchanged uneasy glances, hesitating and unwilling to advance.
Su Dan Gu fixed his gaze on one of the assassins in the crowd. “You wish to kill me?”
The assassin met his gaze, trembling like a sieve in sheer terror. Without a second thought, he dropped his blade and knelt, begging for mercy. “Spare me, Regent! Spare me! I was deceived by the bounty!”
Su Dan Gu’s voice was icy. “If there is a next time, the blade will not spare you.”
The assassin froze, never expecting to be spared. Overwhelmed with frantic relief and fearing a change of heart, he scrambled to his feet and fled, vanishing from sight in an instant.
The others exchanged uncertain glances, at a loss.
With a soft clatter, a long blade hit the ground as someone cautiously discarded their weapon and retreated from the encirclement.
Su Dan Gu remained motionless.
The disarmed assassin took a deep breath and sprinted away at full speed.
Soon, the sound of blades hitting the ground echoed one after another as the assassins turned and fled in panic.
Only Su Dan Gu and the ambush leader remained at the cliff’s edge.
Su Dan Gu lifted his gaze to the distant horizon, where the first light of dawn was breaking. “Who sent you?”
The man spat and laughed wildly. “Su Dan Gu, you kill without blinking, your hands drenched in blood! Countless in the Royal Court want you dead! I wish I could skin you alive, tear out your heart and lungs, drink your blood, devour your flesh, and shatter every bone in your body! I will not tell you who sent me! On the day you die, you will know!”
Knowing that even if Su Dan Gu spared him, he would not survive the morrow after failing his mission, the man roared in furious defiance. He abruptly lifted his head and slammed it against the blade poised before him.
Blood gushed forth. The man convulsed briefly, his eyes wide and unblinking, before falling still.
The pungent scent of blood scattered in the fierce wind, the viscous liquid splattered across the long blade, dripping steadily.
Su Dan Gu lowered his gaze, observing the spattered bloodstains on the blade. A dark azure glimmer flickered in his eyes, and a faint crimson mark surfaced between his brows.
He closed his eyes for a moment, sheathed his blade, removed his leather gloves, and pressed his palms together in prayer.
To end war with war, to stop killing with killing—all sins and burdens, I bear alone.A moment later, Su Dan Gu furrowed his brows slightly, his shoulders trembling as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
The mountain wind howled, bitingly cold.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his lips, eyes tightly shut, struggling to suppress something. The crimson mark between his brows gradually faded, his lips turning pale and bloodless.
The wind wailed, mournful and shrill.
Dawn was approaching.
Su Dan Gu turned his horse around, riding alone down the mountain path.
After about an hour on the trail, the snow grew denser, the wind roared fiercely, and faint voices along with the melodious sound of camel bells drifted from the distance.
A merchant caravan, hoping to reach the city gates before daybreak, was led by a fur-capped, leather-clad Hu merchant who whipped an exhausted camel, muttering curses under his breath.
Su Dan Gu did not approach, keeping his distance from the caravan.
Suddenly, a cry of agony echoed from behind.
The Hu merchant continued lashing the camel, and an elderly man with white hair, unable to bear it, stepped forward to intervene. Enraged, the Hu merchant raised his arm, his whip cracking viciously toward the old man.
The old man was whipped until his skin split open, collapsing to the ground, pleading for mercy.
The Hu merchant’s face twitched as he continued to beat the old man.
The old man crawled toward Su Dan Gu, weeping and shouting.
"Spare me... Save me! Save me!"
Su Dan Gu halted, his gaze shifting to the Hu merchant.
"Mind your own business!"
The Hu merchant caught up to the old man in a few strides, snarling with a furious glare as he raised his whip again.
Su Dan Gu lifted his hand.
The Hu merchant felt a sudden numbness in his arm, his whip snatched away by the scabbard of a long blade. Squinting, a flicker of cunning and malice crossed his eyes.
Just then, the old man, who had been groaning in pain beside the horse’s hooves, abruptly lunged at Su Dan Gu, his movements swift as lightning. Beneath his aged hands gleamed a cold light—clearly, he held a sharp blade.
A dull thud sounded as the blade pierced through the dark robes.
Following the old man’s move, the rest of the caravan drew their concealed weapons, swiftly surrounding Su Dan Gu in an instant.
Having struck his target, the old man channeled his Internal Force into his palms, striking at Su Dan Gu.
The blade was coated with poison. Su Dan Gu’s movements faltered for a moment before he tilted backward, falling from his horse.
The old man laughed maniacally, drawing a flexible sword from his waist and leaping forward, each strike aimed to kill. "Haha, Su Dan Gu, don’t blame us for being ruthless! You brought this upon yourself by being careless!"
"You truly are loyal to the Buddha Prince, showing mercy even now! A battlefield commander should never be soft-hearted! You asked for this!"
The surrounding men jeered and mocked, their blades glinting under the dim light.
They were the assassins who had ambushed Su Dan Gu on the mountain path. Their leader was only a minor figure, and after his death, they had retreated to observe Su Dan Gu from the shadows. Seeing him vomit blood, they rejoiced at the sign of injury and joined forces with another group, waiting here for his descent.
From here to the Royal Court, every major town was ambushed with their men.
They were determined to claim Su Dan Gu’s head!
The assassins swarmed forward. With Su Dan Gu injured, they had nothing to fear this time!
Su Dan Gu fell into the snow, staggering backward, the blade still embedded in his chest, blood gushing out.
"Su Dan Gu, prepare to die!"
The thought of killing the Regent, who struck fear into the hearts of nobles and officials, filled the old man with ecstasy. His flexible sword flashed like lightning as he laughed and lunged forward.
The next moment, a crisp sound rang out.
The old man’s smile froze on his lips, his eyes wide with shock.Su Dan Gu raised his head, his lips pale. With slender fingers that moved like the Buddha gently plucking a flower, he steadily caught the opponent's flexible sword. With a light flick, the razor-sharp blade shattered like dry twigs.
The old man's heart raced with terror, his body drenched in cold sweat.
Su Dan Gu stared coldly at him, expressionless. Emerald eyes ignited with two clusters of eerie blue light that shimmered faintly. The tightly furrowed space between his brows glowed faintly red as he stood drenched in blood, murderous aura swirling around him.
What strange cultivation method was this?
The old man was scared out of his wits, but before he could utter a scream, the broken sword slashed across his throat.
A spray of blood erupted.
The old man collapsed limply at Su Dan Gu's feet.
Morning light broke through the swirling snow, pouring down as the empty path suddenly fell silent.
Su Dan Gu stood in the pool of blood, his face splattered with crimson. His emerald eyes swept across the scene.
Like an Asura emerging from the Asura's Realm.
The assassins trembled in utter terror, their courage completely shattered.
...
Before dawn, the sound of horses neighing came from below the post station. The guards began packing their belongings, preparing to depart.
Yaoying was awakened by the noisy conversations outside her room. She got up to wash and applied a thick layer of ointment to her feet. Just as she put on her heavy fur coat and leather boots, Xie Qing knocked on her door - breakfast was ready.
Ashina Bisha was already up, sitting by the hall's fireplace polishing his saber. Seeing Yaoying come downstairs, he pointed to the breakfast prepared for her.
"We depart today. In three more days we'll return to the Royal Court. It will continue snowing these coming days. Princess, your body is delicate - wear extra layers of thick coats. Catching a cold in this weather would be no joking matter."
Yaoying acknowledged him and picked up her soup bowl. Her gaze swept over the clay pot in the fireplace, her brows slightly furrowing as she lifted the lid using a soft cloth.
The soup bowl and naan bread inside remained untouched.
She remained silent for a moment before replacing the lid.
"Did the Regent not return last night?"
Bisha paused in his sword polishing but didn't look up. "The Regent has returned to the Royal Court ahead of us. Previously when I was injured, the Regent took my place escorting you. Now that I've recovered and the Regent has pressing official business, he rushed back overnight."
Yaoying picked up her soup bowl and continued drinking.
Neither spoke.
The felt curtain hung high, shadows moving before the door.
Bisha gazed at Yaoying and suddenly asked: "The Princess prepared hot soup for the Regent. Since he didn't eat it, is the Princess displeased?"
Yaoying raised her eyes to meet Bisha's gaze, shaking her head. "No, I was just thinking... the Regent left in such haste without even having a bowl of hot soup. After spending the whole day in the wilderness, he surely hadn't eaten anything..."
Bisha looked at her and asked: "How does the Princess know the Regent ate nothing? He merely didn't eat the hot soup you left for him."
Yaoying's eyes curved slightly as she smiled: "The Regent never eats meals with others. Yuanjue would prepare food separately for him. Sometimes when Yuanjue is busy, I help keep an eye on things..."
She used to think Su Dan Gu was particular, but later discovered he wasn't picky - he just had different habits from others. As long as the food was prepared by her or Yuanjue, he would quietly eat it.
The untouched soup in the clay pot meant he had left without eating anything.
Bisha fell silent, sheathed his saber, stood up and walked out.
Within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the convoy departed.
Yaoying rode in the middle of the procession, with Xie Qing and other guards closely flanking her.Bi Suo rode a sturdy horse at the forefront of the procession, continuously dispatching his personal guards back to the Royal Court with messages. From time to time, fast horses galloped up to him, reporting news from the court.
By noon, they reached an open plain at the foot of the mountain when suddenly thunderous hoofbeats echoed from ahead.
Splattering mud and snow, two riders charged toward the front of the procession. The riders dismounted in haste, their voices strained with urgency: "General, there's trouble ahead!"
Bi Suo's expression shifted grimly. He ordered the procession to quicken their pace and urged his horse forward.
Soon, they arrived at a mountain path leading to an oasis town.
Ahead, frightened whinnies of horses rang out. Those at the front of the procession caught sight of the scene on the road, their faces paling drastically as they reined in their mounts abruptly.
"General!"
The group stood bewildered, unsure what to do.
Bi Suo's face darkened like stormy waters as he dismounted.
A Royal Court guard rode back, signaling the merchant convoy to halt where they were and remain stationary.
Yaoying, positioned near the front of the procession, thought for a moment before guiding her horse forward.
As she rounded the bend, a fierce gust of wind swept through, carrying with it a thick, nauseating stench of blood.
Suppressing her revulsion, Yaoying pressed onward, her eyes gradually widening in horror.
The path ahead was a scene of chaos: overturned carts and chests lay scattered, pools of blood soaked the ground where corpses—old and young, men and women—lay fallen. Horses, camels, and long-haired cattle and sheep were also strewn about, gutted and mutilated beyond recognition.
Not a single soul from the entire merchant convoy had been spared.
Who could have committed such brutality?!
Yaoying could not bear to look further and averted her gaze.
Yuanjue, beside her, seemed lost in thought. His hands gripping the reins trembled uncontrollably, his whole body shaking. His brown eyes widened so drastically they seemed ready to bulge from their sockets, his expression one of sheer terror.
Bi Suo glanced back at him, his thick brows furrowing deeply.
Yuanjue met his gaze, both their faces grave, tinged with a subtle, unspoken worry.
A guard jogged up and saluted with clasped fists: "General! I've inspected carefully—everyone in this merchant convoy was killed by military blades, no survivors! Some bodies aren't even stiff yet; it must have happened early this morning before dawn. From the tracks in the snow, the killers fled into the mountains after the slaughter!"
Other guards chattered among themselves: "How ruthless! Even women, children, and the elderly were slaughtered!"
"Look at the blade techniques on the corpses—the perpetrator was surely a master!"
"The killers used long blades common in the military. Could it have been soldiers?"
"The wounds on all the victims cut deep to the bone—this doesn't seem like the work of common bandits…"
"This mountain has only one descending path. Let's guard the entrance and storm up there!"
Bi Suo's face grew increasingly pale, his lips quivering slightly. He removed the bronze tally he carried with him and turned to instruct his guards: "Go into town and inform the garrison soldiers that I am taking charge here. No one else is to interfere. The rest of you stay—divide into teams of ten, bury the bodies, clear the path, and set up barricades. No one else is to pass through."
Having spoken, he closed his eyes briefly, his right hand gripping his long blade as he turned his horse and left the procession.
Yuanjue's expression was complex, his eyes slightly reddened. Gritting his teeth, he spurred his horse to follow.
Yaoying remained where she was, watching as Bi Suo and Yuanjue rode up the mountain one after the other, lost in thought for a long moment.
Her heart felt heavy, as if weighed down by a massive stone, making it hard to breathe. Her heartbeat suddenly slowed to a crawl.
A figure—cold, resolute, and steadfast—flashed through her mind.
Those nights camping in the wilderness, no matter when she opened her eyes, she could always see him.Yaoying bit her lip, gently nudged her horse’s flank with her long boots, and spurred it into a gallop, catching up with Yuanjue and Bi Suo.
Xie Qing immediately urged her horse to follow.
Yaoying turned back, her expression calm but resolute, and said word by word: “Ah Qing, all of you stay here. No one is allowed to follow!”
Xie Qing froze for a long moment before tugging the reins and halting in place.
Before the Royal Court guards could react, Yaoying had already charged up the mountain path and caught up with Yuanjue and Bi Suo.
The sound of hoofbeats drew nearer. Bi Suo turned, his pupils contracting sharply, and said coldly, “Princess, please turn back!”
Yaoying did not slow down. She caught up to him, her gaze shifting between his face and Yuanjue’s.
“Have you already guessed who the killers of the merchant convoy are?”
Yuanjue’s expression tightened, and he remained silent.
Bi Suo’s face was as still as water. “This is a matter for the Royal Court and has nothing to do with you, Princess. The Royal Court guards will protect you. The mountain is not safe—we are going to apprehend the killers. Please return to the foot of the mountain.”
Yaoying glanced back at the guards stationed along the mountain path and the scattered corpses lying on the ground. She turned her face and stared directly at Bi Suo.
“Bi Suo, do you suspect the Regent is the killer?”
Bi Suo’s expression shifted dramatically.
Yaoying fixed her gaze on him, refusing to let him evade her eyes. “Are you and Yuanjue going to kill him?”
A shudder ran through Yuanjue’s body as he looked at Yaoying.
Yaoying met his gaze openly. “These past few days, whenever I approached the Regent, you’ve been tense, your hand gripping your knife slick with sweat. Are you afraid he might harm me?”
Yuanjue’s face turned pale.
“The Regent carries the scent of medicine. Is he injured? Or has something gone wrong with his martial arts training? Why has he been avoiding people these days?”
Yuanjue dared not speak, his eyes darting away.
Yaoying took a sharp breath and turned her attention back to Bi Suo, pressing further: “Do you think he lost control and slaughtered the entire merchant convoy?”
The mountain wind howled. Bi Suo remained silent, the veins on his hands bulging as he gripped the reins tightly.
Yuanjue let out a choked sob and wiped the corner of his eye.
“Su Dan Gu is not the killer!” Yaoying panted, her body trembling slightly. “Look closely at those corpses—how could he possibly slaughter innocents indiscriminately?”
Bi Suo turned his head and stared down the mountain path.
“Princess, you know nothing. How can you be so sure the Regent is not the killer?”
He paused, his voice suddenly turning harsh and sharp: “I grew up with the Regent. I’ve known him for over twenty years—I understand what’s happening far better than you! You are nothing but an outsider!”
Yaoying took a deep breath, her fingers tightening around the reins.
“It’s true, I know nothing. I am just an outsider, unaware of the secrets hidden between you, the Regent, and the Buddha Prince, and I have no intention of prying. You’ve known the Regent for over twenty years, while I’ve only been around him for a few months.”
She lifted her gaze, unwavering, and stared directly at Bi Suo.
“Then, may I ask, General, since the Regent began practicing martial arts, has he ever slaughtered a single innocent person?”
Bi Suo remained silent.
“In all these years, when his training went awry, did he ever harm anyone?”
Bi Suo still did not respond.
Yaoying’s voice was calm. “If you’ve never seen him harm anyone, why have your hands been constantly resting on your sword hilts these past few days, ready to strike the moment you see him? Why, upon witnessing the tragic deaths of the merchant convoy, did you look so anguished and rush up the mountain alone, leaving everyone else behind?”Her voice rose slightly: "Ashina Bisha, do you suspect Su Dan Gu?"
Bi Suo gazed at Yaoying, remaining silent for a long while.
Yaoying stared back at him, her expression stubborn. Anxiousness flushed her cheeks faintly red, wind-tousled hair framing her temples, and the tip of her nose tinged crimson.
She truly cared about the Regent.
Bi Suo closed his eyes briefly, the usual careless and teasing smirk gone from his face, replaced by a lingering sorrow etched between his brows.
He let out a long, heavy sigh.
"The Regent's cultivation method is unique. The slightest misstep can trigger a backlash—mild cases harm the practitioner, while severe ones lead to qi deviation, causing loss of familial bonds and descent into cruel bloodlust."
Bi Suo lowered his head, gazing at the blade his master had entrusted to him.
"Princess, Yuanjue told me the Regent showed signs of cultivation backlash days ago, which explains his recent erratic behavior. He headed in this direction. I calculated the timing—he'll pass through the mountain path early this morning."
Mountain winds howled, whipping thick snowflakes into a frenzied dance.
Bi Suo's voice trembled. "The long blade the Regent uses is standard military issue."
Nearby, Yuanjue shivered uncontrollably, his eyes reddening further.
Yaoying wiped snowmelt from her face, her expression serene. Her pitch-black eyes gleamed like polished lacquer.
"So what?"
Bi Suo stared blankly.
The bitter wind cut like knives, its chill piercing to the bone. Yaoying shuddered in the gale, enunciating each word clearly: "All guards carry long blades. Without witnesses or evidence, without seeing the Regent harm anyone yourself, how can you determine the killer based on speculation? He's currently unstable due to cultivation backlash. If you accuse him recklessly and provoke his anger, won't that deepen the misunderstanding between you?"
Bi Suo fell silent, at a loss for words. After a long pause, he gave a faint, wry smile. "Does the Princess trust the Regent so completely?"
Yaoying raised a hand to tidy her wind-tossed hair.
"On our journey to Gaochang, we once passed a cliff. A startled horse slipped off the plank road, nearly throwing its rider into the abyss. The Regent saved that guard."
Su Dan Gu had been trailing at the rear of the procession when it happened. In a flash, he darted forward and rescued the guard.
"After the guard was safe... the Regent didn't leave."
Yaoying met Bi Suo's jade-green eyes. "He leaned over the plank road, calming the frightened horse, and saved that animal moments from plunging into the valley."
It was just a horse—hardly worth risking a fatal fall to save.
Yet Su Dan Gu had saved it.
Though he radiated killing intent, his blade technique held hidden compassion.
Yaoying declared firmly, "I believe in the Regent. Even if cultivation backlash overwhelms him, he would never slaughter innocent civilians."
Bi Suo's expression shifted profoundly.
Yaoying continued her analysis: "Moreover, the Regent's blade work is precise. If he truly intended to kill, it would be instant death—not deliberate torture. Look closely at the corpses, General: the wounds crisscross chaotically, and the horses and camels... it doesn't resemble one person's work."
Bi Suo and Yuanjue exchanged glances.
They had been so preoccupied with worrying about Su Dan Gu, they hadn't dared examine the bodies carefully.
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