Chapter 25: Snow Gathers, Ice Forms—The Duel of Two Heroes

“This bastard, he really dragged me into this mess too.”

Wan Zhongtian was nearly driven to collapse by the twin sisters, one attacking, one defending. Each misstep led to another, leaving him no chance to launch a proper counterattack, forcing him to dodge repeatedly around Black Hunter.

Originally, this matter had nothing to do with Black Hunter, but Xiaoshuang had already taken a dislike to him earlier. Now, she no longer cared if he was involved or not; with a flick of her soft sword, its shimmering light enveloped both Black Hunter and Wan Zhongtian.

Sumu, witnessing the scene, forced his dry lips into a smile and managed a few hearty laughs, not forgetting to cheer on the two girls.

“Ladies, your beauty is matched only by the elegance of your magic. Is this a fairy taming a wicked hound? Ha, keep it up!”

The playful laughter echoed from the girls’ lips; praised by Sumu, Xiaoshuang’s soft sword danced like a swimming dragon trailing icy fragments, flowing seamlessly through the air like countless comets dragging sparkling tails across space.

Xiaomo, though primarily on defense, had three crystalline ice shields obscuring her petite frame. Yet her right hand occasionally struck with sudden attacks, adding further threat.

“Black Hunter, if you don’t fight back, we’re all going to die here! Didn’t you see how merciless they are?” Wan Zhongtian shouted angrily as Black Hunter only dodged.

“My, these girls are vicious!”

Just then, as Wan Zhongtian’s attention wavered, his left shoulder was struck by a shard of ice. Before blood could flow, the wound was frozen solid. The biting cold made him gasp in pain, and his left side began to lose responsiveness.

“My apologies.”

Black Hunter’s face darkened as he addressed the girls. His hands, returned to their original form, were stimulated by vital energy and transformed once more into black claws. When he tried to seize the icy whip, intending to crush the spell-forged ice, the instant he touched it the cold pierced to the bone, and a layer of white frost formed on his claws. Alarmed, he quickly let go.

Though Black Hunter wished to ambush the girls, the blue-and-white shadows of the ice fragments danced everywhere, making it impossible to approach. Several times he tried to get close, only to be blocked by Xiaomo’s ice shields. Now, unable to fight or touch, Black Hunter was so frustrated he could cough blood.

“Black Hunter, hold them off for a moment, let me gather my energy.” Wan Zhongtian called out as he found a brief respite. Without waiting for a reply, he stood firm and began to channel his power.

“Hold them off? How am I supposed to do that?” Black Hunter wailed in frustration, his hands moving ceaselessly to deflect the whip’s shadows, not daring to pause. Both claws were already numb from the cold, unable even to clench or open.

The air all around was chilling, his movements sluggish, and his body was repeatedly grazed by icy attacks. Relying on his refined constitution, he barely held on, thinking he could only endure a few more blows. If that bastard Wan didn’t act soon, he’d freeze to death.

Wan Zhongtian seized the precious opportunity. Powerful spiritual energy surged from the star source in his mind, his eyes gradually shining with dazzling light. He cradled an invisible orb of energy between his hands, rolling it back and forth as if holding a sphere. Suddenly, he shouted and hurled it toward the twin sisters.

Instantly, it was as if a giant stone had struck a calm lake. A powerful ripple surged through the air, flying toward Xiaoshuang and Xiaomo’s position. Sumu cried out, “Watch out!”

Xiaoshuang smiled gently at Sumu, placed a hand on Xiaomo’s wrist, and together they drew circles with their soft swords. Snowy light gathered and dispersed, swirling into two enormous ice dragons. The dragons twisted and turned, finally merging into a brilliant blue-white beam that collided with the incoming ripple.

A tremendous explosion erupted, and a shockwave blasted outward in all directions. All the soldiers nearby were knocked flying, horses and men alike. Sumu was thrown off his feet, landing hard on the ground, his blood marking an imprint of his body. Already at his limit, Sumu immediately lost consciousness.

The air was thick with icy powder, colder than snow on one’s skin. The soldiers hunched their shoulders, shivering violently.

The officer, seeing these supernatural figures battling with such terrifying power, no longer cared about Xu. He ordered all the soldiers to retreat, lest they be caught in the calamity. Before leaving, he gave Master Ji a deep bow and hurried off, glancing several times at the unconscious Sumu, wondering how the boy had survived encounters with such terrifying people.

As the icy powder slowly settled, the twin sisters’ figures emerged. Three massive ice shields stood before them like walls, their hair not even disheveled. Wan Zhongtian lay exhausted on the ground, gasping for breath, his energy spent.

Black Hunter’s frost poisoning grew worse, the wounds covered in white fur-like frost, rendering him powerless. No one had expected these seemingly delicate girls to wield such formidable magic.

Wan Zhongtian’s special spiritual energy was indeed powerful, but it had one flaw: it exploded upon contact. The reason Jiang Yingying could deflect it was that her vital energy was a formless surge rather than a tangible object. Now, faced with the endless frost magic, he was helpless.

“I was wrong, I was wrong, I beg forgiveness from the two fairies! It’s all my fault for being blind. Your cultivation is far beyond mine, and I foolishly offended you. Please, for the sake of our common heritage and the difficulty of cultivation, spare us this time!”

Seeing the girls reform snow into ice, their soft swords trailing long icy tails, Wan Zhongtian was nearly in tears, bowing repeatedly to beg mercy, heedless of age or dignity.

“Hmph, people like you who look down on others need a good beating to learn humility. You still have strength left? Take another blow from me!” Xiaomo pouted, and without mercy, shook her soft sword, preparing to strike again.

“Spare him!”

A loud shout rang out. Wan Zhongtian, ready to close his eyes and face the blow, opened them in excitement, recognizing his brother’s voice and nearly weeping in relief.

Xiaomo ignored the call, moving even faster. Wan Zhongtian’s face turned ashen, believing his life was over.

A long howl echoed, and a streak of red lightning flashed in front of Wan Zhongtian. Whatever motion he made, Xiaomo’s soft sword bounced away, startling her so much she paled. Xiaoshuang reacted instantly, raising her sword to shield Xiaomo.

The red figure stood firm; it was a man in a red-brown cape, black-and-red fitted clothes beneath, around forty years old with a full beard and a small scar on his left cheek. His eyes were wide and furious, making him look truly intimidating.

“So young, yet so aggressive. You’ve learned a bit of soul magic and already think yourself above others? How did your master teach you—should I discipline you on their behalf?”

“Who are you, ugly fool? We were caught off guard by your sneak attack, don’t think you’re so impressive. You want to lecture us on behalf of our master? You’re not qualified!” Xiaomo, now recovered, flushed with anger and embarrassment.

“Brother, if you’d arrived a moment later, your little brother would’ve suffered at the hands of these wicked witches!”

Wan Zhongtian, usually quite proud, now clung to his elder brother like a child, crying as if suffering a great injustice.

Moved, Wan Zhongtian revealed his wounded shoulder to Wan Xudong. Seeing his brother’s injury, Wan Xudong’s anger burned hotter, though he also felt disappointed.

“Useless! I told you to restrain yourself, but you never listen. You’re barely a prince and already causing trouble every day instead of cultivating. When we get back, you’ll work harder, lest even dogs and cats bully you!” His scolding quickly shifted blame to Xiaoshuang and Xiaomo.

“You two brothers are shameless! Hmph, your younger brother was the one who insulted our Snow Brocade Palace first. You came here and started scolding us without knowing the facts. Neither of you is any good—surrender together!” Xiaoshuang, already annoyed by the pair, was even more angered by Wan Xudong’s words.

“Wan Brother, slow down and wait for us! Damn, rushing through the night in this darkness is torture. If you don’t invite me and Iron Black Egg for a drink and a massage later, I’ll hold it against you!”

Suddenly, urgent hoofbeats echoed in the city. A raspy, unpleasant voice called from the darkness—it was Wan Xudong’s companion. Wan Xudong, swift from cultivating vital energy, had arrived before his companions to rescue his brother.

“Shut up! Call me Iron Black Egg again and I’ll burn off your hair, see who’s the real egg!” Another voice rang out, revealing that two men had arrived together.

“Hahaha, Iron Black Egg is well-known! Don’t threaten me, my long hair is precious!”

“You bastard, when we reach Wan Brother, you’re going to get it!”

The two bickered as they rode up to the city gate, arriving to find swords drawn and tension high.

A bald, black-faced burly man dismounted and approached Wan Xudong, who was glaring at Xiaoshuang and Xiaomo. He glanced at the frostbitten Black Hunter, who could barely speak, then at Wan Zhongtian, collapsed on the ground, and asked gravely, “Wan Brother, tough opponents?”

“Hmph, how could two girls defeat Black Hunter and my brother? It must be that old bastard over there. Now that we’re all here, let’s take down the old man together!”

The other, a scruffy, short man wielding a large axe, his hair disheveled and face oddly lewd, stood in the middle, pointing at Master Ji who watched from the side, dismissing the twin girls entirely. He didn’t think the girls, who seemed barely old enough for milk, could have any skill—it had to be the old man’s doing.

The short man’s words made Xiaoshuang and Xiaomo break into cold sweat. Where had this dwarf come from, and how many lives did he have to dare speak to Master Ji like this? Even the Lord of Pinglong Fort couldn’t save him today.

Black Hunter, hearing the short man challenge Master Ji, struggled up despite his frost wounds, raising his hand in panic, “Stop him! He’ll get us all killed!” His despair was obvious, leaving everyone baffled.

Master Ji smiled kindly, not offended at all, and beckoned to the short man.

“Come closer, I’m old and can’t hear well.”