South County.
Zhongnan Mountain, Sword Pavilion.
Towering Zhongnan like a sharp sword piercing clouds; peak flat with large bluestone.
Snowflakes fell; entire mountain unsheathed white blade.
Ximen Xianzhi opened eyes.
Body thick snow.
Shook; qi from pill mobilized; meridians cycle; snow scattered.
Sword in snow; cold gleam.
Stood; circulated blood; stiffened body loosened.
Grabbed sword.
Mind sank.
“Immortal fate…”
Gripped; mind heat flow.
White light ball floated mind.
Poked; flood poured.
Long; aura calmed.
“Light…”
Ximen Xianzhi shocked.
“Cultivation system; sword path; but deviant; light sharpness present sword sharpness.”
Sat bluestone.
Ximen Xianzhi; once genius with Overlord Li Sansi; cultivator rise left behind.
Early; Sword Maniac title.
Sword obsessed; more than Sword Saint Hua Dongliu.
Lived name; sword arts divine.
Now light sword inheritance joy; thought sword end; found broad avenue.
Sat bluestone; snow fell.
Ximen entranced; organized mind concepts.
No copy; loved sword; light sword not pure sword…
Gripped; danced bluestone.
Slow; snow fall slowed.
Snow gentle.
Sword light dazzle; burst; sky curtain beam; blinding.
Pavilion.
Hua Dongliu room studied intent; sudden eyes open.
Eyes sharp.
Intent felt sharpness light.
“Xianzhi?”
Stood; qingshan wild; step door auto open.
Peak flat; see who derived sword stirred intent.
Ximen unaware surroundings.
Heart sword sank.
Mind light sword understanding fused own sword.
Qi mobilized; snow halved.
Crack… crack…
Sword cracks; exploded; iron pieces ground.
Ximen trembled.
Hands light condensed; light sword.
Shook; sword left hand; stabbed snow.
Thick snow exploded.
Snow flew.
Light sword cut bluestone; incision.
Ximen shook; sweat beads.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Eyes bright; night moon; hand up void grab.
Pinched light.
Gather light sword!
Snow tofu; fine sword marks.
Ximen mind clear; epiphany.
Head vortex; qi swept.
Broke.
Body Storage!
Commotion; pavilion disciples startled.
Hua Dongliu snow came; back two swords; Chaoju Bitao.
“Indeed Xianzhi… Body Storage!”
Hua old face joy.
Even he qi pill peak.
Ximen entered Body Storage.
Surpassed pavilion master.
Hua sighed; era changed; hundred sons lagged; youth surpassed.
Disciples gathered.
Saw breakthrough; joy.
“Senior Xianzhi broke?”
“Pavilion finally Body Storage!”
“Silent years; senior rise; rival Dao Pavilion Li Sansi Xiliang Overlord?!”
Disciples complex.
Joy envy.
Ximen vortex head; sword case back; gripped hilt dazed.
Hua flat stepped.
Ximen recovered; gripped; bowed Hua.
“Master.”
“Xianzhi Body Storage?”
Hua laughed.
Ximen nod; fate insight; but Body Storage.
“Pavilion hope on you.”
Hua sighed.
“New replace old.”
“Comprehend intent?” Hua asked.
Ximen shook head.
“Hurry; successful swordsman intent essential.”
Hua said.
“Master; light… sword?” Ximen snow stood; snow body; asked.
Hua stunned; stroked beard; saw eyes confusion.
“Sword; all things sword; pluck flower sword; rain drop sword… even this snow.”
Hua said.
Goose snow front.
Hand; pinched; sudden flung.
Snow fly sword; air tear whistle; cut bluestone; long melt.
Ximen eyes brighter.
“Heart sword; all things sword…”
Hua said.
Ximen nod; all sword; light sword.
Light everywhere; sword everywhere.
Ximen found broad; joy.
Hua knew insight; smiled: “Xianzhi; how long no descend?”
Ximen unexpected; cupped: “Near three years.”
“Thought longer; master intent decades; disciple decades.”
“Closed door no create; era different; intent easier; but closed obstruct derivation.”
“Descend.”
“Sword confusion? Seek strong; challenge; gain battle.”
Hua said.
“Jingyue Beiluo; sword inspire; seek spar.”
Jingyue growth beyond expect.
Inspire Ximen.
“Yes.”
Ximen no hesitate; felt closed difficulty.
Path start; no seclusion.
But dazed; Beiluo…
“Go; two swords gift.”
“Body Storage Heaven Lock; sword cultivate strongest; Golden Core no suit; Heaven Lock pavilion master.”
Hua said.
Back swords gave Ximen.
Ximen took; felt different.
Hua laughed.
New old; joy lost.
Turn; hands back; snow; peak vanish.
Ximen gripped Chaoju Bitao; case; bowed vanish direction.
Then flat disciples cupped.
Qingshan swayed; bold steps Zhongnan down.
Beiluo; bold idea.
Challenge… strong.
…
Capital.
Narrow alley.
Figure shaky; blood corner; stood.
Liu Yuanhao swollen head; eyes gleam.
Immortal fate…
Liu fate!
Cultivator era; chaotic capital; Xiliang army order…
Prosper dark jianghu gangs.
Best era.
Liu wiped blood.
Out alley; distant.
Royal city towering.
Sniffed; founded Black Dragon; young master; true helper brother Liu Hao.
Liu Hao?
Once glory; Zhou emperor Black Dragon thirteen first.
Pity; Xiliang Daxuan capital; Liu Hao died Overlord.
Liu escaped; founded.
But hard; no strength; suffered.
Hand open; palm; eyes light: “Fate…”
“Past no qualify seek hidden Black Dragon guards; now qualify; time; gather guards; grow gang…”
“Black Dragon capital first gang!”
Liu fist tight.
Nether white flame fist gaps.
Liu stunned.
Mind; bone nether fire hand surged; twisted face.
…
West Commandery; Liangzhou city.
Southwest West; border Peacock Kingdom.
Liangzhou war ready; Peacock nation; five barbarians.
Liangzhou fortress; alert.
Snow Liangzhou cold.
Yongcheng Pawnshop.
Liangzhou only; motto “no dare not take; only you dare not pawn.”
Boss wealth unknown; rich rival city.
But one clerk.
Threshold Ding Jiudeng opened; dazed long; recalled immortal ground.
Touched bald; earlier fear; dazed long no fear.
Mind chants; faint bald kind; texts flowed.
Ding patted bald; uncomfortable.
Sudden.
Back kick.
“Little Ding; work; monthly feed house; lazy?”
“No work pack roll!”
Behind cursed.
Ding stood; silent long; fearful muffled: “Go now.”
Body burly; bald lantern.
Behind boss; sharp monkey rich old.
Saw work Ding; stroked stubble; smiled.
Hired Ding cheap; feed sleep; wage deduct reasons.
No hit back curse; good.
Boss rubbed hands; eyes greed.
Monthly deal time.
Sharp monkey smiled; greed; success wealth double!
“Little Ding work; boss night check; bad next next wage deduct.”
Boss said.
Hum tune; left pawnshop.
Boss long gone; Ding aware muffled “Oh.”
Action pause; recalled; boss direction: “Boss; next next wage deducted.”
But gone.
Ding touched bald; continued.
Sudden.
Door conical hat veil; face unclear.
“Pawn.”
Voice hoarse.
Long; shop response.
“Coming.”
Ding window; shadow: “Pawn what?”
Figure pocket; silver scissors counter.
“Value?”
Hat said.
Ding reach; no touch; scissors spin float; hat grab; sudden neck; cut skin blood.
Ding no expression.
Hat stunned; clerk… bold.
“Boss where?”
Ding recovered; fear whole; missed fear phase; shiver; panic eyes hat.
“Bo… boss sell goods.”
Ding said.
“Lead.” Hat again.
Words.
Two silver scissors bald.
Ding dazed; recovered missed scare; tasteless; little fear; aware: “Good…”
Hat: “…”
Bold! Steady!
Ding knew boss source.
But no lead; boss bad hit curse deduct.
But…
Gave shelter.
Father died Liangzhou field; alone; no boss wander freeze starve.
Thus Ding hat maze alleys.
Entered; stop; dazed.
Sudden sprint; crisscross run.
Long; back; hat lost; fear pat chest.
Left alley; boss sell place.
Knew; once boss searched officials; followed.
Ding unknown.
Out alley; roof hat sat; black robe; calm watched depart.
…
Beiluo city; vast snow plain.
Goose snow; covered tracks.
Sudden.
Hooves cracked.
Snow raised.
Black mane horizon galloped; mane snow wild.
Back burly sat.
Beiluo wall.
Guards saw snow sprint black mane.
Xiliang breed!
Back figure; guards horrified!
“Ov… Overlord!”
Guards cried.
Wall commotion.
Luo Cheng eyed; face change.
Overlord came?
North Xuan; Xiliang kings…
Daxuan Xiliang lords Beiluo?
Tantai Xuan for Jiang Li; Overlord… for Tantai Xuan?
Luo speechless; self; qi; city gallop.
Beiluo lake isle.
Tantai Xuan just second floor Baiyujing.
Leaned wheelchair Lu; face odd.
Eyed sat Tantai Xuan; smiled: “Overlord Beiluo too.”
Words.
Sat Tantai Xuan pupils shrank; butt needles.
Sharp breath.
Overlord… bully too much.
