Hilmeria

Sword Saint Cascading Snow.

Upon hearing this, Kang De's heart sank once again. Before coming to Valentan, Hong San had met with the Sword Saint Cascading Snow and Tina, and he had confirmed their identities, so there was no mistake.

He took a deep breath, feeling his blood boil. He remembered Tina's letter; the princess had told him to stay in Valentan, and that she would come to see him...

And now, the Sword Saint Cascading Snow lies unconscious, severely injured, before him...

"What the hell is going on?"

He looked at Cassandra, whom the Bayero People had discovered while patrolling on her eagle. Kang De stared at her and asked a question, his tone and expression calm, but that was what made it so terrifying.

Having endured an unforgettable and agonizing period on the Holy Seal Archipelago, and having witnessed the Glittering Sand Incident and the Battle of Valentan, Kang De's spiritual qualities have become increasingly evident. He Immovable as a Mountain in the face of great events, yet beneath his calm and stern exterior lies a volcanic rage.

Even the valiant and powerful Cassandra was startled, and said uneasily, "I don't know..."

She recounted the entire story of her chance encounter with him.

There was no useful information; we didn't know what kind of battle the other side had encountered, who they had fought, or Tina's current situation.

Kang De said coldly, "First, wake her up. How badly are her injuries?"

Hong San said calmly, "I've checked her pulse. Her injuries aren't serious, but something's strange. Her Dou Qi is constantly repairing her internal injuries and depletion, but there's a strange, foreign energy surging within her body..."

"Let me see!"

Kang De's eyes suddenly turned into brilliant flames, sweeping over the body of the Sword Saint Cascading Snow, searching for the alien energy using the secret method taught by Tagelise. Immediately, his expression changed drastically.

"This power does not belong to this world... this energy comes from beyond the heavens!"

Cassandra looked bewildered, but Hong San immediately understood. "Power from beyond the heavens... In other words, Sword Saint Cascading Snow is fighting against an enemy from beyond the heavens!"

"Yes," Kang De gritted his teeth, "Damn it, we still ran into them!"

So, Tina...

In her letter, Tina said that she was coming to Valentan, but on her way south, she encountered a powerful enemy from outer space. A battle ensued, and only the Sword Saint Cascading Snow escaped severely wounded and came here seeking help...

At this thought, he was extremely anxious, but somewhere deep down he felt a slight sense of relief. It was an enemy from outer space, not an elf, who had made the move; after all, Tagelise had not lied to him.

So what's next...?

"We need to prepare for battle. The enemy will come... or rather, we need to go find them!" Kang De turned to Hong San, "Can you wake her up?"

Hong San looked ashamed. "Medical skills are beyond my capabilities, my cultivation is limited, and I don't have the ability to forcibly remove or dissolve this force..."

"Dissolve..."

Kang De's heart stirred slightly, and he clenched his fists. "I'll give it a try. Hong San, you secretly go to find the elf and invite Tagelise here..."

Hong San did not move.

Kang De glanced at him. "What's wrong?"

"Your Highness, please try first," Hong San replied. "If that doesn't work, then we can go find the elves. If you can revive the Sword Saint Cascading Snow on your own, then we'll at least need to ask you a few questions."

Kang De frowned. "What do you mean? You doubt the elves? But..."

Hong San bowed and said, "I am well aware of Your Highness's worries, but please allow me to point out that the more anxious one is about something, the more calm one must remain. You are not calm enough right now, and you lack your usual caution."

He turned and strode to the Goth map hanging in the room, pointing and saying, "Your Highness, please look at this. How far is it from Princess Tina's camp in the Northern Province to Halin District, where Cassandra discovered the Sword Saint's whereabouts? And on what day did Ulysses leave the Northern Camp and return to Valentan? How long did it take Ulysses, traveling day and night, to return to Valentan from the Northern Camp?"

Kang De had no time for patient contemplation. "Just state the conclusion!"

"Yes," Hong San replied. "The conclusion is that, with the Sword Saint's strength and speed, it is certainly possible to cross the elven-occupied territory and reach the vicinity of Valentan in such a short time. However, if he were accompanied by Princess Tina and a large retinue of guards, he definitely wouldn't have been able to do it! Even if the Sword Saint had accompanied the princess and her entourage, and had encountered a powerful extraterrestrial enemy attack very close to the camp, and then broken through alone to travel this long distance, it would still have been impossible! Her injuries simply cannot support a long journey, let alone with enemies pursuing her!"

"In other words, the Sword Saint came alone!"

He turned back, his gaze fixed on the map, his eyes deep and thoughtful as he intensely calculated. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "Actually, I only made a rough estimate, but still..."

Kang De tried to calm himself and focused on the map. He had no experience in mathematical calculations such as marching speed and distance estimation, because these also required military skills and experience. Although he couldn't calculate it, he was willing to trust Hong San, trusting the other party's intuition, judgment, and skepticism.

"He came alone..." he said. "Tina has already asked Ulysses to deliver a reply, just now... Why did the Sword Saint Cascading Snow still make this trip alone?"

"According to Cassandra, before the Sword Saint Cascading Snow fell unconscious, she only mentioned your name, wanting to see you, and seemed very anxious." Hong San was silent for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "That's why we're trying our best to revive her on our own, and that's why we haven't notified the elves yet!"

Kang De remained silent, then walked to the bedside.

Phoenix Vision activated, and with both hands placed on the Sword Saint Cascading Snow's lower abdomen, he closed his eyes.

The Fire Thief's powerful spiritual energy condensed into threads, gradually penetrating the opponent's body. The spiritual energy spread out, continuously enveloping the opponent's entire body, reflecting every detail in the mind and being perceived.

Every detail is clearly visible.

However, Kang De had no romantic thoughts at the moment. The unconscious Sword Saint Cascading Snow seemed to frown slightly, his powerful mental energy penetrating deep into the other's body, searching for the surging and turbulent alien energy.

The Fire Thief can Extraction everything, including energy. Ideally, he would use his mental power to lock onto the alien energy raging within the Sword Saint Cascading Snow's body and then Extraction it.

This is what Hong San meant by forcibly dissolving this force.

Of course, this is only the optimal theoretical situation. After all, he had never tried locking onto a powerful force that looked formidable with his mental energy before.

However, after trying it out, he discovered that it was much easier than he had imagined.

When his mental power touched that powerful energy, Kang De could even feel the fear that the energy was exhibiting. The energy seemed to have gained consciousness and was fleeing from Kang De's mental tendrils in terror. But the space it was traversing was just a mere body, how could it possibly evade and block him back and forth?

Lock in; Extraction.

In an instant, he sensed the fear and despair of that alien energy. The vast and mysterious energy surged into his body like a torrent, leaving him powerless to resist. It was like cattle and sheep facing lions and tigers, a predator-prey relationship etched on the food chain, where food is always just food.

This alien energy from outer space was completely suppressed by the power of the Fire Thief.

And...

Kang De felt the energy surging into his body. The other party could not be Extraction into Element, but he could perfectly absorb and control it. He was very familiar with this power, because several months ago, a similar level of energy had also surged into his body, becoming the key to open the door.

"This power is..." Kang De murmured, "Divine power..."

Just like the cursed sword that Lost pierced him with, the power from the gods ultimately completed the balance between Earth, the White Mist World, and the Otherworld, a special power powerful enough to connect the three worlds.

In an instant, the divine power flowed like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, and was completely absorbed by Kang De. It obediently submitted within his body, and could be automatically activated with a thought, and could be injected into any object or place at any time.

At the same time, the woman lying on the bed suddenly opened her eyes.

Like Tina's, his eyes were a beautiful blue, like a clear sky, but they were also different from Tina's. Tina's eyes were like a tranquil and gentle lake, while the Sword Saint Cascading Snow's eyes were as fierce as the sky above a snow-capped mountain.

Kang De's hands were still resting on the other person's soft abdomen.

The anticipated sudden turn of events and instinctive attack did not occur. The opponent remained calm, the peerless swordsman perfectly controlling his body, and would never act on instinct.

The first thing she saw was Kang De's Cathayan attire and signature short hair; the second was Hong San beside him; and the third was Cassandra, whom she had encountered earlier. She immediately understood her situation and lay on the bed, feeling her injuries while looking at Kang De's face.

"Are you Kang De?" she said. "I am Hilmerya-Tadariel, Tina's aunt."

Kang De was still reeling from the divine power he had just acquired and trying to determine the relationship between the extraterrestrial visitors and the gods. He was momentarily stunned and, upon hearing this, paused for a moment before saying, "Hello."

"Thank you for saving Tina, thank you for helping Goth, thank you for saving me—that's what I wanted to say."

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow's gaze fell on Kang De's hands, which were still pressed against his lower abdomen. The touch was strange, tingling and warm at the same time. Were all men's hands this warm?

Then she asked, "But I'll ask anyway—is the treatment not over yet?"

Kang De then snapped out of his daze, withdrawing his hand as if he'd been electrocuted. "Oh, it's over."

He temporarily put aside any thoughts of divine power, because there were more important matters at hand. "Who attacked you? What about Tina? Is she alright?"

"Tina is perfectly safe, of course. I came alone, no need to worry." The Sword Saint glanced at Kang De's expression, smiled for the first time, and even joked, "Worried about your fiancée? That's quite something."

The fact that she had the leisure to joke meant that the matter was not serious, and Kang De was relieved.

He reached out and helped the other woman up, then said to Cassandra, "Thank you for tonight, but please keep the matter of the Sword Saint a secret for now. You can stay here tonight."

Cassandra knew she was being asked to leave, so she bowed slightly to Kang De and then left under Hong San's guidance. Hong San called over the steward who was waiting nearby and instructed him to make arrangements for Cassandra. He also ordered the kitchen to heat up some broth and noodles, making sure everything was taken care of.

Inside, the Sword Saint Cascading Snow was helped up by Kang De. Hilmeria, watching Hong San's retreating figure, frowned and said, "He looks very different from before. Is it the same person?"

"People always change, Sword Saint, you know that better than anyone, don't you?"

Kang De pulled up a chair and sat down opposite the other man. "You may want to rest or eat now, but something equally important is this: who attacked you? Where are they now?"

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow recalled the fierce battle that had just begun, a battle he had never encountered before. Even now, as he remembered it, a solemn expression appeared on his face... That brief but intense battle determined life or death.

It startled her, filled her with lingering fear, and also made her feel honored.

A warrior's glory lies in slaying powerful enemies and achieving victory on the brink of life and death!

Then she slightly raised her chin. "I don't know who the other person was, but I've already killed them!"

Kang De was startled. "Killed them all?"

"All of them?" Hilmeria exclaimed, "There are others?"

Kang De was also surprised. "Isn't anyone else here?"

The two stared at each other, utterly shocked.

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow was shocked to discover that there was more than one such powerful individual.

And Kang De...

*****, it really was just one person? You only sent one person to deal with a human nuclear bomb like me? You guys are fucking arrogant, bastards! Losing is shameful, you idiots!

That's just how people are.

He anxiously calculated before the other party arrived, fearing that more would come. Then he discovered that only one of the other party had come, and that the Sword Saint Cascading Snow had killed him halfway through. He felt a sense of being looked down upon.

"Wait a moment..."

After calming down, the Sword Saint Cascading Snow realized that the person who had manipulated the gale and fought her earlier was someone she had never seen before in terms of combat style, abilities, or martial arts—at least not on the continent. Where did he come from?

She asked, "Do you know who he is?"

"I have some idea... but it's complicated." Kang De's tone was subtle. "I have to thank you. He was probably after me, and you took him down. You truly deserve the title of Sword Saint Cascading Snow."

Upon hearing this Sword Saint Cascading Snow frowned slightly, then said, "No need to thank me. You are Tina's husband and have helped Goth a great deal. We are family. It's nothing that I helped you get rid of the enemy. Besides, you don't need to thank me; that guy was already seriously injured earlier..."

"... Um?"

What? Did some chivalrous hero step in and beat them up before this?

Kang De became increasingly puzzled.

There are so many kind-hearted citizens in this other world.

When he asked for details, the Sword Saint Cascading Snow told him.

"I sensed signs of a large-scale battle and discovered that it was territory still under Goth's control. Fearing the situation might change, I went to investigate and found a powerful figure riding the wind slaughtering a Goth army of two or three hundred men. By the time I arrived, the last few soldiers had already been killed."

"When I saw this, I was naturally furious, but the man was even angrier than me after he discovered me, shouting things like, 'So there were ambushes here, but you're too late,' and then he started fighting. I fought him, and when he realized I wasn't easy to deal with, he tried to leave. But he had killed so many Goth People, how could I let him escape? Before long, the fighting got really heated..."

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow glossed over the details of the battle in just a few words, but it was clear that it must have been an unprecedentedly fierce and brutal battle, in which he almost lost his life.

In the end Hilmeria killed her opponent, but was struck by their dying blow. An overwhelming, monstrous energy surged within her, and she endured the pain to continue her journey, eventually encountering Cassandra...

She sighed, "Speaking of which, he was injured by someone before, and he also expended a lot of energy fighting that Goth squad. Judging from the scene, it was clearly a tough battle. When he finally met me, he probably only had six or seven tenths of his fighting strength left, which is why I was able to kill him with relatively little loss. If he had been at his peak, the outcome would have been truly unpredictable..."

Kang De comforted him, "A win is a win, you don't need to dwell on it. He got beaten up earlier because he deserved it, and you won fair and square. Otherwise, to be fair, he had been cultivating for many years longer than you, wouldn't that be unfair?"

Hilmeria glanced at him and smiled, "You have a pleasant way of speaking; no wonder Tina likes you. Don't worry, I won't dwell on it. Even if the opponent wasn't at their peak, killing such a powerful enemy is still something to be proud of, and it will bring me great insights and improvement..."

She sighed again, "But who was the person who so easily wounded him? And, we fought as we walked, far from the battlefield. After winning, my injuries were too severe to manage, and I was in a hurry to find you. I didn't even have time to properly mourn the fallen Goth soldiers..."

Kang De felt a pang of sadness; these Goth soldiers had taken the bullets for him. He comforted himself, saying, "It's alright. I'll send someone to collect their remains right now. Alas, they were quite formidable; to fight such a powerful enemy for so long, they were true warriors..."

What was said in jest was taken seriously by the listener. Upon hearing this, the Sword Saint Cascading Snow frowned. "Wait... right, that's why I've been feeling something's off— Halin is an elven-occupied area, how could such a powerful Goth elite squad be active there? I've never heard of such an elite force."

The two exchanged glances again. Kang De, a hint of doubt in his mind, said, "Please point to the location. Once you find their remains, the mystery will be solved. You can rest for now... By the way, what brings you here? When is Tina arriving?"

The Sword Saint Cascading Snow exclaimed in surprise, "Tina has already arrived in Danfeng Lucerne? I've come to pick you up."

Kang De paused for a moment. "Didn't she say she was coming? She changed her itinerary? What about the delegation then?"

Hilmeria was even more surprised. "When did she say she was coming to Valentan? Didn't you say you were going to Danfeng Lucerne? So we went back to the capital first..."

"But in her letter she told me to stay in Valentan and wait for her to come..."

Kang De's voice grew softer and softer as he spoke.

He locked eyes with the Sword Saint Cascading Snow, and his expression gradually changed.

￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥￥

PS1: 5,000 words... I'm slowly getting back into the swing of things, I'll write more tomorrow.

PS2: The following plot is quite intense... ah, and very challenging. Damn, why did I choose hard mode in the first place? Since I wanted thrills, I might as well go all the way... (stares into the distance)

PS3: Oh, by the way, I'd like to recommend a friend's book, "It's Arknights" by Kai Shu. It's back to updates, so feel free to check it out if you're interested...