The Love of Sword and Dragon, Part 1

Hu Haoran had not even recovered his senses when a powerful, pure surge of spiritual power flooded into his mind. Without a word, he immediately sat cross-legged and entered a meditative state.

After absorbing the rewarded spiritual power, he found himself teleported to the edge of a lake. The lake shimmered with seven-colored light, its waters the color of glazed crystal. Seven-colored glazed trees and flowers grew all along its shores. The entire world was composed of seven hues, like a dreamlike fairyland.

"Endure the lake for one shichen, and you will pass the trial." The voice entered Hu Haoran's ears from all directions.

Hu Haoran scratched his head and muttered, "Isn't it just taking a bath? Endure it for one shichen? What an exaggeration."

The mysterious person at the center of Jade Mist Lake smiled faintly. "This little brat is interesting. He passed the Rainbow Road trial so quickly and entered Rainbow Purgatory. Just taking a bath?! This bath will give you plenty to suffer through. I hope you enjoy it."

Hu Haoran stripped naked by the lake and sashayed toward the water. "I haven't had a proper bath these past few days. This lake is a little weird, but it should still be good for a bath. Hahaha... la la la, la la la..."

The moment Hu Haoran submerged himself in the seven-colored lake, the lake's radiance blazed. He instantly felt as if countless tiny blades were hacking at his body, while tens of thousands of ants gnawed at his internal organs. His upper body burned while his lower body froze, and the heat and cold kept alternating. He could not help crying out, "Ah... ah..."

"Is this bath comfortable? The longer you soak, the greater the benefits you receive. You must stay for at least one shichen. Enjoy it slowly!" The voice suddenly rang in Hu Haoran's ears.

Hu Haoran had originally wanted to rush out of the lake immediately, but the voice reminded him that he was in a trial. He instantly suppressed the thought, though he still stubbornly replied, "Com... fortable... mm... awesome..."

The scene shifted to Leng Xuewu's illusion.

Leng Xuewu entered Snow God Mountain alone, sword in hand, to hunt her sixth soul ring.

Amid the vast snowy mountains, Leng Xuewu wore a blue-and-white long dress that fluttered in the wind. Pure and icy, she seemed to merge with the snow-capped mountains, becoming a uniquely beautiful sight. Her target was a forty-thousand-year Ice Soul Moon Butterfly.

The Ice Soul Moon Butterfly was descended from the Golden Dragon God Butterfly and the Ice Crystal Nine-Colored Butterfly. It inherited the Golden Dragon God Butterfly's strength and the Ice Crystal Nine-Colored Butterfly's extreme cold. They generally lived atop Snow God Mountain. Though powerful, they were gentle by nature, and few people climbed Snow God Mountain to trouble them.

Leng Xuewu walked step by step, admiring the scenery of Snow God Mountain while sensing the changes in her state of mind. The snowstorm never ceased, and snowflakes filled the sky, landing upon her shoulders and face. She reached out and touched the slowly falling snow, murmuring softly, "So beautiful... so cold..."

Not far from Leng Xuewu, a life-or-death battle was underway. Here, Leng Xuewu would meet the man who changed her life—Hu Haoran's father, Hu Xi.

"Commander Xiao, protect General Hu and leave first! We'll hold them off here! Don't worry about us!" said a soldier who had been slashed three times. Blood streamed from his wounds, his steps were unsteady, yet he stubbornly forced himself to remain standing.

"Leave?! How could it be that easy? A level forty-three Soul Ancestor actually dares to talk about holding me off? Interesting. If you're not afraid of death, I'll grant your wish!" said a slender man dressed in black assassin's garb. He held a short blade in his hand, and six perfectly configured soul rings floated behind him. "Fourth Soul Skill, Black Nether Ghost Stab."

The assassin vanished in a flash, and a black shadow shot toward the injured soldier with a whoosh.

The injured soldier instantly summoned his martial soul. Four imperfectly configured soul rings floated behind him as he unleashed his fourth soul skill. A set of turtle armor immediately appeared over his body. Without hesitation, he used his body to meet the assassin's short blade and shouted, "General, go! I'll block him for you! Fourth Soul Skill, Aotian Turtle Shell!"

The short blade instantly pierced the injured soldier's body. The Aotian Turtle Shell provided no resistance whatsoever. Splat... The short blade passed through the soldier's chest, stabbed into his heart, and emerged from his back. The injured soldier tightly gripped the assassin's blade, still murmuring, "General... from now on... I... can no longer... fight... by your... side... You must... escape..."

"You still refuse to die? Trash! I'll finish you off right now!" The assassin abruptly increased his Soul Power output, sending Soul Power surging through the short blade and into the injured soldier's body.

Splat...

The injured soldier's entire body was blown apart by Soul Power, torn into pieces. He was dead beyond doubt.

Hu Xi was heartbroken at the sight, but there was nothing he could do. He could only continue fleeing. He could not let the soldier's blood be spilled in vain. Tears fell from his eyes.

As Hu Xi fled, he saw Leng Xuewu strolling through Snow God Mountain—the woman he would come to cherish for the rest of his life.

"Miss, run! I'm being pursued, and I don't want to drag you into this!" The moment Hu Xi saw Leng Xuewu, he shouted at once. He did not want her to fall victim to the assassin as well.

Hearing his shout, Leng Xuewu did not turn and flee. Instead, she quietly waited for Hu Xi to arrive, watching him calmly.

Hu Xi quickly ran up to Leng Xuewu, grabbed her hand, and said as he ran, "Miss, why won't you listen? Run first. That assassin pursuing me may not be able to catch you; his target is me. Why were you standing there so foolishly? Hurry and escape with us now."

Leng Xuewu quietly watched the endlessly talking Hu Xi. Without realizing it, her feet began following him as she ran. A faint ripple unexpectedly stirred in her heart, and her face gradually flushed. This was probably love at first sight.

With Leng Xuewu in tow, Hu Xi's escape speed naturally dropped greatly. The black-clothed assassin quickly caught up.

"Fourth Soul Skill, Black Nether Ghost Stab." The assassin activated his soul skill, and his speed instantly increased by an unknown number of times. In a flash, he stabbed toward Leng Xuewu's back.

Hu Xi pulled Leng Xuewu forward, then turned to face the assassin himself. He immediately summoned his martial soul and instantly used his strongest soul skill. "Fifth Soul Skill, Blue Lightning Soul Breaking Kill!"

Hu Xi transformed into the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon state. Seventy percent of his body was covered in blue dragon scales, resembling armor from afar and radiating imposing might. He charged at the assassin like a streak of blue lightning. His hands formed claws: his left hand struck toward the assassin's heart, while his right clawed toward the assassin's head. Simple and effective.

The assassin raised his short blade and slashed forward.

Boom...

Hu Xi was immediately sent flying. In terms of condition, Hu Xi was already seriously wounded, while the assassin had only suffered slight exhaustion. In Soul Power, Hu Xi was merely a level fifty-five Soul King, while the assassin was a level sixty-seven Soul Emperor. Therefore, Hu Xi's defeat was hardly surprising.

Though Hu Xi had been sent flying, after getting back up, he immediately shielded Leng Xuewu behind him, terrified that she would be caught in the battle. He then instructed Commander Xiao, who had been protecting him, "Xiao Lingzhan, let us fight side by side one last time! Miss, you should still run! We can't hold on for much longer."

Xiao Lingzhan stepped forward and summoned his martial soul—the Blazing Sun Bifang. He laughed loudly. "To have the honor of dying alongside the general on the same battlefield is a blessing earned over three lifetimes!"

Leng Xuewu continued to quietly watch the transformed Hu Xi, seemingly captivated by his tall, brave figure.