Long Street Beheading

The cold wind of Frost City swirled and howled outside the city walls, You Su's fingertips unconsciously caressed the dragon pattern on the hilt of the Ink Pine Sword. In the distance, the outline of the sacred mountain appeared and disappeared in the twilight, like a giant beast lurking in the snow and mist.

"No secret passage, no back door, not even a snow sparrow can fly over Frost City's Formation Technique?!"

You Su asked the girl in front of him, somewhat exasperated.

Palace Lord of Dragon Seeing Palace's fingertips, reflecting the beams of light crisscrossing from the city tower, he said, "I remember saying that."

She always seemed so indifferent, but it really made You Su quite angry.

After all, his newly conceived ambitions were blocked by two city gates, especially with a powerful figure from the sacred mountain by his side, so he naturally felt extremely frustrated.

"Since you knew there was no way out, why didn't you stand up for yourself when you left? Why did you come with me?" You Su sighed softly, but didn't complain. "What do we do now? Go back to sleep and wait until tomorrow?"

He felt somewhat embarrassed just thinking about the expressions on A Jiu A Ying's faces when they saw him return.

The Palace Lord of Dragon Seeing Palace raised an eyebrow at him. "What is our purpose in going to the sacred mountain?"

You Su was taken aback upon hearing this, but after a moment's thought, he quickly came to an answer, "Go tell her the fact that evil spirits are rampant throughout the Northern Ao Continent, and thus awaken this woman who is so engrossed in her grand plan to save the world."

The girl nodded slightly, and during the conversation, she stepped back to hide, watching the city guards marching past in formation on the street, their armor gleaming with a cold, eerie blue light against the snow.

"Have you ever considered that the news of the disasters coming from all directions failed to reach her ears? Who could be intercepting the information?"

"I don't know anything about the official structure of the sacred mountain, and I don't know who they are, but I know it can't be just one person." You Su looked at the majestic sacred mountain with a stern expression. In the daytime, it looked completely white, but at night, it inevitably turned black.

"That's right. The checks and balances on the authority of the officials in the sacred mountain are designed to prevent any one person from dominating the situation. The fact that she can't get any information must be the result of a large group of people conspiring together. In other words, she, who has always been at the center of power, is now isolated by the vast majority of those in power."

"Based on your previous description, it seems that she isolated them before these people isolated her." You Su spoke bluntly, believing that Ganlong Venerable bore a great deal of responsibility for the current state of the Northern Ao Continent.

Even the usually composed Palace Lord of Dragon Seeing Palace smiled upon hearing this, clearly agreeing with You Su's opinion.

"Therefore, seeing her is definitely not something that can be easily accomplished by simply climbing the sacred mountain."

You Su frowned, realizing the True Intention behind the girl's words—that Ganlong Venerable was in the sacred mountain, it was more like she was imprisoned in a prison meticulously designed for her by everyone.

He suddenly remembered that the last time he came to the Kong Yuan Divine Mountain, they had only stepped into the snowfield before they were summoned by important figures from the mountain. This showed that even this snowfield, which was used to highlight the difficulty of pilgrimage, was under the surveillance of the people on the mountain.

Therefore, even if they leave Frost City and even set foot on the sacred mountain, they will probably meet those who do not want any strangers to 'visit' them before they meet Ganlong Venerable.

"There might even be something worse." Palace Lord of Dragon Seeing Palace's eyes, "That Shuang Chu has already reported you, Lord Mei, whose origins are unknown."

The lights of Frost City flickered like stars in the twilight. You Su's knuckles tapped on the Ink Pine Sword, each soft sound echoing the rhythm of the city guards' iron boots treading through the snow in the distance. He suddenly stopped—another group of armored cultivators turned from the end of the long street, their eyes beneath their black iron headbands colder than the blades of a sword.

"The third time!" He turned to look at the girl leaning against the eaves. "It was half a cup of tea faster than last time!"

He had noticed that the city guards were appearing more and more frequently, but he hadn't paid much attention to it since he was planning to leave the city. However, he never expected that the Palace Lord of Dragon Seeing Palace's words would come true so soon!

The Palace Lord of Dragon Seeing Palace lightly flicked his wide sleeves, and a snowflake condensed into an ice mirror that hung in his palm. The mirror reflected the tokens on the waists of the city guards, all of which were engraved with the character 'Frost'.

"Those who came were all the elites of Frost City. Shuang Chu's speed in reporting the news was faster than I expected." She crushed the ice mirror with her finger, the shards scattering like stars. "Back to the Arithmancy Pavilion, that house was a gift from me. There's a hidden room beneath the house; they won't be able to find us for now."

Temporarily lying low is clearly the best option at present. One of them is at the Water Condensation Perfection, and the other is at the peak of the Feather Transformation stage. They would definitely be considered formidable combat forces outside the Divine Mountain. But here, it is the pinnacle of cultivators in the entire continent.

Before he could finish speaking, You Su didn't respond. Instead, he suddenly pressed down on her shoulder and spun her around, completely hiding her in the shadows under the eaves. The girl's silky black hair brushed against the back of his hand, carrying the faint scent of pine and snow from her body.

A magnificent gilded palanquin slowly made its way down the street, its eight majestic snow-white horses adorned with saddles and bridles embellished with mermaid pearls. The ice lanterns hanging from the palanquin's roof illuminated every detail within a radius of ten feet.

"What do you want to do?!" The palace mistress said in a low voice. She looked into You Su's eyes, which were staring directly at the carriage, and quickly realized that You Su's intentions were not merely to hide.

"I told you, I can't wait any longer." You Su glanced at her, his hand already gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. "If we hide for even a little longer, countless more people outside will die. How can I possibly keep hiding any longer!"

Palace Lord of Dragon Seeing Palace's slight surprise, but quickly grabbing You Su's arm, she said, "You've already fulfilled your mission by bringing me here. I can handle the rest myself."

Upon hearing this, You Su frowned and pried the girl's hand off. "You don't think I came here to help you, do you? I'm here to help everyone in Bei Ao!"

In a daze, the Palace Lord of Dragon Seeing Palace saw that the boy's eyes were shining brightly.

She said nothing more, but instead began to observe the magnificent carriage.

"This is the carriage of Venerable Ningshuang's youngest son."

"You even know that?" You Su asked in surprise.

It might not be difficult to recognize that it's a Shuang family carriage, but the challenge lies in identifying whose it is.

The girl pursed her lips. "She keeps a register of names, recording all the criminals, abusers, arrogance, and oppressors she's investigated. Once she achieves her goal, she'll settle accounts with each of them."

"She..." You Su didn't know how to evaluate the Ganlong Venerable for a moment, so she didn't bother to comment further. "In short, if the person in this carriage died, they certainly didn't die unjustly, right?"

The Palace Master hesitated for a moment, not because the Venerable Ningshuang's youngest son was not a bad person, but because he was unsure whether he should let You Su take the risk.

But despite her racing thoughts, she couldn't think of any other way to break the deadlock quickly. She looked at the vast expanse of snow in the sky, which pressed down on the land like a cold blanket, covering the vitality of the soil and suppressing the life in the hearts of the people of the Northern Ao Continent.

Her plan was naturally to secretly contact Ganlong Venerable, thus catching most people off guard. This method was prudent, but also mediocre. Playing chess on the same board, it would be no easy task for her to outmaneuver those enemies lurking in the shadows.

But now an easier way is available—to overturn the chessboard.

She was arrogant and intelligent; otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to obtain the title of Sovereign Lord, let alone deceive the always clever You Su. It is true that Ganlong Venerable has a split soul syndrome, but Bai Ze does not. She has always been herself; it was only when the Mystic Qi entered her body that those memories sealed deep in her Divine Sense were awakened.

She deliberately put on two faces because she didn't want You Su her being a 'sister' who was hundreds of years old. In fact, she might even feel more affection for the silly and cute Bai Ze because of her two faces.

But no matter how clever she was, she could never have come up with such a method. Because she had been in a high position for too long, her heart had long since grown cold, and how could she possibly have the passion of a young person?

"Venerable Ningshuang's youngest son was a notorious hypocrite in the Northern Ao Continent. His death is certainly not unjust, but are you really prepared to go all in?" she asked for final confirmation.

"It's a case of 'what's the use of trying'."

You Su's lips curled into a sharp arc, and the Ink Pine Sword suddenly slammed heavily onto the bluestone slab. The Sword Qi shook up the accumulated snow like mist, startling the Snow Rhinoceros into rearing up and neighing loudly.

"Since we're inviting the Sovereign Lord down the mountain, we should prepare a generous gift. No need to wait for her to settle accounts later; I'll do it for her first!"

The jeweled curtain of the splendid carriage was suddenly lifted, revealing half of the handsome young man's sinister face. Before his fingertips could even conjure a frost-covered blade, a dark black sword lotus bloomed amidst the swirling snow—the very same killing move from the Lotus Birth Sword Technique, Lotus Blossom Ripples!

"An assassin!"

The guard's roar was shattered by the Sword Qi.

You Su touched the horn of the snow-covered horse with his toes, deliberately deflecting the sword's edge slightly as it swept across the top of the carriage. The Ice Soul Lantern shattered instantly, and countless ice crystals poured down like a torrential rain, freezing half the long street into a crystal world.

"You're courting death!" The sinister young master roared, shaking the snow off the eaves, his exquisite beard and hair standing on end.

When he pushed out with both palms, the paving stones of the entire street surged like waves, and an ice dragon formed by the cold wave rose from the ground into the sky!

Just as the dragon's head lunged at them, You Su spun around and turned back. His Ink Pine Sword drew a strange arc, and the sword wind, carrying ice shards, rushed towards the magnificent carriage.

"Stop!" Venerable Ningshuang's eyes were bloodshot. That carriage was a priceless treasure that he had spent three years acquiring. He personally wiped it clean even when it got dusty, making it the epitome of luxury.

The ice dragon abruptly twisted its body, its whiskers barely brushing against You Su's clothes, freezing the carriage into a translucent ice sculpture.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, You Su leaped onto the roof of the carriage, pressing the tip of his sword against the throat of the young master, who was so preoccupied with his precious possessions that he belatedly realized he was about to die.

"No..." Before the sinister young master could even plead for mercy, a spray of hot blood splattered into the sky, and a severed arm tumbled to the ground.

The long street was deathly silent.

The sinister young master's face was paler than snow.

He saw the dark Sword Qi flowing on the young man's sword and suddenly remembered the wanted poster he had received a few months ago—that demon who was wanted by the entire world for his heinous crimes.

"Tour..."

"Hush—" You Su trembled slightly, and a line of blood immediately appeared on the neck of the sinister young master. "I would trouble you, young master, to fire a Cloud Piercing Arrow, the kind that can explode in the Jade Void Hall of the Divine Mountain."

The city guards had already gathered around, eager to try and seize the opportunity to rescue their young master.

But only the young masters who were being held hostage knew that this demon had no way of letting them be rescued alive.

His fists clenched so tightly they cracked. Having only recently broken through to the Feather Transformation Realm, he never imagined he'd be so easily taken hostage by an assassin, which drove him to the brink of hysteria.

"Release it! Listen to him and release it!"

"Young master... where would we get a Cloud Piercing Arrow...?" The group of city guards were somewhat embarrassed.

"Three breaths." You Su's sword had already pierced the skin of the sinister young master. "Otherwise, the next strike will draw more than just blood."

The city guards were in a panic, but the young master had a flash of inspiration. "Cultivation Method! You bunch of idiots, throw all your fancy Cultivation Method into the air!"

All city guards, please obey the order. The cold night suddenly brightened, and thousands of streams of light flowed like a reversed Milky Way.

The Frost City guards Hand Seals, and various kinds of Mystic Qi burst forth from their palms. Ice spikes wrapped in lightning and fire, and golden light wrapped in vines, exploded into a sky full of fireflies when they collided in the night sky.

Sparks of light streamed through the windows of countless homes, and children pointed to the sky, shouting, "Look! Fireworks!"

"He's going to overturn the heavens of Bei'ao." Hidden in the shadows Palace Lord of Dragon Seeing Palace looked up at the fireworks. "Then I'll help him burn even brighter!"

The billowing steam, carrying the smell of sulfur, rose into the sky; she was actually able to manipulate the fire array hidden beneath this Frost City!

You Su trembled slightly, and the blood droplets from the Young Master Shuang rolled down the spine of the sword, blooming into red plum blossoms on the snow.

"How ironic," the young man sneered, his sword tip piercing the jade pendant around the young master's neck. "You've used the flesh and blood of the frozen soil of Northern Ao to nurture this illusion of prosperity."

Before the words were even finished, the entire long street was suddenly covered with icicles. Snowflakes falling from the sky solidified into sharp blades, each one reflecting You Su's cold and handsome profile. From the distant city tower came the frantic ringing of frost bells, and twelve mysterious ice chains pierced through the air, with an old man with white hair and beard standing at the end of the chains—the illusory image of the Lord of Shuangcheng was even taller than the mountains.

"How dare you, you brat!" The old man's voice boomed like a bell, and with a wave of his hand, thousands of icicles turned into freezing rain.

The raindrops, however, strangely turned back upon touching You Su's clothes, pulverizing the young master's magnificent carriage.

The old man looked in surprise in one direction, only to see a young girl with cold and aloof features. Just then, the sword light surged like a black dragon soaring into the sky, melting ice and snow wherever it passed. Shuang Chu's face, hidden behind the battlements, was drained of color; he had no idea that his loyal message had caused such a huge mess.

Venerable Ningshuang was completely enraged. He didn't even bother to discern where the familiar oppressive feeling emanating from the girl came from. His Dharma form immediately glared angrily, and frost spread rapidly across the ground with lightning speed.

Suddenly, a golden crack appeared in the sky. A jade chariot, pulled by a jade dragon, descended from the clouds. The woman in the chariot, with her wide sleeves fluttering, caused the frost in the sky to freeze in mid-air, unable to advance even an inch further.

The woman lightly tapped the railing with her fingertips, and the twelve chains of mysterious ice shattered instantly. The avatar of the Lord of Shuangcheng staggered backward, each step leaving spiderweb-like cracks on the ice.

"What a fine Lord of Shuangcheng."

The Ganlong Venerable descended the steps through the void, the magma freezing into black jade wherever his dragon-patterned skirt brushed against him.

"Knowing that I had distinguished guests, you still welcomed them with a spectacular display of fireworks on my behalf. You are very thoughtful."