Gu Cheng felt a pang of regret in his heart.
Outside Tianshui City, a luxurious manor under the banner of Famous Sword Villa lay blanketed in snow.
The imposing complex of buildings, with carved beams and painted rafters, upturned eaves and interlocking brackets, looked even more solemn and stately against the swirling snow.
Deep in the courtyard, plum blossoms stood proudly amid the snow, their delicate fragrance drifting through the air as they bloomed in the swirling white. Set against the falling snow, they made for a scene of rare charm.
Yet Chen Youdao, standing with his hands clasped behind his back in the pavilion, had no desire to admire the scenery.
The furrow between his brows was so deep and solemn that it seemed colder than the winter wind and snow.
Whoosh—
Two sharp streaks of sword light cut through the curtain of snow. With a piercing whine, they shot toward the pavilion.
Chen Youdao looked up at the sound and saw a man and a woman flying on swords. They landed steadily before him.
Both had flowing silver hair and wore fine clothes. They were none other than two Innate Realm elders of Famous Sword Villa.
"Sixth Brother, any news of Chen Yuansheng?"
As soon as the pair landed, Chen Youdao hurriedly asked the silver-haired man.
The silver-haired man shook his head, his face full of helplessness.
"Third Brother, Seventh Sister and I have searched all around Tianshui City these past few days and mobilized every resource we have, yet we still haven't found Yuansheng. It's as if the boy vanished into thin air..."
He paused, his voice sinking.
"Third Brother, I'm starting to suspect that Yuansheng might have..."
"Impossible!"
The silver-haired beauty beside him cut him off decisively.
"Chen Yuansheng may be a troublemaker, but he had