Snow whirled through the air, frost covered the temple, and a bitter wind swept through the hall doors.
"..."
On this snowy night, as goose-feather flakes began to fall from the sky, Dugu Feng stood alone in the square before the bronze hall at the heart of the Jingnian Monastery. Dressed in a luxurious red fox-fur coat and holding a plain, ancient sword, she stared coldly ahead without a word, like a statue.
Since her demand for them to release their prisoner had been refused, she said nothing more. She simply stood alone in the square before the bronze hall, silently confronting the four Great Holy Monks surrounding her: Master Daoxin, the Fourth Patriarch of Chan Buddhism; Master Zhihui of the Tiantai school; Master Jiaxiang of the Three Treatise school; and Venerable Dizang of the Huayan school.
Each of the four was a master of martial arts, versed in the esoteric techniques of Buddhism. Any one of them would rank among the very best grandmasters in the martial world. They were especially formidable in terms of internal energy, surpassed by few and only slightly inferior to Great Grandmasters.
Working together, their combined might certainly exceeded that of the three renowned Great Grandmasters of the day. Even the "Evil King" Shi Zhixuan, at the height of his powers thirty years ago, when he was full of confidence, had been forced to flee when faced with them!
Now the four stood around Dugu Feng in a half-circle, their bearing imposing and their eyes hostile, blocking her way.
Naturally, standing in the middle of the half-circle formed by the four Great Holy Monks was the Cihang Jingzhai successor Shi Feixuan, holding the Sword of Form and Emptiness!
"..."
Seeing Dugu Feng's unflinching gaze turn toward her, Shi Feixuan stood directly in front of