Setting Off, Officially Heading to Shrek!

Rubbing his temples, Feng Qingyang's soul body dissipated like the wind, leaving only his voice echoing in the empty space.

"Suit yourself, suit yourself... just stop pestering this old man."

Hearing this, Xue Mingqing blinked instinctively.

He gave an awkward cough, deciding not to bother Feng Qingyang any further.

After all—

Often, scientific research only requires a single idea.

Since he now had the idea and the materials available for experimentation, he refused to believe he couldn't create a sword technique that suited his desires!

As for whether this was unfriendly to Feng Qingyang?

Ahem... I'll just make it up to him when I have the chance.

Surely Feng Qingyang wouldn't hold a grudge against him.

With that thought in mind, Xue Mingqing gripped his Snow Sword and began practicing the myriad variations of his sword moves in the small courtyard once more.

Amidst the swirling snow, he vowed to hone a perfect sword technique that aligned with his own heart.

When a person focuses on a single task, time always passes exceptionally quickly, and for Xue Mingqing, this was no exception.

By the time he snapped out of his cycle of practicing sword forms by day and cultivating by night, three days had already passed.

It was time for him to set off for Shrek Academy.

Early that morning.

At the gates of Blizzard City.

Dressed in a green robe, Xue Mingqing stood alone before the city gate.

Xue Ningxian was not by his side; instead, there were seven male mercenaries.

A small team consisting of one Spirit Emperor and five Spirit Kings stood silently behind him, awaiting his orders.

Silently raising his head, Xue Mingqing took a long look at the towering, magnificent walls of Blizzard City.

It was as if he wanted to etch them into his memory, or perhaps, as if he were trying to see someone's figure through the stone.

After a few breaths, Xue Mingqing closed his eyes and exhaled a long, heavy breath.

He turned around.

"Wang Chao, let's go."

"Understood, Young Master. Please, board the carriage."

Wang Chao, the guardian arranged by Xue Ningxian and the captain of this mercenary squad, replied.

He stepped forward and pulled back the carriage curtain for Xue Mingqing.

Xue Mingqing gave a slight nod, his gaze sweeping over the members of the mercenary squad led by Wang Chao.

His eyes lingered on Wang Chao for a moment.

Wang Chao, possessing the Ice Wolf martial soul, was a level 66 Power Attack System Spirit Emperor, a man in his early thirties.

It was only today that Xue Mingqing learned he had such a guardian by his side.

As for the other mercenaries, they were ordinary locals from Blizzard City.

After briefly reviewing their information in his mind, Xue Mingqing smiled, nodded, and climbed into the carriage.

"I'll be troubling you all on this trip."

Wang Chao responded with a warm, polite smile, acknowledging the sentiment.

Seeing this, Xue Mingqing said no more and sat cross-legged inside the carriage, closing his eyes.

As for the other mercenaries?

Seeing that neither their employer nor their leader was speaking, they were sensible enough to follow suit.

Maintaining silence, they each performed their duties, carrying out the mission of escorting Xue Mingqing.

The group of seven set off, moving steadily through the quiet atmosphere.

They traveled along the snow-covered road toward Shrek Academy, located in the heart of the three kingdoms.

Only when the modest carriage had traveled far into the distance, gradually disappearing at the end of the road, did Xue Ningxian emerge from behind the Blizzard City walls.

She glanced in the direction the carriage had departed and let out a soft, gentle sigh—

Suppressing the worry and lingering reluctance in her eyes, she turned around and headed back into Blizzard City.

Xue Mingqing, sitting alone in the carriage, was not idle.

Unwilling to waste a single moment, he remained focused on strengthening his power even while on the road.

Closing his eyes and concentrating, he was not cultivating soul power, but rather repeatedly deducing and recreating the Hurricane Sword Art that Feng Qingyang had imparted to him within his mind.

Yes, that was right, the Hurricane Sword Art.

After three days of deliberation and practice, he embarrassingly discovered something.

With his current level of attainment, he was simply unable to forge a self-created sword technique.

He had wanted to ask Feng Qingyang for help, but Feng Qingyang would not pay him any mind.

Faced with this situation, even with the whimsical ideas of a transmigrator, Xue Mingqing could not figure out a set of sword techniques with zero experience to build upon.

A clever housewife cannot cook without rice, right?

Helpless, he could only explore the mysteries of the Hurricane Sword Art on his own first.

He would use the Hurricane Sword Art to lay a foundation, hoping to create a peerless sword technique of his own later on!

However, it was only when Xue Mingqing truly began to simulate the sword technique in his mind that he realized something.

He had previously only seen the sole flaw of the Hurricane Sword Art: that it attacked without defending.

Setting that flaw aside, everything else was an advantage!

Fast attack speed, high damage, invincible among peers, and even capable of fighting those at a higher level!

If this wasn't a god-tier skill, what was?

Thinking back to how he had previously boasted that the Hurricane Sword Art was useless because it only attacked and never defended, his face couldn't help but burn.

He felt a stinging, fiery pain on his face!

At the same time, he understood why Feng Qingyang had refused to talk to him over the past few days.

If he were Feng Qingyang, he would be lucky not to have been beaten up, let alone get a response.

Keep dreaming!

As if sensing Xue Mingqing's thoughts, Feng Qingyang's characteristically wicked voice echoed in his sea of consciousness.

"Teacher~~ your sword art has problems~~ attacking without defending is too much of a disadvantage~~"

"!!!"

Hearing Feng Qingyang's sarcastic voice in his mind, Xue Mingqing's cheeks grew even hotter, and he hurriedly begged for mercy.

"Teacher, I was wrong, I was wrong... It was I who failed to recognize a master, I who didn't know what was good for me, please let me off..."

Hearing this, Feng Qingyang in Xue Mingqing's sea of consciousness seemed to have vented his frustration, let out a cold snort, and went back into hiding.

It was clear he still had no intention of paying Xue Mingqing any mind.

Seeing this, Xue Mingqing could only let out a long sigh.

There was no helping it; who else was to blame but himself?

Pulling himself together, Xue Mingqing suppressed his embarrassment and prepared to carefully study the mysteries of the Hurricane Sword Art.

However, just as Xue Mingqing was about to focus on the deduction of the sword technique in his mind, suddenly, outside the carriage—the rustling sound of the wheels and the mercenaries trampling through the Snowflake stopped for no apparent reason.

For a moment, the only sound left in the entire world was the faint whisper of falling Snowflake.

Noticing this, Xue Mingqing was startled and instinctively opened his eyes.

His nose twitched first.

He keenly smelled a scent drifting through the cold air...

It was somewhat familiar, but—

For a moment, he really couldn't recall what it was.

Frowning, he looked toward the carriage curtain.

"Uncle Wang Chao, what's the situation?"

Outside the carriage, Wang Chao was silent, as if he didn't know how to answer.

A moment later, Wang Chao's raspy voice sounded.

"Young Master, have you eaten yet...?"

Raising an eyebrow, Xue Mingqing answered bluntly.

"No, why?"

"Then you should come out and take a look for yourself..."

Hearing this, Xue Mingqing's curiosity was instantly piqued.

He lifted the carriage curtain and poked his head out to look!

And then...

He finally understood why Wang Chao had asked if he had eaten, and why that scent had felt so familiar.

It was because it was unmistakably the thick, inseparable stench of blood!

It was exactly the same as the one that had permeated Wind Snow Village a month ago!

At this moment, even though he hadn't eaten a thing, his stomach couldn't stop churning...

Before his eyes—

The ground was a chaotic mess of blood and gore, with no fewer than a dozen corpses scattered about, their eyes wide with lingering terror and faces frozen in shock...

Xue Mingqing's expression shifted. Even having lived two lifetimes, this was the first time he had witnessed such a tragic scene...

The level of carnage was even more brutal than the massacre at Wind Snow Village!