Beneath the night sky, Wind-Snow City lay utterly still.
Yet inside the City Lord's Mansion, the lights in the council hall had burned all night.
Li Xiaoyu stared solemnly at the red area on the sand table that represented the Ancient Battlefield.
"At midnight, the yin energy will be at its strongest. That will also be the crucial moment when those demonic cultivators of the Styx Sect operate their formation."
"We'll take this opportunity to investigate."
"Yes!"
The members of the Dawn Squad answered in unison. There was no fear in their eyes, only trust in their captain.
Midnight drew near, and the cold wind grew fiercer.
A dozen or so figures slipped soundlessly out through the back gate of the City Lord's Mansion. Like ghosts, they vanished into the night and the swirling snow.
They were the Dawn Squad, led by Li Xiaoyu.
Beyond the city stretched a vast, snow-covered plain. The snow reached their ankles, crunching beneath their feet.
The howling wind whipped snowflakes against their faces like knives, making it hard to keep their eyes open.
Li Xiaoyu walked at the head of the group.
He didn't fly on his sword, for that would give away their position.
They had to go on foot, quietly approaching the Ancient Battlefield, a place steeped in death and resentment.
The farther they went, the denser the chill in the air became.
The cold seeped into their bones, utterly unlike the bitter cold of the weather.
Several Morning Sun Peak disciples with weaker cultivation turned pale, their bodies trembling despite themselves.
"Clear your minds and circulate the Pure Yang Heart Method to resist the yin energy."
Li Xiaoyu's voice reached them just in time.
Hearing this, the disciples hurriedly did as he said, and some color returned to their pale faces.