Night had barely fallen when snow began drifting down in goose-feather flakes. Outside, the north wind howled; indoors, it was warm as spring. In weather like this, no one would willingly go out to freeze except Hu Xiaotian, who had an appointment to keep. He had a rendezvous with his beloved. Never mind snow-even if knives rained from the sky, he would still charge boldly ahead. A promise was worth a thousand gold! That was how a man ought to treat the woman he loved.
Lone Eagle Fortress had few inhabitants to begin with, and the heavy snow had driven almost everyone indoors. Walking the streets in such weather would only make him more conspicuous. Most buildings in Lone Eagle Fortress had flat roofs, and even its tallest building, Buddha Heart Tower, had only three stories. The houses stood close together, however, with narrow lanes between them. Hu Xiaotian bounded across their rooftops as though walking on level ground. Happy occasions lifted the spirits. At the thought of seeing his beloved soon, his steps grew especially light and his heart especially carefree. Every pore from head to toe seemed to radiate one great, glorious feeling of delight.
Biting winds? Goose-feather snow? None of that mattered. Hu Xiaotian soon reached Buddha Heart Tower. From what he knew of Ji Feihua, he should not have appeared so early, but tonight proved unexpected. Upon arriving, Hu Xiaotian saw a figure standing atop the tower. Despite the wind and snow filling the sky, he recognized Ji Feihua from that striking, peerless silhouette.
There was always an indescribable loneliness about Ji Feihua's figure. Standing atop Buddha Heart Tower, he looked as though he were the only person left between heaven and earth.
Hu Xiaotian first looked down to check for activity around Buddha Heart Tower,