Flying above the clouds, they felt fierce gales cut their skin like sword edges and knife blades, another good way to temper the flesh. As they sped along, Chen Jianduan suddenly slowed the flying sword.
"Snow bandits are causing trouble. Since we've come across them, there's no reason to let them run wild. Follow me!"
The flying sword broke through the clouds and descended like a wild goose swooping from the heavens. From above, the land looked like a boundless, desolate snowfield. Only at a lower altitude did they see that endless rolling mountains stretched across it, icicles hanging from tree branches and glittering in the sunlight. A band of snow bandits in fur coats rode Snow Antelopes, howling as they charged into a tribe in a mountain hollow.
"Boys, follow me! Take their game and their women!"
"Awooo!"
"Kill every man, strip every woman, take everything!"
The snow bandits came howling. Hearing the alarm, the men of the tribe rushed from their scattered snow huts with blades, forks, bows, and spears in hand. Every one of them was plainly a skilled hunter. Yet though they could kill jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, they could not stop the vicious snow bandits from plundering.
"Hand over a hundred snow deer, and your tribe will be spared slaughter!"
The bandit chief reined in his Snow Antelope and shouted, pointing his blade forward. White vapor streamed from his mouth, making him look like a moving volcano. The other snow bandits also reined in their Snow Antelopes and formed a line, their faces savage. They brandished their Soul Soldier broadswords and howled incessantly, a deeply intimidating sight.
The tribesmen tightened their grips on their weapons, all gritting their teeth in hatred. Although they knew they were outmatched, their blood was already boiling, turning into