The dried embroidered begonia on his white shirt, clinging to the fabric, seemed like a dark flower maiden weeping in the night sky!
His gaze pierced through the sea of people, seeking out his three disciples!
Xiao Ruoching covered her lips, her delicate body trembling slightly.
Mo Li's face was expressionless, but her tender hands tightly clutched the hem of her skirt.
Sword Maiden's eyes were blurred with mist, wiping away the tear stains at their corners.
A quiet voice carried across the sky, seemingly addressing his three disciples, yet also like a murmur to himself:
"I have said this before in the Sword Sect.
"Easy matters, difficult matters, storms, matters of Jianghu, royal matters, worldly matters—in the end, they are all but affairs of the sword.
"After the Cataclysm of Ten Thousand Clans, the Sword Sect was desolate for nearly a thousand years. It had long discarded the two words 'the world.' However, I promised someone that I would help the Sword Sect reclaim those two words.
"The world."
...
Wenren Pingxin stared blankly at Su Bei atop the competition stage, his heartstrings suddenly stirred, his eyes flickering as he gazed upon the man above.
He looked the same as ever, yet unknowingly, he had become so unfamiliar.
"Don't let the world look down upon the Sword Sect."
Su Bei closed his eyes, held his breath, and focused his spirit. His head of black hair, freed from the restraint of its hair-crown, danced wildly in the wind.
The path of a sword cultivator is a cultivation of the world, of the common folk, and of a selfless heart.
At least, that was what he believed at this very moment!
The night grew denser.
Was it snowing?
It was snowing!
A cultivator looked up at the sky, feeling the icy snowflakes falling on his face.
The heavens were already overcast. Snowflakes mixed with snow pellets fluttered down in the wind. This was unlike the snow in Snow State—large and swift. When falling heavily, that snow covered everything in white, to the point where one couldn't even find the road, let alone admire the view.
The snow in Jiangnan was soft, imbued with a poetic charm.
Perhaps this was the last snow of Jiangnan's early spring.
High above, a song seemed to tremble in the air.
In Su Bei's hand, the Qingping Sword quivered, its hum like a song mingling with the vast expanse of snowflakes, composing a new verse.
Looking at Su Bei motionless in front of them, the twelve people exchanged glances!
The next moment, spiritual energy filled the air, roaring as it reverberated between Heaven and Earth, then surged tempestuously towards Su Bei!
"Fist of Great Sorrow!"
"Crane's Cry!"
"Bone Melting Hand!!"
"Explosive Kill!"
...
Twelve strands of spiritual energy converged into a line, surging toward him.
The song from high above grew clearer, its strains soaring higher, interwoven with the unceasing hum of the sword.
The Qingping Sword grew more excited, its body trembling more and more, HUMMING!
On the Elder's Platform, Key Smoke's eyes narrowed slightly as she watched everything before her, as if she had realized something!
Xiao Ruoching's eyes widened instantly. She listened to the song from the sky, feeling the gentle, unending flow of spiritual energy.
Wenren Pingxin stood up, swallowing nervously. Even Mo Xingjian and Li Ziyu, who had just victoriously descended from the Ascension Platform, looked up at the sky, listening to the clear sword hum lingering in their ears!
A soft voice reverberated between Heaven and Earth.
"Su Mou invites the world to watch the rain."
Rain?
Everyone looked at Su Bei, puzzled. Even the twelve on the stage were startled, not understanding the meaning behind Su Bei's words.
Isn't it snowing?
Where is the rain coming from?
Su Bei's wide sleeves billowed, rustling loudly, the Qingping Sword held horizontally before him!
The next moment, the winds and snow suddenly condensed. In that instant, all the falling snow from the sky above transformed into snow swords!
All the falling snow became swords!
They blotted out the sky!
"Sword Rain!!!"
Su Bei spoke calmly, his long black hair billowing in the wind, his wide sleeves rustling loudly!
The next moment!
Snow descended all around, draping the Ascension Platform in pure white!
Only the snow, only the swords!
The sound of the falling snow swords composed a breathtaking opus!
Harnessing the power of the wind and snow, transforming snow into myriad swords.
Majestically obscuring the celestial vault, thousands of snow swords descended.
"Sword Three, First Form: Treading a Song to Seek Intoxication!"
...