Winter Plum Flower Standing Proud in the Snow

Lin Xian`er's surprising decision left Qin Wentian momentarily speechless. He was well aware of her formidable strength; she had held her ground even against the combined onslaught of Poison Scorpion and the Saint Child of the Supreme Demon Sect, ultimately injuring them. Her true power far surpassed the image of fragility she projected.

Understanding Lin Xian`er's character, Qin Wentian knew that her pride was as lofty as the heavens, and she was just as proud of her strength as any other Heaven Chosen. So why had she chosen to surrender at this crucial juncture?

Entering the Immortal Martial Realm meant a commitment to ambition and unyielding determination. Everyone who had ventured here, representing their generation, possessed qualities that set them apart from their peers. They were the future of the Royal Sacred Region, destined for greatness if they could survive these trials. The path to becoming the most illustrious figure of their generation demanded relentless effort, and no one could afford to lose even once.

Qin Wentian observed Lin Xian`er's serene smile, reminiscent of that night when her eyes had shone with admiration for the eight era-suppressing geniuses, placing them above him. Now, it appeared she had elevated him to their esteemed level despite his current cultivation, an unspoken acknowledgment of his potential.

Acknowledging Lin Xian`er's choice with a nod, Qin Wentian redirected his attention to the remaining participant, Lou Bingyu.

Lou Bingyu met his gaze, her frigid eyes filled with unwavering determination. It was the conviction of victory, and her lips moved as she delivered an icy declaration, "You won't defeat me. We share the same sect, and I have no desire to harm you. Leave this place."

Studying Lou Bingyu's countenance, Qin Wentian noticed that her long eyelashes accentuated the beauty of her cold, resolute eyes. He mused that if not for her icy temperament, she could easily be considered an awe-inspiring presence, radiating an aura that kept everyone at bay. Even standing in her presence, one would feel as though she were impossibly distant, just beyond reach.

Lou Bingyu's words caught Qin Wentian off guard, reaffirming his earlier impression of her. Despite her cold exterior, she possessed a heart that wasn't entirely frozen. In the Immortal Martial Realm, factors like belonging to the same sect could be cast aside. All the Heaven Chosen here were driven by ambition, and no one would willingly surrender their chance at glory simply due to sect affiliation. Expecting otherwise would be naive.

The enmity between Lou Bingyu and Qin Wentian was an inevitable consequence of their circumstances within the Immortal Martial Realm. Here, the notion of being in the same sect held little weight. Everyone had come to prove themselves and vie for glory, and each competitor was viewed as an adversary.

Lou Bingyu was relentless in her determination, as was Qin Wentian. Both were resolute in their pursuit of success. However, Qin Wentian couldn't help but wonder if Lou Bingyu's confidence was bordering on arrogance.

"Then let us begin," Qin Wentian declared, gripping a blood-red ancient halberd. As his words hung in the air, snowflakes began to dance around them, drastically lowering the temperature in the vicinity. Lou Bingyu stood silently amidst the falling snow.

Each snowflake carried a biting cold and sharpness, like tiny blades poised to cut through skin upon contact with Qin Wentian.

"Ji Feixue's Flying Snow Swordplay. But when I execute it, my power is no less than his," Lou Bingyu stated, her demeanor as cold as ever. From her words, Qin Wentian could sense her aspiration to challenge Ji Feixue, with the ultimate goal of surpassing him.

As one of the era-suppressing geniuses, Ji Feixue held an esteemed position within the Battle Sword Sect. His radiance outshone all other talents, making him one of the most prominent figures in Heavenly Dipper. While Lou Bingyu, as a personal disciple of the Plum Mountain Sword Sovereigness, likely belonged to the cadre of outstanding talents outside of Ji Feixue's shadow.

The sword intent within the snow grew increasingly potent, capable of cleaving a person in twain. Qin Wentian's blood surged, and he donned a protective armor of demonic qi. His presence became overwhelmingly demonic, his eyes exuding pride and loftiness. Facing Lou Bingyu, his ancient halberd gleamed with a fearsome blood-red astral light.

Despite his own formidable power, Qin Wentian couldn't shake the bone-chilling cold that emanated from the second-level perfection boundary of the Mandate of Icesnow. The frigidness penetrated even his powerful bloodline and demonic qi, carrying a sharpness within its icy embrace.

With a resounding bzz, Lou Bingyu's sword slashed through the air, its cold might resounding in the snowy world. She stood dominantly with her hand on the sword hilt, exuding an imposing aura that grew more potent by the moment.

BOOM!

Qin Wentian advanced, his King Sword astral nova pulsing with might. It enveloped the surroundings, challenging Lou Bingyu's dominance. He blurred into motion, closing in on her with the ancient halberd poised to pierce her skull.

Lou Bingyu drew her sword, and the cold gleam from her blade cast a frosty reflection on Qin Wentian's face. The reflection was chilling, imbued with the will of her Mandate. Qin Wentian shifted his halberd to block the light, then countered with an attack infused with his own Mandate's will, shattering the reflection. His attacks were formidable, bolstered by the might of his Mandates.

However, the confrontation wasn't over. The shattered sword fragments transformed into beams of cold light, hurtling toward Qin Wentian.

A fierce gust of wind swept through, and Qin Wentian dodged sideways, but the snowflakes converged into a sword-shaped assault that relentlessly pursued him. This was a sword art that harnessed the chilling power of snow, sweeping away everything in its path.

As the fierce battle unfolded above, Lin Xian`er remained rooted to the ground, her eyes riveted on the aerial combat. She couldn't help but be awed by the profoundness of Lou Bingyu's swordsmanship. The cold beams emitted by her sword left luminous trails in the air, a testament to their formidable power.

Astral energy surged from within Qin Wentian as he raised his halberd with a natural, effortless grace. His movements appeared almost nonchalant, as if wielding the weapon were second nature to him. Years of rigorous training had turned his halberd into an extension of his very being.

With a resounding BANG, a surge of destructive energy burst forth, colliding with the white beams. The resulting shockwaves tore through the surroundings, splintering the cold beam into two halves that whizzed past either side of Qin Wentian. His clothing bore the marks of the attack, torn and tattered, and he could still feel the lingering bone-chilling cold.

Yet, this was only the beginning of Lou Bingyu's assault. Following her initial strike, she closed in on Qin Wentian with unwavering precision. Her swordsmanship was as cold as her demeanor, reaching a level where her attacks seemed to inject waves of frigidness into her targets, slowing them down before delivering a lethal blow.

In the midst of the snowfall, an enormous winter plum flower emerged, its beauty masking its deadly intent. It blossomed and soared through the air, aimed at engulfing Qin Wentian.

Qin Wentian's left palm brimmed with pent-up energy, releasing it in a single strike that resembled a maelstrom and raging waves. It felt as if countless palm imprints converged into one, producing a deafening sound as it crashed into the heart of the frozen flower, obliterating both in the process.

Although the winter plum flower disintegrated, its petals continued to dance on the wind, retaining their icy sharpness.

Amidst the swirling snow and petals, a streak of cold light manifested, darting directly toward Qin Wentian's throat with such speed that he could barely react. The wound on his throat oozed blood, which instantly froze in the frigid air.

As if anticipating her move, his ancient halberd clashed with the cold ray, forcing both combatants back.

Lou Bingyu stood her ground, casting an aura so cold that it transformed the entire space into a frozen world of ice and snow. The temperature dropped further and further.

"Are you truly unwilling to yield?" Lou Bingyu's gaze remained fixed on Qin Wentian as she inquired coldly. "The next attack may cost you your life."

Qin Wentian remained remarkably composed. He nodded, his resolve unshaken. When she swung her sword casually, a frigid wave infused with the speed and slicing power of the wind swept toward him.

Qin Wentian's ancient halberd vanished as he accumulated strength in both palms, launching a powerful palm strike to shatter the incoming sword attack.

Lou Bingyu's swordsmanship was unleashed to its fullest potential.

Lin Xianer watched the battle unfold from the ground. Lou Bingyu unleashed a relentless flurry of sword attacks, each one as cold and graceful as herself. She remained incredibly composed, her sword movements harmonizing with the frost and snow that enveloped the world. Her attacks seemed capable of reaching every corner of the battlefield. Observing her swordplay, Lin Xianer couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. A woman as beautiful and elegant as Lou Bingyu had the potential to shine even brighter. Yet, Lin Xian`er couldn't help but wonder if Lou Bingyu's personality had been influenced by the stubborn Plum Mountain Sword Sovereigness to an extreme degree, causing it to veer toward the austere side.

Qin Wentian unleashed his full power as well, his blood boiling as demonic qi surged into the heavens. Both his palms hammered out relentlessly, filling the entire space with countless palm imprints, each leaving its mark in the sky.

In the vast expanse of the skies, the ceaseless, swirling sword qi clashed with the palm imprints time and time again. Lou Bingyu moved with an intricate grace amidst the falling snow and glinting sword beams. Suddenly, an explosive burst resonated from the void, jolting her with an abrupt shift in her expression. Swiftly, she retreated, her aura becoming a formidable, indomitable force.

Whistling through the air, a radiant axe emerged from her figure, melding with her sword qi before slashing downward. The powerful stroke tore apart the ethereal palm imprints originating from the void.

The Grand Nihility Palm Imprint was nothing short of overwhelming. Its ferocious attacking strength was matched only by its unparalleled stealth. The moment it surfaced could spell the moment of your demise, rendering defense futile. It was sheer terror incarnate.

Bzz!

Bathed in the axe's brilliance, Lou Bingyu swung her sword once more, her swordplay's might surging explosively. It exuded an even sharper, more terrifying aura, momentarily captivating the beautiful eyes of Lin Xian`er. This had to be the Human Emperor's treasure. When Lou Bingyu and Qin Wentian were evenly matched earlier, the activation of this treasure undoubtedly tilted the scales further against Qin Wentian.

As anticipated, Lou Bingyu's ensuing sword strike shattered the tyrannical palm imprints and hurtled toward Qin Wentian.

BOOM!

A thunderous drumbeat echoed through the heavens and the earth. Qin Wentian was enveloped in the aura of battle drums, his eyes gleaming with unwavering pride as he levitated in the air. In this world, it seemed as though he would be the last one standing.

BOOM, BOOM!

Two more resounding drumbeats reverberated through the space. Lou Bingyu felt an onslaught of nirvanic power descending upon her. The frost and snow swirled around her, accompanying her sword's trajectory as she struck out. Yet, at the precise moment her sword gleamed, a colossal, all-encompassing palm imprint materialized, descending upon her with crushing force.

Lou Bingyu continued her backward retreat amidst the unending drumbeats. The relentless cascade of palm imprints threatened to obscure the entire sky, each one radiating a sinister, blood-red hue that tainted the once-pristine snow.

The gaze of the stunning maiden remained as frigid, as crystalline, as solitary, and as proud as ever. She resembled a winter plum blossom, standing tall and unyielding amidst the snow and ice. Only death itself could force her to wither! The fresh crimson blood in the snow only intensified the solemn and poignant beauty of this resolute plum flower!

Bzz!

As anticipated, Lou Bingyu's ensuing sword strike shattered the tyrannical palm imprints and hurtled toward Qin Wentian.

BOOM!

BOOM, BOOM!

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