24. The World of Martial Arts (5)

In the small courtyard, Thunder Palm was practicing his technique. Due to an internal injury sustained years ago, he had long ceased to engage in combat, and his martial arts had grown rusty. However, thanks to the treatment of a miraculous physician, his internal injuries had mostly healed, allowing him to slowly pick up his palm techniques once more. Feeling his internal energy circulating with ease, Thunder Palm was filled with joy. The more he practiced, the more fluid his technique became, until with a single strike, he split a tree in two.

After finishing his practice, Thunder Palm sat in the courtyard, sipping tea with a beaming smile. He figured that in another ten days or so, his internal energy would be fully restored. Just as he finished his cup, he prepared to return indoors. At that very moment, a swordsman in white appeared in the courtyard as if from thin air. He stood with his arms folded over his sword, resembling a lonely, haughty snow-capped mountain. His eyes were icy cold, looking down at Thunder Palm with the air of a supreme master.

Thunder Palm became as tense as a taut bowstring and asked nervously, "May I ask who you are?"

The man replied, "Ximen Chuixue."

The four short words struck like a thunderclap. Thunder Palm felt his hands and feet turn cold; he knew full well why this man had appeared here. Yet, out of a desperate glimmer of hope, he asked with forced politeness, "I wonder what brings Manor Master Ximen here?"

Ximen Chuixue said, "To kill you."

The next instant, a sharp sword left its scabbard, and a bone-chilling aura of slaughter surged into the sky. Thunder Palm turned and fled. He hadn't fought anyone in years; how could he possibly be a match for the God of Swords? However, after running only a few steps, he felt a cold sensation drawing closer behind him. A three-foot blade flashed with a frigid light, piercing toward him like the Grim Reaper harvesting a soul—it seemed impossible to evade.

A look of terror appeared on Thunder Palm’s face. Then, with a metallic *clang*, a silver light struck the sword, rejecting the Reaper's verdict. It was a silver needle. Ximen Chuixue looked up to see a snow-white figure standing opposite him. She was a woman as cold and elegant as an immortal, with delicate features and an air of extreme aloofness. She smiled at him, calm and unruffled, refusing to yield.

She was a formidable opponent. Ximen Chuixue had not expected to encounter such a master on this outing, and he was instantly filled with delight. She said, "No one may touch my patient until I have finished curing him."

Such a powerful and confident posture made one feel instantly protected. Thunder Palm scurried behind her, still trembling with shock.

The two stood facing each other, both draped in white—one as cold as snow, the other as ethereal as an immortal. They remained in a standoff, evenly matched. Ximen Chuixue’s intuition told him that his opponent used a sword.

"Draw your sword," he said.

Yun Yao drew a soft sword from her waist; its cold light shimmered like autumn water. They struck at the same time, their sword beams crossing like meteors through the night sky, brilliant and dazzling. Both were incredibly fast, their blades colliding with a sharp, rhythmic ringing. Ximen Chuixue’s sword was filled with murderous intent, carrying a solitary, unstoppable resolve. Yun Yao’s sword carried a domineering force, as if intending to sweep away all obstacles. Two people who stood at the summit of their craft fought with heart and soul, perfectly matched.

In the end, not wanting to continue the fight, Yun Yao flung a handful of medicinal powder from her sleeve, bringing the battle to a close. Regardless, this round went to Ximen Chuixue.

"I will wait until you have cured him," he said, "then I shall return to kill him." With that, he departed.

Thunder Palm rushed forward, fell to his knees, and pleaded, "Miraculous Physician! Save me! I will pay any price you ask if only you will save my life!"

Yun Yao smiled gently and said, "Rest assured, I will not let him kill you." Thunder Palm was overcome with gratitude.

Ten days passed, and Thunder Palm’s internal injuries were completely healed. Ximen Chuixue arrived upon hearing the news. Yun Yao said to Thunder Palm, "Why aren't you running?"

Thunder Palm asked nervously, "Miraculous Physician, didn't you say you wouldn't let him kill me?"

Yun Yao smiled. "Indeed. Because I intend to kill you myself." She then drew her sword. She had treated him only because his ailment was a complex and rare case; now that he was cured, there was no need to keep him alive. Thunder Palm turned pale and fled in a panic.

Yun Yao looked at Ximen Chuixue. "I have my rules, and you have your principles. Let us compete fairly to see who kills him first." She then gave chase. Both possessed top-tier lightness skills, moving as swiftly as the wind, and they caught up to him in no time. Ximen Chuixue struck with his sword, but the next moment, Yun Yao deflected his blade with a flick. Hearing the clang behind him, Thunder Palm ran even faster. The two pursued and fought, much like hunters vying for the same prey.

Thunder Palm struggled in the gap between them, attempting to escape with his life. Sword flashes dazzled the air, and the falling leaves around them were stirred into a flurry, dancing like snowflakes. With another *clang*, their swords collided once more. Suddenly, Yun Yao released her right hand, let her sword drop, then caught it with her left and thrust it toward Thunder Palm’s throat.

In a flash, cold light flickered, blood splattered, and a deep mark was left upon a tree. Thunder Palm collapsed. Yun Yao looked at Ximen Chuixue and smiled. That smile was like moonlight flowing; the sword was beautiful, and so was she.

Hearing this, Lu Xiaofeng was utterly stunned. The miraculous physician possessed such peerless swordsmanship, enough to stand toe-to-toe with Ximen Chuixue—perhaps even, if the description was accurate, a fraction higher. He had assumed Ximen Chuixue had killed the man, but in the end, all his guesses were overturned; the physician had done it. She was always beyond his expectations. Truly a marvelous woman.

"What happened next?" Lu Xiaofeng asked.

"I invited her to stay at Plum Blossom Manor for a while to discuss the way of the sword," Ximen Chuixue replied.

Lu Xiaofeng realized, "No wonder I thought it was such a coincidence that I happened to pass by Plum Blossom Manor!"

"She was here just the day before you arrived," said Ximen Chuixue.

"Where is she now?" Lu Xiaofeng asked urgently.

"She went to the Snow Mountain’s Icy Pool to gather herbs."

Lu Xiaofeng departed immediately, galloping without pause toward the Snow Mountain. His curiosity about the physician had reached its peak; he could not wait to meet her. After traveling for several days, he finally arrived at the mountain, where peaks stretched endlessly, covered in frost and cold. Lu Xiaofeng trekked through the snow for a long time, his body blanketed in white. The snow was deep enough to bury his knees, and every step required him to wrench his feet from the frozen ground. Gradually, his legs lost all sensation.

Finally, amidst the swirling snow, he saw a woman. She was dressed in flowing white, resembling a snow lotus blooming on the mountain. When she turned her head and offered a faint smile, it surpassed all the beauty in the world. This scene was etched deeply into Lu Xiaofeng’s heart, never to be forgotten.