146: Chapter 145 Encountering the Enemy

Jiang Hanzhou stood on the ice plain, the cold wind like a blade, bringing a bone-chilling cold as it scraped across his cheeks.

He put the two beads obtained from the Ten Thousand Gu Sect Cultivator into his sumeru pouch and checked the items inside once more.

That piece of gold marrow cloud-patterned iron, two Low-Grade Spirit Stones, a few scrolls of Ten Thousand Gu Sect texts, and most importantly, the three memory fragments of the Dragon Slaying True Person, were all safe and sound.

"I must leave here as soon as possible."

He raised his head and looked toward this boundless ice plain.

When he had absorbed that pale golden bead just now, he was teleported directly to this place.

This was not his own choice; it was the power of the bead itself guiding him.

Those memory fragments did not seem to be inanimate objects.

They could move, hunt, and absorb nutrients from outsiders.

And after absorbing enough nutrients, they would become more solid, stronger, and perhaps even—

Jiang Hanzhou did not continue to think about it.

He needed to find a relatively safe place to thoroughly stabilize the Golden Sharpness True Intent he had just comprehended, and then leave this strange Small World as soon as possible.

He selected a low ice hill vaguely visible on the ice plain and lifted his foot to move—

At that very instant.

Killing intent!

An extremely sharp, extremely pure killing intent erupted suddenly from beneath the ice layer three zhang behind him!

That killing intent came without warning. There was no leakage of aura, no fluctuation of spiritual power, and no signs that anyone could have detected in advance.

It appeared out of thin air, like a Vicious Beast lurking deep within the ice layer, suddenly opening its bloody maw!

Jiang Hanzhou's pupils contracted sharply!

He did not even have time to turn around—

His body had already reacted before his consciousness!

He activated the third level of the Li Huo Golden Body Art with all his might, and the pale golden membrane of Li Huo Qi instantly covered his entire body!

At the same time, he stomped his toes hard on the ice surface, and his whole body shot forward like an arrow released from a bow!

"Boom—!"

The moment he left his original spot, the patch of ice he had just been standing on exploded!

Countless ice fragments shot out, each carrying astonishing force, hitting the ice hill ten zhang away and leaving dense holes!

A figure rose into the sky from the exploded ice layer!

That was a Westerner.

With golden hair and blue eyes, a high nose and deep-set eyes, his facial features were as angular as a marble sculpture.

He was around thirty years old, stood nine chi tall, and was dressed in a silver-white tight-fitting combat suit, with a snow-white, gold-trimmed cloak draped over it that snapped in the cold wind.

In his hand, he held a long sword with a strange design.

The blade was long and slender, silver-white throughout, and a deep blue gem the size of a baby's fist was embedded at the hilt, with light faintly flowing within the gem.

The edge of the sword was surrounded by a faint white halo; that halo was not True Qi, but a power Jiang Hanzhou had never seen before—pure, intense, and carrying a certain sacred quality.

"Storm Kingdom, Silver Wing Family."

Jiang Hanzhou recognized the other party's origin in an instant.

Those iconic golden hair and blue eyes, that silver-white combat suit, that snow-white gold-trimmed cloak, and that long sword containing the power of "Holy Light"—everything matched the records in the "Chronicles of Western Nations" he had read in the Dragon Abyss Palace library.

The Storm Kingdom was the closest nation to Great Qi among the Western nations, separated from Great Qi's Donghai Prefecture by the sea; there was frequent trade between the two countries, as well as friction and conflict.

The Silver Wing Family was one of the three ancient noble families of the Storm Kingdom, passing down "Holy Light Qi" for generations, taking it upon themselves to protect the royal Family and crusade against heretics.

And this person before him—

Primal Form Realm.

At least at the Yuan Xiang middle stage, perhaps even at the Late Yuanxiang Stage.

After the Westerner landed, he did not immediately attack again.

He narrowed his deep blue eyes slightly, sizing up Jiang Hanzhou ten zhang away, a playful smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Easterner," he said, his accent somewhat stiff but his pronunciation clear. "Your reaction was fast."

Jiang Hanzhou did not answer.

He just stood there quietly, his right hand already resting on the hilt of the tiger soul saber, his gaze locked onto every subtle movement of the other party.

The Westerner did not seem to care about his silence.

He spun the silver-white long sword in his hand, his posture composed and elegant, as if this were not a life-or-death struggle, but a swordsmanship performance.

"My name is Jasper," he announced, his tone carrying a hint of condescension. "Silver Wing Family, Holy Light Knights, Third-Class Holy Knight."

He paused, his gaze falling on Jiang Hanzhou's tiger soul saber, and a trace of contempt flashed in his eyes.

"You use a saber?"

That tone, as if using a saber were something unpresentable.

Jiang Hanzhou still did not answer.

But the corners of his lips slowly curled into an extremely faint smile.

That smile was cold.

Silver Wing Family.

The Silver Wing Family again.

His thoughts drifted back to several months ago in an instant—

Shattered Star Archipelago, Bibo Island.

Those three young people from the Silver Wing Family had tried to rob him; he had injured all three, but then a suddenly appearing Primal Form Realm Guest Elder named Sandro had severely wounded him, almost causing him to be buried in the fish's belly.

He had ambushed and killed one of them before escaping. After recovering from his injuries, he had boarded the ship after another one had left Bibo Island and went on a killing spree, avenging that night's grudge.

Later, that Sandro had suffered mutual destruction with Ghost Ink Venerable and had his life taken by a Dragon Abyss Palace Elder.

He had never had the chance to take revenge with his own hands.

And this person before him—

Another Primal Form Realm.

Another person from the Silver Wing Family.

Jiang Hanzhou's smile deepened.

"What are you laughing at?" Jasper frowned slightly, a trace of displeasure flashing in those deep blue eyes.

Jiang Hanzhou did not answer.

He just slowly drew the tiger soul saber.

The dark blood-colored blade glowed with a cold luster under the gray-white light of the ice plain, forming a stark contrast with the other party's brilliantly shining silver long sword.

"Storm Kingdom, Silver Wing Family." He finally spoke, his voice flat, revealing no emotion. "I have killed your people."

Jasper's expression changed slightly.

"Shattered Star Archipelago, Bibo Island," Jiang Hanzhou continued. "Three young people; the other two were both killed by me."

Jasper's pupils contracted sharply!

"It's you!" he exclaimed, a flash of disbelief crossing his handsome face. "The Easterner the Family spoke of—it's you?!"

Jiang Hanzhou did not answer.

But his silence was the answer itself.

Jasper took a deep breath, the astonishment on his face gradually fading, replaced by undisguised killing intent.

"Good, very good." He gripped the silver-white long sword in his hand, and the deep blue gem on the sword suddenly erupted with a brilliant light.

He raised the long sword, the tip pointing directly at Jiang Hanzhou.

"I didn't expect you to deliver yourself to my doorstep."

Jiang Hanzhou smiled.

The smile was faint, but it carried an indescribable meaning.

"Deliver myself to your doorstep?"

He raised the tiger soul saber, the tip pointing obliquely at Jasper.

"Coincidentally, I have also been looking for people from the Silver Wing Family."

The next instant—

Both of them moved at the same time!