32: Chapter 32 Winter's Oath Sword Technique Upgraded! Advanced Skill! Assassination!

Holy Calendar Year 1853, Autumn.

The feeling of autumn arrived early in the White Cliff Territory.

In the fields, the waves of wheat had already turned into a heavy, golden hue.

This year's harvest was decent. Although the North was restless, the White Cliff Territory remained a peaceful corner. Combined with Rowan's conscious efforts to encourage land reclamation and improve farming tools, the yields were quite good.

On the training grounds outside the castle, shouts and the clashing of weapons rang out incessantly.

After nearly a year of selection and the catalysis of basic rock potions, the Militia had begun to take shape.

Fifty young men, divided into five squads, were conducting combat drills under the guidance of instructors.

The young blacksmith Nolan was among them. He had successfully stepped over the threshold of an Apprentice Knight and was a standout among the Militia, meticulously practicing the basic sword forms Rowan had taught.

At dusk, the clouds at the horizon were a sheet of orange-red.

On Rowan's private training ground.

The longsword in his hand danced, integrating the various subtle essences of the Winter Oath-Keeper Swordsmanship into every thrust and movement.

The sword light was like a bolt of silk, carrying a bone-chilling cold. Wherever it passed, fine Frost patterns condensed on the ground.

His mind was clear and empty, completely immersed in the world of swordplay. Within his body, the Myriad Furnace Breathing Technique operated on its own, and his blue-white Battle Qi carried the biting chill of the [Frost] attribute.

His strength was steadily improving under the support of secret medicines.

Until a certain moment.

Rowan's sword momentum suddenly shifted from the continuous Thin Ice Form to an extremely concentrated thrust.

But at the moment of the thrust, the tip of the sword vibrated three times almost imperceptibly. Each vibration resonated with the surrounding Frost, emitting a low hum like the cracking of ice!

He then sheathed his sword and stood still.

[Winter Oath-Keeper Swordsmanship Proficiency +1]

A pale blue system panel floated before his eyes:

[Winter Oath-Keeper Swordsmanship LV3 (0/5000)]

It was done.

After a year of tempering, this swordsmanship had finally broken through its bottleneck and entered a new realm.

Almost at the same moment the proficiency hit its maximum, a massive influx of Insights regarding 'Extreme Cold,' 'Frost Bloom,' and 'Burst' flooded into Rowan's mind.

He closed his eyes to concentrate, his longsword pointing toward the ground.

At his heart, an absolutely frigid sensation instantly spread to his four limbs and hundred bones, yet it strangely brought a clarity that transcended emotion and sensation.

[Learned Mental State: Frost Heart Realm]

Effect: The heart is as if covered by ancient Frost, which can greatly filter out intense emotional fluctuations and physical pain interference.

When actively activated, thinking speed, reaction speed, and the ability to perceive and analyze the surrounding environment are significantly enhanced, entering a state of near-absolute combat calmness.

Following that, three sword techniques closely related to the Frost Heart Realm were imprinted into his combat instincts:

[Learned Skill: Winter · Frost Bloom Slash]

Compresses Frost Battle Qi to the extreme at the sword's edge. When slashing, the Battle Qi bursts forth like Frost flowers blooming in midwinter, carrying a powerful freezing effect and area-of-effect splash damage.

[Learned Skill: Frost Heart · Instant Snow Step]

Perception and reaction are greatly enhanced, allowing for subtle displacements and changes in direction within a tiny space that defy common logic, like drifting snowflakes with unpredictable trajectories.

[Learned Skill: Frost Heart · Instant Ice Piercer]

Captures fleeting combat opportunities within absolute calmness, concentrating all spirit and Battle Qi into a single point to unleash an extremely fast thrust, pursuing ultimate penetration.

After a long while, Rowan slowly opened his eyes.

Deep within his pupils, fine ice crystals seemed to condense and swirl before quickly settling down, returning to their deep depth.

He lightly exhaled a breath of white mist. The breath was long and drawn out, condensing into a straight, thin line in the cooling autumn night.

The gains were immense.

The [Frost Heart Realm] combined with the [Insight] trait of the Myriad Furnace Breathing Technique would allow his reactions in battle to reach a terrifying level.

The sky had turned completely dark.

Rowan returned his sword to its scabbard, preparing to go back to the castle.

Just then, a manservant dressed in a linen short shirt walked up quickly, carrying a copper basin and a towel.

However, just as the servant approached within five paces.

Under the Frost Heart Realm, Rowan suddenly felt a trace of danger.

The bit of icy marrow at his heart spread slightly, and Rowan's thoughts instantly became cold.

Every detail of the surroundings was magnified.

The footsteps seemed light and unsteady, yet their landing points were exceptionally stable.

The knuckles of the hand holding the towel were thick, with thick calluses from years of gripping hard objects, but their positions were not caused by manual labor.

Beneath lowered eyelids, the gaze seemed to inadvertently sweep over his sword-holding right hand and the vital areas of his neck.

And beneath that respectful posture, the Frost Heart still captured a sliver of killing intent that was suppressed almost to nothingness!

Something was wrong!

Almost at the same time he made the judgment, Rowan's thought shifted slightly, and a trace of Battle Qi flowed to his eyes.

Insight, activate!

The world's appearances were stripped away in his eyes.

Around the edges of the servant's form, an extremely faint shadow outline appeared!

Especially at the neck, behind the ears, and at the wrists, there was a clear sense of unnatural stitching!

And within his body, a condensed Battle Qi was quietly gathering throughout his limbs and bones, ready to strike!

An impostor! An assassin?

Despite seeing the servant's abnormality, Rowan's expression didn't change in the slightest.

He naturally shifted half a step forward and raised his hand as if to take the towel.

At that moment, a glimmer flickered in the servant's eyes. Beneath the towel in his other hand, a cold light flashed. A slender rapier, coated with a faint blue sheen, darted out like a venomous snake, lunging straight for Rowan's seemingly defenseless heart!

The speed was astonishingly fast, the angle tricky and ruthless, comparable to the full-force burst of a Senior Knight!

But Rowan was faster!

The moment the servant moved, Rowan's right hand—which had appeared to be reaching for the towel—shifted down like a phantom and gripped the hilt at his waist.

The longsword cleared its scabbard instantly!

There was no dazzling brilliance, no whistling wind.

Only a cold sword light, like a frigid spring under the moon, flashed and vanished in the dim torchlight.

Frost Heart · Instant Ice Piercer!

Under the dual enhancement of Frost Heart Realm and Insight, Rowan's sword struck second but arrived first.

Precise and concise, it was cold-blooded to the extreme.

The tip of the sword tapped against the weakest point of the venomous short sword's power with a light clink.

The venomous short sword was uncontrollably parried away.

Meanwhile, Rowan's sword light continued without hindrance, following the opening created by the parry. It turned into a straight cold line and sank into the location of the opponent's heart.

*Puchi—*

The servant's eyes widened as he looked at the young man only three feet away. It seemed he could slit the other's throat just by reaching out, but his arm trembled slightly and he could not raise it no matter what.

Grey Falcon Harrison looked down in bewilderment.

He saw that a longsword had pierced through his heart, yet no blood flowed out; the surrounding area was covered in Frost.

"You... how..." Harrison's throat rattled. He wanted to say something, but only blood foam surged out.

He could not understand why his meticulously planned disguise, his strength as a Senior Knight, and his long-prepared fatal strike were so vulnerable before the opponent.

How did the other party see through it?

This speed, this precision, this eyesight... this was definitely not a level a Senior Knight should have!

"Qiang!"

Rowan sheathed his sword.

The light in Harrison's eyes quickly dimmed, and his corpse fell backward, hitting the ground with a thud. His disguise dissipated completely, revealing his original appearance.

From the ambush to the counter-kill, only a single breath of time had passed.

Only now did the nearby guards and Butler Henry, who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion, react. They cried out and crowded around.

"My Lord!"

"There's an assassin!"

Rowan looked at the people gathering around and shook his head, saying calmly:

"I'm fine, Henry."

"Jason, immediately take men to search the castle inside and out, and verify the identities of all servants to see if any are missing or acting strangely!"

"Yes, My Lord!" Everyone hurriedly obeyed and immediately took action.

...