335: Exploring the Cold Moon Valley from the Blood Shadow Tower

The bronze lamps in the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace flickered, casting Jun Xiaoyao's silhouette on the stone wall, overlapping with the grooves carved with summoning runes, as if he himself was part of this underground palace.

On the stone table, the newly delivered profound iron samples gleamed with a cold light. Ouyezi had just left a note here: “Profound iron with cold patterns, quenched with earth fire, can forge armor-piercing divine weapons. It will take three months to form.”

“Young Lord, Blood Shadow Tower has made a move.” Zhao Gao's voice came from the shadows, holding a blood-stained jade pendant in his hand.

The character “Shadow” carved on the jade pendant was soaked in blood. “The head of One-Eyed Wolf at the Northern Border Gate disappeared last night without a trace. Only this jade pendant was left at the scene, bearing Blood Shadow Tower's unique poison, Bone-Corroding Powder.”

Jun Xiaoyao picked up the jade pendant with his fingertip. The poisonous powder, upon contact with the spiritual power on his fingertip, immediately turned into a wisp of green smoke. His eyes slightly chilled: “They're more impatient than I imagined.”

The water mirror lit up at this moment, reflecting the scene at the Northern Border Gate—the Luowang Assassins guarding the head last night had fallen in a pool of blood.

There was a hair-thin wound on his neck, indicating instant death. On the surrounding snow, there was only a string of shallow footprints, coming and going like ghosts without a trace.

[The Net Secret Report: Blood Shadow Tower Master “Shadowless,” Realm suspected to be Middle Celestial Realm, skilled in using “Blood Shadow Needle,” can take a person's head from thirty paces away. No one in Jianghu has ever seen his true face.]

Jun Xiaoyao tossed the jade pendant back to Zhao Gao: “Have the 'Shadow' group withdraw. There's no need to waste time with them.”

He looked at the summoning array in the center of the underground palace. The spiritual power in the array's core had risen to 97% due to the gains from the Black Wind Stockade battle. Amidst the flowing runes, a faint sound of swords clashing could be heard.

“Initiate summoning.”

As his voice fell, the summoning array suddenly erupted with dazzling golden light. Runes streaked across the underground palace's dome like meteors, condensing into the phantom of an invisible longsword in the air. The system panel then appeared:

[Summonable Character: West Gate Blows Snow]

[From: “legend of lu xiaofeng” World]

[Realm: Peak Grandmaster Realm]

[Martial Skill: Ximen Chuixue's Sword (Perfection), Falling Snow Without Trace (Major Achievement)]

[Specialty: One Sword Seals the Throat, naturally counters speed-type enemies, Sword Intent can break invisibility]

[Summoning Cost: 90% Spiritual Power]

In the golden light, a white-robed figure slowly materialized. The person's face was stern, and a biting chill emanated from his body. The longsword in his hand was not yet unsheathed,

Yet it had already caused the temperature of the underground palace to plummet, making the flames of the bronze lamps tremble slightly from the cold.

“West Gate Blows Snow greets Young Lord.” His voice was like ice cracking. His gaze swept across the underground palace, finally settling on the shallow footprints in the water mirror. “This speed is indeed worth drawing my sword for.”

[Character Panel: West Gate Blows Snow]

[Status: Clear Sword Heart]

[Loyalty: 85%]

[Current Thought: Blood Shadow Tower? Perhaps it can allow my sword to be stained with cleaner blood.]

Jun Xiaoyao nodded slightly: “Blood Shadow Tower wants to seize the profound iron. You go protect the 'Transport' group's convoy. Leave no survivors.”

West Gate Blows Snow said nothing more, merely his longsword trembled slightly, transforming into a white shadow that streaked into the teleportation array, leaving only the words: “Three days from now, I will bring back Blood Shadow Tower's plaque to Young Lord.”

Zhao Gao added from the side: “The 'Transport' group's convoy will depart tomorrow at noon, escorting two thousand catties of profound iron. Zhan Zhao and Yan Qing will lead the team and are currently waiting outside the valley.”

Jun Xiaoyao looked at another section of the water mirror, where Zhan Zhao was inspecting the convoy's defensive formation.

Yan Qing, meanwhile, had pasted

“Let them follow the original plan. West Gate Blows Snow will follow secretly.” Jun Xiaoyao said lightly, “I want to see how many trump cards this Blood Shadow Tower truly has.”

The next day at noon, outside Hanyue Valley.

A convoy of twenty carriages slowly drove out of the valley entrance. Each carriage was covered with thick black cloth, containing heavy profound iron.

Zhan Zhao, dressed in red, rode at the forefront, the zhanlu sword slung at his waist, his gaze vigilantly sweeping the surrounding mountains and forests.

Yan Qing, disguised as an ordinary stableman, mingled in the middle of the convoy, occasionally looking up at the birds in the sky—that was the signal he had agreed upon with The Net Assassins hidden in the dark.

As the convoy entered Black Wind Ridge, a strange flute sound suddenly came from the forest.

The flute sound was sharp and piercing, as if it could penetrate one's bones. The horses immediately became agitated, rearing up on their hind legs.

“Be on guard!” Zhan Zhao shouted sternly, the zhanlu sword instantly unsheathed, its light illuminating the forest like a scorching sun. “It's Blood Shadow Tower's Soul-Shattering Flute!”

Before his voice faded, dozens of black shadows shot out from the forest, their short blades glowing with a faint blue light, obviously coated in potent poison.

Yan Qing was prepared. With a flick of his folding fan, the Blazing Flame Talismans under the carriages simultaneously detonated. Amidst the roar, the black shadows charging at the forefront were instantly engulfed in flames.

“Interesting.” Zhan Zhao's lips curled into a cold smile, and the zhanlu sword transformed into a red light.

He weaved through the black figures. With every sword stroke, a Blood Shadow Tower assassin fell, their wounds as neat as if measured with a ruler.

Yan Qing, on the other hand, performed the “Sparrowhawk Somersault,” his body leaping between carriages like willow catkins. Crossbow bolts shot out in quick succession from his sleeves, targeting the throats of the black figures.

His archery was incredibly tricky, always finding a flaw in the black figures the moment they changed their stance.

But Blood Shadow Tower's assassins seemed endless; as one batch fell, another rushed forward.

Moreover, each one was utterly fearless, even if an arm was severed, they would still pounce to hug the horse's legs, clearly having been afflicted by some Gu poison.

“This won't do.” Zhan Zhao forced back three assassins with a single sword stroke and shouted to Yan Qing, “You protect the convoy, I'll go take out their flute source!”

Yan Qing nodded, pulled out a handful of copper coins from his Huai and flicked them. The copper coins shot towards the eyes of the black figures like hidden weapons: “Brother Zhan, be careful!”

Zhan Zhao responded, transforming into a red shadow and charging towards the direction of the flute sound.

As he passed through a dense forest, he saw a green-robed man sitting on a tree branch, playing a bone flute, surrounded by more than ten black-clad guards, each a Grandmaster Early Stage expert.

“Zhan Zhao? I didn't expect The Net to enlist you.” The green-robed man stopped playing the flute and pointed the bone flute at Zhan Zhao. “Unfortunately, you won't be able to protect this profound iron today.”

Zhan Zhao didn't bother with pleasantries, thrusting the zhanlu sword directly at the green-robed man's face.

More than ten black-clad guards immediately pounced, their swords and sabers striking together, forming an impenetrable net of blades.

Just then, a white shadow streaked through the forest like lightning.

“Pfft!”

The sword light flashed and disappeared. The heads of more than ten black-clad guards simultaneously fell to the ground, blood spurting out and staining the entire forest.

West Gate Blows Snow appeared before the green-robed man, his longsword pressed against his throat, his eyes colder than ice: “Your flute sound, it disturbed my sword.”

The green-robed man's face turned pale, and the bone flute in his hand clattered to the ground: “You are... West Gate Blows Snow?!”

West Gate Blows Snow did not answer, merely pushed his longsword slightly, and the green-robed man instantly breathed his last.

He looked up into the depths of the dense forest, where a cold snort was heard, and a black figure retreated at an incredibly fast speed, leaving only one sentence: “Beyond Heaven? Interesting, we'll see.”

West Gate Blows Snow did not pursue, merely bent down to pick up the bone flute, then turned and returned to the convoy.

By this time, the battle was nearing its end. Yan Qing was tallying the casualties. Seeing West Gate Blows Snow return, he quickly clasped his hands: “Many thanks for your assistance, Mr. Ximen!”

West Gate Blows Snow nodded slightly and tossed the bone flute to him: “This is Blood Shadow Tower's 'Communication Flute,' it might be useful.”

Zhan Zhao also rushed back, looking at the bodies strewn across the ground, he clasped his fists at West Gate Blows Snow and said, “Thank you.”

West Gate Blows Snow said indifferently: “Young Lord's command, protect the profound iron well.”

The convoy resumed its journey. This time, there were no more assassins to block them. In the evening, the convoy safely arrived at the Profound Iron Camp in the Northern Territory. Ouyezi was already waiting outside the camp gate with his craftsmen.

Seeing the profound iron delivered successfully, he stroked his beard and smiled: “Thank you all for your hard work. This profound iron is enough to forge a hundred divine weapons!”

In the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace, Jun Xiaoyao watched the scene of the convoy arriving in the water mirror and said to Zhao Gao: “Blood Shadow Tower reacted quickly. It seems they are determined to get this profound iron.”

Zhao Gao handed him the newly received secret report: “The 'Shadow' group investigated and found that Blood Shadow Tower is secretly colluding with the Southern Chu Imperial Family. This seizure of profound iron is likely to forge the Blood Shadow Army for the Southern Chu Imperial Family.”

Jun Xiaoyao's eyes slightly chilled: “Southern Chu Imperial Family? It's getting livelier.”

He looked at the summoning array. The spiritual power in the array's core had recovered to 30%. “Have West Gate Blows Snow stay in the Northern Territory and keep an eye on Blood Shadow Tower's movements. Zhan Zhao and Yan Qing are to return and report.”

“Yes.”

In the water mirror, West Gate Blows Snow stood on the tall tower of the Profound Iron Camp, his gaze fixed in the direction of Blood Shadow Tower. The longsword in his hand trembled slightly, as if anticipating its next unsheathing.

Jun Xiaoyao knew that Blood Shadow Tower was just the beginning. As the power of Beyond Heaven grew, such challenges would only increase.

But he didn't care, because his sword was always faster than his enemies.

The runes of the summoning array gradually calmed down, 97% of the spiritual power dormant, awaiting the next summoning opportunity.

Jun Xiaoyao leaned on the cold jade couch, his fingertips gently tapping the armrest, a cold arc forming at the corner of his mouth.

Blood Shadow Tower, Southern Chu Imperial Family, and those forces hidden in the dark... Soon, they would understand that what belongs to Beyond Heaven is not something just anyone can touch.