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Chapter 32 - The Snowland Blossom

The metallic ring of the Skyblade Sword still echoed faintly in Liam Ardent's ears as he left behind the corpses of Galen Ashford and his treacherous companions. The moonlight slanted across the clearing, illuminating the half-burned rabbit meat that now lay forgotten amidst blood and steel. Hector Xu, his spirit reignited by conviction, had sworn loyalty, and for a brief time they had shared food and words of kinship.

But the road of the Jianghu—the martial world of wandering heroes, sects, and rivalries—allowed no lingering. Liam's path stretched westward, into deeper shadows, toward the ancient ridges of Kunlun.

He walked alone, yet the Infinite Upgrade System never allowed him to forget that he was never truly solitary. Each step hummed with the silent calculation of destiny: experience gathered, levels awaiting, treasures lying dormant in the vast mountains ahead.

Kunlun.

The very name carried a resonance older than dynasties. Its thousand peaks clawed at the heavens, their snowy crowns veiled by clouds, while below stretched forests filled with beasts, bandits, and hermits of hidden power. Somewhere among those cliffs lay the legendary Nine Suns Divine Skill, secreted within the belly of a monstrous white ape. Lucas Rowan of another tale had once stumbled upon it. In this path, it was Liam's to claim.

He pressed on, days blurring into nights. The land itself spoke of collapse: cracked rice paddies, villagers gaunt from famine, skeletal corpses left by the roadside, their skin shriveled to parchment. Liam's gaze hardened.

So this is the price of Mongol tyranny… no wonder countless sects and rebels rise against them. No wonder the Ming Cult bleeds and burns yet never yields.

Whenever hunger struck, he snared pheasants or rabbits, his inner energy sustaining him more than food. His pace was relentless, his thoughts sharpened by purpose.

Ten days into his journey, the outline of Kunlun's eastern ranges loomed across the horizon like the jagged teeth of some colossal beast. Yet before Liam could set foot among those sacred heights, fate placed an obstacle in his path.

The undergrowth rustled. A guttural snarl split the stillness.

From the shadowed trees burst three monstrous hounds, their eyes glowing red, their ribs sharp beneath mangy fur. Their fangs snapped with hunger as they lunged for his throat.

Liam did not flinch. His eyes narrowed, a cold gleam flashing within. He thrust out his palm—internal energy roaring like a tidal surge.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three strikes, three shattered skulls. The hounds dropped lifeless, their momentum scattering dust across his boots.

He exhaled slowly, shaking gore from his sleeve.

"Pathetic beasts. Who unleashed you upon me?"

A sound answered—not a growl, but the slow, deliberate clap of slender hands.

"Splendid. One palm, one dog. Such clean efficiency."

The voice was feminine, melodious, tinged with faint amusement.

From the treeline emerged a figure clad in pure white fox-fur robes, her steps gliding over the grass without stirring a leaf. Her beauty struck like a sudden blade: skin pale as fresh snow, eyes dark and gleaming with intelligence, lips curved into a smile at once coy and appraising. The moonlight seemed to cling to her form, as though unwilling to let her go.

She was young, no older than eighteen or nineteen, yet her bearing was cultivated, every gesture steeped in subtle poise.

The Infinite Upgrade System flared instantly.

System Update

[New Character Detected]

Name: Juliana Valehart

Affection: 60 (Trust)

Realm: Peak Second-Rate Expert

Identity: Heiress of the Valehart Manor; direct descendant of South Emperor Elyon Valehart, once a peerless sage of Kunlun.

Liam's gaze sharpened. So this was one of the famed Snowland Twin Blossoms. In the distant reaches of Jianghu rumor, her name was whispered alongside another maiden of equal beauty. Yet here she stood before him in flesh and spirit, dangerous in her own way.

Juliana's smile deepened as she approached. "You strike without hesitation. Most men, when faced with sudden beasts, flail or flee. You… simply ended them. Tell me, traveler, who are you?"

Liam inclined his head slightly, his tone calm but firm. "A wanderer of the Jianghu. My name is Liam Ardent."

She tilted her head, fox-fur collar brushing her cheek. "Ah, then the rumors are true. The slayer of Mother Clarisse Hale, wielder of the Skyblade Sword, healer turned warrior. How curious that we meet here, on the threshold of Kunlun."

Her words carried no hostility, but Liam's instincts remained wary. He had learned long ago: admiration could turn to betrayal as quickly as steel turned in one's gut.

"Your hounds were poorly trained," he remarked, his voice cool.

Juliana laughed softly, covering her lips with a delicate hand. "They were never meant to stop you, only to test the measure of a man whose name now shakes half the martial world. And you did not disappoint."

Her eyes flickered over him, lingering perhaps longer than courtesy demanded. "Such composure, even when strangers stalk from the dark. You are not merely a wanderer, Liam Ardent. You are something else entirely."

Liam met her gaze evenly. "And you? Heiress of Valehart Manor, descended from Elyon Valehart, one of Kunlun's lost sages. Why shadow the woods with attack dogs instead of greeting guests at your manor's gate?"

At that, Juliana's smile thinned into something more elusive. "Because, young master, in these mountains, trust is rarer than sunlight. My family's halls may appear grand, but threats encircle us: Mongol agents, greedy sects, hidden traitors. A Valehart learns early to test before she trusts."

For a moment, silence stretched, the wind rustling the pine boughs.

Then the System chimed once more.

System Update

[Juliana Valehart's Affection +5 → Current: 65(Guarded Interest)]

Liam said nothing, but the corner of his mouth curved faintly. This maiden was dangerous—not with blades, but with words and presence. Already she was probing, measuring him as surely as she had set her hounds upon him.

But for now, he let the game play.

"Very well, Lady Valehart. You've measured me. What now?"

Juliana's gaze lingered. "Now? Now I extend an invitation. Valehart Manor lies not far from here. The Kunlun peaks are treacherous; travelers vanish in their depths. But with me as guide, you may reach your goal faster… and safer."

Her eyes gleamed knowingly, as though she had already divined the direction of his quest.

Liam considered. To walk alone was safer in some ways, yet to have the Valehart heiress as ally could open doors otherwise barred. But each alliance carried chains unseen.

He lifted his chin. "Lead the way, then. Let us see what the Valehart Manor conceals."

Juliana's smile returned, radiant and unreadable. She gestured gracefully, her fox-fur sleeves flowing like falling snow. "Then follow me, Liam Ardent. The mountains may test you further yet."

Side by side, the two figures disappeared into the moonlit forest.

And so began the next chapter of his journey—toward Valehart Manor, toward Kunlun's secrets, and toward trials that would weigh not just strength of arm but strength of heart.

Glossary

Juliana Valehart – Heiress of the Valehart Manor, descendant of South Emperor Elyon Valehart, a sage of Kunlun. Known as one of the "Snowland Twin Blossoms." Current Affection: 65 (Guarded Interest).

Valehart Manor – An influential household within the Kunlun ranges, rumored to be rich in history and martial secrets.

Skyblade Sword – The weapon Liam wields (originally the Heaven Reliquary Sword, adapted). Sharp enough to slice through common steel with ease.

Nine Suns Divine Skill – Legendary cultivation method hidden in Kunlun within the belly of a monstrous white ape. Vastly increases internal energy and resilience.

This story is inspired from various Wuxia novels ,so if you find any similarities please dont mind . and if you think this is boring wait till the Dual cultivation starts ,Thank you .

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