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Three months passed quickly.
The day of the Blue Wind Ranking Tournament finally arrived.
The huge stone arena at the Heavenly Sword Villa was completely packed.
Thousands of fighters from all the major sects were gathered together.
They were laughing loudly, boasting about their skills, and showing off their shiny weapons.
The noise was deafening.
Suddenly, all the talking stopped.
A terrifying winter wind blew violently through the open main gates.
The temperature dropped so fast that thick white frost instantly crawled up the stone walls.
"What is this heavy feeling?"
A random sect leader shivered, wrapping his arms tightly around his chest.
"My profound energy feels like it is stopping."
"It is not just cold,"
Another big fighter whispered, taking a frightened step backward.
"It feels like invisible blades are pressing right against my throat."
Through the grand gates, the women of the Frozen Cloud Asgard slowly walked in.
Sect Master Gong Yuxian led the way.
Dozens of her disciples followed closely behind her.
They wore their usual pure white dresses, but their presence was completely different.
In the past, the women of the Asgard were known as quiet, beautiful statues of ice.
They were cold, but they were peaceful and passive.
Not anymore.
Today, they felt like frozen, murderous maidens.
Every single step they took released a sharp, deadly intent.
Their eyes were piercing and fearless.
They did not look like beautiful, untouchable fairies; they looked like absolute executioners ready for a war.
Up on the high viewing balcony, Ling Jie gripped his sword handle.
His hands were actually sweating.
"Brother,"
Ling Jie whispered, his eyes wide.
"Their aura... it hurts just to look at them. What happened to them?"
Ling Yun gripped the stone railing.
His elegant face was very serious.
"They are completely transformed,"
Ling Yun answered quietly.
"They are no longer suppressing their emotions. They have turned their coldness into pure, killing intent."
Down in the arena, the massive crowd split wide open to let the women pass.
Not a single man dared to block their path or make a disrespectful joke.
The Villa Master of the Heavenly Sword Villa hurried down the stone steps.
He was the host, but even he hesitated as he got close to them.
"Welcome, Sect Master Gong,"
The Villa Master greeted her carefully.
He tried his best to hide his shock.
"Your disciples look... incredibly sharp this year. But I must ask, where is Fairy Chu?"
Gong Yuxian stopped walking. She gave the Villa Master a faint, terrifying smile.
"She is not with us,"
Gong Yuxian answered smoothly.
"She is currently traveling with our great lord teacher."
"A Great Lord… teacher?"
The Villa Master frowned in deep confusion.
"Great Lord… The Frozen Cloud Asgard never allows male,"
The Villa Master said, trying to force a polite laugh.
"And... is Fairy Chu really not coming at all? I must admit, I was greatly looking forward to seeing her sword dance this year."
Gong Yuxian did not laugh with him.
Her eyes became as cold and sharp as frozen daggers.
She stepped slightly closer to the Villa Master.
The air between them grew so cold that the man's breath turned into thick white smoke.
"Her sword does not dance for entertainment,"
Gong Yuxian said quietly, her voice only meant for his ears.
"I know you have watched her from afar for many years, Villa Master. I know you have always admired her beauty."
The Villa Master's face suddenly turned a deep shade of red, and then quickly turned pale.
"I... I only have deep respect for her great talent,"
He lied quickly, nervously avoiding her sharp eyes.
"That is good,"
Gong Yuxian answered smoothly.
"Keep it as respect. Keep it at a safe distance. Do not let it become anything else."
She looked up at the massive, grand swords decorating the walls of his famous arena.
"Because the Fairy Chu you used to know is completely gone,"
Gong Yuxian warned him, her voice perfectly calm but incredibly heavy.
"If a man reaches out his greedy hand to grab our new winter, he will not just lose his fingers."
The Villa Master stopped breathing.
He could feel the absolute, murderous truth in her words.
"The cold will spread,"
Gong Yuxian continued, staring right into his frightened eyes.
"It will freeze his blood. It will freeze his family. And it will completely bury his entire mountain under a storm that never ends."
She smiled again, but it was a smile that promised absolute death.
"Some beautiful things are meant to be left alone,"
She told him softly.
"Be happy with the great Villa you have built. You are a powerful man. It would be a terrible tragedy to lose everything you own, just because you chased a dangerous, foolish dream."
High above the arena floor, hidden in the shadows of the royal viewing balcony, a woman watched the entire exchange.
She wore a luxurious purple dress decorated with bright jewels.
She was Xuanyuan Yufeng, the lady of the Heavenly Sword Villa.
Her hands gripped the wooden railing so tightly that her knuckles turned completely white.
Her chest burned with a toxic mix of anger and deep, painful sadness.
Her husband, Ling Tianni, slowly walked up the stone steps to join her.
"Did she break your heart again, Tianni?"
Xuanyuan Yufeng asked.
Her voice was quiet, but it was filled with bitter poison.
Ling Tianni stopped walking. He let out a tired sigh and refused to look her in the eye.
"Do not start this today, Yufeng,"
Ling Tianni warned her softly.
"You did not feel Gong Yuxian's aura down there. The Frozen Cloud Asgard has become incredibly dangerous. This is about sect business, not old feelings."
"Sect business?"
Yufeng laughed, a dry and painful sound.
"You are the most powerful sword master in this entire empire. You command thousands of men. What businesses do you have with just a little sect!."
She stepped out of the shadows, blocking his path.
Her eyes were red with unshed tears.
"Chu Yuechan is not even here,"
Yufeng whispered, her voice cracking with raw emotion.
"She did not even bother to show up to your grand tournament. Yet, she still completely controls your mind. She still makes you forget how to breathe."
"She is just a memory of my youth,"
Ling Tianni argued, finally looking at his wife.
"You are overthinking this. I married you. You are the lady of this villa."
"I am your wife,"
Yufeng agreed, pointing a shaking finger at her own chest.
"I gave you my youth. I gave you strong, talented sons. I manage this massive sect every single day so you can focus on your sword. I sit on the throne next to you."
She dropped her hand, looking completely defeated.
"But I am only your wife. She is your dream."
Ling Tianni opened his mouth to speak, but the heavy guilt in his throat stopped the words from coming out.
Yufeng saw his silence. It was the sharpest blade he could have ever used against her.
"If she was here, I could challenge her,"
Yufeng said, tears finally spilling down her cheeks.
"If she was a normal woman, I could use my family's power to ruin her. I could fight her with a sword, with poison, with politics. But how am I supposed to fight a ghost?"
She looked away, staring down at the empty arena floor where the Asgard women had just stood.
"I have all the gold and power in this world,"
Yufeng cried softly, feeling completely helpless.
"But I cannot do anything. I cannot cut that woman out of your heart."
Before Ling Tianni could answer his crying wife, a loud, heavy horn echoed through the entire valley.
The freezing winter air left by the Frozen Cloud Asgard instantly vanished.
A thick wave of deep, powerful heat washed over the stone arena. It felt like standing right next to a warm, comforting sun.
"The Royal Family of the Blue Wind Empire has arrived!"
The gate guard shouted, his voice shaking loudly.
The massive doors opened wide.
Princess Cang Yue walked in.
She wore a grand golden dress and a shining royal crown.
She held her head high, walking with the steady, unshakeable steps of a true queen.
But the crowd was not looking at her crown.
They were staring in absolute terror at the fifty guards walking right behind her.
They wore incredible, masterfully crafted armor.
The metal was deep crimson and bright gold.
Glowing lines of real fire moved across the chest plates like living veins.
Sam had created this special Phoenix armor just for them using Stark Tech on his spaceship.
They did not look like normal soldiers.
They looked like an invincible army of fire gods.
And walking right beside the Princess was Sam's entire group.
Sam walked casually, looking completely relaxed.
Jean walked next to him, gently holding little Sue's hand.
Jasmine strolled by with her hands behind her back.
And right behind Sam walked the three missing fairies: Chu Yuechan, Chu Yueli, and Xia Qingyue.
Little D and Little H were playing in the forest nearby.
Up on the viewing balcony, Ling Tianni gasped.
He grabbed the stone railing so hard it cracked.
"Yuechan..."
Ling Tianni whispered, his eyes locked entirely on the beautiful woman in white.
Xuanyuan Yufeng stood right beside him.
She looked down at Chu Yuechan, and her heart completely shattered.
"So there she is,"
Yufeng said, her voice filled with bitter poison and deep pain.
"She finally shows up. But she is not looking at you, Tianni. She is following that strange man."
Ling Tianni could not reply.
He wiped his face, put on his strict face as the Villa Master, and hurried back down the stone steps.
He was completely overwhelmed by all these scary surprises.
Cang Yue stopped right in the center of the grand arena.
"Princess Cang Yue,"
Ling Tianni bowed deeply.
He showed far more respect to her than he ever had before.
"Welcome to the Heavenly Sword Villa. We are honored to host you. But... I must ask. Who are these warriors? I have never seen armor like this anywhere in the world. It radiates pure, terrifying heat."
"They are my personal royal guards,"
Cang Yue answered clearly.
Her voice easily reached every corner of the quiet arena.
"For too long, my royal family relied on others for protection. Today, we stand on our own. These guards wear the true fire of the Phoenix."
Ling Tianni swallowed hard.
He looked nervously at Sam, sensing absolutely no profound energy from him.
"And you?"
Ling Tianni asked carefully.
"Are you the... Great Lord teacher that Sect Master Gong mentioned earlier? The one who changed the path of the Frozen Cloud Asgard?"
Sam smiled.
"Nope, I am just a friend,"
Sam answered.
"I taught them a few tricks. That is all."
Ling Tianni could not hold himself back anymore.
He looked directly at Chu Yuechan. His heart beat wildly in his chest.
"Fairy Chu,"
Ling Tianni said, his voice dropping slightly.
"Are you not going to sit with your Sect Master? We have a special, honored seat prepared just for you up on my balcony."
Chu Yuechan finally spoke.
Her voice was cold, calm, and completely indifferent to the most powerful sword master in the empire.
"My place is right here,"
Chu Yuechan answered simply, not even blinking.
"I follow Senior Sam. Wherever he stands, I will stand. Wherever he sits, I will sit."
Up on the high balcony, Xuanyuan Yufeng closed her eyes.
Even though she hated Chu Yuechan, seeing her husband get rejected so coldly in front of everyone made her feel sick.
Down in the arena, Ling Tianni felt like a sword had just pierced right through his chest.
He took a slow step backward, completely speechless.
Cang Yue stepped forward, pulling the crowd's attention back to the throne.
"Villa Master Ling,"
Cang Yue declared boldly.
"We are not here today to just sit quietly in the back and clap. We are here to compete."