"What brings the Second City Lord to see me today?"
Jiang Che ignored Li Hanyi's earlier question and instead asked with mild curiosity.
Since he hadn't refined the pills yet, he knew she wouldn't believe him anyway—so he didn't bother explaining.
"To spar with swords."
Li Hanyi replied coolly, drawing her Iron Horse Ice River Sword from her waist.
"I refuse. You're too weak—it'd be boring."
Jiang Che shook his head solemnly.
Li Hanyi: …
Even with her normally calm demeanor, Li Hanyi found herself losing composure at Jiang Che's blunt words.
Her chest rose and fell slightly, her breath growing uneven.
"If you want me to spar with you," Jiang Che said suddenly, as if struck by an idea, "you'll need to agree to one condition."
"What condition?" Li Hanyi asked coldly, her tone still frosty and indifferent.
"Teach me your Moonlit Blossoms Sword Technique."
Jiang Che grinned as he stated his demand.
"With all the secret techniques you already possess, why would you want to learn the Moonlit Blossoms Sword Technique?"
Li Hanyi frowned, genuinely puzzled.
She couldn't understand why Jiang Che, who wielded so many powerful abilities, would covet her swordsmanship.
While the Moonlit Blossoms Sword Technique was undoubtedly elegant and formidable, it was far from the most destructive technique he had shown so far.
"To look cool and impress girls…"
Jiang Che shrugged, answering with shameless honesty.
The Moonlit Blossoms Sword Technique wasn't earth-shatteringly powerful, but it was dazzlingly beautiful.
With one swing of the blade, a storm of peach blossoms would cascade through the air like a celestial dream.
It was practically made for showing off!
Li Hanyi: …
Her chest tightened with irritation.
She glared at Jiang Che, practically fuming. I created this technique through years of effort and struggle… and you want to use it to flirt?!
"Well, Second City Lord," Jiang Che said, ignoring her silent fury, "do you agree or not?"
"If you teach me the Moonlit Blossoms Sword Technique, I'll agree to spar with you."
"Fine, I agree," Li Hanyi replied, narrowing her eyes. "But you must train with me for a full month—without using any of your elemental immortal techniques."
She smirked faintly as she laid down her terms.
In her mind, as long as Jiang Che couldn't rely on his mysterious elemental powers, he wouldn't stand a chance against her in a pure sword duel.
A month of sparring… that's plenty of time to teach this arrogant fool a proper lesson.
"No problem."
Jiang Che waved it off, looking completely unbothered.
He could see right through her plan.
But even without his elemental techniques, he still had the complete inheritance of the Drunken Sword Immortal.
With just the Ten Thousand Sword Technique, he was more than confident he could dominate this overly proud woman.
"Draw your sword."
"As you wish."
Without hesitation, Jiang Che unsheathed his Seven-Star Longyuan Sword and lunged at Li Hanyi with a swift slash.
Li Hanyi, not daring to take him lightly, immediately responded with her Still Water Sword Technique.
Jiang Che began by warming up with a series of Azure Dragon Sword Techniques, engaging her in a fierce and rapid exchange.
Sword lights clashed in the air, and killing intent surged between them.
Swords were meant to kill—and neither of them held back, each unleashing devastating strikes with full force.
Though neither was injured, their surroundings paid the price.
Li Hanyi's sword light flattened the garden, while the shockwaves from Jiang Che's strikes collapsed part of his residence in a thick cloud of dust.
"Take this to Mount Cang! Not here!"
Dodging a particularly violent attack, Jiang Che shouted in frustration.
He was genuinely concerned—if they kept this up, the entire estate would be reduced to rubble.
"Fine."
Li Hanyi nodded in agreement, realizing the destruction they were causing. She promptly sheathed her sword and vanished in a flash, flying swiftly toward Mount Cang.
Jiang Che turned to the stunned servants and instructed them to clean up the wreckage before taking off to follow her.
…
Mount Cang
As one of the four iconic natural landmarks of Snow Moon City, representing the element of "snow," Mount Cang was perpetually blanketed in white.
From a distance, it looked like a silver wonderland—pure, vast, and ethereal.
A biting wind howled across its slopes, and delicate snowflakes danced in the frigid air.
While Snow Moon City enjoyed mild temperatures of around 20°C, the summit of Mount Cang remained well below freezing all year round.
However, both Jiang Che and Li Hanyi were powerful Grandmasters, and such weather didn't bother them in the slightest.
One after the other, they landed at the summit.
"I have a sword technique—Still Water Sword Technique. Test it for me."
Li Hanyi didn't waste words. Her Iron Horse Ice River Sword rested across her chest, emanating sharp killing intent.
The Still Water Sword Technique was a Heaven-tier martial art passed down by her master, Li Changsheng.
It had four profound realms of comprehension:
Seeing mountains as mountains, and water as water.
Seeing mountains not as mountains, and water not as water.
Seeing mountains once again as mountains, and water once again as water.
Complete enlightenment—transcending all forms.
At just twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, Li Hanyi had already reached the third realm's peak.
Once she grasped the essence of the fourth realm, she could break through and ascend to the Heavenly Unity Realm with a single strike.
That was why she continually sought out duels with top experts from every faction—each battle was a potential opportunity for breakthrough.