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The snow fell silently, and the courtyard seemed to be covered by a thin layer of white silk, creating a serene atmosphere between heaven and earth.

Standing alone in the courtyard, the purple-gold lightning in Yi Huawei's eyes slowly faded, and the invisible pressure around him dissipated, returning him to a deep, still state. He had just completed the complete repair of his body and was feeling the unprecedented abundance of power within this husk, as well as the Heavenly Dao shackles that still clung to him, yet seemed to have loosened slightly.

Just then, a subtle feeling of being watched, like a cool spider silk, gently brushed against his senses.

It wasn't a casual glance from an ordinary citizen, nor the covetous look of a petty thief. This gaze was steady and profound, carrying scrutiny and inquiry, pressing down like a rock, yet subtly blending into the stillness of the winter night. If Yi Huawei hadn't been extremely perceptive at that moment, he would have hardly noticed it.

He didn't turn around, nor did he make any unnecessary movements; he simply turned his gaze to the simple, even somewhat rotten, wooden door of the courtyard.

There was no one outside the door.

A figure, like the shadow of the courtyard wall itself, had quietly appeared three feet outside the door.

This man was tall and imposing, exuding an aura of profound mastery even in the darkness. He wore a dark blue brocade robe over a black cloak, his face was rugged and angular, his eyes sharp as a hawk's in the dim light of the snowy night, now piercing through the crack in the door and precisely locking onto Yi Huawei in the courtyard.

It is none other than Xie Hui, the master of Duzun Fortress and the "Judge of the Martial World"!
He didn't deliberately conceal his whereabouts, nor did he immediately break down the door in a domineering manner. He simply stood there, like a mountain standing outside the small courtyard. The invisible pressure was like a tangible tide, silently overflowing the low wall, trying to penetrate into this small space.

This pressure wasn't murderous intent, but rather the pure authority of a superior examining unstable elements within their territory, and the instinctive perception of a top martial artist towards an equal.

Yi Huawei slowly turned around, facing the courtyard gate. His disheveled hair fluttered slightly in the cold wind, and his coarse linen clothes looked particularly thin in the snowy night. Yet, standing there, his posture casual, he seemed to be the center of the entire courtyard. Jie Hui's invisible pressure fell upon him, like a clay ox sinking into the sea, failing to stir even the slightest ripple. His eyes remained calm, and that abyss-like indifference was even more chilling than Jie Hui's scrutiny.

"Squeak-"

A soft sound broke the deathly silence of the snowy night. It wasn't Yi Huawei who opened the door, but Jie Hui. He didn't use force; he simply extended his broad, calloused hand and pressed it seemingly casually on the door. The wooden door, seemingly dilapidated yet still sturdy, emitted a slight muffled thud at the latch, as if dissolved by an invisible force, and silently slid open inward.

Jie Hui stepped into the courtyard.

His gaze instantly sharpened, like a tangible probe, scanning Yi Huawei from head to toe. From his coarse linen clothes, so out of place in Chengdu's bustling city, to his disheveled hair, to his face, which appeared overly calm, even possessing an almost inhuman warmth, bathed in the snowy light. Xie Hui's gaze finally settled on Yi Huawei's eyes—those eyes, deep and still, seemingly unable to reflect any light or shadow of the world, containing only an unchanging indifference.

"Chengdu is a good place."

Jie Hui spoke, his voice deep and resonant, carrying a metallic quality that rang out clearly in the quiet courtyard. He offered no pleasantries, made no questions, and stated a fact as if he were merely stating a fact.

Yi Huawei did not respond, but just looked at him quietly.

Jie Hui wasn't surprised. In fact, Yi Huawei's unusually calm reaction confirmed some of his suspicions. He took a slow step forward, the snow crunching softly beneath his feet. With that step, an even more refined and domineering aura rose from him, no longer the previous probing pressure, but like a torrent, carrying the unique, unparalleled ferocity and life-or-death will of "Tiangang Xuanqi," rushing straight towards Yi Huawei!

This aura was violent yet precise, its intention not to harm, but to force! To force this mysterious and unpredictable "wanderer," whose aura was as deep and unfathomable as an abyss, to reveal his true nature. The air seemed to freeze, and the fine snowflakes falling in the courtyard were stirred by this aura, forming an invisible vortex that swirled between the two.

Yi Huawei remained unmoved.

Just as the aura containing Jie Hui's decades of refined skill was about to reach his body, the surging purple-gold true essence within him stirred slightly. Within a radius of about a foot around his body, space seemed to distort extremely subtly, like an almost invisible ripple spreading across the surface of water after a pebble has been thrown in.

"Boom——"

A very faint sound, like a bubble bursting.

Jie Hui's domineering aura, powerful enough to shatter the minds and soften the bones of even top-tier experts, collided with the invisible ripples as if it had struck an absolutely smooth, indestructible wall of glass! The aura instantly dissipated, vanishing without a trace, even the wind it had stirred subsided. Yi Huawei's clothes didn't even twitch.

Jie Hui's pupils suddenly contracted! His tall body trembled almost imperceptibly.

He clearly felt that his probing energy, before even touching the other's body, was annihilated by a purer, more refined power, seemingly containing some fundamental rule of heaven and earth! It wasn't defeated, nor was it blocked; rather, it was like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun, silently melted, decomposed, and transformed into the most primordial energy! The other party didn't even retaliate; the protective power simply flowed naturally, easily erasing his probing attack!
What kind of martial arts is this?!

Jie Hui was deeply shocked. He had roamed the Sichuan Basin for decades, encountering countless masters. Even facing the three Grandmasters, he was confident he could sense the attributes and levels of their power. But the person before him possessed a power so pure and profound, a defense so flawless, that it completely exceeded his comprehension! It was a realm no known divine skill in this world could reach!

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Jie Hui's mind: A reclusive old monster from the Demonic Sect? An extraordinary figure from the Daoist Sect? Or... a mysterious being from beyond the realm? No matter which one, their threat far exceeded his expectations!

The courtyard fell silent once more. The snow fell even more heavily.

The scrutiny and inquiry on Jie Hui's face were finally replaced by an unprecedented solemnity. He slowly withdrew his aura, and the overwhelming pressure dissipated. He looked deeply at Yi Huawei, his eyes filled with complex emotions: apprehension, doubt, and even a faint... fear.

"Your cultivation is excellent."

Jie Hui's voice remained deep, but it lacked some of its previous condescension and was more solemn: "May I ask your esteemed name? What brings you to Chengdu?"

Yi Huawei's gaze finally left Jie Hui's face, turning to the leaden-gray night sky, which seemed to hang low. His voice rang out, still hoarse and flat, yet carrying a cold rhythm that pierced through the wind and snow, reaching straight to the heart:

"Just a passerby. This matter is none of your concern."

He neither answered with his name nor explained his purpose, but simply gave an almost indifferent statement.

Xie Hui frowned deeply. The other party's answer was impeccable, yet it was filled with indifference and alienation.

"Passerby"?
How could it be irrelevant that a "passerby" with such terrifying cultivation appeared in Chengdu, the core city of Bashu, which he considered his exclusive domain? This was more like a declaration—a declaration that Jie Hui's rules were invalid for this person!
"Chengdu was under the jurisdiction of Jie Mou."

Xie Hui's voice took on a cold, hard quality, and the majesty of the overlord of Sichuan and Chongqing once again solidified: "Any factor that might disturb the peace of this place is related to me, Xie."

Yi Huawei turned his gaze back to Jie Hui's face. The indifference in his eyes remained unchanged, as if he were looking at a mortal stubbornly stating irrelevant rules.

"peaceful?"

Yi Huawei's lips twitched slightly upwards, as if mocking: "The peace that Lord Jie seeks is nothing more than clinging to power and waiting to be sold. You blockaded the Three Gorges and betrayed Song Que; what do you seek? Do you truly not understand?" Every word pierced the heart! It directly exposed Jie Hui's most hidden weighing and struggle!

Jie Hui's face darkened abruptly, a surge of anger mixed with the shame and annoyance of having his secret exposed instantly rising within him, and his aura once again became dangerous and sharp! Having held a high position for many years, when had he ever been so openly criticized to his face? Especially by someone of unknown origin who disregarded his authority!

However, Yi Huawei's next words were like a bucket of ice water, instantly extinguishing his surging anger.

"Your choices, your path, are all determined by your heart."

Yi Huawei's voice was calm and even, as if stating a given fact: "However, do not think that you can control the world's affairs with the peace of this place. And do not... block my way."

The last sentence was uttered with a sudden chill in his voice.

There was no murderous intent emanating from him, yet Xie Hui felt a chill emanating from the depths of his soul! It was as if he were being locked onto by an invisible natural enemy, and the slightest movement would bring about a devastating and unimaginable attack! He had no doubt that the person before him had the right and the power to say such things!

Jie Hui was filled with doubts, but at this moment, all thoughts of probing were suppressed by that cold warning. He knew that continuing the entanglement would bring no benefit. The other party clearly had no intention of being his enemy, but would certainly not be controlled by him either.

Taking a deep breath, Jie Hui forcibly suppressed his turbulent emotions. He gave Yi Huawei a long, complex look, which ultimately turned into a cold, ambiguous snort.

"What a passerby! What a 'block of the way'!"

Jie Hui's voice regained its composure, but the gravity within remained undiminished: "I hope that you are truly just a 'passerby,' as you say. Although Sichuan is small, it cannot tolerate those who stir up trouble!"

Having said that, he turned abruptly, his dark cloak tracing a heavy arc in the wind and snow. He strode out of the courtyard, his tall figure quickly disappearing into the darkness of the alley and the falling snow, leaving the courtyard gate wide open, the cold wind whipping in snowflakes.

Yi Huawei stood still, his gaze calmly sweeping across the direction where Jie Hui had disappeared, before returning to the door that had been "opened" by an invisible force. He raised his hand and waved it lightly.

With a creak, the dilapidated wooden door, as if pushed by an invisible hand, slowly and tightly closed again, shutting out the wind and snow and prying eyes from outside.

The courtyard returned to silence, with only the soft patter of falling snow.

………………

In the depths of winter, the snow in Sichuan had stopped, but the chill lingered. Yi Huawei, draped in a coarse hemp cloak, embarked on his journey to Xi'an. He chose to travel by water, starting from the Jinjiang River in Chengdu, sailing downstream, passing through the Three Gorges into the Yangtze River, and then turning north onto the Han River. This route was slower than the land route, but it was more discreet and avoided unnecessary trouble.

The Jinjiang River appears particularly cold in winter, with a thin layer of ice floating on its surface. As the boatmen pole their boats, the ice shards are broken, making a soft, crisp sound. Occasionally, fishermen can be seen hunching their necks, hauling in their nets in the cold wind. Ice crystals cling to the nets, shimmering faintly in the morning light.

Yi Huawei stood at the bow of the boat, his cloak fluttering in the river wind. He did not use his internal energy to ward off the cold, letting the cold wind seep into his clothes, feeling the instinctive reaction of his newly repaired body to the cold.

The ship was an ordinary cargo ship, carrying medicinal herbs, Shu brocade, and salt from Sichuan, sailing eastward downstream. The ship owner was a lean, middle-aged man. Seeing that Yi Huawei was alone and had paid the full amount of money, he didn't ask any questions, assuming that Yi Huawei was a wanderer seeking refuge.

The cabin was crammed with seven or eight merchants: some sold salt, some traded ironware, and a fat man in a silk shirt who claimed to be on his way to Xiangyang to collect debts. The group huddled around a charcoal brazier; the fire was weak, but the smoke was thick, making their eyes sting.

Upon reaching the Three Gorges, the cliffs on both sides were as if cut by a knife, the river was swift and the boat moved like an arrow. The cliffs on both sides were thousands of feet high, the cries of monkeys were mournful, and occasionally a bird would fly by, only to be torn apart by the cold wind in an instant. The boatmen were tense, and the helmsman held the helm tightly, for fear that if they were not careful, the boat would hit the hidden reef and be smashed to pieces.

The boatman shouted for everyone to hold on tight to the gunwale. Yi Huawei looked up and saw remnants of plank roads on the cliff face, several beacon towers that had long been abandoned, and wooden beams that were rotten, like skeletons hollowed out by insects.

After half a day's journey, the mountains on both banks gradually steepened, and the river narrowed. In the distance, the deep, resonant calls of the boat trackers echoed through the canyon. Below the cliffs, dozens of bare-chested trackers, carrying thick ropes, bent over, pulling the boat. Their skin was blue with cold, yet they gritted their teeth and pressed on. Their feet trod on the icy rocks, each step feeling like walking on a knife's edge.

The boat owner spat and muttered, "In this damn weather, I wonder how many of the laborers pulling the boat will freeze to death."

Yi Huawei did not answer, but just watched quietly.

At night, the boat anchored in a fjord to take shelter from the wind. There were a few simple thatched huts on the shore, which were roadside inns for passing boatmen to rest. Yi Huawei went ashore and entered one of them. A charcoal brazier was burning inside, the firelight was dim, and several passengers sat around drinking. The liquor was cheap baijiu, so spicy that it burned their throats.

In a corner, a ragged old man huddled together, clutching a worn-out erhu in his arms. His fingers were chapped from the cold, yet he still gently plucked the strings, humming an unknown tune. The melody was mournful, as if telling a story of displacement during a war.

Yi Huawei tossed a silver coin over. The old man looked up, a hint of surprise flashing in his cloudy eyes, then bowed his head in thanks and continued playing his zither. The music drifted through the cold night, mingling with the river breeze, and gradually faded away.

The group, half-drunk, began to loudly discuss the state of the world.

"Have you heard? Zhang Xutuo fought another battle in Xingyang." The fat man rubbed his hands together and moved closer to the charcoal brazier.

"Did you win?" the man selling ironware asked.

"So what if we win?" the fat man sneered. "Today we wipe out one group of Wagang, and tomorrow ten more will spring up. This world no longer belongs to the Sui Dynasty."

"Have you heard? Wang Shichong has won another battle!"

"A victory?" The person at the table sneered, "Who is he fighting? It's those desperate people who can't survive! Kill a hundred today, a thousand will rebel tomorrow. This war just seems to have no end in sight!"

"Hey, what's it to us! Whoever becomes emperor, we still have to survive, don't we?"

"You know nothing! If the world is at peace and trade routes are open, our ships can make more trips and earn more copper coins!"

"Peace? Dream on! This war still needs to be fought!"

A moment of silence fell over the room. The sparks from the charcoal brazier flickered, reflecting the uncertain emotions on everyone's faces. (End of Chapter)