Martial Arts Secret Realm: Only I Can Know the Plot?

At the summit of the snow-capped mountain, the wind was like a knife cutting through the air.

Lu Tianshu, Liu Chengfeng, and Shui Dai stood in a triangular formation on the snow, their breath forming frost flowers in front of them. Their clothes were stained with blood—some their own, some others'.

Blood Saber Ancestor stood ten feet away, his monk's robes fluttering in the wind. His blood-red dagger lay horizontally before him, blood still dripping from the grooves on its blade. A deep, bone-revealing wound ripped from his left shoulder, inflicted by Lu Tianshu's broadsword. Yet his eyes remained terrifyingly bright, like two will-o'-the-wisps flickering in the snowy light.

"The three of you have been chasing this old monk for over twenty days. Haven't you had enough?" Blood Blade Ancestor's voice was hoarse, yet carried an indescribable composure, as if he were chatting with an old friend. "It's windy on this snowy mountain. Don't catch a cold."

Lu Tianshu gripped his broadsword tightly, his tiger's mouth split open, blood trickling down the hilt. His internal energy was severely depleted, and his breathing became rapid. But as the leader of the Four Southern Wonders, he could not retreat at this moment.

"Blood Blade Old Thief, you have committed countless evils, today is your death day!"

"Death date?" Blood Saber Ancestor laughed heartily. "Hero Lu, take a look around."

He opened his arms as if embracing something.

Lu Tianshu's gaze swept around.

Snow, snow everywhere. A vast expanse of white, blurring the lines between sky and earth, mountains and valleys. The path they had taken was blocked by an avalanche, leaving them trapped on this snow-covered mountain, unable to move forward or backward.

"This is the old monk's territory." The Blood Blade Ancestor's smile vanished, his eyes turning cold. "I might not be able to defeat the three of you outside. But here—"

He lifted his right foot and stomped it on the snow.

With a "bang," the snow exploded, revealing the rocks underneath.

"Here, even the three of you combined are no match for me."

Shui Dai did not speak.

His daughter, Shui Sheng, had been kidnapped by the Blood Blade Ancestor, and her fate was unknown. He could not retreat, not even if it meant dying here.

"Big brother, don't listen to his nonsense." Shui Dai's voice was as cold as ice. "Attack together."

Lu Tianshu and Liu Chengfeng exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously.

All three lunged forward at the same time.

Lu Tianshu's broadsword slashed down from the front, the wind howling and stirring up a cloud of snow mist.

Liu Chengfeng's longsword thrust out from the left, its light flashing like a bolt of lightning, aiming straight for the Blood Saber Ancestor's throat. Shui Dai's broken sword slashed from the right, its angle cunning, blocking the Blood Saber Ancestor's retreat.

A pincer attack from three sides.

Blood Blade Ancestor did not retreat.

He stood still, and just as the three men's weapons were about to reach him, he suddenly crouched down.

It wasn't dodging, it was crouching down.

His body sank into the snow like a cannonball, exploding a large crater in the snow and scattering snowflakes everywhere. Lu Tianshu, Liu Chengfeng, and Shui Dai's moves all missed, hitting empty air, and their bodies involuntarily leaned forward.

In that instant, Blood Blade Ancestor sprang up from the snow pit.

He swung his dagger upwards, the blade aimed straight for Liu Chengfeng's chin.

Liu Chengfeng's sword was still in mid-air, and he couldn't retract it in time. He could only sidestep to avoid the blade. But the Blood Saber Ancestor's blade was too fast, so fast that he only had time to sidestep by half an inch—the blade grazed his left ear, slicing off a piece of flesh.

Liu Chengfeng grunted and took several steps back.

Lu Tianshu slashed horizontally with his broadsword, intending to strike Blood Saber Ancestor while his moves were waning.

Blood Saber Ancestor didn't take the hit head-on. Instead, he twisted his body and slid away like an eel. His monk's robe left a long trail in the snow. He then stood still three zhang away, turned around, and looked at the three of them.

"How about it? The old monk didn't lie to you, did he?"

His breathing was also a little rapid, and the wound on his left shoulder was bleeding again. But his eyes remained calm, even with a hint of mockery.

Lu Tianshu's face turned ashen.

He realized it. The Blood Saber Ancestor didn't win against them with internal force, but with the terrain.

He knew every inch of this snowfield like the back of his hand—where the snow was deep, where it was shallow, where there were rocks underneath, and where there were ice caves underneath.

He could walk with his eyes closed, while the three of them had to test their steps with every single one.

Liu Chengfeng covered his left ear, blood seeping through his fingers. His face was pale, not from fear, but from excessive blood loss. But instead of retreating, he took a step forward.

"Second brother, don't be impulsive!" Lu Tianshu pulled him back.

"Brother, we can't waste time with him here." Liu Chengfeng's voice was low. "His internal strength is inferior to ours, but he knows the terrain too well. If we drag this out any longer, we'll be the ones who suffer."

"What should we do then?"

Liu Chengfeng glanced at Shui Dai, then looked in the direction behind Blood Saber Ancestor.

"I'll hold him off, you guys go around to the back."

"No!" Shui Dai shook her head. "You're alone—"

"I'm not going to fight him to the death," Liu Chengfeng interrupted him. "I'm just stalling him. You guys go around to find that kid surnamed Di and Miss Shui, and take them away first. Once they're gone, then attack from behind!"

Lu Tianshu hesitated.

"Brother, there's no time." Liu Chengfeng released his hand from his ear. The bleeding had stopped, but most of his left ear had been sliced ​​off, a horrifying sight. "If we delay any longer, it will get dark. And after dark, things will be even more difficult."

Lu Tianshu gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Second brother, watch out."

Liu Chengfeng did not answer, but simply gripped his sword tighter.

Lu Tianshu and Shui Dai simultaneously spread out to the sides, trying to bypass the Blood Blade Ancestor from both sides.

Blood Blade Ancestor narrowed his eyes.

"Want to save them?" he sneered. "Not so easy."

His figure blurred, and he headed straight for Liu Chengfeng.

Liu Chengfeng raised his sword to meet him.

The glint of swords and the shadows of blades intertwined on the snow.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Lu Tianshu and Shui Dai swiftly flew past from both sides, heading towards the direction behind the Blood Blade Ancestor.

Blood Blade Ancestor did not give chase.

He looked at Liu Chengfeng, a cruel smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Liu Chengfeng, do you think you can stop the old monk all by yourself?"

Liu Chengfeng remained silent. His swordsmanship was known for its meticulousness, prioritizing defense over offense, making it ideal for prolonged combat. He didn't need to defeat the Blood Saber Ancestor; he only needed to stall him.

Ten moves.

Twenty moves.

Thirty moves.

Liu Chengfeng's swordplay became slower and slower, not because his internal strength was insufficient, but because he had discovered something—the Blood Saber Ancestor was leading him in a certain direction.

He glanced instinctively at the snow beneath his feet.

The snow surface looked no different from other places, but Liu Chengfeng noticed that the snow here was slightly darker in color.

Ice cave.

Blood Blade Ancestor was leading him towards the ice cave.

Liu Chengfeng felt a chill run down his spine and suddenly pushed off with his feet, trying to dodge to the side.

But it was too late.

Blood Saber Ancestor's attack suddenly changed; instead of slashing, he slapped. The blade struck Liu Chengfeng's sword with a crisp sound. Liu Chengfeng's sword flew out of his hand, tumbled several times in the air, and stuck into the snow in the distance.

Then, Blood Saber Ancestor slapped Liu Chengfeng's chest with his left hand.

The palm strike wasn't heavy, but it was perfectly positioned—it struck Liu Chengfeng right on his center of gravity.

Liu Chengfeng was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground and sliding several meters away. He slid in the direction of the slightly darker snow.

The snow surface collapsed.