Bitter Realm: A Happy Person Traveling Across China

Snow-capped peaks in the north, atop the mountain.

A thousand miles of ice, a blanket of white snow. Ancient, unmelting ice covers the rugged mountain ridges, with only the north wind howling like a knife, cutting through this pure white, deathly silent world.

Today, this desolate, frigid land, where even birds have disappeared, has welcomed back long-lost human presence.

"call--"

A sudden gust of fierce wind and snow, unlike any other mountain wind, swept in, carrying with it a sharp and incomparably powerful sword intent, stirring up a sky full of crystalline snow dust.

Immediately, a clear and solitary poetic chant pierced through the wind and snow, echoing distinctly in the vast snow-covered valley:

"Snow has no night, the night has no name, a lonely lamp shines in the sea of ​​sorrow, and a frosty sword cries."

As the sound faded, a figure appeared. A graceful, ethereal figure emerged, stepping through the swirling snowflakes, its toes lightly touching the ice without leaving a trace.

The newcomer had handsome features and an extraordinary demeanor; he was none other than the renowned swordsman, Peerless Swordsman.

He walked to the open space at the top of the mountain, and the seemingly simple sword pouch on his back fell to the ground with a thud, stirring up a barely perceptible wave of snow.

Immediately, a flash of light appeared, and a peerless sword was already held horizontally in front of him, its light reflecting off the snow and its cold gleam piercing to the bone.

Almost at the same time, another, more profound and chilling poetic chant resounded from the other side of the wind and snow, echoing it:

"Snow hides the night, the night hides the blade, a single sword seals away the frost and desolate smoke."

Before the words were finished, a solitary figure appeared majestically in the depths of the wind and snow.

Huang Jian Gu Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping over the peerless sword.

Immediately, the longsword on his back, symbolizing the glory and loneliness of the Tu Su lineage, was drawn from its sheath with a clang, drawing a perfect arc in the air before landing steadily in his palm.

The moment the sword was in hand, a powerful and majestic sword pressure erupted, the tangible energy shaking the surrounding area, even shattering and dispersing the falling snowflakes, creating a brief vacuum.

Just as the two stood still, countless golden flowers bloomed out of thin air, scattering across the icy plain and spreading a dazzling display against the pure white background.

Amidst the golden rain, Ji Changjia, a peerless master of extraordinary talent, appeared gracefully, his robes fluttering, his demeanor elegant and unrestrained.

However, after landing, looking at his two friends, he deliberately put on an exaggerated "can't take it" expression, and sighed while holding his forehead:

"Hey, you two! It's one thing to have similar names and styles, but do you even have to make your poetic titles as meticulously crafted as couplets? This is putting a lot of pressure on me!"

Upon hearing this, the peerless swordsman's lips curled into a playful smile, and he chuckled, "If you feel out of place, you're welcome to change your name and poetic style right here and now!"

Ji Changjia's eyes darted around, and he actually stroked his chin thoughtfully: "Alright, to go along with you, I'll reluctantly change it. From now on, just call me..."

He clapped his hands suddenly, a flash of inspiration striking him, "A Sword That Will Last a Thousand Autumns!"

"puff--"

The two swords, Mingjian Jueshi and Huangjian Guchen, exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh out loud at the same time.

Huang Jian Gu Chen shook his head helplessly: "Your name change is even faster than your sword."

Joking aside, the peerless swordsman quickly suppressed his laughter, his gaze sweeping over the vast expanse of snow and wind, his brow furrowing slightly: "The time has come, but one person is still missing. Hasn't that guy arrived yet?"

Huang Jian Gu Chen was already used to this and calmly asked, "When has he ever been on time?"

Ji Changjia crossed his arms and chimed in, "That's right! He always gets special treatment at every gathering. We'll have to punish him later... by making him eat three blocks of ice!"

Just as the three were finishing their sentences, the atmosphere in the snowy mountains of the North suddenly changed.

The howling wind and snow seemed to be tamed by an invisible force, becoming gentle and slow. The snowflakes no longer danced wildly, but instead, as if they had come to life, began to spiral upwards around the snow-capped peaks, weaving together a dreamlike ice and snow painting.

Amidst this extraordinary phenomenon, a distant and clear song, seemingly from ancient times, chanted a brand new ancient melody:

"Snow freezes in the night, the night freezes into ice, a lone figure stands against the cold blade, the sword gleaming brightly."

As the poem was recited, the curtain of wind and snow slowly opened, revealing a person dressed in a long robe interwoven with blue and white, walking slowly upwards from the depths of the snow curtain against the biting cold wind.

The newcomer was incomparably handsome, his eyes possessing both the sharpness of a swordsman and a touch of nonchalant detachment. He was none other than the most mysterious and unpredictable of the four great swordsmen of the Northern Territory—

The Peerless Sword: Night's Ashes.

Ye Jinming walked silently through the snow to the three of them, cupped his hands and smiled, "I'm so sorry, I got up late and am a step late. Please forgive me."

Ji Changjia was the first to jump out, pointing at Ye Jinming with a look of "shock": "Wait! You, when did you change your poetic title too? Your style changed even faster than mine!"

Ye Jinming blinked, smiling like a cunning fox: "Just now, I overheard you deciding to change your name to 'Proud Sword Through the Ages.' I thought, since you, Chang Jia, have such refined tastes, wouldn't I seem out of place if I didn't follow suit?"

Ji Changjia immediately took two steps back, feigning deep regret: "It's all over! I thought just the Famous Sword and the Imperial Sword would be enough, but I didn't expect you to have the same problem too!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Jinming feigned surprise and raised an eyebrow: "Hey~ You can't say that. I haven't even blamed the three of you for colluding while I was away, secretly changing your names to the same one, and deliberately excluding me!"

"I'm innocent!" Ji Changjia immediately put on a dramatic act, pleading with a "wronged" expression. "It's clearly because you arrived too late! I was ostracized and bullied by Mingjian and Huangjian. In order to fit in, I had no choice but to painfully change my name. I'm the victim!"

Ye Jinming laughed and stepped forward to pat Ji Changjia on the shoulder: "Is that so? Then it seems that I made the right decision to change my poem title at the last minute. This is called following the majority. But Changjia, your literary talent is limited. You probably spent a long time thinking about the name 'Proud Sword Through the Ages,' and you definitely won't be able to come up with a poem title anytime soon, so we won't force you."

Ji Changjia laughed angrily: "Fine, so you're bullying me too, joining them in the bullying!"

The peerless swordsman spoke up, "You can't say things like that. When did the Imperial Sword or I ever bully you?"

Huang Jian Gu Chen immediately echoed, "That's right, so you're refusing to match our names and poetic titles?"

The peerless swordsman uttered an astonishing statement: "The Imperial Sword is right. It's clearly you who are bullying the two of us, no, the three of us."

Ye Jinming smiled after hearing this: "I agree with that."

Ji Changjia burst into laughter in anger, clutching his chest and backing away repeatedly: "Fine! Jinming, even you've joined them in bullying me! Have you forgotten the days we used to be chivalrous heroes in the Northern Border?"

Ye Jinming gazed at the sky with a nostalgic expression: "Of course I haven't forgotten, after all, that was my lost youth!"

Watching the two of them sing in unison, Mingjian Jueshi couldn't help but facepalm: "This thread has gone so far... I feel like Huangjian and I are the ones being bullied by the two of you."

Even the usually serious Huang Jian Guchen couldn't help but smile slightly and nod: "I feel the same way."

Ye Jinming immediately turned his attention to Huang Jian Guchen: "Oh dear, it's true what they say, 'One is influenced by one's company.' Huang Jian, you've been spending too much time with Jueshi, you've even picked up some lame jokes."

The peerless sword immediately retorted: "Red can be me, but as for 'ink,' I think it belongs to you, Night Ember Ming."

"Alright, alright!" Seeing that the atmosphere had been built up enough, Ji Changjia suddenly drew his longsword from his waist, its blade pointing straight to the sky, and said loudly, "Joking aside, let's not forget the important matter! It's not easy for the Four Peaks of the Northern Territory to gather together once, so let's get started as usual!"

The peerless swordsman's eyes sharpened, and his sword intent instantly coalesced: "Not bad."

"bring it on!"

With a sharp shout from Ji Changjia, the four figures suddenly separated, each taking up a position on their own.

The famous sword, Peerless Sword, gently strokes its blade; the imperial sword, Lone Minister's Sharp Sword, lies across his chest; Ji Changjia's long sword points diagonally to the ground; and Ye Jinming's hand rests on the hilt, concentrating his energy.

The four people locked onto each other instantly, and the blizzard seemed to stand still at that moment, as if time itself had frozen.

A glistening snowflake silently slid down from the sky and drifted towards the center of the four people.

The instant the snowflakes touched the ground—

"Clang—"

Four sword lights, like four bolts of lightning tearing through the sky, were drawn, clashed, and separated in the same instant!

So fast it was beyond the reach of sight; a clear, long metallic clang resounded through the snowy valley, making the copper bells on the tower's spire ring sharply.

The sword flashes briefly before disappearing.

The next moment, the four of them were standing back to back, their longswords all sheathed.

The cold wind howled, and the snow continued to fall, as if the earth-shattering sword strike had never happened.

Only the unbridled smiles that appeared on the lips of the four people at the same time proved that this ultimate sword duel had come to an end with this one move...