The wind howled, a biting gale sharp enough to pierce the very soul.

Yet, for the human warriors who had endured to stand at the fringes of Frost Wind Valley, their blood still coursed hot. Some had already raised the embroidered banners of the Qi Kingdom, racing towards Yan Prison City to herald the victory. Two Demon Kings slain in formation! This was a deed of immense merit. The Lion Shanwen, in particular, was no ordinary Demon King; his status was high, his talent formidable, a being of immense value. Moreover, his demise had fundamentally shifted the tide at Frost Wind Valley, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat!

The remaining warriors cheered outside the valley. Though weary, though their wounds ached unbearably, though the battle had been a brutal slaughter, they had won! Regardless of their allegiances – be it Qi, Jing, or other powers – at this moment, they cheered for the heroes of humanity, for the triumph of their race, and for their own survival…

Across the Frost Wind, however, it all felt distant. Jiang Wang silently circulated the Mysterious Heavenly Glazed Arts, precisely directing his power to counter the extreme cold. With his left hand, he conjured the Bi Fang Seal, manifesting a domain of fire around his body. This fire domain was compressed to the extreme, clinging to him like a second skin, providing a thin shield against the bone-chilling cold. From afar, it looked as if he wore a fiery red outer garment.

He did not linger, nor did he have the luxury to. Sword in one hand, he hoisted the corpse of the Demon Race’s Sky Sea King with the other and turned to fly back. This corpse was both war merit and war spoils, not to be surrendered lightly to the extreme cold. When this Frost Wind eventually subsided, everything remaining within the valley would be collected by the human forces – the most tangible benefit of their victory.

In the cold wind, he brushed past the towering figure of the Stone Rhinoceros Demon King, Xi Yanbing. Their eyes met. Xi Yanbing gave way from afar, nearly pressing himself against the mountain wall to avoid him. Jiang Wang did not pursue.

The life-and-death struggle with Lion Shanwen, while seemingly complex, had been concluded in an incredibly short span of time. Even so, in that brief moment, his Dao Foundation had become sluggish, his divine soul faintly stiff, no longer able to effectively guard against the Upheaval of Heavens. To continue fighting would be nothing short of suicide.

The extreme cold wind lashed against his fiery outer garment, producing crackling sounds. Jiang Wang vaguely registered the shouts from outside the valley, but he heard nothing. His ears were bleeding freely at this moment; his hearing was lost. If Lion Shanwen had only persisted for a little longer, this would have been one of the openings the Sky Sea King could have exploited.

But in this world, there were no “ifs,” especially when life and death were involved. There was no turning back.

Ji Zhaonan, having recovered somewhat, lifted his Shao Hua Spear once more and soared into Frost Wind Valley: “Jiang Wu An, I’m coming to get you!”

With most of his energy dedicated to fending off the extreme cold, Jiang Wang couldn’t perceive sound and thus didn’t understand what Ji Zhaonan was saying. But he knew. Ji Zhaonan was coming for him. His choice this time, while seemingly impulsive, was the only viable one. Lion Shanwen and Xi Yanbing had woven a net of death in that incredibly short time. If he hadn’t risked everything, there would have been no chance of survival.

In the clash of the strong, sometimes it was the momentum that mattered. A single thought could spell the difference between life and death. The death of Eagle Ke Xun served as a stark warning. The defeat and demise of Lion Shanwen could also be considered evidence of this truth.

Jiang Wang, his cloak bathed in fire, held the Sky Sea King and advanced through the extreme cold wind, his mind surprisingly calm. Before coming to the Demon Realm, he knew the dangers that lay within. The battle at Frost Wind Valley had been sudden and perilous, yet it was merely another challenge to face. Those who truly reached the pinnacle of strength always walked the line between life and death, proving themselves time and again. He was simply treading this path.

“Jiang Wu An… Jiang Wu An!” A young cultivator, his body covered in tattered armor and numerous wounds, his voice somewhat breathless, stood not far from the extreme cold wind and shouted with all his might towards the slowly approaching Jiang Wang. His young face was filled with emotion. His shouts of Jiang Wang’s name spurred others to do the same. After the brutal battle, only a dozen or so human warriors remained, each shouting until their voices were hoarse. Escaping death, seizing victory from defeat – these experiences undoubtedly ignited their spirits.

Ji Zhaonan soared forward, using his spear light to continuously strike at the extreme cold wind above Jiang Wang, alleviating some of the pressure on him. Seeing Jiang Wang’s face already coated in frost, and his grip on the sword still steady, Chun Yu Gui shook his head. He slanted his embroidered purple banner into the mountain wall and said to Wang Kun, “It’s already difficult for you all to catch up to him.”

Wang Kun almost retorted, asking how long *they* could maintain their lead. But then the thought struck him – there was no “they” anymore. Zhao Xuanyang was gone. Among Jing Kingdom’s Divine Ascension prodigies, only Chun Yu Gui could still claim to be a step ahead of Jiang Wang. The newly ascended Divine Ascension cultivator, Chen Suan, had already been defeated once at Star-Moon Plain and had avoided Jiang Wang’s path on the grasslands; he could no longer be considered on par. As for Lou Junlan, who was even a step behind Chen Suan, there was no need to even mention him. As for himself, and cultivators like Wu Jiangchen, still polishing their outer foundations… calling them national prodigies was merely a vague designation that fell under Chun Yu Gui’s “you all.” Perhaps only Pei Hongjiu still harbored some ambition to catch up to Jiang Wang.

“General Chun Yu, you say that now…” Wang Kun had intended to ask if their current view of Jiang Wang wasn’t similar to how they had initially regarded Taiyu Zhenren. Although he didn’t believe Jiang Wang could compare to Li Yi, he was prepared to pose the question.

But the words died in his throat. Because he saw—

That young man, standing outside Frost Wind Valley, shouting Jiang Wang’s name, his armor broken, his voice suddenly fell silent. This silence seemed to instantly withdraw all sound, creating a pocket of stillness around him that rapidly expanded. And then, in this strange silence, he took a step forward. A perfectly ordinary step. Yet, with that single step, he entered Frost Wind Valley, stepping directly into the heart of the extreme cold wind! Leaving only a single back view to the crowd… a back that had been ordinary moments before, but now seemed suddenly sinister. That back filled Wang Kun with a sense of dread! This person had a problem! A huge problem!

Wang Kun nearly cried out. But how could his voice catch up to this person’s speed? He hadn’t even opened his mouth before, in his line of sight, this person had already passed Ji Zhaonan, faced Jiang Wang, and unleashed a punch! Why was he the only one who hadn’t reacted? Even Ji Zhaonan hadn’t caught up! In an instant, he vibrated his armor and turned his spear, blazing light dancing wildly, forcing himself into unparalleled ferocity, yet he was still more than a step too slow!

The mysterious person’s step and punch were utterly simple, embodying the understanding of the essence of things – the great Dao was simple. This punch unleashed a terrifying power that temporarily repelled the extreme cold wind! With the most direct, most straightforward method, it struck its target head-on!

Wang Kun watched with astonishment as, in that fleeting instant of flying light, Jiang Wang, who was already severely depleted, displayed a reaction speed that could be called absolute top-tier. His horizontal sword, withdrawn to defend, his outward burst of divine abilities, his Dao techniques flowing in a single breath, his intricate connections of divine soul killing arts, sealing arts, and sword arts – everything was useless! This mysterious person’s abrupt punch to the face sent the just-now awe-inspiring Marquis Wu An of Great Qi flying into the deeper reaches of Frost Wind Valley. Without any power to resist!

The red fire in the Frost Wind was extinguished in an instant. Within the vast white of the extreme cold wind, no dazzling splendor was visible, nor was there any sign of that young Marquis’s figure! Only howling, swirling wind. Only the corpse of the Sky Sea King, Lion Shanwen, lying not far away, could still testify to Jiang Wang’s military achievement!

At that moment, Jiang Wang was almost only dozens of steps away from the outside of Frost Wind Valley. Under normal circumstances, it would have been but a step. Yet, this short distance was one he could no longer traverse.

Who? Whose scheme, whose fist?

Ji Zhaonan’s figure became frantic in that instant, the blazing light around him pushing back the extreme cold wind by several feet. But with his Shao Hua Spear in hand, his killing intent roared, yet he only saw a calm face. This person, whose allegiance was yet unknown, had joined the Frost Wind Valley battlefield as a supporter. He had performed competently during the fighting, stumbling his way to survival until now. Yet, in this single punch, he displayed a power infinitely close to the Cave True realm!

At this moment, he glanced in the direction where Jiang Wang had disappeared, turned back, and calmly faced Ji Zhaonan, saying with some regret, “My time is insufficient.” As he spoke, his body began to collapse, doing so at an astonishing speed. This collapse was unrelated to the extreme cold wind; it originated from within himself. This collapse seemed to grant him even greater power.

Annihilation Art? The State of Equality? A flicker of doubt arose in Chun Yu Gui’s heart. And he wasn’t the only one with such doubts.

And then, this person simply raised his right hand, simply clenched his fist, and simply struck out. He met the surging Ji Zhaonan head-on with a punch. A punch of unparalleled strength, it cleaved the heavens and earth, extinguishing the spear light, and sending Ji Zhaonan all the way back out of Frost Wind Valley! His left hand then rose high, reaching towards the sky above Frost Wind Valley, as if grasping something, and then fiercely throwing it down!

“The extreme cold wind has arrived,” he said, as if stating a fact, “This place shall be silent!”

Words became law. He molded the approaching extreme cold wind into a flowing barrier, sealing the valley mouth, forming a cage. With his last vestiges of power expended, his body thus collapsed, rolled away by the extreme cold wind, leaving no trace.

Ji Zhaonan, however, was forced to retreat under the increasingly sharp Frost Wind! At this moment, the extreme cold wind completely filled Frost Wind Valley, roaring madly within the mountain valley, like a rampaging beast. The cold intent rapidly deepened, and ice ridges began to form on the mountain walls. Frost Wind Valley was still several days away from its true period of silence, but this mysterious person, using his final power, had caused the extreme cold wind to linger and not dissipate, forcing the silent period to advance!

In other words, he had not only completely blocked Ji Zhaonan’s possibility of entering Frost Wind Valley to rescue Jiang Wang and cut off Jiang Wang’s path back, but he had even… made it impossible for Ji Zhaonan to retrieve even Jiang Wang’s corpse!

In that state, after taking such a punch from a strong individual, Jiang Wang was almost certainly facing death. Even if, by some miracle, he still lived, he would certainly not escape Frost Wind Valley now. Even if he performed a miracle and escaped Frost Wind Valley, enduring the extreme cold wind, how could he possibly survive the eleven-month silent period within the Demon Race territory on that side of Frost Wind Valley? Although his corpse was not yet visible, it was almost certain that—

Marquis Wu An of Great Qi had fallen in Frost Wind Valley!!!

This was serious… Looking at this scene, Chun Yu Gui’s heart sank. If this matter wasn’t handled properly, the consequences it would unleash were simply unimaginable. That invisible dark cloud hung even lower than the extreme cold wind before him!

He sheathed his sword and strode forward, walking to Ji Zhaonan’s side. Ji Zhaonan simply held his spear and faced the Frost Wind barrier, not saying a word. His hand armor was shattered, his spear-wielding hand stained red and still trembling slightly. This person had truly reached his limit. In the month since Frost Wind Valley opened, he had fought almost every day, leading the charge in each battle, leaving countless souls beneath his spear. He had fought until now, fought the punch just moments ago with that spear, fought until he could no longer advance.

“Brother Ji…”

Chun Yu Gui had just opened his mouth when he saw Ji Zhaonan suddenly turn his head and glare at him with fierce intensity! At this point, there was no room for joking around. Chun Yu Gui immediately raised his finger to the sky and solemnly declared, “Heaven Prison is the burial ground of countless human sages. That year, the ancient Human Emperor personally oversaw the construction of the Myriad Demon Gate, and it was here that he established an agreement with the Three Dao Venerables, stating that ‘all humanity here must abandon tribal thoughts, unite their hearts, and together resist the Demon Race.’ My Great Jing is a Daoist orthodox line, guarding the Myriad Demon Gate for generations, and has never dared to forget this oath. I swear by my name, Chun Yu Gui, that I was absolutely unaware of Marquis Wu An’s situation! This matter is absolutely impossible to be related to my Jing Kingdom!”

Ji Zhaonan’s cold gaze swept over the other people still standing outside the valley, one by one, as if searching for any lingering remnants of a conspiracy. Wang Kun was somewhat displeased with this treatment, as if he were a spy. He pursed his lips, wanting to say something, but ultimately couldn’t. The people of Qi were already going mad; there was no need to clash with a madman.

Chun Yu Gui continued, “Marquis Wu An fought for humanity; his heroic posture was witnessed by all. Yet, he was harmed by a treacherous person, and I deeply resent it! Jing Kingdom will also investigate this matter thoroughly and must give Marquis Wu An an account!”

“No need!” With blood dripping from his fingers, Ji Zhaonan held his spear and walked away. “This is a matter concerning the people of Qi; Qi Kingdom will investigate it themselves!”

His body soared through the sky, hazy like a streak of lightning.

Remember that question? What would happen if Marquis Wu An of Great Qi, who had come to the Demon Realm for the first time today, were to die here? Ji Zhaonan hadn’t thought about it then.

Now he had to think! Many people had to think!

Within Yan Prison City, the mood of the garrison army on this day had been a rollercoaster of extremes. First, General Ji Zhaonan had rushed back to the city for aid; the situation at Frost Wind Valley was dire, causing everyone anxiety. The City Lord, Dou Yiheng, while ensuring the defense of Yan Prison City, had urgently scraped together a force of two hundred people. It was at this precise moment that news arrived: Marquis Wu An had chosen this day to come to the Demon Realm to fulfill his Divine Ascension duty. The Yan Prison City garrison was immediately invigorated.

However, only the garrison on the city walls had the fortune to see the true appearance of Marquis Wu An. Because Marquis Wu An hadn’t even entered the city gates; he had been led directly to the Frost Wind Valley battlefield by General Ji Zhaonan, not even waiting for the two hundred-man team that had just been assembled. With the renowned Marquis Wu An participating in the battle, they believed the situation at Frost Wind Valley could be stabilized.

Indeed, just as dusk fell, someone hurried back with news of victory, raising the war banner high as they raced along the main road, loudly reporting the triumph—General Ji Zhaonan had killed one Demon King, and Marquis Wu An had slain two Demon Kings in formation; the overall situation at Frost Wind Valley was settled! The entire city erupted in cheers. People eagerly discussed Marquis Wu An’s legendary experiences, wondering how he was able to achieve such military merit as soon as he arrived in the Demon Realm. They also conveniently discussed Ji Zhaonan’s heroic deeds over so many years of fighting.

But before the excitement in Yan Prison City could subside, Ji Zhaonan, covered in blood, hurried back from outside the city, not even stopping to greet anyone, returning directly to the present world. And Marquis Wu An was delayed, not yet returned. This undoubtedly cast a shadow over everyone’s hearts. People discussed anxiously, and the city specially sent people to Frost Wind Valley to investigate. Even the Divine Ascension realm City Lord, Dou Yiheng, personally stood on the city wall, waiting for news!

Then, afterwards… Only four cultivators returned from Frost Wind Valley. Among them were two cultivators from small East Domain countries and two regular soldiers of the Qi Kingdom. Together, with tears, they announced the unfortunate news of Marquis Wu An Jiang Wang’s demise! This news was like a thunderbolt striking the sky, leaving countless people speechless. No one dared to believe it. No one was willing to believe it.