Chapter 224: The Chill of Yi River (Please subscribe, please support)

"This..." Hearing Xiao Xie's words, Master Ban and the others fell silent. If this treasure were truly as dangerous as described, then retrieving it might prove to be a great disaster rather than a boon.

"Brother Xiao, what kind of treasure is it that is so fierce and malignant?" Shaoyu, who had run over from a distance, could not help but ask after hearing Xiao Xie. If such a treasure truly existed, overthrowing Ying Zheng would be simple—provided, of course, that the treasure's baleful energy could be contained.

Xiao Xie shook his head and smiled. "I won't give you the details. There is no point in you obsessing over something you cannot have; that would be a pity."

Shaoyu thought for a moment, then replied with a confident look, "Very well. Even without this treasure, I will certainly overthrow Ying Zheng's rule!"

"Killing intent!" Xiao Xie's brow suddenly furrowed.

"Clang!"

A cold blade of sword energy shot toward Ge Nie, leaving a layer of frost in its wake. Ge Nie drew Yuanhong, holding it horizontally before him to deflect the strike.

Startled by the sudden attack, the group turned to see Gao Jianli, who had been standing beside Xuenu, as the assailant. Having recognized the sword in Ge Nie’s hand, he realized Ge Nie’s identity—the very man who had killed his sworn brother, Jing Ke.

"Hey, Xiao Gao, what are you doing?" Dao Zhi shouted urgently. "He is the leader's guest!"

"He is Ge Nie; he is the enemy!" Gao Jianli said coldly. Ignoring Dao Zhi's words, he charged at Ge Nie with Shuihan in hand, his face filled with murderous intent. The blade of the Shuihan sword was covered in ice formed by his surging internal energy, and the surrounding air seemed to plummet in temperature instantly.

"Snap! Cling!"

A white jade folding fan suddenly appeared, intercepting Gao Jianli's strike.

"You dare stop me!" Gao Jianli glared at the owner of the fan, his eyes burning with malice. Anyone who stood between him and vengeance for Jing Ke would be cut down without hesitation.

"Although I am unaware of the specific grievances between you and Ge Nie, he is currently injured and is a guest of your Mohist School. Is attacking him in such a state really the conduct expected of a Mohist disciple?" Xiao Xie asked with a playful tone.

Xiao Xie was partly defending Ge Nie—after all, Ge Nie had nearly sacrificed his life to save Jing Ke's son—but he also found Gao Jianli, who was constantly hovering around Xuenu, to be an eyesore. He was looking for an excuse to teach him a lesson.

"He must die today!" Gao Jianli’s expression darkened as he poured more internal energy into the Shuihan sword. A powerful wave of freezing air surged out, coating the white jade fan in his hand with a thick layer of ice.

Earlier, Xiao Xie’s unreserved expression of admiration while singing to Xuenu had already greatly displeased Gao Jianli. However, out of respect for Xiao Xie being a guest of the Mohist School, he had refrained from acting. Now, however, Xiao Xie had placed himself in front of Ge Nie, providing Gao Jianli with the perfect pretext to teach this playboy a lesson and show him that not everyone was someone he could trifle with.

"So cold! So cold!" Xiao Xie remarked playfully, looking at the ice-covered fan. With a slight vibration of his internal energy, he shattered the frost.

"Snap!"

"A bit cool, but it will be useful in the summer!" Xiao Xie opened the fan and fanned himself, sending a chilling breeze wafting through the air.

"Pfft!" Xuenu, Duanmu Rong, and Yue'er could not help but burst into laughter. It was not because of Xiao Xie's words, but because of what was written on his fan. On one side, in bold, sweeping calligraphy, were the words "Number One Under Heaven," and on the other, the word "Low-key."

Such a satirical fan would not seem strange in the modern world, but to Xuenu and the others, the contradiction between the two sides was hilarious.

"Hmph! Then I shall make you even cooler!" Gao Jianli sneered. A massive, two-meter-long blade of icy energy surged toward Xiao Xie, freezing everything in its path.

"Xiao Gao, that's going too far," Dao Zhi said, seeing the attack. Xiao Xie was a guest; if this strike hit him, while it might not be fatal, it would surely cause severe injury.

"Xiao Gao!" Xuenu’s brows furrowed. She found it strange that Gao Jianli was so enraged. Even if Xiao Xie were blocking him, there was no need to strike with such lethal intent. Had she known that Gao Jianli viewed Xiao Xie as a love rival, she might not have been so surprised.

Xiao Xie's expression tightened. He had intended to play with Gao Jianli, but seeing that Gao Jianli was truly out for blood, he decided it was time to put him in his place.

With a sudden movement, Xiao Xie flashed past the icy energy as if teleporting. In the next moment, he appeared before Gao Jianli. To the latter's shock, Xiao Xie infused his fan with internal energy, making it as hard as steel, and struck the Shuihan sword with immense force, sending Gao Jianli flying backward.

Gao Jianli gripped his sword, dragging it along the ground to anchor himself, leaving a deep trench before he finally came to a halt ten meters away.

"The Flash Step!" Gao Jianli stared at Xiao Xie with a grave expression.

"How can Master Xiao... Xiao Zhi, isn't that your Flash Step?" Xuenu asked, stunned.

Dao Zhi shrugged helplessly. "If I told you he learned it just by watching me perform it once, would you believe me?"

"How is that possible?" Xuenu found it impossible to believe, but seeing the strange expressions on the faces of Duanmu Rong and Yue'er, she asked in disbelief, "Sister Rong, can it be true?"

Duanmu Rong smiled bitterly and shook her head. "As incredible as it seems, Xiao Xie did indeed learn Dao Zhi's Flash Step after seeing it only once!"

"How could this be?" Xuenu covered her mouth, staring at Xiao Xie in astonishment.

"The wind howls, the Yi River is cold!" Gao Jianli held his sword aloft. A ten-meter radius around him transformed into a field of freezing energy; anyone entering would be pierced by the cold.

*Yi River Cold* was a unique, extreme technique of the Shuihan sword that abandoned defense entirely. It was the most dangerous weapon in the world, capable of harming its user just as much as its target.

"Xiao Gao is actually using *Yi River Cold* on Xiao Xie!" Dao Zhi was livid. How could one use such a self-harming technique against a friend?

"Xiao Gao, stop! This is not a move to use on a guest!" Master Ban shouted.

"Anyone who dares stop me from killing Ge Nie must die!" Gao Jianli roared with killing intent. Beyond the obstruction, he was likely acting out of spite; he had been humiliated in front of Xuenu, and his pride was wounded.

Xiao Xie shook his head at the irrational man. "It seems your anger has clouded your judgment. You need to cool off."

Xiao Xie formed his right hand into a claw and pulled toward the Yuanhong sword held by Ge Nie. The blade let out a crisp cry and flew into Xiao Xie's hand.

"Sword-Breaking Stance!" As Xiao Xie spoke, he transformed into a streak of light, piercing through the freezing field.

"Cling!"

The Shuihan sword was sent flying, tracing an arc through the sky before plunging into the ground.

"Xiao Gao's *Yi River Cold*... it was broken!" Dao Zhi cried out in shock.

"Xiao Gao!" Xuenu gasped, rushing to the side of the fallen Gao Jianli, her face filled with worry.