Even though it was nearly noon, the snow continued to fall ceaselessly. The biting wind had turned the surface of the lake into a glassy sheet of ice. Atop the icy expanse, the figure of a man appeared, walking with steady steps before stopping abruptly and stomping his foot down with full force.

  A sharp crack echoed as the ice collapsed, shattering to form a deep hole. The figure plunged into the freezing water without hesitation, while the snow continued to fall relentlessly from the sky.

  The strange figure vanished beneath the icy hole for only a brief moment. Suddenly, an explosive boom echoed. The sheet of ice shattered, blasting skyward. Shards, both large and small, flew amidst the falling snow. Water shot high into the air, creating a billowing white mist. A silhouette erupted from the water's surface, clothes drenched, eyes shining with a strange gleam. A triumphant smile graced the corner of his mouth, his right hand gripping something tightly.

  He then drifted back to the shore with weightless grace, as if the explosive scene moments prior had never occurred.

  However, before the man who had burst from the lake could reach the shore, another man was already standing there, waiting for him.

  As the two men met, the world around them seemed to come to a standstill.

  The man waiting on the shore offered the first greeting, “A'Ke, are you well?”

  The drenched man called A'Ke nodded once in acknowledgment before leading the way toward a bonfire being tended by a young woman.

  Seeing that two people were approaching rather than just the drenched man, the young woman stood up and quietly walked away from the bonfire.

  The two men relied on the fire for warmth on this freezing day. One had pale, drenched skin; the other wore wolf-skin garments, yet his cheeks were flushed bright red.

  “A'Ke, you are truly too eccentric. In such freezing weather, you still plunged into that icy lake.”

  “In truth, my name is not Xiao Ke, just as your name is not Xiao Luo. We should address each other by our real names.”

  “Your name is Jin Tianwang, bearing the title Merry Meanderer. As for me, how should I be addressed?”

  It was a truly strange question—asking the other party what he himself should be called, if not A'Luo.

  “The martial world calls you the Destitute Wanderer, Kang Kang (康康). I intend to call you the same.” Jin Tianwang said this because he knew well that the other party was also a renowned figure in the martial world.

  “Brother Jin knew from the start that I am that Destitute Wanderer.” Such a response naturally confirmed that he was indeed the young supreme expert known as the Destitute Wanderer, Kang Kang.

  “An extraordinary person is an extraordinary person, no matter what. No matter how much you try to conceal your brilliance, as time passes, you only become more remarkably outstanding.”

  Jin Tianwang continued to praise him. Even though the two had only shared a brief period of life together, his impression of Kang Kang was exceptionally good.

  “You only know that the martial world calls me the Destitute Wanderer, Kang Kang. In truth, even you, Brother, do not know what kind of person I am. ” At this point, Kang Kang reached out his hand, gesturing to take the item Jin Tianwang was holding.

  Jin Tianwang displayed a resistant posture, adding, “This item has nothing to do with you. I ask that you do not involve yourself.”

  “And if I refuse, and insist on being involved?” Kang Kang's gaze locked onto Jin Tianwang, carrying a heavy pressure. He intentionally exhibited a threatening demeanor to force Jin Tianwang to hand over the item in his grasp.

  Jin Tianwang and Kang Kang had been good friends in the past. Not wishing to become enemies over the object in his hands, Jin Tianwang extended his arms. It revealed a human skull with strands of hair still attached to it.

  Kang Kang's face suddenly registered absolute shock.

  Jin Tianwang seemed well aware that Kang Kang never expected the item he had been searching for at the bottom of the freezing lake to be this skull. He then pulled his hands back, saying, “I told you from the start that you had no connection to this object.”

  Kang Kang chuckled coldly before looking up at the vast sky. His eyes flashed as if suppressing a deep emotion. “Brother, you are mistaken... The one who has no connection is you. How could I not be involved?”

  Now it was Jin Tianwang's turn to show a shocked expression. “What do you mean by this? I do not understand your words.”

  “Since this skull belongs to Three Smiles Wine, Qi Yiling, how could it not be connected to me?”

  Jin Tianwang’s eyes widened before he spoke in a startled voice, “You are Qi Yiling's former lover?”

  “Why call me a former lover? Aside from her, I have never loved anyone else.” Kang Kang continuously revealed truths that shattered Jin Tianwang’s expectations.

  Jin Tianwang suddenly took a deep breath, realizing in his heart that Qi Yiling's former lover was the very man The Frostflower Maiden Han Yuexin had her eyes on. In that case, this Destitute Wanderer Kang Kang was the man of Han Yuexin's dreams.

  A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  Realizing this, Jin Tianwang subconsciously bit his lip, then said, “Now that she has left this world, you should find a new love.”

  “You mean between me and that Frostflower Maiden?” Kang Kang said with a smirk at the corner of his mouth, typical of a young prodigal.

  Jin Tianwang’s body twitched, as if pierced right through the heart by a sword. But he still forced his emotions down, nodding in reply with a strained smile.

  At this point, the young woman who had left earlier returned, bringing back more kindling. She paid no attention to their conversation, simply walking over to the bonfire and feeding the flames, making them burn brighter and wider.

  Kang Kang turned to look at the woman, then said, “Brother, you should find a new love as well.”

  Jin Tianwang did not answer, remaining utterly silent.

  “Brother, do you intend to take this skull back to Chang'an City and bury it with her body?” Kang Kang asked, probing Jin Tianwang’s intentions.

  “I indeed intended to do so. But since you have appeared here, it is only right that you handle this matter in my stead.” Jin Tianwang stated plainly.

  “I must still trouble you, Brother, to make the journey to Chang'an City,” Kang Kang said, continuing to defy Jin Tianwang’s expectations.

  “Since she is your one and only love, why would you...”

  “You and I are different. Although she is my one and only love, she is not the most important thing in my life.” This statement from Kang Kang seemed to serve as an indirect warning to Jin Tianwang.

  How could Jin Tianwang have any more words to say? He merely gritted his teeth and replied, “I hope that one day, you will visit her grave.”

  “There will certainly be such a day. But today, I wish you good luck, Brother.” The Destitute Wanderer Kang Kang finished his piece and walked away.

  Jin Tianwang watched the Destitute Wanderer Kang Kang’s back until he disappeared into the distance. Suddenly, he heard the woman’s voice behind him say, “You fools.”

  Jin Tianwang looked back at the young woman sitting by the bonfire. All this time, they had never spoken a single word to each other. Why would she speak now? Jin Tianwang shot her a questioning look, silently asking what she had just said.

  “You two are exactly the same kind of people. You have no ability to lie, yet you love to do it, spouting words that completely contradict your hearts.” The woman used a twig to stoke the bonfire again before continuing, “Your faces wear nothing but smiles, yet your eyes are overwhelmingly sorrowful. When you are sad, why not shed tears? Why force such a sickening smile?”

  “Your voice is truly beautiful,” Jin Tianwang said, gazing at her.

  The young woman suddenly showed a hint of shyness but tried her best to conceal her emotions, acting as if the words meant nothing.

  Jin Tianwang then took off his outer coat to wrap the skull in his arms. He bowed in a gesture of respect. “We must part ways here.” With that, he stepped away.

  But after just two steps, he halted. He turned back to the young woman still sitting by the bonfire and declared, “My name is Jin Tianwang. The entire martial world knows well that Jin Tianwang does not shed tears. Jin Tianwang only knows how to smile.”

  Leaving those words behind, Jin Tianwang turned around and continued walking. This time, he never looked back.

  The young woman by the bonfire pretended not to look in the direction Jin Tianwang had gone. Yet, her eyes were already brimming with tears, which silently streamed down her cheeks.

  Perhaps it was because of the cold that she wept.

  Perhaps it was because of hunger that she wept.

  Perhaps it was because of loneliness that she wept.

  Perhaps it was because she was a woman that she wept.

  Or, perhaps it was because of Jin Tianwang...

  Not too far away, Kang Kang, who had separated from Jin Tianwang earlier, was heading toward the mountain peak behind the lake.

  His footprints in the snow formed a long, straight line leading directly to an ancient pavilion. Inside that pavilion, a woman was already waiting.

  Before the young man had even crossed the threshold of the pavilion's roof, a voice called out, “You did not kill him. Thus, the conditions of our agreement cannot be fulfilled.” The speaker was, of course, the woman inside the ancient pavilion. She wore an orange fox-fur coat. Her face was flawlessly beautiful, resembling a foreigner with her high nose bridge and pale eyes. This woman was truly worthy of the title Pearl of the Azure Sea. Her name was Fan Qingqing, the beautiful daughter of the White Jade Dragon, Fan Baojian.

  “You should know me better. How could someone like me ever strike against a friend?” Kang Kang replied with an impassive face.

  “If you do not kill Jin Tianwang, I will not consent to marry you, and you will not receive the backing of the Emerald Dragon Brotherhood.”

  “I never intended to kill Jin Tianwang.” When the Destitute Wanderer Kang Kang said this, it naturally meant that he never intended to marry Fan Qingqing either.

  “Do you no longer want the help of the Emerald Dragon Brotherhood?” Fan Qingqing raised her voice, flaring with anger.

  “In truth, the two of you should talk and come to an understanding. I believe Jin Tianwang will see your sincerity.” Kang Kang's words were a subtle suggestion for Fan Qingqing and Jin Tianwang to talk things out; it was entirely possible they could become lovers.

  “Do not speak such nonsense,” Fan Qingqing commanded, displaying the typical habits of a spoiled eldest daughter, always accustomed to issuing orders.

  “If a battle between the two of us truly erupted, I fear the young miss would still hope the one dying to be me, not Jin Tianwang.” This man's words were always beyond the expectations of anyone he spoke with.

  “It's enough that you didn't act. There is no need for so many words.”

  “Since we cannot cooperate, then I suppose I must rebuild the Defying Heaven Sect myself.” The Destitute Wanderer Kang Kang finished his sentence and headed back down the path he had come from.

  Once Kang Kang was a distance away, Fan Qingqing stood up and ran in the opposite direction, chasing the path taken by the man who only knew how to smile and never shed tears.

  Jin Tianwang truly intended to head to Chang'an City. He calculated that traveling from here to Chang'an on foot would take no less than two months. Even by carriage or horseback, it would still take over a month. Regardless, time was of no consequence to him.

  But after bringing this skull to be buried with her body at the edge of the forest in Chang'an City, what would happen next? What else was there left to do?

  Before, Jin Tianwang had no wealth, but he still had friends.

  Before, Jin Tianwang had no fame, but he still had people who cared for him.

  Before, Jin Tianwang had no home, but he still had someone to miss.

  The things that were once most precious to Jin Tianwang had all vanished.

  Now, his beloved friend had turned into an enemy, intent on taking his life.

  Now, his close relatives had betrayed and deceived him for fame and power.

  Now, his beloved woman resented him to the absolute core.

  Even so, a faint smile still appeared on Jin Tianwang’s face. For everyone knew well that Jin Tianwang only knew how to smile, and never how to shed tears.

  Months passed. The biting cold of winter faded, replaced by the sprouting of spring. The Zenith Martial Pavilion stood out prominently before all martial artists, causing them to completely forget the Virtue Association. People were like this; they forgot the past far too easily.

  Whether it was the Virtue Association before, or the Defying Heaven Sect, who would bother remembering stories of the past? Tides shifted in the martial world every single day. From one city to another, from another city to high mountain peaks. From high mountain peaks across vast rivers, from vast rivers to wide grasslands. From wide grasslands across scorching deserts, from scorching deserts deep into the forest. From the deep forest all the way down to a valley. That valley was called “Mystic Valley."