Chapter One: Snow Mountain Redemption (Part I)
Season: Winter
Weather: Heavy Snow
Time: Night
Location: At the foot of the Dongying Snow Mountains
In the biting winter at the base of Dongying\\u0027s snow mountains, the landscape is as enchanting as a dream. Under the night sky where stars are sparse, the white snow blankets the earth heavily, like thick cotton. The land is frozen as far as the eye can see, and the night wind howls, carrying with it snowflakes that gently lash against one\\u0027s face with a bone-chilling cold.
Across the desolate expanse of the snowfield, a woman makes her way hurriedly through the snow. She is dressed in a worn grey robe, tattered and frayed, revealing the white undergarment beneath. Her long hair is disheveled, and her cheeks bear the touch of frost. Her breath is rapid, her eyes filled with terror, her steps quick and heavy, leaving deep footprints as if the snow itself is trying to consume her.
Behind her, a squad of soldiers on horseback races through the snow. They wear heavy armor and pointed iron helmets adorned with black feathers as a mark of their station. Each soldier wields a Dongying sword, and their steeds, powerful warhorses, pound the snow, sending muffled echoes through the air. Their blades pointed directly at her, they close in, forming a tight circle around her.
\\\"What have I done to deserve this!\\\" she cries out in despair, a bitter laugh escaping her, \\\"Ha ha ha... If there is no joy in life, then what is there to fear in death!\\\" She is prepared for her end. Yet, the soldiers continue to pursue her relentlessly.
\\\"You cannot escape!\\\" one soldier sneers coldly, devoid of emotion in his gaze. \\\"The orders are clear—execute on sight, and there will be a reward upon return!\\\" He brandishes his sharp sword, ready to strike.
At that moment, a sword gleaming with a cold light streaks through the air like a shooting star, its speed so great that it knocks the descending blade from the soldier\\u0027s hand. The sword lands with a resounding clang, deeply embedded in the ice and snow.
The woman halts in her tracks, her gaze fixed on the sword. Memories surge within her heart. \\\"The Frost Sword! Could it be...\\\" Her surprise is palpable.
At that moment, a figure approaches rapidly. His long hair billows in the biting wind, and the handsome man in black with red lining dismounts his iron steed to retrieve the \\\"Frost Sword.\\\" He then grabs the woman\\u0027s hand and pulls her up onto the horse\\u0027s back.
\\\"Hold on to me,\\\" his deep voice carries through the night wind.
The woman clings tightly to him from behind as their horse charges through the encirclement, strong and unyielding. Although the soldiers are elite guards from Dongying, the man’s skill astonishes them.
The man urges his horse forward, and the \\\"Frost Sword\\\" in his hand instantly emits a burst of chilling light. His swordplay roars like a dragon amidst a tempest, piercingly cold. The frontmost soldier doesn\\u0027t even have time to react before he is cut down from his horse. Several more soldiers fall in quick succession, throwing the others into disarray.