Harsh, cold winds swept across the frozen lake in the center of a desolate valley. As swift winds brushed past, occasional sounds of howls escaped from the surrounding ridges and reached the ears of young Mu Linhua. A woman, who seemed to be in her forties, was standing beside the young girl. The older woman was about 5’ 6’’ tall, draped with a thick long coat made from the skin and fur of snow wolf. Her complexion was a bit sickly and pale while her eyes were closed and there a calm expression on her face as both of them stood at the center of the lake.

‘LinLin, are you nervous?’, asked the older woman in a soft yet firm voice. Mu Linhua raised her head to look into her mother’s face and firmly replied ‘No’.

The woman softly nodded and said ‘Good’. She slowly opened her eyes and revealed a cold gaze. Her mouth revealed a satisfied smile as she gazed into the ridge and said, ‘They’re here, get ready”.

Young Linhua saw as her mother’s calm complexion changed in a flash to stern and guarded one. She immediately put on a nervous face and put up her guard and went into a defensive stance. Five streaks of black shadow were formed as five people, clad in elegant purple and black robes appeared in a flash at the bank of the Ice Abyss Lake. There were four men and one woman standing in a pentagram formation.

‘After searching through four empires for almost a decade, finally, we have the honor of meeting the Heaven’s Glory Hands.’ The middle-aged man leading the formation said. He then glanced at the young girl wearing a brown fur coat at the side of the woman. The girl was about 9 years old and had a sharp look on her face. She wasn’t any calamitous beauty in the making, but her sharp facial features and healthy face gave her a somewhat mature look despite her young age. ‘Mu Shenhua, your daughter seems to have grown well, her stance, breathing, and Qi-aura is pretty good, she might be able to take about 30 moves from a Jade-Claw elite.’

Jade-Claw elites were the best troop of the now fallen Yu Empire. They served as the private army of the late Jade Emperor. Being able to take 30 moves from one of them would get you a chance to join their ranks and get trained in their techniques. Mu Shenhua internally sneered and said coolly, ‘Are you here to recruit spies, Great General Hong.’

The once-dominant force Jade-Claw elites currently were mostly killed, and the remaining ones dispersed in the Great Wei Empire, forming a spy network with intentions to create civil unrest in the empire.

General Hong’s expression turned cold, as he said, ‘I am here to settle the blood debt, of course.’ He showed a sneer and said, ‘To think that the once “Peerless Grandmaster” who slew the three grandmasters of Great Yu would be standing before me in such a sickly state, looks like the Venom Monarch’s maid was right, you really took a full hit of his Hell’s Fury Palm Venom before he died under your strike. Only the Coolest Water from Ice Abyss Lake will be able to suppress the chaotic Qi for some period.’

Mu Shenhua replied with a grim face, ‘Do you think I am weak? Then why did you drag Great General Xie and Xia along with you?’ General Hong clapped and said, ‘As expected of a Grandmaster, your perception is still unmatched.’ He showed a hand signal and 2 blasts were heard as the ridge which acted as a passage from the lake to surrounding areas collapsed. Moments later two more purple-black clad warriors stood before Shenhua.

‘So you twins were cutting off the escape route.’ Mu Shenhua said as her expression turned into her original calm and serene self. She said with a gentle smile and soft voice, ‘LinLin, looks like I made your Grandfather wait in the snow for nothing, We might have to face quite the temper tantrum once we return.’

General Hong’s expression turned serious as he re-surveyed his surroundings. There were no other people in this valley. He looked again at Mu Shenhua who was looking at him with a serene expression as she said, ‘Did you really think that I will escape?’