However, as the festive mood peaked, so did the changes in the environment.

Inside of a luxurious hall, within a private mansion. A beautiful woman in white priest-like robes with golden patterns sat on a chair; she had long black hair that was bounded into a ponytail reaching to the floor, her eyes were small and narrow but gave off a strange, alluring charm when viewed from any angle. As she looked out her window, she gave off a strange aura as if the world around her simply flowed according to her will.

She looked at the sky with a n.o.ble temperament as she spoke softly to the wind, "The eastern wind shifts as the chosen are born when the destined dragon arises, and one"s fate will fall to another"s devices..."

Knock-knock! As she was disturbed from her thoughts, she couldn"t help but frown as she glanced at the door and spoke, "Who is it?"

"Young Lady Mingyun, the representative from the Xuan Imperial Family, seeks an audience with you," A man dressed in similar white robes said.

"I see, let them in then," She said as she once again turned her vision towards the sky, calmly observing the dazzling snow that fell upon the white monotonous earth.

∞∞∞

At the entrance of Machen Town a few figures arrived, they wore shiny armor with bright flame-like capes that flowed gently in the wind as they rode on top of black horses that had flaming hoofs. It would almost appear as if they were a walking sea of bright flames that treaded the white snowy earth.

Traveling at the center of these individuals were a group of men and women who seemed to be above the secular world, they wore similar sky-blue robes with a sword emblem adorned on their chests.

The citizens and wanderers who stood at the entrance of Machen Town looked towards these individuals in surprise.

"It"s the Bright Flame Knights!" A local individual exclaimed as he seemed to have recognized these individuals.

"What? The kingdom"s knights are here too!" Another individual said as he looked at the knights.

"Wait! That group in the middle, the clothes they"re wearing aren"t they..." A pract.i.tioner said as he looked at the group in the center of the Bright Flame Knights.

"Hmm, already arrived I see... it looks like this show is about to get started," The man from the Midnight Temple said, as he looked at the group that was entering the town from a window in a nearby pub with a smile on his face.

∞∞∞

Inside a nearby pub, within a private booth.

Tang Fie and Xin Zhu were currently having a loud conversation as Tang Wu and Xin Qing sat silently observing their new conflict.

Bang! "You"re an ungrateful cheat! Is this how you treat those soon to be family, I demand compensation from your family!" Xin Zhu said as he smashed the chessboard to pieces.

"Old Zhu, it"s not my fault that you"re not good at chess. Look, since it is this way, as our families will be connected through Wu"er"s and Qing"er"s marriage. Why don" we set a date for a rematch? I promise to try and stall more next time so that if you win. You"ll earn more than enough to make up your loss today," Tang Fei said with a smile on his face as he mocked Xin Zhu.

"You shameless bast----" As Xin Zhu was about to vent his frustration once more, there was an interruption.

Sou! A man with a hood over his head appeared with the room and knelt politely on the ground.

Seeing this man appear both Xin Zhu and Tang Fei became silent as they looked towards the man with a deep gaze. Quickly though, Xin Zhu waved for the man to stand before he inquired, "What do you have to report?"

"Reporting to Old Master Zhu, the emissaries of the Sky Splitting Sword School have just arrived at Machen Town, but some unexpected characters are escorting them," The man said.

"Oh! And who are these characters?" Tang Fei asked interestedly.

Tang Wu and Xing Qing also looked curiously.

"They are the kingdom"s first guards, the Bright Flame Knight"s." The man reported.

"Haha! It looks like the sudden appearance of the Golden Dragon Empire, Southern Wasteland and a few other threatening parties have caused our king to feel nervous. I didn"t think he"d go as far as sending out his prized troops," Xin Zhu said as he roared with laughter.

"Brother Tang, do you think the Xuan Imperial Clan is going to try anything during the Talent Selection?" Asked Xin Qing.

"I"m not sure, but even if they do, what could they possibly do against the group from the Golden Dragon Empire and the even more unusual Southern Wasteland?" Tang Wu replied while looking out the window.

Tang Fei hearing Tang Wu"s words nodded and replied, "Wu"er is right! Nothing can be done, and as for our forces, we only need to take advantage of the scene when there is any change. We need to guarantee our entrance into the mystic realm!"

"Un," Xin Zhu said as he nodded.

∞∞∞

Inside of a vast room stood a few individuals, three of them were youngsters who were currently looking at the man seated at the center of the room. The young man with long silver hair and a handsome profile garbed in a set of simple but unique martial robes, gazed at a figure before him with a sharp look in his eyes, his right palm firmly grasping a silver spear as he walked up and spoke to the man with the dragon emblem.

"Xun Yanshan, I came here to test my strength and prove myself amongst the gathered geniuses. Not to partake in some hare-brained scheme, even though you are the superior sent on this venture, I will not yield to your decisions!" As he said this, he walked outside of the room followed by the other two youngsters.

"Brother Zang, wait up!" The pretty young girl said. "These three brats... sigh, children are so troublesome. I guess I"ll have to approach it with a different method. You there, did you find out any of their details?" Xun Yanshan said to a man who stood at the corner of the room.

"Reporting to Sir, the Southern Wasteland is too slippery, and we don"t know any more details other than the fact that they came to our empire utilizing some unknown channel," The man in the corner promptly replied.

"Hmm, this won"t do. I need you to get more information, deploy more of our forces and leave no stones unturned. I want to have as much information as possible about this group before the Talent Selection begins, for I must have a grasp on the entire situation do you hear me!" Xun Yanshan said as he looked towards the man with a sharp light his eyes.

"Understood!" The man replied as he bowed his head.

"Good, now go!" Xun Yanshan then commanded as he waved his hand before looking out the window towards a specific location.

"Sir, there is one more piece of interesting news," The man said in an odd tone.

"What is it?" Xun Yanshan asked, still looking out the window.

"It seems that the Sky Splitting Sword School has successfully arrived. However, the Bright Flame King has deployed the Bright Flame Knights to act as their escorts," The man said strangely.

"The Bright Flame Knights? Oh, well now, this is interesting..." Xun Yanshan said as he smiled and continued to look out the window unperturbed.

∞∞∞

Inside of the Feng Mansion, within a large open field.

The figure of a young man could be viewed standing in a field of snow; he was barefoot wearing only loose-fitting trousers and no upper clothing, within his hands were two swords; one pure black with dark lightning flowing around its edges, and the other bright crimson with rust all over its surface. A small hint of purple flame could be seen swirling around the rusted crimson sword.

Feng Yu had stood quietly inside of the open field, his eyes staying closed as he became attuned with the forces of nature. Soon, his body started to experience changes; he felt as if he became nothing but a sword, as his mind vanished, and his sense of self vanished, leaving behind not a standing youth but what seemed to be a sword.

Swoosh! As the snowy wind grew increasingly intense cl.u.s.ters of snow began to cover his still form, as if trying to create a snowman. However, this was but only for a moment as a change soon occurred within the field.

Shing! A sharp cry of a sword resounded throughout the silent field of snow, following which all the snow that cl.u.s.tered above Feng Yu began to fell apart as if they had been cut and brushed off to the sides.

Feng Yu"s body then started to give the impression of a sharp blazing nature, a merger between the essences of fire and realm of the sword. He moved both his swords in his hand and waved them at the snow falling from the sky.

Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh!

It was as if the swords became like an extension of his hands, all the snow that fell on top of them were neatly arranged at their tips forming a miniature snowman on each sword. It was as if a man had used both his arms to catch the falling snow, but in the process, used precise balance and G.o.dly technique to create a work of art.

Finally, Feng Yu opened his eyes and regained his sense of self, he looked at the snowmen on his sword and smiled with a happiness that was visible in his eyes.

"Whew! I"ve finally achieved the boundary of a true swordsman, "One with Sword." Now, I can walk "the Way of the Dual Sword" and strive to comprehend the obscure concept of "Sword Intent." I had once gotten a glimpse of this intent in the battlefield of the dummies, and so now I only need to practice my sword techniques using these two swords. It will then become..." As Feng Yu spoke to up to here, he then looked at the swords in his hands and waved them once more causing the snowmen to disperse as the swords crossed over each other. "My very own technique, the Dual Extremity Sword Path!"