Unsheathed

The two parties were going to encounter each other on a narrow path.

In the distance was a group of thirty or so light cavalry, and they slowly came to a stop with their bows and sabers gleaming with especially vigorous might in the heavy snow.

Approximately half of the cavalrymen were carrying torches in one hand, and the several men at the forefront of the group weren't wearing standard armor like everyone else as they clustered around and protected a handsome young man. The handsome young man was wearing a snow-white fox fur coat, and he squinted his eyes to peer through the wind and snow and observe the three riders in the distance. Appearing elegant and noble, he pursed his thin and sanguine lips.

Three subordinates came to a stop beside the handsome young man. To his left was a burly man holding a long and brilliant lance that gleamed under the radiance of the torches held by the cavalrymen behind them.

There was also a skinny and monkey-like man with his arms crossed before his chest. He had neither bow nor saber, and there was no sword hanging by his waist either. However, there were several bloody and ice-cold heads hanging on both sides of his saddle.

To the right of the handsome young man was only a single person, an expressionless man in his forties who was carrying a sword in a pine grain scabbard, with the hilt of the sword surprisingly shaped like a ganoderma. The man frequently covered his mouth to cough.

The handsome young man appeared to have the closest relationship with the middle-aged man to his right, with his body leaning ever so slightly toward him even though he was sitting high up on horseback.

After covering his mouth and coughing again, the middle-aged swordsman glanced at the three steeds approximately fifty paces away and said in a quiet voice, "Your Highness, it's just like I said before, there are indeed two people and one ghost. The ghost is a beautiful woman wearing a fox fur coat, and it's extremely likely that she's a Fox Skin Beauty Talisman crafted using the secret technique of Light Breeze City's Xu Clan."

The middle-aged swordsman reached forward, appearing as if he wanted to catch some snowflakes. However, a small spirit that measured one finger tall surprisingly appeared in his palm. The spirit was snow-white with a pair of wings on its back, with its appearance allowing it to merge with the snow and become hard to detect even from such a close distance. This spirit was presumably a so-called immortal scout, and its purpose was similar to that of immortal observation techniques. It was just that one relied on immortal techniques while one relied on living spirits.

"Thanks for your hard work," the middle-aged swordsman said to the small spirit with a smile. He retrieved an exquisite blue-and-white porcelain jar from his sleeve, slowly putting it back after the small spirit flew inside.

The handsome young man whom the middle-aged swordsman had referred to as "Your Highness" raised an eyebrow, a fervent look in his eyes as he leaned even closer to the former and chuckled, "Mr. Zeng, I've heard of Light Breeze City's Xu Clan before, but my mother empress was always reluctant to let me leave the capital and manage another jurisdiction. Things have been delayed for eight entire years, and I often stay in my residence in the capital all year round.