Chapter 2644 - 19: How Many Cold Nights Since We Parted_4

Outside the valley, Jiang Wang methodically went about his business—

Slowly tending to his own injuries. Of course, his techniques were crude, only roughly moving internal organs back, roughly connecting bones, roughly stopping the bleeding...

At the same time, with Samadhi True Fire, he carefully burned away all traces of battle at the scene. To fully understand its Samadhi, it must be incinerated into oblivion.

Although a complete absence of traces is itself a kind of trace, the possibilities without traces are numerous. For instance, all Demon Clan warriors died in Frost Wind Valley.

At the very least, he cannot let the Demon clan be certain that a cultivator from the Human Race broke out of Frost Wind Valley and fought with Demon Clan warriors there.

He wasn’t confident in forging traces that wouldn’t let the Demon clan perceive the truth, so he could only use this clumsy method—letting the Samadhi True Fire burn every inch of the land.

This stretch of wasteland is extremely cold.

But it can’t compare to the chill in Frost Wind Valley.

Separated by frost winds, two mortal enemies confronted each other; Xi Yanbing didn’t even move a brow, while Jiang Wang didn’t cease his movements for a moment.

After obliterating all traces of battle, within the quietly burning fire realm, he used simple wind-based Dao Techniques to roll up the corpses of the Demon Clan warriors, one by one tossing them into Frost Wind Valley at a steady pace of three breaths apiece.

The primary goal is to destroy the corpses and erase traces, taking advantage of the chilling wind is much less labor-intensive than burning them with Samadhi True Fire.

Secondly, it was to apply pressure on Xi Yanbing, testing his reactions.

Moreover, dissolving these Demon Clan corpses could increase the power of the chilling wind, making it even harder for Xi Yanbing to endure.

It was an effective method that achieved multiple purposes.

It can be said that under the constant threat of Demon Clan warriors arriving, within the Demon clan territory, Jiang Wang maximized the use of existing conditions. In the standoff with Xi Yanbing, he gave himself more leverage.

Yet, even in this scenario, with the corpses of fellow warriors falling beside him, instantly turning into ice sculptures, then shattering into ice dust in the next moment...

Xi Yanbing’s will remained unshaken.

He never stepped out of Frost Wind Valley, leaving Jiang Wang’s long-prepared sword poised but unable to strike. He never gave any sign, leaving Jiang Wang to bear the tension of life and death.

After half, one, and even three silent quarters passed, Jiang Wang needed to consider one question—

Does Xi Yanbing still have strength left?

Is Xi Yanbing still alive?

But he simply waited silently.

Night gradually descended, the Jin Yang of the Monster Realm disappeared, and the blood moon rose.

South Celestial City of the Demon clan was still awaiting triumphant news, while Yanlao City and Iron Rock City of the Human Race were still in shock and doubt.

Who could know that in Frost Wind Valley, there existed such a "waiting"?

In his heart, Jiang Wang had a clear timeline, seven quarters.

An hour is eight quarters; he would wait until the seventh before leaving without hesitation.

Because between the sixth and ninth quarters is the timeframe he calculated, based on the speed of Human Race’s large city reinforcements, which typically took Demon Clan’s city warriors an average time to arrive under normal circumstances.

Meanwhile, the time Xi Yanbing could survive in Frost Wind Valley shouldn’t exceed four quarters.

The three extra quarters, the risk of three quarters, were his respect for Xi Yanbing.

It was too cold.

The chill of Frost Wind Valley was gradually spreading, as if it wanted to seep into the bone marrow.

Yet Jiang Wang maintained his stance of holding the sword and waiting, without moving.

His Sword Intent was even colder than the frost wind.

To avoid creating too noticeable a disturbance at night, most of the flames had already been extinguished. Only within his flesh was there still some residual flames burning. Using Samadhi True Fire to heal himself meant combating destruction with destruction. But this pain had already become familiar to his body.

This was a flesh body that was almost completely exhausted, yet in this body, you could still feel the power.

It was like an imperishable candle in the vast wasteland, amidst the snowstorm.

It was the glimmer of "humanity."

Around the sixth quarter, a rupture was heard from within Frost Wind Valley. Xi Yanbing, covered in frost, finally charged out—in an exceedingly rigid posture.

His eyes were vacant, yet within that vacancy was a hint of profound longing.

He extended a large hand, reaching towards Jiang Wang.

Uncertain whether he wished to kill Jiang Wang or get close to the blaze within the grisly flesh and absorb some warmth.

But no one will ever know.

His body had already frozen in place.

The extreme chill had frozen everything about him.

This silent standoff finally reached its conclusion.

Jiang Wang remained silent, merely pushing the corpse slightly forward, back into Frost Wind Valley, consigning it to destruction by the chilling wind.

Then burned away all his hair, clothes, and bloodstains.

He placed a small storage box into his mouth, holding it under his tongue. Included inside were the ever-present Longing, the fragmented Ruyi Immortal Clothes, and the jade pendant gifted by An’an.

He extinguished the remaining fire within his flesh.

No use of Path Origin, no use of Techniques, no invoking Divine Skills.

Avoiding the direction of the Demon Clan’s large city, he walked bare through the depths of the wasteland.

He knew that nothing would be reliable from now on; he would struggle alone in this desolate world.

He hadn’t prepared for this.

But he had no choice but to move forward.

Looking ahead, under the blood moon, the vast expanse of snow seemed endless.