"Brother."
Dongfang Mingyue gently interrupted him, her voice soft yet bearing an unprecedented firmness. She looked at her brotherâs anxious expression in the video, her gaze serious enough to make oneâs heart tremble, as she spoke each word with precision:
"Fate has changed."
"Brother, you and I, perhaps... wonât die."
Upon hearing these words, Dongfang Haoyue on the other end of the video was visibly shaken. The anxiety on his face gradually faded, his eyes shifting from initial shock to a complex mix of emotions, as he stared intently at his sister on the screen, as if to ascertain the truth of her statement.
......
The wind and snow raged at the summit of the desolate mountain, with heavy snowflakes akin to fragments of jade dancing in the air, painting the world in a vast expanse of white. Qin Tianâs figure appeared abruptly amidst the snow like a specter, the hem of his black robe billowing in the cold wind. He glanced around, his gaze quickly falling on the ground not far away.
There lay a corpse split in two, belonging to the Tier Seven Dark Mage who had previously escaped.
The dark red blood had long since solidified in the low temperature, forming eye-catching patches with the white snow. The thick layer of snow nearly covered the corpse completely, leaving only the tattered edges of the black robe visible, testifying to the fierce battle that had taken place here.
Qin Tian felt a chill in his heartâhe had tracked the Hunting Mark here, and when it suddenly disappeared in this location, he thought the enemy had sensed the mark and used a Secret Technique to erase it. He never expected that the enemy had already perished.
To split a Tier Seven Mage in two with a single strike, the individual responsible must possess power far beyond his imagination.
"Did you do something to him?"
A faint voice suddenly sounded behind Qin Tian, as gentle as snowflakes falling on water, yet carrying an unmistakable penetrative force.
Qin Tianâs pupils contracted sharply, his hackles rising instinctively as he turned around abruptlyâhis Perception Ability had already covered a radius of several miles, allowing him to detect any subtle anomalies in sound, smell, heat sources, or magnetic field fluctuations.
But this man in white had managed to approach him silently, without him noticing!
The Black Frost Blade appeared instantly in Qin Tianâs hand, its dark blade glinting with a cold, threatening sheen. His body tensed like a drawn bowstring, his gaze locked onto the man in white, Spiritual Energy coursing rapidly through his body, ready to respond to any sudden situation.
The man in white stood amidst the wind and snow, his pristine robes untouched by dust, as snowflakes landed on his shoulders, seemingly reluctant to mar his transcendent aura.
He waved his hand lightly, his tone casual as if engaging in idle chat: "Donât be so tense. If I wanted to make a move against you, I wouldâve done so long before you noticed, and wouldnât be wasting words with you."
His gaze swept over Qin Tian, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he added, "Besides, if I had the intent to kill, you wouldnât be alive right now."
"Who on earth are you?" Qin Tianâs voice was low and heavy, his grip on the knife handle tightening slightly.
The behavior of the man in white was too bizarreâhe had suddenly retreated halfway through their battle, citing "insufficient funds"; now, judging by the wounds on the Tier Seven Mageâs corpse, it was clearly split by a sharp blade, very likely his doing; yet here he stood, displaying no hostility whatsoever.
Qin Tian couldnât fathom the intentions of this powerful and enigmatic man in white.
Hearing this, the man in white chuckled softly, his expression carrying a hint of mystery: "Want to know my name? Itâs simple."
He shifted his tone, suddenly becoming icy, "But you must think it throughâonce you know my name, you only have two choices: either die or join my organization."
He looked at Qin Tianâs tense expression and slowly asked, "Now, do you still want to know?"
The wind and snow howled on, falling onto the snowy ground between the two, yet it felt as though an invisible barrier kept it at bay, unable to close in.
Qin Tianâs grip on the Black Frost Blade tightened, as vigilance and confusion intertwined in his mind, leaving him unsure of how to respond.
The man in white observed Qin Tianâs taut posture and solemn expression, a faint smile on his lips, his tone teasing: "What, frightened already? Earlier when shielding Dongfang Mingyue in the snow, your determined spirit was nothing like this."
Qin Tianâs grip on the Black Frost Blade remained firm, but his gaze deepenedâhe had enough confidence in his life-saving measures, and even if the man in whiteâs power was unfathomable, he had some means of escape.
But the problem lay in the fact that as long as this mysterious powerhouse kept his true intentions hidden while keeping a watchful eye on Dongfang Mingyue, he couldnât truly be at ease.
To protect Dongfang Mingyue, he must first ascertain the manâs identity and goals.
"Who on earth are you?" Qin Tian asked slowly, emphasizing each word.
Upon hearing this, the man in whiteâs smile widened, yet his tone remained nonchalant: "Qin Tian, male, twenty-two years old. Two years ago, you were a freshman at the Eagle Military Academy on Silver Gray Star, merely a Tier One Spiritualist; in just two years, youâve risen to a Major General in the Military Department, holding the Emperorâs Radiance Medal, your Spiritual Ability Level breaking through to Tier Six. Besides that, the Lingfeng Trading Company you founded is now a rising star with limitless potential in the business world, and the Youth Potion you developed is a best-seller across the Nine Great Star Realms..."
Qin Tianâs brows furrowed sharply; although his background wasnât exactly a secret, it wasnât something widely accessible either, especially as he had only met the man in white a few hours ago, and yet the man seemed to know everything about him.