A quarter of an hour later, Jiang Che found an opening. With a swift maneuver, he disarmed Li Hanyi, sending her Iron Horse Ice River Sword flying. Before she could react, his Seven Stars Abyss Dragon Sword was already pressed horizontally against her neck.
"Second City Lord, you've lost," Jiang Che said with a wide grin, clearly pleased with himself.
As Li Hanyi processed her defeat, a cold system notification echoed in Jiang Che's mind:
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing the random mission. Reward: Legacy of the Drunken Sword Immortal."
"Does the host wish to accept the legacy now?"
"Not now…" Jiang Che replied inwardly.
This clearly wasn't the right time to accept such a gift.
Li Hanyi remained composed, her voice steady.
"Indeed, I am no match for you," she said calmly. She had already expected to lose and hadn't held any real hope of winning.
What puzzled her, though, was why Jiang Che hadn't used his full strength from the start.
Without answering, Jiang Che suddenly reached out and removed the mask covering Li Hanyi's face.
As the mask came off, Li Hanyi's stunning beauty was revealed, and a flicker of astonishment flashed through Jiang Che's eyes.
Although Yin Luoxia and Sikong Qianluo were both considered rare beauties—Yin Luoxia having topped the Rouge List for many years—they still fell slightly short when compared to Li Hanyi.
Li Hanyi, known as the Snow Moon Sword Immortal, truly lived up to her reputation as Beili's number one beauty. Her hands were delicate like tender bamboo shoots, her skin smooth as fine jade. Her slender neck gleamed like polished ivory, and her teeth were as pristine as pearls. With elegantly arched brows and a mesmerizing smile, her beauty could take one's breath away.
Perhaps it was the heat of their battle, or maybe Jiang Che's piercing gaze—but a faint blush crept across Li Hanyi's porcelain cheeks.
"You… give me back my mask!"
A flash of panic flickered in Li Hanyi's eyes, resembling a startled little rabbit whose secret had been suddenly exposed. She lunged forward to snatch the mask from his hand.
But Jiang Che nimbly dodged her and stepped back, keeping the distance between them. He teased:
"Who would've thought the legendary Snow Moon Sword Immortal was hiding such breathtaking beauty?"
"Why conceal it behind a mask every day? A face like yours deserves to be seen."
"I'm keeping this mask. If you want it back, you'll have to beat me fair and square!"
"You…" Li Hanyi's cheeks burned with frustration. She stamped her foot in helpless anger, knowing full well she couldn't defeat him. Getting the mask back now was impossible.
Without saying another word, she picked up her Iron Horse Ice River Sword, turned away, and leapt into the distance—ignoring everyone as she fled in embarrassment.
By the edge of Erhai Lake, Sikong Changfeng, who had been quietly observing, couldn't help but chuckle, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
However, his amusement quickly soured when he remembered that his own daughter had feelings for Jiang Che. His smile stiffened, and unease crept into his heart.
Nearby, Sikong Qianluo stood pouting, clearly displeased with what she had just witnessed.
…
By the time Jiang Che returned to the lakeside, Bai Li Dongjun had finished recovering from his injuries. After exchanging a few polite words, Jiang Che was eager to return to the inn—he was itching to claim the Drunken Sword Immortal's legacy.
Just as he turned to leave, Sikong Changfeng and Bai Li Dongjun exchanged a glance. Sikong Changfeng stepped forward.
"Brother Jiang, please wait!"
Jiang Che turned around, curiosity in his eyes.
"What's the matter, City Lord Sikong?"
Sikong Changfeng laughed heartily as he approached, his tone warm and sincere.
"Brother Jiang, have you ever considered joining Snow Moon City? If you're willing, we'd like to offer you the title of Fourth City Lord!"
With Jiang Che's unmatched strength and lack of affiliation with any major faction, Sikong Changfeng saw a rare opportunity. He didn't want to miss the chance to recruit such a prodigy.
"Joining Snow Moon City, huh?" Jiang Che mused. "What would I get out of it—and what would I have to do?"
He had roamed the martial world for years. Deep down, he knew it might be time to settle. Snow Moon City was beautiful, filled with talent—and beautiful women.
Still, he had no interest in tedious administrative work. If he truly desired power, he could've long ago risen to prominence in the Song imperial court, thanks to his connection with Huang Shang, the National Master of the Song Dynasty.
Sikong Changfeng, catching Jiang Che's meaning, quickly added:
"You wouldn't have many duties. Just lend your strength during times of crisis. And if you have free time, you could occasionally offer guidance to our disciples."
"As for benefits—you'd gain full access to our Snow Moon City Library, free to study any martial technique we possess. Plus, you'd receive a monthly stipend of 10,000 taels of silver."
Jiang Che paused in thought.
Sikong Changfeng's final offer struck a chord—reminding him of his system's mission to collect martial arts techniques.
Joining Snow Moon City and gaining access to their martial library would bring him one step closer to completing that task.
"All right, I agree," Jiang Che said with a nod.
For him, this deal was more than fair—it was a golden opportunity.