"No, the blizzard is too strong. We can't possibly climb up at this time."
Susu shouted, her voice barely audible against the wind and snow. She was just an ordinary woman, brave and adventurous, but her body couldn't endure this. They were still at the foot of the Himalayas, having only advanced a short distance, not yet at the climbing point.
"No, if you don't want trouble, this is the safest time. I don't have much time to wait, and I believe you don't either. Don't worry, I'll have Zhao Yingdie help you." Ning Beichen told her, gesturing for Zhao Yingdie to assist.
"Alright then, I'll persevere a little longer," Susu said, resigned. Ning Beichen had considered carrying her up with his sword, but remembering her physical limitations and the unbearable pressure of sword flight, he abandoned the idea. It wasn't impossible, just requiring her to wear more layers and for him to shield her with his internal energy. However, Ning Beichen preferred not to reveal too much of his extraordinary power in this world unless absolutely necessary.
Not long after, Ning Beichen and his group began their ascent. Ning Beichen and his men needed no ropes, only the two accompanying Susu carried ropes and grappling hooks. As they hammered pitons into the rock face, preparing to ascend, they found Ning Beichen's people already scaling the cliff with incredible agility, reaching the top in the blink of an eye. The two men with Susu exchanged bewildered glances, disbelief etched on their faces.
Even Susu, the most delicate, was grabbed by Zhao Yingdie and whisked across the rocks. Susu screamed in terror, not daring to open her eyes. After a few swift movements, Susu felt her feet touch solid ground. Opening her eyes, she found herself on a snow-covered flat expanse. Ning Beichen and the others were already there, leaving only her two companions still slowly making their way up.
"Ah Hu, go help them," Ning Beichen instructed Wang Hu.
"Yes, Master." Wang Hu's body became a blur, and in less than a minute, he reappeared, escorting Susu's two companions.
Then, Ning Beichen's group continued their rapid ascent. In truth, they weren't climbing anymore, but rather gliding through the snow with astonishing speed. Susu felt like she was on a roller coaster, only seeing the endless white snow and hearing the wind roar like a demon's howl. She was both shocked and amazed. Who were these people? Why were they all so formidable? Were they... genetically modified warriors? Yet, they didn't seem like the gene warriors she knew, who were powerful but lacked emotion, like unfeeling robots. These people were completely different.
After about two hours of flying through the snow, Ning Beichen's group reached the mountainside. Suddenly, the wind and snow intensified, forcing them to stop. They found a sheltered spot, previously used by mountaineers.
"It's getting dark. We'll rest here tonight," Ning Beichen announced.
Hearing that they could rest, Susu and her companions breathed a collective sigh of relief. Even with Zhao Yingdie's help, Susu was utterly exhausted. The biting wind and snow, coupled with her lack of cultivation, left her feeling chilled to the bone. Soon, she fell ill. Susu felt her head swimming, stars dancing before her eyes, her body weak and her vision blurry. Her forehead was burning hot; she had clearly caught a cold.
For such a common ailment, men like Yan Xiong were at a loss. With their cultivation levels, colds were unheard of. Ning Beichen, however, had experience. Though he lacked fever-reducing medicine, he administered a few acupuncture needles and used physical methods to help her cool down. The wind howled relentlessly, making even Ning Beichen uncomfortable, let alone Susu, a woman with no martial skills. Fortunately, after Ning Beichen's treatment, her condition improved significantly. Still, the extreme cold and low temperatures persisted, and it was uncertain how long she could endure.
Meanwhile, in another part of the Himalayas, members of the Red Fox organization had also arrived. After assessing the situation, one of them reported to the hooded, hawk-nosed elder.
"Master Beiqi, their footprints disappear here. They must have been covered by the snow, but I believe they haven't gone far."
"Find them. I need to monitor their every move," the hooded man said.
"Yes." His subordinate immediately responded. Unbeknownst to them, Ning Beichen's group hadn't left footprints that were simply covered by snow; they hadn't left footprints at all, or if they had, they were spaced too far apart.
Besides the Red Fox operatives, a man and a woman appeared from another direction, also in pursuit of the treasure. Susu believed she could keep everyone in the dark, but she was unaware of how many of the scholars she had contacted had betrayed her.
As night fell, the blizzard intensified. Ning Beichen sat cross-legged on the ground. Through his senses, he could detect the presence of the Red Fox members and others, most of whom were unable to hide from him. He had been too occupied during the day to deal with them, but now, at night, Ning Beichen intended to handle them differently.
In another part of the mountain, a few individuals were resting. Suddenly, a sword eerily descended from the sky and slit their throats. These people were decapitated in their sleep. The same fate befell others in different locations. Anyone in small groups was eliminated by Ning Beichen. If they wanted to stake a claim, they had to prove their capability.
Before long, most of the groups on the Himalayas were sent away by Ning Beichen in their sleep. They likely died wondering how a sword could attack them on its own. However, as Ning Beichen prepared to confront the Red Fox members, he felt his power significantly diminishing. He hastily recalled his bronze ancient sword. After all, this was not a completely safe location, and Ning Beichen needed to conserve a substantial portion of his strength. As for the Red Fox operatives, letting them live a little longer wouldn't hurt; Ning Beichen didn't take them seriously.