The chaos deep in the Ice Valley was like water hitting boiling oil—instant explosion. The boom of colliding spiritual power, the crack of ice shattering, the dying screams of cultivators, all mixed with the howling wind and snow, composing a bloody and cruel treasure-contest prelude. The faint blue glow in the chaotic battle's center flickered uncertainly; that tempting lotus fragrance seemed endowed with magic, constantly provoking each cultivator's taut nerves, driving them forward into that death zone.
Tang Xiaoqi was not entirely carried along by this atmosphere. Utilizing the Swimming Dragon Nine Turns body technique and his preliminary understanding of spatial fluctuations, his form shuttled flexibly between jagged ice peaks and deep crevasses like a specter, skillfully avoiding several most intense battle clusters. His objective was clear—not but to approach the core area near the glow's source as much as possible while observing the situation, seeking the optimal timing to strike.
Zhao Tiezhu followed closely behind. Though not skilled at stealth, the body refiner's powerful physique and explosive force allowed him to barely keep pace in this complex terrain. He swung his mace, sending several profiteering cultivators who tried to flank-attack flying, low-roaring: "Xiaoqi-ge, these guys have gone insane!"
The rabbit spirit gripped Xiaoqi's shoulder tightly, its little paws pointing to where the glow was strongest, then anxiously gesturing to several directions, indicating extreme energy fluctuations and hidden killing intent there.
Xiaoqi's sharp gaze swept the battlefield. The Glacial Ice Pavilion's ice formation was like a fortress, advancing steadily toward the core area under Ling Qingshuang's command, ice spears and storms unceasing, freezing or shredring obstructing cultivators—displaying the formidable coordination and strength of major sect disciples. Liu Hanyan remained solitary and unconstrained, his movements elusive; each swing of his translucent ice sword carried soul-freezing chill, often deciding life or death in a single move—terrifying efficiency.
The black-robed cultivator was like a venomous snake in shadows, targeting specifically those injured or exhausted cultivators in the chaos, his methods ruthless and bizarre, devouring others' essence to supplement himself—his aura actually faintly rising through slaughter. The axe-wielding barbarian employed pure overwhelming-force tactics; each swing of his massive axe caused ice avalanches and rock shattering, momentum terrifying—already two False Core cultivators had been cleaved in two by him alone. Yet that seemingly ordinary gray-robed elder remained on the battle's edge the entire time, constantly scattering some glittering ice crystals from his hands—those crystals would silently merge into the environment upon landing, seemingly setting up something.
Just as Xiaoqi rounded a massive ice pillar, preparing to approach the core area from the side and rear, his peripheral vision caught an extremely familiar figure!
That figure stood near a relatively secluded ice cave entrance on the battlefield's other side. Silver hair like snow, dancing wildly in the gale; the figure's bearing was upright yet solitary. A thin crystal mask seemed to cover most of their face, revealing only a pair of eyes as cold as a frozen pool. They did not participate in the chaos, merely standing there quietly, as if isolated from the surrounding slaughter and clamor, their gaze penetrating the chaotic figures, distant yet fixed upon the glow's core.
Aunt Su!
Though masked, though her aura seemed more cold and restrained than in memory, Xiaoqi was almost certain—that was Aunt Su, who had departed after the Cleanness Void Sect's defense, with whom he had someday to meet again!
Why was she here? For the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus? Or... was it related to the legendary Ice-Phantom Clan? Countless thoughts flashed through Xiaoqi's mind. That glimpse in Frostwolf Fortress was indeed not an illusion!
Just as Xiaoqi's heart stirred, instinctively wanting to send a sound transmission to call out, Aunt Su also seemed to sense his gaze. Her cool eyes suddenly turned, meeting his across the distance. In those eyes, a highly complex emotion flickered—there was concern, warning, and also a thread of... indescribable anxiety?
Immediately after, she turned, her figure swaying, diving into the ice cave behind her and vanishing. That ice cave was deep and dark, leading who-knew-where. Its entrance was shrouded in an ancient and peculiar aura, from the battlefield's chaotic spiritual power.
"Aunt—" Xiaoqi started to speak, but his voice caught in his throat. He instantly understood the meaning of Aunt Su's gaze—this place was unsuitable for acknowledging each other, and there was even unknown danger! She was warning him—or perhaps leading something away?
Almost the instant Aunt Su's figure vanished, Xiaoqi keenly sensed an extremely hidden yet bone-piercingly cold spiritual sense, like invisible tentacles, quickly sweeping over where Aunt Su had stood—and also over his direction! This spiritual sense carried an inhuman indifference and antiquity, definitely not belonging to any cultivator present!
Xiaoqi's heart. He immediatelysuppress to the extreme, even his breathing and heartbeat nearly stopping. He circulated the Meditation Comprehension Secret to its peak; within hisconsciousness sea, the blue lotus phantom wavered slightly, scattering clear radiance, guarding his spirit. He grabbed Zhao Tiezhu, who had just started to ask something, via sound transmission: "Don't move! Completelysuppress!"
Zhao Tiezhu, though unclear why, had absolute trust in Xiaoqi—immediately obeyed, forcing his blood qi down. The rabbit spirit was so scared its fur stood on end, holding its breath.
That cold spiritual sense lingered near them for a moment, seemingly finding nothing unusual, then receded like a tide, turning to probe other areas.
Xiaoqi's back broke out in cold sweat. Too close! That spiritual sense's owner was absolutely at a level far beyond any cultivator present, even giving him like facing a Nascent Soul elder! A guardian of the Ice-Phantom Clan? Or an ancient existence sleeping within the God-Entombing Ice Valley? Aunt Su's appearance and departure were clearly related to this mysterious power!
He looked again at the chaotic battle's core, his gaze already different. This Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus was probably not simply a freak of nature! Its appearance might involve deeper secrets of the Northern Wasteland Ice Plains, even... a meticulously arranged trap?
However, an arrow has left the bow and cannot be recalled. He had already penetrated this place; the Golden Core opportunity was near—giving up due to potential unknown dangers was impossible. Moreover, Aunt Su risked appearing to warn him—surely there was deep meaning.
He1, suppressing his heart's waves, transmitted to Zhao Tiezhu and the rabbit spirit: "Situation has changed. There may be more terrifying beings awakening. We must be even more careful—objective unchanged, but ready to evacuate at any moment."
He altered strategy, no longer approaching the core but beginning to more carefully observe battlefield details, especially the gray-robed elder's movements and the core area's glow fluctuation patterns. He discovered the gray-robed elder's arranged crystals seemed to faintly form a peculiar pattern, slowly absorbing the spiritual power, blood qi... even soul fragments escaping from the battlefield! And the core's glow, as absorption progressed, seemed to become more, more dazzling.
This was absolutely not normal! How could a Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus' maturation require absorbing these negative energies?
Just as Xiaoqi's doubts deepened, occurred!
"——!"
A low, as if from primordial suddenly came from deep beneath the Ice Valley floor! The entire God-Entombing Ice Valley violently shook! Countless ice peaks collapsed; ice crevasses cracked open! At the battle's center, the faint blue glow suddenly surged violently, transforming into a! Within the light pillar, a snow lotus phantom—its body translucent like jade, petals layered upon petals, its heart seeming to condense a star-sea—slowly manifested!
An even more concentrated, more pure lotus fragrance instantly spread, making all cultivators' spirits lift, their greed and madness reaching the apex!
"The snow lotus has thoroughly matured!"
"Seize it!"
Surviving cultivators—sect disciples and alike—all were now completely red-eyed, disregarding everything, rushing toward the light pillar's snow lotus phantom!
However, Xiaoqi noticed the gray-robed elder's face showed no joy; instead, a cunning smile of scheming success appeared. And Ling Qingshuang of the Glacial Ice Pavilion and Liu Hanyan of the Cold Silence Sect, after initial excitement, also seemed to notice something amiss, their offensive slightly slowing, their eyes filled with wariness.
Xiaoqi gripped his Nirvana Phoenix Sword tightly. Spiritual power surged through his body; the Purification Origin within his dantian quivered slightly. He knew the most critical and truly dangerous moment had arrived. Aunt Su's warning, the earth's, the bizarre formation, and that seemingly holy yet slightly snow lotus phantom... all pointed to a massive conspiracy.
His Golden Core opportunity might be right before him, but one wrong step could be an abyss of ten thousand zhang. He must make the most correct judgment.