The core island of Dixian Lake.
After witnessing Cao Tai’s death, the disciples guarding the periphery began collecting his corpse while dispatching others deeper into the island, toward the area frozen for ten thousand years.
In the center, layers of ice and snow covered the landscape. The disciple, merely at the Qi-opening stage, could already feel the bone-chilling cold. He circulated his martial arts technique, unleashing the Ice Xuan Force, and struck the ice gate with his palm. The area was lifeless, everything frozen solid, with faint light reflecting hazy scenery.
The ice gate emitted cold light, as if ice souls were flowing within, but it did not open. Instead, a melodious female voice emerged:
“What happened to Cao Tai?”
As guardians of the restricted area, the elders surely would have noticed any external figures landing on the island. However, bound by rules, unless someone relieved them, they could not abandon their posts, lest the grand formation and the Immortal’s Remnant be left uncontrolled, leaving an opening for enemies.
—The grand formation required a Grandmaster to be fully activated and sustained over time, and the Immortal’s Remnant could only be controlled by experts at or above the Grandmaster level.
The Cao disciple hurriedly replied, “Brother Tai is dead!”
“A Dharma Body has attacked Peijing. The family is in crisis. Please Elder Jiushu for aid—attack from within and without!”
Although Cao Feiyue had vaguely sensed Cao Tai’s “death,” she was still shocked and grief-stricken upon hearing the news. Cao Tai was the grandson of the family head!
When she heard the next sentence, her expression changed, and she blurted, “A Dharma Body attack?”
Cao family did not have any treasure appearing, nor had they gravely offended any Dharma Body cultivator. Why would they be attacked?
Could it be… her pupils constricted as she thought of something—the recent exposure and elimination of the two Golden Tent Shamans!
Was it Chonghe and Lu Da who had discovered something and directly tested their defenses to uncover the Cao family’s intentions?
With all the clues pointing in that direction, and Cao Tai desperately calling for help, Cao Feiyue, overwhelmed by concern, could no longer think clearly. She immediately activated the formation, unleashing icy cold light that formed into a giant eye, gazing toward Peijing. There, strange lights shone, and the formation’s fluctuations were clearly felt from afar—there truly was a Dharma Body attacking!
The outer disciples watched in shock and panic. As beneficiaries of the Cao family’s protection, they naturally feared greatly for the family’s safety.
Legends in the martial world spoke of a great calamity approaching—could it really be true, even affecting the top-tier Peijing Cao clan?
He had only opened six or seven meridians and lacked the strength to train beneath the ten-thousand-year ice, thus not qualified to enter the ice gate.
Deep within the ice layers, a chamber formed from drifting ice particles as fine as mist. Inside lay a spring with no discernible bottom, bubbling not with clear water, but with an eerie blue liquid ice. It flowed outward, absorbing the scarce traces of heat, gradually solidifying along its path. Any ordinary Qi-opening cultivator reckless enough to touch it would instantly freeze from bloodline to skin, transforming into an ice statue.
The spring was about a zhang in diameter, within which were immersed two corpses. Both wore tall hats and ancient robes, with wide sleeves fluttering—clearly styled in the fashion of the Middle Ancient era, not the Tai Gu period.
Their physical forms remained undecayed, their skin gently pulsing as if still absorbing the icy flow, breathing in primordial energy. One’s pores occasionally flickered with purple lightning, while the other’s eyebrows, beard, and skin were all crystallized into ice. Their eyes were closed, lifeless, sustained only by the ice eye to prevent their power from dissipating.
On either side of the spring sat Cao Feiyue and the elegant, serene Cao E. The latter was surrounded by faint, drifting lightning, resisting the cold near the ice eye. Her spirit extended outward, sensing the Purple Lightning Immortal’s physical form, slowly exploring the mysteries of his inner landscape, meridians, flesh, and skin. By observing the cultivation of the same technique by an immortal, she could correctly cultivate her own Dharma Body and grasp the Dharma principles, laying the most solid foundation for her future path!
Cao Feiyue, appearing middle-aged with a mature demeanor and beautiful features, confirmed the Dharma Body attack on Peijing and quickly rose, bowing deeply before the ice-encased Immortal. She formed hand seals, her spirit transforming into ropes extending into the Immortal’s forehead.
Boom!
The ice eye seemed to tremble, ice mist dispersing, shards swirling. The Immortal’s eyes suddenly opened—crystal clear, like two ice souls, emitting a coldness so intense that even Cao Feiyue, a Grandmaster cultivating the “Ice Xuan Force” from the seventy-two chapters of the Earth Immortal, shivered. It felt as if her soul had been left alone in the icy abyss.
The Immortal flew out of the ice eye, landing beside Cao Feiyue. Nearby, Cao E, though unable to sense the outside world, had understood the situation from Cao Feiyue’s brief exchange with the disciple. Her gaze now held both anticipation and worry.
“The Immortal’s Remnant, the Purple Lightning Jade Ruler, and the Peijing Formation—no Dharma Body today could hope to overcome them,” Cao Feiyue succinctly reassured, transferring control of the formation to Cao E and instructing her to immediately close the ice gate and activate the formation upon her departure.
With the family in crisis, Cao Feiyue hurriedly gave a few instructions, letting Cao E control the formation, open the ice gate, and herself manipulate the ice-encased Immortal, dashing outward.
The ten-thousand-year ice cracked open, two crystalline cold lights shooting forth. As they were about to depart, a sudden sword beam slashed down from midair.
The sword beam was crimson, exuding an indescribable sharpness, seemingly unstoppable by anything or anyone, only capable of piercing through and drinking blood.
It surged forward, blowing away the guarding disciples, lifting Cao Tai’s corpse, and slashing toward Cao Feiyue!
Another ambush here?
Cao Feiyue was taken aback. She didn’t suspect the treasure vault, but she could sense the enemy’s resolve to annihilate the Cao family. Not daring to hesitate, she swiftly shifted her hand seals.
The Immortal let out a resounding roar and struck outward with a palm. The void seemed to freeze—even the airflow crystallized into eerie blue ice, rapidly spreading toward the sword beam.
The sword light silently began to solidify, like crimson glazed glass. In midair, Chonghe’s clone flicked a finger, and Cao Tai’s corpse shattered into countless fragments of flesh and hair, hurtling toward Cao Feiyue with a piercing force.
Puh! Puh! Puh!
The sword light and flesh barely counterbalanced the spreading azure glow, yet what Cao Feiyue failed to perceive was a single strand of hair riding the wind—lightly swirling before slipping into the ice gate that hadn’t fully sealed shut.
If inside were a Grandmaster controlling things, the anomaly would surely be detected and stopped in time. Unfortunately, it was now Cao E!
The battle intensified, the Immortal displaying great might, repelling the invaders. The ice gate closed again, the formation fully activated, temporarily safe from external threats.
Cao Feiyue dared not delay. Harnessing the power of the Immortal, it was as if she pierced through the void, taking just two steps to arrive in Peijing!
Inside the ice gate, the hair drifted down, hiding in a dark corner, evading detection—it was none other than Meng Qi’s true body.
Using the Microcosm Universe Flag and slight guidance from Lingbao Tianzun through the technique of Manifesting the Three Pure Ones, his clone had transformed into flesh, while his true body became a strand of his own hair, stealthily infiltrating the Cao family’s restricted area.
Looking up, this place was a tunnel carved from solid ice, winding downward. On both sides of the ice walls were one or two figures hidden deep within, all cultivating the Ice Xuan Force, training in external scenes.
Meng Qi quietly activated the last Blinding Talisman he had extorted from Lingbao Tianzun, concealing his form and erasing his aura as he boldly strode downward.
—After discovering the Golden Tent Shamans, Lingbao Tianzun had returned to the entrance of the Immortal Trace to reacquire and prepare some items.
…
Inside the Cao family’s ancestral hall, Mad King Gao Lan and Demon Sage Han Guang sat facing each other—one cold and ruthless, the other suave and elegant. The two shining stars finally met.
Feeling the gaze of the Cao family head, Han Guang smiled leisurely, “If we act, unless we kill the one outside, the matter will immediately be exposed. The Cao family will become the target of all, a great disaster for you.”
“A single Dharma Body—you Cao family still cannot handle it?” Gao Lan expressionlessly spoke, his hand resting on a long sword with a black leather scabbard, “The Golden Tent Shamans have already been eliminated by me. Without witnesses, mere speculation cannot condemn a top-tier clan. Since negotiations have not concluded and the opportunity has not yet appeared, self-exposure would be harmful and unbeneficial.”
The Cao family head solemnly nodded, “Indeed.”
He grasped the divine weapon and soared into the sky, fully trusting the two Dharma Bodies.
Immediately, thunder rolled across the heavens, transforming midair into an ocean of lightning, wave after wave, helping Cao Xianzhi and the formation resist Lingbao Tianzun’s attack, shielding the previous Grandmaster from a fatal strike.
“Truly immune to temptation? With us two, two Immortal Remnants, divine weapons and formations—we have a good chance of killing the Lingbao Tianzun outside, who might even be the Pure Yang Chonghe. Still not tempted?” Han Guang smiled, maintaining his suave demeanor.
Gao Lan coldly glanced at him, “Not yet prepared.”
“Devoted to the world, how could I sacrifice the greater for the lesser!”
…
The chill deepened, with dark blue ice flows even in the corners. Relying on the Blinding Talisman, Meng Qi easily advanced near the eye of the ice.
A white mist enveloped the area—not water vapor, but fine ice particles densely interwoven. The Inner Forbidden Technique silently activated, making Meng Qi realize that beyond this point, the Blinding Talisman would cease to function.
He thought for a moment, then transformed into another Cao family external scene cultivator—his observation over the past few days, also cultivating the Ice Xuan Force.
After walking a few steps, a figure rose from the ice mist, surrounded by ice soul light—an absolute expert cultivating here.
“Chengxuan, you’ve come too?” Once cultivation began, attention to the outside world decreased, and with various external scene cultivators coming and going in the restricted area, who could fully understand?
Meng Qi nodded slightly, feigning silence: “There seemed to be commotion outside. My mind couldn’t calm, so I walked around.”
The expert did not suspect, having sensed the Immortal Remnant emerging from the ice eye earlier.
After exchanging a few words, Meng Qi used the excuse of inquiring about Cao E, separated from him, and continued toward the ice eye.
Along the way, the dark blue ice flows increased. Meng Qi observed the changes in the Qi, adjusted his direction, and headed toward the position opposite the ice eye.
Beyond the layers of icy walls, a serene blue pond emerged, its waters chilling yet unfrozen—this was the Ice Soul Cold Milk, a rare treasure of alchemy.
At the pond’s bottom, more Cold Milk was generated, producing bubbling sounds. Meng Qi performed the technique and hand seals taught by Zhenwu Emperor, transforming into a streak of light, plunging into the pond.
Gurgle!
The world changed. Meng Qi felt himself passing through layer upon layer of veils. Before him, rippling water reached his chest, and distant grand halls appeared.
A cold moon hung midair, with no visible horizon—seeming like a self-contained realm!
Looking around, Meng Qi suddenly furrowed his brows. Everywhere lay broken walls and ruins, as if someone had destroyed them, except for the central black grand hall, floating on water, intact and undamaged.
Had someone entered before? But failed to break Zhenwu Emperor’s seal on the treasure vault? This thought naturally arose in Meng Qi’s mind.
…
At the ice eye.
Cao E calmed herself, continuing to explore the Purple Lightning Immortal’s physical secrets for reference.
Suddenly, a strange feeling arose in her heart. She couldn’t help but open her eyes. What she saw nearly made her soul flee—because the Immortal Remnant before her had opened its eyes on its own!
Two beams of electricity shot from its eyes, two chi long!
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