This place was indeed the most secret royal treasure vault. Even a freezer was protected with strict security measures. Although Yang Hao used his superb artifact-controlling techniques to disable alarms and other devices, a solid alloy steel layer over ten meters thick still left him at a loss.
If other thieves had come here, they would probably have had to give up. Their best option would have been to cut through the freezer door with a laser sword, but the intense heat generated during the process would inevitably damage the precious items stored inside the ice chamber.
Fortunately, Yang Hao had an ice blade. Not only was it extremely sharp, but its icy nature also allowed it to maintain freezing temperatures, ensuring the treasures inside remained unaffected.
After a strenuous effort with his flying sword, Yang Hao finally opened the freezer, drenched in sweat. However, what lay before him made him gasp in shock.
Inside the freezer was not just a few treasures as Yang Hao had expected. Quite the opposite—it was completely filled with large ice blocks. These ice blocks, about fifty centimeters thick and square in shape, were neatly stacked like bricks.
This was indeed the royal family’s most secretive treasure vault. Even a freezer was equipped with tight security measures. Although Yang Hao used his advanced telekinesis to push aside alarms and other devices, there was still a layer of alloy steel over ten meters thick, leaving him at a complete loss.
If it were any other thief, they would likely have to leave empty-handed. The best method for most would be to use a laser sword to cut through the freezer door, but the high temperatures generated by the laser would inevitably damage the treasures stored inside.
Fortunately, Yang Hao had an ice blade. Not only was it incredibly sharp, but its ice attribute also allowed it to maintain the freezing effect, ensuring the treasures remained unharmed.
After some effort with the flying sword, Yang Hao, sweating profusely, finally opened the freezer. But what he saw inside shocked him once again.
Contrary to his expectations, the freezer wasn’t just holding a few treasures. Instead, the massive freezer was completely filled with ice blocks—each about fifty centimeters thick and square-shaped, stacked layer by layer like bricks.
When Yang Hao took a closer look, he realized these weren’t ordinary ice blocks. Inside each transparent block, there was a faint blue fish, no thicker than a finger, swimming leisurely in the center. Each fish had an elongated tail fin, resembling a delicate blue veil floating in water.
The mere presence of fish in ice wouldn’t have been so astonishing—what truly baffled him was that the center of each ice block wasn’t frozen at all. It remained liquid water, allowing the fish to swim freely inside, perfectly alive and well.
For water to remain liquid in sub-zero temperatures defied the laws of physics.
“Exactly! These are Frostfish,” Hunyuanzi chimed in, sensing Yang Hao’s confusion. “Their greatest ability is to melt the ice around them into water, so no matter how cold it gets, they can swim comfortably.”
“But…” Yang Hao’s jaw remained slack. “There are so many Frostfish here.”
As he observed, the entire vault contained thousands of ice blocks, each with a Frostfish inside.
“Damn it!” Hunyuanzi was so agitated he could barely speak coherently. “I searched for millennia and never found even one, yet here they are, piled up like common goods. Unbelievable!”
Yang Hao shrugged, sensing the old ghost’s greed flaring up. To prevent him from pushing him into further mischief, Yang Hao acted swiftly. Without lingering in shock, he grabbed one ice block and closed the freezer door.
As expected, Hunyuanzi muttered under his breath, “If we took all these Frostfish, we could make a fortune.”
“Fortune my foot! We’ve already stolen one. You want to clean them out?”
“Once a thief, always a thief,” Hunyuanzi chuckled. “One theft or a hundred—what’s the difference?”
“Listen carefully,” Yang Hao stopped in his tracks, speaking solemnly. “I only came here out of necessity. If I get the chance, I’ll find Frostfish elsewhere to return this one. I’m no thief.”
“Tch!”
“I’m learning cultivation from you, not morality,” Yang Hao said earnestly. “With your rotten character, no wonder you were labeled as a heretic. Watch me elevate the Dan-Ding Dual Cultivation Sect into a righteous and renowned school that unifies the universe.”
“Rebellious disciple!” Hunyuanzi wailed dramatically. “Why did I end up with such a righteous apprentice?”
“Anyway, now that we have the Frostfish, what about the Firechild?” Yang Hao changed the subject.
“The Firechild thrives in extreme heat. You’ll need to find a furnace.”
Yang Hao activated his heightened senses again, but after scouring the entire palace, he found no trace of a furnace.
“This is bad. It doesn’t seem to be here,” Yang Hao slumped in disappointment.
“No Firechild, no Ice-Fire Ninefold Heaven technique…”
“I know!” Yang Hao snapped, irritated. “Enough with the obvious.” He searched once more but confirmed there was no furnace. Time was running out—lingering any longer risked exposure. Reluctantly, he decided to retreat with the Frostfish and escape the palace first.
Just as he was about to leave, Hunyuanzi muttered, “What’s that red thing in the corner?”
He was referring to a faintly glowing spot in the corner of the storage hall. Even after Yang Hao darkened the entire room, that spot remained dimly lit.
Yang Hao glanced at it dismissively. “Looks like an electric grill.”
“Electric grill?” Hunyuanzi repeated, struggling to grasp modern technology despite living in this era.
“Electric grill!” Yang Hao suddenly realized. “But why is it always on? These things only activate when heating something.”
“Heating!!” Hunyuanzi shouted. “We’re such fools! This isn’t ancient times—why look for a furnace?!”
Exactly. In this age of interstellar travel spanning thousands of galaxies, who still used furnaces except on primitive planets?
Yang Hao activated his Phantom Flower Steps and swiftly pulled out a blindingly red root from the grill. This was indeed the Firechild Hunyuanzi sought. Despite its name, it didn’t resemble a child at all—just a shriveled, dried-up plant that felt like brittle grass in his hand.
Prepared, Yang Hao took out a fireproof box, placed the Firechild inside, and sealed it with a burst of qi.
“Mission accomplished!” With both treasures secured in his bag, Yang Hao finally relaxed. He had expected obstacles, but everything had gone surprisingly smoothly.
But his optimism was short-lived. As he cheerfully rushed out of the palace gates, he didn’t find the quiet, deserted surroundings he imagined.
Instead, a towering figure stood like an iron pillar outside the gates, arms crossed, as if waiting for Yang Hao to walk right into his trap.
Yang Hao recognized him—it was Jin De, the vice-captain of the Swordsmen Corps, whom he had met once at Lingfei Starsea. The man was tall, exceptionally burly, adorned with a jeweled longsword, and his eyes radiated a chilling killing intent.
If the ice blocks merely contained fish, it wouldn’t have been so surprising. The real shock was that the blocks were not entirely frozen—inside were still liquid water, and the fish were swimming alive and well inside the ice.
To maintain water in liquid form at temperatures below freezing was simply defying the laws of physics.
“That’s right! These are Frostfish,” said Hunyuanzi, sensing Yang Hao’s confusion. “The Frostfish’s greatest ability is to melt the ice around them into water, so no matter how cold the environment, they can swim comfortably.”
“But…” Yang Hao’s mouth remained agape. “There are so many Frostfish here.”
Indeed, as Yang Hao saw, the entire warehouse was stacked with thousands of ice blocks, each containing a Frostfish.
“What the hell!” Hunyuanzi exclaimed excitedly, his words becoming incoherent. “I’ve searched for thousands of years and couldn’t find any, yet here they are, so many of them. This is just unbelievable!”
Yang Hao shrugged. He could already sense Hunyuanzi’s rising greed. To prevent the old ghost from forcing him into more wrongdoing, Yang Hao acted decisively, no longer wasting time in astonishment. He quickly grabbed one ice block and shut the freezer door.
As expected, Hunyuanzi muttered, “If we could take all these Frostfish out, we could make a fortune.”
“Make a fortune? We already stole one block. Do you want to steal everything?”
“What’s the difference? We already stole one, so what’s stealing a few more?” Hunyuanzi chuckled. “There’s no difference between stealing once or a hundred times.”
“You’re missing the point,” Yang Hao stopped and said solemnly. “I had no choice but to come here for treasures. If I get the chance in the future, I’ll find other Frostfish and return these. So I absolutely am not a thief.”
“Tch!”
“I’m learning cultivation from you, not how to be a criminal,” Yang Hao said earnestly. “With your kind of character, no wonder you were labeled a heretic sect. Just watch me revitalize the Dual Cultivation Alchemy Sect and make it the supreme orthodox sect in the universe.”
“Blasphemy…” Hunyuanzi cried out in anguish. “How did I end up with such a righteous disciple?”
“By the way, now that we have the Frostfish, where’s the Fire Child?” Yang Hao changed the subject.
“The Fire Child lives in a hot place, so obviously you need to find a furnace.”
Yang Hao continued scanning with his keen perception technique, but after searching the entire vast palace, he detected no trace of a furnace.
“Looks like we’re out of luck. It doesn’t seem to be here,” Yang Hao began to feel disheartened.
“Without the Fire Child, we can’t cultivate the Nine Heavens Ice-Fire Technique…”
“I know,” Yang Hao replied irritably. “Thanks for stating the obvious.” He searched once more thoroughly. There was definitely no furnace here. He had already spent quite some time sneaking in. If he lingered any longer, he might be discovered. With no choice, Yang Hao decisively turned back, planning to escape the palace first with the Frostfish.
Just as he was about to leave, Hunyuanzi muttered, “What’s that red glow in the corner?”
Hunyuanzi was referring to a glowing red spot in a far corner of the storage hall. Ever since Yang Hao had plunged the entire area into darkness, that corner had continued to emit a faint red light.
Yang Hao was about to leave when he glanced over casually and replied, “Looks like an electric oven or something.”
“An electric oven?” Hunyuanzi repeated. Although his era had modern technology, his mind wasn’t quick to adapt.
“Electric oven!” Yang Hao suddenly realized. “Why would an electric oven be on all the time? These things only turn on when they’re heating something.”
“Heating!!” Hunyuanzi shouted. “We’re so stupid! This isn’t ancient times anymore. Why are we even looking for a furnace?!”
Indeed, what era were they in? Spaceships could travel thousands of star systems away. Except for the most primitive and backward planets, who still used furnaces?
Yang Hao swiftly activated his Flying Blossom Shadowless Technique, dashing at high speed to the oven. Inside, he pulled out a root glowing a deep red. Sure enough, it was the Fire Child Hunyuanzi sought. Though called a child, it looked nothing like one—just a shriveled, dry herb, brittle in Yang Hao’s fingers.
Yang Hao was prepared. He took out a fireproof box, placed the Fire Child inside, and exhaled a stream of true energy to seal it shut.
“Mission accomplished!” After putting both treasures into his bag, Yang Hao finally exhaled in relief. He had expected the heist to be difficult, but it turned out surprisingly smooth.
But Yang Hao’s optimism didn’t last long. As he joyfully rushed out of the palace gates, instead of the expected empty courtyard and gentle breeze, someone was already waiting.
Standing there like an iron tower, arms crossed, was a man clearly waiting for Yang Hao to walk straight into his trap.
Yang Hao recognized him immediately—it was Jin De, the vice-commander of the swordsman sect whom he had briefly encountered in the Lingfei Star Sea. The man was tall and powerfully built, wearing a jeweled sword, his eyes radiating cold, murderous intent.
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