174: Your perspective is too narrow.

Central Domain.

Nine Heavens Divine City.

Myriad Dao Pavilion headquarters, top-floor meditation room.

Su Linger sat cross-legged, her body surrounded by visible ice-blue Immortal Qi. With every breath she took, the air condensed into fine ice crystals.

Her cultivation had reached the Late True Immortal stage.

Such speed, in any top Holy Land in the Immortal Realm, would be enough to be called a genius seen once in a thousand years.

Yet, there was not a trace of joy on Su Linger's Face.

She slowly opened her eyes. Those eyes, once as timid as a little deer, were now as deep as a ten-thousand-year-old glacial lake, calm and waveless.

In the void before her floated a water mirror.

In the mirror was the scene of Senior Brother Ye Chenfeng and the others causing a ruckus in the Demon Tablet World, finally dividing up the Immortal Lord Incarnation.

This was the "battle report" that Third Senior Brother Wang Duojin had just triumphantly sent back using the chamber of commerce's channels.

"Senior Brother is at the Early Stage Golden Immortal level..."

"Sixth Junior Brother is at the Profound Immortal Perfection..."

"Fourth Junior Brother is at the Mid-stage Profound Immortal..."

Su Linger murmured softly, her voice cold and detached, revealing no emotion.

She felt no jealousy.

It was just that the Dao Heart belonging to Empress Lingshuang felt a long-lost sense of urgency.

She managed the Myriad Dao Pavilion, sat at the center of operations, devised strategies, and mobilized vast resources.

This allowed her cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds in a short time.

But in the end, this was slow, grinding work.

It was completely different from the experiences of her senior and Junior Brothers, who seized great Opportunities on the edge of life and death.

Her Dao should not be limited to the pavilion.

Her ice and snow needed a broader world to freeze.

"Pavilion Master."

A respectful voice came from outside the door.

It was an operative from the Myriad Dao Pavilion's Intelligence Division.

"Enter."

Su Linger waved her hand, dispelling the water mirror, and the cold air in the meditation room instantly receded.

A Profound Immortal Cultivator dressed in black with restrained Aura pushed the door open and knelt on one knee.

"Reporting to the Pavilion Master, a secret report has arrived from the Northern Cold Immortal Domain."

"The Seal of the 'Frostfall Ancient Domain' has loosened and is expected to open within seven days."

Frostfall Ancient Domain.

Su Linger's gaze flickered slightly.

She had seen this name in the Sect's records.

It was rumored to be the place where an Immortal King of the Ice Dao fell during the ancient times.

That Immortal King had once, with his own power, frozen half of the Northern Cold Immortal Domain, and his reputation was illustrious.

"How many factions know about this news?" Su Linger asked.

"The three top forces of the Northern Cold Immortal Domain—Qionghua Heavenly Palace, the Ice Soul Holy Sect, and the Beiming Clan—have all sent people."

The operative paused and added.

"Among them, the Saintess of Qionghua Heavenly Palace, 'Fairy Linglong', is leading the team personally."

Qionghua Heavenly Palace.

Su Linger's fingertips tapped lightly on the jade table in front of her.

She had an impression of this Sect.

It was a major Immortal Realm Sect that only accepted female Disciples, famous for cultivating the Ice Jade Dao, and they acted quite domineeringly.

That Fairy Linglong was hailed as the strongest successor of Qionghua Heavenly Palace in ten thousand years, with her cultivation already at the True Immortal Perfection stage, only a step away from Profound Immortal.

"Prepare the flying boat."

Su Linger stood up.

"Pavilion Master, you are going personally?" The operative was somewhat surprised.

"For such an Opportunity, I am not at ease sending you all," Su Linger's voice brooked no argument.

It was not that she did not trust her subordinates.

It was simply that her own Dao needed to be walked by herself.

"Yes!"

The operative dared not say more and withdrew to carry out the order.

Half an hour later.

A flying boat crafted entirely from ice crystals with an elegant design silently sailed out of Nine Heavens Divine City, disappeared into the sea of clouds, and sped off in the direction of the Northern Cold Immortal Domain.

...

Five days later.

Northern Cold Immortal Domain, ten thousand miles of snowfields.

The world was vast and boundless.

Piercingly cold winds scraped by like knives.

In front of a massive glacial rift, hundreds of Cultivators had already gathered.

They belonged to three separate factions, clearly distinguished, wary of one another.

Among them, the most eye-catching were a group of female Cultivators dressed in moon-white long dresses, exuding an ethereal Immortal Aura.

The woman at their head was stunningly beautiful with an arrogant temperament, a cinnabar mark on her brow adding a touch of holiness.

She was the Saintess of Qionghua Heavenly Palace, Fairy Linglong.

"Saintess, the Seal of the Frostfall Ancient Domain will completely dissipate in at most one day," an Elder said in a low voice beside her.

Fairy Linglong nodded, her gaze sweeping over the other two factions, a trace of disdain flashing in her eyes.

A bunch of rabble, daring to covet an Immortal King's Legacy.

Just then.

A streak of ice-blue light approached from the horizon.

A gorgeous flying boat made entirely of ice crystals broke through the wind and snow and slowly descended before the rift.

The boat's door opened.

A figure dressed in a plain white dress, with a temperament as cold and aloof as the peak of a snow-capped mountain, stepped out.

It was Su Linger.

Her appearance instantly attracted the gazes of everyone present.

What a beautiful woman!

What a cold and aloof temperament!

It was a kind of nobility that seemed innate, as if she stood above all living beings.

A flash of jealousy crossed Fairy Linglong's originally arrogant Face.

As a fellow practitioner of the Ice Dao, she could feel that the Ice and Snow Law on the other woman was purer and more primal than her own.

"Who goes there?"

A female Disciple of Qionghua Heavenly Palace stepped forward and shouted sternly.

"This place has been sealed off by our Qionghua Heavenly Palace. All idlers, begone at once!"

Su Linger did not look at her.

Her gaze passed over everyone and landed on the massive spatial rift.

From within it radiated an ancient chill that made even her Dao Heart palpitate.

"Myriad Dao Divine Sect, Su Linger."

She spoke indifferently, stating her name.

Myriad Dao Divine Sect?

This name caused everyone present to freeze.

Recently in the Immortal Realm, this Sect's reputation had become thunderously famous.

First, they dismantled Immortal King Leiyuan's Dao discussion meeting in Nine Heavens Divine City.

Then, with thunderous momentum, they wiped out the "Scavengers" organization.

Just a few days ago, it was even rumored that they overturned Old Demon Black Flame's table in the Abyssal Demon Ridge of the Western Domain.

"So it is a friend from the Myriad Dao Divine Sect," Fairy Linglong walked up with a fake smile on her Face.

"I was wondering who had such grand airs."

"However, this Frostfall Ancient Domain is an Opportunity of our Northern Cold Immortal Domain; it doesn't seem to have anything to do with your Eastern Domain Sect, does it?"

"Miss Su, you should return."

Her words appeared polite, but were actually full of the intent to drive her away.

"The Immortal Realm is not your Qionghua Heavenly Palace's Immortal Realm."

Su Linger finally let her gaze fall upon her.

That look was calm and indifferent.

It was as if she were looking at an ignorant child.

"This ancient domain is not your family's back garden, either."

"You want to enter, so you enter."

"I want to come, so I come."

"You..." The smile on Fairy Linglong's Face instantly froze.

She had not expected the other party to dare to show her such little respect.

"What a sharp tongue!"

She sneered.

"Since Miss Su insists on getting a share, we shall see if you have the ability to do so!"

"Hum—"

As soon as her voice fell, the spatial rift ahead suddenly expanded!

A terrifying cold tide that seemed capable of freezing the Divine Soul surged out from within!

The Frostfall Ancient Domain had opened!

"Go!"

Fairy Linglong stopped wasting words and was the first to transform into a streak of light, rushing inside.

The members of Qionghua Heavenly Palace followed closely behind.

The other two major factions were not to be outdone and rushed into the rift one after another.

Su Linger's expression did not change as she stepped inside.

...

The moment she stepped into the ancient domain, Su Linger felt as if she had arrived at the source world of ice and snow.

The sky was made of Profound Ice that had not melted for hundreds of millions of years.

The earth was frozen soil condensed with Laws.

Every wisp of air here contained the most primal Ice Cold Law.

To ordinary Cultivators, this place was a death trap.

But to her, this was the best training ground.

The Supreme Ice Soul Divine Canon operated on its own within her body, crazily absorbing the surrounding ice and snow Origin Qi.

She did not stop, her figure moving as she flew toward the depths of the ancient domain.

She could feel that the Aura that attracted her most was at the very center.

Along the way, she saw many Demonic Beasts frozen into ice sculptures.

She also saw a few corpses of Cultivators who had died not long ago.

They had all been frozen to death because they could not withstand the cold here.

Half an hour later.

She arrived before a massive temple constructed of Profound Ice.

At the entrance of the temple, the people of Qionghua Heavenly Palace were fiercely fighting against a group of elemental guards made of ice.

Fairy Linglong held an ice-blue Immortal sword, her sword light sharp; every strike could shatter a True Immortal stage ice elemental guard into pieces.

But those guards seemed endless.

"Saintess, we can't hold on much longer!"

An Elder shouted anxiously.

Fairy Linglong also noticed Su Linger's arrival, and a flash of ruthlessness crossed her eyes.

"Everyone, listen to my command!"

"Lure these guards away! Let them deal with that woman!"

"Yes!"

The Disciples of Qionghua Heavenly Palace executed the order without hesitation.

They feigned a move and retreated one after another.

Those dozens of berserk ice elemental guards, having lost their target, instantly locked their gazes on the newly arrived Su Linger.

"Roar!"

They roared and charged toward Su Linger.

"Miss Su, these little gatekeepers are left to you."

Fairy Linglong smiled triumphantly, and taking a few core Elders, she bypassed the battlefield and rushed directly into the temple.

"Saintess, is this action somewhat..." An Elder hesitated.

"Shut up!" Fairy Linglong coldly reprimanded.

"All is fair in war! As an outsider, she deserves to die if she does!"

Outside the temple.

Su Linger watched the surging tide of ice elemental beasts charging toward her, her expression unchanged.

She did not even draw her sword.

She simply raised her hand slowly.

Her red lips parted slightly, and she uttered two words.

"Ice Seal."

As the words were spoken, the Law followed.

Time seemed to stop at this moment.

Those dozens of aggressive ice elemental guards, with strength comparable to True Immortal, had all their berserk movements frozen in mid-air.

A layer of deeper, more profound blue ice crystals spread from within their bodies.

In just a breath's time, all the guards had turned into lifelike ice sculptures.

Then.

"Crack."

With a soft sound, all the ice sculptures shattered simultaneously, turning into ice dust filling the sky.

Su Linger withdrew her hand, didn't even glance at them, and stepped into the temple.

Inside the temple, there was a hidden world.

This was a staircase made of cold ice leading to the underground.

On both sides of the staircase burned ghostly blue flames.

Those were Flames of Extreme Cold, capable of burning the Divine Soul.

Su Linger walked down the steps.

Soon, she saw Fairy Linglong and the others walking in front.

They were cautiously resisting the Flames of Extreme Cold on both sides, advancing with great difficulty.

Seeing Su Linger follow so easily, Fairy Linglong's Face became even uglier.

"You..."

She was about to say something.

But Su Linger acted as if she didn't see them and walked straight past them.

Her demeanor was as if she were taking a stroll in her own back garden.

"Damn it!"

Fairy Linglong gritted her teeth in anger.

She quickened her pace, following closely behind Su Linger.

At the end of the staircase.

Was a massive underground ice cave.

In the center of the ice cave.

A cold ice throne a hundred feet high stood silently.

There was nothing on the throne.

But an Immortal King's will, vast as an abyss, shrouded the entire ice cave.

"Legacy!"

A greedy light erupted in Fairy Linglong's eyes.

She was about to rush forward.

"Hum—"

An invisible force sent her flying back forcefully.

"If you wish to obtain this King's Legacy, you must first pass the 'Frost Heart Asking Dao' trial."

An ancient and dignified voice resonated in everyone's minds.

As the voice faded, a path paved with pure Law ice crystals extended from beneath the throne.

On the path, cold mist swirled, and the end could not be seen.

"Frost Heart Asking Dao?"

Fairy Linglong looked at the path, a trace of determination flashing in her eyes.

"I am a Prodigy of Qionghua Heavenly Palace, unseen in ten thousand years! How can a mere Dao Heart trial stump me!"

She was the first to step onto the path.

The moment she stepped on it.

Her body trembled violently.

A glimmer of confusion and struggle flashed in her eyes, followed by wild joy.

She seemed to see herself ruling over the Immortal Realm, worshipped by all Immortals.

She took steps, walking toward that illusory future.

Su Linger watched her and shook her head slightly.

Her vision was too limited.

She also stepped onto the path.

The scene before her changed instantly.

She returned to Beixuan City.

She returned to that dark, damp dungeon that never saw the light of day.

Cold iron chains locked her limbs.

Around her were the hateful, fearful gazes of her clansmen.

"Monster!"

"Omen of misfortune!"

"Sacrifice her to the Earth Vein Cold Abyss! Appease the gods' wrath!"

Endless cold and despair surged in from all directions, wanting to completely freeze her Divine Soul.

If it were the Su Linger of the past, perhaps she would have fallen into this boundless fear once again.

But now.

She was the second Disciple of the Myriad Dao Divine Sect.

She was Su Linger, who managed the Myriad Dao Pavilion.

She was even more, the former Empress Lingshuang who once ruled the Nine Heavens!

There was not a ripple in her eyes.

"Disperse."

She only uttered one word.

The illusion before her shattered with a boom, like flowers in a mirror and the moon in the water.

She took a step and arrived at the end of the path in one stride.

She came before the cold ice throne.

Meanwhile, Fairy Linglong was still in the middle of the path, smiling foolishly at the void.

"Not a bad Dao Heart."

The ancient voice sounded again, with a trace of approval.

"Unfortunately, you are not the one this King is waiting for."

The voice sounded somewhat disappointed.

"However, so be it."

"This wisp of 'Ice Soul Source Crystal' shall be gifted to you."

A streak of ice-blue radiance flew out from the throne and shot toward Su Linger's brow.

However.

Just as that radiance was about to touch Su Linger.

"Hehehehe..."

A spine-chilling, eerie laugh replaced that dignified voice.

That Ice Soul Source Crystal instantly transformed into a hideous ghost Face!

It opened its bloody maw and bit down fiercely toward Su Linger's Sea of Consciousness!

"Thank you for awakening me!"

"I will graciously accept this Spiritual Frost Dao Body!"

Possession!

This was not an Immortal King's Legacy at all!

It was a vicious trap laid by an old devil who had been hiding for countless tens of thousands of years!

That ghost Face exuded a terrifying demonic might far exceeding a Profound Immortal, having even reached the Golden Immortal level!

Everything happened in the blink of an eye!

However.

Facing this certain-death situation.

Su Linger's Face remained as calm as an ancient well.

She only slowly raised her eyes.

In those eyes, as cold and clear as an ice lake.

What was reflected was not fear.

It was a trace of pity.

"So."

"You are the gift."