162: Ice and Fire Purgatory and Ironfire Ant Queen

Void Heaven Palace, in front of the Inner Hall entrance.

After passing through the underground secret passage of the Spirit Medicine Garden, Zhou Wannian (Old Man Han), accompanied by Purple Spirit, appeared at a massive canyon fork.

To the left, cold winds whistled, and the eye could see nothing but Profound Ice that had not melted for ten thousand years. Blue ice crystals floated in the air, causing a sharp pain even when Divine Sense swept over them. This was the Profound Ice Path.

To the right, heat waves rolled, magma surged like a river, and red Fire Poison mist permeated the air. Black beetles could vaguely be seen floating and sinking in the magma. This was the Molten Lava Path.

“Ice Fire Purgatory...”

Zhou Wannian stood at the intersection, feeling the rush of the two extreme forces, one cold and one hot.

“Brother Han, which way should we go?” Although Purple Spirit's cultivation was not weak, she still felt somewhat suffocated by this immense power of heaven and earth.

“Most of the Righteous Path Alliance Cultivators practice Water Attribute Cultivation Techniques, so they will likely take the Profound Ice Path. The Demonic Path has more Body Cultivators, who are tough-skinned and thick-fleshed, so they will likely take the Molten Lava Path.”

Zhou Wannian rubbed his chin and looked toward the sea of fire on the right.

“We'll go this way.”

“The Molten Lava Path?” Purple Spirit was startled. “But Ancestor Ji Yin and the others...”

“The most dangerous place is often the safest. Furthermore...”

A sharp light flashed in Zhou Wannian's eyes.

“I sense something good over here.”

Just as the two were about to step into the Molten Lava Path.

RUMBLE!

The spatial Restriction behind them fluctuated.

Over a dozen powerful auras descended.

They were exactly the Nascent Soul Old Monsters who had fought their way through the Spirit Medicine Garden.

“Hahahaha! You youngsters sure run fast!”

Savage Beard's massive figure landed with a crash, cracking the ground. His large, copper-bell-like eyes swept over the Core Formation Cultivators who hadn't entered yet, finally settling on Zhou Wannian.

“Hmm?”

Savage Beard let out a soft exclamation, his gaze like a torch, fixed intently on Zhou Wannian (who currently looked like the Sick Daoist).

“Kid, your physique looks sickly, but your Vitality and Blood are condensed and stable, and there's even a faint Treasure Light circulating... Are you a Body Cultivator?”

Zhou Wannian's heart tightened. Savage Beard truly deserved his reputation as the Demonic Path's foremost Body Cultivator; his insight was sharp. Although Zhou Wannian used the formless mask, the essence of his Physical Body (the Embryonic Form of the Star Body) reshaped by the First-Grade Golden Core was still partially discerned.

“Senior is too kind. This Junior merely consumed a few Body-Forging Vermillion Fruits by mistake in my early years, resulting in some brute strength,” Zhou Wannian replied meekly.

“Brute strength? Heh heh, interesting.”

Savage Beard grinned and actually reached out to pat Zhou Wannian's shoulder.

“The Molten Lava Path has heavy Fire Poison; an ordinary Spell Cultivator would be skinned alive entering it. Since you're thick-skinned, kid, go ahead and scout the path for this Old Ancestor!”

“If you perform well, I, this Old Ancestor, will guarantee your survival under that old ghoul Ji Yin.”

Beside them, Ancestor Ji Yin gave Zhou Wannian a sinister look, his eyes full of suspicion.

“Brother Man, this kid's origins are unclear. Be careful he doesn't trick you.”

“What's there to fear? A Core Formation Early Stage Cultivator can't possibly overturn the heavens, can he?” Savage Beard scoffed. “Hurry up and enter! Wan Tianming and his Hypocrites have already entered the Profound Ice Path. If we're late, the void heaven cauldron will be theirs!”

... Having no choice (though it was exactly what he wanted), Zhou Wannian and Purple Spirit were forced to become the “vanguard cannon fodder” for the Demonic Path team.

The group stepped into the Molten Lava Path.

“Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—”

As soon as they entered, the terrifying high temperature caused the Protective Spiritual Light to emit a groan of unbearable strain.

Ordinary Core Formation Cultivators had to fully circulate their magic power to resist the Fire Poison, but Zhou Wannian walked with unusual ease.

The seventy-two star thunder bee cloud swords inside him trembled slightly, releasing a faint layer of Evil-Warding Golden Lightning that isolated all the Fire Poison. Moreover, his Physical Body, tempered by the power of the stars, treated the high temperature as nothing.

“This kid really does have some skill.”

Savage Beard, who was following behind, secretly nodded, becoming even more satisfied with Zhou Wannian.

Just at this moment.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz—”

The magma river ahead suddenly boiled.

A large expanse of black and red cloud rose from the magma, surging overwhelmingly toward the group.

That was not a cloud.

They were tens of thousands of flying ants, fist-sized, possessing ferocious mandibles, and covered entirely in iron-black armor!

Iron Fire Ant.

Ranked thirty-seventh on the Ancient Strange Insect Ranking!

They were unafraid of Five Elements Spells, loved to devour Spiritual Qi, had shells as hard as Magic Treasures, and traveled in swarms. Once entangled, even Nascent Soul Cultivators would feel their scalps tingle.

“Damn it! It's a swarm of Iron Fire Ants!”

Ancestor Ji Yin's expression changed drastically. He waved the ten thousand souls banner in his hand, and countless Ghost Souls rushed forward, only to be instantly devoured by the ant swarm.

“Fire attacks are useless! They originate in the magma!”

“Use Flying Swords to chop them!”

Several Demonic Path Core Formation Cultivators summoned their Flying Swords and slashed at the ants, only producing a shower of sparks. Instead, the ants climbed along the Flying Swords toward them.

“AHHH—!!!”

One Cultivator screamed. His Protective Spiritual Light was bitten through, and he was instantly submerged by the ant swarm. In just three breaths, even his bones were devoured.

“These insects are too hard!”

Savage Beard threw a punch, shattering hundreds of them, but the sheer number of the swarm was too great to eliminate.

“Kid! Aren't you a Body Cultivator? Get up there for this Old Ancestor!”

A malicious glint flashed in Ancestor Ji Yin's eyes, and he actually struck Zhou Wannian's back with a palm, intending to push him into the ant swarm as bait.

“Old Devil Head...”

A cold light flashed in Zhou Wannian's eyes.

He did not dodge.

Instead, he used the force of the palm strike to propel himself into the densest part of the ant swarm.

“Brother Han!” Purple Spirit cried out in alarm.

However, the next moment.

“CRACKLE, CRACKLE, CRACKLE—!!!”

A dazzling ball of golden lightning erupted with Zhou Wannian as its center.

Evil-Warding Divine Thunder!

Although Iron Fire Ants had high physical and magical defense, they were demonic insects of the Yin Fire attribute, naturally restrained by the most rigid and yang Divine Thunder.

The golden lightning net swept through.

Those previously fierce Iron Fire Ants dropped stiffly from the air like dumplings being poured, not dead, but temporarily losing the ability to move.

“This is... Evil-Warding Divine Thunder?!”

Savage Beard and Ancestor Ji Yin behind him simultaneously widened their eyes.

“Does this kid have a Golden Lightning Bamboo Magic Treasure?!”

Zhou Wannian ignored the shock behind him.

His gaze was fixed intently on the depths of the magma.

In that instant, deep within the ant swarm, he sensed a specific crystal fluctuation.

“To catch the bandits, first catch the king.”

Zhou Wannian flicked his sleeve.

The seventy-two star thunder bee cloud swords streamed out, transforming into a golden sword Dragon, forcibly tearing open a passage in the ant swarm.

“Star Lord, act!”

Zhou Wannian let out a low shout (which others could not hear).

A blurry black shadow shot out from his shadow, instantly plunging into the magma.

That was his Soul Transformation Clone, which was unafraid of high temperatures.

“Splash!”

In just two breaths.

The Star Lord Clone rushed out of the magma, holding a giant ant the size of a millstone, completely crystal clear, and seemingly carved from red crystal.

Iron Fire Ant Queen (Mutated Crystal Ant Queen).

With the Ant Queen captured, the surrounding ant swarm instantly descended into chaos, starting to frantically attack their own kind or scatter and flee.

“Collect!”

Zhou Wannian acted quickly, sealing the Ant Queen in a specially made Star Jade Box and tossing it into his Storage Pouch.

“This...”

Watching this seamless series of actions, Savage Beard was dumbfounded.

How was this cannon fodder?

This was clearly a ruthless character pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger!

“Kid, hand over that Ant Queen!”

Ancestor Ji Yin's eyes turned red with greed.

This was an Ant Queen capable of controlling countless Iron Fire Ants! If refined, it would be equivalent to gaining an army fearless of death!

His figure flickered, ready to rush forward and seize it.

“Ji Yin! How dare you!”

BOOM!

A golden fist suddenly intervened, blocking Ancestor Ji Yin.

Savage Beard stood in front of Zhou Wannian, wearing a fierce grin.

“This kid is someone I favor. If he hadn't broken the ant formation just now, we'd still be stuck here.”

“If you want to steal his stuff, ask if my fist agrees first!”

Ancestor Ji Yin's expression fluctuated between dark and light.

It wasn't that he feared Savage Beard, but infighting now while they were still clearing the trial was unwise. Furthermore... he realized that the golden lightning this kid possessed might be extremely useful for the subsequent stages.

“Hmph! Consider yourself lucky!”

Ancestor Ji Yin snorted and flicked his sleeve before walking away.

Zhou Wannian put away his Flying Sword and cupped his hands toward Savage Beard.

“Thank you, Senior Man, for speaking up for justice.”

“Heh heh, kid, cut the formalities.”

Savage Beard patted his shoulder and transmitted his voice:

“I, this Old Ancestor, protect you because you are useful. When we reach the Inner Hall, if effort is needed to retrieve the treasure, don't let me down.”

“That is natural.”

Zhou Wannian lowered his head and agreed.

But he sneered internally:

“It's just mutual exploitation.”

“When we get to the Inner Hall, who will be whose pawn... is still uncertain.”

... After passing through the Molten Lava Path.

The view suddenly opened up.

A massive altar, a thousand zhang tall and entirely constructed of black jade, floated in the Void Realm.

Hanli Platform.

In the center of the altar was a massive opening, and suspended above the opening was a small tripod with three legs and two handles, bronze-colored throughout, radiating an ancient and vast aura.

The void heaven cauldron.

The mouth of the cauldron was Sealed by a layer of blue ice flame—the Azure Blue Ice Flame.

“This is the void heaven cauldron...”

Zhou Wannian looked at the small cauldron, and the blood in his body began to boil.

At this moment, the people from the Righteous Path Alliance also arrived. Wan Tianming and the others looked somewhat disheveled, clearly having suffered quite a bit on the Profound Ice Path.

The Righteous Path and the Demonic Path confronted each other once more.

But this time, everyone's gaze was focused on the cauldron.

“How do we retrieve it?”

“The Azure Blue Ice Flame possesses boundless power; taking it by force definitely won't work.”

“We need to use special Spirit Beasts or treasures to slowly pull it out.”

Ancestor Ji Yin suddenly looked at Zhou Wannian (or rather, at Purple Spirit beside him).

“I heard the Wonderful Sound Sect possesses two ancient exotic species—Blood Jade Spiders?”

Purple Spirit's face turned pale.

“Replying to Senior, this Junior... indeed has one. But the other one is with...”

She looked at Zhou Wannian.

Zhou Wannian sighed.

It seemed the plot's corrective force was still strong.

Although he killed Elder Wu, a crucial item like the Blood Jade Spiders still ended up at this juncture after all the twists and turns.

“The other one is with me.”

Zhou Wannian pulled out a spirit beast pouch from his Storage Pouch (this was either taken from some unlucky person earlier or specifically collected by him in the Outer Sea).

“Excellent!”

Ancestor Ji Yin was overjoyed.

“Kid, and that girl. The two of you take the spiders and pull the cauldron out for me!”

“As long as the cauldron is retrieved, I, this Old Ancestor, guarantee you'll reach Nascent Soul!”

“Guarantee Nascent Soul?”

Zhou Wannian scoffed internally.

Believe your ghost, old geezer, you're absolutely wicked.

However... this suited him perfectly.

Only by getting close to the void heaven cauldron would he have a chance to... flip the table.

“We respectfully obey Senior's decree.”

Zhou Wannian and Purple Spirit exchanged glances. The two of them, carrying the Blood Jade Spiders, slowly walked toward the floating Hanli Platform.

A game of strategy centered around the Chaotic Star Sea's foremost treasure.

Has officially begun.