270: Chapter 270 Treading Snow Without a Trace and the Frost Pavilion Master

The wind and snow of Winter City seemed as if they would never cease.

Zhou Wannian slowly descended the wooden stairs of the Warm Snow Pavilion, lifted the heavy windproof beast-hide curtain, and stepped once more into the silver-clad streets. Snowflakes fell from the sky like shredded cotton, dancing wildly in the fierce wind. Most pedestrians on the street were in a hurry, their bodies glowing with various protective Spell shields to ward off the cold as they trudged through the snow.

Zhou Wannian still wore that somewhat thin azure robe. He didn't prop up any Spell shields, nor did he even release the most basic Protective Immortal Light of a True Immortal Cultivator. Those bone-chilling snowflakes would quietly vanish into nothingness when they were still an inch away from his body, neutralized by an invisible and gentle force, leaving not even a single water stain on his clothes.

He walked very slowly, his pace steady and relaxed, as if he were taking a stroll in this harsh, snowy weather.

Shops on both sides of the street emitted warm spiritual light, and occasionally, crisp cries of street vendors would pierce through the wind and snow. Zhou Wannian observed this city, full of the local flavor of the North Cold Immortal Domain, with great interest. He saw vendors specializing in Ice Spirit Fish, a specialty of the extremely cold waters; the fish were transparent and could still float and swim in the cold wind after leaving the water. He also saw Cultivators leading massive Snow-Treading Beasts, covered in thick white fur, through the streets. Although these Spirit Beasts were not of a high grade, their endurance in such extremely cold places far exceeded that of ordinary flying Magic Treasures.

In this immortal cultivation city filled with the breath of life, Zhou Wannian felt a long-lost tranquility. There was no longer the ubiquitous chill and slaughter of the Gray Realm, nor the urgency of fleeing across domains. After reaching the Perfection of the third layer of the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art, the Five Elements Laws within him were endless and self-sustaining, making him feel as if he had perfectly merged into the operation of the Great Dao of this world.

A slight warmth came from his sleeve, and Golden Boy's somewhat lazy voice transmission echoed in Zhou Wannian's Sea of Consciousness.

“Boss, although this place is cold, the Spiritual Qi in the air is quite clean. I just smelled the scent of high-grade ice-attribute Ore not far ahead. That pure chill is definitely top-quality material for grinding teeth.”

Zhou Wannian's expression remained unchanged, and he replied gently in his Sea of Consciousness, “Don't be in a hurry. This Winter City is just a border city of the North Cold Immortal Domain. The best things here are only good enough to fool ordinary True Immortals. Once we get the lay of the land in this immortal domain, there will be plenty of top-tier immortal Ores for you to choose from.”

He continued forward along the wide, bluish-gray stone road. After walking for about three blocks, a magnificent building pierced through the heavy wind and snow, abruptly appearing in his line of sight.

It was a massive nine-story pavilion. The entire pavilion was not built from ordinary bricks, stones, or wood, but was carved from a single block of Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice mined from an unknown location. The surface of the profound ice emitted a faint ghostly blue glow, and each of the pavilion's upturned eaves was inlaid with a fist-sized high-grade Wind-Avoiding Bead. When the violent wind and snow approached within a hundred feet of this pavilion, they would be completely pushed aside by the invisible force of a massive Formation, creating an area of absolute silence and no wind.

Above the main entrance of the pavilion hung a huge plaque carved from Thousand-Year Warm Jade, with three large characters written in a flamboyant style.

Heavenly Frost Pavilion.

This was the local branch of one of the three major chambers of commerce in the North Cold Immortal Domain mentioned by the waiter.

Zhou Wannian did not pause, stepping into the windless, quiet area with steady steps. As he stepped onto the nine white jade steps in front of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion, a maid dressed in a pure white silk dress with a clear and pretty face immediately came forward to greet him.

This maid's cultivation was around the Nascent Soul Stage Great Perfection. In the Lower Realm, she would be capable of founding a Sect, but in the Heavenly Frost Pavilion, she was only a greeter. Her gaze swept over Zhou Wannian very inconspicuously, and a tiny flicker of astonishment couldn't help but flash through her originally professional and respectful smile.

As a maid of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion, she had been strictly trained in observing people from a young age. Outside, the wind and snow were raging; even True Immortal Cultivators would have a trace of chill on their Protective Immortal Light when they entered the Heavenly Frost Pavilion. But this handsome young man in an azure robe not only didn't prop up a Protective Immortal Light, but even his seemingly ordinary azure cloth shoes didn't have even a speck of snow or water on them.

Walking on Snow Without a Trace, Not a Drop of Water touching him. This Realm of controlling one's own aura and power to absolute Perfection, as if completely isolated from heaven and earth, was something the maid had only felt from the Grand Elder of the pavilion, who was in seclusion year-round.

The maid immediately put away any thoughts of negligence and gave a very elegant bow, her voice as soft as water.

“Senior, welcome to the Heavenly Frost Pavilion. May I ask if Senior is here to purchase Medicinal Pills and Magic Treasures, or to sell rare spiritual Materials?”

Zhou Wannian stood with his hands behind his back, looking calmly at the well-trained maid, and said flatly, “I need the most detailed Star Domain General Map of the North Cold Immortal Domain. Also, find someone in charge so I can inquire about some news.”

Hearing this, the maid's heart skipped a beat again. Asking for the most detailed Star Domain General Map and wanting to see someone in charge meant he was definitely not an ordinary Loose Cultivator who just bought a couple of bottles of pills in the first-floor hall.

She didn't ask any further questions, but simply stepped aside respectfully and made a gesture of invitation.

“The items Senior seeks are extremely precious, and the counters on the first floor cannot meet Senior's needs. Please follow this Junior to the VIP quiet room on the ninth floor. I will go and invite Shopkeeper Bai of our pavilion to personally receive you.”

Zhou Wannian nodded slightly and entered the doors of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion under the maid's guidance.

The space inside the pavilion was much larger than it appeared from the outside, obviously due to a very sophisticated space expansion Formation. The hall displayed countless Magic Treasures and Medicinal Pills emitting startling spiritual power fluctuations, with many Cultivators lingering in front of the counters. But the maid did not let Zhou Wannian stop in these places, instead leading him directly to a small teleportation Formation covered in teleportation runes.

With a faint flash of light, the two of them instantly disappeared from the first floor.

When he reappeared, Zhou Wannian had already arrived at the top floor of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion.

The layout here was extremely quiet and elegant. The floor was covered with a snow-white carpet sewn from high-grade spirit fox fur, which felt soft and carried a warm spiritual energy when stepped on. Several landscape paintings containing deep Daoist charms hung on the surrounding walls, and a faint scent of calming sandalwood filled the air.

The maid led Zhou Wannian to a purple sandalwood table by the window and sat him down, then skillfully poured him a cup of clear tea emitting wisps of spiritual energy.

“Senior, please wait a moment. Shopkeeper Bai will be here shortly.” The maid respectfully withdrew from the quiet room and closed the wooden door, which was inscribed with a soundproofing Formation.

Zhou Wannian picked up the teacup but didn't rush to drink, just quietly watching the few emerald-green tea leaves slowly unfurl in the boiling water. This kind of top-grade Snow Mist Tea would be worth several months of bitter cultivation for an ordinary True Immortal, but for him, it was just a drink to quench his thirst.

He didn't release his Divine Sense to probe around, but just sat there quietly, enjoying this rare peace.

A moment later, a very slight sound of footsteps came from outside the quiet room.

The wooden door was slowly pushed open, and a middle-aged man in a silk robe with a plump face walked in with a beaming smile. This man's cultivation had reached the Golden Immortal Early Stage Peak, just a step away from the Middle Stage, and he exuded a smooth aura of someone who had long held a high position.

This person was the top official of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion in Winter City, Bai Yunfei.

As soon as Bai Yunfei entered, he habitually sent out a very weak, non-hostile thread of Divine Sense toward Zhou Wannian, wanting to get a preliminary sense of this guest's background.

However, when his Golden Immortal-level Divine Sense touched the area within three feet of Zhou Wannian's body, the smile on Bai Yunfei's face instantly froze.

He wasn't crudely repelled, nor did he feel any terrifying pressure like a deep abyss or a vast sea. That thread of Divine Sense was like a clay ox entering the sea, or a drop of water falling into an endless void black hole, quietly losing all connection without causing even the slightest ripple.

This bottomless, completely unperceivable state caused cold sweat to instantly break out on the back of Bai Yunfei, a well-traveled Golden Immortal manager.

He knew he had encountered a truly great figure. This kind of method that could completely erase one's presence from the Laws of heaven and earth was something that even an ordinary Taiyi Early Stage powerhouse might not be able to achieve, let alone a Golden Immortal.

Bai Yunfei immediately retracted all his probing thoughts, set aside his merchant's slickness, and replaced it with a heartfelt, extreme respect. He walked quickly to the table and, without hesitation, bowed deeply to Zhou Wannian.

“Junior Bai Yunfei of the Heavenly Frost Pavilion greets Senior. I was presumptuous just now, and I hope Senior can be magnanimous.” Bai Yunfei's tone was filled with sincerity and trepidation.

Zhou Wannian put down his teacup, and his slender fingers tapped twice very slowly on the purple sandalwood tabletop. That very slight tapping sound fell on Bai Yunfei's ears as if it were knocking on his heart, causing him to involuntarily hold his breath.

“Sit.” Zhou Wannian's tone was flat, without the slightest blame, yet it carried an inherent majesty that was impossible to resist.

“Thank you, Senior.” Bai Yunfei cautiously sat on the chair opposite Zhou Wannian, only daring to sit on the edge, with his back straight.

Zhou Wannian looked at Bai Yunfei calmly and spoke slowly, “I have just arrived in the North Cold Immortal Domain and need the most detailed Star Domain General Map. It must include not only the coordinates of major Star Domains but also the territorial divisions of top Sects, markings of forbidden lands and dangerous areas, and the exact locations of all known cross-domain teleportation Formations.”

Hearing this, Bai Yunfei inwardly groaned. A Star Domain General Map of this level was already a strategic resource. Ordinary chambers of commerce could not possibly possess it, and even for the Heavenly Frost Pavilion, such a map was a non-sale item kept in the deepest part of the vault, usually only used for interest exchanges with those top Sects.

If an ordinary person dared to make this request, Bai Yunfei would have had them driven out long ago. But in front of this unfathomable young man in an azure robe, he couldn't even say the words of refusal.

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Bai Yunfei wiped away the non-existent cold sweat from his forehead and chose his words with extreme caution: "Senior is joking. Such a detailed Star Domain map indeed exists. However, this map is of great importance, as it records many un The Secret of Transmission (untransmitted secrets). If it were to be sold easily, I would find it difficult to account for it to the Heavenly Frost Pavilion headquarters."

Zhou Wannian did not speak. He understood the ways of merchants; the so-called difficulty in accounting was merely a sign that the stakes were not high enough yet.

He calmly extended his right hand, palm upward. A soft, silver-white glow slowly lit up in his palm.

At the center of this silver-white glow, an irregular crystal, only the size of a thumb, silently floated. It was entirely a deep, dark color, and its surface was covered with natural Space Law patterns.

With the appearance of this crystal, the space within the entire quiet room seemed to become incredibly viscous and heavy. The sound-insulating Formation, which had been operating stably, emitted an extremely subtle twisting sound, as if it could not bear the Law pressure emanating from this tiny crystal.

This was a top-grade Void Origin Crystal that Zhou Wannian had casually condensed from the depths of the violent spatial turbulence using his Major Achievement Space Law when he crossed the Lost Star Ring.

The moment Bai Yunfei's gaze touched the Void Origin Crystal, his eyes widened abruptly, and his breathing completely stopped.

As the shopkeeper of Heavenly Frost Pavilion, his vision was naturally extraordinary. He recognized at a glance what a Heaven-Defying treasure this was. This was a peerless rarity that could be used to refine Grand Unity-level spatial Immortal Artifacts, and even to stabilize the Origin of a damaged Immortal Domain. Such a treasure, let alone a Star Domain map, was more than enough to buy half of Winter City.

"Is this Void Origin Crystal enough to silence your headquarters?" Zhou Wannian's tone remained as calm as ever, as if he had merely taken out a roadside pebble.

"Enough, absolutely enough!" Bai Yunfei suddenly stood up, his voice trembling slightly from extreme excitement. "Senior's generosity is something I have never seen in my life. Please wait a moment, Senior; I will personally go to the treasure vault to retrieve that Star Map now."

Bai Yunfei bowed deeply to Zhou Wannian and almost jogged out of the quiet room.

Zhou Wannian watched Bai Yunfei's departing back, his expression unchanged. He picked up the cup of slightly warm Snow Mist Tea again and slowly took a sip. He naturally understood the principle of not flaunting wealth, but with absolute power to crush everything, obtaining what he wanted in the simplest and most direct way was the most time-saving approach.

In less than half an incense stick's time, Bai Yunfei returned. His hands respectfully held an exquisite Jade Box carved from Ten-Thousand-Year-Old Warm Jade.

Bai Yunfei carefully placed the Jade Box on the Zitan Wood table and gently unlatched the Restriction lock.

The Jade Box opened, revealing an ancient Jade Slip, deep blue in color, its surface adorned with countless intricate star runes, lying quietly within.

"Senior, this is the Star Domain map you requested. This map was painstakingly compiled by my Heavenly Frost Pavilion over tens of thousands of years, with the sacrifice of countless Explorers. Throughout the entire North Cold Immortal Domain, you absolutely won't find a second one more detailed than this," Bai Yunfei introduced respectfully.

Zhou Wannian put down his teacup and reached out to pick up the deep blue Jade Slip between his fingers.

Without any guard, he extended a wisp of his Divine Sense into the Jade Slip.

Boom.

A vast and boundless Star Map, seemingly encompassing the entire Universe, slowly unfolded in Zhou Wannian's Sea of Consciousness. Countless stars and continents, shimmering with various colors of light, slowly rotated within his Sea of Consciousness. The vastness of the North Cold Immortal Domain even far exceeded his previous expectations.

He clearly saw the immense region located in the very center of the Star Map, shrouded in endless wind and snow and aurora, prominently marked with the four golden characters for North Cold Immortal Palace. That was the nominal supreme ruler of the entire North Cold Immortal Domain, and also the official organization established by the Heavenly Court in this place.

Scattered around the North Cold Immortal Palace were dozens of immensely powerful top Sect forces. Baizao Mountain, Fuling Sect, Cangliu Palace, and other resounding names occupied vast territories on the Star Map.

Zhou Wannian's Divine Sense swiftly swept across the Star Map, imprinting ancient ruins hidden in the extreme cold abysses, dangerous Jedi (deadly grounds), and all secret nodes marked with cross-domain teleportation arrays deep into his memory.

After a full incense stick's time, Zhou Wannian slowly withdrew his Divine Sense from the Jade Slip. He casually put the Jade Slip into his Storage Bracelet, leaving the top-grade Void Origin Crystal on the table.

Bai Yunfei carefully put away the Void Origin Crystal, his smile growing even more humble.

"Besides the Star Map, I have a few more questions I'd like to ask Shopkeeper Bai," Zhou Wannian said calmly, looking at Bai Yunfei.

"Senior, you humble me. Whatever your instructions, Junior will speak without reservation, holding nothing back," Bai Yunfei quickly replied.

Zhou Wannian's slender fingers gently stroked the rim of his teacup and asked, "Has anything significant happened recently in this North Cold Immortal Domain that would attract the attention of Grand Unity-level Cultivators? Or rather, is there any place where one can find top-grade Origin items with the Five Elements attributes?"

Bai Yunfei lowered his head in thought for a moment, quickly sifting through the massive amount of intelligence collected by Heavenly Frost Pavilion in his mind.

"Replying to Senior. If we speak of major events that could attract the attention of Grand Unity powerhouses, there is indeed one recently," Bai Yunfei answered very seriously. "In about a month, on the Nether Cold Continent in the central part of the North Cold Immortal Domain, an ancient Secret Realm named Minghan Immortal Mansion will open. It is rumored that this Immortal Mansion is a Legacy site left by a peerless Daluo Realm Peak powerhouse several million years ago. Inside, there are not only countless lost Grand Unity-level Cultivation Techniques and Magic Treasures, but also, it is rumored, a supreme Opportunity that can allow one to Breakthrough the Daluo Bottleneck."

"Minghan Immortal Mansion." Zhou Wannian narrowed his eyes slightly. This was indeed a rather attractive place.

Bai Yunfei continued, "Because of the opening of this Minghan Immortal Mansion, the entire North Cold Immortal Domain is now rife with undercurrents. All the major top Sects are secretly deploying their forces, and even the mysterious Palace Lord of the North Cold Immortal Palace is said to be preparing to make an appearance personally. If Senior is interested in this Immortal Mansion, with your cultivation, you will certainly shine brilliantly within it."

Zhou Wannian did not respond to Bai Yunfei's flattery. He knew very well that the waters of such a large Secret Realm, which gathered the top forces of the entire Immortal Domain, were absolutely unfathomable. With his current strength, although he was not afraid of ordinary Grand Unity Cultivators, he would still face considerable trouble if he encountered old monsters who had hidden for countless years, or Daluo Realm existences.

However, fortune favors the bold. The subsequent Cultivation of the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art required extremely terrifying resources. If he could gain enough benefits in the Minghan Immortal Mansion, it could save him tens of thousands of years of arduous Cultivation.

"As for the top-grade Origin items with the Five Elements attributes that Senior mentioned..." Bai Yunfei paused, his tone becoming somewhat hesitant. "Such level treasures are mostly found by chance and not by seeking. However, Junior has heard that at the Heavenly Frost Grand Auction a month later, the headquarters will send a finale item. It is said to be a mass of Primordial Sun Essence Fire, born from the deepest part of an Extreme Flame Vein, which can definitely be considered a top-grade Origin of the fire attribute."

"Primordial Sun Essence Fire." A glint flashed in Zhou Wannian's eyes. The fire Origin of his Great Five Elements Illusory World Art had never reached the most perfect Perfection state. If he could obtain this mass of Primordial Sun Essence Fire, his strength would increase tremendously.

Zhou Wannian stood up and smoothed the hem of his cyan robe.

"Thank you, Shopkeeper Bai, for the information. I will go and see this Heavenly Frost Grand Auction," Zhou Wannian said calmly.

Seeing that Zhou Wannian was about to leave, Bai Yunfei quickly pulled out a crystal-clear Jade Token from his In my arms (bosom), carved with intricate snowflake patterns, and respectfully handed it over with both hands.

"Senior, this is the highest-level 'Heaven's Mark' VIP token of my Heavenly Frost Pavilion. Holding this token, Senior can not only freely participate in any level of auction held by our pavilion, but also enjoy the lowest discount when purchasing all items. It is a small token of our Heavenly Frost Pavilion's appreciation, and I hope Senior will not decline."

Zhou Wannian did not refuse this goodwill. He casually took the Jade Token and, without even looking at it, put it into his sleeve.

"Much obliged."

Zhou Wannian indifferently uttered these three words and made no further stops. He pushed open the wooden door of the quiet room and, following the Formation inscribed with teleportation runes, silently left Heavenly Frost Pavilion.

Bai Yunfei stood in the quiet room, looking through the window at the wind and snow-swept street below, but could no longer find that cyan figure.

He let out a long sigh, reached up to wipe the dried cold sweat from his forehead, and looked at the Jade Box containing the Void Origin Crystal on the table, his eyes filled with unconcealed ecstasy and lingering fear.

"Where did this unfathomable Senior, this monster, come from? It seems the North Cold Immortal Domain is about to stir up an earth-shattering storm," Bai Yunfei murmured to himself, then very solemnly put the Jade Box into the most personal Storage Magical Artifact in his bosom.

On the streets of Winter City, the wind and snow continued to rage.

Zhou Wannian walked alone on the deeply snow-covered bluestone road. His steps remained steady and unhurried, as if the enormous transaction and the shocking news he had heard at Heavenly Frost Pavilion had left no ripple in his heart.

He looked up, his gaze piercing through the swirling snow, towards the extremely distant northern sky.

"Minghan Immortal Mansion, Primordial Sun Essence Fire. It seems the coming days won't be too boring."

Zhou Wannian muttered to himself very lightly. He did not immediately leave Winter City. Instead, he followed the street and found a secluded, private inn, where he booked the highest-level quiet room. He planned to use this month to thoroughly stabilize the Wood Origin he had recently integrated, preparing perfectly for the impending storm.

Inside the inn's quiet room, sandalwood incense wafted. Zhou Wannian sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his eyes slightly closed, his breathing long and steady. The howling wind and snow outside the window were completely blocked by the Formation, leaving only his steady breathing, like the pulse of heaven and earth, slowly echoing in the tranquility.