184: Setting off on the icy plains, the first encounter with an ambush.

Tianbei City in the early morning was shrouded in a misty, cold fog. As the West City Gate just opened, a caravan consisting of over a dozen camel-drawn carts, covered with thick windproof felt, silently drove out of the city gate, rolling over the thinly iced flagstones and merging into the boundless ice plain outside the city.

This caravan, flying the Wanjin Pavilion banner, was transporting some medicinal herbs and furs unique to the northern regions, destined for a large tribal gathering place to the northwest. From any perspective, this was a perfectly ordinary caravan.

Li Ao, Medusa, and Jin Ling were mixed within this caravan. They had changed into common cold-weather leather coats and largely concealed their auras, appearing like ordinary mercenary guards and accompanying family members. Jin Ling was specially arranged in a modified, warmer, and more comfortable carriage, under Medusa's close protection. Li Ao, meanwhile, rode a tall ice plain yak, moving in the middle of the caravan, seemingly lazy, but his Soul Power had long since spread out like an invisible radar, covering a radius of several miles.

The caravan's leader was an old Steward Wu from Wanjin Pavilion, a Dou King expert, steady and capable, and fiercely loyal to Madam Jin. He was clearly aware of the special nature of this mission and acted with extreme caution.

About a hundred miles after leaving Tianbei City, the surrounding landscape had completely transformed into a uniform white. The strong wind whipped snow, howling incessantly, with visibility fluctuating. Exposed black rocks, like the skeletons of giant beasts, dotted the ice plain. Aside from the wind and the heavy footsteps of the camel beasts, the world was utterly silent.

Jin Ling huddled in the carriage, which was covered with thick furs. Her small face was still somewhat pale. She looked out at the monotonous and harsh scenery through a crack in the window, her light blue eyes showing a hint of fear towards the unknown, but more so, a sense of determination. She knew this was her only hope of survival.

Medusa sat opposite her, eyes closed, seemingly resting, but the faint, cold Qi around her gave Jin Ling a strange sense of security.

Li Ao rode on the yak's back, appearing casual, but he dared not relax in the slightest. The further they moved from Tianbei City, the more pronounced the feeling of being watched became. The Hall of Souls' people, like maggots on a bone, had indeed followed them.

“Stop!”

After traveling for about two hours, Steward Wu, who was at the very front, suddenly raised his hand and gave the command. The entire caravan slowly came to a halt.

“What’s going on?” Li Ao urged his yak forward and asked.

Steward Wu pointed to a strangely shaped ice forest, carved by the fierce wind, his brows tightly furrowed: “Your Excellency Li, the path ahead is blocked by a newly formed ice crevice. It looks very deep, and the camel beasts can’t cross it. We need to detour, but detouring might take an extra half-day and will deviate from our original plan.”

Li Ao's gaze swept towards the ice forest, his Soul Power carefully scanning it. The ice crevice did exist, but… the timing of its appearance was too much of a coincidence. He keenly sensed that, amidst the shadows of the ice forest and the howling wind, several extremely subtle Killing Intent were hidden.

“No need to detour,” Li Ao said calmly, his voice not loud but clearly reaching everyone’s ears. “Everyone, stand by and guard the vehicles.”

As soon as his words fell—

“Chi! Chi! Chi!”

Dozens of pitch-black chains, like venomous snakes, shot out without warning from the snow in all directions! These chains were entwined with dense black mist, emitting a chilling aura that corroded the Soul, aiming directly at the center of the caravan, the carriage where Jin Ling was located!

The attack came extremely suddenly and bizarrely!

“Enemy attack! Form up!” Steward Wu reacted extremely quickly, shouting sharply. Although most of the caravan’s guards were only Great Dou Master or Dou Ling Rank, they were clearly well-trained, instantly erupting with Dou Qi and forming a simple defensive formation. Energy shields of various colors lit up, attempting to block the black chains.

However, those black chains were extremely powerful, easily penetrating the Dou Qi defenses of the lower-ranked guards. Where the chains passed, several guards didn’t even have time to scream before they were corroded by the black mist and turned into withered bones!

“Hmph, mere parlor tricks.”

Just as several chains were about to touch the carriage, a dazzling and cold seven-colored light, like a blooming ice lotus, swept out from inside the carriage!

“Crack! Crack!”

The seven-colored light collided with the black chains. The chains, powerful enough to easily kill a Dou Ling, were frozen and shattered at a visible speed, turning into a sky full of black ice crystal powder!

Medusa’s figure had appeared on top of the carriage at some unknown point, her robes fluttering, purple hair dancing. A layer of frost covered her beautiful face, and her purple eyes coldly scanned her surroundings.

At the same time, Li Ao moved.

He didn’t even dismount from the yak’s back, merely joined his fingers like a blade and, with a gentle stroke, slashed at a certain point in the Void Realm to his left.

A thin, almost transparent, gray-gold blade light, like a cicada's wing, flashed and disappeared.

“Pfft!”

A faint sound, like a sharp blade piercing flesh, rang out. The seemingly empty snow suddenly exploded, and a figure shrouded in black mist, holding a chain, stumbled out. A very thin line of blood appeared on his chest, and before the shock in his eyes could dissipate, his body suddenly split into two halves. His blood and internal organs had not even spurted out before they were instantly annihilated by the Nirvana Power that followed, turning into nothingness!

Instant kill!

A Soul Hall Protector, at least of the Dou Emperor Rank, fell completely without even a chance to react!

Li Ao's understated strike instantly stunned the hidden enemies. The eight black figures that had emerged from the snow all paused for a moment. They clearly hadn't expected such a terrifying existence to be hidden within this seemingly ordinary caravan.

“Dou Venerable… and two of them!” A hoarse, unpleasant voice came from deep within the ice forest, filled with deep apprehension.

The attack paused. The eight Soul Hall Protectors spread out in a fan shape, subtly encircling the caravan. Black mist swirled around them, forming a stark contrast with the pristine white ice plain. The atmosphere was incredibly oppressive.

Li Ao remained on his yak, his gaze calmly directed towards the depths of the ice forest: “Hiding your heads and showing your tails, is this all the Hall of Souls is capable of? Have your leader come out and speak.”

His voice, carried by the wind and snow, clearly penetrated the ice forest.

After a brief silence, the shadows in the ice forest twisted, and a more solid, more powerful black figure slowly emerged. He was also shrouded in a black robe, but on his chest, he wore a strangely shaped dark red emblem. The chilling pressure emanating from him far surpassed that of the eight Protectors.

“This Venerable is Wild Eagle, under the command of the Hall of Souls’ Fifth Heavenly Venerable.” The hoarse voice carried a hint of solemnity. “Your Excellency, who exactly are you? Why interfere with the affairs of my Hall of Souls? Hand over this woman and the items, and this Venerable might consider leaving you a way out.”

Wild Eagle? A cold glint flashed in Li Ao's eyes. He was not unfamiliar with this name. In the original story, it was this person who caused trouble in the Jia Ma Empire in the early stages and colluded with the Cloud Mist Sect. He hadn't expected to encounter him here.

It seemed the Hall of Souls attached great importance to this operation, even sending a Heavenly Venerable (though only a subordinate, his strength was at least Peak Dou Zong, possibly even touching the threshold of Dou Venerable).

“Seeing injustice on the road,” Li Ao calmly gave these four words, then his tone turned cold, “As for a way out… I think it’s you who needs to worry about a way out.”

He slowly stood up from the yak’s back. An invisible, sharp aura began to emanate from him, and the surrounding snowflakes seemed to be cut by invisible blades, unable to approach within three feet of him.

“Since you’ve come, then all of you shall stay.”