170: Forbidden Land Shadow

The cold wind outside the Ice Crystal Cave rolled with ice chips, striking Li Yuanba's Purple Gold Hammer and splashing fine ice flowers.

Jun Xiaoyao stood at the entrance, looking at the ice-covered rock wall. Dragon Yuan Power flowed in his palm, faintly resonating with a certain aura inside the cave.

"Young Lord, this ice wall at the entrance is devilishly hard. I only managed to leave a white mark after one strike," Li Yuanba said gruffly, hoisting his double hammers, his nose red from the cold.

Jun Xiaoyao lightly raised his fingertip, and the Dragon Yuan Power transformed into a black and white stream of Qi, landing on the ice wall.

The ice melted at a visible speed, revealing a stone door carved with runes behind it. The runes flickered with a faint blue light, originating from the same source as Myriad Frost Pavilion's Mountain Protecting Formation.

"It's the 'Profound Ice Rune Formation'," Jun Xiaoyao said, looking at the runes. "Snow Thousand Cold was willing to spend a fortune, using ten-thousand-year profound ice mixed with her own vital essence to set up this Formation. Ordinary Heavenly Human Realm cultivators can't break it."

He flicked his finger, and more Dragon Yuan Power surged into the runes. The faint blue light began to flash violently, as if resisting this domineering power. Suddenly, the stone door cracked open with a "kacha" sound, and bone-chilling cold air mixed with a faint medicinal fragrance seeped out of the gap.

[System Notification: High-grade cold-attribute medicinal material detected, suspected to be "Ice Soul Snow Lotus," which can be used to stabilize the Land Immortal Realm Foundation.]

A hint of interest flashed in Jun Xiaoyao's eyes: "It seems Snow Thousand Cold didn't just hide treasures, but also many good things. Li Yuanba, smash the door open."

Li Yuanba could no longer restrain himself. He brought both hammers out, smashing them fiercely onto the stone door. With a deafening "boom," the runes instantly scattered, and the stone door shattered, revealing a crystal-clear Ice Cave inside. Countless ice cones hung upside down from the ceiling, reflecting multicolored light.

The passage inside the cave wound downward. Luminous pearls were embedded in the ice walls on both sides, lighting the path ahead. After walking for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the view suddenly opened up—this was a massive Ice Hall. Dozens of jade boxes were placed on the central ice platform, and a huge map was hung on the adjacent stone wall, marked with vermilion to show the distribution of forces across the continent. The words "Forbidden Land" were circled countless times, and a small line of text was written next to it: "Void Fissure opens in three months."

"Young Lord, the markings on this map match the secret report Marshal of the Unruly sent before!" Li Yuanba leaned over, pointing at the location of the Forbidden Land. "I heard no one who enters that place ever comes out; even old monsters in the Land Immortal Realm have perished inside."

Jun Xiaoyao walked to the edge of the ice platform and opened a jade box. Inside lay a long sword, completely snow-white, with the words "Ice Soul" carved on the scabbard—it was Ye Gucheng's personal sword. He gripped the hilt and pulled it out gently. A blast of cold Qi shot into the sky, instantly shattering the ice cones on the ceiling. The cold light gathered at the tip of the sword caused the air to develop white frost.

[Item Panel Expanded:

Name: Ice Soul Sword

Grade: Divine Weapon

Attribute: Contains extreme cold Sword Intent, capable of severing the Heavenly Human Realm's Protective Aura, and has an amplification effect on water and cold attribute Cultivation Techniques.

Additional: Half a "Forbidden Land Void Fissure" distribution map is hidden inside the scabbard.]

Jun Xiaoyao pulled out the distribution map from the scabbard and compared it with the map on the stone wall. It perfectly completed half the outline of the Forbidden Land. The location of the Fissure was marked in red pen, with a note next to it: "Requires a 'boundary breaking talisman' to approach."

"boundary breaking talisman..." He recalled the keepsake he had obtained earlier from the Great Priest of the Snow Region. "It seems the Void Fissure three months from now is the true objective of all major forces."

At this moment, the ice cabinet in the corner of the Ice Hall suddenly let out a soft "kada" sound. Li Yuanba turned sharply, holding his double hammers horizontally: "Who's there?"

The door of the ice cabinet in the corner slowly opened, revealing a person hidden inside—it was a girl dressed in white, about sixteen or seventeen years old, her face as pale as paper. She was curled up, shivering, covered only by a cloak embroidered with a snow fox.

"Who are you?" Jun Xiaoyao asked, secretly circulating Dragon Yuan Power to guard against deception.

The girl raised her head, revealing a pair of clear apricot eyes. She said timidly, "I... I am Snow Thousand Cold's apprentice, named Frost of the Clouds. Master told me to guard this place and hand this over to you if anyone came in." She pulled out a small ice jade bottle from her bosom and handed it over.

Jun Xiaoyao took the jade bottle and opened the stopper. A clear fragrance wafted out. Inside were three pigeon-egg-sized pills, their surfaces flowing with a faint halo of light.

[Item Panel Expanded:

Name: Profound Ice Pill

Grade: Heaven-Grade

Efficacy: Instantly restores eighty percent of a Heavenly Human Realm cultivator's internal energy, can suppress Qi Deviation, and has miraculous effects for cold-attribute Cultivation Technique practitioners.

Manufacturer: Snow Thousand Cold (Refined using thirty years of her own Cultivation base)]

"Master said that if you could obtain this pill, it meant Myriad Frost Pavilion's fate was sealed," Frost of the Clouds lowered her head, her voice tearful. "She also said that behind the Void Fissure in the Forbidden Land, there is an Opportunity that allows people to Shatter the Void, but there are also man-eating 'Void Beasts.' She asked you... to be extremely careful."

Jun Xiaoyao put away the jade bottle and looked at the girl: "Snow Thousand Cold left you here, hoping you would survive?"

Frost of the Clouds nodded. Her tears fell to the ground and instantly solidified into small ice beads: "Master said that although The Net is ruthless, they never kill the innocent. She asked me to lead the way for you to retrieve the Ice Soul Snow Lotus, only begging you to spare my life."

Jun Xiaoyao looked at her lips, which were purple from the cold. Dragon Yuan Power transformed into a warm current, enveloping the girl: "Where is the Ice Soul Snow Lotus?"

Frost of the Clouds pointed to a hidden door deep inside the Ice Hall: "It's in the innermost Ice Cave. A 'Cold Flood Dragon' guards it. Master said that Dragon has the strength of the Late Heaven-Man Realm, and ordinary methods cannot kill it."

Li Yuanba rubbed his hands together: "Isn't it just a big worm? I can smash it to death with one strike!"

Jun Xiaoyao shook his head: "The Ice Soul Snow Lotus nourishes the Cold Flood Dragon. If you kill it, the medicinal effect of the Snow Lotus will be compromised. Come with me. Li Yuanba, guard this place and don't let anyone enter."

Passing through the hidden door, the cold Qi inside was even heavier. Thick ice covered the ground, crunching underfoot. In the center of the Ice Cave at the end, an entirely snow-white Snow Lotus was blooming. Ice crystals condensed on its petals, emitting a faint white light. In the icy water nearby, a ten-foot-long Cold Flood Dragon was sleeping with its eyes closed, its scales as smooth as ice jade.

Jun Xiaoyao circulated the Dragon Yuan Power, completely concealing his own aura, and slowly walked toward the Snow Lotus. Just as his fingertip was about to touch a petal, the Cold Flood Dragon suddenly opened its eyes. A pair of golden pupils stared intently at him. It suddenly leaped out of the icy water and lunged forward, opening its massive mouth to bite down.

Dragon Yuan Power instantly erupted. The black and white stream of Qi transformed into a barrier, blocking the Cold Flood Dragon's attack. The Cold Flood Dragon's massive mouth crashed into the barrier, creating a muffled sound that shook the entire Ice Cave. Jun Xiaoyao seized the Opportunity to pluck the Snow Lotus and turned to leave. The Cold Flood Dragon roared furiously but was blocked by the barrier, only able to watch him disappear outside the hidden door.

When he returned to the Ice Hall, Li Yuanba was squatting on the ground fiddling with the jade boxes. Seeing Jun Xiaoyao return, he quickly stood up: "Young Lord, these boxes are full of good stuff—there's Profound Iron, a poison scripture, and several Heaven-Grade Cultivation Techniques!"

Jun Xiaoyao put away the Ice Soul Snow Lotus, walked to the map, and placed his fingertip on the location of the Forbidden Land: "When the Void Fissure opens three months from now, all major forces will definitely compete for it. The Net must prepare in advance."

He picked up a jade box on the ice platform. Inside was a black token, engraved with the character "Frost"—it was Myriad Frost Pavilion's keepsake. "Send word to Zhao Gao, telling him to take The Net's people and take over all of Myriad Frost Pavilion's assets, especially their intelligence posts scattered across the regions. That intelligence will be useful for us entering the Forbidden Land."

"I'll go right now!" Li Yuanba hoisted his double hammers and was about to leave, but Jun Xiaoyao called him back.

"Have Marshal of the Unruly select a hundred skilled individuals from The Unruly and send them to the Ice Crystal Cave. The Profound Ice Rune Formation here is still useful; convert it into a secret stronghold for Beyond Heaven." Jun Xiaoyao paused, then added, "Bring that girl named Frost of the Clouds along. She understands cold-attribute Formations, and keeping her will be useful."

Li Yuanba answered and departed, leaving Jun Xiaoyao alone in the Ice Hall. He walked to the map, his fingertip tracing the path marked in vermilion, slowly sweeping across the area of the Forbidden Land. The aura there was extremely similar to the cross-boundary fluctuations occasionally sensed by the summoning array. Perhaps, there was not only the Opportunity to Shatter the Void, but also more powerful individuals who could be summoned.

Suddenly, a mark in the corner of the map caught his attention—it was an inconspicuous small valley, marked "Sunset Glow Valley," with the words "Sword Tomb" written next to it. Jun Xiaoyao tapped his fingertip, and Dragon Yuan Power surged into the mark. A new line of text suddenly appeared on the map: "Sword Demon Never Seeking Defeat, buried his sword here."

[System Notification: Residual aura of a top-tier Sword Dao expert detected. Targeted summoning can be attempted.]

A sharp light flashed in Jun Xiaoyao's eyes. Never Seeking Defeat's Sword Dao attainment was enough to rival West Gate Blows Snow and Ye Gucheng. If he could be summoned, Beyond Heaven's Sword Dao power would rise another level. He turned and walked toward the entrance. Dragon Yuan Power left a faint imprint behind him, and the stone door of the Ice Hall slowly closed, hiding all secrets back beneath the ice layer.

The cold wind outside the cave was still biting, but Jun Xiaoyao's steps were exceptionally firm. He knew that the gains from the Ice Crystal Cave were only the beginning; the Forbidden Land three months later was the real main event. The Net's shadow had quietly spread across the continent, and the light of the summoning array was growing brighter. The era belonging to Beyond Heaven was slowly unfolding as the Void Fissure approached.

When he returned to the Heavenly Outer Palace, Zhao Gao was already waiting at the entrance, followed by over a dozen Luowang Assassinss. Each person held a jade plate containing treasures tallied from Myriad Frost Pavilion's assets.

"Young Lord, all branch divisions of Myriad Frost Pavilion across the various provinces have been taken over. We obtained thirty thousand catties of Profound Iron, seventeen types of Heaven-Grade medicinal materials, and over three hundred secret letters from various regional forces," Zhao Gao reported, bowing. "One of them was sent by the 'Xuantian Sect' of the Northern Region, stating they are willing to offer a 'boundary breaking talisman' in exchange for Beyond Heaven protecting them within the Forbidden Land."

Jun Xiaoyao took the jade box containing the secret letter, a faint smile playing on his lips: "A boundary breaking talisman, huh... It seems they are sensible. Tell Xuantian Sect that protection is possible, but besides the boundary breaking talisman, they must also hand over their treasured 'sword scripture'."

"Yes." Zhao Gao acknowledged and withdrew.

The summoning array in the center of the underground palace suddenly lit up. The purple-gold light was richer than ever before. Jun Xiaoyao walked to the front of the array, looking at the rapidly circulating runes, knowing that another powerful individual was about to descend. This time, perhaps he could add another crucial piece to the journey to the Forbidden Land.

The runes condensed into a sword-shaped light silhouette. A clear, high-pitched sword cry came from within the light, as if penetrating the barriers of time and space. Jun Xiaoyao knew that this would be an existence capable of shaking the continent's Sword Dao structure, and all he needed to do was reach out and incorporate this power into The Net of Beyond Heaven.