261: Night raid on the Icefield Station

The bronze lamps in the Hanyue Valley Underground Palace flickered, reflecting on the crystal panel at Jun Xiaoyao's fingertips.

On the panel, the map of the Northern Ice Plain updated in real-time with the movements of Hu Fei and Fu Hongxue; the light dots representing them had already crossed the geothermal rift.

They were less than ten miles from the Ice Plain Post. Zhao Gao stood to the side, holding a copper brazier filled with "Warm Snow Charcoal," a specialty of the North. The heat, carrying the scent of pine, slightly dispelled the chill of the underground palace.

"Young Lord, Guard Hu sent word that the temperature at the geothermal rift is higher than expected. The Snow Wolf Clan's patrol didn't go that way, which saved us quite a bit of trouble."

Zhao Gao pointed to the safety marker on the panel. "At this speed, they should be able to reach the outer wall of the post before midnight."

Jun Xiaoyao traced his fingertip over the avatars of the "Three Grand Elders of the Snow Wolf Clan." Next to the avatar of "Elder Bingya," it was marked "Stationed at Post," with his Realm displayed as Middle Celestial Realm. His specialty technique, "Freezing Thousand Miles," could instantly freeze an area of one hundred zhang. He suddenly said: "Tell Fu Hongxue to be careful. Elder Bingya's wolf-tooth mace is coated with Bone-Eroding Ice Poison. Those struck by it will have their Meridians frozen and will need to use Snow Mountain Internal Skill to neutralize it."

[Panel Notification]

[Character: Hu Fei]

[Temporary Status: Snow Mountain Internal Skill active, can resist low temperatures and Elementary Ice Poison]

[Items Carried: Ice Melting Talisman × 10, Cold Ice Pill × 20, Hu Family Saber (Special Ice-Patterned Blade)]

On the other side of the panel, Zhuge Yuwo and Daoist Master Qingxu were studying the method to break the "Ice Plain Formation" around a sand table. The ice-prism formation eyes piled up with white wax on the sand table were marked with red dots. Zhuge Yuwo swept his whisk over the southwest corner: "The ice prisms here are fake eyes. The true formation eye is in the ice well to the northwest. Young Hero Hu's blade is fast enough to seize the chance and sever the ice mirror that draws the moonlight."

Daoist Master Qingxu inserted a peach wood slip into the position of the ice well: "This old Daoist has calculated that there will be a partial lunar eclipse at midnight tonight. The power of the Ice Plain Formation will decrease by thirty percent, which is the perfect time to make a move. However..." He twirled his beard, "The Snow Wolf Clan has buried 'Ice Mines' around the ice well. They will explode upon contact, so we must have the Luowang Assassins clear them first."

Jun Xiaoyao forwarded their analysis to Hu Fei, and Hu Fei's response appeared on the panel immediately: "Received. Leave the mine clearing to the brothers of The Net. Guard Fu and I will go to take down Elder Bingya's nest."

1. The Shadow War on the Outskirts of the Post

The outer wall of the Ice Plain Post was built of thousand-year black ice. Moonlight spilled onto it, reflecting a cold, sharp light. Hu Fei lay behind a snowdrift, his ice-blue eyes carefully observing the guards on the wall—the patrolmen of the Snow Wolf Clan wore white-furred armor, their spears gleaming with icy light under the moonlight. They changed shifts every quarter of an hour, and there was a three-breath blind spot between shift changes.

"Now." Hu Fei whispered to Fu Hongxue behind him. Before the words had fully left his lips, he darted out like a civet cat, the snow beneath his feet making only a soft rustle. The Hu Family Saber at his waist was unsheathed suddenly, the blade's light creating an afterimage as it precisely slashed the throats of two guards. The movement was so fast that it didn't give the opponents a chance to make a sound.

Fu Hongxue followed closely. The moment he drew his blade, he had already severed the door latch. Fifty Luowang Assassins swarmed in like ghosts, scattering according to the pre-assigned routes: twenty went to clear the Ice Mines around the ice well, twenty headed straight for the cellar to rescue their companions frozen into ice statues, and the remaining ten followed Hu Fei and Fu Hongxue toward the main tent.

Inside the main tent, Elder Bingya was drinking with a maid, his wolf-tooth mace leaning against the tent wall, the ice patterns on the mace body shimmering under the candlelight. Suddenly, the tent curtain was slashed open by blade wind, and Hu Fei's voice carried the chill of snow: "Old Ghost Bingya, pay with your life!"

Elder Bingya reacted extremely quickly, rolling to dodge the incoming blade light, then grabbing the wolf-tooth mace and sweeping it horizontally: "Mere humans dare to trespass on my territory!" The cold wind whipped up by the wolf-tooth mace instantly froze the candles in the tent, and the maid screamed as she was frozen into an ice statue.

Hu Fei remained calm, unfolding the Hu Family Saber technique. The blade's momentum was sometimes like a sudden avalanche, sometimes like an icy stream winding around rocks, always avoiding the edge of the wolf-tooth mace at the most critical moment. "Your opponent is me." Fu Hongxue's blade slashed from the other side, the blade light as fast as lightning, striking directly at Elder Bingya's lower back—that was the defense weakness Hu Fei had mentioned.

Elder Bingya roared, and ice mist exploded around him. His entire body transformed into a three-zhang-tall Snow Wolf, his fangs gleaming with a ghostly light: "Freezing Thousand Miles!"

2. Breaking the Formation with Dual Sabers

The ice mist spread instantly. The Luowang Assassins outside the tent had their ankles frozen, and the team clearing the Ice Mines was trapped by the ice well, unable to move. Seeing this, Hu Fei forcefully infused his Snow Mountain Internal Skill into his blade, and a faint white mist rose from the blade: "Hu Family Saber Technique: Snow Mountain Collapse!"

The blade light, carrying the Aura of an avalanche, slashed into the ice mist, actually tearing open a gap. Fu Hongxue seized the opportunity to rush out, unleashing his blade-drawing technique repeatedly, severing the seven ice mirrors that drew moonlight for the Ice Plain Formation within three breaths. As the last ice mirror shattered, the light of the Ice Plain Formation dimmed suddenly, and the trapped assassins immediately used Ice Melting Talismans to explode the hard ice around their feet.

"Seeking death!" The Snow Wolf-formed Elder Bingya swung the wolf-tooth mace, the Bone-Eroding Ice Poison on the mace body causing the air to frost over. Hu Fei dodged to the side, backhanding a strike onto the handle of the wolf-tooth mace. Amidst the sparks, he actually managed to hack a notch into the handle made of refined iron.

Fu Hongxue's blade remained locked onto the Snow Wolf's lower back, the blade light weaving like a web, forcing Elder Bingya to retreat repeatedly. The two attacked and defended in tandem; Hu Fei's blade momentum was heavy and fierce, responsible for frontal containment, while Fu Hongxue's blade was as fast as lightning, specializing in finding weaknesses. Their coordination was even more tacit than if they had practiced it.

"Roar!" Elder Bingya was cornered and suddenly spat out a mouthful of ice poison, heading straight for Hu Fei's face. Hu Fei had been prepared. While dodging to the side, he threw out three Ice Melting Talismans. The talismans ignited upon contact with the ice poison, and the exploding flames temporarily forced back the poisonous mist.

In that instant, Fu Hongxue's blade finally found the opportunity, piercing into the weak point on the Snow Wolf's lower back like a venomous snake emerging from a hole. Elder Bingya let out a shrill wolf howl, his massive body crashing to the ground. When he transformed back into human form, he was already dead, with that blade—so fast that only an afterimage remained—still stuck in his waist.

3. Vitality in the Cellar

After taking care of Elder Bingya, Hu Fei immediately led his men to the cellar. The cellar door was sealed by a thick wall of ice. The Luowang Assassins had to detonate three Ice Melting Talismans before they could open an entrance. Inside, there were indeed three batches of silk, and the Luowang member who had been used as a "warning sign"—he was frozen in a large block of ice, his face purple, his breath weak.

"He can still be saved." Hu Fei reached out and pressed his hand on the ice, his Snow Mountain Internal Skill pouring in continuously, and the ice layer melted at a speed visible to the naked eye. Half an hour later, the ice block melted completely, and the assassin coughed, spitting out a few ice shards, opening his eyes weakly: "Thank... thank you, Guard Hu..."

Fu Hongxue had already had people load the silk onto carriages. Seeing that Hu Fei was still channeling Qi to the assassin, he said indifferently: "This place is not suitable for a long stay. The Snow Wolf Clan's reinforcements should be arriving soon."

Hu Fei nodded and shoved the last Cold Ice Pill into the assassin's mouth: "Let's go. Return by the original route. Notify the people behind to use Ice Mines to blow up the post. Don't leave them anything."

4. New Summoning in the Underground Palace

When Hu Fei and Fu Hongxue returned to Hanyue Valley with the silk and the rescued assassins, it was just dawn. Jun Xiaoyao looked at the "Mission Complete" notification on the panel. The loyalty of Hu Fei and Fu Hongxue had risen to 90% and 94% respectively, and a "Tacit Understanding: 80%" label had appeared next to it.

"Well done." Jun Xiaoyao said to the two, "Go down and rest. You will receive your rewards this afternoon."

Just after Hu Fei left, the summoning array suddenly lit up with dazzling golden light, brighter than it had ever been before. Chanting sounds came from the golden light, and a figure draped in a kasaya walked out slowly, holding a purple gold alms bowl, his face compassionate. It was Tang Seng from "journey to the west" (Note: taking the image of the high monk with profound Dharma).

[Summoning Successful]

[Character: Xuanzang (From the "journey to the west" world)]

[Realm: Earthly Immortal Early-Stage]

[Martial Skill/Cultivation Technique: 1. Great Mercy and Compassion Mantra (Perfection) — Buddha light shines everywhere, can purify all evil spirits and toxic miasma; 2. Indestructible Diamond Body (Major Achievement) — Physical Body as hard as diamond, impervious to blades and spears; 3. Tight-Fillet Spell (Minor Achievement) — Uses Buddha Power to bind the mind and spirit, with doubled effect against demons and evil spirits]

[Loyalty: 88%]

"This poor monk Xuanzang greets the Young Lord." Xuanzang pressed his palms together in a salute, his voice gentle yet carrying an unquestionable power, "I heard that there are demons and evil spirits causing trouble in the North, so I have come to assist."

Daoist Master Qingxu stared, his eyes wide open, pulling on Zhuge Yuwo's sleeve.

"It's... it's the Holy Monk! Now, never mind the Snow Wolf Clan, even if a monster at the Land Immortal Realm comes, we won't be afraid!"

Jun Xiaoyao looked at Xuanzang's information on the panel, his fingertip pausing for a moment on the words "purify all evil spirits and toxic miasma"—the Azure Wolf King's Bone-Eroding Ice Poison was said to be unsolvable; perhaps this Holy Monk was the key to breaking the deadlock.

The bronze lamps in the underground palace gradually softened in the morning light. The new summoning brought new hope, and the snow on the Northern Ice Plain seemed not to have finished falling yet.

Jun Xiaoyao knew that the battle with the Snow Wolf Clan had only just begun, but his The Net had already been woven toward the far north.