While they certainly judged Hai Chenfeng's power to surpass their own, they also divined his intent, confident that he wouldn't rashly injure either of them. This assurance fueled their persistent entanglement, aiming to make Hai Chenfeng realize how much restraint he was already showing, yet receiving no reciprocal understanding. Growing increasingly enraged with every exchange, he suddenly retracted his sword light, lunging forward like a meteor, and roared, "Fighting here is highly inconvenient! Do any disciples of the Cold Blood Sovereign have the mettle to accompany me and settle this once and for all?"

The two men burst into laughter. "Excellent! Whichever of us loses shall permanently withdraw from this struggle for hegemony over the capital's underworld!" With flashes of blue light, the three soared away, the two trailing the first, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Long Dahai and Jin Duolie were both cultivators at the Xuan tier; their cultivation was certainly not weak, yet watching the three battle from below left them dizzy and captivated, unable to tear their eyes away. Once the trio was far in the distance, Jin Fenglie clapped Long Dahai heavily on the shoulder. "Come on, let's head inside and have a good discussion about how to proceed..."

Jin Fenglie was a seasoned veteran. Though he couldn't ascertain the exact power levels between the fighters based solely on their combat, his understanding of Hai Chenfeng, coupled with the dialogue exchanged, made it easy to conclude that Hai Chenfeng held the upper hand and was fighting with plenty of room to spare. Naturally, he harbored no real concern!

Long Dahai finally pulled his gaze back, closing the mouth that had gaped open in shock. "Hmph," he grunted, following Jin Fenglie inside.

The Far North, Silver City of Wind and Snow!

As far as the eye could see, the landscape was a panorama of dazzling white snow and boundless, icy glaciers stretching to the horizon!

In this desolate region, atop the highest peak of Xue Zheng, lay concealed a magnificent city, seemingly cast entirely from condensed ice and snow. While awe-inspiringly grand, it was also profoundly mysterious, hidden within the swirling blizzards and shrouded in veils of mist, overlooking the entire realm below!

At the first light of dawn, before the sky had fully brightened, the sound of a summoning bell began to toll. Its resonant, leisurely peals shattered an almost eternal silence. Several birds, entirely pure white, startled by the sudden clamor, took flight with sharp cries, circling high in the sky for a long time before descending.

In a vast hall forged entirely from ten-thousand-year-old Black Ice, the sheer white stone wall facing the entrance was adorned with numerous portraits. Each depicted a white-robed figure in a distinct posture, yet every differing face conveyed the identical expression: aloof, icy, and overwhelmingly authoritative!

Every pair of eyes shared the same quality of profound solitude mixed with chilling killing intent—the gaze only those who wielded absolute power over life and death could possess. Merely looking upon these eyes suggested that, in their estimation, all living beings were no more than ants, and these were figures perched haughtily in the clouds!

These were the ancestors of the Silver City of Wind and Snow, lineage upon lineage!

The hall spanned an immense area; it could comfortably accommodate hundreds for a banquet without a hint of crowding.

An elder, clad entirely in white robes, with white hair and a white beard, stood with his hands clasped behind his back before an incense table, silently studying the portraits of the esteemed figures on the wall. His eyes were deep with meaning, his face placid as water, yet cold as ice, and he remained utterly silent.

Judging by his hair, though it was the white of frost, his back remained impeccably straight, his chest held high, presenting himself like a peerless sword perpetually radiating sharp, chilling sword energy.

No one could doubt the colossal power latent within this aged frame—a strength capable of shaking the present and dazzling the past!

Whoosh, whoosh sounds of rapid flight echoed through the air. White-robed figures streamed in from all directions, flashing swiftly into the hall. Each seemed to gravitate toward a predetermined spot. Despite the multitude entering, there was no jostling, no exchange of words whatsoever.

In moments, everyone had settled into their assigned positions, their gazes fixed upon the elder in the center. Though astonishment flickered in their eyes, not a single person spoke.

Every one of these assembled individuals emanated a distinct blue glow! Nearly a hundred people—all of them masters at the Heavenly Profound level!

The sound of measured footsteps preceded the arrival of seven elders who slowly formed a line and walked in procession. Each step they took was exceptionally steady and unhurried, as if determined to leave an imprint upon the floor of ten-thousand-year Black Ice. These seven quietly took their positions behind the white-robed elder at the center, standing silently near the entrance. At some indeterminate point, a white-robed figure exuding gracious dignity had appeared at the doorway. With every flicker of his eyes, regal might radiated outwards. His mere presence there, standing proudly, inexplicably suggested that the entire world now lay within his grasp!

At his side, a beautiful, middle-aged woman leaned gently against him, fragile as a willow swaying in the wind. Both were figures of peerless beauty: the man, dashingly handsome and utterly extraordinary; the woman, possessing heavenly looks and unparalleled grace—truly an envy-inducing pair of celestial companions!

The moment this man and woman appeared, the nearly one hundred people gathered in the hall simultaneously turned, bowed, and spoke in unison: "We respectfully welcome the City Lord. Greetings to the Mistress."

"No need for such ceremony, everyone," the pair signaled with slight smiles as they walked slowly in and took their seats upon the sole pair of chairs positioned dead center. This massive hall, capable of holding hundreds, possessed only these two seats!

Only these two individuals were qualified to sit here within this grand chamber!

These two were none other than the current Lord of the Silver City of Wind and Snow, the Ice Heaven Sword God Han Zhanmeng! And his wife, the Myriad Mile Frost Spirit, Xue Shuangqing.

The elder in the center raised his hand and spoke crisply. "I have summoned you all here today because there is an urgent matter to discuss. As this concerns the future of Silver City on a grand scale, all those below the Divine Profound realm must immediately leave to stand guard. No one shall be permitted within fifty zhang of this hall! Anyone who dares approach rashly shall be executed without mercy!"

"As commanded!" The assembled group bowed in unison and slowly filed out of the hall. The vast space instantly felt much larger with only eight people remaining inside.

"Has word arrived from Tianxiang?" Han Zhanmeng smiled faintly, looking towards the First Elder, Xiao Xingyun. "If it were any other news, the First Elder would hardly be this circumspect!"

"Just as the City Lord surmised, it is indeed news from Tianxiang City! City Lord, please examine this message sent back by Third Brother from Tianxiang. Even our Snow Eagles took nearly an entire night to deliver it; the contents are rather astonishing." The First Elder acknowledged and unrolled a tightly folded piece of paper, presenting it.

Han Zhanmeng smiled faintly, accepting it. Beside him, Xue Shuangqing leaned over to look. Both of them showed genuine interest. Just how astonishing could this news be that even the First Elder, usually unflappable in the face of a collapsing mountain, found it so extraordinary?!

As they read the paper, the usually serene expressions on their faces grew heavier and heavier; their calm smiles had completely vanished!

The beautiful wife’s face paled slightly, revealing an indescribable look of worry, mingled with the faintest trace of joy. Her jade hands couldn't help but reach out and tightly grip her husband's hands, as if to offer some silent reminder.

"Such a thing has occurred! Everyone else, take a look too, and share your thoughts." Han Zhanmeng finally finished reading, closed his eyes, and let out a long breath. Sensing his wife's action, he sighed again, waved his hand, and instructed the paper to be passed around for others to read.

"Ying Bokong is stationed at the Jun family estate and injured Sixth Brother! This... Fengwu was wounded by a mysterious person... the mysterious person then suddenly appeared and snatched the Soul-Regaining Jade; Third Brother admits he was completely unable to resist... This, this, how is this possible?" Exclamations of shock erupted from the crowd. They looked at each other with expressions of suspicion and uncertainty.

"In just a few days, so much has happened!" The First Elder, Xiao Xingyun, gave a cold laugh. "And that arrogant boy from the Jun family—to have actually healed his injuries and disabilities—truly, a host of rare events have unfolded..."

Han Zhanmeng was silent for a moment, then looked up at the First Elder. "First Elder, since you called everyone here, you must already have a plan formulated?"

"What plan could this subordinate have? The affairs of Silver City must ultimately be decided by the City Lord!" The First Elder bowed slightly and took half a step back.

"Since the First Elder is a high-ranking official of this city, perhaps you have some counsel?" Han Zhanmeng clearly had no patience for meandering and asked directly.

"That Ying Bokong, relying on his status as a Sovereign, wantonly insulted Sixth Brother, severely damaging the prestige of our Silver City! He must be severely punished! If this matter is passed over lightly, where will the faith in the Silver City of Wind and Snow lie? That is the first point!" The First Elder spoke slowly.

To suggest severely punishing one of the Eight Sovereigns—the First Elder dared speak too boldly! Yet, upon hearing this proposal, none of the Silver City leaders present showed any surprise; they all nodded in agreement. Clearly, in the eyes of these Silver City executives, they held the Prairie Eagle God, one of the Eight Sovereigns, in no regard whatsoever. This demonstrated just how terrifyingly profound the Silver City's deep reserves truly were!

"Since there is a first, there must be a second?" Han Zhanmeng nodded slightly, his expression unchanged.

"Precisely. That Soul-Regaining Jade is the ancestral treasure of my Xiao family, possessing extraordinary efficacy—it can truly be called a celestial object in the mortal realm. It absolutely cannot fall into the hands of outsiders! This jade must be retrieved, and on this point, there is equally no room for negotiation! Regardless of who seized the jade, we cannot make concessions. That is the second point!"

Anger flashed in the First Elder's eyes, clearly showing his fury over the theft of the Soul-Regaining Jade.

"On this point alone, perhaps we need to deliberate very carefully. If what Third Elder stated in his letter is true, then relying on the strength of those present, even pooling all our collective power, we might not be certain to reclaim the Soul-Regaining Jade! Not to mention the fact that the number of people we could dispatch would be severely limited, making our chances even slimmer. If we are not careful, we risk heavy losses at any moment," Han Zhanmeng said quietly, tapping the armrest of his chair lightly, his eyelids slightly lowered.

"The City Lord's concerns are valid! We must indeed consider the deployment of forces cautiously this time. If we can avoid conflict with that mysterious person, we should strive to do so. However, Third Brother is only at the first stage of Divine Profound; his judgment may not be entirely accurate. Even someone like Ying Bokong would appear like a Celestial Being in the eyes of a first-stage cultivator. Therefore, the strength described for this mysterious person might surpass the City Lord's current estimation. I believe his claims are not entirely reliable. I doubt even Yun Biechen, the foremost among the Eight Sovereigns, possesses such strength. In the secular world, could there truly be anyone who surpasses Yun Biechen? This suggests that this news may not be entirely true," the First Elder said, knitting his white eyebrows very slowly.

He concluded with an addendum: "Therefore, we must send someone to investigate first, regardless. If that person is indeed unfathomably profound, their role will be to gather intelligence; if that person is merely posturing, then we shall seize the jade immediately."

"Indeed, the First Elder is experienced and cautious. This is hardly a poor strategy." Han Zhanmeng looked at the First Elder with appreciation. "However, judging by the First Elder's tone, there is likely a third point?"

"Correct!" The First Elder's white eyebrows shot up sharply. "The third point is the Jun family! This insignificant mortal family has repeatedly challenged the authority of our Silver City. This offense is intolerable! I suggest we exterminate their entire clan as a warning to all who might dare challenge the might of our Silver City again!"

The First Elder extended his right hand and swept it downwards decisively, making a gesture of utter annihilation.