Within the Ice Palace, an atmosphere of serene tranquility reigned. In this environment, perpetually spring-like, no one could have imagined that beyond the high walls lay an icy wilderness capable of freezing a person solid instantly.
However, by now, He Yiming had grown accustomed to such peculiar sights.
The continent held no shortage of strange locales: the Eight Hundred Li Fiery Mountains, the Tower Reaching Heaven in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall, the Divine Tree Valley in the Grotto-Heavens, and many others—all places of unforgettable peculiarity.
Therefore, even though the Ice Palace sanctum resided in the Northern Territory, it was no longer enough to stir He Yiming’s heart.
Yuan Lixun hurried him into a grand hall, her face still radiant and blooming. Given the status of the Sect Master within the Ice Palace, the fact that she had dallied for a full half hour after being summoned was a grave insult to their discipline.
Had it been anyone else acting with such delay, they would likely already be facing punishment under the rules.
Entering the hall, He Yiming paused slightly, surprised to find it entirely bare, devoid of any ornamentation. Not a single pillar was visible within the expansive space.
He Yiming’s eyebrows twitched. He was immediately reminded of the hall he had seen in the Land of Reincarnation.
Although the two halls differed vastly in size, they shared a common trait: the absence of supporting columns.
Looking up, the ceiling appeared to be constructed of some unknown material, dark as the night sky itself, subtly influencing the very spirit of those beneath it.
Inside the hall were two figures and one beast.
One figure and the beast glared fiercely at He Yiming—it was the Qilin Holy Master, whom he had encountered and clashed with on the ice plains.
Upon seeing the old man, He Yiming’s face involuntarily twitched slightly. He could easily imagine the old man’s fury at having absorbed sufficient Heaven and Earth power only to find no suitable opponent afterward.
However, this was the sacred ground of the Ice Palace. Beyond his unfriendly gaze, the Qilin Holy Master showed no other expression, clearly unwilling to let the matter be widely known.
Seated beside the Qilin Holy Master was a man who appeared to be in his early thirties. His skin was strikingly pale, possessing an almost imperceptible luminescence that inspired awe.
He Yiming instantly realized this man must have cultivated some unique technique to achieve such an appearance.
“Greetings to the Sect Master,” Yuan Lixun murmured, bowing slightly.
Within the Ice Palace, Bing Xiaotian was a deity to all from the Northern Territory. Although Yuan Lixun was not born there, she had practiced martial arts in the palace for many years and had been forged into a Five Qi Great Venerable by the concerted efforts of six peak Human Dao experts. Her gratitude toward Bing Xiaotian was unquestionably heartfelt.
Bing Xiaotian waved his hand lightly. “Rise.”
Yuan Lixun softly acknowledged him and slowly stood up.
The Qilin Holy Master snorted. “You two dallied for half an hour, making us old fellows wait agonizingly long.”
Yuan Lixun’s face, which had just returned to normal, began to flush again. Bing Xiaotian frowned, displeased. “Brother Chennu, Lixun cultivates the Profound Cold True Qi. Any emotional fluctuation is ill-advised.”
There was a hint of reproach in his tone. The Qilin Holy Master slapped his forehead. “It was my fault, I shall say no more.”
He Yiming felt great surprise; that the old man would admit fault so readily was unexpected. Nevertheless, he paid close attention to the caution regarding Yuan Lixun’s Profound Cold constitution.
Bing Xiaotian nodded slightly. “Heroes emerge from youth since ancient times. For the Northwest Heavenly Pool lineage to produce a peerless genius like Brother He is cause for great congratulations.”
He Yiming cupped his hands and inclined his head slightly; given his status and power, this gesture was far from disrespectful.
The Qilin Holy Master chuckled. “Old Bing, let me give you some news. Di Shitian has sent a plaque to the He Family Manor inscribed with ‘Number One Under Heaven.’ I wonder what your thoughts are on that.”
He Yiming’s brow furrowed slightly, a quiet sigh escaping him. Yet, he knew that unless he personally tore the plaque down, such matters were inevitable. Since that was the case, he might as well accept it with a clear conscience.
Bing Xiaotian’s eyes brightened momentarily. He stated gravely, “Brother He, I am Bing Xiaotian of the Ice Palace. This is Qiu Chennu, the Qilin Holy Master of the Totem Clan. Since this is our first meeting, please forgive any inadequacies in our reception.”
He entirely avoided mentioning the plaque, as if he had never heard of it, a trait He Yiming greatly admired.
He Yiming quickly responded, “Sect Master is too kind. My only reason for coming to the Ice Palace was to see Lixun.”
The Qilin Holy Master seemed to recall something suddenly. He clapped his hands lightly. “Brother He, when I departed from the west, I passed the Heavenly Pool main peak. I heard that Di Shitian left with you, accompanied by that old fellow Ji Mofan Shu. Do you know where those two are now?”
He Yiming shook his head with a wry smile, helpless. “Truthfully, I wish I knew where those two have gone.”
Bing Xiaotian let out a soft chuckle. “There is no need for speculation. This time, to divert the light of the Divine Artifact Ice Glaze Mirror, relying solely on Lixun’s strength would be exceedingly difficult. Therefore, I asked Di Shitian to invite Sect Master Ji to hunt down a creature, for the purpose of refining a medicinal pill for Lixun’s use.”
The Qilin Holy Master’s eyes suddenly lit up. “The Northern Territory Snow Fox?”
“Precisely,” Bing Xiaotian confirmed steadily. “Sect Master Ji successfully hunted one a century ago. In the last hundred years, our Northern Territory has discovered the lairs of only two Snow Fox Sacred Beasts. If my estimation is correct, they have already failed once and are now striving to hunt the second one.”
He Yiming felt immense admiration. For the old man to estimate matters so precisely proved he was indeed the true power holder of the Ice Palace.
“They really should have waited for me,” the Qilin Holy Master snorted. “Under the heavens, only the Qilin Beast’s speed surpasses that of the Snow Fox. Had I been present, I could have secured it effortlessly.”
Bing Xiaotian shot him a look. “The Qilin Beast’s speed is indeed faster than the Snow Fox, but the Qilin’s immense pressure means that as soon as it nears the Snow Fox territory within ten miles, the creature will burrow underground and flee. How would you find it then, let alone capture it?”
The Qilin Holy Master chuckled dryly. “One could attempt it.”
Though he spoke of attempting it, he offered no guarantee, indicating that even he lacked absolute confidence.
He Yiming turned to look at White Horse Lightning, which had followed him into the hall. This sacred beast had been looking around restlessly since entering the strange structure, and it had only spared a cursory glance at the fiercely antagonistic Qilin Beast before ignoring it entirely.
Bing Xiaotian paid it no mind. He had already gleaned some information and rumors regarding He Yiming from the Qilin Holy Master. However, most of it was hearsay, and the Qilin Holy Master was naturally unwilling to share any truly confidential matters.
For instance, the fact that the Qilin Master, feeling affronted by He Yiming, had suddenly decided to challenge him midway through their journey—such an embarrassing incident would never be revealed, even under threat of death.
“Brother He, why did you part ways with the other two?” Bing Xiaotian asked with a slight smile. “Perhaps you rushed here ahead of them just to see Lixun sooner?”
He Yiming coughed lightly. “I certainly wished to see Lixun as soon as possible, but the main reason is that we became separated.”
Bing Xiaotian and the Qilin Holy Master exchanged a look of surprise. For three cultivators at the peak of the Human Dao to become separated on the ice plains—who would believe such a tale?
He Yiming maintained a gentle smile. “We encountered a Snow Fox on the road. Sect Master Ji injured it once, but it managed to escape. So, I rode Lightning to pursue it, and unexpectedly, I lost my way back and ended up in Peng City instead.”
The other two finally understood and relaxed. Knowing the separation was due to the pursuit of a Snow Fox made the situation understandable.
The Qilin Holy Master’s expression shifted subtly. “Brother He, the speed of your White Horse is not inferior to the Qilin Beast’s. Tell me, did you manage to capture the Snow Fox on this venture?”
A flicker of interest also crossed Bing Xiaotian’s eyes. He was intimately familiar with the Qilin Beast’s speed, but he had not expected the white horse currently pacing in the hall to possess comparable velocity.
He Yiming flicked his wrist, and the Five Elements Ring immediately appeared in his hand. With a slight shake, a five-colored light flashed, and the corpse of the Snow Fox materialized before the three of them.
A wave of elation flashed across the eyes of both Bing Xiaotian and the Qilin Holy Master. For peak Human Dao experts like them, gaining entry to the Thousand-Year Ice Island was paramount, and the Snow Fox’s blood was even more critical for Yuan Lixun. Seeing the corpse, even they could not suppress a degree of excitement.
The Qilin Holy Master reached out and sucked the Snow Fox’s corpse toward him. However, his face instantly changed. “Where is the Snow Fox blood?”
For ordinary Venerables, the Snow Fox’s Inner Core held more value than its blood. But the Qilin Holy Master completely ignored the core, immediately demanding the blood, illustrating how profoundly important that fluid was to him.
Bing Xiaotian also looked up, quietly observing He Yiming. Both men knew that the Snow Fox blood must be in He Yiming’s possession.
He chuckled deeply. “I have used up all the essence of the Snow Fox.”
This time, even Bing Xiaotian could not help but have his expression shift slightly. The Qilin Holy Master suddenly exclaimed, “I have long heard that Brother He is an exceptionally gifted Alchemist, even the esteemed Alchemist Hao Tong of the Lingxiao Treasure Hall speaks highly of you. Could it be that you have already refined the Snow Fox blood into a Spirit Elixir?”
He Yiming burst into loud laughter, yet inwardly he was wary. This old Qilin was quite focused on him. Interacting with him in the future would require constant vigilance.
Flipping his wrist again, He Yiming now held a jade bottle.
He gently uncorked the stopper, and a faint, delicate fragrance immediately permeated the entire hall.
Bing Xiaotian and the Qilin Holy Master exchanged another look, their eyes betraying unconcealed delight. With this elixir, their confidence in successfully entering the Thousand-Year Ice Island had grown significantly.
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