The palace chambers were a marvel of carved beams and painted rafters, brilliant Formation Patterns swirling with profound Dao. Outside, the world was a frozen wasteland, yet within, a luxurious warmth permeated the air.
“Come, let’s revel, North King.”
North King was indeed reveling, and it was over quickly.
Soon after, his numerous ‘cultivation vessels’ departed, leaving North King sprawled on his millennia-old Xuan Ice bed. His mind, however, was already drifting back to the exquisite image of Xuanji Holy Lord.
“Baili,” he murmured, “I’ve waited for you on the Northern Plains’ icy peaks for countless epochs. This life, I won’t let you go. Once the Domain Gates open, I’ll head straight for the Southern Wilds. This time, I’ll be more forceful!”
A flicker of impatience crossed his face. “But why is the Bronze Ancient Palace still not here? Why haven’t the Domain Gates opened yet?”
With that thought, North King swept his Divine Sense towards the Extreme Cold Valley. Northern Plains Imperial Court guards stood watch there, with several Quasi-Dao Supreme Old Ancestors personally overseeing. Nothing could possibly go wrong! The Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames were incredibly important to his sister, the Ice Frost Empress.
Within the valley, the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames surged, its power nearing a terrifying peak—the absolute limit of chilling frost. This was a Heaven and Earth Strange Fire that their Northern Plains Imperial Court had cultivated for tens of thousands of years! Once the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames fully matured, the Ice Frost Empress would emerge from her seclusion. According to their estimates, that was still several months away.
North King retracted his Divine Sense, waved a sleeve, and laid down countless Sealing Restrictions within the grand hall. He then sat cross-legged, beginning his cultivation.
The very instant North King withdrew his Divine Sense, a thunderous boom echoed. Lu Xuan and Ji Fuyao appeared directly at the deepest part of the Extreme Cold Valley. The Heaven-reaching Great Array that protected this place was, to Lu Xuan, utterly nonexistent, a mere formality.
The Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames burned with frantic intensity, ceaselessly devouring the surrounding frigid energy.
“This Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames isn’t quite ready,” Lu Xuan said casually. “Let me give it a little push.”
In a flash, Lu Xuan’s hand shot out, effortlessly plundering the power of the Extreme Cold Valley. Terrifying, boundless ice-cold energy, like an oceanic tide, surged towards the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames. The spirit fire transformed continuously, evolving with towering Dao and Stance. It was undergoing a profound metamorphosis. This was because Lu Xuan’s power contained the essence of the Grand Dao Scripture. This power resonated with the very fabric of heaven and earth, not forcefully elevating the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames, but assisting its transformation in an utterly perfect manner.
One must know, Lu Xuan’s Path of Spirit Fire attainment had long since reached Three-star Supreme! Chen Changsheng had contributed significantly to that.
Ji Fuyao’s chest rose and fell slightly, a hint of shock in her eyes as she watched the spirit fire’s dramatic changes.
Lu Xuan continued, his tone light, “The peak power of this spirit fire is at the Three-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme tier! Once you’ve fully refined it, your cultivation can step into Two-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme!”
Ji Fuyao’s excitement was palpable.
A stick of incense burned. An hour passed. Two hours.
Finally, the power of the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames reached its zenith. Icy coldness enveloped heaven and earth, surging like a tide, directly manifesting a Heaven and Earth Phenomenon in the void above.
Boom!
Towering ice pillars pierced directly into the nine heavens. One! Then another! Dozens of them, in total!
Instantly, the Old Ancestors guarding the Extreme Cold Valley awoke, startled. They stared at the valley in utter disbelief.
“What’s happening? Why has the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames become so violent?”
“It’s matured much faster than we anticipated!”
“Impossible! Something strange must have happened in the valley!”
Hordes of Imperial Court guards swarmed towards the valley entrance. A Grey-robed Old Ancestor rose into the air, attempting to probe the valley’s situation with his Divine Sense. He froze. His Divine Sense couldn’t penetrate! What an utterly bizarre situation! The Grey-robed Old Ancestor began to activate his Array Jade Slips, but the formation wouldn’t open either!
At that moment, in Lu Xuan’s palm, the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames burned with astonishing docility. “Fuyao,” Lu Xuan said, “I’ll help you refine the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames.”
Ji Fuyao nodded, sitting cross-legged. Her fiery red dress billowed, and towering flames surged around her. Above her head, the Eight Desolations Annihilation Flame began to burn intensely.
Lu Xuan flicked a finger! The Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames shot towards her body!
Instantly, Ji Fuyao’s delicate form was encased in ice. Yet, her hand seals shifted, and she continuously channeled the Heaven-Burning Art, forcefully refining the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames. Two supreme powers clashed relentlessly: the power of extreme cold against the power of scorching heat!
The Eight Desolations Annihilation Flame also surged into Ji Fuyao’s inner world. The two spirit fires circulated continuously through her meridians. Her Dao foundation shone brilliantly, like a constellation, with half her meridians frozen and the other half burning fiercely—an incredibly profound and mystical sight.
“Don’t try to refine it forcefully,” Lu Xuan advised calmly. “Use the power of the Grand Dao Scripture to bring both forces into balance.”
At his words, another profound power emerged from Ji Fuyao’s body! The Grand Dao Scripture! It resonated with heaven and earth, bringing all things into equilibrium.
Half a day. A full day.
Five days later.
Ji Fuyao slowly opened her eyes. In her left hand, the Eight Desolations Annihilation Flame burned. In her right, the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames blazed. She had successfully completed the initial refinement!
Her cultivation had directly stepped into Half-step Supreme!
Concurrently, Lu Xuan also received double cultivation feedback. However, for Lu Xuan’s current immense realm, it was merely a trickle, like a small stream flowing into a vast ocean. He was just a hair’s breadth away from breaking through to Three-star Supreme!
Just then, a thunderous roar and a shattering crack echoed! The Extreme Cold Valley’s formation began to crumble, its endless, brilliant Formation Patterns annihilating into dust. Dense, overwhelming ice shards rained down, covering everything.
The Northern Plains Imperial Court army appeared in the sky above. Killing intent etched on the faces of every guard, they wore silver-white armor and wielded matching long spears. They seemed to merge with the very heavens and earth, radiating an overwhelming killing aura even before they struck. This was a unit of soldiers ready to die, virtually a legion of death-sworn warriors! After five days of bitter waiting, these guards had forcibly breached the formation!
Immediately, countless cold gazes fell upon Lu Xuan and Ji Fuyao. Spotting the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames in Ji Fuyao’s hand, they roared in unison.
“What wretched scum dares to act so brazenly here?!”
“Do you even deserve to possess the Extreme Cold Three Thousand Flames?”
At this point, behind the throng of guards, a dozen Old Ancestors emerged. Their faces were frigid as they glared at Lu Xuan. “You must be the leader of the Northern Plains Rebels? I never imagined you’d dare to infiltrate our Imperial Court’s vital territory. Are you courting death?”
The Northern Plains Imperial Court had dominated the Northern Plains for eight epochs, constantly rising and suppressing other forces. The Northern Plains had long suffered under the Imperial Court’s tyranny! Thus, a hidden force had always conspired to overthrow the Imperial Court. This force had been annihilated several times over countless epochs, but like weeds, they always regrew. In this current epoch, this faction was once again secretly attempting to subvert the Northern Plains Imperial Court. Therefore, the moment they saw Lu Xuan, these Imperial Court Old Ancestors immediately assumed he was the rebel leader! No one else would dare to be so audacious!
Another Old Ancestor fixed his gaze on Ji Fuyao, a fiery lust in his eyes. “This woman is simply too beautiful! Capture her, and North King will surely reward us handsomely!”
Hearing this, the Old Ancestors waved their sleeves, commanding the guards, “Seize this woman and present her to North King! As for this man, stab him to death with your spears!”
As their voices fell, the Northern Plains guards, like a surging tide, charged towards Lu Xuan! Their bodies radiated a powerful Stance! These were Imperial Court guards, imbued with battle intent!
Ji Fuyao looked at Lu Xuan. “Master, I’ll handle these guards, and you take care of those Old Ancestors?”
Lu Xuan nodded.
Boom!
Lu Xuan simply waved a sleeve, and a towering divine radiance shot forth, directly striking the dozen Imperial Court Old Ancestors.
Swoosh!
Like a cascading river of ice, the heads of all dozen Quasi-Dao Supreme Old Ancestors flew into the air! Instant Kill! Blood splattered everywhere, and bodies rained down from the sky.
Witnessing this, the countless guards were utterly dumbfounded.
“Send word to North King!”
“This white-robed young man is the leader of the rebels! We’ve caught a big one!”