Atop a peak in the Holy Light Sect, a middle-aged man in green robes stood with his hands clasped behind his back. He stood proudly atop a giant boulder, gazing at the starry sky, his wide sleeves and sash fluttering in the wind.
The peak was majestic, reaching for the heavens, with a vast sea of forests below, all shrouded in mist and fog.
The man had a high forehead, a straight nose, and a square jaw, projecting an air of wild abandon.
After a mont, two figures drifted down from the sky, landing below the giant boulder.
In the moonlight, one could see that the two newcors were young n, about twenty-four or twenty-five years old. Both wore brocade robes, and wings of light gently flapped behind them.
One of them retracted his wings and said respectfully, "Reporting to the Peak Master, this disciple has found Shen Lang’s whereabouts."
"Speak," the middle-aged man on the boulder said without turning his head.
The young man below the boulder reported, "Shen Lang appeared in Celestial Palace City the day before yesterday. Yesterday, he entered the Profound Dao Sect. Due to his poor aptitude, he was nearly eliminated but has now beco an Outer Disciple of the Profound Dao Sect’s Songdu Peak."
"Hmph. A boy who could make An Fengrui wary actually ended up in the Profound Dao Sect’s Outer Sect? The people of the Profound Dao Sect are truly foolish," the middle-aged man on the boulder snorted coldly. "Have our informant in the Profound Dao Sect keep a close watch on him. The mont he steps out of the Mountain Gate, send a sound transmission. Now, go."
"This disciple understands." The young man in the brocade robe bowed, took three steps back with his companion, then turned and flew into the sky, disappearing into the night.
Just then, the middle-aged man slowly turned around. He gazed in the direction of the Profound Dao Sect and muttered to himself, ’Fate is a strange thing. Just as my Holy Light Sect has been preparing to move against the Profound Dao Sect for so long, the very ant I want to crush has joined them. Gao Jingtian... oh no, my dear cousin. Since you’ve entrusted with everything from the Lone Wolf rcenary Corps, I, Qian Luo, suppose I should stretch my limbs a bit and help you get your revenge.’
A slight smile touched the corners of his lips as he continued his monologue, ’That Gao Jingtian really had the makings of a ruthless tyrant. Knowing he might die, he sent everything to in advance. As soon as sothing happened to him, the Restriction would automatically activate and inform of the Lone Wolf rcenary Corps’ hidden fortune. A pity. No matter how ruthless he was, it was useless. Now he’s t a fate where not even his bones remain! If only he had listened to back then and joined the Holy Light Sect, would it have co to this?’
’Ah, well. Since you’re already dead, I’ll grant you this final wish. I will use Shen Lang’s head to commorate your spirit in the heavens... Hehehehe!’
...
Shen Lang wasn’t one to leave behind loose ends.
After being targeted for assassination by the Shadow Tower in the Chuyun Mountain Range, he already knew that the Lone Wolf rcenary Corps and the other two powers were behind it.
However, factions of that level posed no real threat to him, so he hadn’t bothered to deal with them yet.
But many things in life are unpredictable. Unable to see the future, he naturally had no way of knowing that a matter he thought was nearly concluded would suddenly stir up new waves.
Ye Juexin, who had already joined the Shadow Tower, had gone back and assassinated the leaders of all three powers. But Gao Jingtian, the leader of the Lone Wolf rcenary Corps, was a ruthless character in his own right. He had long since contacted soone from the Holy Light Sect, arranging that if he were to die, the hidden wealth of the Lone Wolf rcenary Corps would go to that person as paynt for avenging him...
At this mont, Shen Lang was cultivating diligently inside the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron, free from distractions.
’My Spiritual Power is circulating incredibly slowly. If my Cultivation were any lower, my ridians would probably freeze completely, making it impossible to even circulate Spiritual Power. A few circulations in this environnt should be several tis more effective than outside. And if I absorb so of this Ice Spiritual Energy, my Spiritual Power could even gain an Ice Attribute...’
’No, this cold qi is too intense. It’s too difficult to resist it with Spiritual Power alone. I have to activate the power of my Chaos Divine Body.’
The mont the thought crossed Shen Lang’s mind, before he could even react, a wave of magma-like heat erupted from within him, sweeping through his entire body!
The thick layer of ice crystals that had encased him instantly lted, turning into white vapor!
Shen Lang was overjoyed. ’The power of the Chaos Divine Body is spontaneously fighting back against this cold qi! Every Divine Beast Particle is releasing heat... It’s true! Whether it’s Thunder Power Body Forging, the Golden Needle Acupoint Forging Body Technique, or this bone-chilling cold qi—as long as my body is stimulated to its limits, it triggers a reaction from the Divine Beast Particles!’
As soon as the imnse heat within Shen Lang’s body expelled the coldness, it imdiately receded, and the heat slowly dissipated.
But the mont the heat retreated, the cold qi invaded again, threatening to instantly freeze Shen Lang’s entire body!
This cycle repeated over and over...
’The activated Ten Divine Beast Particles are releasing heat, while the inactive ones are starting to tremble violently, on the verge of awakening... The effect of this cold qi is even better than the Golden Needle Acupoint Forging Body Technique. The Ancient Ice Soul Water Jade is truly a rare and marvelous treasure.’
With a thought, Shen Lang suppressed the Ten Divine Beast Particles that were releasing heat, allowing the Ice Soul Coldness to enter his body.
’Absorbing Ice Spiritual Power is incredibly difficult, but the harder it is, the stronger it becos. If I absorb Ice Spiritual Power now, I’ll be able to easily open an Ice Elents Mansion once my Cultivation reaches the Xuanwu Realm. Plus, I can use this Ice Soul Cold Qi to stimulate the Ten Divine Beast Particles!’
’Awaken, Ten Divine Beast Particles!’
With a soft cry in his heart, Shen Lang activated the Nine Revolutions of Life and Death Mysterious Technique. His five senses—sight, hearing, taste, sll, and touch—imdiately shut down, entering a state of ’seeing yet not seeing, hearing yet not hearing.’
In the end, he even sealed away his consciousness, thinking yet not thinking, sinking into an unprecedented state of mind.
’Cultivating with the Ice Soul Water Jade isn’t just about tempering my ridians and awakening the Ten Divine Beast Particles; I also need to comprehend the Ice Realm. Once I grasp the Icy Intent, its power will be no weaker than Sword Intent. Sword Intent is all about moving forward, destroying all obstacles, but Icy Intent is balanced between offense and defense. In a sense, its applications are far more versatile than Sword Intent.’
This thought flashed through Shen Lang’s mind before it fell completely silent. He focused on the bone-deep chill, as if trying to rge with the coldness itself...
Throughout history, almost no one had ever cultivated with the cold qi of the Ice Soul Water Jade like Shen Lang.
He was absorbing Ice Spiritual Energy, using the Ice Soul Coldness for body forging, and stimulating the Ten Divine Beast Particles of his Chaos Divine Body all at once. On top of that, amidst the pain and danger, he was also trying to control his consciousness to rge with this cold intent and comprehend the Ice Realm...
An unknown amount of ti passed before Zuo Wentian’s voice rang out in Shen Lang’s mind: "Master, soone is here."
This soft cry, which reached directly into his soul, finally roused Shen Lang from his chaotic state.
Inside the ice crystal, which shimred with an eerie light, Shen Lang’s eyes snapped open. A burst of fiery red energy erupted, and the thick layer of ice instantly shattered, then evaporated into nothing.
Shen Lang stood dazed for a mont before clarity returned to his bewildered eyes. With a flicker, he was outside the Heaven-Sealing Cauldron.
A mont later, a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK ca from outside the door.
"Open up! Hurry up and open the door!"
The voice outside was coarse and aggressive.
Shen Lang furrowed his brow slightly and pulled open the door. Outside stood five young n of about the sa age.
All five of them had a lazy, cynical air. One had his arms crossed and his head tilted up, looking down his nose at everyone. Another chewed on a blade of grass. A third was polishing a longsword with a cloth, his eyes full of nace.
The leader, despite being tall and powerfully built, was wearing a floral-patterned outfit. He held his hand in a delicate orchid-finger gesture and clutched a pink silk scarf in the other, his gaze on Shen Lang as suggestive as could be.
The four behind him were at the Qi Martial Realm Sixth Heaven, while the leader was at the Qi Martial Realm Eighth Heaven.
"What can I do for you, senior brothers?" Shen Lang asked, his gaze calm.
The leading senior brother swayed his hips, stepped forward, and leaned one hand on the doorfra, placing the other on his hip. "My, my, what a handso junior brother. They all said Junior Brother Shen Lang was dapper and dashing, and it’s really true! My na is Sun Hongwen, and I’m here to collect Spirit Stones, you see."
The four behind him snickered.
Shen Lang glanced at the man and said, "I’ve only heard that Sect disciples can receive four Low Grade Spirit Stones each month. I haven’t heard anything about having to hand them over."
Sun Hongwen shot Shen Lang a flirtatious look. "Oh, I know that. But we Outer Disciples can’t compare to Inner Sect Disciples, can we? Outer Disciples have to complete a certain number of tasks every month! I happen to follow the two bosses, Yan Qi and Tian Hao. This entire Songdu Peak is our territory. With just a word from our bosses, your tasks could multiply several tis over, you know!"
"Multiply several tis over?" Shen Lang murmured.
Sun Hongwen gave a "charming" little laugh. "That’s right. For example, if your task was to carry a hundred buckets of water, a word from the bosses could easily turn it into five or six hundred buckets. And that water-carrying task might just turn into shoveling manure instead. What’s more, if you don’t pay up, we can guarantee you won’t be able to take a single step on Songdu Peak... I’ve said so much, surely our little junior brother understands now, don’t you?"
"I understand," Shen Lang nodded. "So how many Spirit Stones?"
Sun Hongwen chuckled. "I knew our junior brother was a smart one. It’s not much, just two Low Grade Spirit Stones per month. As long as you hand over these two Low Grade Spirit Stones, your senior brother here will guarantee you a worry-free life!"
"Two Low Grade Spirit Stones? We only get four a month, and you want to give half to you?" Shen Lang glanced at the four n behind Sun Hongwen, his voice still calm.
Sun Hongwen shook his head repeatedly. "That’s not the right way to look at it. First of all, back in the day, our Profound Dao Sect was one of the top sects in the Purple Chu Country. The Sect was built on a Spirit ridian in the Celestial Profound Mountain Range. Even the peaks in the Outer Sect have Spiritual Qi more than ten tis richer than the outside world. You couldn’t necessarily buy an environnt like this even if you spent Spirit Stones."
"Secondly, because the Profound Dao Sect’s foundation is still strong and the Spiritual Qi is abundant, there are many Spirit Herbs and Spirit Fruits to be found all over a place like Songdu Peak. If you find any, they’re worth a lot of Spirit Stones, aren’t they? A single Exotic Treasure could even sell for thousands of Spirit Stones. Besides the main peak, there are other surrounding peaks... In these places, there are no powerful Demon Beasts or other dangers. Finding just a few items would be worth more than the Spirit Stones the Sect gives you in several years!"
"Oh, so that’s how it is. It sounds like I’d be getting a great deal by paying two Spirit Stones..." Shen Lang said with a nod.
"But of course! Compared to all that, what are two Spirit Stones?" Sun Hongwen said, shooting another flirtatious look at Shen Lang.
Shen Lang grinned and said, "The problem is, I have no interest in paying. So, what do you plan to do about it?"
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