As the two incenses were lit, their faint smoke curled upward the still sky of the pocket world. A hush fell upon all, both within and outside the pocket world. Then, without warning, killing intent surged like a sudden storm.
The five cultivators of Shen Yuan's team and the five women of Ma Bingxue's team shot forward, their movements like lightning streaking through still water. When they met, the impact shook the ground itself.
A sonic boom erupted, echoing for almost half a minute before the sound finally scattered across the vast land. Dust, light, and Qi ripples rolled outward in waves that made even the distant horizon tremble.
The first clash then ended abruptly. The five women from the Spirit Ice Pavilion backed away, each retreating ten steps before halting. Their eyes shone with cold intent as they raised their hands in unison.
Within moments, they began weaving hand seals, fingers forming intricate patterns too fast for mortal eyes to follow.
Their robes fluttered though there was no wind. A faint hum arose as the natural energy in the area shifted, and one by one the five women soared a hundred feet above the ground, taking positions in a perfect pentagonal circle.
A chill descended.
Illusory snowflakes slowly appeared, shimmering symbols of frost that hung in the air around them. The formation then stabilized as the last seal locked into place. Fifty, Sixty… no, there were a total of ninety giant snowflakes—each size of a human skull—rotated slowly, releasing a dense, freezing aura.
It was a formation!
Below, Gui Bohai's expression darkened. Without hesitation, he shot upward, a streak of jade light blazing behind him. As he neared the formation, his palm erupted with violent Qi, and he struck one of the snowflakes head-on.
A thunderous boom echoed, then silence.
Guo Bohai's body was instantly thrown back as if by the pressure of an invisible mountain. He crashed into the ground, blood splattering from his lips.
However, the droplets of blood froze the instant they touched the earth.
Tang Jiyan's eyes widened as he caught sight of the blood-crystals forming below. His instincts screamed, and his voice roared out, "Everyone, get off the ground!"
The others reacted instantly. Dong Chen, Shi Meixiu, Guo Bohai, Xiang Xiaoli, and Tang Jiyan himself ascended, their figures blurring as they flew fifty feet above the earth.
They had barely steadied themselves when a sudden change in the surroundings began.
The aura from the women's formation intensified. Within heartbeats, the once green landscape began to die. The grass withered; trees froze solid, their branches snapping under the weight of forming frost. Mountains of ice erupted from the soil like awakening beasts.
The surroundings seemed to change.
In the span of a breath, twenty kilometers of land were turned to a vast field of ice. Even the air itself grew heavy and pale, shimmering with a strange frost-light. Around this vast frozen field rose an illusory barrier, a transparent dome infused with seals of yin and wind.
Inside that barrier, cold gales were born, spiraling endlessly, though no wind existed in this pocket world, except for the inside of that icy barrier.
Outside the pocket world, mortals gasped. The magic screens flickered with images of a new view—one painted in white and deathly blue.
"Is that… a secret technique of the Spirit Ice Pavilion Master?" someone whispered.
"No, it must be the world lord's intervention," another argued.
"Impossible. He wouldn't dare interfere!"
Speculations spread like wildfire, each theory more desperate than the last. Yet none were even close to the truth.
Far away, about forty kilometers from the icy barrier—stood two figures. Shen Yuan and Ma Bingxue.
Shen Yuan's eyes reflected the icy field. His lips curved faintly, the trace of an amused smile ghosting across his face.
Interesting, he thought. 'A law formation. So, this is how she intends to fight.'
His mind continued, calm. 'A law formation alters the akasha of a limited area, transforming it into whatever the user desires. It is not difficult in essence; even Qi and laws are composed of akasha. From the moment one begins cultivating, they touch it—only few understand what it truly is. Most below the Elysian realm never grasp that understanding.
He lowered his gaze slightly. 'But to alter an entire pocket world's framework… that would be another story.
Ma Bingxue spoke then, her voice crisp as shattering ice. "It's amusing," she said softly, "how most people try to guess what they see—yet their eyes remain blind to the truth."
Shen Yuan didn't answer. He simply glanced at her once, expression unreadable, and turned back toward the frozen view.
Inside the barrier, Tang Jiyan and his four companions were now surrounded. The air itself seemed to resist their movements, and frost began to gather at the edges of their robes.
Then after a long silence, one of the five women moved.
One of the five women within the formation produced five small beads from her storage bag. She whispered a short incantation and flicked them outward. The beads arced through the air, positioning themselves around Tang Jiyan and the others in a perfect circle.
With a sharp crack, the beads exploded into light. From each burst emerged a beast—five spiritual beasts, their bodies translucent like living ice.
Their roars filled the frozen sky.
Though their cultivation was merely at the quasi grade 7, equivalent to a seventh or eighth layer Nirvana cultivator—their presence combined however was able to pressure Tang Jiyan even tang jiyan and others, though individually, they were nothing to them.
Tang Jiyan's face tightened. "Troublesome," he muttered. 'But not insurmountable.'
He recalled Shen Yuan's words from countless sparring sessions; 'Every formation has a weakness. A strong formation is simply an array with a better disguise. Find the core, and it will crumble faster than a glass.'
Tang Jiyan exhaled slowly. "I'll look for the weak point," he said. "The rest of you, deal with the beasts!"
"Understood!"
All four of them shouted in unison.
Outside, mortals frowned at what they saw. "Those women are too ruthless!" one of them said. "Summoning beasts on top of using a formation?"
The elders, however, leaned forward, eyes sharp. The Sect Masters and even the world lord himself showed faint, intrigued expressions.
Inside the pocket world, battle erupted again.
Xiang Xiaoli engaged a beast that resembled a frost lion, her twin swords blazing with fiery Qi. Shi Meixiu faced an ice serpent woven of ice-light, her fingers forming seals as lightning flickered along her arms. Guo Bohai met a towering beast with four horns, his blade ringing out as Sword Qi carved lines of silver in the icy air.
Dong Chen faced two at once, his expression calm yet fierce. A dark current flowed beneath his skin as he unleashed waves of thunder, his attacks shaking the earth.
Tang Jiyan did not join them. He floated midair, eyes closed, divine sense spreading out like invisible ripples through the frozen landscape.
He searched.
Lines of frost, spiritual currents, the flow of Yin Qi—all were traced within his mind's eye. Yet every attempt to locate the formation's weakness returned void.
"There's nothing…?" he murmured, brow furrowed. "Impossible."
Still, he refused to give up. He believed in Shen Yuan's words and knowledge on formations more than he believed in his own breath.
Then—movement again.
Dozens of illusory snowflakes began to tremble. From within them burst out countless chains of ice, each one thick as an arm. They coiled through the air like serpents and shot toward Tang Jiyan.
The sky filled with white light.
He reacted too late. In an instant, the chains wrapped around him, layer upon layer, constricting until he could hear the crack of his own bones. Pain lanced through his body, frost racing along his limbs. Blood spilling from the corners of his mouth.
"Senior brother Tang!" Xiang Xiaoli screamed, but she could not break free of her own battle. None of them could.
Tang Jiyan's vision blurred. Yet in that suffocating cold, his eyes caught a detail others would have missed.
When the chains appeared, the snowflakes dimmed slightly. Their glow flickered.
He realized then—the offensive chains drew power from the same source as the defense. The formation's shield weakened whenever it attacked.
A grin, pale and bloodstained, curved his lips. "So that's it…"
He raised a trembling hand and flicked his fingers.
Crack!
Space itself fractured. From the rift burst bolts of thunder, roaring forth like celestial serpents. They descended upon the formation, striking at the illusory snowflakes.
The five women's expressions shifted instantly. Their seals changed, and the chains vanished as they withdrew their power to defend.
The snowflakes brightened again, deflecting the thunder—but barely.
Tang Jiyan's breathing was ragged. "That's the key," he whispered.
Below, Dong Chen's two beasts shattered under his black thunder. Xiang Xiaoli cleaved through her beast in a burst of flame and lightning. Shi Meixiu closed her eyes briefly, forming a seal. When she opened them, the soul of her beast was instantly destroyed by her technique. Guo Bohai struck his target down as quickly as possible, though his landing was less than graceful.
Tang Jiyan raised his voice, hoarse but clear. "Attack the snowflakes! Thunder-based techniques, now!"
They didn't hesitate.
Tang Jiyan led the strike. Spatial cracks opened around him once again, birthing streams of silver lightning that howled toward the sky. Xiang Xiaoli joined with her fusion of fire and thunder, her blade tracing arcs of molten light. Dong Chen's dark thunder technique flared, deep and violent, as Shi Meixiu released pure lightning blasts that tore through the cold. Guo Bohai's sword techniques danced alongside theirs, each slash infused with thunder based sword techniques.
Their five-fold assault merged into a storm of attacks from all directions.
The icy barrier seemed to tremble.
Outside, mortals gaped. Even though the screens could not fully capture the speed of their attacks, the shockwaves were visible—rippling distortions of space itself.
"What are they doing?!" one shouted.
"They're just wasting their Qi!"
"No… they're aiming at something…"
The discussion spread like wildfire again. Even cultivators below the Nirvana realm began muttering, their eyes reflecting both confusion and awe.
Inside the pocket world, the relentless barrage continued. Each strike sent tremors through the icy field. Each thunderbolt carved fissures in the air.
And then—
Crack.
A faint sound, like the breaking of thin glass.
The first illusory snowflake showed a line across its surface.
Another crack, then another.
Lines spread like spider-webs, connecting from one snowflake to the next.
The five women's calm faces shifted into visible panic.