"Mm, my daughter from the Immortal Academy indeed wishes to enter the Dao Academy, but it won't be that easy. After all, there are many sects in the surrounding regions, and the number of young cultivators wanting to enter the Dao Academy is even greater," said Yan Hongye calmly.
The Immortal Academy embraces hundreds of schools—these aren't entire sects residing there, but rather specialized institutions like the Artifact Forging Institute, Pill Refining Institute, Talisman Crafting Institute, and so on, each focusing on different cultivation techniques and skills.
Of course, entering the Immortal Academy is essentially equivalent to becoming part of Great Yi's system—that's what really matters. Only by establishing ties with Great Yi can one access immense benefits.
"Alright, let's not talk about that now. We've been chasing the source of the calamity for so long without a proper rest. After this reunion dinner, let's go into the city for a stroll, buy some supplies, and get a few new outfits. Great Yi's Mist Brocade and Cloud Brocade are the finest fabrics—they make the most comfortable clothing," Yan Chixia said with a warm smile.
He had only one daughter, and he cherished her deeply.
Though these brocades were expensive, he felt they were well worth the price.
"Okay!" Yan Hongye nodded with a bright smile.
She loved everything from Great Yi—not just practical items, but all kinds of novelties for women. For example, bras, which were far superior to traditional dudou undergarments, better accentuating a woman's figure. In Great Yi, most women had long abandoned dudous in favor of bras, along with various exquisite accessories and jewelry, all crafted with the finesse of cultivators—wondrous and lifelike.
"Let's enjoy this Spring Festival properly. According to investigations, the location of the disaster source is almost locked down. It's nearly confirmed. In fact, even the foreign races and the Myriad Beast Royal Court are secretly searching for it. Their court has a prophet who might locate it in advance. Fortunately, our sect also has experts in Heaven's Secret Arts. There are four most likely locations where the disaster source might exist."
"One is Moonlight Lake, which has completely frozen over. The coldness at the bottom is far stronger than on the surface. Some cultivators who tried to explore were nearly frozen solid. Terrifying."
"Another is Icewind Valley, where the icy winds are tyrannically cold. Even cultivators can't venture deep inside. What lies within remains a mystery."
"In addition, there's the Underground Ice Cavern and the Suspended Ice Mountain. Without a doubt, the disaster source must be in one of these four places."
Yan Chixia spoke gravely.
Naturally, they were investigating the disaster source. No sect would willingly give up the chance to locate and seize it. Gaining the disaster source would be an opportunity to propel a sect to greatness—a supreme fortune that couldn't be given up lightly.
Of the four sites, Moonlight Lake and Icewind Valley were within Great Yi's territory. In fact, near Icewind Valley stood a Celestial City known as Icewind City. Though the valley was perilous, it was rich in ice-elemental treasures, and its fierce winds were excellent for temper body cultivation.
However, the other two sites lay outside Great Yi's borders. The Underground Ice Cavern was to the west, and the Suspended Ice Mountain to the south. The Suspended Ice Mountain was particularly mysterious. Rather than resting on the ground, it floated in midair—a flying glacier, seemingly capable of movement, drifting across the skies.
According to sect investigations, the Suspended Ice Mountain had the highest likelihood of being the disaster source. Although it had existed long before the snow disaster, the moment the catastrophe began, the cold aura it emitted multiplied several times, and the mountain itself seemed to be growing.
On New Year's Eve, beneath the southern night sky, under the starlight, a colossal object hovered in midair.
Anyone seeing it would gasp in shock.
A massive floating ice mountain loomed in the heavens. Spanning hundreds of miles, it wasn't merely a mountain—it was practically a glacier, yet suspended in the air.
From the mountain, violent winds stirred up endless snow. In the bluish starry sky, the jagged icy peaks shimmered mysteriously, exuding a unique aura.
There were bottomless frozen lakes, hundreds-of-meters-deep cracks, ice caves glowing with green light, colorful ice mushrooms, and subterranean rivers—all miraculous glacier phenomena. From the ends of the icy tongues, melted glacier water flowed, forming liquid ice lakes that remained unfrozen despite the cold.
In terms of scenery alone, this mountain was a rare natural wonder, unmatched by all but the most extraordinary glaciers in the Eternal World.
Suddenly, a mysterious force surged from within the ice mountain.
Under its influence, snow from thousands of miles around began to converge upon it, as though drawn by a strange wind.
Within the snowfall, palaces and buildings began forming out of the blizzard—manifested from snow and ice.
And with them emerged ice beasts: massive snow ferrets, ice bears, frost tigers, ice giants, and glacial spirits, beautiful and deadly, born of snow and ice. Each radiated terrifying power, capable of freezing or obliterating all things.
They came from the snow, and to the snow, they belonged eternally.
At the summit of the ice mountain, a grand throne had emerged—fashioned entirely from countless icy swords. Gleaming and menacing, the throne exuded a brilliance that could stop the hearts of all who beheld it.
Amidst the blizzard, a woman appeared, seated on the throne. She exuded natural majesty, and the countless ice beasts instinctively knelt before her in reverent worship.
This reverence carried a sense of overwhelming awe.
She was beautiful—inhumanly so. Tall and elegant, clad in an ice-blue robe, with long blue hair, wearing a blue crown adorned with frost thorns and ancient runes. A six-pointed ice crystal gleamed on her forehead, lending her an even more regal air.
Her skin was snowy white, her expression cold and emotionless.
She held a long, slender scepter, as ice and snow danced around her like playful spirits, weaving a gown of frost behind her.
Seated high on her throne, she was none other than—
The Ice Queen.
The true Ice Queen, ruler of all ice and snow.
In her eyes, all of creation seemed equal—emotionless, detached, and cold as winter. Her gaze alone could freeze the world.
"My name… is the Ice Queen!!"
She declared softly.
Where she resided became her Ice Domain—her world, her kingdom.
It was clear that all the snow and frost between heaven and earth were responding to her will.
Suddenly—
"So it's you! The Ice Queen! You are the disaster source! Kill!!"
A shout rang out from amidst the kneeling ice army. Almost simultaneously, a golden sword light shot forth like a meteor, slicing through the void with terrifying speed.
So fast it was barely visible to the eye.
So sharp, it seemed to tear space itself—though that was just an illusion, since in the Eternal World, ordinary power could no longer rupture the spatial fabric.
The attacker was a sword cultivator—a swordsman whose lifebound flying sword struck with fierce momentum. Even a Life Map realm expert could be killed in a single blow.
Sword cultivators fused their life orifices into their swords rather than forming a Life Map, turning their weapon into a deadly extension of their essence.
This sword held orifices like:
Golden Armor Orifice, giving it indestructibility.
Golden Light Orifice, granting blazing speed.
Golden Edge Orifice, making it razor sharp and armor-piercing.
This was a blade of devastation.
A strike meant to shock the heavens.
Yet—the Ice Queen didn't even flinch. As the flying sword approached, the Ice Throne beneath her began radiating divine light.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless ice sword lights burst forth like a tide, striking the flying sword with devastating force—sharp, cold, and unrelenting.
In mere moments, the flying sword was bombarded endlessly.
Crack!
With a crisp sound, the sword shattered on the spot.
The Ice Queen merely cast a glance at the sword cultivator.
In that instant, a layer of ice crystals surged beneath his feet, spreading at a terrifying speed. In a flash, he was entirely encased in ice.
Frozen with a single gaze.