"How is this possible? Just one glance and he's completely frozen! What the hell is going on? How can the Ice and Snow Queen be this powerful? What kind of monster is she? That was a peak Life Aperture Realm sword cultivator—among the strongest in their realm, capable of fighting above their level with ease. And yet, with just a single glance from her, he was turned into an ice statue. Just how powerful is she?"
"No way! How could such a powerful being exist in this world? Even Manifestation Realm (Tier 4) experts might not be able to do that. Then again… top-tier Manifestation Realm powerhouses might just barely achieve something similar. Could she really be a peak Manifestation Realm powerhouse?"
"Run! Spread the word to the world—the source of the calamity is the Ice and Snow Queen. Even if she isn't the disaster itself, the disaster is certainly in her hands. As long as the source isn't sealed, the catastrophe will never end. No matter what, this message must be delivered!"
At that moment, shadows emerged from the snow and ice.
Among them were both human cultivators and alien race powerhouses.
The moment they appeared, they fled from the Suspended Ice Mountain without hesitation.
The Ice and Snow Queen had struck such terror into their hearts that their entire beings trembled. It wasn't an illusion. It was a very real, overwhelming presence—one they knew they had no chance of resisting.
Stay, and they would die.
So in that instant, none hesitated. They fled with all their might.
Yet the Ice and Snow Queen seemed utterly indifferent.
Or rather, she didn't even see these human and alien cultivators as worth noticing. It was the gaze one gave to ants—if that. Even that sword cultivator who was killed likely wouldn't have been targeted if he hadn't revealed himself. In her eyes, ants weren't even qualified to draw attention.
"Today, I allow you to leave. Go, and spread the word. From this day forward, any land covered in ice and snow belongs to my Kingdom of Ice and Snow. It belongs to me, the Ice and Snow Queen.
In one month's time, I shall patrol the world. All races of the heavens shall kneel before me.
Any who do not submit—this ice sculpture shall be their fate."
Her cold, chilling voice echoed directly into the minds of every fleeing cultivator. The meaning contained within caused their bodies to tremble uncontrollably, as if some unimaginable fear was flooding their souls.
They could feel her standing in the heavens, looking down on all living beings.
She was like a deity—aloof and untouchable.
She declared: Wherever ice and snow exists, that is her kingdom, her domain. What did this mean? It meant that this entire continent could fall under her control. That all human and alien races might become her slaves—forced to offer tribute and kneel in submission.
Anyone who resisted would become an ice sculpture.
Obey, or perish.
She had no regard for the current powers of the world. It wasn't arrogance for its own sake—this was the confidence born of absolute strength.
In the realm of ice and snow, she was invincible. The supreme ruler.
And her ambition? Nothing less than the entire continent.
"What arrogance! Every race has its foundations and hidden cards. Even if you, Ice and Snow Queen, are powerful, can you truly defy the heavens? To think of conquering the entire land—impossible!"
"Hmph! Our sects all have their secrets. Even Manifestation Realm experts wouldn't dare act wantonly inside our territories. If you try, you'll be killed on the spot. Why should we fear some self-styled Ice Queen?"
Such thoughts flashed through the minds of many human and alien cultivators.
Yes, the Ice and Snow Queen was strong—but no one believed she alone could suppress the world. And this notion of ruling through sheer ice and cold? No one would accept that.
Under her tacit approval, the invading cultivators escaped the Suspended Ice Mountain and scattered in all directions, spreading the news through every means available.
For those factions already tracking the source of the calamity, the news sparked enormous upheaval.
Beast King Court
Inside the Beast King Court, King Behemoth gathered with several beastfolk powerhouses. All of their expressions were extremely grim.
The news of the Ice and Snow Queen weighed heavily on them. So heavily, in fact, that they could barely breathe.
In this world, strength reigns supreme. One powerhouse might not usually sway the fate of empires—but if a single being was strong enough to crush all opposition, the devastation they could unleash was incalculable.
"One force to break ten thousand techniques"—this wasn't just a saying.
"If the Ice and Snow Queen truly is the source of the disaster—or if she possesses some Heavenly Calamity Artifact—then no force could stop the destruction she might unleash.But if she thinks the Beast King Court will bow down… she's wrong!
We Behemoths have never knelt to anyone! We'd rather die in battle than submit!"
King Behemoth made his stance clear.
Rock City
Within Rock City, the winged tribes also gathered.
Their expressions were equally dark.
"No single race can resist the Ice and Snow Queen. In snow and ice, her power increases several times over. She's the true ruler of the frost—unmatched and unstoppable.
We must contact other races, form an alliance, and strike before she does. Why wait for her to hunt us down? Why not preemptively attack the Suspended Ice Mountain? Maybe we can kill her before disaster spreads to our own lands."
A voice rang out from within the winged tribe.
Undoubtedly, it was a valid suggestion. Why wait for doom to arrive on your doorstep? Better to gather the strongest forces of all races, launch a joint offensive, and eliminate the threat before it was too late.
Great Yi Dynasty
Inside the royal palace, Yi Tianxing read through the latest intelligence.
Those sect cultivators who had fled from the Suspended Ice Mountain wasted no time in spreading the news. Not only did it reach their sects, it also could not escape Great Yi's intelligence network.
In fact, no one was trying to hide it. Many were eager to spread it as fast and wide as possible.
"The Ice and Snow Queen… the Suspended Ice Mountain… So she really is the disaster's source?" Yi Tianxing said quietly.
"Most likely, yes," Emperor Tong said quickly. "The name 'Ice and Snow Queen' has never appeared before. The Suspended Ice Mountain has always been desolate—home only to icy beasts and savage birds. It's far too cold. Normally, no one goes near it. It was only after the arrival of the Heavenly Disaster that we discovered her."
"According to reports," added Zhuge Zhengwo, "her power is unfathomable. Just a glance froze a sword cultivator in place. His life-bound flying sword couldn't even approach her—it was sliced to pieces before getting near. That kind of strength… at least Manifestation Realm, maybe even beyond."
He had witnessed it himself. He hadn't entered the mountain but had observed from the outside. And even he, with his power, felt that if the Queen targeted him, he wouldn't escape becoming an ice sculpture.
But when he looked at Yi Tianxing, he felt an even deeper sense of mystery and power. He could no longer see any limits in Yi Tianxing. Before, back in the God-Demon Battlefield, he could at least sense a boundary. Now? Nothing.
Though the Ice and Snow Queen was terrifying… Yi Tianxing might not be powerless to stop her.
"According to the intel," the Emperor Tong continued, "many alien races are already on the move. The Ice and Snow Queen's proclamation is a direct provocation—one that no race can accept easily. Individually, they're no match for her, but they may form a coalition.
There's even talk that these alien tribes may want to ally with Great Yi to jointly assault the Suspended Ice Mountain."
"Interesting," Yi Tianxing chuckled. "So they're treating the Ice and Snow Queen like some world boss now?"
It did indeed feel like a game. A massive player raid trying to take down the final boss. Of course, this wasn't a game.
If the Ice and Snow Queen really was the source of the calamity, then her power surely exceeded what had been shown so far.
"Wherever ice and snow exists… that is my kingdom."
Someone who could declare that could never be a mere mortal.
Either she was bluffing… or she truly had the power to sweep the world.