Translator: AnubisTL
Across the vast snow plains, a snow mountain range, like the spine of heaven and earth, stretched across the central region.
In the boundless sky above, a giant spirit warship descended.
The massive vessel cleaved through the air, completely dispersing the dense, frigid mist, before slowly landing atop the highest peak of the Forbidden Speech Snow Mountains.
Boom!
As the powerful spiritual pressure subsided, the surrounding snow was violently shaken away.
"Hiss... So this is the summit of the Forbidden Speech Snow Mountains? It's even colder than I imagined!"
"Good thing I brought my fire fox fur coat. I knew this place was a true forbidden land."
"Sigh, it could be worse. The gale-force winds around Cold Wind Pool have calmed down. Otherwise, just standing here would strip the skin off your bones."
"..."
Amidst the hushed discussions of the sect elders, Li Qing slowly disembarked from the giant spirit boat, arriving for the first time at one of the Azure Ridge Domain's four forbidden lands: the Forbidden Speech Snow Mountains!
Whoosh!
A sudden gust of icy wind swept through, forcing even Li Qing to release a small amount of his vital energy to ward off the biting chill.
"One of the Azure Ridge Domain's four forbidden lands... It lives up to its reputation. Without proper preparation, even a foundation establishment realm cultivator would freeze to death here."
Gazing at the endless expanse of white, Li Qing couldn't help but sigh.
Before the group could even adjust to their surroundings, a figure streaked down from the direction of Cold Wind Pool at the mountain's summit.
"Master!" Shen Ningbing called out respectfully as soon as she recognized the newcomer.
It was none other than Ancestor Bing Yun of the Lingyun Sect, a formidable cultivator whose reputation resonated throughout the sect and across the entire Azure Ridge Domain.
In unison, everyone bowed respectfully and greeted:
"Greetings, Ancestor Bing Yun!"
True Lord Bing Yun nodded in acknowledgment before addressing Ancestor Devourer of Heaven, who stood on the giant spirit warship: "Senior Brother, we must act swiftly. Demonic qi is already seeping through the breach in the sealing formation."
Her words cast a pall over the foundation establishment elders who had clung to a sliver of hope.
The presence of demonic qi meant that remnants of ancient demons still lurked within the sealed realm!
"How is this possible? Are these ancient demons immortal? It's been millennia!"
"Indeed. The Extreme Ice Demon-Sealing Formation hasn't completely eradicated them after all these years. It's terrifying!"
"Even the great cultivators of ancient times couldn't defeat them..."
Even Li Qing had harbored a faint hope that the ancient demons might have perished completely over the ages.
The situation remained grim. Malevolent demonic qi still surged within, indicating that the ancient demons hadn't been completely eradicated.
"Don't boost the enemy's morale while undermining our own!" Ancestor Devourer of Heaven declared sternly, his voice cutting through the gloom.
"The ancient demons may have possessed longer lifespans, but it's impossible for them to have survived all these years."
"Remember, ancient demons also reproduce. These surviving demons are likely descendants of the original ones."
Ancestor Devourer of Heaven's words managed to slightly lift the group's spirits.
Despite his reassuring words, Ancestor Devourer of Heaven's brow furrowed slightly, his eyes revealing deep concern.
Even if these were descendants of the ancient demons, they would still be formidable adversaries.
"Let's move. We need to investigate the situation inside as soon as possible."
Thus, two core formation ancestors led the charge, guiding the majority of Lingyun Sect's foundation establishment elders as they surged toward the Cold Wind Pool.
The icy gales that had perpetually swirled around the area had ceased, yet the temperature remained bone-chillingly cold.
A frost-encrusted pool lay silently atop the mountain peak. Peering inside revealed a hidden grotto-heaven within the Cold Wind Pool.
Sect Leader Xu Yun immediately stepped forward, patiently explaining:
"Some newly appointed elders may not be familiar with this place. This is the Cold Wind Secret Realm, an ancient secret realm unique to our Lingyun Sect."
"What you see is not the interior of the mountain. It's actually an independent grotto-heaven. The frost reflecting the grotto-heaven's interior is no ordinary ice; it's a layer condensed from the Extreme Ice Demon-Sealing Formation!"
Upon hearing this, many newly appointed elders like Li Qing nodded, though their understanding remained vague.
"I see..."
There was no time for further explanation. Time was of the essence. Ancestor Devourer of Heaven declared gravely:
"Xu Yun, you must take the lead and venture deep inside first."
Sect Leader Xu Yun nodded solemnly. "Martial Uncle, this is our Lingyun Sect's very mission. As sect leader, I naturally bear the responsibility!"
"Fellow Disciples, follow me into the formation!"
His voice carried no heroic fervor or resignation to death, remaining utterly calm.
Whether they were prepared or not, they had to enter now!
Thus, Ancestor Devourer of Heaven and Ancestor Bing Yun each unleashed their techniques, carving a path into the secret realm within the Cold Wind Pool.
The moment the entrance to the secret realm appeared, wisps of chilling demonic qi began to seep out. This demonic qi seemed to be the antithesis of heaven and earth spiritual energy; as soon as it emerged, it forcefully repelled the surrounding spiritual energy.
Witnessing this, many people's expressions changed drastically once again.
Though they had heard rumors, seeing it with their own eyes still sent a shiver down their spines.
Gulp!
Some even swallowed nervously, their resolve already crumbling.
But at this critical juncture, turning back was no longer an option.
Sect Leader Xu Yun leaped forward, leading the charge toward the secret realm's entrance.
Immediately afterward, one foundation establishment elder after another, who had drawn the first-round slots, surged into the portal.
In an instant, the crowd had thinned by a tenth. Watching this, many felt a hollow emptiness in their hearts.
With the first group having entered, all that remained for the rest was to wait.
Snap!
Li Qing was the most decisive. He casually found a sheltered spot on the mountaintop, sat down cross-legged, and closed his eyes to meditate.
There was no choice. He had searched the spirit boat thoroughly but couldn't find any familiar elders from his cohort.
It was too late to try and curry favor now; he would have to rely entirely on himself.
The other elders began to earnestly search for suitable spots on the mountain peak to meditate or whispered among themselves, discussing what to watch out for inside the ancient secret realm.
Some, bored out of their minds, started exploring the vicinity of the mountain, though none dared venture too far. With two core formation ancestors overseeing the area, anyone attempting to desert or undermine morale would face certain death.
After sending in the first group, Ancestor Devourer of Heaven sighed softly:
"Alas, the ancient war against the demonic race has drained the Azure Ridge Domain too deeply. Achieving Nascent Soul in this domain has become nearly impossible."
He had lingered in the core formation realm for countless years and still hovered in the late-stage core formation, with no confidence whatsoever in his chances of shattering his core to form a Nascent Soul.
Ancestor Bing Yun shook her head. "The dao is inherently treacherous. The higher you climb, the more perilous the path becomes, with death lurking at every turn. This is especially true in the Nascent Soul Realm."
"When our ancient predecessors established this sealing formation, they departed this world, likely never imagining that, after so many years, the birth of a Nascent Soul cultivator in this domain would become a mere fantasy."
The ancestors of the Lingyun Sect were all advanced in age, particularly Ancestor Devourer of Heaven, who had accepted Wu Chong as his close-door disciple decades ago.
At this stage, accepting a close-door disciple often signaled that one's great limit was drawing near.
"Let's hope the ancient demon within the seal isn't too formidable," Ancestor Devourer of Heaven said, his brow furrowed. "Otherwise, we'll have no choice but to seek assistance from experts in other prosperous great domains."
If the ancient demon proved insurmountable, they would never foolishly fight to the death, risking the complete annihilation of their sect.
Seeking aid from other great domains was a last resort. After all, guarding this seal was the very purpose for which the Lingyun Sect had been founded—their sacred duty.
(End of the Chapter)
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