— A Trap of Fear —
Following the aura of the Frostveil Ancestor, Eren pursued him all the way to the summit of the Great Snowy Peaks' main peak.
Abruptly, his heart clenched. An intense, overwhelming sense of crisis seized him.
The air was thick with a violent, malevolent energy fluctuation... one that felt strangely, eerily familiar.
His eyes sharpened. Within a few breaths, he had silently closed the distance on his target. He didn't alert his prey, instead shadowing him like a ghost from the darkness.
The Ancestor moved with unnatural speed, quickly arriving at the entrance of a massive cave.
The cave walls inside were densely carved with ancient, luminous runes that pulsed with a faint, sinister light.
Eren's heart sank, his pupils constricting rapidly—this was a Sealing Array of the same origin as the one on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau!
Could it be... that beneath this towering snow-capped mountain, an Ancient Demon God was truly sealed?
To the naked eye, the cave appeared empty. But to Eren's powerful spiritual sense, a withered figure sat cross-legged right at its center!
The figure had dry, white hair, a blurred face, and a corpse-like emaciation.
What was more heart-stopping were the nine black chains covered in sealing scripts, coiling around the figure's body like venomous pythons. Their other ends were deeply embedded into the surrounding stone walls, clearly connected to the entire grand array.
Vast amounts of heaven and earth spiritual energy were being drawn in by the array, transformed into pure black demonic energy, and forcibly channeled into the figure's body through the chains!
Just as Eren prepared to probe further with his spiritual sense, the Frostveil Ancestor approached the figure. He raised his hand and hammered three times on the empty air before him, like knocking on a door. Where he struck, ripples spread through space like water—an invisible spatial barrier was there!
"Insignificant mortal, why do you disturb this immortal's secluded cultivation again?" A hoarse, yet authoritative female voice emanated from within the barrier.
"Senior! This junior faces a powerful enemy! I am willing to help you escape your confinement! I only ask that you slay this vile beast for me!" The Frostveil Ancestor's face was twisted, his voice trembling with agitation.
"Good! As long as you break this barrier and release me, this immortal will not only avenge you but also grant you the throne to rule this world!"
"Excellent! I will help you escape immediately!" The Ancestor was ecstatic. He gathered all his power and threw a mighty punch at the spatial barrier!
BOOM!
A terrifying rebounding force surged forth. The Ancestor was sent flying back like a kite with its string cut, blood spraying from his mouth.
Eren shook his head inwardly. The old fool was truly blinded by greed. If what was sealed inside was truly an "immortal," how could a mere barrier like this be shaken by his strength? It was like a mayfly trying to shake a giant tree.
"Fool!" The voice from within the barrier held undisguised scorn. "This is an Immortal-Sealing Array! Even a true immortal would find it difficult to break. Did you think you could shatter it? Wishful thinking!"
"Then... then what must I do to release you?" The Ancestor struggled to his feet, wiping blood from his lips, his voice quivering.
— Eroding the Runes —
"Do you see the runes on the walls? Use your Primordial Frostveil Aura to corrode and destroy them.
Hmph, I imparted the 'Frostveil Art' centuries ago precisely for it to be of use on this day." The voice seemed calm, but deep within it suppressed a barely perceptible excitement.
"So our sect's foundational art came from you, Senior! You are the true founder of the Frostveil Sect!" The Ancestor trembled with exhilaration upon hearing this.
The Frostveil Sect had risen to prominence relying on the Frostveil Art. If this demonic being possessed even more powerful techniques... wouldn't domination be within reach?
He immediately walked to the stone wall, channeling his deep blue Primordial Frostveil Aura. It transformed into a stream of cold energy that continuously assailed the runes on the wall.
"Senior, it's not working! I can't destroy these runes at all..." The Ancestor complained bitterly. His primordial energy was depleting rapidly, yet the runes remained utterly unmoved.
"Imbecile! You only need to destroy a single one! Create the slightest flaw in the array, and this immortal has the means to free myself!"
"So that's it!" Taking the instruction, the Ancestor focused his remaining Primordial Frostveil Aura into a single point, transforming it into an ultra-cold ray that shot accurately towards one specific rune!
"Halt!" Eren could no longer stand by. His figure erupted into motion, a fist smashing towards the Ancestor with a howling gust of wind!
"Eren! You followed me here?!" The Ancestor evaded in terror, then snarled with a ferocious expression, "Once I release our Founder, you will die without a burial ground!"
"Open your eyes and see clearly!" Eren shouted sternly. "What is sealed inside is no benevolent being, but a true demon! If you release her, it will mean carnage and suffering for all living things, and you yourself will face eternal damnation! Think about why she was sealed here in the first place!"
"I don't care!" The Frostveil Ancestor roared, insane with rage. "Even if I turn to ashes, even if the Frostveil Sect is destroyed, I must kill you first! Any price is worth it to see you dead!"
"Stubborn fool. Then I'll have to send you on your way first!" Killing intent flashed in Eren's eyes as he launched another fist attack.
"Hmph, an ant dares to hinder my escape?" At that moment, a cold snort came from within the barrier. The voice seemed to contain the supreme power of cosmic laws. The space around Eren instantly solidified, pinning him firmly in place, unable to move!
"Urgh...!" Veins bulged on Eren's temples. His bones creaked under the strain as if the entire weight of the snowy mountain was crushing him. His blood vessels felt ready to burst!
"Fool! What are you waiting for? This immortal has overexerted herself to suppress him temporarily! Destroy the rune, now!" The voice from the barrier was noticeably labored; casting through the barrier was clearly a great burden.
"Yes!" Although the Ancestor wanted to seize the chance to kill Eren, he weighed the options and gritted his teeth, abandoning the idea. She could suppress Eren; she could surely suppress him too.
He took a deep breath, forcing out the last dregs of his Primordial Frostveil Aura. It condensed into a solid stream of deep blue cold, striking fiercely against the targeted rune!
"Stop!" Eren's internal power erupted like a volcano, violently breaking through part of the suppression!
Swoosh swoosh swoosh—!
Ten flying swords shot forth according to his will, transforming into dazzling streams of light aimed straight for the Ancestor's back!
However, he was a half-step too late.
A crisp Crack! echoed through the cave as the rune, eroded by the extreme cold, shattered like crystal into fine powder!
"Ahahahaha! Eren! The rune is broken! The Founder will soon be free! You're doomed!" The Ancestor dodged to the side, laughing maniacally at the sky, his face a mask of madness.
"This is bad..." Eren's heart sank into an abyss.
The moment the rune shattered, the withered figure at the center of the barrier sharply raised its head! From within its shriveled body, a terrifying, soul-shaking energy began to awaken!
HUM—!
The vast energy materialized into a black hurricane that swept through the entire cave!
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG—!
The nine black chains binding the figure instantly tautened, groaning with the sound of protesting metal!
The awakening had begun...