Standing before that silent, mirror-smooth massive ice lake, that soul-deepthrob and warning feeling not only didn't weaken but grew increasingly clear. Beneath the ice lake, as ifhiddenapair ofice cold'seyes, silentlywatching the intruders on the shore. Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister exchanged grave glances, both understanding this place was extraordinary. Rashly stepping onto the ice lake might trigger unforeseeable consequences.
"First, let's probe along the lake shore, looking for clues, or see if any other path can bypass." Xiao Qi proposed. Third Senior Sister nodded agreement. In this unknown dangerous land, caution was paramount.
The twosuppressaura, like two wisps of smoke, slowly moving along the ice lake's edge. The wind and snow persisted. Visibility was extremely low. Divine sense also suppressed within several li range. Probing was arduous.
However, after they departed the initial stopping place roughly an hour, Xiao Qi's footstepsslightpause. His browfrown barely perceptibly.
"Senior Sister, something feels off." He transmitted via sound, voice carrying coldness.
Third Senior Sister immediatelyalert. Her divine sense like mercury flowing, carefully scanning surroundings. Besides howling wind and occasionally wind-driven snow waves, no abnormalities found. "What did you discover?"
"Not with divine sense." Xiao Qi's gazesharpgroundsweep behindwhitevast'ssnow plain, andside some snow-covered jagged rocks. "It's a... feeling of being watched. Very faint, very fleeting, but constantly present. The opponent is extremely skilled at concealment, almost integrating with the environment. If not for my spiritual awareness far exceeding peers, plus Four Symbols Soul Crystals' exceptional sensitivity to surrounding environmental energy flow, I probably wouldn't detect it."
After fusing Four Symbols Soul Crystals, particularly the Black Tortoise Soul Crystal's water and ice affinity and control, gave him near-instinctive intuition for this snow region's energy changes. That watching feeling was like a fishswim underwater beneath ice. Though hidden, the subtle ripples it stirred couldn't escape his perception.
Third Senior Sister's expressionsinkdowncome upon hearing this. "Shadow Snake Pavilion remnants? They actually chased to the Northern Plains? Or... this snow region's indigenousforces?"
"Not certain." Xiao Qi slightly shook his head. "But the visitor means ill. Their concealment is masterful. Cultivation is probably not weak—at least Golden Core, and more than one."
His mind raced. The opponent only followed, didn't immediately attack. What was their purpose? Confirming their destination? Waiting for them to deplete themselves against the ice lake's dangers before acting? Or... waiting for stronger reinforcements?
Regardless, being tailed like a shadow felt terrible and extremely dangerous. They had to find a way to expose them, or... shake them off.
Xiao Qi's eyes flashed cold light. He transmitted: "Senior Sister, let'scoordinate, stage a play..."
Without showing any sign, the two continued along the lake shore. Speed neither fast nor slow, as if unaware. But secretly, Xiao Qi had already attached a thread of divine sense to Black Tortoise Soul Crystal's power, likecast a net, extremely covertly spreading toward the rear and sides' snow plains. Not actively probing, just passively feeling the subtlest energy fluctuations in those areas.
Simultaneously, he secretly summoned Azure Dragon Soul Crystal's power,guidemovement a thread of water spiritual qi, silently infiltrating the snow layer below their feet,slowlytowardfrontdirectionpenetrate. Third Senior Sister's fingertipsslightmovement, several nearly invisible mystic ice sword energies, like having life,drilling into some weak nodes of ice and snow structures along the way.
After traveling like this most of the day, sky darkened. The wind and snow seemed heavier. Ahead appeared an area of countless enormous ice blocksaccumulate, like a maze of ice formations.
"Let's rest here tonight. This ice maze can block the wind." Xiao Qi deliberately raised his voice slightly.
Third Senior Sister understood, nodding. "Good. This terrain is complex. Perfect forset up early warning formation."
Their forms flashed, entering that jagged, light-shadow chaotic ice maze. Their figures were soon obscured by enormous ice blocks and wind-blown snow.
About an incense stick after their forms vanished, roughly three li outside the ice maze on a snow hill, the air rippled like water. Two nearly snow-colored vague forms slowly emerged.
These two both wore some white, hooded strange fur cloaks. The cloaks' surfaces seemed inscribed with concealment talismans, making them perfectly blend with surroundings. One was tall and thin, holding a short staff likeice crystalcondense, aura cold, cultivation at early Golden Core. The other was somewhat short and sturdy, two gleaming curved blades crossed on their back, eyes like hawk's, also early Golden Core.
"They entered." The tall cultivator's voice was low, like ice scraping. "This ice maze terrain is complex. Divine sense interference stronger. Suitable for us to act."
The sturdy cultivator licked his lips. Eyesflash bloodthirsty'slight. "Hall Master's orders: confirm whether their target is the 'Frost Ice Eye.' If so, spare no cost to prevent, or seize any other soul crystals they might have. These two Qingxu Temple brats harmed our great cause in the Southern Frontier. Perfect opportunity to eliminate them!"
"Don't underestimate." The tall cultivator was more cautious. "They defeated Deputy Hall Master Yin Jiu (the news they received was repelled, not knowing his specific injuries). Though possibly using external strength, their own power cannot be underestimated. Especially that youth—his aura is somewhat strange."
"Hmph, Yin Jiu is trash, ambushed by barbarians and a bug. Here in the Northern Plains, it's our home ground! They traveled all this way without discovering us. Their spiritual awareness is merely thus. While they're unstable, arrays not set, we..."
Before the sturdy cultivator finished,sudden mutation occurred!
"Hum—!"
The solid snow beneath their feet, without warning, suddenly collapsed! Not ordinary collapse, but beneath the snow layer, somehow redirected groundwater, icy-cold, surged out, forming a rapidly spinning cold vortex. Powerful suction instantly entangled their feet! Simultaneously, from the surrounding snow, dozens ofmysteriousicesword qipreviously secretly laid by Third Senior Sister erupted, like having intelligence, weaving into a densesword net, sealing all dodging space!
"Bad! Caught in a trap!" The tall cultivator's expression changed drastically. His ice crystal staff fiercely struck ground. A powerful ice shockwavediffused in all directions, attempting to freeze the vortex and sword energies.
The sturdy cultivator also reacted quickly. His twin blades instantly unsheathed, dancing like wheels. Sharp blade qislashtowardshootcome'ssword net.
But Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister's premeditated counterattack wasn't so easily defended against!
Just as the two wererestrain by the vortex and surrounding sword web, forms revealed, old force just expended—
"Chi! Chi!"
Two attacks, condensed to the extreme, faster, likelurkingalreadylong'spoisonous snake, from two extremelycunning angles, shot out from deep within the ice maze!
One was Xiao Qi's finger force. Though appearing ordinary, it contained Four Symbols source power, particularly White Tiger Soul Crystal's sharpness and penetration, targeting the tall cultivator's wrist gripping the staff!
The other was Third Senior Sister's sword energy, not the previous mystic ice sword energy, but more condensed, with a trace of armor-piercing characteristic "Point Star Sword Finger," directly aiming at the sturdy cultivator's exposed armpit weakness from his blade swinging!
Fast! Precise! Ruthless!
The tall cultivator felt his wrist severe pain. The ice crystal staff nearly flew from his grip. His condensed ice shockwave mostly collapsed.
The sturdy cultivator even grunted. His armpitprotective light was instantly pierced. A blood arrow shot out. Though the wound wasn't serious, his aura stalled. His blade techniqueappearedinstantlyscattered.
In that brief instant of interference, the vortex suction greatly increased. The surroundingthe sword net was already upon him!
"Pu-pu-pu!"
The sturdy cultivator instantly had several deep-to-bonesword mark added. Blood dyed his white cloak crimson. The tall cultivator, though relying on more refined ice control to barely freeze partial sword energies and vortex, also appeared quitemiserable. His hood waslift by sword energy aftershock, revealing a pale,sinister face.
"Retreat!"
The tall cultivator decided decisively. Knowing their position exposed, ambush failed, continuing would suffer great loss. He fiercely crushed an ice talisman hidden in his sleeve.
"Clack!"
A blinding blue light erupted. It instantly shrouded both of them. The next moment, blue lightdrag the two people, actuallypenetratesword netandvortex blockade, transforming into flowing light, fleeing rapidly away from the ice lake. Speed was extremely fast—obviously using somesave ones life escape talisman.
Xiao Qi and Third Senior Sister walked out from deep within the ice maze, watching that blue light vanish at the horizon. They didn't pursue.
"As expected, Shadow Snake Pavilion. Specifically the 'Cold Malefic Hall' specialized in icespell and concealment assassination." Third Senior Sister's voice was ice-cold. "They mentioned 'Frost Ice Eye.' So the Black Tortoise Soul Crystal is indeed probably there. Shadow Snake Pavilion knows too and sent people to guard."
Xiao Qi nodded. His gaze profound. "They suffered a loss, won't come again temporarily. But they'll certainly report back. We must quickly find the 'Frost Ice Eye,' obtain the Black Tortoise Soul Crystal before their reinforcements arrive!"
After this counter-tracking and brief skirmish, the lurking threat was temporarily eliminated. But greater pressure followed. Time became even more urgent. Their gazes again fell upon that huge ice lakeradiating ominous aura. The path to the "Frost Ice Eye" probably lay beneath this lake, or on the opposite shore.