Chapter 308: Profound Ice Palace
This problem had been bothering Xiao Chen for a very long time. Up until now, he had no way of solving it. Because of this, he had nearly given up on the Great Perfection Lingyun Saber Technique.
This was because Xiao Chen’s comprehension towards the state of mountain in the Saber Technique had permanently halted. There were even signs of it deteriorating. The state of mountain clouds had completely fallen apart.
When the state fell apart, the might of the saber was incomplete. Before Xiao Chen executed the move, it would already be broken. How could he dare to use it?
Xiao Chen asked sullenly, “Is there any way if I want to preserve my lightning-attributed Essence?”
Yun Kexin thought for a while and said, “There are some ways. If you can find a lightning-attributed Heaven Ranked Cultivation Technique, or even a lightning-attributed peak Earth Ranked Cultivation Technique, that should be able to do it. However, if you wish to dual cultivate, your cultivation speed will be slower than regular cultivators.”
The Purple Thunder Divine Incantation should not be weaker than the Roaming Dragon Incantation. It looks like I can give cultivating the Roaming Dragon Incantation a try.
However, Xiao Chen had some doubts over dual cultivating. He asked, “Why is it that the dual attributed cultivators I have seen do not have lower cultivation realms despite dual cultivating?”
Yun Kexin smiled and said, “You must be talking about Murong Chong. According to what I know, he cultivates the Wind Cloud Incantation. This is a peak Earth Ranked Cultivation Technique that naturally is dual attributed. Such Cultivation Techniques are extremely rare. Their value is no lower than a Heaven Ranked Cultivation Technique.”
Xiao Chen was enlightened. So that’s why. No wonder Murong Chong’s states of wind and clouds could be merged so perfectly.
If Xiao Chen had cultivated a dual attribute Cultivation Technique, everything would happen when the time is right. However, it was unknown how Yun Kexin knew such a secret.
The two chatted for a while more after that. Eventually, Yun Kexin got up and said, “I shall take my leave first. I intend to give up on tomorrow’s mission. You should take care of yourself.”
“Why?”
When Xiao Chen heard that, he was somewhat surprised. He believed that with Yun Kexin’s strength, there was no problem in her ranking within the top ten of the group. Why did she choose to give up?
Yun Kexin explained, “It is too dangerous. Before I came, I did not expect it to be the Ink Forest. Furthermore, there is so much compet.i.tion. I have just obtained a Heaven Ranked Cultivation Technique. In the end, my experience is still less than those people.”
To have a clear understanding of one’s strength and not get overconfident because of a Heaven Ranked Cultivation Technique, then making a decision calmly; the frame of mind Yu Kexin had was something not many cultivators could achieve.
As Xiao Chen watched Yun Kexin leave, he pondered in his heart. Such humility is something every cultivator should learn.
Since ancient times, there were many geniuses who had died as a result of their blind confidence. Geniuses who died prematurely were no longer geniuses; they were simply stepping stones for others.
A deep light was revealed in Xiao Chen’s eyes. He said with a grave expression, “I should not be in too much danger at the periphery of the Ink Forest. However, I cannot let my guard down. The true danger might not be the Demonic Beasts in the Forest. Instead, they might be the companions around me.”
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When the sun rose and sunlight lit the land, Xiao Chen came out of his cultivating state. After he finished was.h.i.+ng up, someone immediately led him to a dueling ground within the residence.
The other outstanding talents had arrived one after another in the dueling ground. Xiao Chen looked around and noticed that aside from Yun Kexin, no one else had backed out.
“Look! The Duanmu Clan’s Profound Ice Palace is flying over.”
Suddenly, a large shadow was cast over everyone. When they raised their heads to take a look, they saw a huge ice bird, a hundred meters long and with a wingspan of four hundred meters.
There was a nine-floored ice palace on the back of the ice bird. This was the Duanmu Clan’s famous Profound Ice Palace.
It was said that out of the ten flying complete Secret Treasures with combat formations in the Great Qin Nation, the other nine were in the hands of the royal court.
“It looks like the Duanmu Clan is putting in a lot of effort into this mission. They really used the Profound Ice Palace. I’ve heard that the upkeep of the flying and combat of the Profound Ice Palace requires two hundred Medial Grade Spirit Stones per day.”
“Weng!”
The Profound Ice Palace landed firmly on the vast dueling ground. Duanmu Qing opened the doors to the ice palace and invited everyone in.
The crowd all entered, walking in a line. They were very curious about this famous Profound Ice Palace. After they entered, they looked all around the ice palace, a.s.sessing it.
The incredibly cold Profound Ice Palace did not make the cultivators feel cold after they entered. Instead, there was a refres.h.i.+ng feeling, it was actually quite comfortable.
After entering the first floor of the ice palace, they saw an incredibly vast hall. In the middle of the hall were tables, chairs, and all sorts of furniture; everything needed was present. Of course, this furniture was all made of ice.
There were some carvings on the surrounding walls, all extremely beautiful. There were also a large number of windows, so they could see the situation outside.
Duanmu Qing led the crowd to the second floor. There were many rooms on the second floor. Every one of the hundred-odd people were able to get a room to themselves.
Before they departed, Duanmu Qing warned them in a soft voice, “Everyone may move around freely on the first and second floor. However, do not enter into the third floor. I hope everyone will follow the rules.”
After Duanmu Qing spoke, a portion of people felt disappointed. However, there was no one who dared to break her rules in the Profound Ice Palace.
Even without Xiao Chen extending out his Spiritual Sense, he could feel at least ten strong auras. The weakest was a Medial Grade Martial King.
As for the strongest, Xiao Chen could not tell that person’s cultivation realm. This went to show how much importance the Duanmu Clan placed on the Profound Ice Palace.
When Xiao Chen entered his room, he checked out this small square room. Aside from the fact that everything was sculpted from ice, the room was no different from ordinary rooms on the ground.
I heard that this Profound Ice Palace was left behind by the ancient expert Bing Hou. It used a thousand-year-old Ice Soul from an extremely cold place in the north. Then, it was carved using a secret method.
A thousand-year-old Ice Soul is something that has high Spiritual Intelligence and cultivation already. It is not an ordinary piece of ice. Its combat prowess is equivalent to a Martial Sage.
However, it was not able to resist Bing Hou. The ancient experts are really people whom everyone aspired to be.
Xiao Chen sat on the bed as he recalled all this.
“Chi!”
The ice bird under the Profound Ice Palace gave off a sharp cry. The following wind was like a hurricane, blowing up all the sand and stone from the ground.
“Sou!” The Profound Ice Palace flew up and headed for the sky quickly. In the blink of an eye, it arrived at the clouds and was flying in their midst.
Xiao Chen looked out from the window in his room and saw the clouds beside them. It felt like riding an airplane in his previous life. This dug up old and forgotten memories.
A look of reminiscing appeared in Xiao Chen’s eyes as he clasped his Lunar Shadow Saber and leaned back on the wall. He muttered to himself, “It seems like only the blink of an eye. Yet, I have been in this world for two years already. I wonder how my family from my previous world is?
“There is also the father who chased me out of Mohe City. How is he doing? Feng Feixue promised me to help look after them, they should not be put in a difficult spot by the n.o.ble clans.
Xiao Chen closed his eyes and sank into deep thought. After a long time, he suddenly opened his eyes. A resolute look appeared in his eyes. He said, “It is better to bury the things in the past deep in the heart. Men cannot live in their memories. Since I stepped onto the path of cultivation, I will not look back anymore.”
Xiao Chen’s Spiritual Sense silently snapped this bit of melancholy like a sharp arrow. It turned this memory into a fallen leaf, burying it in a corner of his mind.
It was impossible for them to arrive at the Ink Forest before the sky turned dark. Xiao Chen, who was bothered by his memories, temporarily did not have any mood to continue cultivating. He got up and prepared to take a walk outside.
Xiao Chen pushed over the ice door and headed to the staircase. As he walked out into the corridor, he extended out his Spiritual Sense out of habit. However, he discovered he was blocked by a formless barrier. He was only able to see an area of ten meters around him.
Xiao Chen was not too surprised. This was not the first time his Spiritual Sense had been blocked. He withdrew his Spiritual Sense and calmly arrived at the hall on the first floor.
Xiao Chen looked around the huge hall and discovered that no one was around. Actually, there was one person. Xiao Chen composed himself after he saw that person.
Xiao Chen saw Chu Chaoyun seated on an exquisite ice stool. He was currently drinking wine alone.
His get-up was the same as before. He was wearing a sky-blue s.h.i.+rt and a long sword behind him that seemed like he had never drawn it. There was a carefree look on his face.
Xiao Chen was surprised. What is going on? I clearly looked through the entire hall. Yet, I only noticed him when I took a second look.
“Brother Ye Chen, it’s been a long time. Come and take a seat?”
As Xiao Chen was feeling doubts, a drawn-out voice was heard. It was Chu Chaoyun inviting him to join him.
Xiao Chen collected his thoughts and killing intent flashed in his eyes. It seemed like this person had indeed seen through his disguise.
Xiao Chen’s aura was withdrawn as his left hand could not help but tighten its grip on his scabbard. Xiao Chen slowly walked over to the round table Chu Chaoyun was seated at.
When Chu Chaoyun saw Xiao Chen take a seat, he said, “Brother Ye Chen, just relax. I am not here to ask for that Golden Holy Beast’s Spirit Core. Why are you so anxious?”
Xiao Chen placed the Lunar Shadow Saber on the ice table. Then, he took a grape and ate it. He said indifferently, “You are still the same as before. The truth about you is forever unable to be seen through.”
The grape felt extremely refres.h.i.+ng in Xiao Chen’s mouth. It seemed that this ice palace had a function to preserve the freshness of food.
Chu Chaoyun emptied his wine cup in one gulp, and smiled, “In my opinion, you are the one that cannot be seen through. It had just been a year. I am really curious as to how your cultivation grew so fast.”
Xiao Chen countered, “Compared against you, who has the Heavenly Flame, my speed is not even worth mentioning.”
Chu Chaoyun filled the wine cup again. He smiled, “Heavenly Flame…the Heavenly Flame that can burn down the entire continent? That is just a joke. If it was truly that powerful, then how could the Tianwu Dynasty be destroyed?”
There was a trace of loneliness hidden in Chu Chaoyun’s words. The sharp Xiao Chen picked up on it, but did not understand what it meant.
“Hu chi!”
Chu Chaoyun put down the wine cup and raised two fingers. A dazzling golden flame appeared on his fingertips. The light of the flame immediately lit up the hall of the ice palace, golden-bright and dazzling.
This is the Heavenly Flame?
Xiao Chen was astonished. He squinted and carefully examined the strand of flame with a grave expression.
The flame radiating a golden light that seemed to contain a trace of a certain will, the will of one who ruled everything under the heavens, the will of one who reigned supreme. It caused one to feel fear in their heart. In front of this tiny flame, Xiao Chen actually felt so tiny.