Changes came with an overwhelming momentum.
The entire Realm of Crystal Snow shook unceasingly, the earth splitting, glaciers melting, and the frigid aura dropping markedly.
All of the Qi warriors in the Realm of Crystal Snow panicked upon sensing the great changes in heaven and earth.
Unlike the other eight realms that had gone through overturning changes, the Realm of Crystal Snow held a special place among the numerous realms in the Domain of Endless Snow.
That was the place where Patriarch Icy Crystal practiced cultivation, and one of the most important strongholds of the Heavenly Ice Sect. For hundreds of thousands of years, the Heavenly Ice Sect had expended endless time and human resources to build cities, reform the glaciers, and clear up rivers.
The upheaval in the other eight realms might not take a toll on the Heavenly Ice Sect’s foundation, but once the same thing happened to the Realm of Crystal Snow, the Heavenly Ice Sect would suffer profound losses.
Even Patriarch Icy Crystal wouldn’t be able to shoulder the consequences without being severely punished.
Jing Feiyang from the Divine Seal Sect came to a stop in midair while das.h.i.+ng towards Patriarch Icy Crystal. “It’s hard to believe that even the core of this realm is being changed by this flame power of unknown origin...”
Since upheavals had only taken place in the eight realms they had pa.s.sed by after they had left, and the Heavenly Ice Sect hadn’t informed them of such upheavals, Jing Feiyang and the others still were unaware of what had happened to those realms.
“May I asked who this is?” Patriarch Icy Crystal glanced around and asked in a very respectful and meticulous manner,
As he did, his soul awareness spread out like a sea and covered more than half of the land in the Realm of Crystal Snow.
Like tentacles, his soul awareness stealthily searched for soul auras that might have caused such changes.
However, aside from Jing Feiyang’s aura, he failed to sense any other aura that was strong enough to pose a threat to him or the Realm of Crystal Snow.
This didn’t put his heart at ease. Instead, it made him even more nervous. With a bitter expression, he thought to himself, “If it’s actually a G.o.d domain expert who did this, and he’s hiding his aura on purpose, it’s natural that I can’t sense his presence...”
He was increasingly certain that a G.o.d domain expert well-versed in flame power incantations was currently in the Realm of Crystal Snow.
Only experts at that level would have such a profound understanding of flame power that it allowed them to cause such fundamental changes, and envelop the Realm of Crystal Snow in terror with nothing but their auras.
No one answered.
No matter how many times Patriarch Icy Crystal called out, no one showed up or gave any response.
This made Patriarch Icy Crystal more and more nervous.
“Please don’t joke with me, Senior,” Patriarch Icy Crystal said with a wry smile. Floating in the air, he clasped his hands and humbled himself as much as he could. “If the Heavenly Ice Sect has offended you in any way, please enlighten us. Ours is only a minor sect. We can’t afford such punishment.”
SHEW!
Nie Tian’s Star Boat took the opportunity to land beside Duan s.h.i.+hu and Jing Rou on their ancient stars.h.i.+p.
Inside the mountain valley, the late Void domain Heavenly Ice Sect expert could have stopped it.
However, he had been dumbstruck by the great changes in the Realm of Crystal Snow, and thus failed to do so.
Furthermore, the Star Boat was so fast that by the time he snapped out of his daze and attempted to stop it, it had already rejoined the ancient stars.h.i.+p.
At this moment, he was so overwhelmed that he only looked blankly at Patriarch Icy Crystal, completely not in the mood to capture Nie Tian.
He even suspected that Patriarch Icy Crystal had offended someone he shouldn’t have, and brought this calamity to the Realm of Crystal Snow, and perhaps the entire Heavenly Ice Sect.
Compared to Nie Tian, this extremely powerful expert, who refused to show himself or state his ident.i.ty, was the real threat.
At this moment, many Qi warriors from the Heavenly Ice Sect arrived from different directions, but they all fell silent upon seeing the frozen mountains that had formed the Spirit-sealing Frozen Mountains Formation melting at an alarming rate, and Patriarch Icy Crystal calling and bowing anxiously into the air.
They all had a feeling that they were faced with an imminent disaster.
Scattered around the mountain valley, the Heavenly Ice Sect disciples discussed in low voices. All of them blamed Patriarch Icy Crystal for offending this newborn Son of the Stars over the deaths of a handful of his disciples.
“Could it be that the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace was angered by Patriarch Icy Crystal’s doings, and arranged for G.o.d domain experts to punish us?”
“How did our patriarch make such an unwise move?! He knew perfectly well that those people were the subordinates of the seventh Son of the Stars, but still imprisoned them.”
“Now that he’s offended the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, our entire sect is going down with him.”
“I just hope they won’t punish our sect for his wrongdoing.”
After a moment of hesitation, some disciples who held certain positions in the Heavenly Ice Sect contacted Patriarch Snowy Peak through different means, informing him of the changes in the Realm of Crystal Snow and asking him to come personally to ask the unidentified guest’s forgiveness.
Even the late Void domain expert, who had been guarding the mountain valley with Patriarch Icy Crystal the whole time, decided to file a report to Patriarch Snowy Peak after struggling internally for a while.
“Don’t blame me for this. It was your decision to imprison those people from the Domain of the Falling Stars. And it was you who made a deal with that person and received the payment. Our sect has to separate itself from this!” With these thoughts, a piece of icy jade flew out of his palm to a secret teleportation portal behind one of the mountains.
Patriarch Icy Crystal canceled his frost domain. Floating in the air, he asked again, “Senior, would you please tell us if my sect or I have done something wrong?”
Panic and fear replaced the arrogant and domineering look on his face.
However, still no one answered.
After seeing this, Jing Feiyang hesitated briefly before canceling his seal domain and flying back to the ancient stars.h.i.+p.
With furrowed brow, he asked in a low voice, “Nie Tian... Are you friends with a G.o.d domain expert who practices flame power incantations? He realized that you were in trouble, and thus came to your aid?”
Even Jing Feiyang a.s.sumed that the changes taking place in the Realm of Crystal Snow were the work of a G.o.d domain expert.
Nie Tian shook his head and answered, “No.”
“Then what...” Jing Feiyang didn’t finish his sentence.
“Do you still remember I told you that I had a strange feeling of being watched on our way to this realm?” Nie Tian asked.
Jing Feiyang nodded.
“Now that feeling is stronger than ever,” Nie Tian exclaimed softly.
Jing Feiyang’s expression flickered. “So this is all because of that cl.u.s.ter of Divine Flame?”
It was that cl.u.s.ter of Divine Flame that had reduced every realm in the Domain of Flame’s End to dead realms, some of which were still burning, even after so many years.
Its devastating might had buried the Domain of Flame’s End in the past. Millions of Qi warriors who had lived there had either died or fled their homeland.
If that cl.u.s.ter of Divine Flame was actually the reason behind what was happening to the Realm of Crystal Snow...
Fear appeared in Jing Feiyang’s eyes. “I believe that’s it. Its power can easily change the core of a realm! Plus, most of the realms in the Domain of Endless Snow are frigid cold, which means they’re even more p.r.o.ne to its influence! It’s just that it’s only been seen in the Domain of Flame’s End, and nowhere else. Why did it suddenly come to the Domain of Endless Snow?”
Nie Tian smiled bitterly. “I don’t know.”
Jing Feiyang pondered briefly before saying, “Let’s not do anything rash. Since we don’t have anywhere to be for the time being, let’s wait and see what’s going on. I suppose Patriarch Snowy Peak will come soon after hearing about the changes taking place here.
“If it’s malicious, with Patriarch Icy Crystal and Patriarch Snowy Peak here, evacuation will be fairly easy.”
Nie Tian’s expression flickered slightly before he nodded. “Alright.”
At this very moment, spatial fluctuations came from some of the secret underground teleportation portals in the vicinity.
Immediately afterwards, more than a dozen figures flew out from behind some of the nearby mountains.
All of them seemed to have teleported here from other realms in the Domain of Endless Snow.
All of them were at the Void domain.
All of a sudden, a resounding voice echoed out from behind one of the mountains. Immediately afterwards, a figure shot up into the sky. “I’m Patriarch Snowy Peak, the current sectmaster of the Heavenly Ice Sect. May I learn your name, senior?”
Hundreds of Heavenly Ice Sect Qi warriors, who were scattered around the mountain valley, gave voice to their wonderment.
“Even our sectmaster came here!?”
“Wasn’t he in the middle of secluded cultivation? Did he end his secluded cultivation ahead of time because of the great changes in the Realm of Crystal Snow?”
“Who on earth did Patriarch Icy Crystal offend this time?”
Patriarch Snowy Peak had long, snow-white hair and a seasoned face. He stopped abruptly beside Patriarch Icy Crystal. After fixing him with a cold look, he called out again, “Senior, if it’s something he did that somehow offended you, please allow me to apologize on behalf of him and the Heavenly Ice Sect!”
“I...” Patriarch Icy Crystal muttered with a bitter expression, but didn’t finish.
The fact that Patriarch Snowy Peak a.s.sumed that this was all his fault upon arriving made him feel very embarra.s.sed.
He wracked his mind, but still couldn’t remember when and where he had offended a G.o.d domain expert.
Seeing that there was no response, Patriarch Snowy Peak cleared his throat and stated his a.s.sumption. “Ahem...Is this about the seventh Son of the Stars? If it is, we’re willing to atone for our wrongdoing.”
With these words, he turned to Nie Tian and bowed slightly. “I wasn’t aware of the fact that Patriarch Icy Crystal had imprisoned your subordinates, and I didn’t approve such an outrageous action. But now that they’ve been freed, will you please forgive us this one time? I’ll have compensating gifts prepared for you, and spread word to our neighboring domains to admit this mistake.”
Nie Tian smiled somewhat unnaturally, but didn’t say anything.
He shot Jing Rou a meaningful look, signaling for her to start the ancient stars.h.i.+p.
Without saying a word, Jing Rou returned to the main cabin. Shortly afterwards, the ancient stars.h.i.+p gave loud rumbles and shot into the starry river.
No one from the Heavenly Ice Sect dared to stop them.
Patriarch Icy Crystal wanted to say something, but since Patriarch Snowy Peak fixed him with a nasty look, he shut his mouth sensibly.
As the ancient stars.h.i.+p disappeared into the boundless starry river, the great changes taking place in the Realm of Crystal Snow actually gradually stopped.
“I can’t believe it’s indeed because of that Son of the Stars!”