Frozen Ice Valley, Gathering of the Strong

Frozen Ice Valley lay deep within the mountains and forests to the northwest of the inner region of the Northern Azure Realm. Few people ever came here, and its remote location made it easy for students undergoing the assessment to overlook it.

However, once attentive students detected the roars of a Heaven-Rank Spirit Beast, this snow-covered world gradually began to grow lively.

Four full days had passed since the Northern Azure Realm opened.

Conflict raged throughout the Northern Azure Realm, yet here, despite large groups gathering, no major battles had broken out.

"So cold."

Su Ling'er stood atop the Mountain Peak, using spiritual power to warm herself as she looked at Bai Ye beside her, who showed no reaction at all.

"Don't you feel cold?"

Bai Ye glanced sideways at her. "Do you think someone who cultivates Cold Attribute Spiritual Energy would be afraid of this?"

Su Ling'er rolled her eyes. So what if he cultivated Cold Attribute Spiritual Energy? Even if she cultivated fire-attributed spiritual power, she still could not stand hot weather.

This guy was just forcing an argument.

"Elder Sister Su, we've figured out the situation below."

At that moment, a member of Su Ling'er's team approached from behind them. He bowed slightly and respectfully addressed the two ahead of him.

Leaving aside their leader, Su Ling'er, that young man named Bai Ye completely outclassed them in strength.

Respect was only proper.

Not to mention that along the way, Bai Ye had distributed most of the spiritual energy from the Spirit Beasts he defeated to them. Not every Heaven Merging Realm expert could be so generous.

"Speak."

Su Ling'er said softly.

"There are four factions below. Their leaders are all students who obtained Core Quotas. From what we can tell, they are likely Huo Gang, Xu Gang, Yu Gang, and Hong Gang."

"Those four!"

Su Ling'er exclaimed in surprise. Information on nearly all the Core Quota holders in the Northern Azure Realm had already been released.

So just from hearing the names of those teams, she could roughly guess who their leaders were.

"Tell me. What are their backgrounds?"

Bai Ye asked curiously.

Those Marks above level five were also one of the reasons he had come here.

"Huo Gang is led by Huo Feng, whom you defeated before. His Spiritual Power Realm is at the Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage. Xu Gang is led by a man named Xu Wenshan, whose realm is similar to Huo Feng's. As for the other two, they are women—one named Yu Xiaoqing and the other Hong Lingyue. Huo Feng exaggerated before. Their true strength has not reached the Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage, but they have already taken half a step beyond the Divine Soul Realm. They should be at the Quasi-Heaven Merging Realm."

"If I'm not mistaken, faced with factions that have two Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage experts, those two must have formed an alliance. That's the only way they could maintain a balance against the other two in this region."

Su Ling'er calmly analyzed the situation, and Bai Ye nodded.

His thoughts were much the same as Su Ling'er's.

Huo Feng's exaggeration was understandable. In a three-way standoff like this, no one would want another powerful figure joining in.

He had probably hoped to scare Bai Ye away with four Heaven Merging Realm experts, which was why he had put it so vaguely.

Besides, he had not lied. Who said the Quasi-Heaven Merging Realm was not part of the Heaven Merging Realm?

Bai Ye tilted his head and rolled his neck.

Three factions?

"Let's go. We'll make it four."

A smile appeared on Bai Ye's face as he turned and headed down the mountain.

Frozen Ice Valley was a valley surrounded on four sides, filled with all kinds of Spirit Objects and Spirit Beasts. People often snuck inside to obtain the spiritual energy needed to upgrade their Marks.

But after the four factions surrounded the area, it was sealed off. Any students who entered were driven out by the four leaders who held Core Quotas.

Some unlucky people even lost the Marks they had painstakingly upgraded to those leaders.

"I heard Huo Feng was injured."

Within one of the camps, two pretty women sat facing each other.

One wore a green dress and had a cold expression, while the other was dressed entirely in red and looked utterly enchanting.

They were two women entirely different in both attire and personality.

"What does it have to do with us whether he's injured or not? That savage isn't some foolish man who'd let us in so easily."

The woman in red gently pursed her lips and spoke in a soft voice.

"Really, they're blocking everyone from entering without even knowing the rank of the Spirit Beast inside. As expected, they're all a bunch of stinking men."

"Watch your words."

The woman in green frowned slightly, her tone dissatisfied.

"What? Younger Sister Qing doesn't like it? But Elder Sister has spoken this way for more than ten years. No matter how much Younger Sister dislikes it, Elder Sister can't change. Unless... Younger Sister comes to my tent tonight and keeps me company?"

"Hong Lingyue!"

Yu Xiaoqing's voice rose sharply, her cheeks flushing red.

"Hehe, Yu Xiaoqing, you're so fun. I've teased you so many times, yet every time I get to see that adorable expression of yours."

Hong Lingyue sat in her chair, laughing so hard that her long legs swung back and forth, the smile on her face impossible to suppress.

"I'm not some shameless woman like you."

Yu Xiaoqing said through gritted teeth.

She was beginning to seriously doubt whether joining forces with her had been the right choice.

"Such fake nobility."

Hong Lingyue withdrew her smile and picked up the teacup beside her.

"Huo Feng has nothing to do with us. Our opponent has always been Xu Wenshan. He was the first to discover the Heaven-Rank Spirit Beast in the valley, so he knows more than we do. Yet even now, he has shown no intention of acting. I don't think he's merely wary of us."

"You mean he isn't confident he can handle it alone?"

Yu Xiaoqing instantly understood Hong Lingyue's meaning and asked in surprise.

Hong Lingyue nodded, her expression gradually turning solemn.

Even a Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage expert was not confident of taking it down. What realm was the Heaven-Rank Spirit Beast in the valley actually at?

Wasn't the Northern Azure Spiritual Academy afraid this would go wrong?

"But if he knows it can't be done, why is he still guarding this place?"

Yu Xiaoqing asked doubtfully. It clearly made no sense.

Hong Lingyue set down her teacup and shook her head. "Who says it can't be done? What one person cannot accomplish, two people may not necessarily fail to accomplish. The way he's acting, he's clearly waiting for someone."

"Waiting for someone?"

"There are more Core Quota holders in the Northern Azure Realm than just us."

"You mean other Heaven Merging Realm experts?"

Yu Xiaoqing frowned. "Then if that's the case, there's no need for us to remain here, is there?"

If it were one Heaven Merging Realm expert, the two of them could join forces to contend with him. But if they had to face two Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage experts at once, defeat would be inevitable.

Hong Lingyue smiled at Yu Xiaoqing, who seemed utterly bewildered. Without saying a word, she simply stared at her.

Feeling Hong Lingyue's gaze, Yu Xiaoqing's face showed a trace of unease.

"What is it?"

"You're not suited to acting."

"I don't know what you mean."

"When will your Elder Sister arrive?"

Yu Xiaoqing abruptly raised her head and looked at Hong Lingyue in disbelief.

Hong Lingyue merely met her gaze.

"How did you know?"

The unease on Yu Xiaoqing's face instantly vanished. Her eyes gradually sharpened as spiritual power surged around her.

"I told you. You're not suited to acting."

Hong Lingyue rose from her chair and walked over to Yu Xiaoqing. She placed one hand on her shoulder and gently brought her red lips close to Yu Xiaoqing's left ear.

"Let me tell you a secret. My foolish Elder Sister is coming too..."

Whoosh!

Yu Xiaoqing suddenly vanished from where she stood and appeared directly by the entrance, staring coldly at the woman before her.

Hong Lingyue felt the person she had been supporting disappear, then straightened with a smile. She turned around and looked at Yu Xiaoqing's unsightly expression.

"Still joining forces?"

Yu Xiaoqing's expression changed several times. Her Elder Sister was a Core Quota holder at the Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage, but the Elder Sister Hong Lingyue spoke of was the same.

If Hong Lingyue's guess was right, then the person rushing from afar to meet Xu Wenshan would most likely also be at the Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage.

That meant at least seven Core Quota holders would likely gather here afterward.

More than half of them would hold the advantage. It was clear what that meant...

"We continue."

Yu Xiaoqing nodded. This was the best course of action for now.

They would join forces first and discuss everything else later.

When that time came, their alliance would definitely become the strongest faction.

"Such a good girl."

Hong Lingyue said with a smile.

The overall situation was settled. This Heaven-Rank Spirit Beast would definitely fall into her hands.

But at that moment, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.

Hong Lingyue frowned. Had they arrived so quickly?

Without another word, she exchanged a look with Yu Xiaoqing, and the two walked out of the tent together.

"Brother Xu, Mo has arrived late."

A clear voice spread across the mountaintop, drawing everyone's attention.

In midair, a group of several dozen people crossed through the sky and descended.

"It's him!"

Yu Xiaoqing's eyes flickered as she recognized the newcomer.

Mo Canghai, Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage.

"Brother Mo, your arrival is perfectly timed."

A booming voice rang out in the air as powerful spiritual power shot skyward. A robust man rose into the air to greet Mo Canghai.

Xu Wenshan, Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage.

The two powerful figures met, exchanging smiles.

"Hong Lingyue, I've come for you."

Just as Hong Lingyue furrowed her brows, another voice rang out from the sky. Red spiritual power surged into the heavens, no weaker than Xu Wenshan's earlier eruption.

A figure in a purple dress suddenly appeared in the sky.

Hong Lingyue's brows relaxed, and a smile appeared on her face.

Hong Feiyan, Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage.

Seeing the sudden arrival, Xu Wenshan frowned. This was beyond his expectations.

But in the next moment, his expression instantly turned ugly.

Beside Hong Feiyan, a gentle-looking woman appeared out of thin air.

"My name is Yu Xiaoyin."

Yu Xiaoyin, Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage.

Boom! In just that brief moment, the number of Heaven Merging Realm experts in the area had risen to seven. Everyone stared up at the four people in the sky.

They had a feeling that something extraordinary would happen today.

Perhaps today, the stalemate that had lasted two full days would finally be broken.

"You all seem to be having fun."

Though injured, Huo Feng still rose into the air. A pillar of spiritual power churned behind him as he stood suspended in the sky.

He was also one of the strongest figures in the entire Northern Azure Realm. He had to stand in the air.

Huo Feng, Heaven Merging Realm Initial Stage.

The five people in the sky watched one another, their wariness completely undisguised.

But at that moment, a voice broke the tense atmosphere once more.

It was a pillar of spiritual power no weaker than any of those present.

It rose from the ground and shot straight into the clouds.

"This seems pretty interesting."

Bai Ye slowly walked out, followed by Su Ling'er and the others.

When Huo Feng saw him appear, his expression instantly turned grim.

The crowd erupted in uproar. They had not expected another Heaven Merging Realm expert to arrive.

Feeling the spiritual power spreading through the air, Bai Ye tilted his head. The gentle smile on his face grew even brighter.

A faint glimmer flashed through his eyes.

This is how it gets interesting.