Inside a dimly lit ice cave, Lu Xiaotian sat cross-legged on the ground. Flecks of pain would occasionally surface on his face. A little farther away, near the cave entrance, Luo Qing stood with a sword in her arms, leaning against the icy wall. Her graceful figure was still, her expression cold, and her eyes half-closed as if she were resting.
The cave was spacious. Luo Qing and Xiang Qingcheng had explored it and found it extended more than a li into the mountain. It had originally been home to two Ice Civet Beasts with very low intelligence, both sound asleep. The beasts had dug a passage of modest size through the mountain, reaching the other side, though several dozen zhang of rock remained between the passage and the far slope. But if powerful enemies came, Luo Qing and Xiang Qingcheng could finish digging through in a short time and escape from the other side.
A faint sound came from the entrance. Luo Qing's bright eyes snapped open. When she saw Xiang Qingcheng slip inside, she closed them again.
Xiang Qingcheng shifted some of the ice blocks they had prepared in advance to seal the entrance, then laid down two sets of concealment wards, covering the entire cave. Only after finishing did she finally let out a slight sigh of relief. Yet when she turned to look at Lu Xiaotian, her worry was still plain. They could hide in this cave for a while, but not forever. She had no idea what condition Lu Xiaotian was in now.
Dozens of powerful survivors from the various races remained in the ice cavern. Most were no weaker than Luo Qing and Xiang Qingcheng; some, like Xiahou Dunfeng, Mu Yao Feng Nishang, and the Dark Nightmare Ghost King, were powerhouses at the true-intent