Life-and-Death Crisis
"I never imagined that a mere Four-Star Dou Ancestor could nearly wipe out my Ice River Valley. Alas, I miscalculated..."
A sigh, tinged with surprise yet chilling like Myriad Years Profound Ice capable of shattering the air, came out without warning from the depths of the void, ravaged by the battle between Lin Ming and Tian Shuang Zi, a void crisscrossed with Spatial Rift.
The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly creating towering waves across the entire battlefield and even above Sky Yellow City, sending a chill down everyone's spine.
The moment that sound rang out, the temperature in the world plummeted at an alarming rate!
It wasn't the sharp, outward-facing, and piercing chill of Tian Shuang Zi, but rather a more ancient, deeper chill, seemingly originating from the very beginning of time!
The chill wasn't directed at any one person, but rather enveloped the entire world, like an invisible hand trying to freeze it completely.
"Click, click..."
The void that was originally slightly distorted and flickering with Spatial Turbulence suddenly froze like a fragile mirror, its surface covered with a thick layer of dark ice that emitted a ghostly light.
Immediately, a colossal throne, entirely formed from deep black ice, slowly emerged from the void, exuding an overwhelming and supreme majesty.
This throne is over ten feet tall and is made entirely of an unknown black ice. Countless lifelike ice dragons and Ice Phoenix are carved on its surface, each line radiating extreme cold, as if containing some mysterious Law of ice.
At the armrests of the throne were two enormous Crystal Stone, shimmering with a cold and eerie light, making the entire throne appear even more majestic and terrifying.
On the throne, a figure dressed in a simple white robe slowly rose.
His movements were slow and elegant, yet they carried an undeniable kingly aura, as if every action he took followed the most ancient order of the universe.
The moment he stood up, the chill in the world suddenly reached its peak! An invisible Shockwave of cold air spread wildly outwards from the throne.
The lingering heat from the Heavenly Flames that had been present in the air was instantly swallowed up and annihilated by this chilling aura, disappearing without a trace.
"Whoosh--"
The endless snowflakes were not formed from the condensation of water vapor in the air, but were formed from the purest ice-elemental energy in the world. They fell from the dim sky like goose feathers, dense and numerous, covering the sky and the sun.
Each snowflake was crystal clear, yet exuded a chilling cold, as if each snowflake contained the power to freeze everything.
In the blink of an eye, the battlefield, which had just been scorching hot from the Heavenly Flames and whose ground was glowing red, and even the entire massive Sky Yellow City, were covered in a silver-clad, snow-covered world!
The once clear sky was now completely obscured by thick snow clouds, plunging the world into darkness. Only the endless snowflakes drifted down slowly, and the biting cold permeated every corner.
On the streets, the people who were initially panicked were now shivering from the sudden, extreme cold. They huddled in corners, their eyes filled with fear and despair, wondering what fate this sudden snow disaster would bring them.
Lin Ming, Xiao Yi Xian, Zi Yan, and Kui Yi, who had just struggled out of the Ruins and was covered in Puppet One, as well as Elder Yao, whose Soul Body was slightly dim and whose aura was weak, were all frozen at this moment by an invisible chill originating from the Heaven and Earth Rules!
They felt as if they had been thrown into an ice cellar that had never melted, every cell in their bodies was trembling, and their blood seemed to be stopping flowing.
Not only did physical movements become extremely difficult, as if weighed down by a thousand-pound lead weight, but even the flow of internal Dou Qi became unusually slow, as if it were about to be completely frozen by the extreme cold!
An unprecedented sense of deadly crisis, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly coiled around everyone's hearts, making them feel suffocated, as if they would perish completely at any moment.
Within that distorted space, a crisp "crack" sound rang out, like the sound of ice breaking, yet carrying a strange rhythm.
A strange, pale black ice staircase, seemingly alive, slowly extended from before the Void Throne. Each step of the staircase was crafted from the same black ice, engraved with complex and mysterious runes, emitting a faint glow.
The ice staircase stretched out to a point not far in front of Lin Ming and the others, resembling a road leading to hell. The figure in white robes descended slowly down this black ice staircase. His steps were slow and steady, each step seeming to tug at the heartstrings of everyone present, making their hearts tighten.
Countless gazes, filled with fear, awe, and curiosity, instantly focused on the figure slowly descending the ice steps. Everyone wanted to see who this person, capable of stirring up the cold of heaven and earth and possessing such terrifying power, was.
The newcomer was dressed in a white robe, tall and slender, with a surprisingly young-looking face. His brows held an indifferent air that seemed to look down upon all living beings, as if everything in the world was as insignificant as ants in his eyes.
But this indifference could not conceal his almost otherworldly handsomeness, a kind of beauty that carried a cold aura and inspired awe.
However, beneath this handsome appearance lies a chillingly effeminate quality, especially his long, narrow eyes, which are cold and deep, seemingly able to see through people's hearts, making people afraid to meet his gaze.
What's most striking about this person is the jet-black snowflake pattern between his eyebrows.
The snowflake pattern is composed of countless tiny ice crystal lines, each line radiating an aura of extreme cold.
The moment one's gaze falls upon this pattern, one feels as if their soul is frozen and torn apart, as if being sucked into endless darkness and cold! This pattern is eerie and terrifying, inspiring awe in all who behold it.
He stood with his hands behind his back, atop the black ice staircase, his posture upright and his bearing extraordinary.
The terrifying snowflakes in the sky, powerful enough to tear through refined iron, swirled and roared around him meekly, like a group of loyal subjects worshipping their king. The snowflakes formed a beautiful yet dangerous landscape around him, but not a single one could get close to his body, as if blocked by an invisible force.
"This is... Valley Master of Ice River Valley, Bing He?!"
An elderly man, a man of great knowledge who had once seen Bing He from afar, was stunned for a moment before gasping for breath. His voice trembled with extreme fear as he uttered with all his might a name that would shake the entire Middle Continent!
Glacier Valley, one of the Three Valleys, is ruled by Glacier Valley Master of Ice River Valley Bing He!
That's a legendary Five-Star Dou Venerate! He's one of the top experts in the entire Middle Continent, and his reputation is so great that countless forces are wary of him.
He has actually come down in person!
The news exploded like a thunderbolt through the crowd, sending chills down everyone's spines and filling them with boundless fear.
They knew very well what it meant for a Five-Star Dou Venerate expert to personally take action. For Lin Ming, this was absolutely a catastrophe!
Bing He's indifferent gaze first slowly swept over Tian Shuang Zi, who was lying in the deep pit below, barely breathing, his body charred black, like a piece of charcoal.
There was no pity or sympathy in his eyes, only a faint hint of disappointment, as if he were looking at a piece of useless trash.
Then, Bing He's gaze swept over the space that had long since vanished, marked only by a faint trace of aura that marked the place where Elder Heavenly Serpent had fallen. His eyes remained cold and unwavering.
Finally, his gaze fell on Lin Ming was imprisoned by the cold, his face pale, yet still struggling to stay upright.
"You've destroyed my Ice River Valley like this..."
The sound of the Bing He was very soft, like a gentle breeze, but it carried a penetrating power, as if a cold wind was blowing through everyone's bones, making people feel cold inside.
His words carried an unquestionable sense of judgment, as if Lin Ming was already a man destined to die.
"Today, even if Tang Zhen comes in person, Lin Ming, you must pay the price for the people of my valley... with your lives."
As soon as he finished speaking, Bing He slowly raised his right hand.
His fingers were long and white, as if carved from jade, yet they exuded a cold aura. He pointed at Lin Ming with a light touch.
There were no earth-shattering energy fluctuations, nor any complex or cumbersome hand seals; everything appeared so calm and natural. Only a tiny ice crystal, condensed to its extreme and displaying Chaos and ethereal color, quietly took shape at his fingertips.
The ice crystal was no bigger than a fingernail, and its entire body had an eerie, Chaos color, as if it contained endless darkness and cold.
But the moment it appeared, the surrounding light, sound, and even space itself seemed to be swallowed up by it, forming a small absolute zero zone!
Within this realm, all energy is frozen, all matter loses its activity, and time itself seems to stand still.
Everyone who saw the ice crystal felt a sense of despair: It's over! This young man, who had defied the odds and created a miracle by defeating Dou Venerate with only Four-Star Dou Ancestor cultivation, is truly doomed this time!
With the Ice River Valley personally taking action, the absolute power of Five-Star Dou Venerate completely overwhelmed the opponent, leaving no room for doubt! Faced with absolute power, any struggle seemed so pale and powerless.
Lin Ming felt the terrifying power contained in the ice crystal, enough to easily destroy him countless times. He then looked at Xiao Yi Xian and Zi Yan beside him, who were also imprisoned by the cold, their bodies trembling slightly, but their eyes showed no fear, only deep concern for him. A bitter and calm despair welled up in his heart.
Lin Ming was well aware of his current situation.
At this moment, Lin Ming's fighting Dou Qi was almost exhausted, like a dried-up riverbed with no Dou Qi flowing. The aftereffects of the Heavenly Fire Three Xuan Transformations also began to appear. Combined with this great battle, Lin Ming's muscles ached and he felt weak all over, and his meridians were also experiencing sharp, needle-like pains, as if they were about to break. His soul was also exhausted from over-activating the Five Rounds Leaving Fire Array, and his spirit was weak.
Elder Yao's Soul Body was dim and lifeless, his aura extremely weak, and he could no longer provide any help.
Although Puppet One struggled out of the Ruins, he was covered in wounds and his fighting strength was greatly reduced. Facing a Five-Star Dou Venerate powerhouse, they had no Trump Card left.
This was a battle destined to fail. It was also the greatest life-threatening crisis Lin Ming had ever faced.