Bei Ming's First Battle, Returning Ruins Realm Phase Trapped in Ice Soul

Ice Soul Daoist heard this, and the cold gleam in his eyes surged as fury rose within him:

"You're courting death! You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!"

With an angry roar, the Ice Soul Cold Needle shot forth.

At the same time, Ice Soul Daoist drew his sword and transformed into a streak of cold light, carrying grim killing intent as he attacked Bei Ming from both sides!

Bei Ming released his qi and unleashed the Returning Ruins Realm Phase. An invisible domain enveloped the entire Heavenly Lake region.

When Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals fought, if they battled recklessly, the destruction would spread over an immense range, and all that was affected would count as Karma.

But if both sides were willing to restrain themselves, they could even avoid harming a single blade of grass during their duel. Yet such a confrontation made every move substantial, and was all the more perilous.

Bei Ming opened his domain partly because he did not wish to damage Heavenly Lake.

And partly because he had no intention of letting Ice Soul Daoist leave alive.

Since he intended to make Changbai Mountain his cultivation ground, how could he let off someone who had just walked away with something from his grounds?

Ice Soul Daoist could clearly sense that the surrounding Qi situation was somewhat off, yet he had no way of determining its exact effects.

There were countless strange and peculiar divine abilities in the Primordial Wilderness. What they did would become clear after testing them.

The Ice Soul Cold Needle slipped through every opening.

The Cold Light Sword pressed forward relentlessly.

Ice Soul Daoist's assault was fierce and sharp, and every move incorporated the Ice Law he had comprehended.

Cold Qi spread through the surroundings.

Generally speaking, Cold Qi would hinder an enemy's movements. But after more than ten exchanges, Ice Soul Daoist realized something was wrong.

Bei Ming appeared unhurried, yet he evaded every one of his attacks, while his own movements had slowed, as though he were underwater and met with resistance.

Realizing this, Ice Soul Daoist flickered backward to widen the distance. The cold light in his eyes blazed:

"What a thief! You dare to plot against me? Behold This Seat's Great Divine Power—Extreme Deep Cold!"

Cold Qi erupted at once, and biting frost-mist churned wildly.

Amid the howling gale, the Ice Soul Cold Needle quietly concealed itself within the freezing current, moving without trace as it gathered force and waited for a chance to assassinate him.

Bei Ming fixed his gaze upon the endlessly surging tide of cold, his expression unchanged and his Eyes profound.

"Truly, there is a bottomless valley; beneath it lies no bottom, and it is called the Returning Ruins.

"The waters of the eight reaches and nine wilds, the currents of the Heavenly Han—all pour into it, yet it neither increases nor diminishes.

"How could your trifling cold current comprehend the vastness of an ocean?"

With that, Bei Ming turned his left hand and brought forth the Xuan Yuan Controlling Water Flag.

The Flag surface unfurled, Spirit Veins flowing across it as they rose and sank unpredictably.

In an instant, the Returning Ruins Realm Phase shifted with it, and the Qi situation reversed.

The cold current that had originally spread through the Four directions and penetrated every gap was drawn into the Returning Ruins, vanishing in an instant.

The Ice Soul Cold Needle hidden within it was also intercepted by the invisible current of water summoned by the Xuan Yuan Controlling Water Flag, freezing in midair, unable to move.

"The Innate Five Directions Flags!"

Only now did Ice Soul Daoist finally feel some fear. He hurriedly Used the dodge technique, attempting to flee.

But within the domain of the Returning Ruins Realm Phase, there was nowhere to escape unless he could forcibly break open the domain.

Of course, if Ice Soul Daoist had the ability to forcibly break the domain, he would not need to run.

By Bei Ming's estimation, among those of his generation, there were only a handful of Experts presently capable of forcibly breaking the combination of the Returning Ruins Realm Phase and the Xuan Yuan Controlling Water Flag.

Unfortunately, while this move was powerful, it lacked formidable offensive power.

If an enemy possessed a Top-grade Defensive Spirit Treasure, he could only wear them down.

After all, Bei Ming did not possess a top-grade offensive spirit treasure.

The Xuan Yuan Controlling Water Flag's defense was top-notch. Though it also had some offensive capability, it was not fierce enough.

Ice Soul Daoist raced and darted about madly within the Returning Ruins. Every time he tried to vanish and flee, turbulent currents blocked him. He could not break out at all.

Bei Ming guided with two fingers, and countless Profound Feathers drifted down, forming a killing formation around Ice Soul Daoist.

The Profound Feathers appeared soft and light, yet they contained killing intent.

Swish, swish, swish—

Feather-blades sliced through his Daoist Robe, sending blood spraying everywhere. In the blink of an eye, Ice Soul Daoist was covered in wounds and streaked with blood. Even his aura began to falter and weaken.

The Cold Light Sword danced, tangled among the Profound Feathers.

Ice Soul Daoist threw back his head and roared:

"Fellow Daoist, are you truly planning a Life-and-Death Struggle!? Is this little grudge worth exterminating me completely!?"

Bei Ming remained calm as he said indifferently, "Since karma has been forged, it should naturally be brought to an end. Settling it once and for all—is that not splendid?"

Since enmity had been formed, and he had the chance to kill the other party, why drag things out?

"Wretch! Do not underestimate This Seat!"

Seeing that Bei Ming had already made up his mind to kill, how could the Ice Soul Daoist dare cling to any hope of luck?

With fury and despair intertwined, he charged in once more!

Cold qi swept forth, magic power surged, as he tried to use offense in place of defense and fight for a sliver of survival.

He had also realized that he was trapped within a special domain. As long as he killed the one maintaining the technique, This Realm would collapse!

A cold glint flashed through Bei Ming's eyes. Forming a hand seal with his right hand, he murmured:

"Eternal Tribulation Cold Edge."

A Profound Feather condensed between his two fingers.

"Whoosh—!"

The Profound Feather shot out abruptly, slipping into the Returning Ruins, its aura vanishing without a trace.

At this moment, the Ice Soul Daoist was caught between the crisscrossing killing formation and the interference of the Returning Ruins. Even his Spiritual Sense was suppressed, leaving him utterly unable to detect the deadly strike drawing near.

The Profound Feather killing formation around him continued to grind him down. Just as he was forcing himself to break the formation—

The concealed Profound Feather revealed itself, flashing out from the void and piercing straight through his glabella!

"Pfft—!"

The Feather Blade pierced directly through his Primordial Spirit. The Ice Soul Daoist's pupils contracted, his body stiffening. Before he could even let out a scream, he was annihilated in a single blow.

His blood-soaked body fell from the sky and sank into the Returning Ruins.

Under Bei Ming's control, the Returning Ruins Realm Phase began to operate, transforming into vortex after vortex that wrapped around the Ice Soul Daoist's physical body and began extracting and refining it.

One thousand five hundred years later, the Ice Soul Daoist's physical body had completely dissipated, refined back into its original Ice Soul Cold Marrow.

Bei Ming raised his right hand and lightly curled a finger. Rings of ripples spread through the depths of the Returning Ruins.

The Ice Soul Cold Marrow rose from within, turning faintly as it radiated an icy chill that made one's heart tremble.

The Ice Soul Daoist's True Spirit appeared alongside it.

The True Spirit was only about an inch tall, yet its appearance was identical to the original body.

It was merely transparent from head to toe, flickering and illusory, its vitality listless.

The True Spirit was the foundation of a cultivator and possessed uniqueness.

The Primordial Spirit and physical body both emerged through continuous cultivation.

As long as the True Spirit remained, one could not be considered fallen and could cultivate anew.

In many circumstances, cultivators would risk everything, even self-destructing their Primordial Spirits and physical bodies, all to cover the escape of their True Spirits.

But without some extraordinary opportunity, the time required to cultivate anew was impossible to estimate, and one might not necessarily regain one's former achievements.

Moreover, creation corresponded to destruction. If something could be born, then it could certainly be destroyed; the same was true of a True Spirit.

To completely erase a True Spirit required the application of laws. At the very least, only a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal could accomplish it.

Cultivators below the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal realm could not destroy an escaped True Spirit even if they encountered one. They would even need to be wary of having their bodies seized.

"Fellow Daoist," Bei Ming said slowly, gazing at the Ice Soul Daoist's True Spirit with a trace of killing intent in his eyes, "the karma between you and me can now be settled."