Consuming the Ice Crystal Jade Orchid, Condensing the Ice Attribute Origin!

Snow Emperor looked at the Ice Crystal Jade Orchid, her tone calm and ripple-free:

"During my last tribulation, I already consumed a fifty-thousand-year Ice Crystal Jade Orchid; for me, consuming such a celestial herb again would yield greatly diminished returns and offer no benefit to the overall situation."

Her gaze turned to Xue Chen, a gentle warmth flowing within her ice-blue eyes:

"But Chen'er is different. His foundation is set, and his blood and qi have been tempered by the power of the lightning tribulation, far surpassing that of an ordinary person; he is fully capable of withstanding the tyrannical medicinal potency of this eighty-thousand-year celestial herb. Using this orchid as a catalyst will maximize his body's potential, purify his meridians, and lay the most solid foundation for condensing his ice-attribute origin."

She paused, then continued:

"Moreover, with the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow that Chen'er brought back, the ultimate ice-attribute origin power contained within it is far more suitable for me to break through my bottleneck. Using it here is the best use of resources, and it holds greater value."

Upon hearing this, Ice Emperor finally realized, nodding thoughtfully:

"So that's how it is... No wonder you said you had a ten-tenths chance of success. Using an eighty-thousand-year Ice Crystal Jade Orchid to forge a foundation, then drawing upon the Far North Ice Spring's origin and the power of the Profound Ice Marrow to condense an Origin Seed... such a feat is something only you could accomplish."

Snow Emperor said no more, handing the Ice Crystal Jade Orchid, which radiated a soft blue light, to Xue Chen:

"Chen'er, consume it. Gather your focus and guard your mind; no matter what changes you feel, do not panic."

Xue Chen looked at the celestial herb before him, a treasure of heaven and earth, and a surge of immense gratitude welled up in his heart. He knew full well what this herb meant to Mother Snow Emperor, yet she had given it to him without a moment's hesitation. He solemnly took the orchid with both hands; it felt warm yet icy to the touch, as if he were holding a piece of living ten-thousand-year profound ice. He hesitated no longer, following Snow Emperor's guidance as he sat cross-legged by the edge of the ice spring and consumed the entire Ice Crystal Jade Orchid.

The celestial herb melted the moment it touched his tongue. It was not the bone-chilling cold he had imagined, but rather a warm yet immensely powerful torrent of icy energy that instantly surged down his throat and scattered into his limbs and bones! This power was pure and vast; wherever it passed, his meridians felt as if they were being scoured and widened by countless tiny ice crystals, and a sensation of being permeated and tempered by extreme cold radiated from his internal organs and bones.

"Chen'er, guide your blood and qi, take the initiative to refine and absorb its medicinal effects! Do not resist; integrate it into your bloodline!"

Snow Emperor's cold, steady voice rang out just in time, like a guiding beacon. Xue Chen immediately centered his mind and exerted all his strength to circulate the blood and qi within him, which felt as vast as a young ferocious beast. His blood and qi, crimson with faint golden glimmers and blue lightning, surged up to meet the icy torrent of medicinal power. The two met within him without any violent conflict; the medicinal power of the Ice Crystal Jade Orchid seemed remarkably gentle. Under the guidance of Xue Chen's blood and qi, it began to seep bit by bit into his bloodline, bones, and the depths of his meridians... subtly reshaping his physique and draping him in an invisible foundation perfectly attuned to the ice attribute. A thin layer of frost with a jade-like luster began to form on the surface of his skin, and his aura, driven by the massive medicinal power, began to climb steadily and grow even purer.

Snow Emperor watched Xue Chen's state closely, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes as she saw him stabilize the medicinal power. She knew the most critical first step had been a success. Next, she would draw upon the origin power of the Far North Ice Spring and utilize the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow to truly condense for him that which symbolized the power of ultimate ice—the Origin Seed! She raised her jade hand, and a vast aura began to emanate from her, resonating with the entire Far North Ice Spring. Following her instructions, Xue Chen leaped into the bubbling, surging Far North Ice Spring.

"Hiss—!"

Even though he had been prepared, the moment his body submerged into the spring water, an extreme cold far beyond his imagination instantly enveloped him! This cold drilled into his body, seeking to freeze his marrow and seal his soul. He could not help but shiver violently. Daring not to be the least bit negligent, Xue Chen let out a low shout and pushed his massive blood and qi to their limit! Hum!

His blood and qi collided with the cold, emitting a faint sound as wisps of white, icy mist steamed upward. At the same time, the medicinal power of the eighty-thousand-year Ice Crystal Jade Orchid he had consumed earlier was completely triggered and dissolved by the stimulation of the ice spring. A surging torrent of icy energy burst forth, no longer just merging into his bloodline, but beginning to blend on a deeper level with his boiling blood and qi.

"Focus your mind! Guide the medicinal power to protect your heart and dantian! The true baptism begins now!"

Snow Emperor's cold voice was like a sudden awakening. The next moment, she moved. Her jade fingers tapped lightly at the spring's eye, and she chanted ancient and profound incantations. The entire Far North Ice Spring seemed to come alive, and a brilliant, deep-blue pillar of light erupted from the center of the spring eye. Boundless ice-attribute energy, as if summoned, rushed madly toward Xue Chen in the spring!

"Argh—!" Xue Chen let out a stifled groan of pain.

Terrifying cold and energy surged madly into his body.

A thick layer of blue ice instantly covered his skin, frost coated his eyebrows and hair, and even his boiling blood seemed on the verge of freezing solid.

The medicinal power of the Ice Crystal Jade Orchid played a critical role at this moment, forming a gentle protective film.

It firmly shielded Xue Chen's most vital heart meridians and his dantian sea of energy, preventing the violent Ice Spring energy from truly damaging his foundation.

Pain! It was too painful!

Xue Chen felt as though his body were being torn apart and frozen over and over again in an endless cycle.

He gritted his teeth, relying on an incredibly tenacious will to hold onto a sliver of clarity in his mind, channeling that violent yet pure energy with all his might.

Seeing this, the Snow Emperor knew the most critical moment had arrived.

She did not hesitate; with a wave of her jade hand, several pieces of Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow radiating a deep blue light flew out from her storage soul tool and hovered above Xue Chen's head.

"Merge!"

With a sharp, soft cry from the Snow Emperor, those pieces of Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow suddenly erupted with dazzling blue radiance!

The pure origin power of the ice attribute gently enveloped Xue Chen, slowly seeping into his body through every pore.

The origin power of the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow was completely different from the violent energy of the Ice Spring; it was purer, gentler, and carried a sense of creation and gestation.

As this power entered Xue Chen's body, a miracle occurred.

The extreme ice energy that had been rampaging through him, nearly bursting him apart, seemed to find a core, beginning to swirl and condense around the origin power of the Profound Ice Marrow.

The pain receded, replaced by an indescribable coolness and comfort.

Deep within his dantian, above the sea of blood and the vortex of soul power, a tiny yet incredibly pure blue speck of light began to coalesce.

It was minuscule, yet it contained infinite possibilities.

The energy of the Ice Spring, the medicinal power of the Ice Crystal Jade Orchid, and the origin of the Ten-Thousand-Year Profound Ice Marrow blended together perfectly, pouring continuously into that blue speck of light.