The tall man looked at Zhang Yu, a grave expression appearing in his eyes.
Though he had never met Zhang Yu before, he had absorbed the memories of every Frostlander. Whenever he encountered a person or thing he did not recognize, he could search those memories for an answer.
He knew that the man before him was one of Frost Continent's greatest enemies. Nearly every major setback Frost Continent had suffered was directly or indirectly connected to this man.
Straightening up, he said in Celestial Xia, "Profound Rectifier Zhang? I have long heard of you."
Zhang Yu looked at him. "Frost Continent's Orthodox State?"
"It is I," the tall man said. "Profound Rectifier, you may also call me by my former Celestial Xia name: Shen Tang."
A thought turned in Zhang Yu's mind. He raised his eyes to look at him and said, "I recall that the commandants of both Solitary Province and Secret Province were once named Shen Tang. What is your connection to that man?"
The tall man said meaningfully, "As a Frostlander, who one once was does not matter. Nor is a body indispensable. Only our divine souls endure forever. If Profound Rectifier Zhang is willing, I can make you one of us as well, so that we may share such an ability together."
Just then, more footsteps sounded outside. One cultivator after another entered from beyond the lava cave and stopped behind Zhang Yu, all of them looking toward the tall man.
The man glanced at the cultivators, yet remained where he was. He neither avoided them nor fled, as if he did not fear them at all. However, Zhang Yu noticed that, seemingly without thought, he had tightened his grip slightly around the crystal jade in his left hand.
At this moment, a soldier stepped