"Alright, you may set off now," said Daoist Kunlun. "Be careful. If you encounter any danger you cannot overcome, immediately crush the communication jade talisman I gave you, and I will rush over to your aid."
"Yes!" Snow Empress and Qingyunzi responded and turned to walk towards the Kunlun Secret Realm.
The Kunlun Secret Realm is located deep within the Kunlun Mountain Range, hidden amidst a blanket of snow. At the entrance stands a massive ice gate, adorned with exquisite patterns and surrounded by powerful ice-based enchantments. Qingyunzi took out an ice-colored token and affixed it to the ice gate. Instantly, the token glowed with an icy light, the enchantments on the ice gate gradually weakened, and the gate slowly opened, revealing a pitch-black passage.
"Holy Maiden, let's go in." Qingyunzi glanced at Snow Empress and stepped into the passage first. Snow Empress followed closely behind, clutching the Emperor Bell tightly in her hand, vigilantly observing the surroundings. She knew that many dangers must be hidden within the Kunlun Secret Realm, but she did not back down, because she knew that only by obtaining the fragment could she repair the Emperor Bell as soon as possible, stop the Underworld's conspiracy, and protect all living beings.
Inside the passage, the air was bitterly cold. The stone walls were covered with a thick layer of ice, and countless icicles hung from the ceiling, emanating a chilling aura. After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the passage suddenly opened up, revealing a vast ice field. The ice field was covered with thick white snow, and in the distance, towering icebergs stood, their surfaces sculpted with exquisite ice carvings, creating a truly magnificent sight.
"This is the Kunlun Secret Realm," Qingyunzi said. "The aura of the Emperor Bell fragment is in the ice mountain ahead. However, a powerful Ice Flame Beast guards that ice mountain. The Ice Flame Beast has reached the Dragon Transformation Fourth Transformation and is proficient in both ice and fire elements. It is extremely powerful, so we must be careful."
Snow Empress nodded, her expression grave, and said, "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother Qingyunzi. We should proceed with caution and try our best not to alert the Ice Flame Beast. If it is truly unavoidable, then we will engage it in battle."
The two traveled along the icy plain, carefully avoiding the dangers along the way. After walking for about half an hour, a huge iceberg appeared ahead. The iceberg emitted a faint purple light, which was the aura of the fragment of the Emperor Bell. Snow Empress and Qingyunzi exchanged a glance, and both saw joy in each other's eyes.
Just then, a huge figure suddenly burst out from the iceberg and blocked their way. The figure was a giant Ice Flame Beast, more than three zhang long, covered with white scales interspersed with red patterns. Its huge eyes exuded a cold and majestic aura, and its body was surrounded by both ice and fire elements. Its cultivation had indeed reached the Dragon Transformation Fourth Transformation.
"Humans, how dare you trespass into my territory and steal my treasures! You're courting death!" The Ice Flame Beast's voice was loud and cold, carrying a powerful pressure as it rushed towards Snow Empress and Qingyunzi.
The Snow Empress's expression hardened. She stepped forward, blocking Qingyunzi's path, and held the Emperor Bell in her hand, saying, "Senior Ice Flame Beast, we did not intentionally trespass into your territory, nor did we intend to steal your treasures. We are merely searching for fragments of the Emperor Bell to fight against the Underworld, prevent the awakening of the ancient evil god, and restore peace to the world. We beg you, senior, to show mercy and grant our request."
" The Underworld? Ancient evil gods?" A hint of doubt flashed in the Ice Flame Beast's eyes. "I've guarded this secret realm for thousands of years and have never heard of such things. All I know is that this purple fragment is a treasure left over from ancient times, and I must protect it and not let anyone take it away."
"Senior, you are unaware of something," Qingyunzi stepped forward and said softly, " The Underworld is an evil force. They want to forge the Ten Thousand Yin Banner to awaken the ancient evil god. Once the ancient evil god awakens, the entire world will be destroyed, and this secret realm, as well as the treasures you are guarding, will all be reduced to nothing. Only by collecting the fragments of the Emperor Bell and repairing Emperor Bell can their conspiracy be completely stopped."
The Ice Flame Beast remained silent for a moment, a hint of hesitation flashing in its eyes. It had guarded this secret realm for thousands of years and had long developed a deep affection for this land. It did not want to see this land destroyed. But it was also unwilling to easily hand over the fragments to outsiders, after all, this was a treasure it had protected for thousands of years.
"Hmph, you make it sound so nice, but how do I know what you're saying is true?" The Ice Flame Beast sneered, a hint of wariness flashing in its eyes. "Perhaps you're just like those evil forces, here to seize the treasure."
Snow Empress knew that to gain the Ice Flame Beast's trust, she had to show sincerity. She took a deep breath and retrieved the Emperor Bell from her dantian. Purple light flowed across the Emperor Bell, exuding an awe-inspiring imperial might. "Senior, this is the Ziwei Emperor Bell, an ancient artifact used to suppress evil spirits and protect the world. This fragment is part of the Emperor Bell. Only by gathering all the fragments and repairing the Emperor Bell can its true power be unleashed to suppress the ancient evil god."
The Ice Flame Beast stared at the Emperor Bell, a flicker of surprise in its eyes. It could sense the powerful divine energy emanating from the Emperor Bell, completely different from the sinister aura emanating from it. Moreover, the Emperor Bell's aura resonated strongly with the fragment it was guarding. After a moment of silence, it said, "Since that's the case, I'll trust you this once. However, if you want to take the fragment, you must first get past me. Only if you can defeat me can you prove that you have the ability to protect the fragment and fight against those evil forces."
"Alright! Senior, we are willing to accept your test," Snow Empress said firmly.
"Since that's the case, then let's go!" The Ice Flame Beast roared, its body moving as it pounced towards Snow Empress and Qingyunzi. It was extremely fast, its body surrounded by both ice and fire powers. With a clapping of its hands, countless ice blades and flames appeared out of thin air, bombarding Snow Empress and Qingyunzi.
Snow Empress and Qingyunzi immediately dispersed. Snow Empress, wielding the Emperor Bell, smashed it towards the Ice Flame Beast. The Emperor Bell, carrying a dazzling purple light, collided with the ice blades and flames, emitting a "sizzling" sound. The ice blades and flames were instantly annihilated by the purple light. Qingyunzi, wielding a cyan longsword, flashed forward and thrust it towards the Ice Flame Beast's abdomen. Spiritual energy flowed on the longsword, carrying a chilling sword aura, aiming directly at the Ice Flame Beast's vital point.
A hint of surprise flashed in the Ice Flame Beast's eyes. It hadn't expected that the Snow Empress and Qingyunzi would cooperate so well, and their strength far exceeded its expectations. It dared not be careless and quickly turned its body to avoid Qingyunzi's attack. At the same time, it flicked its tail and lashed out at the Snow Empress. The tail carried a powerful force, encompassing both ice and fire elements, and instantly arrived in front of the Snow Empress.
Snow Empress's eyes sharpened, and under her control, the Emperor Bell instantly appeared in front of her, emitting a deafening chime. Its purple light surged, blocking the Ice Flame Beast's tail.