The Hidden Dao Academy of the Northern Region.
Within just a year of entering the academy, Jian Chaomian had earned the Sword Hall's recognition and been hailed as the Northern Region's foremost sword prodigy.
By now, he had already touched the threshold of Sword Intent.
What extraordinary talent was that?
Even princes of the Sunset Dynasty had to address Jian Chaomian as an equal when they met him.
The ruler of the Sunset Dynasty had once personally invited Jian Chaomian to join the dynasty, offering him countless resources for his cultivation!
But Jian Chaomian was devoted solely to the sword and had no wish to join the court.
Only then had the matter been dropped.
Jian Chaomian's face was expressionless, betraying neither sorrow nor joy. He looked at Ye Qiubai and said, "My junior brother's sword heart is lacking. Pardon his poor showing."
Ye Qiubai looked at Jian Chaomian. Could this man also be a pawn of the other side?
Seemingly seeing through Ye Qiubai's thoughts, Jian Chaomian shook his head. "Rest assured. No one instructed me, nor would I take orders from anyone."
His tone was ordinary.
Yet it brimmed with pride!
This was not blind pride.
Rather, his pride as a sword cultivator would not permit him to do such a thing!
With that, he left.
Ye Qiubai watched Jian Chaomian, deep in thought.
In the shadows.
Two people watched the scene.
"Oh? It seems this Ye Qiubai has some ability."
"His strength is indeed decent, to be able to defeat Liao Meisheng."
"Then when do you plan to make your move?"
The man in brocade robes chuckled. "He doesn't warrant my personal attention. Someone will naturally deal with him when the time comes."
"Today was merely a probe."
With that, a dark figure vanished from the shadows.
Meanwhile.
Ye Qiubai and the others had returned to their lodgings.
Huang Yuan looked at Ye Qiubai and demanded, "Ye Qiubai, why were you so impulsive? Showing off might have felt good in the moment, but you've exposed your trump card!"
Ye Qiubai glanced at Huang Yuan. He could understand how he felt.
After all, Huang Yuan was Qin Tiannan's disciple.
And the Southern Region's Hidden Dao Academy had performed so poorly these past years that, if it came last among the four regions again this time...
Then Qin Tiannan would be replaced as dean.
That was something Huang Yuan did not want to see.
Thus, Ye Qiubai did not get angry, instead replying calmly, "It's not much of a problem. Don't worry."
After all, the Nine Swords of the Heavenly Demon was not his only trump card.
Moreover, the Nine Swords of the Heavenly Demon could not really count as a trump card...
"I hope so," Huang Yuan said coldly.
With that, Huang Yuan went into his room to cultivate.
Zhong Wu patted Ye Qiubai on the shoulder and said soothingly, "Don't be angry with him. This exchange is simply too important to Huang Yuan."
Ye Qiubai nodded. He was not angry.
Meanwhile.
On the other side of the Northern Region, in the far north.
A woman carrying a spear walked across the far northern icefield.
Wind and snow raged together.
Eventually, she reached a great rift valley.
Below the rift lay what seemed like an abyss.
Its bottom was nowhere in sight!
Streams of freezing air constantly surged upward from within!
An almost imperceptible restriction hung in midair.
This restriction had no offensive power, but it prohibited flight, making it impossible to fly.
The freezing currents seemed to ignore the protection of Spiritual Qi, piercing the skin and reaching straight into the marrow!
A boulder tumbled down, only to be sliced into powder by the freezing currents.
Yet the woman leaped straight down without the slightest hesitation!
The freezing currents lashed against her.
But the instant they touched her body, red flames melted them away!
Flame Artistic Conception!
After a while, as she neared the very bottom, the woman drew her spear and swung it downward fiercely!
A burst of spear force blasted out!
It struck the ice, and the resulting recoil immediately slowed her descent.
Then, she swept her spear horizontally across the icy surfaces on both sides.
This allowed her to land steadily at the very bottom!
The woman looked around. Ahead of her were chains.
Those chains seemed to be made of cold iron.
They were firmly nailed into the surrounding ice!
And bound within those chains was a man.
The man's long hair lay strewn freely across the ground, his head hanging down against it.
At the sight, anger involuntarily surfaced on the woman's face.
The man seemed to sense the presence of the woman before him. He raised his head slightly, looking somewhat dazed.
"Your... Your Majesty?"
Hong Ying nodded, stepped forward, and said, "You have suffered."
The man shook his head. Flames began to kindle in his dull eyes as he said with some excitement, "Since Your Majesty has found me, does that mean you successfully cultivated the cultivation technique?"
At his words, Hong Ying nodded.
Seeing this, the man laughed excitedly despite his extreme weakness. "Heaven blesses our Cloud Phoenix!"
Hong Ying's lips twitched. "Yun Ming, I will undo your seal now."
As it happened, Hong Ying's cultivation technique countered the seals here. Moreover, having obtained the Samsara Spear Technique, she would not find it particularly difficult to break these chains whose restrictions had begun to weaken.
As for the prison in the Blood Prison Secret Realm, the restrictions within it had not lost their power with the passage of time. That was why Hong Ying had been forced to leave first.
Yun Ming nodded.
Hong Ying took out her spear.
A surge of Intent of Samsara erupted from her body!
At the same time, her spear was not only covered in Intent of Samsara, but also wreathed in strands of flame like fiery serpents!
When that Intent of Samsara reached its peak.
Hong Ying thrust her spear forward!
The first form of the Samsara Spear Technique!
Boom!
Intent of Samsara erupted continuously!
It surged straight into the clouds!
The spear's tip struck the chains.
In just an instant, those chains began to tremble violently!
They rang with the clang of refined iron!
Cracks even began spreading through the surrounding ice!
Watching this, Yun Ming's eyes filled with surprise.
This spear technique was stronger than the ones Her Majesty had used before!
More exquisite!
Compared with her previous cultivation techniques, it could be said to be on an entirely different level!
Hong Ying saw the ice begin to fracture and the chains strain under the burden!
Then she swept out with her second strike!
The spear force struck space itself, sending ripples through it!
The second form of the Samsara Spear Technique!
At last, it landed on the chains!
Rumble!
The chains shattered!
The cracks in the ice were as thick as an infant's arm!
And they were still widening!
Traces of a cultivation presence began to stir faintly around Yun Ming!
Clearly, the restrictions had begun to loosen.
Then Hong Ying gave a low shout!
She unleashed the third form of the Samsara Spear Technique!
It slammed heavily into the chains!
Crack, crack!
The chains broke apart completely!
The ice, too, began to break apart layer by layer!
Hong Ying grabbed the corner of Yun Ming's robe and stepped upward toward the top of the rift!
The instant she stepped out, the icy rift collapsed completely!
The great rift valley was buried beneath the ice, vanishing from then on!
Standing before Hong Ying, Yun Ming suddenly dropped to one knee!
He said respectfully, "Yun Ming of the Nine Heavens Division is willing to battle the heavens alongside Your Majesty once more!"
Hong Ying nodded. "You are still very weak. Stay by my side and recover gradually."
"Understood."
At that moment, on the other side of this plane.
Several figures with unfathomable presences were observing the four regions!