Chapter 445: Return to Tianhuang City, The Upcoming Battle
"Ice Sovereign Technique!"
The Ice Sovereign Technique was the treasure of the Ice River Valley, a high-level Earth-rank technique said to have been passed down from ancient times. It was exclusive to the Ice River Valley, and only Dou Zong-level experts could cultivate even a small portion of it. Once used in battle, it could invade an opponent's body, causing minor injuries at best and freezing their meridians and blood to death at worst. When fully mastered, it was comparable to a quasi-Heaven-rank technique!
After reading the brief description, Mo Yu's heart stirred. He hadn't expected the Ice Sovereign Technique, the treasure of the Ice River Valley, to be on par with quasi-Heaven-rank techniques.
Heaven-rank techniques were the most powerful on the continent and were incredibly rare, even among the eight ancient clans.
"I never expected the Ice River Valley to possess such a treasure. No wonder they rank among the Three Valleys. It's clear that any force that stands strong on this continent is formidable," Mo Yu remarked, slightly amazed. He then tossed the scroll to Qingzhi.
"This is the Ice Sovereign Technique, the secret treasure of the Ice River Valley. You've just broken through to Dou Zun, but you don't have a suitable cultivation technique yet. This one should be a good fit for you," Mo Yu said as he looked at Qingzhi.
Having returned the Ice Spirit Silver Lightning to Mo Yu, Qingzhi was now just an ordinary Dou Zun. In life, he had been a lone ice-type cultivator without the backing of a major force, so his techniques had only been ordinary Earth-rank ones. While that was fine before reaching Dou Zun, after his breakthrough, he was at a disadvantage compared to those from major factions. Letting Tianshe escape earlier was an example of this shortfall.
However, with the Ice Sovereign Technique, Qingzhi's shortcomings could be addressed. As a faction that specialized in ice-based techniques, the Ice River Valley's control over ice was exceptional. Even Mo Yu didn't have a better ice-type technique to offer than the Ice Sovereign Technique.
The Ice River Valley's leader had become a renowned expert partly because of this technique, so it was a perfect match for Qingzhi in his current state.
Hearing this, Qingzhi nodded respectfully and accepted the ice-white scroll from Mo Yu's hand.
Now that Qingzhi had reached the Dou Zun level, his intelligence had increased, and he clearly understood the significance of the scroll he held.
As he mulled things over, Mo Yu seemed to think of something. His right hand opened, and a bolt of ice-white lightning appeared in his palm—it was the Ice Spirit Silver Lightning. However, it didn't look as mighty as before; its power had decreased significantly, and it seemed like a reduced version of itself.
"This is a sub-lightning of the Ice Spirit Silver Lightning. From now on, it's yours to use," Mo Yu said as he handed the sub-lightning to Qingzhi.
Mo Yu had already reclaimed the main body of the Ice Spirit Silver Lightning, which he had given to Xiao Jin to merge with the Black Gold Thunder Core. With the Ice Spirit Silver Lightning, Xiao Jin's Black Gold Thunder Core now contained four fully restored Heavenly Thunders: the Vermilion Bird Flame Thunder, the Devouring Origin True Thunder, the Flash Void Breaking Thunder, and the Ice Spirit Silver Lightning.
Additionally, with Xiao Jin's original Nine Profound Gold Thunder, the Black Gold Thunder Core now housed five powerful types of thunder. If a Dou Zun expert were to take a direct hit from it, even if they survived, they'd be seriously injured.
Of course, that didn't mean Mo Yu had Dou Zun-level strength yet—after all, Dou Zun experts weren't fools who would just stand still and take a hit. Even though the Black Gold Thunder Core had the spatial confinement effects of the Flash Void Breaking Thunder, it was uncertain how effective it would be against a true Dou Zun expert.
Still, the Black Gold Thunder Core was now significantly stronger. When Mo Yu eventually reached the Dou Zun level, its power would likely be enough to make even the leader of the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion think twice.
That said, Qingzhi's combat ability had significantly decreased without the Ice Spirit Silver Lightning.
Since Mo Yu wanted Qingzhi to be one of his key subordinates, the Ice Sovereign Technique alone wouldn't be enough. To make up for Qingzhi's power loss, Mo Yu gave him part of the Ice Spirit Silver Lightning.
With the sub-lightning and the near-Heaven-rank Ice Sovereign Technique, Qingzhi's strength could now rank among the best in his tier.
"Thank you for the gift, Master!" Qingzhi said gratefully, accepting the sub-lightning of the Ice Spirit Silver Lightning.
As an ice-type cultivator, the addition of the Ice Spirit Silver Lightning and the Ice Sovereign Technique was a tremendous boon.
Seeing this, Xiao Yixian's eyes sparkled with admiration. Mo Yu, still young, already commanded a Dou Zun-level subordinate and remained calm and composed. The more she learned about him, the more surprised and impressed she became.
After handling Qingzhi's situation, Mo Yu moved over to check on the Black Bat King. If it weren't for the Black Bat King's fierce resistance in the earlier battle, Xiao Yixian might have been captured by Tianshe. His contribution had been significant.
However, this also meant that the Black Bat King had taken a serious beating from Tianshe. If he weren't a powerful seventh-rank magical beast, he likely would've died already.
"How's Black Bat doing?" Xiao Yixian asked, her face full of concern as she followed Mo Yu. She felt grateful because Black Bat had been injured partly because of her.
Using his soul power, Mo Yu examined the Black Bat King's condition. His frown deepened as he saw the damage to his internal organs and the frailty of his aura.
"It's not good. Tianshe, being a peak Dou Zong expert, showed no mercy. Black Bat is barely hanging on," Mo Yu said seriously.
His eyes flashed with killing intent. If that old snake hadn't fled, Mo Yu would have torn him to pieces.
"Can he be saved?" Xiao Yixian asked anxiously.
Mo Yu nodded. "Don't worry, with me here, Black Bat won't die."
After saying this, Mo Yu fed the Black Bat King a fragrant pill, then turned to Qingjian, the Necro Puppet, and said, "Qingjian, carry him."
This necro puppet was the one Mo Yu had crafted from the body of the Elder Qingjian of the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion. Without the Golden War Horse's beastly soul, Qingjian wasn't as intelligent as Qingzhi and could only follow simple commands.
While necro puppets were easier to create than Sky Demon Puppets, their power dropped significantly compared to their original state. Elder Qingjian had been a peak Dou Zong, but now the necro puppet Qingjian barely retained the strength of a seven-star Dou Zong—still respectable but far from what he once was.
Fortunately, Mo Yu had also claimed the Qing Jade White Tiger Sword, a high-level seven-rank weapon, when he took down Qingjian. This weapon compensated somewhat for Qingjian's diminished strength, allowing him to hold his own against an eight-star Dou Zong.
After giving his instructions, Mo Yu turned to Xiao Yixian. "I've given Black Bat a healing pill, which will keep him stable for now. But we need a skilled alchemist to properly heal him. We should return to Tianhuang City. Liu Qing can help, and I've already made an agreement with Yin Valley to join forces against the Ice River Valley. Tianhuang City isn't far from Yin Valley, and it's the perfect place for a battle."
"Oh, Yin Valley is joining too?" Xiao Yixian was taken aback, then nodded thoughtfully.
The more she got to know Mo Yu, the more she realized how dangerous it was to become his enemy. Just look at the fate of the Yunlan Sect in the past, and now the Ice River Valley...
Having agreed on their next move, Mo Yu and his companions—Xiao Yixian, Qingzhi, and Qingjian carrying Black Bat—set off toward Tianhuang City.
...
The return journey was significantly faster than the trip to the Ice-Cold River Valley. Though there was a considerable distance between the two, Mo Yu and his group reached Tianhuang City in just two to three days.
They descended into the city without much delay and quickly made their way toward the Liu family's residence in the city center, following the memory of the route in Mo Yu's mind.
After about ten minutes, they arrived at the Liu family's gate once again.
The guards, who recognized Mo Yu, immediately stepped forward to welcome him respectfully. One of them went ahead to inform Liu Qing, the current head of the Liu family.
As they entered the residence, they didn't have to wait long before Liu Qing appeared.
"Mo Yu, you're back! How did it go?" Liu Qing asked, his face lighting up with joy.
"It went well. I've managed to acquire the Sky-Cold Qi," Mo Yu replied.
Even Liu Qing, who had long known Mo Yu's abilities, couldn't help but be surprised. The Sky-Cold Qi was a true treasure of the continent, on par with an otherworldly flame. And now, Mo Yu had actually claimed it.
Liu Qing's admiration for Mo Yu deepened even further.
Behind him, the red-robed Liu Fei gazed at Mo Yu with sparkling eyes, her heart fluttering as she looked at the handsome young man whose legendary deeds she had heard about.
However, as her gaze lingered, she suddenly felt a cold, sharp sensation. Turning her head, she saw Xiao Yixian's gray-purple eyes staring at her with an icy, protective gleam.
Feeling the hostility in Xiao Yixian's gaze, as well as the aura she exuded, Liu Fei's pretty face stiffened, and she quickly looked away, lowering her head in fear.
Although the Liu family didn't know that Xiao Yixian possessed the terrifying Calamity Poison Body, both her brother and the family elders had warned Liu Fei repeatedly that Xiao Yixian was a very dangerous individual.
Just now, during their brief exchange of glances, Liu Fei had felt as if she had been plunged into the depths of the underworld, gripped by terror...
Mo Yu, seemingly oblivious to the tension between the two women, turned to Liu Qing and said, "Is there a notable alchemist here in Tianhuang City or within the Liu family? Black Bat has been seriously injured and needs treatment."
Hearing this, Liu Qing's gaze shifted to Qingjian. Noticing the terrifying aura emanating from the necro puppet, he realized that Qingjian must have been a powerful expert.
After a moment of surprise, Liu Qing's attention turned to the Black Bat King, lying on Qingjian's back. Seeing the Black Bat King's injured state, his face turned serious. He quickly nodded and said, "Don't worry, leave it to me. There's a Rank Seven alchemist named Master Huang here in Tianhuang City, and he has a good relationship with our Liu family. With his help, Black Bat should recover."
Mo Yu nodded in satisfaction. A Rank Seven alchemist was more than capable of handling this.
...
While Mo Yu was seeking a healer for Black Bat King in Tianhuang City, far away, deep within an icy plain, a chilling air filled a grand hall.
"Fifty-four went out, and only one returned. Tianshe, is this the result you're presenting to me?"
In the freezing hall, a figure in white robes sat upon an icy throne. His emotionless eyes glanced down at the old man prostrating before him, and his cold voice caused the temperature in the hall to plummet even further.
"Master, it wasn't my fault! The intelligence was wrong. Among the group we pursued, there was a Dou Zun-level expert. I was lucky just to escape," the old man—none other than the Tianshe Elder who had fled from Qingzhi—explained, his face pale and missing an arm, looking utterly pitiful.
"A Dou Zun? What rank?" the figure on the throne asked, his interest piqued.
"He seemed to be only at the one-star Dou Zun level, otherwise, I would have never escaped. And he was an ice-type expert," Tianshe hesitated, then answered respectfully.
"Hmph, no wonder you ended up in such a state. But a mere one-star Dou Zun?" a voice suddenly sounded from a corner of the hall. An old man dressed in white fur sat there, a smile on his face, showing no fear or respect when speaking of a Dou Zun expert.
"Only one star, huh?" the figure on the icy throne mused, lightly tapping the armrest. After a moment, he said calmly, "I am determined to obtain the Calamity Poison Body. A mere one-star Dou Zun won't deter me. Do you know where they're headed?"
Tianshe shook his head at first but then seemed to remember something. "Master, I had people spot the Calamity Poison Body near Tianhuang City. That's where we tracked them to the Ice-Cold River. I suspect they may have returned to Tianhuang City."
"Master, I volunteer to lead the charge. If they're in Tianhuang City, I'll capture them. If not, I'll raze the city to the ground!" Tianshe growled, his face filled with malice as he touched his severed arm.
Hearing this, the figure on the icy throne frowned. He didn't seem too pleased with the ambiguous suggestion. A terrifying chill spread throughout the hall, freezing the air and making Tianshe shiver.
"Mobilize the troops. Attack Tianhuang City. If they're not there, don't bother coming back..."
The figure stood from his icy throne, the cold air swirling around him, his voice as frigid as the ice itself.
(End of Chapter)
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