txolops Chapter 2419: Iceberg Visitor
Chapter 2419: Iceberg Visitor
Chapter 2419: Iceberg Visitor
The moment Qin Sang grasped the pearl, a hint of surprise flashed in her eyes.
Upon holding the pearl, Qin Sang felt as if she were grasping a ball of water, soft and cool. Within the pearl seemed to be countless threads, radiating outwards and connecting to an unknown entity in the distance.
Qin Sang now understood why the pearl was the key to unlocking the secret realm.
Those unknown entities hidden in all directions are all invisibly connected to the pearl. This treasure is clearly linked to many secrets within the secret realm and is an indispensable part of unlocking those secrets!
However, Qin Sang also discovered that most of the silk threads were blurry, as if shrouded in a fog, obscuring the truth.
"It's a sea of clouds!"
Qin Sang identified the source of the 'mist'.
With the help of the pearl, the Three Immortals would have been able to enter the Void long ago, even without that sea of clouds. This also proves that the sea of clouds was not originally part of the secret realm, but an obstacle set up by later visitors.
To unravel the secrets of the Cloud Sea, the pearl alone is insufficient. It's a pity Qin Sang failed to obtain the Crystal Tortoise Shell; otherwise, combining the two shells with the pearl might have allowed him to move freely and access all the treasures within the secret realm.
Furthermore, Qin Sang noticed that some silk threads extended into the depths of Guixu, indicating that there were secrets related to pearls in the depths of Guixu, perhaps some kind of treasure.
Mo Yan didn't take the pearl down with him. Was it because he didn't need the pearl at all, or because he wasn't interested in those secrets or treasures?
Qin Sang had always been somewhat wary of the inkstone, especially after witnessing its various behaviors this time.
"Since he gave me the pearl, he shouldn't mind if I use it to take the treasures from the depths of the Ruins of Return, right?"
Qin Sang held the pearl in her hand, gazing at the water's surface, lost in thought.
Such a mysterious realm as Guixu is rare and hard to come by. Since the jade Buddha can resist the erosion of Guixu and there is no danger to his life, Qin Sang had long intended to sneak into Guixu to explore.
Now there's another reason!
He had two choices: either infiltrate the Ruins or return to the Sea of Clouds and wait for an opportunity.
Qin Sang looked up at the sea of clouds, wondering what those demon cultivators were doing. The Plague God's side had joined forces with the Five Immortals' Sect, and the Fox Fairy had even saved the Plague God's life. They shouldn't turn against each other anytime soon, so she would have little opportunity to take advantage of them.
Without the tortoise shell in his own possession, it won't be easy for the Plague God to break through the sea of clouds. The demon cultivators, each with their own ulterior motives, have made no progress and their conflicts will eventually erupt.
Moreover, they must be searching for me and Mo Yan right now, so getting close to them would make us more likely to be exposed.
It would be better to retreat in order to advance, and first enter the Ruins!
……
The spirit world, the North Pole.
Everyone knows that the Arctic is an extremely cold place, with freezing temperatures.
The northern part of the Great Zhou Dynasty, including parts of Qianzhou and Xunzhou, is also a bitterly cold place, but it is far from comparable to the northernmost part of the Spirit Realm.
This is a frozen wasteland!
Little do people know that there are also unfrozen areas in the Arctic, where icebergs float on the undulating waves, their sizes pushed and drifting with the tide.
The sun shines brightly high above, yet it seems devoid of warmth, unable to dispel the biting chill here.
This sea area is almost devoid of life, and no bird dares to fly across it.
In the desolate sea and frigid icebergs, a person sat atop one of the icebergs.
At the mountain peak, where the ice was solid, a man sat alone, dressed in a blue robe. Despite the fierce, cold wind, not even the hem of his robe was blown up.
The wind is getting stronger.
The cold wind was like a knife, howling and howling. The sky gradually darkened, dark clouds obscured the sun, and snowflakes began to fall.
This is the most common weather here, yet even with heavy snowfall, the sea never freezes. Snowflakes fall into the sea and are swept away by the waves, merging into the water. The world is vast and desolate, snowflakes drift like flying catkins, and this person sits alone in the snow, his silhouette appearing all the more forlorn.
Suddenly, the man's expression changed, and he gently hooked his finger, revealing that a fishing line was wrapped around his fingertip.
'Snapped! '
The fishing line suddenly snapped up, and a white shadow was pulled out of the sea and flew thousands of feet high, landing in front of the man. It turned out to be a large fish that was a foot long.
This fish has a unique appearance; its scales and flesh are transparent, and you can see its internal organs and blood with the naked eye. Its entire body is like a piece of crystal, and you can tell at a glance that the fish meat must be incredibly fresh and tender.
The man licked his lips. "It's said that this Jade Marrow Ice Sturgeon is a rare delicacy, found only in the Arctic. Cooked with Heavenly Capital Silver Fire, it's an absolute wonder! I finally caught one today. It was worth the trip to Heavenly Snow Silver Capital to steal the Heavenly Capital Silver Fire technique and waiting here for so long..."
He rubbed his hands together, somewhat impatiently. With a flick of his finger, he cut some ice strips from beside him, piled them up like firewood, and then flicked them lightly, causing blue flames to ignite on the ice pile.
The blue flames emitted a chilling aura and carried a peculiar presence.
"Don't worry, I learned this grilling fish skill from Shi Weitian, and it will never disgrace you. I also learned the Rebirth Mantra from Dabeisi Temple, and I will recite a scripture for you. Perhaps you can be reborn as a human in your next life..."
After lighting a fire, the man would roast the chalcedony ice sturgeon, muttering to himself to soothe the food.
Suddenly, he paused, frowned, and looked out of the mountains.
As far as his eyes could see, at the end of the icy sea, black mist surged like a tide, which was the ancient mist of the Six Heavens. That place was undoubtedly the well-known River of Sin, one of the most mysterious secret realms in the spirit world, extending all the way to the North Pole of the spirit world!
"Is it finally going to be born...?"
The man concentrated and sensed for a while, muttering to himself. He glanced at the Jade Marrow Ice Sturgeon and said helplessly, "Why did you have to come so late? Consider yourself lucky to have such a delicious meal. Go back now!"
With that, he waved his sleeve, and the Jade Marrow Ice Sturgeon flew down the mountain, barely escaping with its life. It quickly swung its tail and fled back to the seabed.
This person stood on the mountaintop gazing into the distance, and before long, he took a step out and plunged into the River of Calamity!
……
Lotus Crossing the Great Marsh.
A water palace was built at the foot of the mountain, with lakes and mountains connected, and the scenery was quite beautiful. Occasionally, demon soldiers would patrol, which turned out to be the territory of a demon king.
The demon soldiers came and went, but they did not notice the newly opened water palace.
The water palace was lush and green, and the entire cave was filled with a rich green light, which even made the Vermilion Bird turn green.
Inside the cave is a pool that protrudes from the ground, with spiritual mist floating above the water, making it exceptionally rich in spiritual energy.
The Vermilion Bird squatted in the pool, its little head bobbing up and down, dozing off.
The source of the green light is a spiritual plant in the pond, which grew from that seed. It was brought here by the Vermilion Bird and took root, and it is now very different from before.
The roots of the spiritual plant are very thick, and the root system is like a python, intertwined in the pool. The tree trunk on the water surface is also gnarled and intertwined, which is actually made of vines that are wrapped and woven together.
These vines form a spirit tree, then droop down like willow branches, becoming thinner as they approach the top.
‘Wow! ’
Suddenly, the branches began to sway gently.
Zhuque was startled awake, rubbed her eyes, and yawned. "You've finally grown up! Huh?"
Its eyes widened in surprise, and it discovered that things were not as it had expected. The branches were all swaying in one direction, as if something in the Lotus Crossing Marsh was attracting them.
This reminded Suzaku of a similar reaction that occurred when the seed had just sprouted. Suzaku had even taken the spiritual plant and circled around the area, only to give up after finding nothing.
Now the spiritual plants are showing this reaction again, and it's even more pronounced!
"Impossible! Could it be that this place really is..."
Zhuque looked puzzled, but then noticed the branches swaying incessantly.
"Hmph! This divine bird will see what exactly is causing this trouble. If it dares to play tricks on this divine bird..."
The Vermilion Bird had no concept of fear. Unable to understand, it simply stopped thinking about it. The flames transformed into a giant hand, digging up the pool and the spiritual plants together, flying out of the cave and heading towards the direction where the branches were swaying.
……
Arctic ice sheet.
It was the coldest season on the ice plains, with thick, heavy clouds that filled the sky.
At this time of year, creatures on the ice plains choose to hibernate, and the thick snow on the ground makes any spot they dig into a cave.
Amidst the raging blizzard, a hawk flew in from the horizon. The hawk was not large, and even appeared somewhat frail in the blizzard, but it was extremely fast, and the blizzard could not get close to it at all.
The eagle's gaze was sharp as lightning as it surveyed the ground. Suddenly, it landed on a spot in the snowfield, where a flower was growing amidst the white snow.
The vibrant flowers stood out starkly against the snow. As the petals unfurled, a woman emerged, looking up at the eagle. "Old Cang, do you have any leads over there?"
'Shuh! '
The eagle folded its wings and landed in front of the woman, scoffing, "If I found any clues, why wouldn't I tell you?"
The woman smiled sweetly, "Who told you, Lao Cang, to always eat alone! But this time, you and I are probably just pawns, and I doubt you have the guts."
"If you're just spouting nonsense, then I'm afraid I won't keep you company!"
The eagle grew impatient and, with that, began to flap its wings and fly away.
The woman yawned and said lazily, "This icy and snowy place is quite boring. What harm is there in keeping me company for a while with just a mere avatar? What do you think, Fellow Daoist Mu's judgment? Is it really that thing?"
“After Jinqing and Molu disappeared, there has been no news of them since, not even a message for help could be sent out. Since it has been confirmed that it was not those guys who did it, what else could it be but that thing?” Cangying asked in return.
"But how could it have appeared on the Arctic ice plains? It was previously speculated that it should have been hidden in the Lotus Crossing Swamp?"
The woman looked puzzled. "There are quite a few things that can threaten us. In the Lotus Crossing Swamp alone, there are several secret realms. Neither of us may be able to escape unscathed."
The eagle and the woman walked together, talking as they went.
“How can the secret realm of Lotus Crossing Swamp be compared with that treasure! Fellow Daoist Mu has a profound background and must know many ancient secrets. He must have discovered more evidence to dare to make such a judgment,” the eagle said, his eyes still scanning the area.
This eagle is one of his incarnations. His other incarnations have also scattered into the icy plains to search for the Bone Hand that captured Great Sage Jinqing and Great Sage Moluo.
After the disappearance of Great Sage Jinqing and Great Sage Moluo, they received the news and rushed over immediately, but they were too late; Bone Hand had vanished with the two Great Sages. Based on some clues they found, the 'Immortal' deduced that Bone Hand had been wandering in the Ice Plains.
At this time, almost all the demon saints recruited by the 'Immortal' were in the Arctic ice plains. Fearing being discovered by other demon saints, they dared not use their great supernatural powers to search for the bone hand recklessly, and could only resort to this clumsy method.
If the bone hand were to remain still in one place, it would not be difficult to find. However, the bone hand seems to possess sentience and is constantly moving.
"Once this treasure is born, this world can return to the spirit world. Have you thought about where you will go after that?" The woman looked up at the sky and spoke slowly.
"Do we have any other options?" the eagle countered.
"and……"
The eagle's tone was heavy, "The return of this realm means that the seal suppressing the cracks in the earth membrane has loosened, and the demon realm on the other side has never given up its evil intentions. Its army must already be itching to make a move! A war between the two realms will inevitably cause great suffering and death. Who can remain unscathed?"
The woman remained silent, as if she wanted to say something, when suddenly, both demons changed color at the same time, exchanged a glance, and their auras underwent a dramatic transformation.
A moment later, the eagle transformed into a man in black robes. The woman's appearance remained the same, but a red lotus flower stood beneath her feet, supporting her lithe body.
The deity has arrived!
Lotus flowers bloomed in the void, but the two demons had vanished.
The next moment, the two demons appeared in the sky above a snowfield, looking ahead with solemn expressions.
In the heart of the snowfield, the wind was exceptionally fierce, with gusts of snow forming massive vortices that shook the heavens and earth.
This scene matches the description of the three demons of the kite basket.
Furthermore, they sensed an unusual aura emanating from the vortex.
"This is……"
Both demons were surprised and suspicious. Why did Bone Hand, who had been playing hide-and-seek with them for so long, take the initiative to show himself?
The two avatars were not far from the Bone Hand, but they were completely unaware of its approach, which shows that if the Bone Hand wanted to hide, it would not be difficult to deceive the two avatars.
What is the Bone Hand's intention in reappearing?
Having learned from the experiences of Great Sage Jinqing and Great Sage Moluo, they dared not approach rashly. Just as they were about to send a message, they sensed a familiar aura drawing near.
'Shuh! '
'Shuh! '
……
Two figures descended from the sky in succession.
"Old Cang, what's going on?" one of them asked in a puzzled voice.
The man in black robes quickly recounted his previous encounter to the other party, and the demons stared at the vortex, hesitant and uncertain.
But the vortex expanded rapidly, drawing in more and more wind and snow. The earth roared, and icebergs were swallowed up by the vortex. The vortex showed no signs of stopping and was even expanding at an accelerated pace.
"not good!"
The woman exclaimed softly, "If this continues, it will surely alert those guys! Quickly inform Fellow Daoist Mu!"
All signs indicate that the Bone Hand may really be about to be born!
……
The Seven Mansions of Xuanwu.
Dou Su.
After the demons followed Yuanluo into Douxiu, they found that the scene here was very different from what they had imagined. Stars floated in the boundless void, which was empty.
These stars seemed both within reach and yet so far away; they tried everything to touch them but couldn't. They could only wander aimlessly like headless flies, unsure how to break free from their predicament.
They weren't in a hurry; they only needed to keep a close eye on the movements of Crimson Meteor Mountain and Moonlit Tundra. Little did they know that Iris and her cousins had already quietly left.
Under the protection of the treasure flag, the three demons silently traversed the starry sky.
Suddenly, the golden talisman in Yuanluo's hand trembled, conveying the immortal's command.
She noticed that the immortal's voice was somewhat excited, "Make your move!"