Immortal Refiner

The northern region of the Great Wilderness Domain was a frigid, snow-covered ice plain that remained frozen year-round.

Further north lay a majestic mountain range that stretched across the horizon, impassable to cultivators below the core formation realm.

In the Azure Ridge Domain, these mountains were known as the Forbidden Speech Snow Mountains.

Normally, this harsh and desolate land saw few visitors, with cultivators rarely venturing here.

This was due not only to its extreme cold and desolation but also because the entire region was under the control of the Taiyi Sect.

But now, things were different. The demonic path had offered a bounty for the Pure Yang Physique, drawing countless rogue cultivators eager to claim the reward.

”Look, that’s the Yang Gathering Cave. Because the Pure Yang Physique achieved core formation here, all the pure yang power has been completely drained!”

”Incredible! I visited this place years ago, and the cave was brimming with pure yang power. Now it’s utterly barren.”

”To refine a single natal magic treasure, he needed such an immense amount of pure yang power? Just how powerful is this treasure he’s forging?”

”Impossible! This place is buried under such a thick layer of ice and snow, the cold is bone-chilling. It doesn’t seem like it could possibly possess pure yang power!”

”What do you know? In feng shui, this terrain is called Yang Gathering. Though yang energy is slightly weaker in the snowfields, the pressure from the surrounding yin cold actually amplifies the Yang Gathering effect to its maximum potential.”

Deep within the frozen snowfields, around a peculiar grotto where Earth Veins converged, a group of rogue cultivators had gathered to investigate.

The cave, once overflowing with pure yang power, was now buried under thick snow, radiating an icy chill that pierced to the bone.

Just then, a piece of information suddenly spread through the crowd, stirring the minds of countless cultivators:

”Have you heard? A Glacier Ridge in the snowfields has suddenly melted! It’s suspected to be a trace of a Pure Yang Physique!”

The moment these words were spoken, they instantly captured the attention of many present.

Before long, a tall, imposing cultivator seized the person who had spread the news.

”Tell me everything you know!” The cultivator who seized him radiated immense power, his aura unmistakably that of a core formation realm cultivator.

The rogue cultivator, suspended in mid-air, his face pale with terror, stammered, ”Senior, spare my life! I haven’t spoken a word. I heard the Ghost Sword Sect has already sent people to investigate!”

”Just before this, someone must have provided the Ghost Sword Sect with precise intelligence: that Glacier Ridge in the western snowfields has completely melted, leaving behind traces of pure yang power.”

Upon hearing this, the imposing core formation true lord fell silent for a moment, as if sensing something.

After a brief pause, he slowly said, ”Since you haven’t lied, I’ll spare your life.”

Bang!

A muffled thud echoed through the air as the rogue cultivator, now released, cried out in gratitude:

”Thank you, Senior! Your benevolence is boundless! Thank you!”

Before he could finish his thanks, the rogue cultivators gathered around Yang Gathering Cave had already scattered, flying toward the western snowfields.

In an instant, the once bustling area became eerily deserted.

After confirming that no one else was around, the domineering core formation realm cultivator finally softened his expression. He glanced down at the rogue cultivator he had tossed onto the snowy ground and said, ”Well acted. These spirit stones are your reward.”

With that, he tossed a small pouch of spirit stones down from the air.

”Many thanks for the senior’s generosity! Is there anything else you require?” The junior cultivator, still lying in the snow, gratefully picked up the pouch of spirit stones.

”No, you may leave now.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the cultivator who had received the spirit stones departed without hesitation.

Watching his retreating figure, the core formation true lord in the air murmured softly to himself, ”The news has been spread. I hope my junior sister is doing well too.”

Indeed, this man was Li Qing, who had also traveled to the snowy plains north of the Great Wilderness Domain!

Earlier, he had arranged with the foundation establishment realm cultivator to stage a scene, spreading false information about the Pure Yang Physique being related to the western part of the snowy plains.

His motive was simple: to throw the western snowy plains into complete chaos.

Just a day earlier, when he and Shen Ningbing had first arrived at the far northern snowfields, Shen Ningbing had sensed faint traces of a familiar qi mechanism in the western region—identical to the cultivation manual she practiced!

They immediately deduced that these were residual qi fluctuations left by Ancestor Bing Yun during her battle with others.

Without hesitation, they sprang into action. First, they stirred up chaos in the western snowfields to disrupt the Shangqing Sect’s pursuit of Ancestor Bing Yun.

After all, Shen Ningbing’s cultivation manual shared the same origin as her master’s, making her far more adept at sensing residual qi and immune to interference from other cultivators.

Thus, the staged drama Li Qing had just performed at the Yang Gathering Cave was set in motion.

”What’s going on? Why are there suddenly so many foreign cultivators’ qi signatures and traces?”

”Probably cultivators searching for the Pure Yang Physique. How they found this place is beyond me.”

In the western snowfields, amidst the biting winds, a team of Shangqing Sect cultivators soared through the skies aboard a spirit boat.

They were startled to discover that the compass they were using to track their target was malfunctioning, its needle spinning wildly.

This malfunction would severely hamper their search efficiency.

”Ancestor Xuan He, what should we do?”

The foundation establishment elders of the Shangqing Sect all turned their gazes toward the elder flying without the aid of a magic artifact.

True lord Xuan He also sensed something was amiss. He frowned slightly before speaking:

”Bing Yun has always possessed methods to disturb heaven’s will. This situation is hardly surprising.”

”Now that we’ve finally cornered a remnant of the Lingyun Sect, we must seize this opportunity. Though she’s a mid Core Formation Realm cultivator, her vital energy is severely depleted, and her life hangs by a thread. We can’t afford to let her escape.”

”Maintain your vigilance and continue the pursuit!”

Moments after Ancestor Xuan He’s command, the compass suddenly seemed to break free from all interference. Its needle, which had been oscillating wildly between two directions, abruptly locked onto a single, unwavering point.

”The interference has vanished! We now have a clear lock on the southeast direction!” the elder holding the bronze compass exclaimed.

The other elders erupted in triumphant shouts: ”Hahaha! This compass tracks the Ice Extreme True Manual, an ice dao cultivation manual. As long as True Lord Bing Yun uses her mana, she can’t escape its pursuit! It seems she’s been forced to expend her mana!”

True Person Xuan He’s cloudy eyes suddenly brightened at the sight.

”Move!”

With a wave of his hand, he led the elders southeast at full speed.

They soon arrived near a constantly melting glacier mountain range.

”It should be around here, but why haven’t we seen a single person?”

”Keep searching with the compass!”

The leading foundation establishment realm elders of the Shangqing Sect followed the compass needle’s direction, relentlessly searching.

Finally, inside a melting ice cave, they discovered a golden feather encased in frigid ice crystals.

”What’s this? It looks like a Lifebound Spirit Feather from some kind of demon bird.”

One of the elders curiously picked up the ice-encased feather, examining it closely.

Before he could get a good look, the sound of air being torn apart echoed from the distance.

”Is that something left behind by a Pure Yang Physique?”

”Junior, put down that feather! It’s not yours to claim!”

”After searching the ice plains for so long, it seems this glacier was our destination all along!”

A group of powerful cultivators emerged, their cultivation levels ranging from late foundation establishment realm to core formation realm. Several rogue cultivators at the core formation realm were among them.

The group descended aggressively, quickly surrounding the area.

(End of the Chapter)

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