Myth Beyond Heaven

The female guard looked at the token and glanced at Xue Li and Yun Lintian. Her gaze lingered on Gui Xiao and the strange black hand on Yun Lintian’s shoulder briefly before saying, “Come with me.”

The female guard, clad in shimmering ice armor, led Yun Lintian, Xue Li, and Gui Xiao through a shimmering portal within the ice ring. As they stepped through, the biting cold intensified, and a breathtaking panorama of icy mountains and frozen plains unfolded before them.

Yun Lintian, despite his profound cultivation, couldn’t help but marvel at the sheer scale and beauty of the Ice Phoenix Kingdom. Towering glaciers reflected the faint light that filtered through the perpetual twilight, casting an ethereal glow over the landscape.

However, as they journeyed deeper into the kingdom, a sense of unease settled over Yun Lintian. The villages they passed were rudimentary, constructed from ice and packed snow, with barely a spark of warmth emanating from within.

He saw mortals huddled together, their bodies shivering uncontrollably, their faces gaunt and pale from the relentless cold. Children with runny noses and frostbitten fingers clung to their parents, their eyes wide with fear and suffering.

The cultivators he observed weren’t much better off. They trained in the open, their movements stiff and labored, their breaths forming icy plumes in the frigid air. Their weapons and armor were crude and worn, clearly lacking the resources to properly equip themselves.

Yun Lintian could sense their desperation, their struggle to cultivate amidst such harsh conditions.

This was a far cry from the image of a “Kingdom of God” that its name implied. This was a realm teetering on the brink of survival, its inhabitants locked in a constant battle against the elements.

Yun Lintian, accustomed to the relative abundance and comfort of the Primal Chaos, felt a pang of sympathy for these people. This was indeed a depressing sight.

“It’s… harsher than I expected,” Yun Lintian remarked, his voice carrying a hint of concern.

Xue Li nodded somberly. “Life here is a constant struggle. Only the strong survive.” She paused, her gaze drifting toward a group of children huddled around a meager fire. “Many mortals succumb to the cold every winter. Even for cultivators, progress is slow and arduous.”

The female guard glanced at Yun Lintian briefly upon hearing this.

As they ventured further, the landscape gradually transformed. The icy plains gave way to rolling hills and valleys, dotted with patches of hardy vegetation. The air grew slightly warmer, and the faint glow of the sun became more pronounced.

They began to encounter larger settlements, with sturdier structures and a greater sense of prosperity. The cultivators they encountered here were stronger, their movements more fluid and confident. Their equipment was of higher quality, and their faces held a glimmer of hope.

“This is the inner region of the kingdom,” Xue Li explained. “The conditions here are more favorable for cultivation. The closer we get to the Ice Phoenix Palace, the more abundant the resources become.”

Yun Lintian nodded, understanding dawning on him. The Ice Phoenix Kingdom was a realm of stark contrasts, where the struggle for survival was most pronounced in the outer regions, while the inner regions offered a glimmer of hope and prosperity.

Yun Lintian also noticed that most people here were infected with Primordial Decay. It was a common disease, as Xue Li had told him.

Finally, after several hours of travel, they arrived at the Ice Phoenix Palace. It was a magnificent structure, carved from a colossal glacier, its spires reaching toward the heavens. The palace shimmered with an ethereal blue light, its intricate carvings depicting scenes of phoenixes soaring through the skies and flames dancing amidst the ice.

The female guard turned to Yun Lintian and said, “You stay here.”

Yun Lintian raised his brow slightly but said nothing.

“I’ll go in first,” Xue Li spoke up. She knew the rules here.

“Go ahead,” Yun Lintian nodded.

The female guard then took Xue Li into the grand palace.

As they disappeared from sight, Yun Lintian scanned the surroundings carefully. The aura here was much less chaotic than outside and was incomparably rich. It was suitable for cultivation. Moreover, the guards were all True Gods. It was the first time Yun Lintian had seen a True God working as a guard.

“Go… there,” Gui Xiao suddenly pointed toward the garden in the distance.

Yun Lintian raised his brow slightly. “What is it?”

“Go…” Gui Xiao urged.

Yun Lintian hesitated briefly. He didn’t want to cause trouble here, as he had no idea about the Ice Phoenix Empress’s attitude. However, he couldn’t resist Gui Xiao’s urging. Most of the time, Gui Xiao’s perception was spot on. There must be something important in the garden. Without thinking further, Yun Lintian walked toward the garden. As he approached, he could hear the sound of trickling water. He peeked through the bushes and saw a sight that took his breath away.

In the center of the garden was a huge ice lake, its surface shimmering like a mirror. And in the lake, a beautiful young woman was bathing naked, her skin as white as snow, and her hair flowing like a waterfall.

Yun Lintian froze, his eyes wide with surprise. He hadn’t perceived her presence at all. The woman seemed to sense his gaze and turned her head to look at him. Her eyes were as blue as ice, and they met his with a curious expression.

Yun Lintian quickly averted his gaze and prepared to leave, but the woman spoke up.

“Who are you?” she asked, her voice as soft as a whisper.

Yun Lintian hesitated for a moment, then turned back to face her.

“I am Yun Lintian,” he said, bowing low. “I apologize for intruding on your privacy.”

The woman smiled, a gentle smile that warmed Yun Lintian’s heart.

“Don’t worry,” she said. “You are welcome here.”

She stood up from the lake and walked toward him, her body dripping with water. Yun Lintian couldn’t help but admire her perfect figure. She was tall and slender, with curves that would

make any man swoon.

“My name is Lan Bingxue,” she said, extending her hand to him.

Yun Lintian took her hand and shook it gently. Her skin was as soft as silk, and her touch sent a shiver down his spine.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lan Bingxue,” he said. “I think you should put on your clothes

first.”

Lan Bingxue smiled and waved her hand. A blue robe immediately appeared, wrapping around her perfect body.

“I can feel the Divine Phoenix bloodline in your body,” she said.