Chapter 263: with translation of chapter title

In a great hall sat five Jie Dan cultivators, among them three Late Jie Dan Stage, one Mid Jie Dan Stage, and one Early Jie Dan Stage; such a combination, even in today's Eastern Border cultivation world, would already count as a not-insubstantial force.

It's a pity, though, that the five of them do not belong to the same side.

And one of them sat upright in a chair, calmly sipping tea, with a beautiful 'maidservant' attending him; that Late Jie Dan cultivator was Yunhe.

He silently listened to the conversation between Bing Gui Xianzi and the other two Late Jie Dan cultivators, without interjecting.

Although he recognized Xue Zhili, Xue Zhili clearly did not recognize him.

This is quite normal, after all, if Xue Zhili knew that the Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator who had barely escaped from his hands over a hundred years ago had now transformed into a Late Jie Dan cultivator of equal cultivation base, he would hardly believe it, and he would be even less likely to think along those lines.

And Yunhe also did not jump out to cause trouble for Xue Zhili.

He wouldn't be so foolish as to jump out at this moment and spout a cliché like 'thirty years east, thirty years west'—an action done only for show, with no real benefit.

At least.

Now is not the time to cause trouble; one must not display too much hostility in front of others, otherwise it would still easily invite speculation.

As for the content of their conversation, Yunhe had heard it all.

The general meaning is that the Snow Sword Sect originally controlled a secret realm, which was initially discovered by many sects of the entire Wu Kingdom together; although it is now under the Snow Sword Sect's control, the Ice Immortal Pavilion also has the qualifications and candidates to enter.

And this secret realm is about to open, but due to the intervention of the Demonic Path Sect, they have also secured the qualifications to enter; they have come this time hoping that the Ice Immortal Pavilion will allocate them a slot.

Naturally, Bing Gui Xianzi disagreed with this, and thus argued her point, which is why she hoped Yunhe would come out to oversee the situation.

However, Yunhe's appearance actually did not bring much improvement.

There's nothing to be done.

Although Yunhe now has some fame, the Snow Sword Sect is a sect that possesses a Yuan Ying Cultivator, and the Blood Sect, to a certain extent, can represent the entire Demonic Path; after all, in the righteous–demonic war, the Blood Sect's 'contributions' are obvious, and the Blood Sect also contains a Yuan Ying Cultivator!

Between the two major Yuan Ying forces, the Ice Immortal Pavilion will inevitably have to make certain concessions.

This is almost certain to happen when both sides show up at their doors simultaneously.

Because the Snow Sword Sect has practically acquiesced to the Blood Sect cultivators' visit, its attitude goes without saying.

The only uncertainty is how much the Ice Immortal Pavilion will have to concede.

'Actually, I have a way to resolve this matter,' said Xue Zhili, seated in the chair, smiling faintly.

Upon saying that.

Everyone's gaze fell upon him.

Seeing this, Xue Zhili didn't beat around the bush, chuckled softly, and said:

'It's simple. I have heard that the disciple of the Ice Snow Pavilion's pavilion chief is exceptionally talented and of outstanding beauty and ability; if she could become allied by marriage with our Young Master, then these slots, my Blood Sect would not need them.'

Upon hearing that, everyone present except Yunhe changed expression.

Allied by marriage?

The Snow Sword Sect would certainly not agree to this.

The Wu Kingdom is the Snow Sword Sect's territory; the intrusion of Demonic Path cultivators has already dealt a considerable blow to the Snow Sword Sect's prestige in the Wu Kingdom, and some fair-weather cultivation families that have both overt and covert ties with the Demonic Path Sect have already given the Snow Sword Sect a headache; if the Ice Immortal Pavilion also allied with Demonic Path cultivators, then the Demonic Path Sect would have a foothold in the Wu Kingdom.

And Bing Gui Xianzi and Dong Ning Xuan's grim expressions were naturally also due to Xue Zhili's words.

If the Ice Immortal Pavilion were to marry into the Demonic Sect, it would not be a bad thing in the short term, but would the Ice Immortal Pavilion still exist in a few years?

More importantly.

Bing Gui Xianzi and Dong Ning Xuan both understood that the proposed marriage alliance was absolutely because of Dong Ning Xuan's special spiritual physique!

Few people know about this.

'Hehe, Blood Dharma Protector, you're joking; my worthless disciple's cultivation base is feeble—how could she be worthy of the Young Sect Master's outstanding appearance?' said Bing Gui Xianzi with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Dong Ning Xuan also had a tense pretty face, and unconsciously glanced at Yunhe.

But she saw that Yunhe was merely lowering his head to fiddle with his teacup, showing no reaction at all.

To be honest.

Actually, in Yunhe's view, whether the Ice Immortal Pavilion agrees to this marriage alliance is irrelevant; the Snow Sword Sect would never consent.

Xue Zhili's remarks this time seemed to be pressuring the Ice Immortal Pavilion, but in fact they were more like pressuring the Snow Sword Sect.

However.

He somewhat couldn't fathom what Xue Zhili's intention was in doing this.

But soon, this seemingly endless discussion produced a result.

'Forget it. The Ice Immortal Pavilion offers one slot, and my Snow Sword Sect also offers one slot; your sect would suffer a little loss, but taking two slots would suffice—how about that?' said the Snow Sword Sect's Spirit Sword Elder in a low voice.

It sounded like a question, but in reality it was practically a done deal.

'What does the Young Sect Master think?'

Xue Zhili didn't answer, merely looking toward that Early Jie Dan cultivator.

'Let the Protector decide,' said the Young Sect Master, who gave Dong Ning Xuan a deep look, then didn't say much more.

'Good! Then this matter is thus decided.'

After a brief ponder, Xue Zhili agreed to this allocation method.

'If that's the case, then we'll take our leave,' said Xue Zhili and the Young Sect Master as they rose together.

After bowing to the presiding Bing Gui Xianzi, they also bowed to Yunhe seated at the side, then turned into two black streaks and shot straight out of the hall.

That seemingly normal behavior made Yunhe's expression turn somewhat strange.

Because he felt that Xue Zhili's earlier actions seemed like a friendly gesture?

A friendly gesture toward the Ice Immortal Pavilion?

Or perhaps a friendly gesture toward him, Yunhe?

No, no, no.

If he stood in Xue Zhili's position, this act would be more like a provocation!

A provocation of the relationship between the Ice Immortal Pavilion and the Snow Sword Sect.

Moreover, it is that kind of open scheme that one cannot evade or avoid.

"Then I shall take my leave as well. Elder Feng, if you have time, you may come visit my Snow Sword Sect; I will surely sweep the mat in anticipation."

The Spirit Sword Elder bowed and exchanged a few pleasantries with the two, then turned and left.

From his expression, he did not seem very satisfied with the result.

Watching the three depart one after another, Yunhe showed a pensive expression.

"Elder Feng, there is a matter I need to discuss with you." Ice Gui Immortal Maiden said after a slight hesitation.

"Oh?"

Yunhe raised his eyebrows slightly and sat up a bit straighter.

"For this secret realm opening, my Ice Immortal Pavilion still has four slots, allowing four disciples to enter; thus I hope Elder Feng can bring these few disciples there."

"Me?" Yunhe shook his head.

He is not here to be a babysitter.

He has no mood to do such things.

Seeing this, Ice Gui Immortal Maiden showed an expression of "as expected," sighed lightly, and then revealed a helpless look.

"Then I can only ask Elder to guard the seal of the Abyssal Cold Pool on my behalf."

"Abyssal Cold Pool?"

Afterwards, Ice Gui Immortal Maiden briefly explained the whole story to Yunhe.

It turns out the Ice Immortal Pavilion is also a sect with a fairly long history; this sect once produced a Yuan Ying Cultivator!

Moreover, the original location of the Ice Immortal Pavilion's sect is unknown; the reason they later moved here is not only because of this place's third-rank middle-grade spirit vein, but also because of the "Abyssal Cold Pool" deep in this snow mountain; Yunhe's small cold pool outside his Ice Heart Cave can only be considered an extremely minor branch of it.

The main ingredient Yunhe needs for the "Ice Heart Pill," the "Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart," comes from this "Abyssal Cold Pool."

However, since then the Ice Immortal Pavilion has had an additional task: every hundred years they must reinforce the seal on the "Abyssal Cold Pool."

No one knows what this seal's function is, or perhaps it was forgotten due to the passage of too much time, yet this task has been retained.

Coincidentally, this secret realm's opening clashed with the cold pool's seal.

In fact.

One reason Ice Gui Immortal Maiden invited Yunhe to become a Supreme Elder is also because of this matter.

"This matter is not difficult; it only requires the mana of a Jie Dan cultivator to accomplish. This is the method—Elder Feng will understand at a glance."

Saying this, Ice Gui Immortal Maiden tossed over a Jade Slip.

Yunhe merely glanced at it and understood: indeed it is not difficult, only needing to inject a certain amount of Jie Dan cultivator's mana into the seal's core.

"Then I will stay to guard the cold pool." Yunhe nodded.

Having taken on this task, after exchanging a few pleasantries, Yunhe rose and left.

"Master."

After Yunhe left, Dong Ning Xuan looked toward Ice Gui Immortal Maiden.

But Ice Gui Immortal Maiden merely shook her head and said nothing more.

"Guardian, how is that person's cultivation?"

At the same time, the distant departing Blood Sect's junior sect leader, Blood Minghao, couldn't help but ask.

"Indeed he is undoubtedly a Late Jie Dan cultivator, but judging from his state, he seems to have just entered Late Jie Dan, not as the outside rumors claim—Dan perfection preparing to condense Nascent Soul." Blood Li smiled, his tone quite certain.

Hearing this, Blood Minghao's eyes lit up slightly.

"However, this person's combat ability ought to be quite formidable; we need to plan carefully."

Blood Li added a reminder.

"Indeed." Blood Minghao expressed agreement.

But he also saw the doubt appearing on Blood Li's face.

"Guardian, what's wrong?"

Blood Li shook his head.

"Perhaps it's an illusion; I don't know why, but I feel this person seems somewhat familiar."

"Seems familiar?"

"Forget it, this matter isn't important either. This time proposing the marriage alliance, I expect it will make the Snow Sword Sect wary of the Ice Immortal Pavilion; if the Snow Sword Sect no longer shelters the Ice Immortal Pavilion, then handling the Ice Immortal Pavilion will be much easier."

"It's just a pity about the Pavilion Master's disciple."

"Hehe, if the Junior Sect Leader really takes a liking to her, after we seize the Ice Immortal Pavilion, won't this woman still be under the Junior Sect Leader's control?"

"That makes sense."

Two streaks of black light suddenly surged in speed, shooting off into the distance at great speed.

At the center of the Ice Immortal Pavilion's snow mountain, there is a hollow space.

This place is covered by a thick layer of ice.

But in the middle, there is a pool of water whose depth cannot be seen.

And around the pool, there is arranged a seal that looks quite profound, seemingly based on some formation.

Beside the seal stands a crystal-clear ice pillar as tall as a person, upon which sparkling spiritual power undulates, obviously the core of this seal.

Upon arriving here, Yunhe looked around, and his divine sense also swept over without hesitation.

But even with his current divine sense, he could not penetrate the seal, nor could he sense what secrets lay beneath.

"The 'Ten-Thousand-Year Ice Heart' comes from here?"

Yunhe took out the Congealed Ice Clear Lotus and sat directly upon it.

Afterwards, he also took from his storage bag a Jade Slip concerning the "Great Five Elements Sect."

He prepared to wait right here.

Waiting for the moment the Ice Osmanthus Fairy spoke of, when the seal needs to be filled with Golden Core power.

After all, this place concerns his Ice Heart Pill, and he also doesn't want any mistakes.

(End of Chapter)