Chapter 38: Ice-Embracing Technique

The Ning clan leader smiled bitterly: "State your conditions."

Every time Ning Xiaohui stated one, his expression grew gloomier.

After she stated five, the clan leader could no longer endure it and raised his hand to stop her: "Stop, stop for a moment."

Ning Grandmother was very senior and said unhappily: "Stop what? My granddaughter is risking her life this time."

The Talisman Hall elder also helped: "Clan leader, do you know? The City Lord’s side has already exerted force, arranging multiple teams of City Guards to patrol throughout Fire Persimmon Immortal City, starting to strictly investigate cultivators who have cultivated the Five Elements Qi Law."

"Once Xiaohui participates in this competition, it won't just be the dangers inside the Molten Immortal Palace."

Ning Grandmother snorted coldly: "We are all main line, all our own people, not outsiders from the branch families; what are you being stingy about, clan leader?"

Ning Zhuo woke up, and it was already noon the next day.

He felt much better.

"It seems I need some pills to nourish and restore the soul."

Although Ning Zhuo usually stored many pills, he didn't have many involving the soul.

According to his experience from the first exploration of the Molten Immortal Palace, such pills would be indispensable in the future.

"It’s not just the giant logs in Room Number Two that can weaken the soul."

"When the soul is pulled out and resides in the mechanical puppet, it is also slowly consuming soul power."

"Therefore, the stronger the foundation of the soul, the more advantageous it will be for exploring the Molten Immortal Palace."

Ning Zhuo acted as soon as he thought of it.

He decided to purchase soul-nourishing pills at multiple pill pavilions and medicine shops in the city. And every time he bought them, he would buy other pills as cover.

As a result, halfway there, he heard people complaining that the City Guards were arresting people everywhere.

At the same time, he also saw many notices posted on the walls—the City Lord’s Mansion was urgently testing the Five Elements Qi Law, worried that it was a demonic cultivation method disguised as a Daoist one, and for fear of unforeseen events, ordered cultivators in the city to temporarily refrain from cultivating this method.

Ning Zhuo immediately changed his plan, not daring to go to the pill pavilions or medicine shops to buy medicine.

When he was rushing back, he heard some rumors that made his heart tighten.

"Meng Chong, Zheng Jian, and Zhou Zhu have all been attacked and harmed?"

"Too terrifying."

"These geniuses, under the heavy protection of their families, would encounter such things."

"If an ordinary person like me were exposed, I would definitely end up even worse than them!"

"Mother was absolutely right; I should just hide well."

Ning Zhuo returned home.

He needed to store more soul-nourishing pills, but the wind was too tight now, so he decided to slow down for the time being.

Ning Zhuo had considered the black market.

But ever since the Immortal Palace was bombed, his Cang Tie Han Armor had suffered a lot of damage. The damage to the armor’s exterior, especially the back, was too obvious.

The most critical thing was that one of the core components, the Foundation Establishment Pill, had been consumed until only 10% remained.

This was Ning Zhuo’s trump card and could not be abused anymore.

"Let’s practice the spell rewarded by the Immortal Palace first."

The spell Ning Zhuo obtained was called the Ice-Embracing Technique. After activation, it could freeze the object held in one’s arms into ice.

Ning Zhuo studied it, and his first feeling was that this spell was a bit weak.

He had previously mainly cultivated the Snow Domain Talisman Canon and possessed ice-frost-type magic power, and had also mastered several spells.

For example, the Ice Spear Technique, Frost Flower Technique, Snowball Technique, etc.

"The biggest drawback of the Ice-Embracing Technique is that it must be used in close-quarters combat to take effect."

"While conventional spells like the Ice Spear Technique and Snowball Technique can basically be used for long-range attacks."

In actual combat, this flaw was very large.

This made Ning Zhuo even want to use the Ice Spear Technique.

In fact, he had wanted to use it when he was in the Molten Immortal Palace.

The problem was he couldn't use it!

This brings us to the differences and connections between cultivation methods and spells.

Cultivation methods are things like the Five Elements Qi Law and the Snow Domain Talisman Canon, mainly used to refine magic power.

Spells are things like the Ice Spear Technique, Frost Flower Technique, and Ice-Embracing Technique, which are methods and techniques for utilizing magic power.

Spells are based on the foundation of cultivation methods.

A cultivator’s magic power is classified into various types; ice-type magic power cannot use the Fire Dragon Technique, at most Ice Dragon Technique, Snow Whale Technique, etc.

After Ning Zhuo possessed Five Elements magic power, he also tried to use spells like the Ice Spear Technique, but they couldn't be activated at all.

Because his magic power contained all five elements, to use a single-element spell, he had to first extract the corresponding magic power.

The Ice Spear Technique he mastered was not compatible with the Five Elements Qi Law.

He needed to improve the spell.

This situation was very common in the cultivation world.

If Ning Zhuo had switched to another ice-type cultivation method, he would likely have been able to use his previous Ice Spear Technique directly. It was just that the original spell and the existing magic power would not be perfectly matched, and there would still be considerable loss, requiring modification for perfect compatibility.

The Ice-Embracing Technique was something Ning Zhuo could use directly.

Because it was a spell perfectly compatible with the Five Elements Qi Law.

After Ning Zhuo practiced a few times, the water-element portion of the Five Elements magic power was extracted separately to activate the Ice-Embracing Technique.

The wooden stool in Ning Zhuo’s arms was covered in frost in an instant. The frost spread rapidly, getting thicker and thicker, and after a few breaths, it froze into a block of ice.

Ning Zhuo couldn't hide his surprise: "The power of this Ice-Embracing Technique is actually this strong?"

Compared to conventional spells like the Ice Spear Technique, Snowball Technique, and Frost Flower Technique, the power of the Ice-Embracing Technique was clearly more than a notch higher.

Next, Ning Zhuo focused on practicing this spell in the underground workshop.

Stools, chairs, mirrors, bricks, etc., were all frozen into ice blocks.

He became addicted to practicing.

The floor and corners were filled with ice lumps of various sizes, freezing all kinds of things. The entire underground workshop was filled with cold air, practically becoming an underground ice cellar.

"The three options I encountered in front of the first door were spirit stone, hanging ring, and a burst of qi."

"Thinking back carefully, these three options should all be helpful for me to pass the level."

"Needless to say, the spirit stone. The hanging ring is estimated to be similar to the Up-and-Down Wishful Rope I made, and the 'A Burst of Qi' spell should allow the mechanical puppet to change direction in the air, or even float and fly briefly."

"Following this line of thought, the reward options in front of the second door should also be helpful for me to pass the level."

"Needless to say, the spirit stone; I didn't see clearly what the mechanical component was. But judging from the Ice-Embracing Technique spell, Room Number Three likely requires me to fight."

Ning Zhuo analyzed the situation with clear logic. There was also evidence—the Ice-Embracing Technique was a typical attack spell.

"Room Number One requires the cultivator to assemble a mechanical puppet, Room Number Two tests the puppet’s ability to jump, run, and dodge, and Room Number Three might be combat."

"Looking at it this way, the layers of trials in the Molten Immortal Palace are also a series of lessons. The Three Sects Layman doesn't seem to just be selecting the excellent, but also has the intention of training mechanical skills."

"Sigh, my soul has almost recovered. I just don't know when I can enter the Immortal Palace again."

That night, the exhausted Ning Zhuo fell into a deep sleep.

He felt something was wrong and wanted to open his eyes, but found it was still utter darkness.

After being stunned for a few seconds, he sensed his surroundings and became excited instantly.

"My soul has been pulled out again and entered the Molten Immortal Palace!" ===== CHAPTER 39 =====