Chapter 543: The Day of Frost

The Changlong Mountains stretch across the border between Jiannan Dao and Hannan Dao, their ranges continuous and layered, shrouded year-round in mist and clouds, rarely trodden by human feet.

The mountains abound in toxic miasmas and ferocious beasts, plus natural labyrinthine arrays and treacherous terrain; even seasoned herb collectors and hunters dare not venture beyond the periphery, considering the depths a forbidden zone.

Chen Mu, Ning Zhixi, and the Bamboo Green Daoist, following the merged beast-skin map's guidance, spent over a month crossing several perilous passes and deep ravines teeming with poisonous insects, finally arriving at the general region marked by the map's four-color sigil.

This place lay deep within the heart of the Changlong Mountains, where ancient trees towered, vines coiled like dragons, blotting out sun and sky.

The air hung heavy with the damp scent of rotting leaves and a faint, unsettling floral fragrance.

Light was dim, broken only by scattered beams piercing the dense canopy, casting dappled shadows over thick moss and fallen leaves.

The silence was terrifying—birdsong, beast cries, insect chirps had nearly vanished; only the wind's moan through the treetops added to the eerie stillness.

"The map's mark is nearby, but the specific valley entrance seems concealed by some natural secret array."

The Bamboo Green Daoist held the "Jia Mu Ling Xin," the jade gem emitting a soft green glow as it continuously sensed surrounding wood-element energy and earth vein fluctuations, his brow slightly furrowed.

"This array arises naturally from the mountain's topography and the vitality of its flora, forming a seamless whole—extremely hard to detect, impossible to break by brute force. Without the map's guidance, even knowing the approximate location, one might walk right past and never notice."

Ning Zhixi also focused her senses, feeling the resonance of the four talismans in her arms.

The four keys still resonated clearly here, yet their directional precision had grown fuzzy and scattered, as if disturbed by the surrounding environment.

"The talismans' resonance is also interfered with—we can't pinpoint the exact location. We must find the secret array's weak point or its entry pattern."

Chen Mu stood with hands clasped behind his back, his Tiangong realm spiritual sense flowing like invisible tides, meticulously scanning every inch of land, every blade of grass, every current of heaven-and-earth energy within a dozen li.

In his perception, this region was indeed enveloped by an extremely faint yet omnipresent force field, perfectly blended with the surroundings.

This field was not man-made, but formed over countless millennia by the natural transformation of heaven and earth, shifts in earth veins, and the convergence of the five elements, embodying the principles of "concealment," "illusion," and "entrapment."

"Follow me."

After observing for a moment, Chen Mu suddenly spoke, stepping forward toward a steep cliff face on the left, seemingly identical to all others, covered in dark green moss.

Though puzzled, the Bamboo Green Daoist and Ning Zhixi followed without hesitation.

Arriving before the cliff, Chen Mu extended his right hand, index and middle fingers pressed together, gently touching a dull, root-like protrusion on the rock surface.

A thread of pure true energy slipped silently into the stone.

Hum—

The protruding rock's surface flared with a barely perceptible shimmer, then vanished.

Immediately, the cliff within a zhang around the rock rippled like water, scenery twisting and shifting, revealing a narrow crevice behind, concealed by dense vines and ancient root tendrils, barely wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways.

Inside, darkness yawned, its destination unknown, yet fine streams of pure heaven-and-earth energy seeped out, faintly echoing the resonance of the four talismans.

"Found it! The 'life gate' of the natural secret array!"

Joy flashed in the Bamboo Green Daoist's eyes.

"So the entrance was hidden here—if not for Elder Brother Chen, who could have guessed such an ordinary cliff concealed another world?" Ning Zhixi exclaimed in awe.

"Go."

Chen Mu stepped sideways first, squeezing into the narrow crevice.

Inside, the passage was initially extremely tight, barely allowing passage; after walking dozens of steps, it suddenly opened wide.

The scene before them differed utterly from the dark, damp primeval forest outside.

This was a hidden valley, completely enclosed by towering, mirror-smooth circular cliffs.

The valley was small, roughly a li in diameter, perfectly round like a heavenly well.

The valley floor was flat, covered in a layer of unknown fine sand emitting a faint, warm white glow.

No tall trees grew here—only low, strangely shaped ferns and mosses, likewise glowing softly, bathing the entire valley in a hazy, dreamlike light.

Most striking was a three-zhang-tall, ancient altar standing at the valley's center, built entirely from an unusual stone neither metal nor jade, its hue a soothing grayish-green.

The altar was square, with three tiers, each edge carved with patterns and ancient runes corresponding to the four seasons.

Spring: sprouting vegetation; Summer: blazing sun; Autumn: bountiful fruit; Winter: snow-covered earth.

At the altar's summit lay a circular platform, sunken at its center, etched with a complex array pattern woven from four colored lines—the exact magnified and manifested version of the final four-color circular symbol on the beast-skin map.

Above the valley, the "sky" was not true heavens, but a layer of swirling, mercury-like seven-colored light membrane.

This membrane blocked external winds and rains and prevented outside observation, locking the valley's heaven-and-earth energy tightly within, making it purer and more stable than anywhere outside.

"This is it!"

The Bamboo Green Daoist exclaimed, feeling the "Jia Mu Ling Xin" in her hand grow unusually active, its jade glow swirling as it resonated with the altar's ancient aura.

Ning Zhixi also drew forth the "Summer," "Winter," "Spring," and "Autumn" talismans; the four keys in hand resonated with unprecedented strength, their four-colored lights swirling autonomously, as if eager to leap from her grasp and fly toward the altar.

Chen Mu's gaze swept over the altar and the light membrane above, then nodded slightly.

This place was indeed an ideal treasure vault—naturally formed, slightly enhanced by human hands, secretive and secure.

Without the complete map and the four keys, it would have been nearly impossible to find.

"There's still time before Frost's Descent."

Chen Mu calculated the time, "We'll wait here. Use this place's pure heaven-and-earth energy to cultivate and refine our state to peak condition."

The Bamboo Green Daoist and Ning Zhixi naturally had no objections.

To cultivate in such a rich, undisturbed, treasure-grade location before unlocking the secret vault was an unparalleled opportunity.

The three then found a flat, dry spot near the altar, sat cross-legged, and began quieting their minds to cultivate.

Chen Mu primarily consolidated his Tiangong realm cultivation, reflecting on gains and losses from his battle with the two Heavenly Palace demons, especially deepening his understanding of the "Two-仪 Sword Qi."

Ning Zhixi used the seasonal insights from the four keys' resonance and the valley's pure energy to refine her true energy, pushing toward the breakthrough of the Earth Altar's "Five Qi Converging on the Origin."

The Bamboo Green Daoist also advanced her cultivation using the "Jia Mu Ling Xin" and the wood-element energy.

Within the valley, no sun or moon turned—only the seven-colored glow of the ceiling membrane marked the passage of time.

Time slipped away silently in the tranquil cultivation.

……

On this day, Chen Mu suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze shining with brilliant spirit.

Almost simultaneously, Ning Zhixi and Zhu Qing Dao Ren also sensed it and ended their cultivation.

Within the valley, the ambient heavenly energy seemed to undergo a subtle change.

In the air, a refreshing coolness emerged—not cold, but a sense of desolation, stillness, as all things began to withdraw and store away.

The seven-colored light membrane above the valley seemed to rotate slightly faster, its glow now slightly colder.

Frost's Descent has arrived!