Chapter 635: Mysterious Fire Ice Thorn

Fenxiang Valley.

Tianxiangju.

This place was built against the mountain, secluded and quiet, with almost no disciples passing by.

This was simply because this place was the residence of the Fenxiang Valley Master, Yun Yilan, and also his place of closed-door cultivation.

Since Valley Master Yun Yilan began his closed-door cultivation several years ago, this place had been forbidden to all Fenxiang Valley disciples, and even the Elders within Fenxiang Valley were no exception.

In the entire Fenxiang Valley, apart from Yun Yilan's personal disciple Li Xun, only Shangguan Ce, whose cultivation and status were second only to Yun Yilan, could enter and exit this place.

At this moment, Yun Yilan had already arrived in a secret stone chamber deep within Tianxiangju.

The stone chamber was empty and extremely simple, yet a screen stood in the middle, blocking his gaze.

Suddenly, an extremely aged voice came from behind the screen: "Is that Junior Brother Shangguan?"

Shangguan Ce took two steps forward, stopped at a distance of four or five paces from the screen, and said respectfully: "It is indeed. Senior Brother, how is your health?"

The person behind the screen seemed to chuckle: "My health? It's still the same, just waiting to die slowly." Clearly, the person speaking was the Valley Master Yun, who was as famous as Daoxuan Zhenren of the Qingyun Sect and Puhong Shangren of the Tianyin Temple, but at this moment, his voice sounded like that of a dying old man with dissipated essence and insufficient breath.

Shangguan Ce's expression shifted, looking quite complex, and after a moment of contemplation, he said: "Senior Brother, Junior Nephew Li Xun sent a secret letter saying that there is news of the Mysterious Fire Mirror."

"Oh?" Yun Yilan was clearly interested.

Shangguan Ce took the secret letter from his bosom, and with a gentle release of palm power, the secret letter seemed to be supported by an invisible giant hand, drifting slowly out, bypassing the screen, and being delivered into Yun Yilan's hands.

The stone chamber fell silent.

It seemed that after reading the secret letter, Yun Yilan had fallen into deep thought.

After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Yun Yilan was heard saying: "I have also heard of the great name of the White-robed Divine Monk Puzhi, and combined with what Xun'er described in the letter, I fear he is indeed a thorny character. But the Mysterious Fire Mirror is the divine artifact of our Fenxiang Valley; no matter what, it cannot fall into the hands of an outsider. I will entrust this matter entirely to you, Junior Brother."

Shangguan Ce was startled: "Senior Brother is not going to act?"

"I trust you." Yun Yilan pondered for a moment and added: "Of course, if that Puzhen is truly formidable, you may summon the 'Crimson Flame Beast' that guards the Mysterious Fire Altar. If the two of you join forces, I imagine that even if Puhong Shangren were to come in person, he would have no choice but to surrender."

"…Yes." Shangguan Ce's expression darkened slightly.

"Very well, if there is nothing else, you may withdraw." The voice behind the screen was filled with weariness.

"Take care, Senior Brother, I shall take my leave." Shangguan Ce cupped his hands, and the moment he turned around, his expression became even uglier.

Long after Shangguan Ce had left, in the silent stone chamber, Yun Yilan's laughter suddenly rang out, carrying a trace of desolation and a hint of mockery.

"Junior Brother, oh Junior Brother, you lost the Mysterious Fire Mirror three hundred years ago; it was your responsibility to begin with. Now, apart from having a deeper cultivation, your character has not improved at all. Still self-righteous, arrogant, and lacking a sense of responsibility—how can you expect me to feel at ease handing Fenxiang Valley over to you?"

"Hehehe..."

The desolate and bleak laughter slowly echoed in the cold stone chamber.

In the blink of an eye, several days had passed.

The hall used by Fenxiang Valley for receiving guests was called the "Mountain and River Hall."

That tall and magnificent hall, matching its name, truly had a flavor of looking down upon the world.

Perhaps the predecessor who built this hall for Fenxiang Valley also thought that one day, they would be the best in the world and tread upon the mountains and rivers.

Because Fenxiang Valley was located in the Southern Border, although it was one of the three great sects of the world, it rarely interacted with the sects of the Central Plains, so the Mountain and River Hall was idle nine days out of ten. Occasionally, when someone came to pay a visit, it was only from an obscure cultivation sect in the Southern Border, and the Fenxiang Valley disciples, considering themselves one of the three great sects of the righteous path, did not hold these small sects in high regard, so the Mountain and River Hall was always cold and deserted.

But today, many Fenxiang Valley disciples had come outside the Mountain and River Hall, occasionally craning their necks to peer into the hall, then revealing expressions of amazement.

The reason was simple: the legendary Divine Monk Puzhen had come to Fenxiang Valley as a guest.

As the most famous monk in the world, the reputation of the White-robed Divine Monk had reached even the ears of the Fenxiang Valley disciples in the remote Southern Border, and everyone wanted to catch a glimpse of this Divine Monk's demeanor, especially the female disciples.

Yet, what surprised everyone was that the White-robed Divine Monk had actually returned to secular life; with his hair tied up in a high crown and wearing ink-colored monk robes, he was vastly different from his rumored image. But the handsomeness of the Divine Monk's face and the elegance of his demeanor were even better than the legends. A slight smile, like a spring breeze brushing over the surface of a lake, was warm and gentle, and it was unknown how many female disciples were left spellbound.

"What are you all standing here for! Have you finished your lessons?! Get out of here!" Just then, Shangguan Ce appeared in a black robe and shouted coldly, and the group of disciples scattered like birds and beasts.

"A bunch of good-for-nothings." Shangguan Ce snorted coldly and stepped into the Mountain and River Hall.

There were already people sitting inside; apart from Fenxiang Valley disciples like Li Xun and Yan Hong, there was one man and two women.

Shangguan Ce's gaze fell upon the black-robed youth who was holding a teacup with a smile on his face, and his expression was slightly stunned.

He had not expected that this legendary White-robed Divine Monk had truly returned to secular life. In this way, if this Divine Monk were to truly perish here, the attitude of Tianyin Temple would likely not be too aggressive.

Li Xun hurriedly stood up to introduce them: "Divine Monk Puzhen, this is our sect's Elder, Uncle-Master Shangguan. Uncle-Master Shangguan, this is the world-renowned Divine Monk Puzhen."

"Puzhen greets Senior Brother Shangguan." Yu Liancheng stood up and smiled slightly.

Shangguan Ce's demeanor was indifferent, and he only nodded slightly in response.

The three great sects of the righteous path were of one mind, at least on the surface.

Yu Liancheng was a high monk of the 'Pu' generation, indeed of the same generation as Shangguan Ce, and they could address each other as fellow disciples.

But in Shangguan Ce's view, he was already several hundred years old, while Puzhen looked much younger than even Li Xun, and it was said that he had not yet reached the age of capping, so the two were far apart in age, and naturally, he could not help but maintain the arrogance of a senior.

And Shangguan Ce's eyes could not help but look toward the Mysterious Fire Mirror at Yu Liancheng's waist, with a hint of heat.

Yu Liancheng sat down and smiled: "Junior Nephew Li Xun invited me to lecture on the Dharma this time; I wonder if Senior Brother has decided on a location and date?"

"We shall discuss that later; I have a matter to discuss with Junior Brother Puzhen." Shangguan Ce waved his hand.

Yu Liancheng smiled: "Please speak."

Shangguan Ce's eyes suddenly became sharp, staring fixedly at Yu Liancheng's face: "Junior Brother Puzhen, do you know what you are wearing at your waist?"

"You mean this?" Yu Liancheng took off the Mysterious Fire Mirror, placed it in his palm, and smiled: "If I remember correctly, this should be the legendary 'Mysterious Fire Mirror,' which can absorb the most yang and rigid Qi, and is one of the most terrifying magic treasures in the world today, perhaps only inferior to the Zhu Xian Sword of the Qingyun Sect."

Shangguan Ce said coldly: "Then Junior Brother should also know that the Mysterious Fire Mirror was originally the town-sect magic treasure of our Fenxiang Valley, stolen by a monster due to a moment of negligence. We are extremely grateful that Junior Brother Puzhen has traveled thousands of miles to return the Mysterious Fire Mirror, and our Fenxiang Valley will certainly reward you with generous gifts."

"You are wrong." Yu Liancheng shook his head.

"How am I wrong?" Shangguan Ce's expression turned cold.

"Treasures of heaven and earth belong only to those with virtue. Your Fenxiang Valley could not guard the Mysterious Fire Mirror, and for three hundred years you have not been able to find it, which proves that you have no affinity with it."

Yu Liancheng smiled: "Furthermore, if we trace the origin, this Mysterious Fire Mirror was originally the magic treasure of the Southern Border witch Linglong. Even if I were to return the Mysterious Fire Mirror, it should be to the descendants of Linglong."

Shangguan Ce's face was as cold as frost; he slapped the table and stood up: "What witch Linglong, stop talking nonsense! Everyone in the world knows that the Mysterious Fire Mirror is the divine artifact of our Fenxiang Valley. Are you going to return it or not?"

Most of Fenxiang Valley's divine arts and techniques were related to fire, but Shangguan Ce's magic treasures and cultivation methods all belonged to the ice element. At this moment of anger, the entire Mountain and River Hall instantly became extremely cold, a layer of frost permeated the air, and even the surface of the ground was covered in a thin layer of ice. If it were not for the fact that everyone present was a master of cultivation, they would likely have been shivering all over.

"Uncle-Master Shangguan, please calm your anger, Uncle-Master Shangguan, please calm your anger. Let me try to persuade Uncle-Master Puzhen. Uncle-Master Puzhen is a Divine Monk famous throughout the world, his attainment in the Buddha Dharma is extraordinary, and he comes from Tianyin Temple; his status is far from ordinary. A single careless move could trigger a conflict between our two sects. I believe Uncle-Master Puzhen is also a man who understands the greater righteousness." Li Xun stepped forward and hurriedly exhorted Shangguan Ce.

Shangguan Ce's face was as cold as frost; he hesitated for a moment, but eventually sat back down.

Following this, Li Xun turned his gaze toward Yu Liancheng.

But before he could speak, Yu Liancheng raised a hand, cutting off his words of exhortation, and said indifferently, "I still stand by my words: treasures belong only to those with the virtue to possess them. The original owner of this item was never your Fenxiang Valley, and you have no qualifications to demand it. Of course, if your Fenxiang Valley is willing to agree to one condition of mine, I can hand the Mysterious Fire Mirror over to you."

Before Shangguan Ce could flare up in anger, Li Xun hurriedly said, "Uncle-Master Puzhen, please speak."

Yu Liancheng looked up, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through the hall roof to look toward the firmament, his eyes distant: "Cultivation is originally for the sake of longevity and eternal life, but sectarian strife and the slaughter between righteous and evil cause countless cultivators to die young. And time is even more ruthless; no matter how stunning a genius may be, they eventually turn into a handful of yellow soil. I wish to unify the righteous and evil paths, reduce senseless slaughter, and seek the Dao of longevity together."

Ignoring the surprised expressions of the crowd, Yu Liancheng looked at Shangguan Ce and smiled slightly: "If Brother Shangguan is willing to lead Fenxiang Valley to join my newly founded 'Changsheng Tower', it would be fine to hand this Mysterious Fire Mirror to you."

Before the crowd could recover from their shock, they heard a "Bang!" sound; Shangguan Ce slapped the table and rose to his feet, and that heavy wooden table had already turned into countless ice shards. The air inside the Mountain and River Hall was filled with rampant cold, and the cold wind felt like knives, scraping the face with pain.

"How bold! Do you know what you are saying!?" Shangguan Ce's face looked as if it were shrouded in a layer of ice.

"So it really won't work?" Yu Liancheng shook his head, sighed, and also stood up, walking toward the door: "Bi Yao, let's go. I reckon Fenxiang Valley won't be inviting me to lecture on the scriptures. Let's go see the scenery of the Southern Border, then return to the Central Plains."

"Okay." Bi Yao followed along happily, and Jin Ping'er naturally followed closely behind.

Crack, crack, crack!

Just as Yu Liancheng was about to step out of the Mountain and River Hall, the cold air inside the hall reached its peak, biting and piercing to the bone, and an ice wall rose up in the air, emitting a chilling cold, blocking Yu Liancheng's path.

There was no look of panic on Yu Liancheng's face; he merely turned his head to look at Shangguan Ce: "If the deal doesn't go through, the friendship remains. What is the meaning of this, Brother Shangguan?"

"Leave the Mysterious Fire Mirror, otherwise the three of you absolutely cannot step out of the Mountain and River Hall." Shangguan Ce's face was as dark as water, and he had already summoned his magic treasure.

This magic treasure of his was tube-shaped, sharp at the tip, with cold light flowing across it; it was crystal clear and emitted a chilling cold.

The moment it appeared, the already frigid Mountain and River Hall became even more bone-chillingly cold, and even the younger generation of Fenxiang Valley, such as Li Xun and Yan Hong, could not help but shiver.

This magic treasure was called the "Nine-Condensed Ice Spike," a supreme, world-class rarity with unparalleled power. Years ago, the Six-Tailed Demon Fox was pierced in its fox meridians by the Nine Cold Freezing Ice Thorn, ruining its foundation and cultivation. Had it not been in a place of extreme yang and heat, it would have been harmed by the cold, poisonous energy attacking its heart, suffering a fate worse than death. Even the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, with its heaven-reaching magic power, was defeated under the dual assault of the Nine-Condensed Ice Spike and the Eight Desolations Profound Fire Array, and was ultimately imprisoned within the Mysterious Fire Altar.

Summoning this magic treasure now was not only to intimidate, but also to show his determination that he would never stop until he reclaimed the Mysterious Fire Mirror.

He would even go so far as to kill this world-famous Divine Monk, forging a blood feud and conflict with Tianyin Temple.

Yu Liancheng sighed and said: "Why must it come to this? If you let me leave, everything today can be treated as if it never happened, but if you truly insist on forcibly seizing the Mysterious Fire Mirror, I naturally will not hold back."

"Truly refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!"

Killing intent surged on Shangguan Ce's face, and the Nine-Condensed Ice Spike's silver light flared, like a divine dragon sweeping through the sky, like silver lightning flashing wildly, as it shot violently toward Yu Liancheng. Not only was it incredibly fast, but it also contained a chilling intent; wherever it passed, the ground suddenly froze into thick ice, and a cold, biting gale blew against the face.

Boom!

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