Chapter 381

Chapter 381: Ice Ruins

Absorbing cold energy for cultivation!

Lou Yun’s eyes lit up instantly, because he suddenly remembered that during his time inside the Southern Sea Volcanic Island, the heaven and earth energy he absorbed carried a palpable heat. That was clearly because the surrounding heaven and earth energy was influenced by the intense heat emanating from the magma beneath the earth.

Now, this eccentric who occupied the Ice Ruins absorbed cold energy for cultivation, sharing an uncanny similarity with his own past experience!

Spiritual energy, sinister energy, cold energy – these all belong within the spectrum of heaven and earth energy. Could it be that this eccentric was actually absorbing heaven and earth energy as well?

Although Lou Yun had been able to sense and absorb heaven and earth energy ever since he glimpsed the soul, his understanding of true cultivation practice was still not entirely clear. He wasn’t certain about the precise path forward for himself. Even Chang Xiang didn’t know, as cultivation in this way was unprecedented; no one else possessed it.

Lou Yun could only grope his way forward in his cultivation practice. Yet now, this eccentric very likely cultivated by absorbing heaven and earth energy too, just like him. Maybe, just maybe, they could discuss it together, potentially aiding his own cultivation journey.

Consequently, Lou Yun said excitedly, “Old Bro, perhaps we shouldn’t return to the Divine Weapon Island immediately. Take us to the Ice Ruins first. I want to meet this eccentric!”

Wen Zhi Lao Ren was evidently quite astonished and perplexed by Lou Yun’s request. When others heard of this eccentric’s existence, they scrambled to hide as far away as possible. Yet Lou Yun not only didn’t avoid him, but instead seemed eager to meet.

However, Wen Zhi Lao Ren certainly couldn’t guess Lou Yun’s true reason for wanting to see the eccentric. He could only attribute it to Lou Yun’s intense desire to find the Night Spirit Flower!

Although Wen Zhi Lao Ren also feared this eccentric and was unwilling to face him at the Ice Ruins, he truly didn’t dare refuse Lou Yun’s request, especially after learning his exact identity. After a slight hesitation, he nodded and said, “Alright. But when meeting him, it would be best to let me speak to him first.”

“Agreed!”

Lou Yun also didn’t comprehend Wen Zhi Lao Ren’s apprehension at that moment and quickly nodded in agreement.

Thus, the three of them left the snow mountain and flew towards the Ice Ruins, led by Wen Zhi Lao Ren.

During the journey, Wen Zhi Lao Ren also informed Lou Yun of the eccentric’s name and general origins.

The eccentric was named Ye Piaoling. He held no significant reputation on the Spirit Weapon Star, but he had resided on the Great Snowfield for an extremely long time, exceeding fifty years. Presumably, he spent these years quietly absorbed in cultivation utilizing the cold energy.

Wen Zhi Lao Ren learned of him through Duan Wentian. How the former Duan Wentian came to know every inhabitant of the Great Snowfield so clearly was unknown. Naturally, now, neither man wished to bring up that name, so it was merely mentioned in passing.

While flying, Lou Yun activated his Spirit Vision. He distinctly perceived that numerous people were indeed secluding themselves atop the great and small snow mountains they passed along the way. Among them were quite a few King Rank magical weapons masters.

Lou Yun couldn’t help but silently sigh with emotion. Though he previously knew from Duan Wentian’s map that many lived on the Great Snowfield, seeing it now with his Spirit Vision truly revealed that hidden heroes lurked everywhere here!

After flying for roughly half an hour, Wen Zhi Lao Ren suddenly lowered his voice. “Brother, we’re almost there!”

He was naturally afraid of Ye Piaoling overhearing, hence intentionally speaking softly. Lou Yun, while unafraid, also focused his spirit and nodded.

They flew for another moment. A fairly expansive plain appeared ahead.

While the Great Snowfield was one vast plain, from the moment of entering it, the terrain was undulating mountains, continuous and never-ending, hardly resembling a plain at all. Only upon reaching this place and seeing this landform did it finally evoke a semblance of a plain.

Right in the middle of the plain lay an enormous pit, its diameter at least fifty meters across. Wen Zhi Lao Ren halted his flight and pointed towards the opening. “That below is the Ice Ruins!”

Lou Yun also halted immediately, simultaneously closing his eyes to survey the interior of the Ice Ruins with his Spirit Vision. Strangely, however, his usually infallible hearing seemed completely ineffective at this moment. No matter how intently Lou Yun listened, he couldn’t detect the slightest sound.

He opened his eyes, looked at Wen Zhi Lao Ren, and asked, “Old Bro, are you sure this Ye Piaoling is down there?”

“Well… I’m not certain. It’s been five years since I was last here. Even then, I dared go no further than this spot. If he’s left, that would naturally be even better!”

Wen Zhi Lao Ren’s personal cultivation level was low, so he certainly had no desire to encounter such an eccentric as Ye Piaoling.

Lou Yun’s thoughts, however, were the opposite. Hearing Wen Zhi Lao Ren’s words immediately caused a twinge of disappointment within him.

Wen Zhi Lao Ren spoke again. “Here’s the plan: whether he’s there or not, since we request something of him, it’s better to approach with courtesy first. I’ll speak!”

“Agreed!” Lou Yun, having already lost much of his enthusiasm, nodded disinterestedly.

Wen Zhi Lao Ren drifted forward another few meters, cleared his throat, and then called out loudly, “Is Senior Ye present? This junior Wen Zhi comes to pay a visit!”

Actually, Wen Zhi Lao Ren didn’t know exactly how old Ye Piaoling was. But on Spirit Weapon Star, generation status wasn’t judged by age; it relied on strength. Since Ye Piaoling’s cultivation level surpassed his own, calling him senior wasn’t wrong.

None of the three spoke.

They waited quietly for a while, yet no response came from within the Ice Ruins.

Wen Zhi Lao Ren glanced at Lou Yun, subtly motioned for him to stay patient, then repeated the same thing again.

A moment later, there was still no answer. Wen Zhi Lao Ren’s face finally showed a look of joy.

He said to Lou Yun, "It seems Ye Piaoling must have already left this place. Let’s just go straight in!"

"Fine!"

The two flew towards the huge cave entrance side by side.

Reaching above the entrance, they simultaneously halted.

For they could clearly feel a biting cold radiating outwards from within the cave.

The surrounding temperature instantly dropped noticeably.

But this chill was nothing to Lou Yun, who possessed three types of celestial fire.

Wen Zhi Lao Ren, however, immediately got goosebumps on his exposed skin.

As for Xia Zhilan, with her lower cultivation, she instinctively shrank her neck.

Her body almost instantly froze solid.

Seeing this, Lou Yun immediately released a wave of heat from his body.

It enveloped all three of them, effectively sealing out the external cold.

Not only did the cold cease, but a trace of warmth welled up from the depths of the other two’s hearts.

Wen Zhi Lao Ren gave Lou Yun a thumbs-up. "Impressive, Brother!"

Lou Yun smiled lightly. "Let’s go down and take a look."

"Alright, let’s go!"

Discovering Ye Piaoling wasn’t here, and now shielded by Lou Yun’s heat, Wen Zhi Lao Ren became noticeably braver.

The two slowly descended.

The further down they went, the lower the temperature Lou Yun clearly felt.

He had to increase the heat radiating from his body to ensure Wen Zhi Lao Ren and Xia Zhilan didn’t feel the chill.

Lou Yun, however, found his attention captivated by the bizarre scene before him.

Now he finally understood why this place was named Ice Ruins.

Below the cave entrance lay the Ice Ruins.

True to its name, the so-called Ice Ruins was simply ruins made of ice!

The area of the Ice Ruins was extremely vast.

Some unknown source of light illuminated the place, casting shifting, bizarre colors.

The space was filled with ice blocks of varying shapes and sizes.

Some ice blocks were dozens of meters high, standing upright like sharp swords.

Some stretched hundreds of meters long, resembling dragons poised to leap into flight but frozen here before taking off.

More were jagged chunks of giant ice, scattered randomly.

Yet every piece of ice appeared crystal clear, utterly devoid of impurities, and astonishingly beautiful.

Wen Zhi Lao Ren surveyed the scene, clicking his tongue in wonder. "It’s truly strange here. How did so many peculiar ice blocks form? One can’t imagine how it happened."

If even Wen Zhi Lao Ren, known for his vast experience, uttered such amazement, Lou Yun and Xia Zhilan were naturally rendered speechless.

Their four eyes kept roaming over the surrounding ice formations.

Xia Zhilan was particularly mesmerized; perhaps due to a feminine instinct, she held a natural fondness for crystalline things.

She adored this scene immensely.

If not for fearing to stray too far from Lou Yun, she would have long since rushed off to caress the ice blocks themselves.

While they spoke, the three slowly descended to ground level.

The drop from the cave entrance to the ground was considerable, roughly a hundred meters.

The ground was not flat either.

Piles of ice blocks stood haphazardly to the east and west.

However, because all the ice was transparent, vision remained unimpaired.

Retracting their magical weapons, Lou Yun said gravely, "Do not leave a range of three feet around me. The cold here is extreme. Old man, with your strength, you might withstand it briefly if you step out. But Little Lan, if you ventured out, you’d likely freeze solid instantly."

Despite still being enveloped by Lou Yun’s warmth, both shuddered involuntarily at his words.

After all, the sight of endless ice was enough to make the cold seep straight into one’s bones.

Wen Zhi Lao Ren nodded. "Rest assured, Brother. I know my own cultivation level. If I stepped three feet away, I’d probably freeze instantly, just like yo—"

Wen Zhi Lao Ren’s voice abruptly stopped.

He was standing with his back to Lou Yun.

Lou Yun had just closed his eyes, activating his Spirit Vision to check if anyone was present.

Hearing the sudden silence halfway through Wen Zhi Lao Ren’s sentence, Lou Yun sensed something wrong instantly.

He snapped his eyes open, whirled around sharply, and started to ask, "What’s—"

Lou Yun also stopped mid-sentence.

For now, both men saw an eerie sight.

About twenty meters away from them stood an ice block roughly two meters tall.

This block wasn’t transparent.

Because seated cross-legged within its core was a person!