Chapter 584

Chapter 584: Breakthrough of Coldness

The Ice Crystal Seal formed by Ice Spirit Qi rapidly shrank under Ye Yun’s absorption, completely exceeding the burly man’s expectations. He had assumed that even if Ye Yun could endure longer, it would come at a great cost. Never did he imagine such a scenario—now it seemed possible Ye Yun might fully absorb the ice crystals within a single day.

“This miraculous youngster defies all expectations! If he truly absorbs all crystals in one day, my duty ends sooner. Those five worthless items and my lost bet… After guarding this place for a millennium with a wisp of my soul, freedom finally nears.” The mist-formed man showed pure delight, no trace of anger remaining.

Had Ye Yun struggled weakly, teetering on death and spiritual annihilation, the man’s soul fragment would’ve dismissed him or even killed him outright. But witnessing Ye Yun’s potential to absorb all ice crystals within a day, the man saw hope—his soul could return, restoring his peak cultivation.

Ye Yun sat motionless, shielding his body from the biting cold while Ice Spirit Qi poured endlessly into his Heart of Immortals and Demons.

The Heart functioned like a bottomless abyss, devouring any amount of Ice Spirit Qi. Forty percent from the second layer? Even the Ice Tower’s total spiritual energy couldn’t satisfy it.

Focusing inward, Ye Yun felt Ice Spirit Qi surge like a river. The extreme cold unexpectedly tempered his flesh, synergizing with true qi to strengthen him gradually.

A sudden realization sparked joy.

He practiced the Cleansing Immortal Heart Technique—a method most cultivators avoided. While promising unmatched power by cultivating body and spirit simultaneously, its brutal demands deterred even elite sect disciples. Progress crawled, requiring perfect balance between internal and external cultivation. Worse, the excruciating pain and soul-refining torment crushed morale, especially when watching sect brothers outpace him effortlessly.

For millennia, none mastered this technique fully. Legends spoke of willful cultivators reaching the Nascent Soul stage’s pinnacle, only to fail during Earth Immortal realm ascension when Mental Demons exploited bodily imbalances.

Consider: Others reached Nascent Soul’s peak faster while Ye Yun wasted resources, endured agony, and still faced spiritual annihilation from Mental Demons. Even if stronger at the same stage, was decades-long suffering worth slightly superior power?

Yet for Ye Yun, this technique fit perfectly.

The Heart of Immortals and Demons purified absorbed energies into pristine spiritual power, merging directly with his true qi—eliminating internal cultivation hurdles. His challenge lay solely in physical strengthening. By focusing entirely on his Great Demon Body, he could match bodily strength with true qi, enabling breakthroughs.

Now, trapped in the second layer’s icy seal, his body unexpectedly thrived under the cold’s pressure.

Time passed. Ye Yun’s flesh grew sturdier. Having already reached Golden Core stage’s first-layer peak, bodily advancement would let true qi balance, triggering ascension.

He meditated, channeling the Cleansing Immortal Heart Technique.

Eight hours later, the surrounding ice crystals turned translucent, nearly drained. Then—his physical limits shattered, entering new territory.

Elated, Ye Yun synchronized true qi with his enhanced body.

One hour. Two. Three.

As the mist-man puzzled over Ye Yun’s slowed absorption, the thinning ice layer exploded into swirling shards that hurtled toward Ye Yun. Simultaneously, the second layer’s remaining Ice Spirit Qi converged into azure divine rainbows, engulfing him in a colossal Ice Crystal Seal—larger than the mist-man’s original creation.

The mist-man gaped. A first-layer Golden Core cultivator absorbing the entire second layer’s Ice Spirit Qi? Unprecedented!

“This boy… Such fortune rivals destiny’s chosen! Yet he bears no chosen aura. What force bred this monster?”

The giant ice seal visibly shrank, thinning rapidly. Three hours later, nothing remained.

Ye Yun opened his eyes—icy light flashed. Rising, his aura erupted skyward.

Golden Core stage, second layer—pinnacle!