While the major sects were busily preparing for alliances and enhancing their strength, the conspiracy of a mysterious force, like a venomous snake lurking in the darkness, was slowly baring its fangs.

The black-robed team, having traversed numerous hardships and dangers on their journey to the frigid lands, finally arrived at the ancient palace sealed by ice and snow. In this frigid land, howling winds and blizzards raged, temperatures so low they could freeze everything instantly. The palace was hidden in a valley, encased in a thick layer of ice, its location virtually impossible to spot without careful searching.

The leader of the squad, a man in black robes named Mo Ying, was an expert in exploring ruins within the mysterious force. Mo Ying stared at the palace before him, his eyes gleaming with excitement and greed. "This palace must contain powerful treasures. If we can obtain them, our mysterious force will become even stronger."

However, entering the palace was no easy feat. The ice surrounding the palace was not only incredibly hard but also possessed a mysterious power that prevented anyone from approaching. Mo Ying took out a black crystal from his pocket, its surface covered with strange runes. He placed the crystal on the ice and chanted incantations. The crystal shimmered, resisting the power of the ice.

After much effort, a crack finally appeared in the ice. Mo Ying waved his hand, and the other black-robed figures stepped forward, casting dark magic to try and widen the crack. As the crack gradually widened, a bone-chilling cold swept over them, causing everyone to shiver. But they knew this was a rare opportunity and gritted their teeth, continuing to exert their strength.

Finally, the ice was broken open, creating an entrance. The group cautiously entered the palace, which was filled with an ancient and mysterious atmosphere. The walls were covered with ancient runes and patterns, depicting strange creatures and mysterious rituals.

Mo Ying led the group along the palace passageway when suddenly, a group of ice golems appeared ahead. These ice golems were tall and formed from solid ice, wielding ice swords and radiating a chilling aura. The ice golems spotted the group, letting out a low roar before brandishing their ice swords and charging towards the man in black robes.

"Prepare for battle!" Mo Ying shouted. The black-robed figures drew their weapons and unleashed dark magic. A black dagger appeared in Mo Ying's hand, its surface flowing with dark energy. He flashed forward like a ghost, charging towards the ice golem, aiming the dagger for its vitals. However, the ice golem's body was incredibly tough, and the dagger only left a shallow mark.

The other black-robed figures unleashed spells of dark flames and dark blades in an attempt to attack the ice golems. However, the ice golems seemed to possess a certain resistance to dark magic, and these attacks did not cause them much damage. On the contrary, the ice golems' ice sword attacks were fierce, and several of the black-robed figures had already been cut by the ice swords, their blood dripping onto the cold ground and instantly freezing.

Mo Ying frowned deeply; he knew this couldn't go on. So, he carefully observed the ice golems' movements, trying to find their weaknesses. He quickly discovered that the ice golems' joints were relatively vulnerable. "Attack their joints!" Mo Ying shouted.

Upon hearing this, the black-robed figures changed their attack direction. They unleashed powerful spells, concentrating their attacks on the ice golems' joints. Waves of dark magic struck the ice golems' joints, gradually slowing their movements. Finally, one ice golem's joint shattered, and its body crashed to the ground, turning into a pile of ice shards.

With the combined attack of the group, the ice golems were gradually destroyed. The group continued onward and arrived at a large hall in the palace. In the center of the hall stood a huge ice coffin, within which lay a woman in a white robe. Her face was exquisitely beautiful, as if she were merely asleep rather than dead. Around the ice coffin were several magical artifacts radiating powerful auras and some ancient scrolls.

Mo Ying stepped forward, carefully examining the ice coffin and the surrounding objects. He discovered that the ice coffin was covered in runes, seemingly sealing something. The magical artifacts and scrolls were undoubtedly the treasures of this palace. Just as Mo Ying was about to explore further, the woman in the ice coffin suddenly opened her eyes. Her eyes flashed with blue light, and a powerful ice-based energy erupted from her body.

"You intruders, how dare you disturb my slumber!" The woman's voice was icy cold, as if it could freeze one's soul. With that, she waved her hands, and an icy wave instantly surged through the hall, sweeping towards the man in black robes.

Mo Ying and the others hurriedly cast defensive spells, and a dark shield appeared in front of them. Ice waves crashed against the shield, producing a series of booming sounds. Cracks appeared on the shield under the impact of the ice waves. Mo Ying knew that this woman was powerful and not someone they could easily deal with. Therefore, he whispered to the other black-robed figures, "Let's retreat first and discuss this further."

Led by Mo Ying, the group slowly retreated, fending off the attacks of the icy waves. Just as they were about to leave the hall, the woman suddenly stopped attacking. "Hmph, you're lucky you ran fast. But if you dare to step into this place again, you will pay a heavy price!"

The men in black robes fled the palace in a sorry state. They knew that although their gains were meager, they had discovered a powerful being. Back at the mysterious force's stronghold, Mo Ying recounted his experiences in the palace to the old man in black robes.

The old man in black robes fell into deep thought after hearing this. "The woman in this palace is exceptionally powerful, and we cannot easily provoke her. However, those magical treasures and scrolls are crucial to us. We need to devise a comprehensive plan that allows us to obtain the treasures while avoiding a direct confrontation with her."

Meanwhile, preparations for the alliance between the major sects were progressing smoothly. Lin Yang, as their representative, frequently traveled between the various sects, discussing the specifics of the alliance with the sect leaders and elders. After much effort, the major sects finally reached a consensus and decided to establish the "Demon-Suppressing Alliance" to jointly combat the mysterious forces.

At the celebration of the founding of the Demon-Suppressing Alliance, elite disciples from various sects gathered together in a lively atmosphere. Lin Yang stood on the high platform, looking down at the crowd, his heart filled with emotion. "Today, our Demon-Suppressing Alliance is established. This is a crucial step in our fight against the mysterious forces. I believe that as long as we unite as one, we will surely thwart the conspiracy of the mysterious forces and safeguard the peace of the cultivation world!"

The crowd below shouted in unison, "Protect the cultivation world!" Their voices echoed through the sky. However, just as everyone was celebrating, danger was quietly approaching.

Members of the mysterious force, tasked with sowing discord, began spreading rumors among the various sects. They claimed that a certain sect was secretly colluding with the mysterious force, attempting to monopolize magical treasures and undermine the alliance. These rumors, like seeds, took root and sprouted within the sects, arousing suspicion and discontent among some disciples.

Within the Xuanfeng Sect, some disciples began to whisper among themselves: "Have you heard? Some people say that the Yanshen Sect is colluding with a mysterious force. They want to use the power of the alliance to eliminate other sects and then dominate the cultivation world."

"No way? How could the Flame God Sect do such a thing? But some of the Flame God Sect's recent actions are indeed somewhat suspicious."

Similar rumors spread throughout the various sects, and cracks began to appear within the once-united alliance. Lin Yang was deeply worried upon learning of these rumors. He knew this was undoubtedly a conspiracy by a mysterious force attempting to destroy the alliance.

"We cannot let the mysterious forces' conspiracy succeed. We must find out the source of the rumors as soon as possible and dispel the suspicions between the major sects," Lin Yang said to the sect leaders and elders.

The sect leader nodded and said, "Lin Yang, I'm entrusting this matter to you. You must resolve it as soon as possible and not let the alliance collapse because of these rumors."

Upon receiving the order, Lin Yang immediately launched an investigation. With his keen insight and exceptional tracking skills, he quickly discovered that these rumors originated from some mysterious figures in black robes. These figures secretly traveled between various sects, spreading rumors.

Lin Yang decided to follow this clue to find the mastermind behind it all. He led a group of elite disciples to secretly track the man in black robes. After some tracking, they arrived at a secluded valley. Hidden in the valley was a mysterious camp, the man in black robes' stronghold.

Lin Yang and his group quietly infiltrated the camp and discovered that the black-robed figures inside were discussing their next plan. "These rumors have already caused quite a stir among the various sects. It won't be long before they start fighting amongst themselves. At that time, we can reap the benefits and easily retrieve the magic treasure," one of the black-robed figures said smugly.

“That’s right, but we can’t let our guard down. Lin Yang and the others are definitely investigating us, so we need to be careful,” another man in black robes said.

Upon hearing this, Lin Yang was furious. He decided to act immediately, destroy the stronghold, and thwart the mysterious force's conspiracy. He gestured to his disciples, who understood and prepared to launch an attack.

"Attack!" Lin Yang commanded, and the group charged into the camp like tigers descending a mountain. The black-robed men, caught off guard by the surprise attack, were thrown into disarray. Lin Yang, wielding the Starry Sky Golden Sword, unleashed the "Starry Sky-Splitting Slash," his sword energy crisscrossing and repelling the approaching black-robed men.

The other disciples also displayed their unique abilities, engaging in fierce combat with the black-robed figures. The Xuanfeng Sect disciples unleashed the "Qingfeng Sword Technique," their swordplay sharp and swift, weaving freely through the black-robed crowd. The Yanshen Sect disciples unleashed the "Flame Burst Technique," sending fireballs exploding amidst the black-robed figures, scattering flames in all directions.

Under the onslaught, the black-robed man gradually crumbled. However, just as Lin Yang and his group were about to achieve a great victory, a plume of black smoke suddenly rose from the camp. A sinister voice echoed from within the smoke: "You think this can stop us? How naive!"

As the sound faded, several figures emerged from the smoke. These figures were shrouded in black robes, exuding a powerful and eerie aura. Lin Yang sensed a strong threat; he knew these were no ordinary black-robed men, but must be experts from a mysterious force.

"Everyone be careful, these people are not easy to deal with!" Lin Yang shouted.