After making thorough preparations, the sword cultivators of the Spirit Sword Sect resolutely embarked on their journey to the Extreme Cold Lands. These lands are covered in ice and snow year-round, with biting winds howling like knives, and temperatures so low that ordinary cultivators risk freezing their spiritual energy the moment they circulate it.

Clad in specially crafted, cold-resistant spiritual armor and wielding swords that radiated spiritual energy, the sword cultivators trudged through the icy snow. Their figures appeared small yet resolute against the vast expanse of white snow, each step leaving deep footprints in the thick snow.

The closer they got to their destination, the colder it became, and the fiercer the wind grew. The elders of the Spirit Sword Sect circulated their spiritual energy, forming a protective shield around them to ward off the biting wind. However, the wind seemed to possess boundless power, relentlessly battering the shield and making a whooshing sound.

"Everyone be careful. This extremely cold place probably hides many dangers. We must not let our guard down," the elder of the Spirit Sword Sect warned loudly, his voice carrying far in the cold wind.

Just then, a pack of ice beasts resembling wolves suddenly sprang out from the snow ahead. These ice beasts radiated a cold blue light, their teeth were sharp as blades, and their eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty light. They roared and charged towards the sword cultivators like a blue torrent.

"Form the formation!" At the command of the Spirit Sword Sect elder, the sword cultivators swiftly formed a sword formation. The formation resembled a blooming ice flower, with sword energy crisscrossing and slashing towards the ice beasts. The ice beasts were extremely fast, nimbly dodging the sword energy, but many were still struck by the sword energy and turned into puddles of icy water.

However, the ice beasts seemed tireless, charging forward wave after wave. Although the sword cultivators' sword formation was powerful, it gradually began to show weaknesses under such intense attacks. Seizing an opportunity, an ice beast slipped through a gap in the sword formation and pounced on a sword cultivator.

The swordsman reacted swiftly, dodging the ice beast's pounce by sidestepping, and then slashed at its neck. The ice beast nimbly twisted its body, avoiding the vital spot, but a deep wound was still inflicted on its body by the sword, and blue blood flowed out, instantly freezing into ice.

Seeing this, the elder of the Spirit Sword Sect swung his sword, unleashing a powerful sword aura that instantly killed the ice beast. At the same time, he shouted, "Everyone, maintain the sword formation! Don't panic! Concentrate your attacks on the ice beast's head!"

Upon hearing this, the sword cultivators adjusted their attacks, concentrating their sword energy on the ice beasts' heads. With their combined assault, the number of ice beasts gradually decreased until they were all finally destroyed.

The sword cultivators continued their journey, and after crossing an icy plain, they finally arrived at the entrance to the mysterious valley. The valley was covered by a thick layer of ice, within which black runes flickered faintly, exuding an eerie aura.

The elder of the Spirit Sword Sect carefully observed the runes on the ice, trying to find a way to decipher them. However, these runes were extremely complex, and he couldn't understand them for the time being. Just then, a sword cultivator noticed that the arrangement of runes in a certain corner of the ice seemed different from the rest.

The elder of the Spirit Sword Sect immediately stepped forward and, after careful examination, discovered that the rune was the key to opening the ice layer. He circulated his spiritual power, injecting it into the rune. The rune shone brightly, and cracks began to appear in the ice layer, which then slowly split open, revealing the scene inside the valley.

Inside the valley, the chill intensified, the ground was covered with sharp ice spikes, and icicles fell from the sky from time to time. The sword cultivators moved cautiously through the valley, constantly alert to any movement around them.

Suddenly, a deep roar echoed through the valley. Immediately afterward, a gigantic ice dragon emerged from its depths. The ice dragon radiated a powerful chill, and with a flap of its wings, countless ice blades shot towards the sword cultivators.

"Defend!" shouted the elder of the Spirit Sword Sect, and the sword cultivators quickly erected spiritual energy shields. The ice blades struck the shields, making clanging sounds and sending up a spray of ice shards.

The elder of the Spirit Sword Sect knew that simply defending was not the solution; they had to take the initiative. He said to the sword cultivators, "Listen to my command! Some of you continue to maintain defense, while others follow me and attack the ice dragon's eyes and abdomen—those are its weak points!"

The sword cultivators swiftly acted on the elder's instructions. One group focused on maintaining their spiritual energy shields to defend against the ice dragon's attacks; the other group, led by the elder, unleashed their sharp sword techniques and charged towards the ice dragon.

Sword energy shot towards the ice dragon's eyes and abdomen like meteors. Sensing the threat, the ice dragon roared and nimbly twisted its body in the air, dodging most of the sword energy. However, several sword energies still struck its abdomen, leaving deep wounds from which blue blood flowed.

The ice dragon was enraged. It opened its massive maw, and a powerful blast of icy air swept towards the sword cultivators. Everything in its path froze. The sword cultivators' spiritual energy shields trembled violently under the impact of the icy air, their light flickering erratically.

The elder of the Spirit Sword Sect gritted his teeth, channeling all his spiritual energy to strengthen the shield's defense. At the same time, he shouted to the sword cultivators, "Hold on, everyone! Don't give up! We will definitely defeat it!"

Encouraged by the elders, the sword cultivators mobilized their spiritual power and engaged in a desperate battle against the icy current. Just as the shield was about to shatter, one of the sword cultivators suddenly noticed that when the ice dragon spewed out the icy current, its head would briefly reveal an opening.

He quickly informed the elder of his discovery. A resolute glint flashed in the elder's eyes, and he said to the sword cultivators beside him, "Follow me, and attack its head while the ice dragon spews out its icy breath!"

As the ice dragon spewed forth its icy breath once more, the elder of the Spirit Sword Sect, leading several sword cultivators, seized the opportunity and charged towards the ice dragon like lightning. They unleashed their strongest sword techniques, their sword energy coalescing into a massive blade of light, slashing towards the ice dragon's head.

The ice dragon sensed the danger and tried to dodge, but it was too late. The light blade struck the ice dragon's head precisely. The ice dragon let out a painful roar, its body swayed a few times, and then it crashed heavily to the ground.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, the sword cultivators launched their final attack, countless sword energies shooting towards the ice dragon. Under the onslaught, the ice dragon finally succumbed and turned into a puddle of icy water.

After defeating the ice dragon, the sword cultivators continued deeper into the valley. Deep within the valley, they discovered an ancient palace. The palace doors were tightly shut, covered with various mysterious patterns and runes.

The elder of the Spirit Sword Sect stepped forward and carefully examined the runes and patterns on the door. He discovered that these runes seemed to be telling an ancient story, a story that was intricately connected to the origins of the Shadow Society.

After much effort, the elder of the Spirit Sword Sect finally found a way to open the palace gates. He circulated his spiritual power and triggered the runes in a specific order, and the palace gates slowly opened.

An air of antiquity permeated the palace. In the center of the palace stood a massive black crystal ball. The crystal ball emitted a mysterious light, surrounded by a ring of black mist.

The elder of the Spirit Sword Sect approached the crystal ball, attempting to unravel its mysteries. However, as he drew near, the crystal ball suddenly shone brightly, and a powerful mental shockwave assaulted him.

The elder of the Spirit Sword Sect hurriedly circulated his spiritual power to resist the mental impact. However, this mental impact was extremely powerful, and he felt as if his head was about to be torn apart.

Seeing this, the other sword cultivators rushed forward to help. They channeled their spiritual energy into the elder, working together to withstand the mental attack. With their combined efforts, they finally managed to withstand the mental assault.

The elder of the Spirit Sword Sect took a deep breath and said, "This crystal ball seems to hold an important secret of the 'Shadow Society,' but we will probably need to put in more effort to obtain the information within."

Just then, a commotion arose outside the palace. The sword cultivators looked warily towards the door and saw a group of people dressed in black robes approaching the palace. These were members of the "Shadow Society," who seemed to have sensed the sword cultivators' arrival and had come to stop them from obtaining the secret within the crystal ball.

The elder of the Spirit Sword Sect said solemnly, "It seems a fierce battle is inevitable. Everyone prepare for battle; we must not let them succeed!" The sword cultivators gripped their swords tightly, their eyes revealing unwavering determination. They knew that the upcoming battle would determine whether they could uncover the secrets of the "Shadow Society" and bring a turning point to the safety of the Spirit Ruins Market. Meanwhile, members of the "Shadow Society" were aggressively approaching the palace, and a fierce battle was about to unfold before this ancient palace.