A secret realm
"Bang!!!"
The four people who fell from the sky landed straight on the snow, making a loud noise, but the snow was very thick and solid, and only the "crunching" sound could be heard, which was the sound of the white snow crumbling.
The first level of the secret realm was even colder than outside, so cold that people shivered all over. Qian Luo shrank her neck to prevent snow particles from entering her collar. She stamped her feet and rubbed her hands, and all the hot air she exhaled turned into a biting cold wind that blew towards her.
She seemed to have traveled back in time, to a winter day on Blue Star. She rode her electric scooter to work as usual. The road was icy, and she, wearing oversized clothing, rode slowly through the snow and ice, weaving in and out of traffic. Everywhere was a sea of people, a jumble of motor vehicles and non-motor vehicles, some humming with the din of engines and the impatient honking of drivers' horns. Soon, the crowd erupted in insults and arguments, a chaotic scene.
A chill wind blew against her face, and she watched it all with indifference, her eyes fixed on the traffic light, waiting for it to turn green. It was so cold that she pulled the windshield forward, covering the lower half of her face. The furry lining clung to her scarf and down jacket, keeping out the chill, but she didn't feel the cold at all.
But the wind that quietly entered through the gap in the helmet made his forehead cold, it was a severe cold that he had never experienced before. His whole body turned red from the plateau, and his cheeks were wrinkled like rotten apples without moisture.
Those cold days are gone forever. She has lived as a monk for more than a hundred years, but she hasn't felt such cold for a long time, as if she has become an ordinary person without any cultivation.
"The Flame Dragon Ball is useless!" Ordinary severe cold will not affect the cultivators, but the ice and snow in the Frost Blue Secret Realm will lower the cultivators' body temperature. With the Flame Dragon Ball to keep warm, nothing will happen.
"A-choo!!!" Jin Manlou, who had never suffered any hardship since childhood, sneezed violently. She rubbed her nose and took out a bright glass jade lamp from the storage ring with trembling hands. There was a golden wick inside, but there was no flame. Instead, it emitted a dazzling light, just like a strange and gorgeous electric lamp.
"This is new technology, constant temperature protection." She held up the glass jade cup like a goddess and shouted, "Everyone, move towards me. Within a thousand meters, activate the constant temperature protection."
As soon as he finished speaking, the three people around him immediately moved closer, like chicks next to a hen, finally finding a bit of family warmth.
"Oh my god, it's too cold today!" Jiang Chanyi was a person who knew how to enjoy life. She sat down on the ground, took out the insulated lunch box from the storage bag, opened it and saw steaming wolfberry chicken soup inside. The chicken was cooked soft and tender, sprinkled with red wolfberries and green chopped green onions, which made it look very beautiful. There were no complicated seasonings. The chicken soup was delicious, and the broth was yellow and white, making everyone salivate.
"Damn, the clothes look great!" Jin Manlou had a happy look on his face. He lowered his head and took a big bite of the fresh chicken. The meat was tender and so delicious that he almost swallowed his tongue. Especially in the middle of winter, one bite warmed his stomach, his body, and every limb.
She had tasted a lot of things, so she knew what kind of meat it was the moment she tasted it: "It's a fourth-level white phoenix chicken. No wonder the chicken isn't tough, it's so tender."
Jiang Chanyi hummed a triumphant sigh, "No need for technical expertise, everyone, eat to your heart's content!" She gave Qianluo a bowl and Sun Rushuang another, sipping while she glanced at Sun Rushuang, sizing up the unfamiliar female cultivator. She muttered a thank you, sipped her chicken soup, locked eyes with Lan Qianluo, and ignored her and Jin Manlou. Jiang Chanyi sighed, wondering if Lan Qianluo would finally ask Sun Rushuang to join them.
Of course she was willing, but Jin Manlou was unwilling. The four of them started to quarrel, and the journey to the secret realm became difficult.
She and Jin Manlou each had their own map, but they lacked a strong teammate. Jin Manlou was in the middle stage of the Jindan realm, lacking combat experience and requiring protection. Facing a large group, she couldn't handle it alone. Lan Qianluo was in the middle stage of the Jindan realm, experienced in combat, and a calm demeanor, making her a carefully selected teammate. During their battle with Sun Rushuang, she realized that her puppetry skills were not to be underestimated. Having her on the team was like having two more Jindan cultivators.
There are two maps, which makes you a pretty good team in the Frost Blue Secret Realm.
However, Jin Manlou's first meeting with Sun Rushuang was not very auspicious, and he didn't know whether she would agree.
"So delicious!" Jin Manlou didn't even notice Jiang Chanyi staring at her, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated. She took a sip of chicken soup and a bite of chicken meat. She felt that it was really good to follow Jiang Chanyi. The adventure was like traveling, eating while walking.
However, she was still a little worried. She didn't like Sun Rushuang very much, nor did she like her green-haired puppet very much. Jiang Chanyi said that Lan Qianluo was her teammate, but Lan Qianluo and Sun Rushuang were old acquaintances, so she would definitely invite Sun Rushuang to join her team.
She felt a little uncomfortable, but she also knew that although she had many magic weapons, her cultivation was not enough. If she really met an opponent like Wu Xingxue, who had both cultivation and magic treasures, he would not be able to compare with her.
If she and Jiang Chanyi formed a team and parted ways with Lan Qianluo and Sun Rushuang, it would seem that they had two maps and many magic weapons, but in fact they were two moving targets and were extremely dangerous.
It's just that she felt a little awkward and was too embarrassed to speak.
Jiang Chanyi and Jin Manlou had something hidden in their minds. They drank their soup in silence, each with different thoughts in their minds.
Qianluo didn't have so many concerns. She exchanged a glance with Sun Rushuang. Sun Rushuang finished her last mouthful of soup and said, "I have some map fragments here. Xiaoluo said you already have two. Why don't you come together?"
Jiang Chanyi couldn't help but smile when she heard these words. She quickly looked at the map and said, "Yes, it's true. There are places that are not on our map!"
Jiang Chanyi turned to look at Jin Manlou: "Look, Xiaolou, we're a team of four, so we have three maps. Our chances of winning are three times higher than other teams!"
Jin Manlou glanced at Sun Rushuang, who looked at her indifferently. She shuddered all over. She still didn't like this weird and beautiful female cultivator, but since she was given a way out, there was no reason not to take it!
"Okay, you are the captain and have the highest cultivation level. How dare I refute you?" After saying that, he turned around, leaving the three people with his beautiful goose yellow back.
Seeing that they all agreed, Qian Luo smiled with satisfaction and took the initiative to introduce them: "This is Sun Rushuang, who is at the peak of the late Jindan stage and specializes in puppetry. The purpose of this trip is to find the legendary Frost Orchid. If she finds it, she won't need the other treasures. We can split them equally among the three of us."
Jiang Chanyi agreed with her: "This is Jin Manlou, who is in the middle stage of Jindan. She has another piece of the map, which will give us a better chance of entering the third level of the secret realm."
The four of them agreed on this. After eating and drinking their fill, Jin Manlou released the glazed jade cup and held it in the air in front of him to ensure a constant temperature. The four of them then followed the map mapped by the three of them.
"The map route has changed. The points have become white ice sculptures. Under each ice sculpture is an ice cave. Under the ice cave may be a palace, a secret room, a courtyard, or an ice forest..."
"The map is too conspicuous. We can't act alone. Let's first determine the destination. One person will hold the map, and the other three will be alert to the surroundings."
In the first level of the secret realm, flying magic weapons can no longer be used, and one can only walk. The four people are in the snow and ice, with the blessing of the glazed jade cup, the flickering fire leaves a bright color in the white snow.
…
Gu Xianyun had just woken up. As soon as she opened her eyes, she turned around to look for her sister, but she didn't expect that Qu Chun and Gu Wumian were still unconscious. Gu Qiuchi had already woken up and was standing alone, staring at the ice sculpture in front of him in a trance.
The ice sculptures were carved in the likeness of people, with ten people in each row, two neatly arranged rows. They were majestic and solemn, wearing armor and helmets, holding spears, like the guards protecting the imperial palace in ancient times. However, they all had their eyes closed and their lips pursed, as if they were asleep.
"Xiaoyan..."
Gu Qiuchi turned around and said to his sister, "I heard before that you can't look into the eyes of the guards in the secret realm on the first floor. If you make eye contact, the ice sculpture puppet will be activated. This ice sculpture puppet has the cultivation level of the Jindan stage, so it's really not easy to mess with."
Hearing this, Gu Xianyun's face also showed confusion: "We both looked just now, and the ice sculpture didn't move."
They were in an ice cave, surrounded by icicles and ice caves. It was extremely cold. There was not a single snowflake, only freezing ice. Qu Chun and Gu Wumian, who were in a coma, had their faces frozen red. Even they could not resist the cold here.
Gu Qiuchi snorted and patted Gu Wumian's face. "Fortunately, I tricked Wang Xin before I came out. He not only gave me the Ancient Mirror, but also the Ice and Fire Shuttle. I just tried it. I can't fly in the void here, but the Ice and Fire Shuttle can still generate heat."
Gu Wumian woke to a chill and stinging pain. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw the smiling girl and the embarrassed Gu Xianyun. He frowned, feeling the sting on his cheek. His eyes swept over the delicate-looking girl, who was filled with concern. "Cousin, are you okay? The temperature here is too low. I borrowed the Ice and Fire Shuttle from Wang Xin. But I just woke up, and seeing your face frozen, I was so heartbroken. I immediately activated my magic weapon, which consumed a lot of spiritual energy."
She pouted, her eyes watery: "I was wrong before, cousin, I'm so sorry."
Gu Wumian didn't know what had offended this cousin, but she had disliked him since their first meeting. Nothing he did was to her liking, and she always went against him. They hadn't interacted much before, so they hadn't paid much attention to it, but now they were in the secret realm, all members of the team.
If she does anything bad again, don't blame him for being rude to her.
The frail girl stood up slightly and leaned sideways so that Gu Wumian could see the ice sculpture in front of him. "But it's not all in vain. The ice sculpture in front of us... must be in the center of the first level of the secret realm. If we look for it again, we might find more..."
"According to the maps we pieced together, the first level of the secret realm contains frost beads from the Snow Country that can resist the cold. Although the Ice and Fire Shuttle is useful, it consumes too much spiritual energy. It won't take long before we die in the ice cave before the enemy even attacks us."
Although Gu Qiuchi's words were harsh, they were not without reason. As a high-level magical weapon, the Ice and Fire Shuttle required spiritual power to activate. If they couldn't find the Frost Pearl, they wouldn't be able to walk in the cold wind.
After waking up, Qu Chun patted his stiff cheeks and said, "I have Green Fire, which consumes less spiritual power. You can follow me."
Seeing the three people getting along harmoniously, Gu Xianyun felt relieved: "Thank you."
She had just released her divine sense, but discovered it was unusable here, unable to locate any traces of the cultivators. However, they had reached the best location on the first level of the secret realm, and others without a map might not be as lucky.
The four of them followed the marks on the map and walked slowly in the winding ice cave. When their figures disappeared, the guard who was originally standing there suddenly had a cold light flashing in his eyes.
"Bang!" The heavy ice sculpture actually changed direction! In the direction they left.
Unfortunately, none of the four knew about it.
…
At this time, Wu Xingxue and Chu Lianxi also woke up from their coma. They were in an ice forest, surrounded by trees made of ice, lifelike, depicting the roughness of the tree trunks, the veins of the leaves, and even the sky above their heads was made of ice, stretching as far as the eye could see.
They are in a world of ice and snow.
"A-choo!" Chu Lianxi shuddered unexpectedly, and tremblingly took out the winter clothes from the storage ring. After putting them on, he kept the temperature constant, and his little face, which had been frozen red, returned to its former whiteness.
He turned around and saw Bailu Jianjia, who had no expression on her face, and Wu Xingxue, who was not afraid of the cold at all. She was wearing a military uniform, and her long, powerful legs were wrapped in long boots. The toes of her shoes were pointed and so smooth that they could reflect a person's shadow.
He complained in his heart: No wonder she is not afraid of the cold, she was born with ice spirit roots, the colder it is, the stronger she becomes, this is simply her comfort zone!
There were also two female cultivators in the Jindan stage who looked like robots beside her. They were also wearing cold-proof clothes and had indifferent eyes. They followed Wu Xingxue to find an exit.
"Cousin, we don't need the Frost Orbs. But there's nothing else on the map. What should we do now?"
Chu Lianxi looked at the endless ice forest and felt a little panic in his heart. He followed the girl step by step, looking at her snow-white hair and smelling a scent on her that was colder than the ice forest, bland and cold, like a breath of cold wind.
"Pooh..." He spat a few times and rolled his eyes behind her.
Sure enough, he received Bailu Jianjia's gaze.
Chu Lianxi ignored them. If he wasn't bored staying in the upper three districts, he wouldn't want to be with someone as cold as Wu Xingxue. Having Qian Ruixue before was already enough for him to bear.
"Cousin, where are we going now?"
The girl's cold voice came from the front: "Look for the ice sculpture."
People who have been to the first level of the secret realm all say that they have seen ice sculptures with the cultivation level of the Jindan stage. As to whether the ice sculptures are puppets and whether there are treasures inside, there are different opinions.
However, you can only enter the second level of the secret realm where ice sculptures appear.
And what she wanted was on the third floor.
…
Qianluo and her group of four walked for an unknown amount of time before they finally saw a few blurry figures in the heavy snow. "Hey, are those monks?"
"It doesn't look like it. He's wearing all white and must be attending a funeral!" Jin Manlou narrowed his eyes and complained.
Jiang Chanyi squinted her eyes and frowned, "They didn't take any action in the snow. They don't look like cultivators who came to the secret realm to search for treasure."
Sun Rushuang was quite experienced with puppets. She only took a look and shook her head: "It's lifeless, it's a dead thing."
Qianluo thought of what the Zhao brothers had said before: "Could this be an ice sculpture?"
"Ice sculpture?" Jiang Chanyi also remembered what the Zhao brothers said, "You can't look directly into their eyes, otherwise it will activate the Jindan stage puppet!"
"Ah? But... he didn't move!" Jin Manlou looked panicked. Because she was active by nature, before Jiang Chanyi could finish her words, she had already jumped in front of the ice sculpture and stared at it blankly.
She opened and closed her eyes, only to find that the ice sculpture hadn't moved at all. She lowered her guard and said to Jiang Chanyi with a smile, "Could it be that the spell has failed because of the passage of time?"
Maybe this is really possible. After all, the last time the Zhao brothers entered the secret realm was decades ago.
Jiang Chanyi also walked over with confidence, holding the map in one hand and Jin Manlou's collar in the other, and clicked her tongue twice: "Miss, please stay aside!"
After entering the first level of the secret realm, the four people wandered around like headless flies. Perhaps this ice sculpture had some magical mechanism. She was careless and forgot to ask the Zhao brothers how to enter the second level of the secret realm.
It was at this moment, when the map approached the ice sculpture, that a strange and dazzling light burst out. Suddenly, rows of ice sculptures appeared on the snow. They looked exactly the same and were replicas of the ice sculptures in front of them.
"Bang, bang!" Two deafening sounds were heard. All the ice sculptures held spears in their hands, and their eyes flashed with a glimmer of light like those of living people. Their dark eyeballs stared straight at the female cultivators in front of them, making people's scalps numb.
Jin Manlou rubbed his arms, took a few steps back, and said in a trembling voice: "They're moving!"
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