Northern Regions, Cold Water Pavilion.
Ling Chen's name is known to almost everyone in the Northern Region.
He was not the son of the Cold Water Pavilion Master, but with his heaven-defying talent, he firmly secured the position of the eldest disciple. He entered the Qi Refining stage at the age of seven, reached the Golden Core stage at ten, and the Nascent Soul stage at fifteen. Now, at only twenty-three years old, he is already at the peak of the Divine Transformation stage and half a step into the Void Refining stage. He is only one step away from the Void Refining stage, which countless cultivators can hardly reach in their entire lives.
Even more astonishing is his talent in swordsmanship. Legend has it that he was born with a sword bone, able to resonate with the "Cold Water Sword Intent" of heaven and earth. When he first learned swordsmanship, he killed an adult demon beast with only a wooden sword. He mastered the Cold Water Pavilion's treasured technique, the "Mysterious Ice Sword Scripture," in just three years. The refinement of his sword intent was so great that even the Pavilion Master was impressed.
The cultivators of the Northern Region respected him not only because of his strength, but also because of his character—calm, fair, and never bullying the weak. At the last Hidden Dragon Gathering, he suppressed Qin Shuang's impulsiveness with just one sentence, and even the Xuan Tian Sect dared not refute him in public; whenever there was a conflict among the young people of the Northern Region, as long as he stepped in to mediate, both sides could always compromise.
"If Senior Brother Ling says go east, no one dares to go west; if Senior Brother Ling says stop, no one dares to move again." This is a common saying among cultivators in the Northern Region. He is like the pillar of strength for the younger generation in the Northern Region. With him around, the young cultivators in the Northern Region are less impetuous and more composed.
Meanwhile, in the far north of the northern region lies the "eternal ice plain".
The biting wind, sharp as a knife, swept across the frozen earth, whipping up a flurry of snowflakes. Deep within the icy plains, a jet-black iceberg stood, its perimeter bound by four thick chains of dark iron, engraved with crimson runes and emanating a chilling aura that suppressed the soul—this was the very place Jiang Li had found after returning from the Dragon-Locking Secret Realm, based on the remnant memories of her soul.
Jiang Li, dressed in red, stood before the iceberg, a stark contrast to the surrounding white snow. Gazing at the familiar chains, she parted her red lips slightly, her voice carrying a clear tone in the cold wind, tinged with a heaviness only she could understand: "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
As soon as the words left her lips, the snow atop the iceberg suddenly slid off, and a pale blue soul emerged from a crevice. Clad in tattered silver armor, the soul stood tall and imposing. Upon seeing Jiang Li, it trembled violently, a ghostly blue flame igniting in its eyes, its voice choked with emotion: "Your Majesty…it's you? It really is you! This subordinate…this subordinate has waited for this day for three thousand years!"
This is Xiao Zhan, Jiang Li's personal guard commander in her previous life. During the Great Battle of the Nine Heavens, he was suppressed in this ten-thousand-year-old icy plain by the enemy for protecting the Empress's remnant soul. He suffers from the torment of ice evil corroding his soul every day, but he has endured until now with his obsession with "waiting for Her Majesty's return".
“I’m back.” Jiang Li looked at him, her eyes flashing with complex emotions, including the warmth of reunion and the reminiscence of the past. “I’m sorry you suffered back then.”
"To die for Your Majesty is my honor!" Xiao Zhan's soul bowed deeply. "It is only because I am incompetent that I failed to protect your remnant soul, allowing you to be reincarnated and suffer for so many years..."
“That’s all in the past.” Jiang Li interrupted him, her tone carrying an unquestionable authority. “Now, I’m here to pick you up.”
Since returning from the Dragon Locking Secret Realm, Jiang Li has clearly realized her shortcomings—if she had been able to unlock more seals on the Rusty Iron Sword back then, perhaps Zhang Kui's chains could have been broken as well. In the past few months, she has cultivated almost day and night, repeatedly studying the "Emperor's Sword Scripture" given to her by her master. The principles of swordsmanship have gradually merged with her own Empress bloodline, and her cultivation has already quietly broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, with the Void Refinement stage not far off.
And with the rusty iron sword given to her by her master, she finally reached the edge of the first layer of seal.
"The Soul-Suppressing Lock was forged by the enemy using 'Nine Nether Profound Iron' mixed with the essence and blood of our personal guards. It cannot be broken by ordinary means." Xiao Zhan's soul looked at the four chains and said solemnly, "But Your Majesty's imperial might may be able to suppress it."
Jiang Li nodded and slowly drew the rusty iron sword from her waist.
"Buzz—"
The sword emitted a clear, melodious sound in the cold wind. She ran her fingertips along the blade, infusing it with spiritual power, and uttered a low shout: "Release!"
The rust on the iron sword faded slightly, revealing a dark metallic luster beneath. A sword intent far more powerful than that in the Dragon Locking Secret Realm, like a sleeping dragon awakening, instantly swept across the icy plains! This was one-tenth of the power she used to break the first seal—any more, and with her current cultivation level, she would likely be devoured by the sword intent.
"The Emperor's Sword Scripture - Breaking Illusion!"
Jiang Li's figure blurred, her red robes drawing a stunning arc across the icy plain. Her rusty iron sword, imbued with a sharp sword intent, slashed towards the first chain! The sword move was the "Go with the Flow" technique that her master had demonstrated with a tree branch years ago, but she had incorporated the Empress's unique "Breaking Illusions" meaning, specifically designed to break through the world's illusory restrictions.
"clang!"
The sword clashed with the chain, sparking dazzling flames! The dark red runes on the chain flickered wildly, attempting to resist, but gradually dimmed under the dual impact of the sword intent and the emperor's might.
"Snap!"
The first chain snapped instantly!
Xiao Zhan's soul trembled with excitement: "It's imperial might! His Majesty's imperial might is still here!"
Jiang Li did not stop. Her swordplay changed again, sometimes like fine snowflakes, gentle yet indestructible; sometimes like a thawing ice river, powerful and unstoppable. She combined the sword techniques taught by her master with her own understanding, and her sword moves became faster and more fierce.
"Snap! Snap! Snap!"
The remaining three chains snapped within ten breaths!
The moment the chains broke, the iceberg emitted a muffled thud, and the chilling aura that had been suppressing the soul suddenly dissipated. Xiao Zhan's soul body swelled up a few times, his aura became several times more solid than before, and the ghostly blue flames in his eyes shone even brighter.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Xiao Zhan bowed deeply to Jiang Li, his tone extremely respectful.
Jiang Li sheathed her sword, the rust on its blade quickly covering itself, as if the outburst just moments before had been an illusion. She looked at Xiao Zhan's soul and said calmly, "You protected me back then; now, it's my turn to protect you. Stay by my side, and when my strength advances further, I will reshape your physical body."
"Your subordinate obeys!" Xiao Zhan's soul transformed into a beam of blue light and entered a jade pendant at Jiang Li's waist—it was made by Jiang Li using the "Soul Nourishing Jade" given to her by her master, which could warm and nourish the soul, a hundred times better than being frozen in the icy plains.
After doing all this, Jiang Li looked up into the depths of the icy plain, where there were faint, even stronger fluctuations of energy, as if there were other sealed former subordinates.
“Don’t rush,” she murmured to herself, her eyes flashing with the sharpness of an emperor, “I will bring you all back one by one.”
With the sword given to her by her master, the "Emperor's Sword Scripture," and ever-growing strength, the day she regains her imperial power is not far off.
Meanwhile, Lin Zhou, far away at the Qingyun Sect, sneezed and rubbed his nose: "Who's talking about me again? Could it be that girl Jiang Li showing off with the sword I gave her?"
He rolled over and continued sunbathing, while the stray dog in his arms lazily yawned—it didn't care about any of the Empress's former subordinates, only whether there would be meat for dinner.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com