Three days later, amidst a vast expanse of icy wilderness, Zhang Ling was flying rapidly, a cyan scroll in his hand, checking it every so often.
He was oblivious to the intense cold wind buffeting him.
All around him was white, with heavy snow falling, obscuring his vision. Fortunately, it didn't greatly affect his divine sense; he could easily scan the surrounding hundred miles with his current spiritual power.
However, Zhang Ling frowned. Even though his divine sense was unimpeded, the surroundings were all white snow, with nothing but snowy mountains and forests as far as the eye could see. He was trying to reach the place where the supreme-grade spirit stone had been discovered, but he was now lost.
Although cultivators possessed photographic memory, he had never been to this ice field before. The surroundings were all the same, with no landmarks to use as reference, making it easy to get lost.
After three days of flying, Zhang Ling had entered deep into the ice field. The maps he had weren't very detailed about the depths of the ice field; he could only identify his direction by finding the marked specific locations.
Zhang Ling knew his general direction was correct, heading northwest. According to the information, the supreme-grade spirit stone was found near the Ice Orchid Mountains.
The Ice Orchid Mountains should be easy to find because they were unique, with red and blue orchids growing all over the mountain range. Some cultivators called them Red Ice Jade Orchids. They were a mutated spirit grass derived from Ice Jade Orchids.
Ordinary Ice Jade Orchids grew everywhere in the ice field and were a low-grade, second-rank spirit grass.
Red Ice Jade Orchids, after mutation, actually had reduced medicinal value because they became highly poisonous, turning into strange ice-attribute poisonous herbs.
After flying forward for a while, Zhang Ling stopped his escape technique. A black light flashed beside him, and he released the Xuan Turtle. Then, he and the Xuan Turtle flew in opposite directions, intending to find a landmark nearby to confirm their location.
After busying themselves for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Zhang Ling had explored the surrounding two thousand miles and finally determined his location.
It turned out he had unknowingly deviated from his direction.
After exiting the blizzard zone, Zhang Ling saw a straight and towering peak a thousand miles to the west. Sunlight shone upon it, making it appear golden, somewhat mysterious.
This mountain was called Golden Summit Peak, a landmark in the ice field. Once here, it was much easier to determine one's position. Using Golden Summit Peak as a reference, flying several thousand miles deeper to the northwest would reach the Ice Orchid Mountains.
Zhang Ling didn't delay at all and hurried onward.
Half an hour later, estimating that he was about to reach his destination, he suddenly sensed something. He slightly deviated his direction, glanced to the north, and flew towards that direction.
After crossing several hills, he saw a wide ice river. A series of explosions came from this direction, with a great battle taking place above the ice river. Several cultivators were fighting a group of winged, snow-white demonic beasts.
Although these demonic beasts had wings, they weren't common avian demonic beasts. Instead, they were a group of monsters covered in scales, resembling lions.
These were Ice Frost Lion demonic beasts. They possessed considerable strength. Once matured, most could reach the fifth or sixth rank. They were a rare, gregarious type of high-level demonic beast.
There were over a dozen Ice Frost Lions besieging the cultivators. Leading them was a giant beast, its body over ten zhang long. Its two snow-white wings, when spread, made it look even more majestic and extraordinary. It exuded an aura reaching the seventh rank.
Among the other Ice Frost Lions, there were two at the sixth rank and three at the fifth rank, along with over ten at the fourth rank. Each of them frantically flapped their wings, forming gusts of ice wind, with constant ear-piercing sounds. Countless ice spikes suppressed the besieged cultivators, putting them at a disadvantage.
The seventh-rank Ice Frost Lion even condensed its demonic power, a substantial ice mist congealing in its mouth. With a furious roar, it unleashed a series of shockwaves.
The entire sky vibrated with a buzzing sound.
The cultivators weren't pushovers either, all possessing Golden Core strength. There were three in total: a black-clad old man with late-stage Golden Core cultivation, and two black-robed middle-aged men, both with mid-stage Golden Core strength.
The three seemed to be cultivators from the same sect. Facing the attacks, the two middle-aged men each summoned a pale white bone shield. The two shields rapidly flew around the three, turning into a field of shield shadows, blocking numerous attacks.
The seventh-rank Ice Frost Lion's attack was powerful. The two middle-aged men didn't dare to be careless, quickly controlling the two shields to merge in the center, forming a giant shield that blocked the attack.
However, their formation was also disrupted.
Fortunately, the strongest black-clad old man held up a blood-red alms bowl. A foul-smelling blood mist emerged, immediately enveloping the three, turning into a blood-colored whirlwind, dodging the attacks of the other Ice Frost Lions.
Subsequently, a blood-red ghost face emerged from the blood mist, spewing out more blood mist, swirling towards the strongest seventh-rank Ice Frost Lion.
The Ice Frost Lion was not weak and possessed considerable intelligence. Sensing danger, it let out a huge roar, summoning the other Ice Frost Lions to its side, frantically flapping their wings. Whistling sounds continued, and the cold wind mixed with ice and snow gathered into a large storm, sweeping across most of the sky.
Blood mist and ice wind intertwined, turning into a series of strange sounds.
"Bone Spirit Shields, they must be from the Hundred Souls Sect."
Zhang Ling happened to witness this scene. It was not surprising to see several cultivators in this place.
For the past half-month, news of supreme-grade spirit stones in the ice field had spread, although not widely, it had privately circulated in Nightglow City. Many people had entered this area to investigate.
However, this place was deep within the ice field, and low-level cultivators couldn't reach it. Those who could come here were mostly high-level cultivators. Perhaps even some Nascent Soul monsters nearby might have already arrived.
The three people's bone shields seemed to be a signature magic weapon of the Hundred Souls Sect, the Bone Spirit Shield.
While Zhang Ling was pondering, the Ice Frost Lions once again gained the upper hand. Gusts of ice wind trapped the three cultivators tightly.
The seventh-rank Ice Frost Lion even pounced ferociously, engaging in close combat, forcing the three cultivators to be in a sorry state.
If it weren't for the two cultivators summoning two bone shields that could merge into one, greatly enhancing their defense, the three would have long been unable to hold on.
Even so, it seemed they wouldn't be able to resist for much longer.
Seeing the situation was unfavorable, the black-clad old man steeled his heart and suddenly struck his chest, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence. His hands rapidly danced. "Two junior brothers, protect me! As long as you persist for a moment, my secret technique will be completed, and we can escape danger, directly breaking out of this place!"
"Wait, senior brother, someone is coming."
Before the old man could cast his spell, a companion noticed Zhang Ling's arrival and immediately reminded him.
Zhang Ling didn't hide his tracks as he flew over. The three were fully engaged in battle and hadn't noticed him. Now that they had discovered his arrival, it naturally attracted their attention.
At the same time, the group of Ice Frost Lions also noticed him, some even roaring at him, making threatening sounds.
Only the seventh-rank Ice Frost Lion, after seeing Zhang Ling, seemed to sense something. It whimpered and actually showed some fear.
"Fellow Daoist, can you help us kill this group of demonic beasts? We three are disciples of the Hundred Souls Sect, and we will definitely reward you handsomely afterwards," the black-clad old man shouted with a look of joy.
Hearing them announce their sect, Zhang Ling raised an eyebrow. He revealed a strange smile and looked at the group of Ice Frost Lions. Without a second thought, he raised his hand, and two flying swords transformed into streaks of green light and flew out.
The seventh-rank Ice Frost Lion shrieked, not meeting the attack. Instead, with a low moan, it frantically flapped its wings, turning into a white light and fleeing.
The two streaks of green sword light were extremely fast, instantly approaching the fleeing demonic beast. With a cross, they drew a cross-shaped line of light, and the Ice Frost Lion was cut into several pieces.
Before the other Ice Frost Lions could react, they saw the green light flash again, and they were all cut into pieces by the green sword light.
Zhang Ling reached out and gently beckoned. From the shattered corpses, several high-level demonic cores flew out and were collected by him. The Ice Frost Lions' huge wings were also good materials for refining treasures, and he didn't let them go either.
The three cultivators were naturally extremely shocked to see this scene. They didn't expect that the demonic beasts that had trapped them would be killed in an instant.
The black-clad old man hurriedly bowed. "Thank you, senior, for saving us. Otherwise, we would have had difficulty leaving this place today."
He hadn't carefully examined the newcomer's cultivation level before. Now, with a sweep of his divine sense, he discovered that he couldn't see through the person's cultivation. That could only mean he was a Nascent Soul level expert.
"You are disciples of the Hundred Souls Sect. How is Hundred Souls True Person doing recently?" Zhang Ling's gaze swept over the three of them, and he revealed a smile.
"Hundred Souls True Person is indeed our master. Senior recognizes our master? May I ask for senior's name? We... you."
The three were overjoyed when they heard that Zhang Ling seemed to recognize their sect's ancestor.
But before the black-robed old man could finish speaking, Zhang Ling suddenly waved his hand, and a yellow light sprinkled over, trapping them. A feeling of dizziness washed over them, and the three fell into a coma.
After a moment, only Zhang Ling was left in place.
He stood on the spot and muttered expressionlessly. "Hundred Souls True Person, if you hadn't said he was your master, I might have spared your lives." Remembering being chased by Hundred Souls True Person for a whole journey a few years ago, losing a lot of true essence, Zhang Ling naturally had no good feelings towards the Hundred Souls Sect.
At the same time, through searching their souls, Zhang Ling also learned some information. They had come here for the supreme-grade spirit stone as well.
They had arrived here two days ago, intending to enter the Ice Orchid Mountains to investigate the abandoned spirit mine where the news of the supreme-grade spirit stone had originated.
But the three hadn't been able to enter the abandoned mine as they wished. Because as soon as they approached the Ice Orchid Mountains, they encountered a large group of demonic beasts. Among them were many high-level demonic beasts.
The three hesitated for a while, then ventured to approach the area, and unfortunately, they were discovered by these Ice Frost Lions. They fought and fled all the way to this place.
And at that time, the number of Ice Frost Lions they discovered was extremely large, numbering over a hundred. Among them, there were as many as thirty or forty that had reached high-level strength.
Could it be that the Ice Orchid Mountains were occupied by a group of Ice Frost Lions?
Zhang Ling speculated in his heart, but then he denied it. Because the news of finding the supreme-grade spirit stone had only been spread by a few Golden Core cultivators who had unintentionally arrived here. And there had been no mention of any powerful demonic beast groups there.
Moreover, from the memories obtained from the soul search, the demonic beasts that these people encountered after entering the Ice Orchid Mountains were not only Ice Frost Lions, but also a group of Ice Frost Wolves, giant bears, and several other powerful demonic beast groups in the ice field, all in large numbers.
This was obviously not right.
Zhang Ling's mind flickered, and he thought of a possibility. Could it be that there were demonic cultivators above the Transformation stage who had gathered this group of demonic beasts?
The Northern Region Ice Field was extremely vast, spanning the northernmost end of the Northern Plains cultivation world. The ice field northwest of Nightglow City was actually only a part of the region.
The northernmost part of the ice field also had an ice sea environment. Although he hadn't heard of any Transformation stage demonic race existing in the ice field, there were indeed Transformation stage demonic races in the ice sea further north, but the number was small.
It was plausible that some Transformation stage demonic races were hidden in the ice field.
Zhang Ling was somewhat troubled. If the Ice Orchid Mountains were really occupied by Transformation stage demonic cultivators, it would be difficult to investigate. After thinking for a moment, he smiled helplessly and decided to go there and take a look first.
After all, news of supreme-grade spirit stones was not common. He still had to investigate clearly. If he missed this kind of spiritual object, it would be difficult to collect.
Zhang Ling took out the Shape-Shifting Mud and draped the Spirit Concealing Gauze over his body. He concealed his figure, turned into a faint spiritual light, and headed towards the Ice Orchid Mountains. He was not far from there. After flying for a thousand miles, he saw a mountain range shrouded in purple mist.
Upon closer inspection, this was not mist, but a layer of light. It was the spiritual light emitted by the red and blue Red Ice Jade Orchids growing in the mountain range, and the aura of frost and ice intertwined to form a layer of halo, which had considerable toxicity. Low-level cultivators would be greatly affected upon entering it.
Zhang Ling naturally didn't care and directly entered the Ice Orchid Mountains.
Sure enough, as soon as he stepped into this range, he sensed many auras, although most of them were not strong, only low-level demonic beasts. But within the surrounding dozens of miles, he discovered several high-level demonic beasts.
A group of giant blue strange birds circled in the sky, squawking strangely. These were a group of Snow Monkey Birds, their bodies black and blue, looking like vultures, but the heads hanging on their long necks looked very much like monkey heads, extremely ferocious. They were also gregarious demonic birds, and their strength was not bad.
Along the way, he crossed several ice mountains. In addition to Snow Monkey Birds and Ice Frost Lions, he often saw some other ice-attribute demonic beasts.
Strangely, these groups of demonic beasts did not kill each other. Although they occasionally met, they all bared their fangs and brandished their claws, but no conflict broke out.
This situation made Zhang Ling even more convinced of his guess. There were probably Transformation stage demonic cultivators, possibly more than one, otherwise how could they suppress this group of demonic beasts of different races?
Fortunately, the Ice Orchid Mountains were not large. After carefully moving forward for half a quarter of an hour and crossing several ice mountains, Zhang Ling arrived at the main peak of the Ice Orchid Mountains, under a ten-thousand-zhang ice mountain covered in white snow.
At this moment, Zhang Ling stopped, because he keenly felt that there was a strong spiritual energy fluctuation in a certain place at the foot of the mountain. But it didn't seem to be caused by a cultivator's fight, and he didn't know what was strange about it.
