On the glaciers of Profound Ice Realm, the cold Qi was as sharp as knives.
Li Mu crushed the last piece of ice crystal, and his figure appeared before the ice-sealed altar at the core of the realm.
At the center of the altar, a fist-sized ice crystal floated in mid-air. Within the ice crystal, silver-blue electric light flowed. The original Origin of the Profound Ice Realm and the Origin of the Thunder Firmament Realm, after Fusion, transformed into the current Origin power of the Profound Ice Realm.
This core had originally been assimilated by the Profound Ice Realm Master. Now that the Profound Ice Realm Master had fallen, the core lost its host and was emitting unstable fluctuations. The surrounding glaciers trembled violently due to this power, and countless ice prisms exploded in the lightning.
Li Mu's Divine Thought moved. He waved his hand, his fingertip tracing the Void Realm. Chaos Qi, like a fine thread, wrapped around the ice crystal. The silver-blue electric light on the surface of the thunder core surged dramatically, attempting to shatter this foreign aura. However, the moment it touched the Chaos Qi, it was rapidly assimilated as if a clay ox had entered the sea.
The next instant, from beneath the ice layers around the altar, countless ice thorns suddenly extended, their tips flashing with deadly lightning, all shooting towards Li Mu, launching a counterattack.
The Profound Ice Realm's protective Formation, though greatly weakened by the Realm Master's demise, still instinctively resisted external enemies.
"A protective Formation? How interesting." Li Mu's lips curved slightly, revealing a playful smile.
The next moment, Li Mu pressed his palm against the altar's base. Chaos Qi instantly spread, covering the entire altar. Gray airflow, like a tide, swept over the glaciers. The lightning ice thorns, upon contact with the Chaos Qi, instantly turned into harmless water vapor.
The Origin of the Profound Ice Realm slowly ascended under the guidance of the Chaos Qi. The lightning within the ice crystal gradually dimmed, revealing a wisp of the Great Dao Origin's true meaning condensed within it. This true meaning was half the extreme cold of Profound Ice and half the ferocity of lightning. This wisp of Great Dao Origin power was what Li Mu truly needed.
Just like the Origin power of the Yin Dao within the Yin Realm's Origin power was rare nourishment for the Chaotic Great Dao, the Profound Ice Lightning Origin before him was also like this.
"The balance of two extreme powers means it has already taken that step."
Li Mu flicked his finger. Fine cracks appeared on the core's surface, and the Origin's true meaning transformed into two streams of light: one ice-blue like a mirror, and one silver-purple like a snake, coiling and merging into his Sea of Consciousness.
The branches and leaves of the Chaotic Dao Tree gently swayed. The ice-blue stream of light merged into the left branch, and crystalline ice patterns instantly condensed on the branch. The silver-purple stream of light coiled around the right branch, and subtle lightning patterns appeared on the branch.
The two patterns, separated by the tree trunk, were distinct yet subtly resonated, causing the Dao Tree to emit an aura that was both chilling and violent.
Just as the thunder core was about to be completely devoured by the Chaotic Dao Tree, a sound of breaking air came from afar.
The Sky Yin Realm Master and the Dead Spirit Realm Master arrived. Seeing the thunder core floating in Li Mu's palm, both stopped simultaneously, their expressions solemn.
"Your Excellency is the expert who killed the Yin Realm King?"
The Sky Yin Realm Master gripped the Blood Soul Banner tightly, the blood-colored light on its surface flowing rapidly due to his vigilance.
"The Profound Ice Realm's Origin is the property of our allied forces. Please return it, Your Excellency. You may take the Yin Realm's Origin."
Li Mu looked up. The Sky Yin Realm Master's Blood Soul Banner was stained with blood, and the Dead Spirit Realm Master's ancient bronze coffin was covered in cracks, clearly having sustained new injuries during the pursuit of the Yin Realm King. Moreover, both their auras were chaotic, indicating they were at the end of their strength.
"Allied forces?" Li Mu chuckled. At this moment, the lightning on the core's surface completely extinguished, and the Great Dao Origin within it was completely devoured.
"The Profound Ice Realm Master is dead, and the realm's Origin power is ownerless. Besides, given your current state, I fear you cannot protect it."
The Dead Spirit Realm Master snorted. The lid of the ancient bronze coffin slowly opened, and a chilling Nether Qi assailed them: "Though Your Excellency could kill the Yin Realm King, that was a heavily injured and dying Yin Realm King. Now, you may not be able to defeat the two of us combined."
Both the Sky Yin Realm Master and the Dead Spirit Realm Master knew the importance of the Profound Ice Realm's Origin. They only needed to find a strong enough person to once again assimilate the Origin, and another top-tier Realm Master could be created. If it were taken away, then everything would be in vain.
"Is that so?" Li Mu's figure flickered, instantly appearing before the two. A Chaos great axe appeared in his hand at some unknown point, its blade's dark light surging. A chaotic arc of light swept across the ground, splitting a bottomless gully in the ice beneath their feet. The Yin Qi and Death Qi were annihilated the moment they touched the arc.
The Sky Yin Realm Master and the Dead Spirit Realm Master both retreated simultaneously, horror flashing in their eyes. They could feel that the power contained within this arc of light was even more bizarre than the Yin Realm King's Black Sea Barrier, capable of simultaneously restraining their blood-fiend and Nether powers. And it was an absolute suppression.
"Who exactly is Your Excellency? Why interfere in the affairs of the Yin Realm Starfield?" The Sky Yin Realm Master asked in a deep voice. The remnant souls on the Blood Soul Banner let out shrill roars, but dared not act rashly again. That single axe strike had left both of them deeply wary.
That axe strike was enough to prove that Li Mu was an opponent no weaker than the Yin Realm King. With their eight people, fully prepared, two had still died, one realm had self-destructed, and all six remaining were injured, barely managing to heavily wound the Yin Realm King.
If there were another enemy of the same rank, even if all six of them died, they probably wouldn't be able to take down the opponent.
Li Mu did not answer, merely placing the Profound Ice Realm's Origin into the Chaos Treasure Mansion.
The moment the Origin entered the Mansion, the Chaotic Dao Tree within violently shook. Ice patterns and lightning patterns lit up simultaneously, and the tree trunk actually thickened by a circle. Within the Chaos Qi permeating its branches and leaves, there was an added hint of both icy coldness and violent charm.
"Farewell."
Li Mu turned to leave.
But he was stopped by the Sky Yin Realm Master's shout: "Your Excellency has taken the Profound Ice Origin, are you not afraid of the entire Yin Realm Starfield uniting to hunt you down?"
Li Mu's steps paused slightly. He looked back at the two, the pressure of his Chaotic Dao Domain subtly spreading: "Then you are welcome to try!"
Li Mu's gaze swept over the Sky Yin Realm Master and the Dead Spirit Realm Master. The pressure of the Chaotic Dao Domain pressed down like an invisible mountain, turning their faces pale. The Sky Yin Realm Master's Blood Soul Banner trembled violently, the blood-colored light on its surface forced to retract into the banner. The Dead Spirit Realm Master's ancient bronze coffin also emitted a buzzing sound, unable to bear the strain.
"The entire Yin Realm Starfield?" Li Mu's lips curved into a cold arc: "The Yin Realm King is dead, his subordinates are in disarray, the Tian Yan World Lord self-destructed, and the Profound Ice Realm Master is dead. At most, only six of you top-tier Realm Masters remain. Are you perhaps still hoping for others?"
Before his voice faded, his figure had already left an afterimage in place. The airflow stirred by the Chaos Qi dispersed the pervasive ice mist, leaving only the Sky Yin Realm Master and the Dead Spirit Realm Master frozen before the altar, their faces alternating between green and pale.
"Should we pursue?" The Dead Spirit Realm Master's voice was hoarse, and the lid of the ancient bronze coffin slowly closed: "This person's strength is unfathomable, probably not beneath the Yin Realm King."
The Sky Yin Realm Master gripped the Blood Soul Banner tightly, his knuckles white from the effort: "We can't catch him. This person has the aura of the Spatial Great Dao on him and used some cross-domain teleportation method when he left, which is beyond our reach."
He looked in the direction where Li Mu disappeared, a hint of dread flashing in his eyes, "The urgent matter is to stabilize the order of the Yin Realm Starfield, otherwise, the situation we fought so hard for will be in vain."
The Dead Spirit Realm Master nodded: "Although the Yin Realm King is dead, the Foundation of the Yin Realm Starfield remains. We need to elect a new leader, otherwise, we will sooner or later become vassals of other King Realms."
The two reached a consensus and turned to leave. The Profound Ice Realm, having lost its Origin power, was equivalent to a drop in rank. Now, it couldn't even be considered a low-level realm. The Profound Ice Realm Master was also dead, so the Profound Ice Realm was of no use to them. They naturally wouldn't waste any more time.
After obtaining the Profound Ice Realm's Origin power, Li Mu turned his gaze to the Treasure Trove left behind by the Yin Realm King. According to the star map the Yin Realm King handed over before his death, the Yin Realm King's richest Treasure Trove was hidden in a secret Star Domain within the Dead Silence Star Sea. There, the Yin Realm King had accumulated resources over ten thousand years, including three fragments of nine-rank divine object, and a considerable amount of Origin crystals.
These Origin crystals were all the Origin of the realms in the Yin Realm Starfield that had been destroyed or disappeared since the Yin Realm King's succession.
"These collections are truly abundant."
The Yin Realm King's token in Li Mu's hand flickered, and a passage appeared out of thin air. Within the passage, light and shadow distorted, and countless spatial nodes rapidly swept past under the guidance of star tracks. In less than a quarter of an hour, he had appeared at the edge of the Dead Silence Star Sea.
The stars in this Star Domain had long since extinguished, leaving only pitch-black stellar remains floating in the Void Realm. The air was filled with a suffocating Death Qi. Such a place was an absolute Forbidden Land for others.
Following the guidance of the star map, Li Mu found the entrance within the remains of a long-cooled realm. The entrance was sealed by Yin evil power, a Void Realm rift.
"He certainly knows how to pick a place."
Li Mu raised his hand and pressed it on the Seal. Chaos Qi pierced in like an awl. The Yin evil power melted like ice and snow the moment it touched the Chaos Qi. Within the rift was a huge underground palace. The palace's beams were made of solidified Black Sea Origin, and the walls were inlaid with countless glowing realm crystals, illuminating the entire palace as if it were daytime.
On the stone platform in the center of the palace, three broken divine object fragments floated in mid-air, each emitting the aura of earth, life, and time respectively.
Below the fragments, mountain-like piles of Origin crystals shimmered with various colors, including even a few core fragments from high-level realms.
"A good harvest." Li Mu reached out, and the three divine object fragments transformed into streams of light, flying into his palm. The fragments felt warm in his hand. Though incomplete, they contained pure Origin power.
The three divine object fragments trembled slightly in Li Mu's palm.
【Great Earth Core】
【Rank: nine-rank divine object (fragment)】
【Attributes: Suppresses mountains and stabilizes soil, connects to the Nine Netherworlds, possesses rock bones and an icy heart, imperishable through myriad eons】
【Great Earth Core, a remnant of a nine-rank divine object, a core fragment originating from a boundary-stabilizing divine mountain of primordial Grandmist. The fragment Seals the profound true meaning of earth's condensation, capable of suppressing realm tremors, stabilizing the Foundation of earth veins, and even if the starry sky collapses, this fragment can support a pure land.】
【Sprout of Life】
【Rank: nine-rank divine object (fragment)】
【Attributes: Cycle of prosperity and decay, sprout breaks through Grandmist, spirit nurtures myriad beings, endless life】
【Sprout of Life, a remnant of a nine-rank divine object, a fragment peeled from the World Tree. The fragment contains the true meaning of "myriad things' birth and death." Touching it can awaken dormant vitality, and even in dead stellar remains, it can cultivate towering ancient forests.】
【Dust of Time】
【Rank: nine-rank divine object (fragment)】
【Attributes: Light flows backward, shadows reflect three lives, an instant is ten thousand ages, realm locks time】
【Dust of Time, a remnant of a nine-rank divine object, a particle of Origin crystal settled from the bottom of the River of Time. The fragment Seals the true meaning of "time's flow," capable of briefly solidifying local spacetime, and even at the moment of a realm's collapse, one can glimpse a ray of hope from it.】
The fragment of the Great Earth Core glowed with a heavy earthy yellow luster, its surface covered in cracked patterns, faintly showing mountain range phantoms. The Sprout of Life, possessing rich vitality, flowed with emerald green light, and tiny tender sprouts actually grew from its edges. The Dust of Time was the most peculiar, appearing a grayish-hazy color, somewhat similar to Chaos Qi. Inside, past afterimages occasionally flickered, and future fragments sometimes flashed.
"Great Earth Core, Sprout of Life, Dust of Time." Li Mu's fingertips circulated Chaos Qi, and the repulsive force on the surface of the three fragments gradually dissipated: "Although incomplete, they are rare."
He sent the fragments into the Chaos Treasure Mansion. The moment the fragments touched the Chaotic Dao Tree, they were tightly entwined by its roots. Three corresponding patterns instantly appeared on the main trunk of the Dao Tree: the earth pattern made the trunk even more stable, the life pattern spurred new branches and leaves, and the time pattern caused some leaves to turn a grayish-hazy color, as if they could reflect all ages.
After dealing with the divine object fragments, Li Mu's gaze fell on the mountain-like piles of Origin crystals. These crystals came from different realms; some contained fire Origin, some flowed with water Dao rhyme, and others emitted spatial fluctuations. Each one had once been part of a realm's core.
These were all realms that once existed in the Yin Realm Starfield, which were ultimately annihilated for various reasons, and their Origin power was collected by the Yin Realm King and placed here.
This was also why the Yin Realm Starfield had always been at the bottom among the nine Star Domains. After the realms in other Star Domains were annihilated, their realm Origin would be given to other realms, allowing for further advancement. However, all the Origin crystals in the Yin Realm Starfield were embezzled by the Yin Realm King, so the Star Domain's development was naturally slow.
"So much Origin, but unfortunately, not many of them contain Great Dao Origin." With a wave of Li Mu's hand, all crystals containing Great Dao Origin transformed into streams of light and flew into the Treasure Mansion. The Dao Tree's roots entwined around them hungrily. The crystals, upon contact with the roots, instantly transformed into pure energy, which the Dao Tree frantically absorbed.
As the energy poured in, the Chaotic Dao Tree's height surged, and the spread of its branches and leaves nearly doubled. The Chaos Qi at the top of the tree condensed into a grayish-hazy flower bud, subtly showing signs of blooming.
As for the rest, they could be used as energy for the Lieyu Battleship. Next, conquering the Yin Realm Starfield, the Lieyu Battleship was an essential means for them. After fusing with the Night Shadow Realm's Origin power, the Lieyu Battleship had a huge improvement. If it absorbed so much more Origin power, plus the absorption from the Yin Realm and Profound Ice Realm, the power of the Lieyu Battleship would be unimaginable.
If classified by divine object level, the current Lieyu Battleship was at best a mid-tier nine-rank divine object, but after absorption, the Lieyu Battleship might be able to Breakthroug the scope of nine-rank divine object.
A smile played on Li Mu's lips. The Yin Realm Starfield was his first step in conquering the Three Thousand Worlds. After taking down the Yin Realm Starfield, he could then expand into other realms. (End of Chapter)
