The Frozen Seal Art was a cultivation technique created by Xuanxiao during his 19 years of imprisonment. Its primary function was to suppress the yang energy produced by the Yihe Sword within him. Beyond this, it was also a method to strengthen one's foundation and nurture vitality, which was one of the reasons Xuanxiao chose to teach it to Yun Tianhe.
Though Xuanxiao had deceived Yun Tianhe, he truly bore no ill intent toward him. Not only did Yun Tianhe genuinely regard Xuanxiao as an elder brother, undertaking the arduous task of finding the Three Cold Artifacts for his sake, but Yun Tianhe was also the son of Xuanxiao's beloved Shuyue. Because of this, Xuanxiao could never harm him.
Xuanxiao's ultimate goal—to ascend the entire Qionghua Sect to immortality—was his lifelong obsession. It was a dream he had pursued since joining the sect. Were it not for this unshakable resolve, Yun Tianhe might have genuinely persuaded him to change his ways. In the original story, Xuanxiao extended multiple invitations for Yun Tianhe to join their cause and ascend together. He even entrusted Yun Tianhe with the Water Spirit Orb.
For Daniel, the Frozen Seal Art presented an interesting opportunity. Since they had arrived at the Flame Emperor's Shennong Cave, Daniel saw the perfect moment to request it. With Yun Tianhe, there was no need for pretense or subtlety, and Daniel even provided a reasonable excuse.
"Big Brother didn't say it couldn't be taught to others. Besides, he explicitly mentioned Lingsha could learn it," Yun Tianhe said casually as he began explaining the heart of the technique.
"You all should try cultivating it together. It'll help us combat the heat in this place," Daniel suggested.
Murong Ziying initially hesitated to voice his doubts but eventually acquiesced. He reasoned that Yun Tianhe's close relationship with Xuanxiao gave legitimacy to this matter. Silently, Murong Ziying memorized the technique and began practicing it. Liu Mengli, too, followed suit, while Han Lingsha frowned slightly, clearly not thrilled by the idea.
"Truly worthy of being a technique created by Shishu—it even has the effect of fortifying one's foundation and nurturing vitality," Murong Ziying remarked after practicing it for a while.
The Frozen Seal Art had the ability to strengthen one's core and increase one's spiritual energy reserves—a rare and valuable attribute in a cultivation technique.
"This is an ice-based technique, so be cautious when practicing it. Avoid impatience, and focus on stability. Otherwise, if you lose control and cold energy invades your body, it'll cause serious harm," Daniel warned.
Even cold-element martial arts could pose risks, let alone a cold-element cultivation technique. He thought of Lianxin, the daughter of the Changping Lord, whose frail condition stemmed from her mother's exposure to cold-element energy before her birth.
It became clearer why Xuanxiao was so surprised when he learned Yun Tianhe was unaffected by cold energy. For someone like Yun Tianhe, possessing such a rare constitution, it was a true stroke of fortune.
"Lingsha, how are you feeling?" Liu Mengli, having stabilized her own condition with the Frozen Seal Art, turned to check on Han Lingsha with concern.
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Strangely, this time the heat doesn't feel as unbearable," Han Lingsha replied, her expression tinged with confusion. If she had felt this way during her first visit to the Shennong Cave, she might have ventured deeper back then.
"Could her constitution have been altered? Is this why Yun Tianhe and Han Lingsha had no descendants?" Daniel wondered.
In the original game, there was speculation about whether the unnamed grave next to Han Lingsha's belonged to their child. Daniel, however, believed it was more likely Yun Tianhe's own future resting place. Yun Tianhe, unaware of the implications of the Candle Dragon's "joke," likely built it for himself out of habit or sentimentality.
"Let's move forward," Murong Ziying suggested after noticing everyone had stabilized their conditions with the technique.
"Alright. But in such a fiery cave, can there really be a Cold Artifact?" Han Lingsha mused aloud as they advanced.
"Given that Qingyang and Chongguang both confirmed this location, it should be correct," Murong Ziying replied, though his tone betrayed a hint of uncertainty.
The interior of the Shennong Cave was not only unbearably hot but also teeming with fire-elemental monsters. Their strength was modest, and Daniel dealt with them using his sword techniques, sparing the others from fighting. However, as he continued, he noticed something peculiar: the monsters within the cave seemed less intelligent than those outside.
"Lady Nüwa survived; there's no reason to assume Shennong is truly gone. Could he have joined the beast clans that fled to the Demon Realm back then?" Daniel speculated.
For beings like Fuxi, Shennong, and Nüwa, complete annihilation was nearly impossible. Whether Shennong still existed was uncertain, but Nüwa's survival was well-documented—she had appeared in various key moments across the Sword and Fairy timeline, such as during Li Xiaoyao's adventures and Li Yiru's encounter with Master Qianye.
By comparison, Shennong's presence had faded, except for a brief mention in Nine Springs. If he had indeed retreated to the Demon Realm with his creations, it would explain the lack of stories about him.
The group pressed on, navigating the cave's labyrinthine paths. Despite the extreme heat, the terrain seemed repetitive, with little variation in their surroundings. Seeing the fatigue setting in on Han Lingsha and Liu Mengli's faces, Daniel spoke up.
"It looks like exploring the entire Shennong Cave in one go is impossible. Perhaps we should retreat and return tomorrow," Daniel suggested.
The Shennong Cave was vast, with winding, treacherous paths akin to a maze. Coupled with the exposed magma and scorching air, even sword immortals found it challenging to endure for long periods. While Daniel, Murong Ziying, and Yun Tianhe could continue, Han Lingsha and Liu Mengli were clearly reaching their limits.
"We can still hold on," Han Lingsha insisted, wiping sweat from her face. Liu Mengli nodded in agreement, determined to press forward.
"There's no need to rush. Finding the Three Cold Artifacts is a time-consuming task—we're not obligated to finish it today," Murong Ziying said, ultimately deciding to lead them back outside.
The retrieval of the Light Chronicle Cold Diagram had been fortunate, as it had coincidentally been in Xia Yuancheng's possession. Without his assistance, locating it would have taken much longer.
The next artifact, the Soloro Fruit, was another matter. It was conceivable that other Qionghua Sect disciples might have had a chance to retrieve it. But the third and final artifact, the Kun Scales, was an entirely different story. Without Yun Tianhe and Daniel's group, its acquisition would have been nearly impossible.
The Kun Scales were located in the domain of the beast people. Given the typical attitude of Qionghua Sect disciples toward non-human entities, any encounter with the beast people would likely escalate into violence. The resulting conflict would lead to heavy casualties for the Qionghua Sect.
The next day, the group re-entered the Shennong Cave for their fourth attempt. This time, Han Lingsha spotted something unusual.
"There's someone lying over there!" she called out.
Approaching the figure, they found a young woman dressed in green. Daniel immediately recognized her as one of the two sisters involved in this area's subplot.
"So it's the younger sister... the one who deceived and hurt her elder sister," Daniel thought grimly.
This was Chu Bihen, who, obsessed with becoming an immortal, had ignored her elder sister Chu Hanjing's warnings. She had even accused her sister of jealousy and malice, disregarding her concern.
While Han Lingsha and Liu Mengli tended to Chu Bihen, offering her water and treating her wounds, Daniel stepped away.
"The heavens may forgive natural disasters, but self-inflicted suffering is another matter," he thought. While Daniel had little sympathy for Chu Bihen, he felt regret for her elder sister, Chu Hanjing, whose sacrifices went unrewarded.
"Still, I wonder how these sisters would react if they met in the Ghost Realm," Daniel mused. However, he quickly dismissed the thought. These sisters' fates were not simple deaths—they had suffered soul annihilation, leaving no chance for reunion.
To their surprise, Chu Bihen revealed that she knew the location of the Soloro Fruit, causing a wave of excitement among the group.
"That's wonderful news! We've been searching for it to save someone!" Han Lingsha exclaimed.
"I'll take you to the Soloro Fruit, but you must help me retrieve an item I need from here," Chu Bihen replied.
After reaching an agreement, the group escorted Chu Bihen back to the Moonlit Abyss, a hidden icy sanctuary within the scorching Shennong Cave. The stark contrast between the two environments left Han Lingsha and Murong Ziying in awe.
Inside the Moonlit Abyss, Chu Bihen found her elder sister, Chu Hanjing. After some heated arguments, Chu Hanjing reluctantly revealed the location of the Blazing Flame Stone, which her younger sister sought.
"That's the Blazing Flame Stone," Chu Bihen declared excitedly, pointing to a fiery red rock atop a high pedestal.
Han Lingsha attempted to retrieve it but quickly recoiled. "It's scalding hot!" she exclaimed, nursing her singed fingers.
"Tianhe, you try," Daniel suggested.
Yun Tianhe nodded and stepped forward. With his natural resistance to heat, he effortlessly retrieved the Blazing Flame Stone. However, as soon as he did, the ground began to tremble violently.
"Watch out! There's killing intent!" Yun Tianhe shouted.
Moments later, a towering, five-meter-tall fiery beast crashed down before them, its entire body radiating molten heat.
"I am the Lava Beast King! Who dares disturb the Blazing Flame Stone?" the creature roared.
Liu Mengli stepped forward, her voice gentle but firm. "We seek the Blazing Flame Stone only to save a life. Can you find it in your heart to let us take it?"
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