"But... how do we get in?"
Dugu Yan expressed skepticism toward Ning Rongrong's suggestion.
The behavior of the soul beasts in this area was strange. Groups of ten-thousand-year soul beasts mingled with thousand-year soul beasts, and different species of thousand-year soul beasts played together without the bloodthirsty aura they had encountered in other regions of the Extreme North these past few days.
After all, soul beasts with low intelligence often killed each other, even within the same species, let alone different ones.
"Come, follow me." Ning Rongrong didn't explain. Instead, she grabbed Dugu Yan's hand and slowly flew down from the mountain ridge, their feet gently touching the ground.
Even within a hundred meters of them, two ten-thousand-year soul beasts were playfully wrestling, completely ignoring Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan.
"How did you—"
"Shh—" Ning Rongrong placed a finger to her lips and shook her head lightly. Without Kurumi's enhancement, she couldn't fully manipulate all five senses right now.
Most of the time, she relied on tricks to achieve seemingly impossible feats.
At the moment, she could only distort their vision and smell.
Since both of them could conceal their presence, they flew cautiously and slowly.
Within this area spanning over ten square kilometers, there were dozens of ten-thousand-year soul beasts. If they were to riot, she and Dugu Yan wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps between their teeth.
Ning Rongrong and Dugu Yan arrived at the edge of a massive mountain fissure and peered down.
Dugu Yan stared into the pitch-black abyss below and gulped.
Glancing at the soul beasts gathered in the distance, too afraid to approach the fissure, her eyelids twitched. "Are we really going down there?"
"What if we accidentally become a tragic love story—no, I mean, doesn't it feel like this is going to be really dangerous?" Dugu Yan quickly corrected herself.
"True. Those soul beasts clearly like this place but refuse to approach the fissure, almost as if they're terrified of it."
Since they were far enough from the soul beast gathering and Ning Rongrong had set up a soundproof barrier, there was no risk of being detected—especially since she had already released her spirit.
"Could there be a Snow Empress or Ice Empress down there?" Dugu Yan's eye twitched.
Going out with someone from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan required nerves of steel.
Running into Title Douluo-level beings was a regular occurrence. If they weren't at least Rank 95, they'd be too embarrassed to stroll around with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
"I know where the Snow Empress is, and it's not here. As for the Ice Empress..."
"Well, she's kind of close, but we won't run into her. She's usually inseparable from the Snow Empress."
"Uh, are you saying those two soul beasts are... that kind of close?"
"Who knows?" Ning Rongrong shrugged.
Where did Dugu Yan pick up these weird terms?
"Should we release the Dark Devilgod Tiger?" Dugu Yan asked worriedly.
"No." Ning Rongrong shook her head. "Unless absolutely necessary, I won't let that thing out. That's just asking for trouble."
"Last time, when we teleported to the Extreme North, if the Snow Empress hadn't intervened and the Ice Empress hadn't shown up, Kurumi might've slaughtered the Ice Jade Scorpion Tribe under the Ice Empress's rule just to replenish her energy."
Though no soul beasts actually died at the time, who knew what could happen later? This place was also dangerously close to the Ice Empress's palace.
If they let Kurumi out now, the Ice Empress's sharp senses might detect something, and then they'd have to deal with her showing up. How were they supposed to search for Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow then?
"Yan-Yan, hold me from behind," Ning Rongrong said.
"Huh? Wha—?"
"Hurry up!" Ning Rongrong explained, "If we fly like before, I might not be able to keep track of you if something unexpected happens."
"O-okay." Dugu Yan wrapped her arms around Ning Rongrong from behind and squeezed tightly.
"Hey! I can't breathe, Yan-Yan..." Ning Rongrong's face darkened. "Just let my zhenqi flow over your entire body. That's enough."
Seriously, does she not realize how big her chest is?
What if I get a herniated disc from being crushed?
Though the chances of that are pretty low.
"Uh, got it." Dugu Yan loosened her grip slightly.
"Let's go..." A white light enveloped Dugu Yan and Ning Rongrong as they descended into the chasm.
After about ten minutes, Dugu Yan frowned. "It's so dark here. I can't see anything."
"I can see it. I never expected it to be like this." Ning Rongrong's pupils shimmered with an unusual glow, allowing her to see everything clearly despite the pitch-black surroundings.
"It's all Ten-Thousand-Year Ice. Something feels off."
Ten-Thousand-Year Ice referred to ice that had remained stable for millennia despite geological and environmental changes.
Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow, on the other hand, was a special substance formed when the chilling energy emitted by vast amounts of Ten-Thousand-Year Ice condensed over countless years and was refined by the essence of the sun and moon.
It was far more stable, colder, and more potent than regular ice, making it highly valuable for medicinal and other uses.
"Found it." Ning Rongrong's pupils contracted slightly.
A blue-white glow, appearing as little more than a speck of light from afar, was embedded in the icy wall.
Ning Rongrong accelerated downward, and soon, the full form of the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow came into view.
"Why is it round?" Ning Rongrong frowned.
According to ancient sect records, Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow was usually irregular and prismatic in structure. But this...
A glowing sphere the size of a basketball—was this really Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow? Faintly, the silhouette of a strange creature seemed to flicker within it.
The cold it emitted was bone-piercing.
"Something's wrong. Very, very wrong."
"What's the matter?" Dugu Yan also sensed the overwhelming chill radiating from the "basketball."
It was far colder than the frost poison she had been absorbing. Even she wouldn't be able to devour this "basketball" in a short time.
"Whatever. Opportunities like this don't come twice." Gritting her teeth, Ning Rongrong pressed her hand against the Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow.
Crack—
The basketball-sized Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow split open.
A palm-sized chunk of its essence broke off and landed in Ning Rongrong's hand.
She immediately stored it inside her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
"Oh no. I think I messed up big time." Ning Rongrong's brows furrowed.
"Wh-what's wrong?"
"This Cold Marrow seems to be part of some kind of seal." Ning Rongrong pondered. Why would something like this be in the Extreme North?
From what she had observed, a massive formation lay beneath the Extreme North, already missing a crucial component.
Logically, there should have been more Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Marrow serving as the formation's energy source.
But there wasn't. This basketball-sized piece was the last remaining fragment.
If even this was taken away, then...
"Oooh-hoo-hoo-hoo—"
A sound resembling a bird's cry—or perhaps a rooster's crow—echoed from the depths of the chasm. As it reverberated off the walls, it morphed into an eerie, moan-like noise when it reached the outside world.
"Hahahahahaha! Heaven has not abandoned me!"
"You vile Ice God, you sought to refine me into your formation, but it was nothing more than Kan illusion
"Hahahaha!" Manic laughter continued to rise from the darkness.
"From this day forth, I, the Ancient Ice Phoenix, Ji Taimei, shall return to this world!"
The silent chasm was engulfed by an overwhelming wave of cold. Above the Extreme North, a dazzling aurora painted the sky.
"What is that?" Qian Renxue and her group, who were negotiating with the royal family in Hagen City, stared in awe at the spectacular aurora illuminating the northern skies.