This new land had mountains and rivers, forests and beasts, even various races—including humans. Ferocious beasts and vicious birds roamed, and the number of living beings might not be any less than on other continents. Any lifeform capable of surviving in such an extreme environment had already begun adapting to it, reproducing, and thriving. Any species that endured such harshness had no choice but to evolve accordingly.
In such dire conditions, only the fiercest species survive—those with innate talent for battle. They must never be underestimated.
In such an environment, these natives naturally held the advantage of geography and climate.
In Chinese history, nomadic tribes of the northern plains were known for their archery and horsemanship. Despite the vast and resource-rich Central Plains, whenever the nomads invaded, the dynasties could only passively defend. They would repel the invaders, but rarely pursued deep into the plains. Why? Because the plains were ideal for cavalry warfare, a domain in which nomads excelled. Worse, it was easy to get lost in those vast lands. As a result, few dared to push deeply into enemy territory.
It was not for lack of courage, but simply an issue of environmental disadvantage.
This newly discovered land would pose the same dilemma. Any species that could thrive in such a harsh world would naturally be warlike and highly combative by nature.
"According to intelligence reports, the most dominant race on that land is known as the Icecrystal Race," Tong Huang reported swiftly. "Their bodies resemble crystal ice, with translucent crystalline forms. But they still have internal organs, blood vessels, and meridians. Their physical defenses are incredibly strong, rendering most magical attacks nearly ineffective. They're also quite large, typically between two to three meters tall. Their control over ice and snow comes not from external cultivation, but from their bloodline—it's an innate ability."
Clearly, this Icecrystal Race held all the natural advantages in such an environment.
"The most bizarre thing," Tong Huang continued gravely, "is their method of reproduction."
"Reproduction?" Yi Tianxing asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is there something unusual about it?"
Indeed, reproduction methods in the myriad races of the world could be wildly diverse, so it wasn't inherently surprising.
"They have two modes of reproduction," Tong Huang explained. "One is the conventional method through sexual union. The other is what they call splitting reproduction—a process where gender is irrelevant. As long as a single Icecrystal individual exists, it can split off a part of its body to produce new life."
"What exactly is splitting reproduction?" Lu Shi asked solemnly.
"An Icecrystal individual can separate a part of its body—say a hand, foot, or piece of flesh—then inject it with a unique spiritual essence. That fragment will then naturally evolve into a new soul, becoming a new member of the Icecrystal Race," Tong Huang said. "However, the process consumes part of their own soul and vitality. So, while they can theoretically split as much as they want, they usually limit themselves to a small portion at a time. Afterward, their bodies regenerate. Severed limbs grow back. The split soul also gradually heals."
Generally, an Icecrystal individual reaching two meters in height is considered an adult. The size of the split portion determines the starting size of the new individual. For instance, a finger-sized fragment would produce a small being about the size of a fist, which then grows over time.
In their frost-filled environment, growth is rapid. As long as the surrounding cold is rich and potent, a new Icecrystal being can grow to adulthood in just one or two years. They judge maturity entirely by height, making distinctions between child and adult crystal-clear.
Thus, a single Icecrystal individual could split off a dozen or more offspring at once. Given such a prolific method, it's easy to imagine how explosive their population can become.
Yi Tianxing realized it instantly, and so did Lu Shi and Gongshu Lin. In such an environment, with this form of reproduction and high combat prowess, strength was inevitable.
Their exact numbers, however, remained unclear.
"According to intelligence, the Icecrystal Race has already established their own fortune dynasty," Tong Huang went on. "However, most of their society is still tribal in nature, occupying separate regions. The most critical stronghold is their royal city—Heaven Crystal City (Tianjing City). It's built entirely from a unique kind of crystal said to be extremely strong and almost indestructible."
"In that land, all other races are basically enslaved by the Icecrystal Race," Tong Huang added. "Though there are still some forces daring to resist, the Icecrystal Court hasn't completely unified the continent. Their ruling system is still quite primitive, not much different from the early Beast King Court."
In essence, their rule is based purely on strength.
"Cao Zhengchun, ring the Jade Bell and summon all officials to the Chaotian Hall for council," Yi Tianxing ordered. Then, he reconsidered. "Wait. I'm supposed to be in seclusion right now. If I show up at court, the pretense will fall apart. I wasn't planning to hide it forever, but let's keep the veil up a bit longer. Personally send messengers instead—summon Elder Huang and the others to the Zhixing Hall."
He didn't want to make the Dragon emissaries, still waiting in the reception pavilion, lose face by suddenly appearing. Best to maintain appearances for now.
"As you command, Your Majesty!" Cao Zhengchun replied, vanishing instantly. His cultivation had advanced yet again.
Soon, imperial messengers fanned out, descending the Palace Tree to the residences of senior ministers. Those like Huang Chengyan resided in the fifth level of the Cloud Realm—the Qingyun Realm, home to the empire's elites and decorated widows. Living here was the highest of honors. It was said:
"Residing in Qingyun, one's family prospers; this is where power converges."
Other realms served different functions:
The second realm was the Military Soul Realm, housing military forces.
The third realm, Tianxin Realm, hosted key ministries like Tiande Hall, Heavenly Medical Hall, and Tiangong Pavilion.
The fourth realm, Zhuanlun Realm, was where the six ministries of governance operated.
The fifth realm, Qingyun Realm, was both a dream and a privilege for all.
Only a few could ever gain access to these inner sanctums.
Soon, Huang Chengyan and the others arrived at Zhixing Hall. Seeing Tong Huang and Lu Shi already present, their expressions sharpened—clearly, something major was about to unfold. Even Yang Ye and other generals from the Military Cabinet had arrived.
When all were assembled, Yi Tianxing gestured to Tong Huang.
"Please brief everyone on the situation," he said.
Tong Huang did not delay and relayed the details about the new continent and the Icecrystal Race.
The hall was deathly quiet as he spoke. No one interrupted.
But in the silence, sharp eyes glittered—especially among the Military Cabinet, whose expressions gleamed with excitement. A fierce battle spirit surged in the air.
"Now," Yi Tianxing said at last, "what do you all think of this new continent? It houses an alien fortune dynasty. We don't even know how many enemies we'll face once war breaks out. The Icecrystal Race—each adult is a born elite soldier."
Their exact strength remained uncertain, but the potential threat was clear.
"Your Majesty," Zhuge Liang spoke, gently waving his feather fan. "To win a hundred battles, one must first know the enemy. Our understanding of the Icecrystal Dynasty is too shallow. To rashly launch an invasion would be unwise. After all, we're talking about an entire fortune dynasty here. We must analyze them thoroughly, find their weaknesses, and then strike with precision."
That's what strategy was for.
"Indeed. I am willing to personally travel to this new continent and investigate the truth of the Tianjing Royal Court," said Jia Xu. "Besides, I don't believe the human race has been completely wiped out there. There must be some survivors."
This continent, rivaling Yizhou in size, was too valuable to ignore. For ministers, such opportunities were magnetic.
"Very well. You shall go," Yi Tianxing nodded. "Find Zhuge Zhengwo from the Six Doors Bureau to accompany you. With his abilities, he'll be a good support."
He himself couldn't act yet. Jia Xu was the best choice.
"Understood, Your Majesty," Jia Xu accepted with a smile.
"As for this new continent…" Yi Tianxing's gaze turned northward, his voice calm and decisive."We shall name it Xuezhou—Snow Continent."