The Ice Crystal Race had very peculiar eyes. Their visual acuity was extraordinary, and most concealment or stealth techniques were completely ineffective against them. In their gaze, everything was laid bare and clear. If they wished, they could even zoom in on tiny details that others could not see. This was undoubtedly one of their most unique and terrifying abilities.
However, they had one fatal weakness—they could not look at the sun.
Gazing upon the sun meant instant blindness.
From birth, Ice Crystal beings instinctively knew never to look directly at the sun. At the sight of it, they would lower their heads or hide indoors, rarely venturing outside except in snowy, overcast weather. Naturally, this weakness was deeply hidden, and unless one was extremely cautious, it would remain undiscovered.
It was only due to the Qingshan Immortal Sect capturing a group of Ice Crystal warriors and performing soul-searching techniques that this vulnerability came to light. They had even forced some Ice Crystal captives to open their eyes under direct sunlight.
Without exception, the moment they looked into the sun, Solar True Fire erupted from their eyes, incinerating them into ashes.
This was the Ice Crystal Race's greatest weakness.
Still, even knowing this didn't guarantee victory. After all, no Ice Crystal warrior would be foolish enough to look at the sun during battle. They were well aware of the consequences—it would be a suicidal act.
Even so, strategist Jia Xu was overjoyed. His primary goal was to pull the Qingshan Immortal Sect into an alliance with Great Yi, creating an internal foothold when the day came to invade the Ice Crystal Imperial Court. Coordinated attacks from both outside and within would ease the path for Great Yi's conquest of Xuezhou, allowing them to firmly plant their foundation.
Now that they had learned of the Ice Crystal Race's secret weakness, it was an unexpected boon.
Solar True Fire (太阳真火)
A blindingly destructive solar energy that ignites the eyes of Ice Crystal beings upon exposure. Used here as a biological counter-weakness.
"Excellent! I would have never guessed the Ice Crystal Race had such a weakness," Jia Xu exclaimed joyfully. "Had the sect master not revealed this, Great Yi would have taken far longer to discover it. With this foreknowledge, we can now plan our strategies accordingly."
He added with sincerity, "Sect Master, your contribution is a great merit to Great Yi. Once I report this to His Majesty, I shall personally request a reward for the Qingshan Immortal Sect. I'm certain the Emperor will be pleased and generous."
His tone had changed entirely, now filled with genuine respect toward Qingyunzi. After all, "a thousand gold to buy a fine steed's bones"—rewarding early loyalty was essential to set a precedent for future allies. As the first immortal sect to align with Great Yi, how they were treated would determine how other sects approached the imperial court.
"Since we are all humans, it's only natural for my Qingshan Sect to wish for our race's empire to grow stronger. Against foreign invaders, we should stand together," Qingyunzi said with a warm smile, inwardly pleased. This was undoubtedly a promising start to their alliance.
DONG! DONG! DONG!
Just then, atop Qingsong Peak, a green bell suspended in the sky rang loudly. Its toll echoed sharply across the air—nine urgent peals in total.
Each ring sent invisible ripples of pressure sweeping across the sect.
"The Southern Bell has rung—nine times! That's the highest alert level—external enemies are invading the Qingshan Mountains!" Qingyunzi and Fairy Miaoyue looked up in shock.
This bell was a mother-child alarm formation. The mother bell was in the sect's main peak, while child bells were held by disciples stationed on the borders. If they detected enemies, they could activate their bell to notify the entire sect.
Nine rings meant invasion and imminent danger.
"If I'm not mistaken," Jia Xu said calmly, "the Ice Crystal Race must be launching their attack now. When we arrived earlier, I already noticed Ice Crystal warriors gathering in the surroundings, fully armed and exuding killing intent. This was no coincidence."
Their intent was clear—they aimed to wipe the Qingshan Sect off the map to solidify their dominance in Xuezhou.
"They dare?! The Ice Crystal Race actually dares try to destroy my Qingshan Sect!" Qingyunzi's expression turned frosty with rage. He turned toward Jia Xu and said, "Honored guests, would you care to accompany me to the main peak? You might enjoy the performance—we are not so easy to crush!"
Jia Xu chuckled. "How could I refuse such an invitation? I'd be delighted to see more of the sect's splendor."
With a wave of Qingyunzi's sleeve, a cloud of auspicious light appeared beneath them and lifted the guests into the sky, swiftly bringing them to Qingsong Peak without triggering the sect's barriers.
Floating above the peak, all the sect's peak lords stood solemnly in the air.
"Reporting, Sect Master!" said Ling Jianzi, "the Southern Bell was rung. Our border disciples have confirmed that the Ice Crystal army has amassed at the periphery. Their numbers have reached tens of millions, with even more troops flooding in behind them."
"Activate the Water-Moon Mirror!" Qingyunzi ordered.
With a wave of his horsetail whisk, ripples of light appeared in the air, manifesting a crystalline treasure mirror. It shone brightly, projecting scenes of the surrounding areas. Through it, they saw legions of Ice Crystal warriors wielding weapons, surrounding the mountains. Ice and snow filled the skies; frost crept over the ground.
Treasure – Water-Moon Mirror (水月宝镜)
An innate spiritual treasure with surveillance capabilities, capable of projecting real-time images from a wide radius. It has no offensive ability but is critical for early warnings and battlefield awareness.
"They're a mess. Completely disorganized," Jia Xu observed, shaking his head. "In military terms, they're rabble. No formation discipline, no marching order. Any trained army would laugh at this."
"They don't need training," Fairy Miaoyue replied gravely. "Upon reaching maturity, every Ice Crystal warrior is a born killer. They rely on overwhelming numbers to crush their foes. Even the most perfect battle formations are torn apart by their sheer force. Their philosophy is simple—crush everything with brute strength. Unless their enemy is strong enough to defy numbers, they'll be drowned."
Tactic – Human Wave Assault (人海战术)
The Ice Crystal Race's core strategy. Relentless waves of warriors charge without fear of death, overwhelming opponents through quantity.
"They also possess a terrifying battle formation known as the Ice Crystal War Body (冰晶战体)," said Black Dragon Daoist, his tone grim. "They can fuse into a massive Ice Crystal War God, greatly amplifying their power—tenfold, even more. They don't need rituals or special techniques. Their bloodline is the medium."
This was what made the Ice Crystal Race truly dangerous. In any battlefield, they could instantly merge into overwhelming juggernauts.
"Now that the Ice Crystal Race has struck, I wonder how your sect plans to respond?" Jia Xu asked. "There are tens of millions of civilians in these mountains. If your defenses falter, they'll be slaughtered like lambs."
"They won't take us down so easily!" Qingyunzi declared. "Fellow elders, the time has come. I propose we activate the Five Peaks Qingshan Formation."
"Agreed!"
"Seconded!"
"Approved!"
The peak lords responded unanimously.
In a situation this dire, there was no hesitation. To protect the millions of civilians, activating the grand formation was the only choice.
"Seniors, I ask you to proceed to the formation nodes and activate the array," Qingyunzi ordered.
With no delay, the peak lords transformed into streaks of light, racing toward their designated positions.
All across the Qingshan Mountains, cultivators gathered atop key peaks.
The great defense was about to begin.