This too was a Connate Spirit Treasure, and once activated, its destructive power became even more tyrannical. On the battlefield, it could cause devastating destruction. If unprepared, even an army of hundreds of thousands or over a million could have their bodies instantly pierced, frozen, and their flesh irreversibly crystallized. This was, without a doubt, one of the most terrifying ultimate weapons.
"Interesting… You actually managed to evade my control."
The Ice Queen's gaze flickered with a hint of surprise.
She had intended to suppress and seize the Heavenly Crystal Orb just like she did with the Ice Soul Immortal-Slaying Saber, but to her surprise, the icy essence within the orb was highly restrained, making it extremely difficult to control. In that very instant, dense Heavenly Crystal Needles were already right in front of her.
"Extinction Ice Soul Divine Light."
A voice rang coldly from the Ice Queen's lips.
Whoosh!
A blinding white divine light burst forth like lightning from the floating iceberg.
One beam!
Two beams!!
Three beams!!!
Countless beams of divine light shot out, each radiating an awe-inspiring chill.
Under these divine lights, even the void itself seemed frozen. Time itself seemed halted, and even space was locked in ice.
Such a divine technique—any one beam could freeze all life across vast lands. And now, hundreds to thousands of them burst forth simultaneously, painting the battlefield with their brilliance.
Wherever they passed, everything was frozen.
The entire battlefield was covered in ice.
Under the divine lights, the speed of those Heavenly Crystal Needles sharply decreased. However, the needles shimmered with crystalline brilliance, resisting complete freezing even under the Ice Soul Divine Light. As expected from an attack launched by a Connate Spirit Treasure—their destructive power was unparalleled, and their edge was terrifying.
"Interesting..."
The Ice Queen's interest in the Heavenly Crystal Orb grew stronger. If she could acquire it, it might greatly enhance her strength.
As the dense needles approached, a wild wind suddenly swept across the outer edge of the iceberg, carrying endless snow and ice. Countless Ice Blades spun and clashed with the needles. Many of the already-weakened and slowed Heavenly Crystal Needles were instantly shattered, their assault dismantled.
"Assemble!!"
With a loud command, the Ice Queen unleashed her will.
In that moment, the iceberg beneath her shone with divine light and shattered apart. Mysterious icy runes bloomed on every shard, embedding themselves into the floating ice pieces.
Centered on the Throne of Ice, the pieces quickly gathered, stacking atop one another. In an instant, a crystal-like palace took form. The Throne of Ice and the Snow Lotus Platform naturally merged into it.
On the palace, ancient characters appeared: Palace of Frost (寒冰殿)!!
Seated within, the Ice Queen now had a true domain. Surrounding the palace, blue rings of icy light shimmered. One blue star began orbiting the palace.
Then the second.
The third. The fourth…
In a blink, nine Frost Stars emerged, each inscribed with countless mystical ice runes. The power within them could be sensed—it was devastating.
"Strike!!"
As the stars spun, one suddenly shot toward the Ice Crystal Fortress, growing rapidly like a falling meteor.
Wherever it passed, the world froze, snow and wind howled, and in seconds, it grew to a third the size of the fortress.
It was like a comet slamming into Earth—an annihilating collision.
"You dare! A frontal assault? My Ice Crystal Fortress has never feared anyone!"
Xuan Bing, the FrostHawk General, let out a cold snort. The fortress surged forward, not dodging, but charging straight at the Frost Star.
BOOM!
A terrifying explosion resounded. Ripples of power spread visibly across the battlefield. Wherever they passed, Ice Crystal warriors were frozen in an instant. Even with their innate affinity for ice, they couldn't withstand the force.
This was no ordinary ice—it contained the power of Laws, and even Innate Ice Soul Power.
The violent collision knocked the Frost Star away. At the same time, the Ice Crystal Fortress staggered back, a layer of crystalline ice forming on its surface.
The strength of the Frost Star was truly terrifying.
Still, the star came back for another strike. The fortress met it head-on again.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
In mere moments, they clashed repeatedly, the battlefield left in utter ruin. The collisions created massive shockwaves, annihilating Ice Crystal warriors by the thousands.
Countless Ice Crystal Eggs fell across the battlefield…
Only to be mercilessly devoured and refined by the Iron-Blood Great Wall. With each breath, the wall expanded, brick by brick, pushing forward.
Though subtle, this expansion was real—each breath saw a ten-centimeter advance, multiplied across the entire front. The territory claimed was no small matter.
And this expansion didn't stop, so long as Ice Crystal Eggs kept falling.
Before anyone realized it, the battlefield had already become part of the Great Yi Dynasty's territory—a truly shocking sight.
It was a war of growth—evolving amid battle.
BOOM!!
Just as the fighting reached its peak, a brilliant ice blossom bloomed in the sky above the Snow Continent, dazzling and mesmerizing.
In that instant, the Ice Crystal Fortress halted mid-air.
"That's the signal to retreat. His Majesty has ordered us to withdraw."
The High Priestess raised her eyes to the sky and spoke solemnly. That signal was unmistakable.
Xuan Bing scanned the battlefield—he'd already noticed the Iron-Blood Great Wall creeping right beneath their feet. The battlefield was no longer theirs. Their army had suffered heavy losses—not just from Green Emperor's songs, but from the sharpshooters atop the wall, and from the shockwaves between the fortress and the Ice Queen.
This battle had cost them dearly—over ten million Ice Crystal warriors had perished.
Worse, their bodies had turned into Ice Crystal Eggs, all absorbed by the Iron-Blood Great Wall, leaving nothing behind. They couldn't be reborn. Death was absolute.
The Ice Crystal Race's strategy of fighting to nurture new life had failed completely. This was permanent attrition.
"Retreat!!"
Xuan Bing inhaled deeply. Though unwilling, he had no choice but to pull back.
With the command, Ice Crystal soldiers withdrew like a tidal wave. But they didn't retreat far—they set up camp just ten kilometers away, sending out scouts to monitor every movement of the Iron-Blood Great Wall.
"Your Majesty, this warblade is quite decent. I'll leave it with you."
The Ice Queen looked at Yi Tianxing and with a wave, the Ice Soul Immortal-Slaying Saber appeared before him.
Yi Tianxing accepted it without hesitation. This was a Connate Spirit Treasure, and would enrich the Great Yi Dynasty's foundation, even possibly attracting top-tier talents to join them.
Compared to the other alien races, Great Yi's heritage was still shallow. The Ice Crystal Race had pulled out two or three Connate Spirit Treasures back-to-back—something the entire Great Yi Dynasty couldn't do yet.
This sword helped close that gap.
"Good. Once we've taken Snow Continent, it will be your domain."
Yi Tianxing nodded solemnly.
With this place as her divine domain, she would gain tremendous benefits. Her power could increase multiple times, even by more than tenfold.
It would be like a divine realm of her own.
That was also why she had agreed to be enshrined as a deity earlier.
Hearing this, the Ice Queen didn't hesitate. Her figure faded into the void, vanishing into thin air. Of course, anyone who thought she was gone for good would be sorely mistaken.
"The Ice Crystal Race is formidable. That fortress could fight the Ice Queen to a draw—it's no ordinary war fortress. I fear it still hides other secrets."
Zhuge Liang sighed.
There are always uncertainties in war. The Iron-Blood Barrier was considered indestructible, yet it was breached by the Immortal-Slaying Saber, killing thousands of elite soldiers. A lesson written in blood.
"There are no wars without death. As long as the Iron-Blood Great Wall keeps advancing and isn't destroyed, the Ice Crystal Race will retreat, whether they want to or not. This is open warfare—a contest of momentum. And momentum cannot be stopped."
Zhou Yu spoke firmly.
"They retreated this time… The next wave will definitely be fiercer."
Wu Yong added darkly.