No one believed the Ice Crystal Court would so easily abandon the battlefield and retreat. Their current withdrawal was undoubtedly to seek another path—perhaps to target the Iron-Blood Great Wall, the Iron-Blood Bastion, or even devise a method to deal with the Ice and Snow Queen. When that time came and they returned in full force, the destruction they would unleash would far surpass this current assault—more ferocious, more unrestrained.
That would be the true final battle. Once it began, bringing it to an end would be no simple matter.
"No need to rush. When soldiers come, we send generals; when water floods, we use earth to block it. Though the Ice Crystal Clan may have trump cards left, we, too, hold a final move—one that could be utterly decisive. It must only be played at the critical moment, striking a blow to seal victory."
Zhuge Liang smiled calmly, his tone serene.
The hardest part of the war with the Ice Crystal Court had always been the beginning. Now that they had passed through that crucible, the Great Yi Dynasty had seized the initiative. No matter how many tricks the Ice Crystal Clan still had, it was no longer enough to overturn the tide.
With the Iron-Blood Great Wall in place, their advance grew faster by the day. With each refining of the Ice Crystal Eggs, the front lines pushed ever forward.
These were real, measurable victories. So long as the Ice Crystal Clan could not stop them, their defeat was inevitable—forced step by step into the abyss. Most importantly, the Divine Raven Legion had yet to make its move. That, above all, remained Yi Tianxing's greatest killing blow.
"Very well. I'll leave this place in your hands. I shall make a trip to the Qingshan Immortal Gate, and witness what a true Immortal Gate truly looks like."
Yi Tianxing nodded slightly.
This battlefield had the Ice and Snow Queen presiding over it. Even though the Ice Crystal Clan was innately attuned to the powers of cold, they were still heavily suppressed by her presence. With her here, no major problems would arise. Any new turbulence could be swiftly quelled.
This war had already established a firm foundation—one that would not easily be shaken.
Moreover, the central role in this conflict belonged to Great Yi's military. Yi Tianxing's presence here had been more symbolic, a stabilizing force. Now that the battle had stabilized, there was no longer any need for him to linger.
He had also taken this journey to let his wives experience the customs and beauty of the Snow Continent, and to visit the Immortal Gate—perhaps to gather information about his foster parents and younger sister.
There might be connections between one Immortal Gate and another. He would investigate.
Moments later, the Nine-Dragon War Chariot rose into the sky, soaring toward the location of the Qingshan Immortal Gate.
At the Qingshan Immortal Gate, a flurry of activity erupted. Servants hurried to clean the entire mountain gate; every stone step was scrubbed until it gleamed. Even the surrounding mountain range pulsed with divine arts being cast to restore it. The cracked earth from past battles healed quickly. Damaged trees and plants, once strewn across the land, began to regrow.
Seeds and saplings had already been planted, and under gentle rain arts, everything began to bloom. Trees grew lush and green. Flowers opened in vibrant colors. Spring returned in full force, transforming the landscape into an ethereal scene of renewal and divine beauty.
Heaven and earth brimmed with mist and radiance, exuding the aura of a celestial paradise.
At the same time, many human cultivators within the mountain began to look around with curious expressions.
Such a grand display by the Immortal Gate had never occurred before.
"What's going on? Qingshan Immortal Gate has never been this diligent. It's like they're expecting a noble guest."
A young man murmured in confusion.
"This must be for someone truly extraordinary," an elder replied with awe. "For the Qingshan Immortal Gate—a sect of the immortals themselves—to treat someone as a guest of honor, their identity must be anything but ordinary. I wonder what kind of powerhouse is coming."
"Look! What is that?!"
"What is that vehicle? It looks so familiar… Wait—that's the Primordial Dragon Sons—the Nine Sons of the Ancestral Dragon!"
"By the heavens! Using dragon sons to pull a chariot? That war chariot is not ordinary. Just looking at it makes it hard to breathe. To use dragon sons as mounts… just who is riding that thing?!"
The human cultivators in the mountains stared skyward.
When they saw the Nine-Dragon War Chariot, their jaws dropped, stunned into speechlessness.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Above the Qingshan Immortal Gate, the great Southern Mountain Bell rang out—its form clearly visible in the sky. It tolled nine times in succession, a sign of the utmost honor. The bell was reserved for the most venerable of guests. That it rang nine times meant the sect was showing its deepest respect.
"Qingyunzi, with all disciples of the Qingshan Immortal Gate, welcomes His Majesty the Yi Emperor!"
Atop Pine Peak, Qingyunzi stood with all the sect's peak lords and a host of disciples. All bowed in greeting. The Qingshan Immortal Gate was now well aware of Great Yi's strength. From the moment of first contact, they had set aside any arrogance. After all, such pride was only meaningful when measured against the one standing before them.
Yi Tianxing was the ruler of the Great Yi Dynasty, sovereign over tens of billions of human lives, and had just recently dealt a decisive blow to the Ice Crystal Court on the frontlines.
No matter how lofty one's pride, it had to yield in the face of such power.
News of the latest victory had already spread throughout the Immortal Gate.
"You're too polite. This time, I come not as an emperor, but as a husband, accompanying my wives on a journey. Let's forgo the formalities if we can."
Yi Tianxing smiled calmly.
He casually glanced around. The scenery was indeed beautiful—an immortal sect's domain was naturally rich in spiritual energy and charm. Yet he also noticed that many of the peaks had lost their spiritual aura, as if missing some divine essence. They appeared withered, as though mourning.
"According to Master Wenhe, many of the spiritual veins here in the Qingshan Mountains have been sealed and frozen by Dragon-Suppressing Nails. As a result, most of the sect's spiritual energy cannot circulate. From what I see now, the situation is grave. The Dragon-Suppressing Nails are indeed vicious. Left unchecked, they could cause irreversible damage to the veins—possibly shattering them permanently."
Yi Tianxing's gaze flashed with subtle light.
With his Innate Yin-Yang Eyes, his ability to see the flow of spiritual energy far surpassed any conventional art.
"You're right," Qingyunzi said. "Those nails carry the power of Ice Souls. We can forcibly remove them, but it will damage the spiritual veins. According to the records, only a geomancer—a true master of feng shui—can remove them without harm."
This matter was indeed troublesome. Geomancers were exceedingly rare, and even fewer were genuinely accomplished. Finding one at all was a challenge.
"Mr. Jiang, do you have a way to assist them in removing the Dragon-Suppressing Nails?" Yi Tianxing asked.
Jiang Ni had also accompanied them on this journey.
He had already been briefed about the Qingshan Immortal Gate. His presence here was no coincidence.
"I will need to inspect the situation first," Jiang Ni replied from within his black robes. He made no bold claims—such a task required personal observation.
"Very well, we'll decide after your assessment," Yi Tianxing nodded.
"Fellow Daoist Jiang, Junior Sister Miaoyue will lead you there," Qingyunzi said, barely concealing his joy.
Jiang Ni was the lifeline they'd been hoping for. If he could rescue the spiritual veins, the sect might fully recover. Their Five-Peak Qingshan Grand Array would be restored to its former glory, even stronger than before—its defensive power unshakable.
"We leave it in your hands, fellow Daoist."
Fairy Miaoyue looked to Jiang Ni, her eyes filled with hope.
"I will do what I can," Jiang Ni nodded.
He followed Miaoyue at once toward the sealed spiritual veins, ready to begin his investigation.
"Your Majesty, we've already prepared spirit tea and fruits at the Listening-Waves Pavilion. Shall we drink and talk as we relax?" Qingyunzi asked with a warm smile.
"Excellent. I've heard from Mister Wenhe that your sect's spirit tea is unparalleled. I've long wanted to try it."
Yi Tianxing smiled.
"Indeed, the Truffle Spirit Tea is a rare gem," Jia Xu added with a chuckle. "The fragrance of truffle and tea blends perfectly. It refreshes the mind and has a taste like no other."
He, too, had come to the Qingshan Immortal Gate earlier and already tasted the tea himself. Clearly, he'd developed a fondness for it.
"Please!"
"After you!"
Yi Tianxing descended from the Nine-Dragon War Chariot, accompanied by Cai Yan and the others. They arrived at a viewing platform at the peak of Pine Summit, surrounded by tall and extraordinary pine trees. Each tree exhaled pure spiritual energy, their needles glowing with a divine luster.
When the wind blew, the pine needles chimed like instruments—clear, resonant, and elegant. Though tuneless, their music was remarkably beautiful.
Seated within the pavilion, a tea maiden specially trained in spiritual tea preparation performed an elegant and mesmerizing ceremony. Before each guest appeared a cup of golden tea. The pine aroma was intense but never cloying—calming and invigorating.
"What fine tea. Truly worthy of an Immortal Gate's unique product. If even your sect produces such wonders, I wonder how many rare treasures the other Immortal Gates might possess."
Yi Tianxing took a sip and praised it sincerely.