Beyond the Ice Wind Valley lay a world entirely different from anything they had imagined.
Where one expected endless ice and snow, instead stood a crystalline palace of breathtaking beauty. Its architecture was constructed entirely from ice—yet this was no ordinary frozen water. Every surface shimmered with inner radiance, as if light itself had been frozen within the crystalline walls.
"It's... beautiful," Zhao Tiezhu breathed, momentarily forgetting his exhaustion.
Xiaoqi studied the palace carefully. Though beautiful, he sensed tremendous power coiled within every structure. This was no mere decoration—every element served a purpose.
"The Ice-Phantom Clan built this place with ice as the foundation and void as the essence," he murmured, recalling the Great Priest's teachings.
As they approached the palace gates, the doors slowly opened of their own accord. Inside, the air was cold yet serene, carrying an almost meditative quality.
The main hall stretched before them, its ceiling lost in shadows above. At the far end, upon a raised platform, sat something that stole Xiaoqi's breath.
A lotus.
Not a lotus of flesh and stem, but pure crystallized ice—yet unmistakably a lotus in form. Its petals were translucent, radiating soft blue light, and at its heart pulsed a tiny flame of pure white. This flame gave off no heat, only a profound sense of vitality and purity.
"The Ice-Phantom Sacred Lotus!" Xiaoqi whispered.
This was what they had sought through ice plains and demon valleys. This was the treasure that could reshape spiritual roots, the prize that had drawn countless cultivators to their doom.
But as Xiaoqi stepped forward, a pressure descended.
Not hostile—not yet—but unmistakably a test. The lotus pulsed, and within the white flame at its heart, a presence awakened.
"Who approaches the Sacred Lotus?"
The voice wasn't heard but felt, resonating directly within their souls. It was ancient, powerful, and utterly without gender or emotion.
"I am Tang Xiaoqi," he replied steadily. "I seek the Sacred Lotus to save lives and complete my path to Golden Core."
Silence. The pressure intensified, probing his thoughts, examining his soul.
Finally, the voice spoke again: "Your intent is accepted. Your heart shows promise. But the Lotus demands proof."
The white flame within the lotus expanded, and from it emerged a figure.
It appeared humanoid at first—composed of ice and light—but its form shifted constantly, never settling into any fixed shape. When it spoke, its voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere.
"I am the Lotus Guardian, consciousness left behind by our ancestors. To claim the Sacred Lotus, you must pass our trial."
"And if I refuse the trial?" Xiaoqi asked.
"You will not pass without it. The Lotus cannot leave this realm through force or trickery—only through genuine worthiness."
Xiaoqi nodded. "Then I accept your trial."
The Guardian's form flickered. "Then hear the terms: You must demonstrate your understanding of 'preservation through destruction'—the principle that governs both this realm and the Lotus itself. Show me you comprehend why we guard this treasure, and why it must sometimes be withheld."
The hall around them transformed. Walls dissolved, revealing visions of the world beyond—the Northern Wasteland, the ice plains, and the countless lives sustained by the balance maintained here.
"Watch," the Guardian commanded. "See what this Lotus."
Xiaoqi watched as scenes unfolded before him. He saw how the Sacred Lotus maintained the ice plains' spiritual balance, how its power prevented the ice from consuming all life, how its mere presence kept extremes in check.
"Without the Lotus, the Northern Wasteland would expand, consuming all warmth, all life," the Guardian explained. "But the Lotus alone is not enough—it must be wielded wisely."
The visions showed other seekers—some who had sought the Lotus for selfish gain, only to bring ruin. Others who had been deemed worthy, their names enshrined in the valley walls.
"Your turn," the Guardian said. "Demonstrate your understanding."
Xiaoqi took a deep breath, organizing his thoughts.
"Preservation through destruction," he began slowly. "The Lotus purifies through cold, preserving life by removing corruption. The Ice Wind Valley tests through hardship, preserving the worthy by destroying the weak. And true guardianship requires..."
He paused, searching for the right words.
"True guardianship requires the wisdom to know when to preserve and when to let go. To understand that some must be sacrificed for the greater balance, yet never forgetting the value of each individual life."
The Guardian's form stilled. The white flame at the Lotus' heart blazed brighter.
"Your words show understanding," it acknowledged. "But words alone are insufficient. Prove your worth through action."
The hall transformed again. Now they stood at the edge of a vast chasm. On the other side, the Sacred Lotus floated, tantalizingly close yet separated by an uncrossable gap.
"Cross," the Guardian commanded. "Not with power or artifacts—with understanding."
Xiaoqi studied the chasm. It wasn't truly a physical barrier—it was a test of comprehension. Those who truly understood would find their own path across.
He closed his eyes, contemplating the principle of preservation through destruction.
If destruction could preserve, then perhaps... emptiness could connect.
He stepped forward—not onto solid ground but into the void between. Yet he did not fall. Each step carried him across the chasm, walking on nothingness transformed by understanding into a path.
Zhao Tiezhu gasped as Xiaoqi seemingly walked on thin air. The rabbit spirit's eyes widened.
Xiaoqi reached the other side. Before him stood the Sacred Lotus, close enough to touch.
But he did not reach for it. Instead, he turned back to the Guardian.
"I've crossed your trial," he said. "But I ask now—may I truly claim the Lotus?"
The Guardian materialized beside him. "You could. The trial is passed. But I sense hesitation. Why?"
Xiaoqi hesitated, then: "Because I wonder if taking it would truly serve preservation. The balance you've maintained for millennia—would my disrupt it?"
For the first time, the Guardian's voice held something like approval.
"Most who pass the trial seize without question. You alone pause to consider consequence." The Guardian's form solidified slightly. "This is good. This is the heart of a true guardian."
The Sacred Lotus drifted closer to Xiaoqi. "Take the Lotus," the Guardian said. "But remember its purpose. Preserve where destruction would reign. Destroy where preservation becomes stagnation. This is your charge."
Xiaoqi reached out, his fingers brushing the Lotus' crystalline petals.
A surge of cold yet vital energy flowed into him—the power of the Sacred Lotus, merging with his Purification Origin.
But even as he received this power, he felt a responsibility settle upon his shoulders. He was no longer merely a cultivator seeking advancement—he was becoming a guardian of balance.
The Lotus faded, absorbed into his dantian, awaiting future use.
"The realm will seal once you leave," the Guardian warned. "You may not return. But the Lotus will serve those who truly understand its purpose."
Xiaoqi nodded. "I understand."
He turned to find Zhao Tiezhu and the rabbit spirit waiting anxiously on the other side of the chasm. With a gesture, he created a bridge of understanding, allowing them to cross.
"We have what we came for," he said. "Time to leave."
But even as he spoke, he knew his path was only beginning. With the Sacred Lotus absorbed, his preparations for Golden Core formation were now complete. Yet he sensed the heavens preparing their own tests.
His tribulation approached.