Above the ice plains, the deathly Mysterious Ice giant tomb stood, its center's hole burned through by Southern Ming Departing Fire still had traces of glazed flame lingering, making faint "sizzling" sounds, incongruous with the surrounding extreme cold environment. Elder Ge hovered in mid-air, his face shifting from iron-dark to an unbelievable pale-white. He stared dead at Xiaoqi, especially that slowly-contracting but still aura-trembling glazed flame on his fingertip.
"Southern... Southern Ming Departing Fire?! This is impossible! Such innate divine fire has long been extinct in the mortal world—how could a Foundation Establishment junior like you control it?!" Elder Ge's voice carried a trace of shock and hoarseness he hadn't even noticed himself. The scene of burning through the Mysterious Ice Burial was too shocking, directly impacting his cognition. The high-ranking law of purification and burning all impurities contained in that flame completely countered his Mysterious Ice Dao that he'd cultivated for hundreds of years!
Xiaoqi's face was pale as paper, his aura withered to the extreme. Forcing the Southern Ming Departing Fire had almost drained over half his spiritual power and mental energy, and even consumed a precious mouthful of life essence blood. At this moment, he felt completely empty inside, his meridians faintly aching, barely able to stand. But he still straightened his spine, meeting Elder Ge's shocked gaze calmly without answering his question. Trump cards remained trump cards precisely because of their unknown and mysterious nature.
Beside him, the Ice Crystal Phoenix's ice-blue eyes also filled with shock and lingering fear. It had personally felt the terror of the Mysterious Ice Burial and concluded that if completely sealed within, there would be no survival. Unexpectedly, this human who had helped it sort out impurities earlier still hid such earth-shattering means! That wisp of flame made it feel awe from the depths of its soul. The way it looked at Xiaoqi completely changed—not just the previous gratitude and transaction-partner equality, but more a hint of indescribable wariness and... a subtle recognition. A being possessing such power, regardless of current cultivation, deserved its serious treatment.
Zhao Tiezhu collapsed on the ground, coughing blood while looking at that huge ice hole, grinning as if to laugh, but pulling his wounds, grimacing in pain. But the excitement and worship in his eyes was undisguised. The rabbit spirit hid behind Xiaoqi, little paws patting its chest, looking like it had just survived a scare.
Elder Ge's face shifted unpredictably, his mind in internal conflict. The appearance of Southern Ming Departing Fire completely disrupted his plans. Continue attacking? He couldn't determine if that kid could again activate that terrifying flame. Even if he couldn't, there was still a covetous, formidable Ice Phoenix nearby, and that seemingly heavily injured but fierce-eyed body cultivator. Though he was mid-Golden Core, with the opponent possessing strange fire that countered his fundamental techniques, plus the Ice Phoenix's assistance, victory was uncertain—he might even capsize in a gutter. Moreover, the appearance of Southern Ming Departing Fire was hugely significant—he had to immediately report back to the sect!
Should he risk capturing them to seize the divine fire's secret (if he could still use it) and snow lotus, or temporarily withdraw and plan for the long term?
Just as Elder Ge hesitated, Xiaoqi slowly spoke. His voice, though weak, carried an undeniable determination: "Elder Ge, do you want to taste this flame again?" Above his fingertip, that glazed flame seemed to sense his will, slightly flickering, emitting a heart-palpitating fluctuation.
This tiny flicker was like the last straw breaking the camel's back. Elder Ge's pupils contracted, instinctively retreating half a step. He didn't dare gamble! If he lost, it might mean death with no way to even send the message!
"Hmph!" Elder Ge forcibly suppressed his shock and greed, sternly snorting with outward ferocity but inner timidity. "Kid, relying on external objects' power—what kind of skill is that! Today's matter, my Mysterious Ice Pavilion remembers! There will be heavy repayment in the future!"
After his harsh words, he gave Xiaoqi no chance to retort. With a sweep of his sleeve, a cold energy wrapped around the unconscious Han Li and two other relatively intact disciple corpses on the ground. His figure transformed into a white light, shooting toward the distant sky without looking back, even faster than when he came—somewhat like fleeing in disarray.
Watching that white light rapidly disappear at the horizon, the ice plains' atmosphere, tense to the extreme, finally relaxed.
"Pu—" Xiaoqi could no longer hold on, spitting out a small mouthful of congested blood, his body swaying, nearly collapsing. The aftereffects of forcefully activating the Southern Ming Departing Fire now fully erupted.
"Brother Seven!" Zhao Tiezhu cried in alarm, wanting to get up to support him but unable to move himself.
The Ice Phoenix gave a clear cry, its wings lightly fanning. A gentle and pure ice-cold spiritual power supported Xiaoqi, while several feathers emitting cool energy, like ice crystals, drifted down, landing on Xiaoqi and Zhao Tiezhu. Those feathers dissolved upon contact, pure cold-attribute life energy pouring into their bodies, rapidly stabilizing their chaotic auras and serious injuries.
"These are my life-bound cold plumes, containing life force. They can help you stabilize your injuries." The Ice Phoenix's spiritual message came, carrying a gentleness absent before.
Xiaoqi felt that cool energy quickly repairing his damaged meridians, suppressing the burning pain from the Southern Ming Departing Fire's backlash. Grateful, he clasped his hands: "Thank you, Venerable One."
The Ice Phoenix shook its head, its gaze again falling on that Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus missing three petals, then looking at Xiaoqi. Its spiritual message carried complexity: "The transaction is complete. You kept your promise, only taking three petals. This time... we also fought together against an enemy. This matter is concluded. I will seek a new place for secluded cultivation, avoiding subsequent harassment from the Mysterious Ice Pavilion. You... also leave quickly. The Northern Wastes are no place to linger."
It knew that after this battle, especially with the Southern Ming Departing Fire revealed, the Mysterious Ice Pavilion would never let it go. This place had become a source of trouble.
Xiaoqi nodded. He naturally understood this reasoning. He struggled to walk beside that snow lotus, not looking again at the still-tempting lotus platform and roots, only confirming once more that the sealing on the cold jade box in his robes was intact. Then, he once again bowed solemnly to the Ice Phoenix: "Venerable One, take care."
The Ice Phoenix deeply looked at Xiaoqi once more, as if memorizing this human possessing strange fire and extraordinary character. Then it let out a long phoenix cry, its wings spreading, rolling up endless wind and snow, transforming into a magnificent ice-blue stream of light, disappearing in another direction of the vast ice plains. This time, it was truly departing.
Seeing off the Ice Phoenix, Xiaoqi and Zhao Tiezhu, under the rabbit spirit's guardianship, rested in place for about half an hour. With the power of the Ice Phoenix's life-bound cold plumes, they finally suppressed their injuries and recovered some ability to move.
"Let's go, back to the Giant Wolf Tribe." Xiaoqi rose, his face still pale but his eyes having regained clarity. There was relative safety, allowing them to heal in peace, and... bid farewell.
Two men and one rabbit, dragging their injured bodies, followed the path they came, struggling toward the Giant Wolf Tribe's direction.
Several days later, when they returned to that familiar, snow-covered valley, the Snow Plain Giant Wolf Tribe members had already received word and were waiting at the valley entrance. The alpha wolf led the tribe's elite, and seeing Xiaoqi and Zhao Tiezhu's ragged appearance, especially sensing the sharp aura and injuries remaining from fierce battle on them, the giant wolves all showed worry and awe in their eyes.
Xiaoqi didn't explain much, only taking out the cold jade box containing three Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus petals and presenting it before the alpha wolf: "Mission accomplished."
The alpha wolf sniffed the pure life force and cold energy emanating from the jade box. Its massive wolf eyes instantly burst with surprise and gratitude. It low-growled, its forelimbs kneeling on the ground—this was the Giant Wolf Tribe's gesture of highest respect. Behind it, the giant wolves all followed suit, wolf howls resounding through the valley.
The tribe's shaman immediately came forward to check Xiaoqi and Zhao Tiezhu's injuries, using the tribe's treasured healing spiritual medicines to treat them. Under the Giant Wolf Tribe's careful attention, both their injuries healed much faster.
After resting several more days, once their injuries were stable enough not to affect basic movement, Xiaoqi bid farewell to the alpha wolf.
The alpha wolf knew they weren't creatures meant to stay in one place, and the Northern Wastes were no longer safe due to the Mysterious Ice Pavilion matter. Though reluctant to part, it didn't try to keep them. It low-growled, nuzzling Xiaoqi's hand with its nose, gently nudging Zhao Tiezhu with its massive head to show closeness and farewell. The tribe members presented large quantities of Northern Wastes specialty spiritual herbs, ores, and treasures for warding off cold and poison, almost piling into a small hill.
Standing at the valley exit, looking back at that tribe camp that still seemed warm and harmonious in the wind and snow, and those Giant Wolf tribesmen with simple, grateful eyes seeing them off, Xiaoqi felt quite emotional. This Northern Wastes journey, though full of twists and turns and narrowly escaping death, had ultimately achieved its goal and gained the Snow Plain Giant Wolf Tribe's sincere friendship.
"Let's go, Tiezhu." Xiaoqi withdrew his gaze, speaking to Zhao Tiezhu beside him whose injuries had mostly healed and who was now lively again.
Zhao Tiezhu grinned, shouldering the large bundle given by the Giant Wolf Tribe, saying in his deep voice: "Alright, Brother Seven! Where are we going next?"
Xiaoqi looked toward the south, his gaze seeming to penetrate the endless wind and snow and mountains: "Return to the Central Plains. It's time... to prepare for Core Formation."
Two men and one rabbit, facing the gradually weakening cold wind, embarked on the journey leaving the Northern Wastes. Behind them, the Snow Plain Giant Wolf Tribe gradually blurred in the wind and snow, finally becoming a warm memory point in this vast world.