Pushing open that stone door carrying ages of vicissitude, the biting yet vitality-filled cold wind from outside instantly rushed in, blowing away the deathly stillness aura from the frozen ancient city that had settled on them. Though the sunlight was filtered by cloud layers, it still spilled large patches of dappled halos on the boundless snow plains, forming a sharp contrast with the eternal unchanging blue ice light inside the door.
Xiao Qi deeply inhaled this icy, yet freedom-implying air, feeling his chest broaden. This meditation in the ancient city yielded gains far exceeding expectations—not only did he gain deeper understanding of the ice-fire balance Dao, more importantly, he polished his Foundation Establishment foundation to near perfection. At this moment, his aura was settled like a mountain, his spiritual power pure as mercury, his divine consciousness rounded and clear. He had already stood at the true peak of Foundation Establishment, only lacking one opportunity to draw in the Golden Core tribulation and leap over the dragon gate.
"Finally out!" Zhao Tiezhu followed behind, forcefully stretching his sturdy body, bones cracking and popping. He grinned: "It's more comfortable outside. That ghost place—stay too long and it feels like your soul's going to be frozen."
Xiao Qi turned back, looking at him, a flash of surprise in his eyes, then turning into gratified smile. Zhao Tiezhu's aura was more than a level thicker than before entering the ancient city, his whole body's qi and blood surging, faint precious light circulating—he had actually broken through to Foundation Establishment middle stage! It seemed that protecting him in this extreme cold environment, constantly vigilant, plus the pressure from life-and-death battles with the Mystic Ice Pavilion disciples earlier, had also benefited him greatly. Accumulated richness naturally breaking through the bottleneck.
"Congratulations, Tiezhu." Xiao Qi smiled.
Zhao Tiezhu grinned somewhat sheepishly, scratching his head: "Can't compare with Brother Qi. I feel you standing there now is like a mountain. My cultivation that just broke through doesn't seem like anything in front of you." His words weren't flattery but genuine feeling. The pressure Xiao Qi gave him now was far greater than some ordinary Foundation Establishment peak cultivators.
The rabbit spirit also jumped onto Xiao Qi's shoulder, its small paw pointing south, "squeak squeak" calling, seemingly urging them to hurry and leave this ice-and-snow place.
Xiao Qi nodded, taking one last look at that stone door that was slowly closing on its own, merging once more with the ice slope, deeply committing this ancient city ruin that had given him important settlement to memory. Then, he determined the direction, saying in a low voice: "Let's go, back to the Central Plains."
The return journey was far smoother than the coming one.
Both of them plus the rabbit had improved in cultivation, their travel speed faster, and they were more adapted to the Northern Plains environment. They no longer deliberately sought spiritual objects but focused their main energy on traveling. Xiao Qi walked while continuing to digest and consolidate all gains from this Northern Plains trip—the insights from trading with the Ice Phoenix, combat experience against the Mystic Ice Pavilion, especially the comprehension of Cold Ice Dao patterns and power mastery in the ancient city. He constantly integrated these bits and pieces into his own "guardian" sword heart and purification origin, making his own "Dao" increasingly clear and firm.
Zhao Tiezhu, while familiarizing himself with Foundation Establishment middle stage power, also reflected on the battle scenes with Mystic Ice Pavilion disciples and elders, pondering how to apply the Diamond Subduing Demon Divine Ability more skillfully. He occasionally asked Xiao Qi for tips on exerting force and defense, and Xiao Qi patiently instructed him on everything.
As they continued south, the surrounding scenery began quietly changing. The eternally unmelted ice and snow gradually decreased, revealing large patches of black permafrost and exposed rock. The howling cold wind also became much gentler. Spiritual energy flow began appearing in the air—though still desolate, one could occasionally see some cold-resistant shrubs and lichen.
Over ten days later, they finally walked completely out of the Northern Plains core region, stepping into a hilly zone covered with shallow snow and growing sparse coniferous forest. The sky became lofty, sunlight fell with warmth. Though the temperature was still low, for the two who had just come from the extreme cold environment, it was already like warm spring.
"Finally seeing some damn green!" Zhao Tiezhu looked at the dark green forest outline in the distance, so excited he almost shouted, fiercely punching a nearby rock, shattering it to vent his relief. This time in the ice and snow, anxious and on guard, had really stifled this straightforward body cultivator who was used to being direct.
Xiao Qi also showed a relaxed smile on his face. Feeling the gradually increasing vitality in the air and the relatively warm temperature, the spiritual power within him that had been tempered by extreme cold seemed to become more lively and fluid. The ice plains experience was like a high-pressure forging, while the Central Plains' relatively mild environment was like perfectly timed tempering, making this "refined iron's" toughness even better.
He stopped, taking out from his bosom that cold jade box he had always carefully treasured. Opening the lid, three crystal-clear, richly vitality-emitting and pure cold-imbued ten-thousand-year Snow Lotus petals lay quietly inside, flowing with light. This was his main goal for this trip, and one of the key supports for his assault on the Golden Core realm.
"The Northern Plains trip, up to this point, can be considered complete." Xiao Qi softly said to himself, closing the jade box and carefully storing it. Cultivation settled to Foundation Establishment extreme, obtained Core Formation spiritual object, Zhao Tiezhu broke through, and even formed good karma with the Snow Plains Giant Wolf Tribe and even that Ice Crystal Phoenix... the harvest was far more abundant than expected.
He raised his head, looking toward that even vaster sky to the south, his eyes full of anticipation and determination. The Central Plains, Clear Void Temple, senior brother and sister, and that magnificent and turbulent cultivation world, were all there waiting for his return.
"Tiezhu, pick up the pace, let's return to the sect as soon as possible." Xiao Qi said, his tone carrying a trace of barely noticeable urgency. He already felt that the spiritual power that had settled to the extreme within him was stirring. The Golden Core opportunity was perhaps not far in the future.
"Alright, Brother Qi!" Zhao Tiezhu was in high spirits, taking large strides, closely following.
The two no longer delayed, raising their speed to the limit, becoming two blurred figures, passing through sparse forest, crossing rolling hills, rushing toward the Central Plains direction.
Behind them was the gradually receding, vast and cold Northern Wilderness. Ahead was the return journey, and also a brand new starting point leading to a higher realm. Wind, snow, and trials had been left behind, and the Golden Core Great Dao belonging to Tang Xiao Qi was slowly unfolding beneath his steady, determined footsteps.