"Is this... a Heavenly Frost Crystal?!"
Chen Guan exclaimed in surprise after reviewing the thought in his mind. He had never expected to see such a thing in Yin Valley.
"It seems you know about it, sir."
"Yes, I've heard of it a little bit," Chen Guan nodded in agreement.
In today's Dou Qi Continent, due to the prevalence of alchemists, Strange Fire is undoubtedly the most widely known spiritual object of heaven and earth.
But in reality, things similar to Strange Fire exist in other attributes as well.
For example, the Nine Profound Golden Thunder.
Another example is the Heavenly Frost Qi that Han Feng had prepared to subdue the Fallen Heart Flame.
The Heavenly Frost Crystal in front of him is essentially the same thing as the Heavenly Frost Qi, just like the Small Fallen Heart Flame and the Great Fallen Heart Flame.
Each strand of Heavenly Frost Qi is born in an extremely cold land. Over hundreds and thousands of years, the Heavenly Frost Qi continues to grow and regenerate, gathering in ever-increasing quantities.
When its quantity reaches a certain level, it undergoes a qualitative transformation, developing intelligence and transforming into the even more terrifying Heavenly Frost Crystal Core!
This crystal is formed from the Heavenly Frost Qi that overflows from it.
Even the Heavenly Frost Qi could suppress the Strange Fire to a certain degree, let alone a 'complete' form.
Chen Guan estimated that a fully formed Heavenly Frost Crystal Core would be as powerful as, if not more powerful than, the Strange Fires ranked after the tenth on the Strange Fire List, capable of completely suppressing them.
Fortunately, Chen Guan had fused several Strange Fires; otherwise, he wouldn't be so relaxed at this moment.
"Since you know, it's much easier to explain. Over twenty years ago, my mother, by chance, obtained a Sky Frost Crystal Core. She thought it was a chance encounter, but when she was trying to refine it, the Crystal Core suddenly erupted, catching her off guard and becoming trapped within. If she hadn't been so powerful, she would have…"
"Over the years, Qingchen has sought help from many alchemists, but ordinary beast fires are completely useless. A few days ago, I went to Burning Flame Valley, hoping to ask Valley Master Tang to use the Nine Dragons Thunder Fire to melt the crystal and force out the Sky Frost Crystal Core. Unfortunately, the Nine Dragons Thunder Fire struggled to unleash its power against the crystal, and I had to return with regret. That was until Sister Yunyun mentioned you,"
Ran Qingchen briefly recounted the entire story.
Chen Guan wasn't surprised. The Nine Dragons Thunder Fire ranked twelfth on the Strange Fire List, and while it was quite impressive, it really didn't do much against the Sky Frost Crystal.
But what intrigued him most was...
"Young Valley Master, with all due respect, the Heavenly Frost Crystal Core is certainly terrifying, but as the Master of the Sound Valley, your mother's strength must be astounding. Why is it that..."
Strength is everything. In the face of absolute power, not to mention the Heavenly Frost Crystal Core, even the most powerful of the Strange Fires would yield.
For a dignified Master of the Sound Valley to fall to a Heavenly Frost Crystal Core was truly unbelievable.
Understanding his meaning, Ran Qingchen's smile beneath her veil strained.
After a moment's hesitation, she finally began to explain.
"To be honest, sir, my mother is a semi-saint. If she were at her peak, a single Heavenly Frost Crystal Core wouldn't have been a problem. Unfortunately, she was injured by a despicable person she'd always trusted. She was struck by a terrifying cold poison, her mind shattered. Returning to Sound Valley, she entered a state of mortal retreat. My mother-in-law and I speculate that she lost her concentration while refining the Heavenly Frost Crystal Core, which is why she was afflicted. Otherwise, even if her true strength were reduced to a tenth, she wouldn't have failed!" It
was quite unusual for the young Valley Master to reveal his resentment, revealing his deep hatred for the despicable person he spoke of.
He didn't say much, but Chen Guan could already imagine it.
Injured again and again, a powerful semi-saint ended up like this. What a tragic story...
Ultimately, it all comes down to love.
Having resolved his doubts, Chen Guan stopped asking.
"I understand. This matter... I can't guarantee I can do it, but I'll do my best. Young Valley Master, please take me to see the crystal first."
Chen Guan nodded in agreement, as he had nothing urgent to do recently, and as a way of repaying her for helping Sect Master Yun, he agreed.
But he couldn't guarantee anything until he saw the Heavenly Frost Crystal.
After fusing several different kinds of strange fire, his current strange fire power was definitely in the top ten. As for how much more powerful it was, it was unknown. To this day, Chen Guan had never fought against anyone in the top ten.
"Qingchen, thank you. Sir, just do your best. Whether you succeed or not, you are a friend of Yin Valley, and I will definitely reward you later."
With a slight bow, Ran Qingchen moved her delicate body, leading the way, and soared towards the highest palace.
A few minutes later, the two arrived at a heavily guarded palace.
While heavily guarded, it was actually staffed by only about twenty Yin Valley disciples.
But considering the number of Yin Valley disciples, dedicating nearly one-fifth to guarding this place was a clear sign of their importance.
Moreover, the weakest of these Yin Valley disciples were at the Dou Wang realm, the elite of the elite. In remote areas, they would all be considered formidable.
With Ran Qingchen leading the way, the journey was smooth sailing, echoing with a constant stream of respectful calls like larks.
Slowly approaching the main hall door, Ran Qingchen removed a magatama from his ring and inserted it into one of the three grooves on the door.
"Grandma,"
he called softly. After a brief pause, two more symmetrical magatama floated down from the sky, clanging with two precise clicks as they settled into place on either side.
Immediately, Ran Qingchen extended his hand, and driven by a powerful Dou Qi, the door trembled with the creaking of gears and the sound of mechanical mechanisms. It then slowly opened before Chen Guan's eyes.
At that moment, a bone-chilling chill washed over him.
Exhaling a puff of white steam, Ran Qingchen, with a solemn expression, withdrew a specially crafted round fire bead and gripped it tightly. His tense body finally relaxed.
Chen Guan also quietly mobilized the strange fire to flow throughout his body, observing the hall covered in a layer of solid ice.
The hall was spacious, but visibility was extremely low under the hazy icy fog, making it seem as if they were on the boundless surface of a vast river.
"Ever since Mother's accident, this Tianyin Pavilion has become a forbidden area, and the frozen area is increasing day by day. If it weren't for the barrier that Mother-in-law set up around it to contain it, I'm afraid the entire Sound Valley would have been frozen. Mother is on the high platform ahead. Sir, please follow me."
Ran Qingchen's bright eyes were filled with helplessness and hidden sadness.
Chen Guan followed silently behind him. In the silent hall, the "clattering" sound of footsteps was unusually clear.
After walking slowly for about two minutes, Ran Qingchen finally stopped.
Chen Guan stopped and looked up along her line of sight, only to see a lifelike 'ice sculpture' sitting quietly on the steps. Looking through the thick layer of white crystals, he could only vaguely make out that it was a woman in palace dress.
The place where he sat, and even the decorations behind him, were encased in ice, their true form no longer discernible.
Chen Guan released his mental power to probe, but even with his spiritual perception, he could only detect a faint, flickering breath of life, like a candle in the wind.
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"The Heavenly Frost Crystal Core has been absorbed into Mother's body. The crystals on the surface are only a few that have escaped, but even so, they're terrifying. Even the Flaming Sun Jade wouldn't last more than half an hour before completely losing its effect."
Ran Qingchen trembled slightly at the foot of the stairs.
Seeing this, Chen Guan immediately summoned the strange fire. Under the shield of the flames, she finally felt better.
"It's a bit troublesome, but it should be solvable. Young Valley Master, I need to get closer and take a closer look at your mother's condition so I can prescribe the right remedy."
Chen Guan spoke, looking at the cobalt-blue flames, somewhat affected but still blazing.
"Thank you, sir. I trust you." Ran Qingchen nodded, unfazed by the thought that Chen Guan might take any dangerous action.
Investigation and understanding were one thing, but most importantly, this was Yin Valley, and Granny Lu had been keeping watch from beginning to end.
Furthermore, the Yin Valley Master was still a Semi-Saint. Even at his most debilitated state, as long as his last instincts remained, he was no threat to a mere Dou Zong.
Without further ado, Chen Guan immediately ascended the steps and sat cross-legged beside the Master of Yin Valley. Immediately, a surge of strange fire erupted, enveloping him within. He extended his right hand and gently placed it on the ice sculpture. The blazing fire flowed down his arm and began to erode the crystals.
"Hiss, hiss, hiss..."
The strange fire's initial contact with the crystals emitted a violent hissing sound, and streams of white vapor rose up, then instantly evaporated into nothingness.
Watching this, Ran Qingchen in the audience couldn't help but smile in surprise. The effect seemed even better than
she had imagined. However, Chen Guan wasn't as optimistic as she had imagined. As the strange fire melted a shallow palm print, the sensation in his palm grew increasingly icy, forcing him to continuously increase the temperature to maintain his advantage.
Closing his eyes, he devoted himself to consuming the difficult crystals, draining his mental energy even more than refining a seventh-grade elixir.
This continued for nearly half a day. Finally, under the incineration of the strange fire, the last layer of crystals melted, revealing the true form of the Master of Yin Valley.
"Mother!"
Ran Qingchen couldn't help but whisper, but the Master of Yin Valley remained with her eyes tightly shut, unresponsive.
Chen Guan had anticipated this, silently cursing his offense as his spiritual power emanated from within, invading the Master of Yin Valley.
There was no sense of pleasure. As the scene within his body came to mind, Chen Guan felt a palpitation. The terrifying cold poison and the Heavenly Frost Crystal Core intertwined, seeping into every inch of his skin and every bone. His blood had stopped flowing, only his heart continued to beat slowly.
Even more astonishing, under this probing, Chen Guan felt as if his own spiritual power was freezing, a chill and stinging pain deep within his soul.
Not daring to continue, Chen Guan quickly withdrew his spiritual power, a deep fear flashing in his eyes. He
could only say, truly worthy of being a Semi-Saint!
A Dou Zong, or even a Dou Zun, would have been reduced to a pile of ice by now under such horrific double torture.
Removing the hand from his back, Chen Guan stood up.
At this moment, the Yin Valley Master, who had just revealed his figure, began to radiate cold air from his body. Frost then formed at a visible speed, forming a layer of crystals. In just over ten breaths, it was already a foot thick, blurring his features once again, making them look as if they had just appeared.
"Mr. Chen Guan, my mother..."
Seeing Chen Guan rise, Ran Qingchen hurried over, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"It's a very difficult situation. The Heavenly Frost Crystal Core and the cold poison are entangled, like wind fanning a fire, making the cold poison even more terrifying. It's difficult to expel the cold poison or force out the Heavenly Frost Crystal Core alone. Moreover, this is only a temporary solution, not a fundamental solution. Both must be addressed together,"
Chen Guan replied truthfully, then changed the subject.
"Young Valley Master, don't worry too much. I have a few ideas in mind that might be able to resolve your mother's predicament, but it will just take a little longer. Unfortunately, my strength is a little lacking; otherwise, the solution would be much simpler."
Indeed, if Chen Guan were a Dou Zun at this moment, he could easily control the strange fire to enter her body and expel it. It would be simple, crude, and effective.
But now, we can only take our time.
"Oh, thank you, sir. I, Yin Gu, will fully cooperate!"
Ran Qingchen breathed a sigh of relief, finally revealing a relieved smile.
Just as she was about to ask about the method and what Yin Gu needed to do, they both sensed a turbulence in the heaven and earth energy behind the hall.
In the direction of the Nine-Colored Spirit Rainbow Pond!
"Most likely, Sister Yun Yun has achieved a breakthrough. That's great news. There's no rush for Mother's matter. Sir, please spend more time with Sister Yun Yun these days,"
Ran Qingchen said with an understanding smile.
As the saying goes, a short absence is better than a new marriage. Although she hadn't experienced it, she did have some common sense.
Chen Guan couldn't hide his delight. With a slight bow, he exited the hall and walked into the night toward the Nine-Colored Spirit Rainbow Pool, forgetting that Ran Qingchen would need to open the barrier.
As expected, the noise had come from this side.
The energy of heaven and earth converged, pouring through the top of the barrier like a small tornado. The breakthrough had reached its final moment.
Suppressing his impatience, Chen Guan stood in mid-air, watching.
A moment later, Ran Qingchen arrived.
"Although the Nine-Colored Spirit Rainbow Pool can enhance cultivation, it's not accessible to everyone. Sister Yun Yun was able to break through from five-star Dou Huang to seven-star, demonstrating her exceptional talent and character. When I first met Sister Yun Yun, she was obsessed with finding you. I was curious at the time, wondering what kind of man could win her favor. After meeting you, sir, I finally understand."
While the words weren't entirely true, they were truly beautiful.
Chen Guan chuckled, grudgingly accepting the compliment.
"Sir, you can try the pool later. I'm sure you won't be disappointed."
"Thank you."
"As you should. The stronger you become, the faster you can cure Mother's cold poison problem. Ultimately, Qingchen is doing this for himself."
As the two conversed, the gathering energy of heaven and earth gradually calmed, and a powerful aura suddenly emanated from the barrier.
Success!
Ran Qingchen quickly formed hand seals to open the barrier. Chen Guan, no longer intent on climbing step by step, soared directly into the air.
The person in the pool, who had been closing his eyes to experience the power of the breakthrough, noticed the movement, turned around, and a smile spread.
The next moment, he cast aside his reserve and flashed over.
Chen Guan stepped forward to catch it...
so slippery!