The bustle of Heavenly Axis City still echoed in his ears as Tang Xiaoqi stood by the inn window, gazing at the crowds flowing through the distant streets. Yet his heart was tranquil. Having returned from the Eastern Sea Dragon Palace, he had not hurried to seclude himself for cultivation once more. Instead, he chose to rest briefly in this central hub of the cultivation world, digesting the gains from this journey. The initial reforging of the Nirvana Phoenix Sword and the Creation Cauldron had greatly enhanced his strength, but more importantly, it was that Dao heart, tempered by waves of turmoil, that had grown increasingly resolute.
The rabbit spirit squatted on his shoulder, idly playing with the new "Treasure Pouch" hanging from its neck, inset with a small piece of spatial stone. Inside were all sorts of shiny spirit fruit cores and beautiful shells it had "liberated" from the Dragon Palace banquet. Zhao Tiezhu, meanwhile, was sleeping soundly in the adjacent room, snoring thunderously—the Dragon Blood Wine's effects clearly had not yet fully worn off.
"Did you hear? Something incredible is about to emerge in the Northern Wasteland!" The murmured discussion of several cultivators from the downstairs hall drifted up, catching Xiaoqi's attention. His spiritual sense stirred slightly, and the conversation became clearly audible.
"Indeed! They say it's a 'Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus'! That would be the primary ingredient for crafting the 'Nine-Turn Golden Core Pill'! If one could obtain it, the success rate for forming a Golden Core would increase by at least two chances! It would even be of tremendous benefit for forming a superior-quality Golden Core!"
"Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus? Such a rare treasure of heaven and earth must have attained spiritual awareness long ago—how could it be so easily obtained? The Northern Wasteland's extreme cold can freeze a Golden Core cultivator's spiritual power, and countless ice-attribute spirit beasts roam there. The dangers are immense."
"Yet danger cannot stop human greed. Word has spread that major northern sects like the Glacial Ice Pavilion and the Cold Silence Sect have already dispatched elite disciples. Even some old monsters who have lived in seclusion beneath the glaciers for years might be stirred. Many experts from Heavenly Axis City are preparing to set out as well. This is a Golden Core opportunity—how could anyone bear to miss it?"
"Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus..." Xiaoqi murmured, repeating the name. Something in the Four Symbols Jade Pendant at his chest seemed to sense something, sending forth an extremely faint, cool wave that pointed vaguely northward. This was not a blazing summons but rather a cool, gentle tug, as if reminding him that something there was related to him.
He returned to the table, taking out some texts about the Northern Wasteland he had copied from the Dragon Palace's library, and began to read. The Northern Wasteland, located at the extreme north of the continent, was perpetually shrouded in snow and ice. The spiritual energy there contained a unique extreme-cold Dao rhyme, making it a sacred ground for cultivating ice-attribute and water-attribute variant techniques. Yet precisely because of its extreme environment, it was rarely visited. The Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus, according to records, was nurtured by the union of heaven and earth's ultimate cold energy with a thread of living vitality. Its petals were like jade, its heart like stars. What it contained was not merely abundant spiritual power but also a fragment of ice-attribute laws and pure life-origin. For him, this item might not only be a treasure to increase his Golden Core formation odds but could also help balance the slightly agitated fire element within him due to the Vermillion Bird Soul Crystal and Southern Ming Departing Fire. It might even deepen his understanding of "purification"—the two aspects of "ice-sealed extinction" and "life revival."
"The Golden Core opportunity is perhaps within this collision of extreme cold and living vitality." Xiaoqi stroked the jade pendant, his heart already decided. He felt his cultivation had reached the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment's great perfection. Spiritual power was abundant, spiritual sense refined—only a suitable opportunity was needed to attempt forming the Golden Core. This Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus was undoubtedly a tremendous lure and a severe trial.
"Tiezhu, wake up. We have a new objective." Xiaoqi knocked on the door of the adjacent room.
Zhao Tiezhu rubbed his drowsy eyes open. Upon hearing "Northern Wasteland" and "Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus," he instantly jolted awake, fully alert. "The Northern Wasteland? I've heard it can freeze people into icicles! But... the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus... hehe, if I could get my hands on one, would I have a chance at forming a more powerful Golden Core?" He rubbed his hands together, his simple face bearing both desire and hope.
The rabbit spirit also bounced excitedly. Though it feared cold, it had an innate passion for "treasure hunting," especially spirit treasures of this caliber—surely they would emit dazzling radiance.
Having decided to go, preparations were necessary. The Northern Wasteland's environment was harsh beyond the ordinary. Xiaoqi brought Zhao Tiezhu and the rabbit spirit to the various large trading establishments in Heavenly Axis City once more. He purchased massive quantities of high-grade "Warm Sun Talismans,""Cold-Dispelling Pills," and snow-silk robes capable of withstanding extreme cold. Considering the possible spiritual sense interference and disorientation on the ice plains, he also specially acquired a set of "Star-Determining Discs" and several "Obstacle-Breaking Talismans."
Most importantly was gathering more detailed information about where the snow lotus might appear. They went to the largest intelligence agency in Heavenly Axis City, the "Wind-Listening Pavilion," and spent considerable spirit stones purchasing a relatively reliable briefing. The briefing indicated the snow lotus's unusual phenomenon first appeared near the "God-Entombing Ice Valley" in the depths of the Northern Wasteland—that was one of the most dangerous areas, where perpetual "Nine Nether Mysterious Winds" capable of tearing apart protective spiritual light howled, and powerful ice-attribute spirit beasts nested.
While sorting through supplies, Xiaoqi casually discovered a worn Northern Wasteland travelogue in an unremarkable ancient books shop. Beyond describing the God-Entombing Ice Valley's perils, it mentioned a legend of the ancient remnant clan, the "Ice-Phantom Clan." It was said they had dwelt in the depths of the ice plains for generations, mastering secret arts to communicate with ice and snow, guarding the balance of the Wasteland. The book vaguely mentioned that the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus's growth seemed related to some ancient ritual of the Ice-Phantom Clan.
"Ice-Phantom Clan..." Xiaoqi noted this name—this might be a variable.
Before leaving Heavenly Axis City, Xiaoqi visited the Treasure Pavilion once more, selling some materials and magical artifacts from the East Sea and the secret realm he couldn't use, exchanging them for abundant high-grade spirit stones and some high-level protective talismans. With everything prepared, the trio—one cultivator, one body refiner, one rabbit—embarked on the teleportation array leading to the Northern Wasteland.
After several long-distance transmissions and days of flying, the surrounding scenery gradually changed from lush greenery to snow-covered white. Temperature plummeted sharply; breath crystallized instantly, and the biting cold wind felt like knives against the face. Even with spiritual power protection, one could feel the bone-piercing chill. As far as the eye could see, the world consisted only of a vast white expanse. The ice glaciers lay like dragons crouching, exuding an unchanging loneliness and majesty across eons.
They arrived at "Frostwolf Fortress," the largest resupply point at the edge of the Northern Wasteland. This was a fortress built entirely of solid ice and boulders, its style rough and bold. The cultivators coming and going were mostly cold-faced, bearing faint traces of blood scent and chill. The atmosphere inside was tense; cultivators from various factions were everywhere, maintaining wariness toward one another. Discussions about the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus were the sole hot topic.
"The Glacial Ice Pavilion's people entered yesterday, led by their Chief Disciple 'Ice Phoenix' Ling Qingshuang—apparently already at the False Core stage!"
"The Cold Silence Sect wasn't about to be outdone either—their 'Snow Prince' Liu Hanyan is also here, accompanied by several Peak Foundation Establishment elders."
"There are also many experts. I heard even 'Lone Thief' Bai Wuying showed up—that guy doesn't hesitate to steal even from Golden Core True Lords..."
"The God-Entombing Ice Valley is now a meat grinder. Without even seeing the lotus, many have already died fighting over better positions and information..."
The trio rested briefly inside the fortress, gathering intelligence. Zhao Tiezhu shivered from the cold, forced to continuously circulate his blood qi to resist. The rabbit spirit hid itself in the fire-wool-lined warm bag Xiaoqi specially prepared, only its two ears sticking out, turning alertly.
Xiaoqi circulated the Spring Life Art, his body brimming with vitality, barely resisting the chill while secretly urging a thread of Vermillion Bird Soul Crystal's fire intent to flow through his body—that helped considerably. He realized the extreme cold here itself was a filter for cultivator strength.
In the Frostwolf Fortress tavern, Xiaoqi seemed to glimpse a familiar silhouette—silver hair like snow, cold and lonely, flashing past and vanishing at a stairway corner.
"Aunt Su?" Xiaoqi's heart startled. Instinctively he chased after, yet saw only an empty corridor—long since vacated. Illusion? Or had she also come for the lotus? Or... was it related to the Ice-Phantom Clan? His heart overflowed with doubt, but no answers came.
After resting for a night, the three left Frostwolf Fortress, formally stepping onto the vast Northern Wasteland Ice Plains. Cold wind howled, swirling thousands of snow drifts; visibility was extremely poor. Beneath their feet lay unknown millennia-old mystic ice, harder than. Xiaoqi raised the Star-Determining Disc to guide their direction. The three pressed forward against wind and snow, one step heavy then light, advancing toward the God-Entombing Ice Valley.
The deeper they went, the more intense the chill became. Spiritual power consumption far exceeded the outside world; even Xiaoqi had to occasionally take pills to supplement. Zhao Tiezhu needed frequent stops to circulate his body refinement techniques, activating blood qi to prevent freezing. The rabbit spirit completely burrowed into the warm bag and refused to emerge, only occasionally using its precious sensing ability to point Xiaoqi toward directions with possible spirit treasure fluctuations.
Along the way, they encountered several waves of ice plain spirit beast attacks. There were "Snow Shadow Leopards" that hid in snow and suddenly pounced, "Ice Cold Pythons" that could spray freezing breath, and packs of fierce-toothed "Ice Fang Wolves." These spirit beasts, having lived in the extreme cold environment for years, had tough hides and thick flesh. Their high resistance to ice-attribute magic made them troublesome foes. Xiaoqi used this opportunity to sharpen his newly reforged Nirvana Phoenix Sword—crimson sword light was especially striking in the snow-white world, and the scorching sword intent had considerable effect on ice-attribute beasts. Zhao Tiezhu wielded his heavy mace, relying on brute force to clash, sending ice shards flying in all directions.
After days of arduous trekking, crossing several massive glaciers, they finally approached the area marked as the God-Entombing Ice Valley on their map. From afar, they could sense an even more intense chill emanating from the valley direction. The air was filled with pure ice-attribute spiritual energy, also carrying a faint, traceable lotus fragrance. Simultaneously, they could dimly sense several powerful auras stationed near the valley entrance, opposing each other, the atmosphere tense as a drawn bow.
Xiaoqi stood atop an ice mound, gazing at the God-Entombing Ice Valley shrouded in endless wind, snow, and killing qi. The jade pendant at his chest pulsed again with clear emotion. That Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus that had stirred countless cultivators' hearts was within the valley. And a bloody contest centered around this heaven-sent treasure had officially begun. He knew his Golden Core path would, in this extreme cold white world, undergo unprecedented trials.