"So cold... I've traveled underground, avoided the Weak Water River, dodged the windstorms, crossed volcanoes, passed through abysses, and waded through swamps. I never thought I'd encounter a glacier ahead... It's so cold, really so cold. I can't stand it anymore."
While Yi Tianxing was circulating his blood and energy to resist the invading chill inside his body, he suddenly heard faint, broken cries ahead.
Looking carefully, he saw that the vast ocean had vanished, replaced by an endless expanse of glaciers.
The glacier stretched as far as the eye could see. Gusts of chilling wind blew incessantly across the frozen landscape. This was no ordinary cold; normal cold could never affect cultivators so strongly. The cold here was so intense that even true qi couldn't easily block it. Once the chill seeped into the body, it could freeze even the true qi itself. In this cold air was an overwhelming will to freeze and seal everything it touched.
Ahead, Yi Tianxing spotted a figure trudging through the glacier.
It was a giant pangolin, its body shimmering in snowy white hues. It was covered in scales, and from its sharp claws, flickers of light could be seen—gold, red, yellow, green, and blue—constantly alternating. As its claws changed colors, its aura shifted accordingly. Those claws were incredibly sharp; this was a Five Elements Pangolin, capable of traversing through metal, wood, water, fire, and earth thanks to its claws—breaking mountains, parting waters, moving freely through the five elements.
It was said that once a Five Elements Pangolin fully evolved, its body would turn into a brilliant multicolored form. At that point, no terrain governed by the five elements could hinder its steps; even barriers and seals could be torn apart with ease. However, the one before him only had its claws alternating colors, not its entire body, indicating that its bloodline had not yet fully purified or reached its peak form.
It only possessed traces of the Five Elements Pangolin's bloodline.Whether it could complete its evolution would depend on its future growth and transformation.
On the pangolin's back sat a figure with a dwarf-like body, resembling a child.
From behind, one could see his entire body trembling. The sound of his bones rattling in the cold could be clearly heard.
Even the thick-skinned, heavily armored pangolin was shivering with every step it took, its movement stiff and jerky, as though at any moment it might stop altogether and turn into a frozen sculpture, forever unable to move again.
Despite its ability to travel through earth, swim through lava, and roam oceans, the Five Elements Pangolin was powerless here. The glacial cold rendered all five elemental powers ineffective. The freezing winds were enough to freeze one's very blood and soul.
Even a beast like this couldn't withstand it for long.
"So cold... Is this yet another tribulation? What kind of cold is this? It's terrifying!"
Yi Tianxing also stepped into the glacier.
The moment he did, he immediately felt the piercing cold winds howling across the icy expanse, directly invading his body. Even the battle armor he wore couldn't completely block the chill—the cold pierced straight through, making his blood, flesh, and bones feel like they were freezing.
Within his divine sea, true qi surged furiously, flowing along his meridians to disperse the cold and keep his blood moving.
Fortunately, from within the black cauldron inside him, a steady flow of blood energy erupted, circulating through his flesh and bones. Though the cold wind was relentless and bone-chilling, the continuous flow of blood energy kept him just warm enough to endure it. His blood was like a raging furnace, sustaining his body's vitality against the freezing assault.
Screech!!
Suddenly, the golden roc beneath him let out a sharp, mournful cry. Its once-nimble wings grew stiff, and it began to descend toward the glacier. Its call was a warning to Yi Tianxing: it could no longer stay airborne and was forced to land.
Yet, despite approaching collapse, the golden roc's flight remained steady and stable, fulfilling its duty without faltering.
In a blink, it landed smoothly on the glacier.
But on its wings, thin layers of frost had already begun to form.
"Golden Roc, you'll be fine."
Seeing this, Yi Tianxing's heart tightened. Without hesitation, he channeled his blood energy down through his legs and into the golden roc. A torrent of blazing energy rushed into the bird's body, rapidly driving out the cold. The stiffness in the roc's body gradually eased, its wings trembling slightly as it prepared to take off again.
"No need to fly. The higher you go, the stronger the winds get. It's safer to travel on foot. This cold is far from ordinary."
Yi Tianxing immediately stopped it.
Walking on the glacier was much better than flying high above, where the winds were more ferocious. Blood energy was not infinite—even with his cultivation, he couldn't afford to waste it recklessly. The stronger the wind, the more blood energy he would have to consume.
With Yi Tianxing's infusion of blood energy, the golden roc quickly recovered. Without hesitation, it began striding forward again. Even on foot, its mighty body and sharp talons made it surprisingly fast, easily keeping pace with a galloping horse.
Clack, clack, clack!!
Clear, crisp sounds echoed across the icy surface.
Hearing the noise behind him, the dwarf-like cultivator atop the pangolin turned his head and cried out weakly, "Dao... Dao... Daoist friend... s-save me... please!!"
His trembling voice barely escaped his lips. Frost had already begun forming on his face, and the pangolin beneath him was covered in a layer of ice crystals, frozen mid-step, one leg lifted as if forever halted in motion.
The dwarf himself was stiffening rapidly, ice spreading across his body.
Though technically still alive, he was only a breath away from death.
"He's already frozen to death..."
Yi Tianxing's eyes showed a flicker of doubt and intrigue as he studied the strange-looking cultivator. The man's appearance was truly striking—dwarf-like, with a sly and malicious face, his eyes filled with a despairing, dead-grey hue, the kind of look one sees before a storm breaks.
Now, those eyes were filled with a desperate hope for survival.
"This world... if I don't save you, no one else can. But why should I?"
Yi Tianxing stared at the frozen dwarf for a moment before calmly turning away, showing no intention of helping. In this competition, everyone was an enemy. Saving another competitor was pure folly. They shared no bond, no relationship. Why risk his own life for a stranger?
Did he look like an idiot?
In a world like this, the only one who could save you was yourself.
Swish!!
A white light flashed—the frozen pangolin and the dwarf disappeared together, leaving behind a few items where they stood.
"Let's see if there's anything useful."
Without hesitation, Yi Tianxing collected the items. Among them, he noticed several books. It wasn't the right time to examine them carefully, so he prudently stored them away inside the Spirit Pearl.
"I don't know how far this glacial wind extends... but the endpoint must be close."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath and continued walking forward with the golden roc.One step, two steps—each felt like a step against the devil.
"There's someone up ahead!"
Before he realized it, they had already covered a great distance across the glacier.
Suddenly, Yi Tianxing spotted a figure standing ahead—not moving forward, but frozen in place, encased in a thin layer of ice crystals.
"Yao Yue!"
The snow-white palace dress and familiar silhouette immediately told Yi Tianxing who it was. His heart trembled slightly. Without hesitation, he rushed over. Seeing her face confirmed it—this was indeed Yao Yue. Her Moonlight Butterfly had shrunk down to a normal size and now rested on her shoulder, emitting a faint, almost imperceptible glow. It too was frozen and unmoving.
Yao Yue was still alive.
But only barely.
Based on the earlier example of the dwarf, it was clear: this was the final stage before total freezing, the last moments before all vitality would be extinguished. Once fully frozen, she would turn into white light and be eliminated.
Seeing that even in her frozen state, Yao Yue stubbornly tilted her chin upward in defiance, Yi Tianxing quietly shook his head. Without a word, he reached out and lifted her rigid body into his arms.
Blood energy naturally surged from his body, enveloping her completely.
With the furnace-like warmth flowing into her, Yi Tianxing turned into a beacon of life amidst the glacier, shielding her fragile body from the lethal cold.
"It's him."
Though her body was frozen stiff, Yao Yue's consciousness remained intact.When she was suddenly picked up, and a familiar warmth entered her body, she immediately recognized who it was.
Complex emotions welled up in her heart.
She couldn't speak—the cold still gripped her too tightly—but she could feel everything clearly.
"Hmph, he took advantage of me before... this can count as repayment. Don't expect me to be grateful."
Yao Yue snorted internally.
She made no move to resist, allowing herself to be held tightly in Yi Tianxing's arms, feeling the surge of blood energy warming her frozen body, and hearing the steady, powerful beat of his heart echoing faintly in her ears.