23: Chapter 23 Sword Opens the Heavenly Gate

Inside the ice cave, the extreme cold Qi surged frantically.

Gu Han's eyes were tightly shut, and the snowflake mark on her forehead flickered in and out of existence. That ancient and icy aura rampaged through her Meridians, attempting to seize control of her physical shell.

Su Qianxue pressed against the ice wall, her palms drenched in cold sweat. She stared intently at Gu Han, not even daring to breathe loudly. Danqingzi remained silent within the ring, his Divine Soul power stretched to its limit.

After half an incense stick's time, the chaotic Lunar Origin surrounding Gu Han suddenly stilled. The fragment of the True Spirit that had been trying to awaken was like a tree without roots; after a few struggles, it fell completely silent.

After all, it had been dead for three hundred years. Relying solely on a sliver of a remnant True Spirit, it was fundamentally unable to contend with the underlying logic bestowed by the System.

Eastern Wasteland, Tianxuan Peak Hall.

Gu Sheng let out a long breath and raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead. He leaned back against the main seat, feeling as if he were about to collapse from exhaustion.

The System light screen immediately popped up with green text.

[Ding.]

[The original owner's True Spirit fragment has automatically entered a deep sleep due to energy depletion.]

[Congratulations to the host for successfully preserving the account. It is recommended that before approaching high-risk areas next time, the host first purchase the 'Divine Soul Anti-Theft Lock' from the System Mall. It only costs nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-eight Destiny Points. You won't be cheated, and you won't be fooled.]

"Shut up," Gu Sheng cursed in his mind. "You profiteer. Hurry up and switch the perspective back for me."

[Reconnecting... Connection successful.]

Far North Icefield. Inside the ice cave.

Gu Han slowly opened her eyes.

Deep within her pupils, the faint blue light belonging to Gu Sheng lit up again. Her gaze was clear and devoid of stray thoughts.

Su Qianxue held her breath and tentatively called out, "Sister Gu?"

Gu Han turned her head and looked at her with a calm gaze.

"I am fine," Gu Han spoke, her voice cold and clear, without any emotional fluctuations.

Su Qianxue's legs gave way, and she slumped directly onto the ice. She gasped for air, feeling as if she had just walked back from the gates of hell. Danqingzi let out a long, relieved breath within the ring.

They had won.

That mysterious Young Master Gu's methods were indeed heaven-defying; he was simply unfathomable.

[Ding.]

[Destiny Girl Su Qianxue's awe toward the host has deepened.]

[Destiny Points +500.]

Gu Sheng raised an eyebrow. To be able to harvest gold coins even after a false alarm, this wave wasn't a loss.

Li Yifeng sat at the entrance of the ice cave, his broken sword resting across his knees. He hadn't even lifted an eyelid, as if the Possession crisis that had just occurred didn't exist at all.

Suddenly, Li Yifeng's left hand tightened around the sword hilt.

In the wind and snow outside the ice cave, a very subtle fluctuation of spiritual power could be heard.

"Someone is here," Li Yifeng's voice was hoarse, laced with intense killing intent.

Su Qianxue immediately stood up, drew her longsword, and blocked the way in front of Gu Han.

Gu Han walked to the cave entrance.

The wind and snow were torn apart by an invisible force.

A figure wearing an ice-blue long dress landed outside the ice cave. The newcomer had an exquisite face and a cold temperament; it was precisely the Ice Spirit Sect Saintess, Mu Qinghan.

Mu Qinghan took in the situation inside the cave and immediately dropped to one knee.

"Sister Qingxue." Mu Qinghan lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly. "Qinghan has arrived late."

Gu Sheng watched Mu Qinghan through his Clone, his mind rapidly calculating. How did she find them?

Mu Qinghan seemed to sense Gu Han's confusion and took the initiative to explain: "Within the Sect, Qinghan sensed a violent fluctuation of the Lunar Origin and heard that the Ziyang Holy Land had been attacked on the outskirts of the icefield, so I rushed here immediately. The Lunar aura on Sister's body is something Qinghan would never mistake."

Gu Han did not speak.

Mu Qinghan raised her head, her gaze sweeping over Su Qianxue before finally landing on Li Yifeng, who was sitting on the ground.

With just one look, Mu Qinghan's pupils suddenly contracted.

Soul Transformation Great Perfection!

Moreover, that Sword Intent of pure, ultimate slaughter made Mu Qinghan, a Golden Core Peak, feel a sense of suffocation. Who was this old man? In the Beiming Land, there was absolutely no such figure!

"His name is Li Yifeng," Gu Han's tone was flat. "A Dao Protector sent by the Young Master."

Mu Qinghan's heart was violently shaken.

It was that Young Master Gu again!

To casually send out a peerless Sword Cultivator at the Soul Transformation Great Perfection to act as a bodyguard in the Far North Icefield. Just what Realm was that Young Master Gu in? Void Refining? Dao Integration? Or the legendary Mahayana Stage?

Mu Qinghan lowered her head, her voice even more respectful: "Young Master Gu's methods reach the heavens; Qinghan is in awe."

[Ding.]

[The Ice Spirit Sect Saintess's Dao Heart is trembling, indirectly affecting the Destiny Girl's emotions.]

[Destiny Points +800.]

In the Tianxuan Peak Hall, Gu Sheng picked up his teacup and took a sip. This wool-shearing was far too comfortable.

"What is the situation outside," Gu Han asked.

Mu Qinghan's expression turned solemn as she immediately reported: "The news of the Ziyang Holy Land Elder's death has already spread. The Ziyang Saint Chu Tianjiao is furious and has ordered the blockade of the inner icefield. They have deployed an imitation of the Sect's Great Treasure, the 'ziyang heaven-shining mirror,' and are searching everywhere for Sister's whereabouts."

"ziyang heaven-shining mirror?" Danqingzi exclaimed within the ring. "Even if it's an imitation, that is an extremely terrifying Magic Treasure! Once illuminated, even those in the Soul Transformation Stage will have nowhere to hide. Girl Su, the trouble is huge!"

Su Qianxue gripped her sword hilt, her palms sweating.

Gu Han's expression remained unchanged.

"Let them search." Gu Han turned and walked back into the depths of the ice cave. "The Young Master said that this Far North Icefield is my home turf."

Mu Qinghan looked at Gu Han's back, her eyes filled with fanaticism.

This was the Xuanming Goddess who had swept through Beiming and even the Central Province three hundred years ago! This was the confidence of that Young Master Gu!

"Qinghan is willing to be Sister's vanguard." Mu Qinghan stood up and walked to the cave entrance, standing side-by-side with Li Yifeng.

Li Yifeng glanced at her but said nothing.

The ice cave fell into silence.

Su Qianxue seized the time to circulate the Cold Moon True Interpretation, absorbing the surrounding extreme cold Qi. Gu Han stood at the deepest part, silently sensing the faint call from the depths of the icefield.

Her Lifebound Treasure.

She had to get it.

Two hours later.

Deep within the Far North Icefield, a muffled, thunderous roar suddenly sounded.

Immediately after, a purple pillar of light shot into the sky, tearing through the sky-filling snow. The entire earth of the icefield trembled violently. Chunks of ice fell from the roof of the ice cave.

Li Yifeng stood up abruptly, his broken sword letting out a crisp sword chime.

Mu Qinghan's face changed drastically: "It's the direction of the Xuanming Hall Ruins! The Ziyang Saint is forcibly breaking the array!"

Gu Han opened her eyes.

The faint blue light deep within her pupils flared brightly.

"Let's go." Gu Han walked outside.

Su Qianxue followed immediately.

The group of four left the ice cave and sped toward the purple pillar of light. The wind and snow automatically parted before Gu Han. Li Yifeng carried his broken sword, walking at the very back.

Tianxuan Peak Hall.

Gu Sheng sat up straight, staring at the System light screen.

"System, pull up the information on the Ziyang Saint for me."

[Ding.]

[Ziyang Saint: Chu Tianjiao.]

[Cultivation: Soul Transformation Early Stage.]

[Carrying Treasure: ziyang heaven-shining mirror (Imitation).]

[System Evaluation: A foolish and wealthy Young Master from the Central Province.]

Gu Sheng smiled.

Soul Transformation Early Stage. To dare to be so arrogant in the Far North Icefield with just an imitation.

"Old Li," Gu Sheng issued an instruction through the System, "when we get to the place, don't waste words; just use your ultimate move directly."

Far North Icefield.

Ahead, a massive Ice Valley appeared in their line of sight. In the center of the Ice Valley, purple light shot into the sky. Hundreds of Ziyang Holy Land Disciples had formed a grand array, surrounding the Ice Valley completely.

A young man wearing a purple-gold robe was suspended in mid-air, with a purple ancient mirror hovering above his head. It was precisely the Ziyang Saint, Chu Tianjiao.

Chu Tianjiao looked at the ice-sealed ancient palace below, his eyes full of greed.

"The core Legacy of the Xuanming Hall belongs to my Ziyang Holy Land!" Chu Tianjiao laughed loudly.

Before his voice had even faded.

An extremely cold voice rang out above the Ice Valley.

"Get out."

Chu Tianjiao turned his head sharply.

At the edge of the Ice Valley, four figures stood quietly in the wind and snow. The leading woman wore a plain white long dress, with a single snowflake mark on her forehead.

Chu Tianjiao narrowed his eyes, his gaze falling on Gu Han.

"So it's you who killed my Ziyang Holy Land's Elder?" Chu Tianjiao gave a cold laugh, and the ziyang heaven-shining mirror above his head erupted with a burst of piercing purple light, locking directly onto Gu Han.

"Pure Lunar Origin... Good! Excellent! This Saint just happens to be lacking a top-grade Cauldron!"

Chu Tianjiao raised his hand, about to order her capture.

Suddenly.

A dark-gold sword light lit up from behind Gu Han.

There were no spiritual power fluctuations. No heaven and earth anomalies. Only a Sword Intent of pure, ultimate slaughter.

Li Yifeng took a step forward, directly crossing several hundred feet of distance to appear in front of Chu Tianjiao.

The old man raised his broken sword.

"Sword Opens the Heaven Gate."

The broken sword fell.

The imitation ziyang heaven-shining mirror above Chu Tianjiao's head let out a wail and split directly into two halves. The sword light's momentum did not diminish, slicing straight through Chu Tianjiao's Protective Aura.

The arrogance on Chu Tianjiao's face instantly froze, turning into extreme terror.

"You..."

Pfft.

Blood sprayed.

Chu Tianjiao's right arm was severed at the root, and he fell directly from mid-air.

Below, the hundreds of Ziyang Holy Land Disciples all froze in place.

With one sword strike, he broke a Peak-grade Spiritual Artifact imitation and slashed the Soul Transformation Early Stage Saint.

Li Yifeng held his broken sword, suspended in mid-air.