69: Xuan Chen's first cry shook ten thousand miles; the Jiang Clan's majesty aweeded the purple clouds.

Outside the Thatched Cottage, the fragmented moonlight spilled down coldly, illuminating Jiang Linfeng's figure as he held his infant son. The air seemed to solidify, leaving only a bone-chilling coldness silently permeating, along with the lingering afterglow of the still-intimidating, slowly dissipating Chaos Star Power.

Luo Yan and Xi Youqin carefully carried the unconscious, weakly breathing Su Ningxue into the Warm Pavilion. As soon as they entered, a warm aura enveloped them, but compared to the heart-stopping events inside the Thatched Cottage, this warmth seemed somewhat pale.

"Sister Ningxue..." Xi Youqin looked at the smooth, ice-sealed wound on Su Ningxue's abdomen and the dim, almost shattered jade peach blossom imprint on her brow, her eyes reddening, her voice choked. She took out a bottle of shimmering Medicinal Pill from her spatial ring, but felt at a loss.

"First, use the 'Nine Spirit Vein-Mending Powder' to stabilize her heart meridian and Primordial Spirit. Don't disturb the ice Seal on her abdomen." Luo Yan's voice was steady, but the worry in her eyes was undeniable. She formed hand Seals, gently transferring her pure life Origin Power into Su Ningxue's body, carefully protecting her remaining trace of vitality. The tender green peach tree sprout that stubbornly emerged from the ruins of the Thatched Cottage seemed to resonate faintly with her, its life aura subtly strengthening, silently nourishing her and slowing the disintegration of the peach blossom imprint.

Xi Youqin quickly followed suit, her movements gentle and meticulous.

Outside the Warm Pavilion, in the courtyard.

Jiang Linfeng did not rush inside. He held Jiang Xuanchen, who was still asleep, standing amidst the icy wreckage, like an unyielding boulder. The terrifying pressure that had swept across the entire city and sealed the sky with a single thought had dissipated, but the lingering imperial majesty weighed heavily, like an invisible stone, on the hearts of every living being who had perceived that earth-shattering change!

The entire Ziyun City, from the dead silence of midnight, plunged into a deeper, suffocating fear and reverence!

On the highest Star-Gazing Tower of the City Lord's Mansion. The City Lord of Ziyun City, Duan Cangyuan, with his white hair and beard, trembled slightly as he held his golden staff, cold sweat dripping from his temples. The purple-gold python robe, symbolizing the highest authority of the city, was unknowingly soaked in large patches of cold sweat. He stared intently at the lingering spatial fluctuations and the not-yet-fully-dissipated phantom of the Chaos Star Power cage in the direction of the Luo residence, his voice dry and hoarse: "A single thought... to Seal the heavens? To change the world? This... this is definitely not a power of the Mortal realm! The Jiang family... this great deity of the Jiang family..."

His confidant attendant beside him was ashen-faced, his teeth chattering: "City Lord... that, that Ning Fairy... seems to have... lost? Not even a trace of her Qi can be sensed..."

Duan Cangyuan's eyes fluctuated violently, finally settling into a deathly gray solemnity, and he slowly uttered four words: "Unfathomably deep!" He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down: "Issue an order! Block all news of today! No, that won't do... the commotion is too great... Issue an order! Immediately prepare the best healing sacred Medicine, Millennial Spirit Milk, and rare treasures for nourishing the Primordial Spirit from the Ziyun treasury! They must be delivered to the Luo residence within half an hour! In... in the name of the City Lord's Mansion, inquire about Madam Jiang's well-being!"

The entire City Lord's Mansion instantly erupted into Chaos.

At the same time, in the depths of several deeply hidden aristocratic family mansions, in secret rooms of auction houses, and even in the upper rooms of some seemingly ordinary inns within Ziyun City, powerful or secretive Divine Thoughts were silently retreating and dispersing, filled with shock, apprehension, and even uncontrollable fear!

An old monster who had recently emerged from seclusion, hidden in a certain villa in the South City, suddenly opened his eyes, a trace of horror flashing in their depths: "The aura of Chaos Origin? And that girl Ning's Ice Soul Absolute Domain power? She... she perished?" Immediately, he extinguished his Divine Thought, retracting like a startled viper into its hole, without another sound. Any lingering thoughts of coveting the Luo residence's resources or observing the situation were now crushed to dust, leaving only relief that he had not yet made a move.

On top of a magnificent pavilion in the East City. A beautiful palace-dressed woman with an elegant, ethereal demeanor, holding a white jade Ruyi scepter, was frowning as she looked in the direction of the Luo residence. A colorful-robed maid beside her exclaimed in surprise: "Pavilion Master, that ice-blue light pillar should be a sign of the 'Star Divine Infant' innate phenomenon... This child's future is limitless! But that sealing will just now... it was too terrifying, even our Qi was forcibly suppressed for a moment! Ning Yudie's aura... has completely vanished!"

The elegant beauty's eyes gleamed, finally turning into a long sigh: "Chaos Ice Soul Sacred Body... Chaos Origin Blood protecting the Dao... such a foundation is beyond our coveting. Prepare a generous gift, and send it in the name of the Star Gathering Pavilion, to express our congratulations. Remember, only speak of congratulations, do not mention anything else!"

"Yes!"

Inside the Luo residence, it was a scene of devastation.

Jiang Linfeng, holding Jiang Xuanchen, slowly walked into the Warm Pavilion.

Luo Yan had already given Su Ningxue some basic treatment for her injuries, but the effect was limited, and the cracks in the peach blossom imprint resembled a spiderweb. Jiang Xuanchen seemed to sense his father's aura, smacking his small lips. In his sleep, the Chaos Ice Lotus imprint slowly rotating on his chest, its core jade medicinal pattern gently flickered.

In that single flicker.

Buzz—!

An invisible, intangible, yet irresistibly potent extreme cold Star Power, as if drawn by Jiang Xuanchen's unconscious pull, suddenly emanated from his tiny body! This power was not a violent attack, but rather a natural extension of his body, an overflow and coordination of Origin Power!

The Warm Pavilion did not cool down, but outside the Warm Pavilion—centered on the ruins of the Luo residence!

Rumble!!!!

A silent roar once again echoed between heaven and earth! The thick profound ice layer previously pierced and shattered by Jiang Xuanchen's birth light pillar, as well as the Chaos ice crystals frozen when Jiang Linfeng sealed the heavens with a thought, and even the remnants of the icy Spiritual Qi permeating the entire city, at this moment seemed to receive the command of a supreme emperor!

The world, frozen for a thousand li, came alive!

All scattered, violent ice elements, as if finding an absolute core, spontaneously and docilely converged towards the Luo residence! On the broken and collapsed ruins, sharp ice shards, frozen grass clippings, and even crushed stones frozen in the ice layer, were all as if combed by an invisible hand, rapidly covered, assimilated, and integrated by new, purer, harder deep-blue profound ice!

Visibly, the jagged, grotesque broken sections of the ruins were replaced by neat, smooth profound ice Prism; the piles of debris in the courtyard were replaced by ice crystal castles that rose from the ground, with fluid lines, reflecting the cold moonlight; even the overturned ground was instantly covered with a layer of profound ice as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the starry sky!

In just ten-odd breaths! The dilapidated and messy Luo residence courtyard vanished without a trace!

In its place stood a cluster of Cold Crystal Palace, purely carved from deep-blue ten-thousand-year profound ice, under the cold moonlight and scattered starlight! Corridors, flying eaves, courtyards, rockeries... everything was naturally formed, exuding a sacred, cold, eternally unchanging mysterious beauty!

And this ice fluctuation was not limited to the Luo residence! It was like throwing a stone into a calm lake, the ripples of ice crystals instantly spreading throughout Ziyun City!

All Cultivators in the city who practiced ice-element Cultivation Techniques, no matter where they were hidden, at this moment felt their spiritual power uncontrollably generate a subservient tremor, as if prostrating themselves towards the Luo residence in the city center! The ice-attribute spirit materials, Ore, and even the cores of ice-element Yao Beasts sealed in the City Lord's Mansion and the treasuries of various aristocratic families, all emitted a low hum!

The temperature of Ziyun City plummeted by more than ten degrees, yet it was not bone-chillingly cold, but rather had a strange sense of purification and order. Above the sky, the remaining starlight seemed to brighten and purify a bit, subtly echoing the newly formed Cold Crystal Palace!

"Heavenly... Heavenly Craftsmanship?!" Duan Cangyuan stood on the Star-Gazing Tower, looking at the crystal-clear palace complex shimmering under the moonlight, his jaw almost dropping to the ground. "This... is this the power of that newborn little baby?!"

The Star Gathering Pavilion Master's beautiful eyes widened, the white jade Ruyi scepter in her hand almost slipping. "Drawing the Qi of heaven and earth's ice soul... spontaneously condensing a palace that fits its Origin?! Chaos Ice Soul Sacred Body... is this the true mighty power of the Chaos Ice Soul Sacred Body's accompanying phenomenon, 'Star Divine Infant'?" Her last trace of hope vanished.

Inside the Warm Pavilion.

Jiang Xuanchen gently smacked his lips, his small brows relaxed, as if he had completed a very comfortable task. The aura that had attracted Star Power and profound ice quietly receded, and the Ice Lotus imprint on his chest also resumed its smooth rotation.

Luo Yan and Xi Youqin stared dumbfounded at the transformed residence outside the window.

Jiang Linfeng looked down at his infant son in his arms, the coldness in his eyes dissipating, leaving only pure admiration and an indescribable hint of pride. He reached out a finger and gently stroked Jiang Xuanchen's tender cheek.

"You certainly save your dad trouble."

The little fellow seemed tickled, his small nose wrinkled, and he let out a whimper even more subtle than a cat's meow.

Just then, Luo Yan collected her shock and walked to Jiang Linfeng's side, gently and with a hint of worry looking at his slightly pale complexion (from the consumption of that drop of essence blood) and Xuanchen in his arms, then looked at the weakly breathing Su Ningxue on the bed: "Husband, Sister Ningxue's Origin is too severely damaged, and the peach blossom imprint is on the verge of collapsing. If this continues, her life may be in danger. Your concubine can only barely sustain her with life Origin Power and that peach tree sprout. We need a powerful expert to intervene, or use rare treasures containing 'Yi Wood Life Origin Qi' to nourish the peach blossom imprint's Origin."

Jiang Linfeng's gaze fell on the cracks on Su Ningxue's brow, a cold light flashing deep in his eyes (clearly thinking of Ning Yudie, the instigator), then turning solemn. He pondered for a moment, then handed Jiang Xuanchen in his arms to Luo Yan: "Watch him." His voice was calm but carried an undeniable sense of security.

Luo Yan carefully took the child, feeling the vigorous and vast life force beneath his cold exterior, her worry slightly easing as she nodded heavily.

Jiang Linfeng turned, his gaze seemingly piercing the Warm Pavilion's ice walls, looking towards the depths of the Cold Crystal Palace, which his infant son had unintentionally shaped and which stood majestically in the night sky.

There, a faint but incredibly pure wisp of wood-element vitality, seemingly coexisting with this ice domain, faintly pulsed deep within the ice core. Was it the aura of the ancient peach tree, once again deeply hidden as the ruins were reborn? Or a rare item nurtured by a newly formed Ice Soul Spiritual Vein?

He walked out slowly, heading towards the depths of the palace, his footsteps echoing crisp and hollow on the smooth, mirror-like profound ice ground.

Just as Jiang Linfeng was about to disappear from the Warm Pavilion's sight.

Outside the mansion gate, Duan Cangyuan's deliberately raised voice, full of respect and even a hint of fawning, was heard: "City Lord of Ziyun City, Duan Cangyuan, having heard that your esteemed residence has been blessed with a Qilin son, and that Madam Jiang requires quiet recuperation, specially comes to offer Spirit Medicine and rare treasures, as a small token of my regard. Please convey my message to your envoy!"

Immediately after, several other cautious voices, also trying to seize this sole opportunity to curry favor, rang out:

"The Star Gathering Pavilion Master presents congratulatory gifts, congratulating Master Jiang on the birth of his son!"

"Ziyun Chen Family..."

"Profound Turtle Mansion..."

Outside the mansion gate, at some unknown point, a large group of prominent figures from Ziyun City had silently knelt! No one dared to look directly at the tightly closed mansion gate, forged from newly condensed, heavy profound ice! In their eyes, this was no longer a residence, but a supreme divine temple not to be defiled by Mortals!

Jiang Linfeng did not turn his head, his cold voice was not loud, yet it clearly penetrated the ice barrier, echoing in the ears of every kneeling person, like an imperial decree from a Heavenly God of the Nine Heavens:

"Take the gifts. The people, wait."

"Once I find the rare treasures and awaken Ningxue."

"I will have Youqin fetch them."

As his voice faded, he had already vanished into the depths of the majestic Cold Crystal Palace, leaving only a cold moonlight and suffocating reverence, enveloping the kneeling heroes of Ziyun outside the gate like ants.