The dragon fell back into the abyss. Su Binglan quickly clapped her hands together. The broken pieces of the ice plateau suddenly flew back into the hole. Millions of tons of blue ice slammed together, perfectly sealing the giant pit. In less than a second, the flat circular plateau was completely restored. The ground was smooth and solid again. The terrifying roar of the dragon was muffled, buried deep beneath thousands of feet of unbreakable ice. The mountain finally stopped shaking. The wind slowed down. Total silence returned to the Frozen Moon Peak. It was over. But the cost was terrible. Su Binglan lowered her arms. She stood perfectly still for one second. Then, her knees completely buckled. She collapsed onto the cold ice floor like a broken doll. "Su Binglan!" Li Chen called out. He walked quickly over to her. He did not like her, but he knew she had just saved his life. The dragon's breath was too massive. If she had not stepped in front of him, the absolute zero magi

"If you agree to be my vessel and drain my cold," she said, offering her terms, "I will give you everything you need. I will make you my personal shadow guard. I will grant you the official status of a Core Disciple’s protector. No one in the Outer Sect or the Inner Sect will dare to touch you. You will live here, on the highest peak, completely safe from the hunting guards."She leaned forward slightly. "I will give you mountains of high-grade spirit stones," she promised. "I will give you the best martial arts manuals in the sect library. I will give you healing pills. I will feed your Chaos Root with endless resources. And I will personally protect you from Elder Zhao and the Supreme Patriarch."Li Chen listened to the offer. It was a perfect deal. He needed time to grow his power. He needed a safe place to hide while he digested energy. He needed resources that he could not find in the mud of the Outer Sect. And Su Binglan was powerful enough to keep the angry elders away from hi

The heavy, terrifying sound of the Grand Assembly Bell finally stopped ringing. But the booming, slippery voice of the Sect Master still echoed in the cold night air. [BRING THE GREY-SKINNED BOY TO THE MAIN HALL. IMMEDIATELY.]Su Binglan stared out over the broken blue ice of the plateau. Her beautiful face was completely pale. The terrible truth she had just learned was crushing her mind. For her entire life, she thought the Sect Master was her savior. He had taken her in when she was a little girl. He had given her fire pills to fight her freezing sickness. He had made her the Ice Empress. But it was all a giant, ugly lie. The Sect Master was just a farmer, and she was the crop. He had planted a dark green poison seal inside her heart. He was waiting for her Nine-Yin Calamity Body to become fully powerful so he could eat her and steal her magic. "He knows," Su Binglan whispered. Her voice was shaking with pure terror. "Elder Zhao must have sent a magical message to the Sect Mast

A massive, terrifying shockwave of black and blue energy erupted from Li Chen and Su Binglan. The shockwave blasted across the ice plateau, cracking the floor and pushing the falling snow far away into the dark sky. Li Chen’s eyes snapped open. The swirling black vortexes in his pupils were larger, deeper, and more terrifying than ever before. A tiny spark of dark golden light shined in the very center of the void. The barrier was broken. "7th Level of Qi Condensation," Li Chen announced. His voice was no longer just deep; it vibrated with a heavy, ancient power that made the ice beneath him tremble. Li Chen slowly pulled his hands away. Their palms separated. The physical black holes in his hands vanished into his skin. The transfer was over. Su Binglan slumped forward, breathing heavily. She caught herself with her hands on the ice. Her long blue hair fell around her face. She looked exhausted, but her skin was glowing with a healthy, beautiful pale light. She looked down a

The massive Main Hall was filled with thick, dark green smoke. It smelled like sweet perfume mixed with old, rotting meat. On the cold stone floor, the melted body of Elder Zhao hissed and bubbled. He was completely dead, turned into a puddle of green slime. High up on the grand jade throne, the Sect Master smiled. His yellow eyes glowed brightly in the dark. "The harvest begins tonight," the Sect Master purred. His voice was slippery and wet. Su Binglan stood frozen next to Li Chen. Her beautiful face was completely pale. She had known the Sect Master her entire life. She knew how terrifying his poison magic was. But Li Chen did not look scared. He stepped forward. His grey, metallic skin shined in the green light of the torches. The dark golden tattoo of the dragon-turtle on his chest glowed hotly. "You want to eat us?" Li Chen asked. His heavy, deep voice echoed in the giant hall. "Come and try."The Sect Master laughed. It was an ugly, hacking sound. "You are very brave, lit