Bing Rong’s eyes glimmered with azure brilliance as she invoked her Ancient Frost Phoenix Bloodline. Within her meridians, the beastly might of an ice phoenix roared to life, causing the sky to darken with gathering clouds.
Thin ribbons of snow and ice swirled around her body, fanning out like ethereal wings.
Simultaneously, her Frost Lotus Physique activated, amplifying every wisp of cold Qi she drew upon.
A translucent lotus, sculpted from floating ice, formed just behind her. The petals spread out slowly, each radiating an aura of freezing Qi so intense that the air itself began to crackle with condensation.
Bing Rong closed her eyes for a second. Then, with a calm breath, she pressed her palms together in a focused gesture. A vortex of snow and cold wind spiraled down from the clouds, condensing into a swirling orb of dazzling blue-white light just ahead of her.
Shen Yuan watched with keen interest. Even at a safe distance, the sheer force of Bing Rong’s power stirred the air around him, tugging at his robes.
‘This is her true strength…’ he mused. Ling Yue hovered by his side, a look of both awe and resolution flashing in her eyes as she witnessed the might that would bury her lifelong home.
Finally, Bing Rong thrust her hands forward. ‘Lotus of Eternal Imprisonment,’ she thought as the lotus of frost, now surging with immense Qi, shot downward like a comet.
There was no roar of flames or crackle of lightning—just an eerie hush as if the entire world had paused. The lotus struck the sect’s central peak calmly like a seed had been planted.
A silent shockwave expanded from the collision point, rippling across the sect’s mountainous terrain in all directions. Structures, courtyards, and training zones alike frosted over in seconds, turning into crystalline sculptures under the insane temperature drop.
Pavilions that once stood majestically shimmered for an instant before turning into ice-laden marvels. The once-lush forests of the mountains took on a ghostly white sheen, each leaf and branch turning into ice from the inside.
As Shen Yuan and Ling Yue looked ahead, the entire landscape—for thousands of miles in every direction—became encased in ice.
The silence that followed was almost deafening. An entire sect, a span of thousands of miles, now lay beneath a blanket of eternal frost.
Bing Rong slowly lowered her hands, breathing out a thin mist as the swirling ice lotuses and phoenix shadow faded from her aura.
She turned to Shen Yuan, a slight sheen of sweat glistening on her brow despite the freezing air surrounding her. “It’s done,” she said quietly, voice tinged with the faint fatigue of channeling such formidable power.
Shen Yuan moved forward and pulled her in for a hug while softly berating her, “Do you really need to show off in front of me? Exhausted yourself like this for nothing.”
Bing Rong softly smiled while breathing in Shen Yuan’s calming presence. “Hehe, I can’t look bad in front of my monstrous young brother, now can I? You will definitely surpass me one day, and that day is also not far. I need to at least make you awed by my strength while I still have the chance.” She finished speaking and rested her head on his chest.
Shen Yuan chuckled and shook his head while patting her back.
Ling Yue, on the other hand, stared down at the world of ice, a hint of sadness briefly flashing past her eyes before she exhaled a long sigh and straightened her back.
‘Young Master has given me both a new life and the potential to walk the path of Dao. I can’t let him down.’ Even though she thought this, her dropped tail couldn’t hide her sadness.
“It’s… truly over,” she murmured. “No one can take anything from here, nor desecrate our home further.”
Shen Yuan nodded as Bing Rong left his embrace. He then surveyed the massive expanse of ice. He chuckled, “Impressive, Big Sis. After a few years, this place should begin birthing treasures of heaven and earth.”
Bing Rong nodded her head. “Yes, but no one below the level of Dao Core Forming Realm can step foot in this place for many, many years to come. And the low level of Heaven and Earth resources won’t attract Dao Core Forming Realm cultivators, so they won’t come here for that either.”
Shen Yuan nodded his head. “True. Now, let’s depart from here before we encounter further trouble.” He finished speaking and took out the flying ship from his storage.
‘Man, I really want a different and special flying treasure. This ship doesn’t suit my aesthetic.’ He thought to himself while flying above the ship, followed by Bing Rong and Ling Yue.
Yue Lan materialized in her cat form on his shoulder.
[What type of flying treasure do you want? This flying ship is an Emperor Grade Treasure, you know. It’s not easy to find a flying treasure of this grade.]
Shen Yuan raised an eyebrow. ‘This ship’s grade is that high? Hmm, Mom really gives me all the good stuff.’ His lips formed a sweet smile as he remembered Shen Yuxin.
Soon, all three of them reached the top of the ship before Shen Yuan put the coordinates of the sect, and the ship began sailing the skies toward Radiant Lotus Sacred Sect.
Ling Yue bowed to both Shen Yuan and Bing Rong once they were all on the ship comfortably. “Thank you, Young Master… for letting me end this with my own decision.” Her voice felt lighter than before. She then turned to Bing Rong and bowed. “And you, Senior Bing Rong, for sealing the sect instead of destroying it.”
Bing Rong waved her hand. “No need to address me as Senior, I’m far too young for you to be addressing me as Senior.” She felt that Ling Yue was making her sound old, as she was not even 100 years old yet, while Ling Yue was over 1,200 years old.
Shen Yuan nodded and moved closer to Ling Yue, patting her head. “You can address her as Mistress Bing Rong.”
Bing Rong’s cheeks turned a little red as Shen Yuan directly told Ling Yue to address her as the mistress.
Ling Yue nodded her head while sizing up Bing Rong once again. This was the first time she had heard about the wife of her Young Master.
Bing Rong’s face turned increasingly red as she felt Ling Yue’s gaze. Shen Yuan chuckled and said again, “You should head inside the Pagoda and train the disciples. I have changed the first level, but the rest remained the same. You can train the disciples there before I take you all out after the Aurora Competition.”
Ling Yue worriedly swung her tail left and right while looking at Shen Yuan, her mind churning as she tried to think of any excuse to stay with Shen Yuan a bit longer.
Her eyes lit up as she hurriedly said, “Young Master, I still need to go through my tribulation. Otherwise, I won’t be able to advance.”
Shen Yuan had no idea that this was only her excuse to stay with him for a bit longer. He slapped his forehead softly. “How did I forget about that? Not only you, but the rest of the squad members need to undergo their tribulation. Fuck, we forgot Grand Elder and her group.”