This time, he looked more carefully, his gaze fixed on every corner of the map, memorizing every mark.
His gaze momentarily lingered on the location of the Fire God Palace and Hall of Light, then swept over the approximate location of the Void Merchant Guild’s Heavenly City and Blue Cloud Cave, finally stopping at a place that made him frown slightly.
In the northeast corner of the map, further north of the Qingyun Mountains, there is an area marked “Beiming Hanyuan”.
The area was not marked in detail on the map, only described in a few lines of red text—
“The extremely cold forbidden land is frozen all year round, and the temperature is so low that even Golden Immortal cultivators cannot stay there for long.”
“The space is very unstable, the teleportation array can’t find it, and flying artifacts can’t get close.”
“This site, which is thought to be the place of origin of the ancient Ice God, contains the remains of the Ice God.”
Hazard level: Unknown.
David’s gaze fell on those few lines of text for a long time.
Ice God bloodline.
The remnant soul of the Ice God bloodline ancestor was still sleeping in his sea of consciousness.
The “Northern Cold Abyss” on Eighteenth Heaven was marked as the “Site of the Ancient Ice God Bloodline,” indicating that the Ice God Bloodline once had a stronghold on Eighteenth Heaven.
I just don’t know if there are any members of the Ice God lineage still there.
David put away the map jade scroll, got up and walked out of the guest room, then knocked on the door of Jiang Xuelan’s room next door.
The door opened quickly, and Jiang Xuelan had changed into a pure white dress, her long hair was tied back up, and she was holding a cup of hot tea in her hand.
“What is it?” He noticed David’s expression was a little strange.
David handed him the piece of jade paper containing the map, saying, “Please look at this.”
Jiang Xuelan took the jade scroll, probed it with her divine sense, and after a moment raised her head, a glimmer of surprise flashed in her eyes: “Northern Underworld Abyss? The ruins of the Ice God bloodline?”
“You know this place?”
Jiang Xuelan shook her head. “I don’t know. Even though I am a descendant of the Ice God’s lineage, I don’t know anything about the ruins of places like Eighteenth Heaven.”
He paused, then asked, “Are you going?”
Just as David was about to speak, a weak and old voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
“Northern Cold Abyss”
His voice was very gentle, as if it came from a very far place, carrying a sense of tiredness after experiencing many hardships.
This was the remnant soul of the ancestor of the Ice God lineage, Bei Mingyuan.
“Senior?” David answered in his heart.
“That place… used to be a branch altar of the Ice God lineage on Eighteenth Heaven.”
Bei Mingyuan’s voice sounded halting and halting, as if he was trying hard to remember, “The Ice God bloodline used to have influence in every heaven and was very prosperous. They were highly respected among the gods. I once lived in Bei Ming Han Yuan for some time, but it’s truly a pity the current state of the Ice God bloodline.”
His voice contained unconcealed pain.
“Does the legacy of the Ice God still exist?” David asked.
Bei Mingyuan was silent for a long time.
It took so long that David thought he was fast asleep again.
Then his voice came again, even weaker than before: “I don’t know. So many years have passed, who could possibly know?”
He paused, “However I sensed traces of the Ice God’s bloodline deep within the Northern Chasm. It’s very faint, as if there are still living clan members.”
David’s heart was beating fast.
Are there any clan members still alive?
“Are you sure, sir?”
“not sure.”
Bei Mingyuan’s voice grew weaker, as if he was speaking with his last breath, “That aura is too weak. It could be an illusion, a remnant soul, or even a seal. But no matter what, there must be something from the Ice God’s bloodline there. Otherwise, my remnant soul wouldn’t have sensed it.”
After saying that, Bei Mingyuan’s voice disappeared completely, and silence enveloped his mind again.
David opened his eyes and looked at Jiang Xuelan.
Jiang Xuelan looked at him with eyes full of questions.
“Senior Beiming said,” David repeated Beiming Yuan’s words, “that there are still traces of the Ice God’s bloodline deep in the Beiming Cold Abyss, and there may still be clan members alive.”
Jiang Xuelan’s hands trembled slightly, the tea cup in her hand shook, and a few drops of tea splashed on the back of her hand.
He didn’t speak, but David could see the turmoil in his eyes.
The Ice God bloodline now had only one branch left in the Divine Abyss Pavilion on Seventeenth Heaven, and that was the Great Ice Venerable’s lineage, which altogether numbered no more than a few hundred people.
If there were any clan members still alive on Eighteenth Heaven, it would be very important to the Ice God bloodline.
“The map shows that the Northern Dark Abyss is an extremely cold forbidden land, where not even Gold Immortals can stay for long.”
David thought for a moment and said, “But we have the bloodline and cultivation technique of the Ice God bloodline, so we should be able to withstand it. Whether you want to go or not is up to you.”
Jiang Xuelan lowered her head, looked at the teacup swaying in her hand, and was silent for a moment.
Then he raised his head, his eyes no longer filled with emotion, only determination: “Go.”
“Good.”
David got up from the futon, put away the map jade slip and the guest’s token of honor, then said, “Take a good rest tonight, and leave early tomorrow morning.”
Jiang Xuelan nodded and carried the teacup back to her room.
David closed the door and sat back on the futon, but did not enter a meditative state.
He took out the silver-white guest token and examined it for a long time, turning it over and over in his palm.
The timing of the gifts from the Void Merchant Guild couldn’t be better.
Just when he had just finished an arduous battle and needed rest and information, a map with such terrifying precision that it sent shivers down his spine was sent to him.
Every piece of information listed on this map seemed to tell him—look, the Eighteen Heavens are vast, the enemies are numerous, and danger lurks everywhere. But that’s okay, we have all the information you need, and if you are willing, we can be your most reliable friend.
“Friend.” David muttered those two words, a meaningful smile on his lips.
He put the token back into his storage bag, closed his eyes, and slowly activated the Mind Concentration Technique, flowing spiritual energy through his meridians to replenish the chaotic energy consumed in today’s battle, little by little.
FAQ Novel
Q: What features characterize Fire Raven City’s atmosphere?
A: Fire Raven City is described as small but lively, with streets bustling with merchants selling magical artifacts, potions, and spiritual ingredients, and a mix of independent cultivators and sect disciples.
Q: Where does David decide to lodge in Fire Raven City?
A: David opts to stay in a small, remote inn with two floors, rather than the prominent stone building in the city center.
Share your predictions for what secrets Fire Raven City holds and the challenges David might soon face!