Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 625

Han Li, with his Violet Zenith Flame, was completely unaffected by the cold. The white wind was absorbed by the purple flames around him, vanishing without a trace.

He glanced around the hall, now encased in ice. Cultivators with extreme flames seemed fine. Baek Mong-hyung emitted white flames, and Han Ryeo Sangin had produced a small cauldron, protecting himself with Azure Glaze Flames.

The middle-aged man in the blue robe had created a barrier of black ice flames, standing with his hands clasped behind his back.

The old woman held a yellow staff, emitting yellow flames, using it as a shield. The gray-robed monk clasped his hands, using a pale green flame shaped like a coiling dragon to ward off the cold.

Suddenly, the strange cries from within the stone gate ceased, and the icy wind lost its force, dissipating. The hall fell silent, like a tomb.

Han Li made a hand seal, drawing the purple flames back into his body, then stared into the stone gate. The pure white space was filled with ice pillars, creating a maze-like appearance.

Han Li tried to use his spiritual sense to explore, but it was blocked before reaching the gate. A special restriction was in place, limiting spiritual sense. The old woman and the others also looked inside, their expressions varied.

“Everyone, please be careful. This is my first time entering the Void Spirit Hall. While I can control most of the restrictions, I don’t have complete mastery over all of them. Please follow closely and avoid straying, which could activate other restrictions,” Han Ryeo Sangin said earnestly.

“Of course. We have no intention of wandering recklessly in your palace’s restricted area,” the old woman replied calmly. Han Li and the monk agreed. Han Ryeo Sangin nodded, satisfied, and gave instructions to Baek Yo-yi and the other So-Guk Palace elders.

“This matter will take about four or five days, perhaps as long as half a month. If any monsters attack during that time, follow the plan. If something goes wrong and I don’t emerge after two months, implement the contingency plan!”

“Yes, Great Elder!” the elders replied in unison.

“Let’s go in now.” Han Ryeo Sangin took out a fist-sized, pure white formation disc and walked into the stone gate. The other cultivators, including Han Li, followed.

As soon as they entered, Han Ryeo Sangin made a hand seal and sent a magic seal into the disc. With a rumble, the stone gate closed, spells appearing and emitting a bright light.

The old woman and the monk exchanged glances.

“Don’t worry. It’s difficult to enter the Void Spirit Hall from the outside, but opening and exiting from the inside is simple. I’ve temporarily sealed the door to prevent interference from secret arts,” Han Ryeo Sangin explained, seeing their expressions.

After a dozen steps, they saw the ice pillars up close, their dazzling light making them squint.

“These ten-thousand-year mystic ice pillars number 1008. An ancient cultivator put a lot of effort into setting up the famous Ice Soul Cold Array [a powerful formation using ice energy]. Without the right magical artifacts, you could turn into an ice block from the array’s cold. The icy wind we just felt was the cold air the array naturally created, sealed for thousands of years and then released all at once. Even cultivators like us with cold flames can’t guarantee survival in this array,” Han Ryeo Sangin explained calmly. The old woman and the monk looked at the pillars with skepticism.

“Don’t worry. We have no intention of experiencing the power of this array firsthand,” Han Li replied with a light smile. Han Ryeo Sangin chuckled and threw the formation disc into the gaps between the pillars.

A milky white light emanated from the disc, causing some ice pillars to slide away like illusions, creating a path. Han Ryeo Sangin retrieved the disc and entered the passage, the others following closely.

Han Li walked last, observing his surroundings.

The ten-thousand-year mystic ice pillars were thick, requiring two people to stretch their arms to hug them. Their surfaces were strangely smooth, with bizarre spells floating on them. If you tried to examine the spells, they would disappear instantly.

A thick white fog obscured the tops of the ice pillars, starting about six or seven yards high. It was indeed an array Han Ryeo Sangin could be confident in.

While Han Li observed, the group walked several hundred yards, still surrounded by dense ice pillars. It was believable that there were thousands, not just 1008.

After about an hour, the path ahead brightened, and they exited the ice pillar passage. A platform about twenty yards high and a hundred yards wide appeared before them.

The high platform was as white as jade, surrounded by a navy blue light. Golden doors on both sides were sealed with ancient talismans.

Han Ryeo Sangin admired the navy blue aura, then retrieved the formation disc and walked to the platform’s edge. He raised his hands, thinly covered with Azure Glaze Flames, and placed them on the platform’s navy blue barrier.

When the flames touched the barrier, the platform vibrated and emitted a dazzling light.

Bang!

The barrier shattered and disappeared. Han Ryeo Sangin flew onto the platform. Han Li and the others also flew up, landing beside him.

Han Ryeo Sangin stood with his hands behind his back, observing the ground below.

They saw a bizarre formation engraved around the platform, with a huge cauldron pattern in the middle. It was the same pattern as the Void Heaven Cauldron he possessed.

Han Li’s expression subtly changed, but he quickly returned to a neutral look.

“Fellow Han, have you seen this kind of formation before?” Han Ryeo Sangin asked, noticing his expression. Han Li, startled inside, calmly replied,

“I think I saw a similar formation in an ancient cultivator’s residence, but it seems different upon closer inspection. I must have been mistaken.”

“Is that so?” Han Ryeo Sangin looked strange and twitched his lips. Whether he believed him or not, he didn’t ask further.

A small cauldron containing Azure Glaze Flames flew from Han Ryeo Sangin’s sleeve to the center of the formation. Everyone watched intently.

Koo-koong.

The small cauldron rapidly grew larger, emitting intense Azure Glaze Flames, returning to its original giant size in an instant.

Baek Mong-hyung and the middle-aged man in the blue robe stepped forward, raised one hand, and released white and black flames onto the formation on the ground.

Koo-kwah-kwang!

With the two streams of powerful cold flames, the formation emitted a light of spiritual energy, creating a navy blue cauldron within the light. The giant cauldron, controlled by Han Ryeo Sangin, merged with the cauldron of light, falling into the center of the formation with a thud.

As Han Ryeo Sangin chanted a strange spell, Azure Glaze Flames surged from the cauldron, covering the entire formation. The formation shook violently, and a crack slowly widened around the giant cauldron.

The giant cauldron, emitting navy blue flames, floated into the air, and a white light shone from the gap below, illuminating the surroundings. The other cultivators flew into the air, watching in surprise.

“This is the Mystic Jade Cave, the greatest treasure of the Void Spirit Hall. The mystic jade inside has been passed down since ancient times. It’s said that ancient cultivators used immense magical power to condense an entire mystic jade vein into a cave. Though the names ten-thousand-year mystic jade and ten-thousand-year mystic ice are similar, they are completely different. You won’t find even a few pieces of ten-thousand-year mystic jade in the entire northern region except here,” Han Ryeo Sangin said proudly. The middle-aged man and Baek Mong-hyung shared his pride.

“If you hadn’t mentioned the Mystic Jade Cave, it would be hard to believe such an incredible place existed. So much ten-thousand-year mystic jade… Even a small amount melted into a magical treasure can greatly enhance its cold attributes!” the gray-robed monk exclaimed, his eyes sparkling. The old woman’s eyes also lit up. Han Li smiled calmly, rubbing the surface of the golden flying sword in his sleeve.

“I’ve already told Fellow Baek and Fellow Gu Yang. If you three help me reach the Nascent Soul stage [a high level of cultivation], I will give you some ten-thousand-year mystic jade! Consider it a token of our So-Guk Palace’s sincerity.”

“Is that true?” Even the usually cold old woman showed a hint of joy.

“Of course, I am the Great Elder of the So-Guk Palace,” Han Ryeo Sangin nodded. Now, even the gray-robed monk’s delight was obvious. Ten-thousand-year mystic jade was a priceless treasure.

Han Li was impressed by Han Ryeo Sangin’s generosity. It was likely a reward to ensure the outsiders would do their best.

“Now, let’s go inside the Mystic Jade Cave! The cold inside is immense, so protect yourselves with extreme flames first. There’s a place inside where you can avoid the cold and recover your magical power. Otherwise, even I wouldn’t last long,” Han Ryeo Sangin warned before entering. He opened his mouth and released a navy blue fireball. The fireball transformed into a large navy blue firebird and entered his body.

A clear cry was heard, and the illusion of a large navy blue bird disappeared behind Han Ryeo Sangin. Navy blue ice flames exploded and enveloped him. He entered the crack in that state.

Baek Mong-hyung and the old woman also used their cold flames to protect themselves and flew into the crack. Han Li, narrowing his eyes, looked at the golden doors on both sides, then hesitated, looking up at the giant cauldron floating above the crack.

However, he soon chuckled, as if he had thought of something, and wrapped his body in purple ice flames, following the group.

Tsutsutsut.

As soon as he entered the crack, a cold wave rushed in, making a strange sound as it clashed with the purple flames around Han Li.

Han Li, seeing the purple flames trembling, was startled and drew upon the Violet Zenith Flame within his body to stabilize the barrier. Only then could he look around. The Mystic Jade Cave was an underground cave.

It was made using a mystic jade vein, rare in the world, emitting a cold several times stronger than even ten-thousand-year mystic ice. Rice grain-sized particles sparkled with a milky white light on both sides of the cave, becoming denser as they went deeper underground.

‘Hmm?’

Han Li felt something was strange. The others didn’t notice, but when he reached out towards the cold light, he forcefully condensed a strand of it with his magic power, wrapping it in purple flames.

To the naked eye, it looked like ordinary cold, but only after his pupils flickered with a navy blue light did a look of surprise cross his face.

The milky white cold light revealed its true form when seen through the Spirit Eye [a technique to see spiritual energy]. It contracted and expanded on its own within the purple flames, as if it were a living creature, neither fearing nor trying to merge with the purple flames.

‘What is this? It seems like the cold has gained a spirit, but it also doesn’t seem like it!’

It was fortunate it was only a small amount of cold, but if a large amount gathered, even the Violet Zenith Flame wouldn’t stop it. As if he had thought of something, he clapped his hands and summoned something bright red onto his hand covered in Violet Zenith Flame.