C504 Ice Realm

"With so much here, there's no need to divide it up. I still need to meditate, so if you two want to go in, feel free," Woo Zhengyang said.

Upon hearing this, Du Yusheng and Yuen Jinli couldn't hide their delight. Although they had reluctantly agreed to Woo Zhengyang's earlier proposal for dividing the spoils, they weren't thrilled about it. Now, with fortune smiling upon them, the abundance of Heavenly Essence Stones meant it was no longer about dividing them but about how much they could carry away. Whoever grabbed them first would own them.

Ignoring the two who were visibly pleased, Woo Zhengyang turned to Situ Jingxiang and said, "Miss Situ, I don't need a guardian anymore. You can go in too."

Situ Jingxiang had been eager to rush into the world of Heavenly Essence Stones. However, upon hearing Woo Zhengyang's words, she managed to restrain herself.

"There's so much stuff, there's no rush. Let them go in first. I'll stay here and keep watch for you," she said.

Woo Zhengyang was quite surprised by her patience. Heavenly Essence Stones were precious, but who knew if there might be something even more valuable inside? For someone as impatient as her, standing guard outside a treasure trove without entering was undoubtedly torturous. Yet, she managed to hold back, showing not only her good nature but also her strong sense of loyalty.

Woo Zhengyang really wished Situ Jingxiang wasn't so loyal right now. He didn't need to meditate; he just wanted her to leave so he could act alone. Although hiding the Ice Crystal Fire Hall was simple, retrieving it might cause a commotion, and Zhengyang didn't want to risk exposure in front of others.

He planned to release Bing'er, Rice, and the others to help transport and fill the Ice Crystal Fire Hall when he was alone. With Situ Jingxiang around, that wasn't possible. Zhengyang also hoped Du Yusheng and Yuen Jinli would sneak over to find him. Given their personalities, and after being provoked by him, they might not resist. Plus, Zhengyang had something they wanted—the Hidden Heaven Bag.

With countless Heavenly Essence Stones at stake, and without a Hidden Heaven Ring, Zhengyang's Hidden Heaven Bag was a treasure. But with Situ Jingxiang by his side, those two wouldn't dare approach.

Zhengyang was frustrated, and so were Du Yusheng and Yuen Jinli. They wouldn't wait around, though. If there was a better opportunity inside, they wanted a chance to seize it. Going in with Situ Jingxiang meant they couldn't enjoy it alone.

"Since Woo Zhengyang needs to meditate and Miss Situ is going to stand guard, let's head in first," Yuen Jinli said with a nod. Without waiting for a response, he turned and entered the world of the Heavenly Essence Stone.

Du Yusheng, who had been hoping to exchange a few friendly words with Situ Jingxiang, was taken aback by Yuen Jinli's decisiveness. He quickly nodded and followed him into that realm.

Neither of them rushed to collect the Heavenly Essence Stones; instead, they swiftly moved deeper, seeking other opportunities.

In the blink of an eye, their figures vanished, leaving only Woo Zhengyang and Situ Jingxiang in front of the stone door.

...

"Did I just mention my Hidden Heaven Bag?" Situ Jingxiang suddenly slapped her forehead in frustration after Du Yusheng and Yuen Jinli left.

Woo Zhengyang nodded, "And you just mentioned it again."

"No worries, I trust you won't try to take it from me. Besides, you couldn't even if you wanted to."

Woo Zhengyang couldn't help but chuckle. He initially thought Situ Jingxiang had a high opinion of his character, but it turned out she was simply confident in her own abilities. He understood that her comment was straightforward and not meant to belittle him, unlike Du Yusheng and Yuen Jinli. Otherwise, she wouldn't have stayed to watch over him while he meditated.

After a moment of silence, Woo Zhengyang said, "Actually, I don't need anyone to stand guard. You can go ahead."

"I know."

"Do you know? Do you know what?"

"I'm afraid they might come to kill you. I need to protect you!"

Woo Zhengyang knew that Situ Jingxiang wasn't foolish, but her sudden insight still caught him off guard.

"How do you know they'll come to kill me?"

"When you broke the seal, you took out a treasure. They seemed to really like it. My sister said that here, it's common to kill for treasures. Plus, you offended them with your words, so I suspect they might come after you."

"Then why do you want to protect me?"

"Without you breaking the seal, we couldn't have opened the stone door or gotten all these Heavenly Essence Stones. You brought out the treasure for everyone, so I want to protect you and your treasure. Otherwise, even if I got the Heavenly Essence Stones, I wouldn't feel right about it."

"Aren't you worried there might be other treasures inside that they might get first?"

"No, my sister said that true opportunities come to those destined for them. If it's meant for me, I believe it will be mine."

"Who's your sister?"

"My sister... I'm not telling you!"

...

After much back-and-forth, Woo Zhengyang was finally worn down by Situ Jingxiang. No matter how much he tried to persuade her, she insisted on protecting him. With no other choice, Woo Zhengyang got up and walked with Situ Jingxiang into the world made of Heavenly Essence Stones.

I have no idea how that barrier worked, causing the Heaven and Earth Vital Energy to form a mist within the passage. Once the barrier broke, the mist vanished.

Even in a world filled with Heavenly Essence Stones, the Heaven and Earth Vital Energy wasn’t usually this dense. After all, the Heavenly Essence Stones are essentially stones and won’t dissolve into energy without external force.

Woo Zhengyang and Situ Jingxiang stood amidst the endless Heavenly Essence Stones, feeling a sense of disbelief. From outside the stone gate, they saw a boundless world made entirely of these stones. Upon entering, they realized the stone gate was part of a solitary peak, with vast expanses stretching out in all directions.

Even when they looked up, all they saw were glowing Heavenly Essence Stones.

“This really is a world!” Woo Zhengyang exclaimed, the most surprised among them, as he understood they were likely deep underground.

In other words, this was an underground world, but it was unbelievably vast!

“That’s right, it’s a world—crystal clear, like the legendary Ice Realm.”

“Ice Realm?”

“You’ve never heard of the Ice Realm?”

Woo Zhengyang shook his head.

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