C1052 Seven Wintermaw

In the vast expanse of the Everlands, at the very bottom of the Frozen Hellscape, stood Lin Zhuyun, her entire being radiating an intense coldness. She was positioned in an unusual area marked by seven enigmatic pits. Her demeanor was one of utmost gravity as she meticulously scrutinized the pits, double-checking something with great care.

The seven pits each had their own peculiarities: some emitted ghostly flames, others overflowed with thick cold fog, and still others shone with a piercingly cold light. Remarkably, these phenomena remained unaffected by the surrounding seawater.

Before her stood a massive cubic Celestial Ice Crystal, casting her in a light so brilliant it seemed to reveal her very essence. Pain flickered in her eyes as she gazed upon the pits, suggesting a constant, torturous ordeal that contorted her exquisite features. Only when the agony subsided did she resemble the beautiful woman from the Lin family of the Silvermoon Empire.

Suddenly, a sequence of mystic runes she had never encountered materialized within the Celestial Ice Crystal before her. These runes, seemingly embodying the esoteric nature of ice force, made her head spin with just a glance. Yet, far from being alarmed, she was filled with a sense of elation and anticipation.

With a whoosh, her body was abruptly drawn into the massive Celestial Ice Crystal, becoming encased like an insect trapped in amber. Inside, innumerable mystic runes fluttered into her body, as if they were a swarm of delicate butterflies.

Simultaneously, the Celestial Ice Crystal was drawn into one of the seven mysterious pits, the one emitting the intense cold light. As it descended, a fearsome power capable of crushing even a cultivator at the Unbound Stage surged forth, enveloping everything in its path. Such might could only be withstood by the most formidable beings, like a peak Dark Deity or a primordial spirit.

The myriad runes that had entered Lin Zhuyun's body burst into luminous fragments, taking her place and shielding her from destruction. These fragments swiftly integrated with her flesh and soul, sparing her from instantaneous annihilation. Nevertheless, the ordeal left her unconscious.

After what seemed an eternity, Lin Zhuyun awoke to find the Celestial Ice Crystal resting at the seabed of a different ocean. She emerged from within, her mind clouded with confusion. Surveying her surroundings, she noticed numerous ice energy specks falling to the earth beneath her feet, only to vanish without a trace. The seabed absorbed the ice energy specks like a sponge, drawing them inexorably in.

This deep-sea realm appeared to function as a mystical rune circle, amassing ice energy and transforming it into minuscule points of light that seamlessly fused with the ocean floor.

Closing her eyes, Lin Zhuyun tapped into the ice force she had mastered to sense her surroundings. She was certain that the sea was voraciously absorbing and refining specks of ice light, channeling them into the seabed beneath her.

"Strange..." she murmured under her breath, when suddenly a sharp pain pierced her mind.

Simultaneously, arcane energies not her own, tied to the ice magic of the Frozen Hellscape, infiltrated her flesh and organs.

She also recalled that not long ago, President Lyi of the Skyreach Consortium had stealthily arrived at the depths of the Frozen Hellscape.

The massive Celestial Ice Crystal had been brought by President Lyi, who had shown her a way out of the Everlands and candidly revealed that it was part of a deal with the Abyssal Leviathan.

Her departure from the Everlands was merely one aspect of that bargain.

"It's just a deal," she thought, a cold smirk playing on her lips as she stood atop the Celestial Ice Crystal and surged toward the ocean's surface.

Crack!

The icy crust blanketing the sea shattered, and she emerged, greeted by a frigid world, its landscape dotted with glaciers.

One glacier, sculpted into the form of a majestic white crane, caught her eye. At the head of the crane, a man dressed in white played a flute. The notes he produced were haunting, evoking a deep longing for home.

Sensing her presence, the flutist ceased his music and cast a distant glance her way.

Lin Zhuyun, adept in ice force, felt a chill as if she were trapped in an ice cave, fearing that at any moment, this man could effortlessly end her life.

"President Lyi informed me of your impending arrival and asked me to have a look," the man in white spoke with a serene tone, "I am a counselor with the Skyreach Consortium."

Having survived countless battles, Lin Zhuyun's resolve was ironclad, and she quickly regained her composure.

She inhaled the icy air deeply, detecting an abundance of strange power that was detrimental to her being. With a slight furrow of her brow, she inquired, "May I ask, what place is this?"

"This is the Annihilation Nebula. It's a nameless, desolate star long forgotten. All you need to know is that this frozen realm is one of the seven Wintermaws," the man in white robes explained.

"Seven Wintermaws?" Lin Zhuyun's heart skipped a beat as she recalled the seven pits she had witnessed in the Frozen Hellscape before her arrival.

Could each Wintermaw be a gateway to its own frigid world?

"Exactly," the man in white, playing the flute, seemed to tune into her inner thoughts, "The seven Wintermaws correspond to seven Frozen Worlds, channeling ice magic from seven regions of the Star River in the extraterrestrial realms. Once gathered and refined, the purest and coldest ice force is funneled directly to the Frozen Hellscape."

"So, the mystery and extreme cold of the Frozen Hellscape are shaped by forces from beyond?" Lin Zhuyun exclaimed in astonishment.

The man in white gave a gentle nod.

...

Amidst the Ashen Hollow.

Yu Yuan, seated in contemplation on a high platform and delving into the Nine Celestial Slashes, suddenly shuddered.

"What's the matter?" Hu Caiyun inquired, puzzled.

"I have this feeling... as if I've been covertly observed," Yu Yuan said, furrowing his brow. "I've always suspected that the Abyssal Leviathan knows where I am. Just a moment ago, that inscrutable Abyssal Leviathan seemed to react to something, releasing a burst of its fearsome energy."

Unbeknownst to him, Lin Zhuyun had just descended into the Annihilation Nebula through what's known as a "Wintermaw."

Lin Zhuyun's current prowess and her dominance over the Sky Fiend were entirely due to the Abyssal Leviathan's assistance.

She, too, was a significant pawn for the Cosmic Giant Beast, and her arrival had triggered a response from the knowing Abyssal Leviathan.

"If you're connected to the Cosmic Giant Beast, it most certainly can sense you," Benin stated with conviction from beneath another platform. "The primordial beings born at the dawn of time possess countless innate powers that we can scarcely fathom."

Benin knew this well, as the creator of the Voidweaver and the progenitor of its lineage.

Her mentor, Noeyr, had imparted to her numerous arcane techniques of the Voidweaver, including tales of the cosmic giant beast's wondrous abilities. Hence, she firmly believed in the cosmic giant beast's formidable powers.

"Then it's settled."

Yu Yuan harbored no doubts. He nodded towards Benin in thanks and resolved, "We must make haste for the Annihilation Nebula. I can't shake the feeling that the Cosmic Giant Beast is ever-watchful. It's only within the Annihilation Nebula, under the protection of the Skyreach Consortium and the Boulderdawn's might, that we may find safety."

"That Starborn warship is really irritating," Hu Caiyun murmured.

Yu Yuan gave the Starborn battleships, now targeting them with their Starfire Cannons, a grim look. "They're getting on my nerves too!"

"Our old man's up ahead!"

Elena suddenly stood up, a mix of excitement and anxiety in her voice. "That doesn't make sense! No matter how strong he is, he couldn't have gotten ahead of us from the Moonlit Domain!"

"My big brother, my big brother..."

Pattinson, of the Shadowkin, seemed to have detected Rosny's movements through the secret device in the Ashen Hollow. "My big brother is up ahead too. He... he's telling us to avoid him, to not meet up."

"My dad also urged me to flee!" Elena was startled.

She and Pattinson exchanged glances, both recognizing the concern and urgency in the other's eyes. They understood that given Fernand and Rosny's nature, if they were telling their loved ones to escape, it must mean they were in grave danger—possibly severely injured or captured.

"My father's in trouble!"

Elena's voice wavered, on the verge of tears. "He would only tell me to run if it were serious!"

Pattinson inhaled sharply, giving Yu Yuan an apologetic look. "Perhaps it's time for us to part ways. I'll take the Ashen Hollow to where my brother is. Whatever's happened, I need to be there."

"I'm going too!" Elena declared.

"I'll also go check it out," Yu Yuan responded.

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