C559 Frost Queen!
An archdemon is nearing!
The cauldron spirit, floating at the heart of the island, detected the towering demon energy and sent out an immediate warning.
"An archdemon?" Yu Yuan's brow furrowed.
At that moment, Qin Yun, having just emerged from the acupoint on his forehead, was sizzling away the cold fog, finally obliterating the Extreme Cold Seal left by Weixian.
Strands of crimson lightning darted through his Lunar Spirit, integrating into his being and fortifying his soul.
The once fog-enshrouded Lunar Spirit began to shine like a rainbow, exuding a fiery red glow.
From a hazy illusion, the Lunar Spirit became vividly clear, bursting with brilliance.
Yu Yuan took a quick look and, somewhat astonished, exclaimed, "A blessing in disguise, indeed!"
"Many thanks, Young Master!"
With the Lunar Spirit back in the Mindscape, Qin Yun stood up, overcome with emotion, and bowed deeply.
The persistent injuries to his Lunar Spirit had been eradicated, thanks to Yu Yuan's special Soul Essence Pill and the emergence of a mysterious Bane from the great hall.
The blazing flame energy within the Soul Essence Pill synergized with the spell he practiced, aiding the growth of his Lunar Spirit.
While the pill's soul-nourishing properties were of little concern to him, the intense flame energy hidden within that could penetrate the core of the Lunar Spirit, refining it anew, was a delightful surprise.
Refining the corporeal body with flame energy was straightforward, but tempering the soul was a formidable challenge.
Too weak, and the flame energy was futile. Too strong, and it risked scorching the Lunar Spirit, a delicate balance hard to achieve.
Previously, he had been reluctant to employ flame power when purifying his Lunar Spirit, fearing the consequences of mishandling it.
Yet, the flame energy from the Soul Essence Pill crafted by Yu Yuan was exceptionally gentle, gradually releasing its power, methodically dispelling the cold fog, and then gently working upon the soul.
This, in turn, brought him immense benefits!
Having twice recovered from severe injuries, the former sect master of Midnightshields found himself healed yet again. Enduring these trials, he sensed an extraordinary feeling that he was on the cusp of a breakthrough.
"The refinement of the Lunar Spirit and the expansion of my consciousness should aid in my breakthrough, shouldn't it?"
Qin Yun's eyes sparkled as he was invigorated by the thought.
"Focus on fortifying your soul."
Yu Yuan gestured dismissively, indicating that Qin Yun shouldn't overreact. His gaze fixed on the Crucible of Evil, his expression one of astonishment. "An archdemon? From where did this archdemon emerge?"
"I can only detect the overwhelming presence of demon energy and surmise that there are three archdemons, but their precise origins elude me," the cauldron spirit responded, then added with excitement, "Master, the Bane that I've refined this time possesses an unexpectedly formidable power in this realm! How is this possible? It even managed to intimidate Weixian into retreat!"
When the "Bane" was first created, Yu Yuan had inquired about its rank.
The cauldron spirit had informed him that it originated from a Star-Spawned Terror and had eventually transformed into a Bane, with combat prowess comparable to that of a human Lunar Spirit.
Yet Weixian was a cultivator in the late stages of the Spirit Walk!
"In these Lost Lands, her strength has been significantly amplified," Yu Yuan mused. "Do you recall her assimilation of the ice-blue cold fog at the base of the sword sheath, and the subsequent transformation?"
"I do."
"That cold fog originated from a Shura of the Dark Realm," Yu Yuan clarified. "The head of the Dark Realm's Shura lies within the Forgotten Ruins, where the Shura Eye consumed the spiritual energy and spawned a new little world within. When the residual soul and fragmented thoughts of the Shura were obliterated, that eye became Yu Zhu's third eye."
"The spiritual energy from the Shura Eye was redirected into the Forgotten Ruins under Yu Zhu's influence."
"The final traces of refined ice energy within the Shura Eye were suppressed by the sword sheath. This ice energy was then harnessed by her, transformed into a combustible ice-blue flame."
"It's the accumulated ice energy within the sword sheath that allows her to subtly manipulate the anomalies of this world and resonate with the spiritual energy," Yu Yuan revealed the secret.
The cauldron spirit paused, then realization dawned. "No wonder, no wonder Weixian fled in terror!"
The elder from Winter's Bite, a Spirit Walk practitioner, hadn't truly been defeated. He had only suffered a minor setback, which threw him into disarray, prompting his hasty retreat to Gavanas.
Weixian's fear wasn't of the Bane itself, but rather the belief that the Bane was Yu Zhu, the sovereign of this realm.
"He assumed that the Bane, capable of harnessing the spiritual energy from a thousand miles around, was none other than Yu Zhu herself," Yu Yuan said with a scoff.
"We've gained something else as well!" exclaimed the cauldron spirit joyfully.
With a rustling sound, shards resembling pieces of broken glass, imbued with the chilling essence of the Frozen Hellscape, began to fall like sparse raindrops.
As they landed, the Ice Shards hissed, their ice energy concealed within.
The seven-colored cloud hovering over the mid-lake island split once again, welcoming the diminutive Celestial Ice Crystals.
Looking up, Yu Yuan sensed the island's temperature plummeting with the descent of the crystals.
Drops of water on the petals of exotic flowers began to freeze silently.
Many temperature-sensitive plants retracted their blossoms, seemingly unable to bear the chill.
"I never imagined she could extract such a thing from Weixian's possession!" Yu Yuan mused, filled with emotion. "Those from Winter's Bite and my betrothed in Asvetaesi sought this very item through their pleas in the dark city."
An ice-blue shadow fluttered near the Crucible of Evil, gazing eagerly at the tiny crystals.
These frosty shards were Celestial Ice Crystals, born from the depths of the Frozen Hellscape, a solidified form of ice energy.
"Master, those shattered Celestial Ice Crystals are immensely beneficial to her!" called out the cauldron spirit.
Yu Yuan gave a slight nod.
"Don't delay, go now!" urged the cauldron spirit.
The Bane, with the upper body of a woman and the lower half of a scorpion, ascended once more.
Whoosh! A new ice tempest swirled into being around her, engulfing all the fallen fragments of Celestial Ice Crystal.
These shards, once part of Weixian's seal, were few but remarkable.
With a crackling sound, the Celestial Ice Crystals were ground into fine ice dust, transforming into the purest form of ice energy and swiftly integrating into her corporeal body, aiding in its reconstruction.
The woman at the heart of the ice tempest, her form exuding coldness, suddenly sprouted sharp icicles along her spine.
The gleam of the icicles sent a shiver down the spine of anyone who caught a glimpse.
"The Bane can continuously evolve and grow stronger!"
"Master, you may name her," the cauldron spirit said cheerfully.
"Name?" Yu Yuan was taken aback.
"These Celestial Ice Crystals can further enhance her combat strength!" The cauldron spirit was clearly thrilled. "The stronger she becomes, the more benefits I receive, and the artifact's grade may increase as well. Every powerful Bane deserves a name. Please, choose one."
"Name..." Yu Yuan stroked his chin, pondering for a moment before declaring, "Let's call her Frost Queen."
The Star-Spawned Terror, born from the remnants of an extraterrestrial fiend, brought to Yu Yuan's mind the ancient Moonfiend, whom the Silvermoon Queen had referred to as Yue Fei within the Dark Realm's Shura Eye.
As kin of the Sky Fiend lineage, another visitor was imprisoned within the body of Winter's Bite disciple Lin Zhuyun.
The Bane within the Crucible of Evil, exuding an intense chill, had undergone a transformation with the infusion of the Celestial Ice Crystals, enabling a slight advancement.
Thus, he bestowed upon her the name Frost Queen.
"From this moment forward, you shall be known as Frost Queen!" The cauldron spirit joyfully agreed, sending forth a thread of spiritual sense before the cauldron soared into the air, enveloping Frost Queen along with the ice tempest into its little world.
"Master, Frost Queen will require some time to assimilate those Celestial Ice Crystals into her being. I estimate she will need a fortnight. During this time, she likely won't be able to engage in battle for you. Please be mindful of this."
Yu Yuan responded, "Understood, I'll keep that in mind."
"The archdemon that arrived likely assumed she was the ruler of the Forgotten Ruins," the cauldron spirit added. "If I'm not mistaken, it must be the outsiders led by Shadow's Keep after Yu Zhu's departure. To truly gain a foothold in the Forgotten Ruins, they cannot behave like ordinary Fellbeasts; they must secure Yu Zhu's approval."
"Without Yu Zhu's consent, their existence in the Lost Lands will be fraught with difficulty."
"Therefore, they have come with the intention to meet Yu Zhu."
The cauldron spirit speculated.
"Lu Qingyu greets the master of the Lost Lands!"
"Huoluo, I have come to seek an audience with the master of the Lost Lands. There are matters to discuss!"
"Lei Jiao, henceforth, I pledge my loyalty to the master of the Lost Lands!"
A young woman clad in green, a red-haired young man, and a formidable male with a beastly horn on his forehead were dispersed around the lake's edge. Ignoring the disarray of the land, they each called out in turn, seeking an audience.
