I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

The interior of the hall was even more spacious than it appeared from the outside, with a ceiling that seemed to disappear into the distance, supported by four thick icicles. The temperature inside was even lower, with the cold air condensing into a thin mist.

At this moment, there were already quite a few people inside the hall, scattered throughout the hall. Some were trying to break the restrictions on the ice pillars or walls in an attempt to obtain the treasures sealed within; others were wary of each other, vying for three items placed on an ice platform in the center of the hall: a fist-sized blue crystal that emitted an astonishing chill, a crystal-clear ice lotus with nine petals, and a white cloud of mist that was constantly changing shape and was frozen in a block of transparent ice!

The three top-tier spiritual items attracted the most attention. Around the ice platform, almost all the key figures from the Myriad Swords Pavilion, the Profound Heaven Sect, the Netherworld Palace, the Taiyi Immortal Sect, and the Green Wood Sect were present, creating a tense atmosphere.

Qin Yuan spotted the Nine-Aperture Ice Cloud Mushroom at a glance, which was exactly what Yun Qingyao needed.

"Junior Brother Qin, that Yunzhi..." Yun Qingyao also saw it, and her beautiful eyes lit up.

"I'll handle this," Qin Yuan said, gesturing for her to remain calm. He didn't step forward immediately but instead observed the situation first.

Beside the ice platform, Jian Wuhen and Ling Shuanghua temporarily stopped fighting, each occupying a side, warily watching each other and the newcomers. Ghost Hand Yin Wuming smiled sinisterly, standing a little distance away, toying with a jet-black bone nail in his hand, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the three treasures and the crowd.

The Wood Spirit Twins stood in front of the Green Wood Sect disciples, their gazes fixed more on the Profound Ice Essence, seemingly showing little interest in the Ice Soul Jade Lotus and Cloud Mushroom.

Led by Liu Suifeng, the Taiyi Immortal Sect stood together with several other powerful disciples, subtly forming a three-way balance of power with Jian Wuhen and Ling Shuanghua.

"Liu Suifeng, Qin Yuan," Jian Wuhen spoke, his voice like the friction of ice shards, "of these three treasures, which one does your Taiyi Immortal Sect desire?"

Liu Suifeng smiled: "Treasures are for those who are destined to possess them. However, my junior sister Yun needs the Nine-Aperture Ice Cloud Mushroom."

"Nine-Aperture Ice Cloud Mushroom?" Ling Shuanghua's voice was as cold as ice. "This item is also beneficial to the ice-type techniques of my Xuantian Sect."

Ghost Hand Yin Wuming chuckled strangely, "Hehe, it's all easy, all easy. Why don't we all join forces to break through the ice platform's restrictions, retrieve the treasure, and then compete for it based on our own abilities? Otherwise, if we just stand here and watch, no one will get anything."

What he said was true. There was a powerful layer of ice barrier around the ice platform, which would require combined efforts to break.

The crowd fell silent, tacitly agreeing. Immediately, one person from each side stepped forward to break the seal. On the Taiyi Immortal Sect's side, Liu Suifeng was about to step forward when Qin Yuan said, "Senior Brother Liu, let me do it."

Liu Suifeng glanced at Qin Yuan and nodded: "Alright, Junior Brother Qin, be careful."

Qin Yuan stepped forward and stood on the ice platform with Jian Wuhen, Ling Shuanghua, Yin Wuming, and Mu Qinghe. The five of them attacked simultaneously to test the strength of the restriction.

Qin Yuan pointed his fingers like a sword, and a wisp of pure Nine Revolutions Profound Yuan spiritual energy pointed towards the ice platform's light screen. The light screen trembled slightly, rippling outwards, and returned a very strong rebound force, proving its resilience.

"This restriction needs to be worn down with sustained effort; it cannot be attacked forcefully," Ling Shuanghua said.

The five discussed the matter and decided to simultaneously channel spiritual energy from four directions, gradually depleting the energy of the restriction. This process required complete concentration and could not be interrupted, otherwise it might trigger a backlash from the restriction.

Just as the five began to work together to break the barrier, while the others watched nervously, a sudden change occurred!

Suddenly, the ice wall on one side of the main hall cracked open with a "crack"! Immediately afterwards, a thick black mist mixed with a bone-chilling cold surged out from the crack! Within the black mist, several figures dressed in black robes and exuding a cold aura could be vaguely seen!

"An ambush by the Netherworld Palace?!" someone exclaimed.

However, the aura emanating from that black mist was not entirely the same as that of Ghost Hand Yin Wuming and the others present; it was more violent, chaotic, and filled with bloodthirsty killing intent.

"No! It's scum from the 'Netherworld Cult'!" Ghost Hand Yin Wuming's expression changed, and he shouted sharply. Although he belonged to the Netherworld Palace and his actions were both righteous and evil, he was not on the same side as the Netherworld Cult, a purely evil cult.

The black mist dispersed, revealing seven figures. The leader was tall and imposing, his face concealed by a black mask, revealing only a pair of blood-red eyes. His aura had clearly reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, and was extremely solid, seemingly even stronger than Young Master Youquan! The six people behind him were also at the early or middle stages of the Nascent Soul stage, their bodies shrouded in murderous aura.

"Heh heh... Good luck, all the brats from the five great sects are here." The masked man let out a hoarse, unpleasant laugh. "Saves me the trouble of searching for them one by one. This ice palace, along with your lives and storage bags, I'll take them all!"

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly waved his hand: "Kill! Leave no one alive!"

Six Netherworld Cult members rushed out in response, each choosing a target and launching a fierce attack! Their techniques were strange and their attacks were ruthless, specializing in targeting the soul and blood essence. Their fighting style was completely different from that of ordinary cultivators, and for a time they caught the disciples of several sects off guard!

The masked man himself scanned the area with his bloodshot eyes, locking onto Qin Yuan and the other four people who were breaking the barrier and unable to concentrate, as well as the three treasures on the ice platform!

"Good stuff! It's mine!"

His figure appeared like a ghost, one of his claws, covered in black scales and with sharp, hook-like nails, grabbing directly at the ice platform's barrier, intending to seize it along with the barrier by brute force! At the same time, his other hand spread its five fingers, unleashing five jet-black finger gusts, each carrying a strong corrosive and suction force, aimed at the vital points of Qin Yuan, Jian Wuhen, Ling Shuanghua, Yin Wuming, and Mu Qinghe in the back! He was planning to take advantage of their distraction after the barrier was broken, severely injuring or even killing them in one fell swoop!

"mean!"

"Be careful!"

The disciples watching from the sidelines gasped in shock, and Liu Suifeng and the others' expressions changed drastically. They wanted to come to the rescue, but it was too late!

The wind reached my body, and the sinister, icy aura had already touched my vest!

Jian Wuhen, Ling Shuanghua, Yin Wuming, and Mu Qinghe's expressions changed drastically. They forcibly interrupted their spiritual energy output, intending to dodge or defend, but in such a hasty situation, it would be difficult to completely avoid this long-planned sneak attack!

Only Qin Yuan seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. Just as the finger wind was about to hit him, his movement to break the restriction did not stop at all, and he didn't even turn his head!

However, his left leg, like a spring that had been holding back for a long time, suddenly kicked backward at a speed that was imperceptible to the naked eye!

There was no spiritual energy or light; it was purely the power and speed of the physical body!

"Bang!"

That kick, though delivered later, struck with perfect precision against the dark finger gust aimed at his back!

The force of Qin Yuan's kick dissipated instantly, as if it had struck an invisible steel wall! However, the force of Qin Yuan's kick did not completely dissipate; the remaining gust of wind lashed backward like a whip!

The masked man was clearly taken aback, not expecting someone to be able to launch such a swift and precise counterattack while breaking the barrier with all their might.