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

"She is the chief disciple of the Ice Element lineage of the Xuantian Sect, and the only one in this generation qualified to compete for the title of 'Ice Emperor'," Liu Suifeng said. "She is a cold and aloof person who never takes the initiative to make friends with others. Yet today she actually took the initiative to ask you to meet her alone—"

He paused, a half-smile playing on his lips.

"Could it be that she's taken a liking to you?"

Qin Yuan glanced at him.

"Senior Brother Liu is overthinking it."

Liu Suifeng laughed and stopped teasing.

But a thoughtful look flashed in his eyes.

Did Ling Shuanghua really arrange to meet Qin Yuan alone just to exchange for the Xuanbing Soul?

It's probably not that simple.

Night, midnight.

Drunken Immortal Pavilion, third floor private room.

When Qin Yuan pushed open the door and entered, Ling Shuanghua was already waiting in the room.

She was still wearing the same blue dress she had worn during the day, but the veil had been removed, revealing a face that was aloof and otherworldly. Her skin was as white as snow, her eyebrows and eyes were exquisitely beautiful, and her lips were extremely pale, like a jade beauty formed from frost that never melts.

Only one lamp was lit in the room, casting a dim, yellowish light that outlined her silhouette in a hazy and soft manner.

"Qin Daozi, please have a seat."

Ling Shuanghua raised her hand in a gesture of greeting, her voice as indifferent as ever.

Qin Yuan sat down opposite her.

A pot of tea and two cups were placed on the table. The tea had been poured, and steam rose gently from it.

Ling Shuanghua skipped the pleasantries and said directly, "I can give you the Soul of Profound Ice. But there's one condition."

Qin Yuan said, "Please speak."

Ling Shuanghua remained silent for a moment.

"Help me kill someone."

Qin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly.

Ling Shuanghua continued, "Not now, and not in Qingzhou. In six months, a secret realm called the 'Ice and Fire Dual Realm' will open in the Southern Region. At that time, I will enter as a representative of the Xuantian Sect. Accompanying me is an 'old friend'—his name is Helian Lie, the chief disciple of the fire lineage of the Xuantian Sect."

She paused, her voice growing even colder.

"Helian Lie and I have a blood feud over the murder of my mother."

Qin Yuan listened quietly.

Ling Shuanghua's mother was once a genius disciple of the Ice Element lineage of the Xuantian Sect, and she became a Daoist partner with an elder of the Fire Element lineage. Later, due to a conflict in their cultivation techniques, the couple turned against each other, and the elder died from a qi deviation during a period of seclusion. The Fire Element lineage blamed Ling Shuanghua's mother, openly and secretly suppressing and ostracizing her. Ultimately, she "accidentally" perished during a secret realm exploration—but Ling Shuanghua discovered that the accident was inextricably linked to Helian Lie's father, the powerful elder of the Fire Element lineage.

"Helian Lie is now the chief of the fire element lineage, with a cultivation level of mid-stage Void Refinement, which is one small realm higher than mine," Ling Shuanghua said. "The Ice and Fire Dual Realm six months from now is the only place where I have a chance to kill him. However, that secret realm has great restrictions on ice and fire element cultivators, so I need a helper—someone who doesn't belong to the Xuantian Sect, is strong enough, and is trustworthy."

She looked at Qin Yuan.

"You meet these criteria."

Qin Yuan remained silent for a moment.

"Why are you looking for me?"

Ling Shuanghua said, "Because you owe me a favor."

Qin Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"The Soul of Mystic Ice was the very thing I intended to exchange with you. If you won't give it to me, I can find someone else to trade for it. Is that considered a favor?"

Ling Shuanghua shook her head.

"The Mysterious Ice Soul is just the prelude. The real favor is that I'm telling you some news—Li Wanhun has joined forces with three early-stage Void Refinement elders from the Netherworld Palace, preparing to ambush and kill you after the trade fair ends."

Qin Yuan's eyes flickered slightly.

Liu Suifeng had also reminded him of this news. But hearing it from Ling Shuanghua carried a different weight.

How did you know?

Ling Shuanghua said calmly, "Because someone from the Netherworld Palace wants to use me to kill you. They sent someone to contact me, offering me great benefits, in order to get me to tamper with the Xuanbing Soul."

She paused.

I refused.

Qin Yuan looked at her.

Why?

Ling Shuanghua met his gaze.

"Because I don't like being used as a tool."

This answer surprised Qin Yuan.

He was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled.

"it is good."

He said.

"I'll accept this favor."

A barely perceptible hint of relaxation flashed in Ling Shuanghua's eyes.

She took out a fist-sized, ice-blue crystal from her bosom and placed it on the table.

"This is the Essence of Mystic Ice. You can take it."

Qin Yuan didn't stand on ceremony and directly put it into his storage ring.

"Six months from now, before the Ice and Fire Dual Realm opens, I will go to the Xuan Tian Sect to find you."

Ling Shuanghua nodded.

"At that time, I will give you a token to enter the secret realm."

She stood up, ready to leave.

She suddenly stopped when she reached the door.

"Qin Yuan".

"Um?"

Ling Shuanghua did not turn around.

"Li Wanhun and his four companions are quite powerful. The Void Refinement experts from the Netherworld Palace are even more insidious than ordinary Void Refinement experts. If you're not absolutely certain of success, you can stay in Wanbao City until the trade fair ends. They won't dare to make a move within Wanbao City."

Qin Yuan said, "Thank you for the reminder."

Ling Shuanghua said no more and went out.

The footsteps faded into the distance, eventually disappearing at the end of the stairs.

Qin Yuan sat alone in the private room, picked up the tea that had cooled slightly, and took a sip.

The tea was good, but he couldn't taste it.

He was thinking of Ling Shuanghua.

This woman was more complex than he had imagined.

He had harbored a deep-seated hatred for his mother's murder for years, refusing to use the Netherworld Palace's weapons, yet seeking help from someone he had only met once. Did he trust him? Or did he have ulterior motives?

Qin Yuan put down his teacup.

In any case, the Soul of the Mystic Ice is in my hands.

Next-

A cold glint flashed in his eyes.

It's time to deal with Li Wanhun.

The third day of the trade fair, in the evening.

Qin Yuan left Wanbao City and flew eastward alone on his sword.

He neither concealed his tracks nor deliberately sped up; he simply flew at a leisurely pace, like an ordinary cultivator who had just found a treasure and was in a good mood.

A hundred miles behind them, four dark figures followed closely.

The man in the lead was none other than Li Wanhun.

"Senior Brother Li, he's left the city," a black-robed cultivator whispered. "We followed him for a hundred miles without him noticing. It seems he was truly unprepared."

Li Wanhun gave a sinister smile.

"Completely unprepared? Not necessarily." He licked his lips. "But this kid is too arrogant. He just survived his tribulation and dares to run around alone. Does he really think he's someone important?"

"With the four of us working together, taking down an early-stage Void Refinement cultivator is a piece of cake, isn't it?" another black-robed cultivator sneered. "I heard he made quite a fortune at the War God Temple, which is perfect for us to show our respect."

A glint of greed flashed in Li Wanhun's eyes.

He had personally witnessed some of the spoils from the Temple of War—the War Soul Core, the War God Token, and the Heavenly Punishment Sword Intent that made his soul tremble.

If these things belonged to him...

"Chase after them," he said coldly. "Make your move once they're within three hundred miles of Wanbao City."

The four shadowy figures quickened their pace, like four venomous snakes lurking in the darkness, silently approaching their prey.

The 300-mile boundary was quickly crossed.

Qin Yuan continued flying at a leisurely pace.

A fierce glint flashed in Li Wanhun's eyes, and he shouted in a low voice, "Attack!"

Four shadowy figures suddenly appeared at the same time!

The black ghostly mist blotted out the sky, instantly enveloping an area of ​​a thousand feet in radius! Within the ghostly mist, countless vengeful ghosts and wronged spirits howled and raged, rushing madly towards Qin Yuan!

The Ghost Mist Formation, jointly cast by four Netherworld Palace cultivators at the early stage of the Void Refinement realm, is enough to trap and kill anyone of the same level!