Nine Desolate Records

The next day at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), before dawn.

Lu Li stood before the teleportation array in Xinglin Valley, the earth vein runes shimmering with an eerie light under the reflection of the deep purple crystal. Shi Yong carried an iron rod, with a bulging satchel on his back; Lin Qingyuan had a medicine pouch and a silver needle box hanging from his waist, his expression calm; Yun Jin was wrapped in a silver-white fox fur coat, her misty eyes gazing in the direction of the teleportation array, her hand tightly gripping a green bamboo staff used for probing.

Elder Gusong personally manipulated the formation, while Elder Su and Mo Xuan stood to one side. Several close disciples from the valley also came to see them off, the atmosphere solemn and heavy.

"The teleportation point is set in 'Whitewater Town, a small town on the northern border,'" Elder Gusong said in a deep voice. "That's a secret contact point for Listening Snow Pavilion. You can receive assistance by presenting the Pavilion Master's token. North of Whitewater Town lies the true snowfield region. The map and precautions have been given to you. Remember, in the snowfield, the will of Heaven is unpredictable, and the hearts of men are even more treacherous."

Lu Li nodded and put a silver token engraved with snowflake patterns into his pocket—this was the Tingxuelou Guest Token given to him by Han Yan before her departure.

"The time has come; enter the formation."

The four stepped into the center of the formation. The earth vein runes suddenly lit up, the deep purple crystal spun faster, and intense spatial fluctuations enveloped their entire bodies. Their vision began to distort and lengthen, and a familiar feeling of dizziness washed over them.

The light swallowed everything.

……

The northern border, Baishui Town.

The dizziness from the teleportation hadn't completely subsided when a biting chill pierced his clothes like needles. Lu Li opened his eyes and found himself standing in a dilapidated earth god temple. The statues inside had long since collapsed, and the offering table was covered in a thick layer of dust, but an oil lamp was burning steadily in the corner, its flame flickering steadily, clearly indicating that someone was maintaining it regularly.

Shi Yong shivered and exhaled a puff of white breath: "This damn place is colder than winter back home!"

Lin Qingyuan quickly took out several thick fur robes from his bag and distributed them to everyone: "Change into these quickly. The cold air here is extraordinary, mixed with a thin layer of icy spiritual energy. If mortals stay here for too long, their meridians will be damaged."

Although Yun Jin was blind, she keenly sensed her surroundings: "There are three people outside the temple. Their heartbeats are steady and long, indicating they are skilled in martial arts. They don't seem hostile."

As soon as she finished speaking, the temple door creaked open.

Three men dressed in white fur coats and wearing mink hats walked in. The leader was a burly man with a square face and a fresh frostbite on his cheek; his eyes were sharp and piercing. He glanced at the four men, his gaze finally settling on the snowflake token in Lu Li's hand.

"Is this Young Master Lu Li?" The burly man clasped his hands in a fist salute, his accent carrying a heavy northern regional flavor.

"That's right." Lu Li showed the token.

The burly man verified the token and became more respectful: "I am Hu Meng, the manager of Tingxuelou in Baishui Town. I am here to wait on the orders of the master. Please follow me; this place is not safe to linger."

Hu Meng led the four men out of the local temple. The sky outside was overcast, and fine snowflakes, whipped up by the cold wind, stung their faces. The town was small, with most houses being low wooden and stone structures, their roofs weighed down by thick snow. Few pedestrians were on the streets, all bundled up tightly and hurrying along.

The four followed Hu Meng through a maze of twists and turns, arriving at an inconspicuous courtyard on the edge of town. The courtyard walls were high and thick, and the doors were tightly shut. Hu Meng rhythmically knocked on the door knocker, three long knocks followed by two short ones.

The door opened a crack, revealing a pair of wary eyes. Only after recognizing Hu Meng did the door open completely.

The courtyard was a hidden gem. The ground was paved with bluestone slabs, and the snow had been swept clean. A stove was burning in the main hall, and the warm air dispelled the biting cold.

"Please have a seat, gentlemen." Hu Meng gestured for his men to serve hot tea. "The Master has instructed that Young Master Lu and his party rest here for a day to replenish their supplies. Also, the Master has something to give to Young Master Lu."

He took out a flat iron box and presented it with both hands.

Lu Li took the box and opened it. Inside was a detailed map drawn on some kind of animal hide, more detailed than the one Elder Gusong had given him, marking several dangerous areas in the snowfield, possible campsites, and... three locations specially marked with red circles.

"These three red circles," Hu Meng explained, pointing to the map, "are places that the author speculates might be related to ancient seals or the legacy of Emperor Yan, based on recent intelligence. The first is 'Icewind Valley,' where a bone-chilling wind blows year-round, but hunters have found fragments of jade with flame patterns outside the valley; the second is 'Snow Wolf Lake,' where there's an ancient-style abandoned altar on an island in the middle of the lake; the third..."

He paused, his expression grave. "It's 'Frostbone Fortress.' It's a ruin, rumored to have been built by an ancient sect that cultivated ice-based techniques, but a hundred years ago, the entire sect froze to death overnight, turning it into a death zone. In recent years, strange cold waves have frequently surged out of the fortress, and all living things in the vicinity have vanished. The author suspects that it might be a secondary manifestation of an 'anchor point,' or... it might have been contaminated by some kind of extremely cold prisoner concept."

"Frostbone Fortress..." Lu Li murmured the name, and the Returning Void Array Diagram in his mind stirred slightly, as if it had some kind of response to the name.

"The author suggests that, for the sake of caution, we should first explore Icewind Valley or Snow Wolf Lake. Frostbone Fortress... is extremely dangerous and unpredictable; avoid it unless absolutely necessary," Hu Meng said in a deep voice. "In addition to natural disasters, we also need to be wary of 'Snow Bandits' and 'Ice Puppets' in the snowfield. Snow Bandits are roaming bandits, ruthless and cunning; Ice Puppets are even more bizarre, said to be puppets made from ice and corpses by certain practitioners of evil arts. They are painless and fearless, only afraid of pure yang fire."

Lu Li carefully put the map away: "Thank you, Steward Hu. Please also convey my thanks to the host."

After a day of rest, the four of them, fully equipped, left Baishui Town.

A real snowfield unfolds before my eyes.

An endless expanse of white, a vast and desolate landscape. The snow was incredibly thick, knee-deep in some places and waist-deep in others. A fierce wind whipped up the snow, making visibility fluctuate wildly. The temperature was terrifyingly low; breath instantly froze into ice crystals. Even with internal energy protecting the body, the bone-chilling cold continued to seep in.

Lu Li led the way, using the Shouzhuo Sword as a staff to probe the path while simultaneously channeling his sword intent to sense the terrain and potential dangers beneath the snow. Shi Yong brought up the rear, with Lin Qingyuan and Yun Jin in the middle. Although Yun Jin was blind, the unique perception granted to her by her Breaking Illusion Eye allowed her to "see" the flow of energy and the presence of life, making her a crucial link in the team's early warning system.

The first day passed peacefully, and we set up camp under a sheltered rock face.

As night fell, the cold on the snowfield intensified. The group gathered around a small fire lit by Lin Qingyuan with special fuel to keep warm and eat.

"Based on the map and our speed, it should take about five days to reach the outer edge of Icewind Valley, marked by the first red circle." Lin Qingyuan spread out the map and studied it by the firelight.

Shi Yong chewed on some dried meat and mumbled, "This godforsaken place, you can't even see a rabbit, it's all snow."

Yun Jin sat quietly by the fire, her silver eyes reflecting the flickering flames, and suddenly whispered, "Something is moving underground."

Everyone instantly became alert.

Lu Li bent down, pressing his palm against the snow, extending his senses downwards through the thick snow. Ten zhang, twenty zhang, thirty zhang... at a depth of about fifty zhang, he "saw" a wide underground river, its water not completely frozen, flowing slowly. On the rock walls at the edge of the river, some moss-like plants emitting a faint blue light clung to the surface, and... some rapidly moving shadows.

"It's an ice lizard. They live in groups and prefer cold, shady places. They usually don't attack ground creatures unless disturbed," Lu Li judged based on the records in the "Fragments of Mountains and Seas". "We should rest at the edge of their activity range, keep quiet, and avoid making any loud noises that could shake the ground."

The group relaxed a little, but still took turns keeping watch.

In the latter half of the night, the snow stopped, the night sky was clear, and the stars shone as brightly and coldly as diamonds. Lu Li was on his last shift. He stood on the edge of the cliff, gazing at the boundless snowfield. The Guixu Array Diagram in his heart flickered faintly once more, pointing towards the far north.

Suddenly, his ear twitched slightly.

A faint, unnatural sound came from the wind.

It looks like metal rubbing against ice, or like many tiny feet crawling quickly on the snow.

The sound is coming from the southeast and is rapidly approaching!

"Enemy attack!" Lu Li shouted in a low voice, and at the same time, he drew his Shouzhuo sword, the silver light flowing across the blade and illuminating the surrounding snow.

Shi Yong sprang up instantly, iron rod in hand; Lin Qingyuan shielded Yun Jin behind him, several silver needles already between his fingers; Yun Jin's silver eyes swirled with mist as she whispered, "Many...not living things...cold, hollow..."

The next moment, dozens of dark figures swarmed up from the bottom of the snow slope!

They have humanoid outlines, but their entire bodies are made of translucent ice, with dark blue crystals embedded in their joints, and ghostly blue soul flames flickering in their eyes. Their movements are stiff yet swift, with sharp ice blades extending from their hands.

Ice Puppet!

There were more than thirty of them, surrounding the group in a fan shape.

"Form ranks!" Lu Li shouted. Shi Yong stood shoulder to shoulder with him in front, while Lin Qingyuan protected Yun Jin from behind.

The ice puppet was already in front of them.

Lu Li unleashed a sword strike, his sword intent sweeping across the area in front of him. The ice puppets at the forefront froze, their chilling aura weakened. Shi Yong swept his iron rod across, carrying immense force, smashing two ice puppets to pieces, scattering ice crystals everywhere.

But more ice golems surged forward. They felt no pain, nor feared death, their ice blades piercing from every angle. To make matters worse, the chill emanating from their bodies was extremely corrosive; after several clashes, weapons would be covered in frost, becoming sluggish.

Lin Qingyuan's silver needles flew out, accurately hitting the crystals at the joints of the ice puppets. Some crystals shattered instantly, and the ice puppets collapsed. However, the crystals provided strong protection, and there were too many ice puppets, so the silver needles were quickly exhausted.

Yun Jin closed her eyes, tapping the ground with her green bamboo staff, and invisible ripples of perception spread out. She suddenly pointed to her left: "There! There's something different; it's giving commands!"

Lu Li looked in the direction she pointed and indeed saw a slightly larger ice puppet with a fist-sized deep blue crystal embedded in its chest, standing a little distance away. Its ghostly blue soul fire flickered rhythmically, and the other ice puppets adjusted their attacks in response to its flickering.

"Shi Yong, protect them!" Before Lu Li finished speaking, he had already shot off like an arrow.

Crimson-gold flames ignited on the Shouzhuo Sword, unleashing the transformed power of the Flame Emperor's bloodline! Wherever it passed, ice and snow melted, and the chill dissipated. Ordinary ice puppets attempted to block it, but crumbled upon contact with the sword light.

The command-type ice puppet seemed to sense the threat, and the deep blue crystal on its chest shone brightly, exhaling an extremely cold blue breath!

Lu Li neither dodged nor evaded, but thrust his sword straight forward!

"Transform!"

As the sword tip collided with the breath, the extreme cold power was forcibly absorbed and transformed by the Shouzhuo Sword. The star map on the sword suddenly lit up, and a blazing crimson-gold sword light was spat out, flowing upwards along the breath and slamming hard into the chest of the command-type ice puppet!

"boom!"

The deep blue crystal shattered, and the command-type ice puppet stood frozen for a moment before collapsing with a crash, shattering into ice shards.

The remaining ice golems immediately lost their coordination, and their attacks became chaotic. Shi Yong's pressure was greatly reduced, and he wielded his iron rod with tremendous force, smashing the approaching ice golems one by one. Lin Qingyuan and Yun Jin also cooperated to clean up the remaining ice golems.

The battle ended after half an incense stick's time.

The snow-covered ground was littered with the remains of ice golems, gleaming with an eerie blue light under the starlight. A gust of cold wind quickly covered the remains with fresh snow.

"Where did these things come from?" Shi Yong asked, panting heavily. A thick layer of ice had formed on the iron rod.

Lin Qingyuan examined a larger fragment: "The refining technique is crude but effective. The core soul fire seems to be a forcibly restrained living soul, full of resentment. The refiner is definitely not a benevolent person, and is not far away."

Yun Jin's face was pale; she had exhausted herself trying to sense things with all her might: "About ten miles to the north...slightly to the west...there is a strong, cold death aura gathering...like a nest."

Lu Li looked at the map. The direction Yun Jin pointed to was exactly off the route to Icewind Valley. However, if they ignored it, these ice puppets might harass the rear and even threaten Whitewater Town.

"Go and take it down," Lu Li decided. "Otherwise, the consequences will be dire."

After a short rest, the four of them headed in the direction Yun Jin had indicated.

The journey of ten miles took nearly an hour across the snow-covered plains. Ahead, a low-lying basin appeared, and in the center of the basin stood a simple fortress entirely built of ice. The fortress was crooked and creaky, exuding an eerie aura, and piled up at its entrance were the remains of many animals and even humans.

Deep within the fortress, the sounds of intermittent, teeth-grinding cutting and indistinct chanting of spells could be heard.

"It really is a hideout." Shi Yong's eyes widened.

Lu Li's senses spread outwards, revealing three life forms within the fortress: two faint, and one strong but mixed and cold—likely the creators. In addition, there were dozens of icy soul flames, indicating unactivated ice puppets.

"I'll charge in from the front, Shi Yong on the left, Qingyuan on the right, and Yun Jin will provide support from the outside. Use the Eye of Truth to monitor the surroundings and immediately warn us if there are any unusual movements." Lu Li quickly assigned tasks.

The three nodded.

Lu Li took a deep breath, his sword light dimmed, and his figure swept towards the gate of the Ice Fortress like a ghost.

Through wind and snow, the first battle in the North has just begun.

Meanwhile, in the distant direction of Frostbone Keep, a wisp of cold mist, darker than the night, was slowly rising, silently spreading towards this basin...