"Back then, that Ice Soul Fairy froze Ice Abyss Island for over a century using her vast divine powers, forcing our lineage to yield three parts to the cultivators of the Little Extreme Palace. But so many years have passed now, and this matter concerns ascending to the Spirit Realm. I'm afraid we'll have to make a move after all. Still, Brother Che, you've put considerable effort into cultivating this incarnation. Aren't you afraid the damage might not be worth the cost?" the silver-robed woman said in a measured tone, her demeanor utterly devoid of any mortal trace.
"Heh heh! Just as Fellow Daoist Feng said, this expedition is of the utmost importance. As long as we can obtain reliable intelligence, I'm willing to accept any loss. What I didn't expect was that the spatial node most likely still intact in the mortal realm would be inside the spatial rift torn open by the Little Extreme Palace's Void Spirit Palace. If I hadn't sent people to investigate several times and ultimately confirmed it beyond doubt, I would never have acted so rashly. After all, the Little Extreme Palace is no weakling — it's not something you can easily wipe out." The child let out a strange laugh, then spoke.
"Only a spatial rift large enough to contain something as colossal as the Void Spirit Palace could have kept the spatial node stable all the way to the present. Brother Che mentioned that the other locations have all been searched without success. If we come up empty this time as well, what do you plan to do going forward?" The silver-robed woman's eyes flickered.
"Simple. Keep searching for spatial nodes. The ancient cultivators managed to find them on their own in the past, so why can't I? It'll just take a bit longer, that's all." The child was silent for a moment, then replied with a cold laugh.
"But our time doesn't seem to be all that plentiful either. I hear you're a descendant of some ancient demon race from the Spirit Realm — not only are your abilities formidable, but your lifespan far exceeds that of ordinary demon beasts. Yet after so many years, I imagine you've probably started using secret techniques to seal away your true body, much as I have. All to prolong your lifespan."
"Fairy Feng, since you already know this, why bother asking?" The child's face darkened, as if a sore spot had been struck.
"But this kind of self-deceptive approach can't hold out much longer. I received word from the Five Dragon Sea a few days ago — that Old Freak White Deer has finally passed away. He was also a descendant of a celestial spirit beast, one who had cultivated to completion since the ancient Great War. Ordinarily, he would never use his true body unless his life was in imminent danger. Yet even so, he could only cling to existence until now — and in the end, couldn't escape the cycle of heaven and earth." The silver-robed woman sighed, then glanced toward the vast restriction array in the distance, a flicker of bewilderment crossing her gaze.
"Exactly. So as long as we can pinpoint the spatial node's location, no matter how dangerous it is, I'll risk the attempt. When the time comes, if Fellow Daoist Bai is willing, we might as well join forces and break through together." Strange light flickered across the child's face as he suddenly addressed the woman in this manner.
"Let's wait until Brother Che has actually found the spatial node before discussing that. The Little Extreme Palace before us right now may not be so easy to breach." The silver-robed woman's expression remained noncommittal.
"Rest assured about that, Fairy Feng. In the past, our Myriad Demon Valley assaulted the Little Extreme Palace on our own and managed to breach their Ice City several times, forcing the human cultivators to retreat into the Void Spirit Palace. With all you Fellow Daoists lending your strength this time, it'll be even less of a problem. The only concern is that after they use the Void Spirit Palace to tear open space and flee, we'll need to rely on your abilities." The old man spoke in a deep voice.
"Rest easy on that account. Our Ice Phoenix Clan is born with a certain innate capacity for tearing through space. We won't let you down." The silver-robed woman smiled faintly.
At this point, although the other transformed demon beasts nearby had heard every word of the conversation, not one of them dared to interject. Each seemed to have left their mouths back home.
The child's face showed a hint of a smile, and he opened his mouth to say something more when his expression suddenly changed. He raised his head and looked off into the distance.
The old man and the silver-robed woman sensed something at almost the same moment, both turning to look in the same direction with equal surprise.
All of them had felt it — within that vast expanse of white, frigid mist, a shocking surge of spiritual pressure suddenly erupted toward the heavens and immediately began spreading rapidly outward in all directions.
The next instant, a sound like a dragon's roar or a tiger's cry — the toll of a bell — rolled in from the edge of the sky. The eight- and nine-level Ice Sea demon beasts surrounding the Ice Phoenix, upon hearing this sound, all changed drastically in complexion, some barely able to keep their footing.
The transformed demon beasts of the Myriad Demon Valley, however, were completely unaffected. They gazed at the Ice Sea beasts with expressions of bemused curiosity.
As a tenth-level demon beast, the silver-robed woman was entirely immune to the bell's resonance. Yet the moment she heard it, an exclamation of fury and shock escaped her lips:
"The Sea-Suppressing Bell — our Ice Sea Clan's treasure for safeguarding our race — it really did fall into that Ice Soul Fairy's hands back then."
The old man and the child exchanged a glance, both showing a trace of surprise on their faces.
However, the bell's effect on the Ice Sea demon beasts of the eighth and ninth levels appeared to last only a brief moment.
After suffering a small blow, the assembled demons released their demonic auras and spat out magic treasures for protection, immediately reducing the bell's influence to a minimum. Aside from some lingering dizziness, the effect was negligible.
Seeing this, the silver-robed woman's expression improved somewhat. But then her mind seized on something, and her figure blurred as she transformed directly into a ball of crystalline light that shot skyward.
The crystalline light then exploded in midair, splitting into countless fine crystal threads that flashed through the void and vanished without a trace.
After a while, the light receded, and the woman drifted gently back down to the ice mountain, her jade-like complexion slightly ashen.
"What happened? Why did you expend so much magical power to deploy the Grand Soul Division Technique, Fairy Feng?" The old man furrowed his brow and said slowly.