Although Black Loulan had obtained quite a few resources this time, greatly replenishing her biggest weakness, her gains in Dao marks were pitifully small.
A rough estimate put it at less than thirty percent of the total Dao marks in her Immortal Orifice.
The calamity had directly skipped forward a dozen or more tribulations.
For Black Loulan, this was an incalculable loss!
Because according to her Ten Extreme Physique, whenever she underwent tribulation, the power would be immensely strong. Fortune and misfortune go hand in hand; thus, after successfully overcoming each tribulation, the Dao marks she gained would be plentiful.
A dozen or more calamities were not just earthly disasters, but also heavenly tribulations!
Accounting for it all, her losses were substantial.
Though tribulation was fraught with peril, for a titan and outstanding figure like Black Loulan, she did not fear difficulties—she feared mediocrity.
"But even if I'm unwilling, what can I do? I'm trapped in a cage now, powerless against my own situation..." Black Loulan sighed inwardly.
Ying Wuxie observed her expression. Seeing Black Loulan's dark and gloomy face, he chuckled to himself and spoke: "Alright, let's continue onward."
The group followed the icy passage, venturing deeper into the mountain's interior.
Finally, they arrived before a wall of ice.
Through the white, translucent ice, the immortals saw what appeared to be hearts inside.
These hearts were blue in color, densely packed, no fewer than a thousand.
Bai Ningbing was bewildered.
But Tai Bai Yunsheng exclaimed: "Heavens, these are Ice Hearts! They're all Ice Hearts!"
Black Loulan also showed emotion: "Not just Ice Hearts, but also Twin Ice Hearts. The latter are Seventh Transformation immortal materials, and there are so many of them."
Even the taciturn and composed Stone Slave marveled: "Hard to imagine that Yuhu Mountain holds such a rich treasure trove. If the Southern Border Gu Immortals outside found out, they'd surely stir up a storm, fighting tooth and nail over these Ice Hearts!"
Yuhu Mountain was not uninhabited. A stronghold sat upon the mountain, predominantly of the Jade surname.
Yuhu Mountain was famous for producing jade and Jade Gu. The Jade Family stronghold relied on the mountain for their living.
Among mortal forces, the Jade Family stronghold, which possessed multiple Fifth Transformation Gu Masters, was quite powerful. But for Gu Immortals, it was utterly insignificant.
Who could have imagined that within Yuhu Mountain, controlled by a mortal force, there would be heaps of rare immortal materials!
Ying Wuxie sighed deeply: "Yuhu Mountain conceals its brilliance internally, easily overlooked. Our Shadow Sect only discovered the workings within this mountain by a fortunate chance. However, the natural Ice Hearts here were not originally so numerous. It was our Shadow Sect's Gu Immortals who secretly intervened, arranging a Gu formation to turn this place into a natural Gu raising and gestating ground."
"An Ice Heart Gu was once produced here, though it has since been taken away. There is also an Ice Soul Immortal Gu here. Previously it was slightly undercooked, but now its gestation is finally complete. Bai Ningbing, step forward. Use the method I taught you to collect this wild Immortal Gu."
"Alright!" Bai Ningbing was very decisive.
She strode forward directly.
Then, following Ying Wuxie's instructions, she spread her hands and placed them directly onto the extremely cold ice wall.
Without employing any protective means, Bai Ningbing's hands were instantly frozen solid. Cold air surged, rapidly condensing into a thick layer of ice on her arms.
Black Loulan witnessed this scene, raising her eyebrows slightly.
Tai Bai Yunsheng opened his mouth to speak, his expression somewhat pained.
Ying Wuxie wore a faint smile, while Stone Slave remained expressionless and silent.
Bai Ningbing endured the agonizing pain. The cold air invaded her body through her arms, and soon she felt her entire body go numb, her thoughts seemingly freezing.
A powerful sense of death's crisis shrouded her entire being.
But she remained unwavering.
In her azure eyes, the look of determination was colder and more stubborn than the ice wall before her.
"Endure!"
"Even if I die, it's no big deal."
"Heh, freezing to death like this might even be a bit thrilling, wouldn't you say..."
"And besides! The Shadow Sect has suffered heavy losses and needs manpower. Since Ying Wuxie went to such great lengths to recruit me, how could he possibly let me die like this?"
Sure enough, as Bai Ningbing expected, an anomaly occurred before her eyes.
Within the ice wall, the blue Ice Hearts suddenly began to tremble in unison. The trembling was initially slight, but quickly grew more intense.
After a dozen breaths, the ice wall emitted sharp cracking sounds. Cracks, one after another, appeared before the immortals' eyes. Soon, the cracks spread like a spider's web, with one growing deeper and deeper until it broke through to the interior of the ice wall.
The aura of an Immortal Gu emanated forth.
Tai Bai Yunsheng nearly couldn't stop himself from acting.
This was a wild Immortal Gu, extremely difficult to capture. If he didn't act now, it would be too late!
But Ying Wuxie made no move, simply watching quietly.
Since he didn't move, Stone Slave and Black Loulan naturally wouldn't act rashly either.
Bai Ningbing also couldn't move.