The glacier rumbled and cracked as Tianhe Shangren launched his assault. In the blink of an eye, he almost broke through the ice surface.
«We must not let this old man escape!» Fang Yuan shouted in a low voice.
Bai Ning Bing could no longer speak. He resolutely self-detonated one arm, which transformed into a vast frost gale that swept across, spreading the glacier and thickening the ice by nearly ten zhang in an instant.
Tianhe Shangren roared from within the ice, attacking wildly.
Bai Ning Bing detonated another arm, and the glacier bore down repeatedly, suppressing Tianhe Shangren’s escape attempts.
Under Bai Ning Bing’s deliberate control, the frost surrounded Tianhe Shangren like a great army. Although Tianhe Shangren was Fifth Rank, after killing Gu Yue Yidai, he was also at the end of his strength. He charged over and over, but ultimately was trapped in the ice.
«So it is the Beiming Ice Soul Physique! But do you think this alone can kill me? You wish!» He finally realized, and activated the Cunxi Jade Burial Gu.
A flash of jade-green light burst forth, enveloping his entire body. Then the light solidified from void into substance, turning into a transparent jade coffin that firmly protected him inside.
The jade coffin was extremely sturdy. Bai Ning Bing attempted several times but all in vain. In the end, he could only keep deepening the ice around the coffin, forming an ice peak dozens of zhang high.
Fang Yuan had been watching intently, witnessing the entire process.
«As expected of the Ten Extreme Physique!» Even seeing it a second time, he couldn’t help but exclaim.
He leaned close to Bai Ning Bing. By now, Bai Ning Bing had lost both arms and turned into an ice sculpture. Even his features began to blur, gradually covered by frost.
Everything indicated that his consciousness was fading. Once it faded completely, he would die.
Seeing the ice around him also starting to spread toward himself, Fang Yuan understood: alone, he could hardly escape; sooner or later, he would be sealed in the glacier and freeze to death.
«It’s time.» He took out a pair of Gu from his aperture.
The two Gu, one emitting black light and the other white light, chased each other in a circle, forming a Taiji sphere of light.
It was the Yin-Yang Reversal Gu.
«Go.» With a thought, Fang Yuan sent the black-light Gu flying into Bai Ning Bing’s ice sculpture.
Although Fang Yuan was only First Rank, he had stored a large amount of Third Rank Snow Silver True Essence in his aperture. He used almost all of it and barely managed to activate the Gu.
In an instant, black light shot straight into the sky, Yin Qi gathered, and a vortex of primordial energy formed in the air. A new vitality brewed within the ice sculpture and then flourished.
The dazzling black light dissipated. The ice sculpture crackled, its surface cracked, and the pieces fell away.
Still in white robes with silver hair, her arms intact, Bai Ning Bing emerged from the ice. Her features were as delicate as a painting, with an adorable blush on her cheeks.
The ice tide suddenly stopped, and the cold vanished. The ice around Fang Yuan had spread to within just a few inches of him—a narrow escape from death!
«I actually came back to life!» Bai Ning Bing looked in shock at her delicate jade hands, then touched her body, incredulous but overjoyed.
«Hehehe.» Fang Yuan laughed heartily. «I used the Yin Gu of the Yin-Yang Reversal Gu on you. This Gu uses Yang to give birth to Yin, allowing you to shed your mortal form and be reborn anew. It’s a Fourth Rank healing Gu with the power to revive the dead. However, it has a drawback: once used, the Gu master’s aptitude drops by ten percent.»
Bai Ning Bing was originally a Ten Extreme Physique, meaning she had one hundred percent aptitude.
Now it dropped by ten percent, equal to Fang Yuan’s, so it became ninety percent aptitude.
But for most people, this news would be bad. For Bai Ning Bing, it was good news.
«That’s great. My aptitude dropped, so I’m no longer a Beiming Ice Soul Physique. Haha, ninety percent, what does it matter?» She laughed heartily.
Fang Yuan shook his head. «The Ten Extreme Physique is extremely hard to change. Although this method lowered your aptitude, as you continue to cultivate, it will gradually recover. Eventually, you will revert to the Beiming Ice Soul Physique. At that time, you will need this remaining Yang Gu. It will allow you to transform again, and your aptitude will drop by another ten percent.»
After saying this, ignoring Bai Ning Bing’s intense stare fixed on the Yang Gu, Fang Yuan stored it back into his aperture, right in front of her.
«In the world, Yin-Yang Reversal Gus always come in pairs. You have used that Yin Gu, and only this Yang Gu in my hand will work for you. Using any other Yang Gu will have no effect. Don’t even think about snatching it. This Yang Gu, I have refined it. With just a thought, I can destroy it.» Fang Yuan said leisurely.
Now, Bai Ning Bing was still at Third Rank. He was only at First Rank, so naturally he needed a deterrent to keep Bai Ning Bing from harming him.
«I see. Fang Yuan, you really are a schemer!» Bai Ning Bing sighed deeply. «What do you want me to do to get the Yang Gu?»
«Hehehe…» Fang Yuan laughed for a while, then put on a serious expression. «Qingmao Mountain has become a frozen wasteland. The three families and countless creatures are frozen beneath the ice. In three to five days, they will all perish. This unusual phenomenon will definitely attract attention and exploration. Moreover, that old man isn’t dead—he sealed himself in a jade coffin, waiting to break free. We absolutely can’t stay here. We must leave.»
«As for me, I’m only First Rank and lacking in Gu, so I can’t travel alone. In this situation, I have to rely on your strength. The world is vast and incredibly exciting; Qingmao Mountain is just a tiny corner. If you follow me across the world, it will be extremely exciting!»
«I see. You’ve really arranged everything well. Hmph!» Bai Ning Bing gritted her teeth. Mostly, she felt joy and surprise, but also some helplessness. However, Fang Yuan’s proposal happened to deeply resonate with her. «I can agree to you. But there’s one thing that needs to be clear.»
«What?» asked Fang Yuan.
«It’s not me following you, but you following me across the world!» Bai Ning Bing pouted her red lips slightly and gave a proud smile.
«Hahaha.» Fang Yuan laughed heartily.
«So, where to next? What do you think?» asked Bai Ning Bing.
«White Bone Mountain,» answered Fang Yuan, still laughing.
«What are you laughing at? Is it that funny?» Bai Ning Bing was puzzled.