Chapter 1177: Ice Phoenix’s Blessing

Yun Che searched for a long time, but still couldn't find any trace of Mu Xuanyin. He began to consider a possibility... Right! The Conferred God Battle was currently underway. Was his master perhaps watching the battle from one of the Star God Steles? Had the Palace Mistress of Frozen Cloud not sent a message to his master about his return? Time was too pressing for Yun Che, so he stopped worrying about other matters and flew towards the Netherfrost Divine Lake.

Above the swirling icy mist, a pair of beautiful eyes silently watched Yun Che's figure recede into the distance. "Sigh," she murmured with a soft sigh, a profound helplessness mixed with complex melancholy. Her eternally still heart and soul rippled repeatedly because of him. "Should I break his legs..." she mused softly to herself.

The barrier of the Netherfrost Divine Lake could not restrict Yun Che. He passed directly through it, arriving at the most familiar place in this God Realm. Taking a slight breath, he leaped straight into the lake and plunged downwards. The incredibly heavy and chilling water of the Netherfrost Lake, however, only brought him an extreme sense of refreshing coolness that soothed him from body to soul. Countless strands of cool energy eagerly poured into his body. These energies not only gradually transformed into his own power but also rapidly restored his profound strength and healed his injuries. The Netherfrost Divine Lake had been one of the most important reasons for his rapid progress over the past two years.

But at this moment, Yun Che had no mind to enjoy the comforting energy. He descended straight down at the fastest possible speed.

One hundred feet...One thousand feet...One thousand zhang...Five thousand zhang...

The underwater world, which had been devoid of light, suddenly shimmered with blue. An arc of blue light, emanating from the cold veins at the bottom of the lake, appeared in Yun Che's sight.

Yun Che slowed his descent, and soon, his feet landed on a layer of crystalline sand. Although he bathed in the Netherfrost Divine Lake day and night, this was only his second time at the bottom. Following the direction of the blue arc, Yun Che slowly walked forward. Soon, within his sight, a translucent, rhombus-shaped piece of ice lay quietly embedded in the azure world.

Inside the ice, a dreamlike maiden's figure was curled up, her jade arms clasped around her knees, her delicate head buried between them. Her entire body, from her long, slender, snow-white legs to her small, lotus-like jade feet, was covered in skin as fair as jade and as smooth as grease, shimmering with the radiance of stars and moonlight. Her faintly blue, gleaming white hair cascaded down, obscuring her face and concealing the maiden's most private charms.

"Yun Che... why are you here?"

Yun Che stood still for a moment, wondering how to speak, when the maiden's soft, dreamlike voice echoed in his mind. In the entire world, only Yun Che knew that the maiden in the ice crystal before him was a true god from the ancient era, the only one in the entire Primal Chaos who had not been completely annihilated. Though she could only survive by clinging to this last cold vein, teetering on the brink of complete annihilation.

"If one day, you feel your power is strong enough, and your will and understanding can bear sufficient upheaval and great responsibility, then come find me. I will tell you all the truth..."

"And I will bestow all my power upon you."

"...This is the last thing I can do, and it is... the best outcome I can imagine."

These were the words she had personally told him back then. Although he had no idea what "upheaval" and "great responsibility" the Ice Phoenix Maiden was referring to, nor did he possess the corresponding "will" and "understanding," he desperately needed power now... power that could help him grow rapidly in a short amount of time.

Calming his thoughts, Yun Che finally spoke, "Ice Phoenix Divine Spirit, I came here... with a very selfish request. I wish to ask you... to grant me some power."

"...Why?" the maiden asked, her voice still soft and dreamlike.

"I... wish to see someone. I have things I want to tell her face-to-face, to show her my resolve, and even more... to be able to protect her one day," Yun Che said with utmost seriousness. "To see her, I need sufficiently strong power. If I cannot achieve this, I will regret it for the rest of my life. Therefore, I implore you to help me."

The azure world fell silent.

After a long silence, the maiden let out a soft sigh. "I am sorry, I cannot grant your request."

Yun Che: "..."

"Separating my power would shorten my existence, and I must endure until 'that day.' On 'that day,' if you make the same request, I will not hesitate to give you everything I have... But now, you are acting solely out of your own selfishness. I cannot agree. Please do not blame me."

"..." Yun Che's chest rose and fell slightly, but there was no surprise or disappointment in him. He did not press the matter further; instead, he smiled. "My request was indeed too selfish. It's only right that you refuse. I apologize for disturbing your rest. I will try to find other methods."

Yun Che was not at all surprised that the Ice Phoenix Maiden would refuse. Just as he was about to leave, the maiden's soft voice called out to him, "Wait... I cannot separate my power right now, but I can give you some of my divine soul."

Yun Che turned around, a look of surprise on his face.

"Although this will also shorten my existence, it should still be enough for me to last until that day."

A flash of ice-blue radiance flickered across the crystal. Following this, a tear-shaped star of light slowly condensed, as if carried by a gentle breeze, and floated before Yun Che. "The divine power attached to this wisp of divine soul is extremely difficult for ordinary people to transform into their own strength. Only you can do it easily in a short amount of time. If you can fully absorb it, it will be enough to raise your cultivation by two minor realms, and the increase in your soul power will be far greater than that of your profound strength, providing you with long-term assistance."

"This is also the limit of what I can do for you now."

Yun Che's gaze was clear as he gratefully said, "Thank you, Ice Phoenix Divine Spirit. I will never forget your kindness."

"You don't need to thank me. You should know that I am not doing this solely for you," the Ice Phoenix Maiden said faintly. "If... you are truly grateful, then can you grant me a request?"

She said "request"... As the only surviving true god, she actually made a "request" to Yun Che, a mortal.

"Alright, please speak," Yun Che nodded heavily. "As long as it's something I can do, I will agree."

"If... one day, the world suddenly undergoes a drastic change, and everything is enveloped in crimson despair... please, you must come find me..."

The world... a drastic change? Crimson despair?

Just as Yun Che was about to ask, the maiden's voice came again: "You don't need to ask, because it's far from the time for you to know everything. I only hope that you, who inherited the seed of hope left by the Heretic God, will definitely agree to this matter."

"Okay." Yun Che nodded directly without much thought. "If such a day truly comes, even without these words, I would still come to seek your help."

"...Mm." The Ice Phoenix Maiden responded with approval. At that moment, the ice-blue star of light floating before Yun Che also flew up, touched his body, and slowly merged into his glabella. Immediately, Yun Che clearly saw a brilliant blue star of light appear within his soul.

Yun Che did not immediately refine it. He again expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Ice Phoenix Divine Spirit. Although I don't know what will happen in the future, and I never considered myself great enough to shoulder any mission, I will certainly fulfill what I promised you."

"You don't need to think too much about it now. Although that day will certainly come, even I cannot predict precisely when. You don't need to shoulder the burden prematurely. Although you inherited the 'seed' left by the Heretic God, you are ultimately an independent being, and no one has the right to force you to bear any specific burden."

Her voice paused, then she suddenly asked, "You seem to... rarely use the Profound Handle power within your body?"

Yun Che was slightly stunned, not understanding why she would mention the Profound Handle. He nodded and said, "To my clansmen, the Profound Handle is a very powerful force. My own power primarily lies in elements and heavy swords, relying on the amplification burst from the Heretic God's Profound Veins. These cannot be applied to the Profound Handle. Especially after profound strength reaches the Divine Way, while the Profound Handle offers some help, its power is relatively too small, and its consumption is enormous, so I rarely use it in combat."

The Ice Phoenix Maiden was silent for a moment, then slowly said, "The Profound Handle is a power that exists within your body. It is not only connected to your bloodline but also closely linked to your profound veins and soul. The profound strength amplification of the Heretic God's Profound Veins is not incapable of affecting the Profound Handle; it's just that... perhaps you haven't been able to sufficiently integrate the 'Profound Handle' with your 'Profound Veins.'"

"Sufficiently... integrate?"

"Furthermore, you can try to merge the Profound Handle with your soul. With your unique soul power and comprehension abilities, perhaps you will, unknowingly, touch upon another special kind of power."

The Ice Phoenix Maiden could only offer guidance; true enlightenment, of course, would have to depend on Yun Che himself.

Profound Veins integrating with the Profound Handle...Merging the soul with the Profound Handle...

The Profound Handle exists in the bloodline, but its power inherently comes from the profound veins. And controlling the Profound Handle naturally requires soul power... In other words, they are inherently "connected." But the "integration" and "merging" the Ice Phoenix Maiden spoke of clearly did not refer to simple connection... What exactly did she mean?

"Although I don't quite understand, I will try to comprehend your words when I cultivate in the future," Yun Che nodded.

"I believe it won't be long before you gain something."

"Additionally, there is something I perhaps should tell you. Regarding your master, Mu Xuanyin, she is actually... I am..." The Ice Phoenix Maiden's voice suddenly trailed off. After a moment of hesitation, she did not complete her sentence.

Yun Che was startled and quickly asked, "What about my master?"

"..." After a moment of silence, the Ice Phoenix Maiden softly said, "You only need to know that while her temperament can sometimes reveal surprising aspects, she will never do anything to harm you. You can trust her completely in all matters."

Yun Che paused, then nodded gently. "My master has always been very good to me. Even when I often make mistakes, even big ones, she ultimately chooses to forgive me."

"...Go. She is waiting for you above the lake. If you wish to quickly improve your cultivation in a short time, your master has the most suitable method for you."

Master... above the lake?

Yun Che bid farewell to the Ice Phoenix Maiden, released his profound energy, and ascended against the water current.

After Yun Che left, the bottom of the Netherfrost Lake returned to its cold stillness. After a long time, the maiden's soft sigh faintly echoed.

"The crack in the Wall of Primal Chaos has already reached a hundred zhang, and crimson light is about to shine upon the world. Humans might have discovered its existence, but they will never realize the terrifying disaster hidden behind it."

"A disaster that the current world simply cannot withstand..."

"Yun Che... I can only pray... that you can lead everything towards the best possible outcome... and only you can do it."