Chapter 400: Persistence

The further he went, the more shocking the scene became.

Cracks began to appear in the ice beneath his feet.

Initially, the cracks were not large, just tiny fissures winding through the ice, barely visible without close inspection. Gradually, more and more cracks appeared, spreading deep into the ice cave like a dense spiderweb. These fissures were clearly newly formed, raising concerns that the ice cave might collapse.

The profound ice in the cave, countless years old, was incredibly hard. Qin Sang mused that without using magical artifacts, he himself would find it difficult to cause such extensive damage. The center of the battle seemed to be further ahead; what exactly had transpired? What kind of enemy had Yun Youzi encountered?

"Boom!"

Again.

The vibrations were erratic. Sometimes they occurred in rapid succession, other times there would be a long pause between them.

Suddenly, Qin Sang stopped, looking ahead in surprise. Ahead of him, deep within the blizzard, stood an ice sculpture. Encased within it was a figure, its back turned towards him.

Yun Youzi!

Though only a back view, Qin Sang recognized him instantly. Yun Youzi was here, frozen solid into an ice sculpture. His entire body was encased in ice, yet he remained standing firm in the ice cave, like an ancient pine tree rooted in the ice, his spine straight, facing the raging wind and snow. Layers of wind and snow accumulated on him, making the ice thicker and thicker. Yun Youzi stood there, motionless.

There was no sign of the ancient beast he had imagined, and the vibrations that shook the ice cave were still further ahead. However, Yun Youzi's current condition was dire. A deathly silence emanated from Yun Youzi; there was no trace of his aura!

Qin Sang's gaze sharpened, and he was about to rush forward. Just then, a faint "crack" echoed. The sound was so soft, especially amidst the wind and snow, that Qin Sang wouldn't have heard it without his acute hearing. The sound came from the ice encasing Yun Youzi. Hearing the sound, Qin Sang felt a stir, stopped, and looked down at Yun Youzi's left leg.

Yun Youzi was not standing with both feet together; his left foot was half a step ahead of his right. The moment the sound occurred, spiritual energy pulsed through his legs, emitting a faint greenish glow, and the ice was shattered from within. Unfortunately, the ice did not shatter completely. As soon as the cracks appeared, they were immediately reinforced by the endless wind and snow, leaving only patterns on the surface. No wonder the ice on his body was crisscrossed with so many cracks.

Yun Youzi had not given up. The spiritual energy within him began to pulse weakly, again and again, finally breaking open the ice on his leg. Seizing the opportunity, Yun Youzi moved. He first stepped his left foot forward, taking a large stride, his body leaning slightly. When he tried to move his right foot, it was again confined by the ice. His body was now in an odd posture: his left leg was stretched far forward in a stride, yet his upper body remained straight, completely unafraid of the oppressive wind and snow. This single step seemed to have consumed too much of his strength, and Yun Youzi did not continue. He maintained this posture, pausing temporarily, seemingly gathering strength to take the next step.

Qin Sang observed this scene, then quietly approached from behind to see Yun Youzi's front. Yun Youzi's face was devoid of expression, his eyes tightly shut. His snow-white hair and beard were frozen by the wind and snow into rigid silver needles, making him look like a lifelike ice sculpture. Only an extremely faint aura indicated that Yun Youzi was still alive, still holding on. The Flawless Pearl floated before his forehead. A green lamp rested on his chest.

Qin Sang immediately realized that Yun Youzi was relying on the Flawless Pearl to protect his nascent soul and resist the corrosive cold. The green lamp's effect was likely similar to that of a Vermilion Pill. However, Yun Youzi had to exhaust all his energy, utilizing the Flawless Pearl's power to barely withstand the cold. It was difficult for him to spare any attention to maintain the green lamp. The flame of the green lamp was extremely faint, barely visible to the naked eye, flickering weakly. It was already incredibly difficult for the green lamp to remain lit, barely protecting Yun Youzi's physical body from freezing solid. It was powerless against the increasingly thick layers of ice outside.

Yun Youzi had not given up; he had, in fact, been continuously accumulating strength. The greenish flame that had just shattered the ice was the result of Yun Youzi gathering sufficient power and seizing the opportunity to take a step. He had been inching forward in this manner, step by step, until he reached this point. At this moment, Yun Youzi could not be distracted by anything else. His eyes were tightly closed, and all his concentration was focused on the Flawless Pearl and the green lamp. Only his unwavering resolve guided him forward.

Qin Sang walked past Yun Youzi. Ahead and to Yun Youzi's left, at the very edge of his vision, deep within the blizzard, he could faintly discern a flower, like an ice crystal, swaying on the ice wall. It was a lily. A heavenly treasure, the Night-Blooming Lily! It grew in the cold ice, its leaves and stem trailing on the surface, blending seamlessly with the ice. The flower itself was as crystalline as ice, yet appeared incredibly delicate, making one worry it might shatter at a touch. Despite such harsh conditions, the Night-Blooming Lily bloomed proudly and aloofly. It was like a fairy in the snow, standing solitary and apart from the world. The howling blizzard, with its world-destroying force, seemed to part automatically around the Night-Blooming Lily, as if unwilling to disturb it.

Qin Sang focused his gaze and discovered a spiritual array surrounding the Night-Blooming Lily. It was plausible that this array had been left by the senior who first discovered the Night-Blooming Lily, to protect its growth until it matured. This array could not only withstand the wind and snow but also securely seal the lily's aura within it, preventing the divine flower from blooming and attracting the attention of demonic beasts. For unknown reasons, that senior had not returned later to harvest the mature Night-Blooming Lily.

"Crack!"

Yun Youzi had gathered a bit more strength and began to try again. Unfortunately, this time was too short; he only managed to move his right foot forward a very short distance, less than half a step. Yun Youzi stopped again, continuing to prepare. On his face, there was no sign of frustration or eagerness, no anxiety or despair, only serenity. Beneath this tranquility lay a truly astonishing power. Yun Youzi maintained his composure, driven by his unwavering resolve, completely focused. He had set his sights on the Night-Blooming Lily and was advancing step by step with all his might, unaware that Qin Sang was beside him.

Qin Sang silently glanced at Yun Youzi, then walked past him to stand beside the Night-Blooming Lily, observing it carefully. His gaze casually swept over the Night-Blooming Lily, with most of his attention on the spiritual array. Good. The protective array around the Night-Blooming Lily was not a terrifying killing array; its primary function was concealment. As long as a cultivator could reach this location, breaking the array would not be difficult.

Qin Sang turned around and watched Yun Youzi take another step forward. The ice on him had grown even thicker. This distance might not seem long, but for Yun Youzi in his current state, it was like an insurmountable chasm. The further one went, the more terrifying the power of the freezing wind became. With Yun Youzi nearly at the end of his tether, Qin Sang couldn't say for sure if he would be able to reach this point. It was highly unlikely. Often, strong willpower alone is not enough to achieve one's desires.