Chapter 1684: Immortal Divine Lotus

Xu Yang gave the leader of the Misty Rain Royal Family a meaningful look, and the leader, being shrewd, immediately understood he should depart. In the next moment, his figure vanished from Xu Yang's sight.

Shifting his gaze back to the mysterious and potent seal array before him, Xu Yang wasted no more time. A brilliant Yin-Yang totem swiftly materialized in his palm. This was the ultimate manifestation of his Tai Chi Dao's power. He unleashed the Tai Chi totem with a roar, and the palm-sized halo instantly swelled upon contact with the array's energy. In an instant, it grew to over ten times its original size and intensity, perfectly enveloping the surface of the forbidden seal array. The Yin-Yang energy circulated boundlessly.

As it operated, it gradually eroded the power within the forbidden seal array. The Yin extreme unleashed a fierce devouring force, while simultaneously, the Yang extreme rapidly consumed and refined that very energy. Their cooperation achieved a seamless, synchronized state, requiring no further infusion of external power. The profound technique itself refined all the essence within the forbidden seal array, swiftly dissolving the seal's surface power into nothingness.

"Before my Yin-Yang Dao," Xu Yang declared, "any form of seal power is utterly meaningless."

Xu Yang sneered, then unleashed another mighty force that instantly erupted with destructive power, causing the sealed door before him to crumble into dust.

Xu Yang stepped inside, immediately met by a blast of frigid air, completely unlike the ambiance of the Immortal Mansion Grotto-heaven. To his surprise, he found himself in a hidden realm of extreme cold. Everything was forged from miles of solid ice, and the temperature had plummeted to its absolute lowest. Had it not been for Xu Yang's immortal golden body, merely entering with his physical form would have surely resulted in him being frozen solid.

"Heh, heh," Xu Yang chuckled, "my Cold Spring Sword Soul, come forth! This place must be your perfect domain."

The moment Xu Yang's words faded, the full outline of the Cold Spring Sword Soul instantly materialized behind him. Indeed, the Cold Spring's greatest strength lay in its ability to absorb and unleash profound ice energy, and in this environment, ice-attributed elements were at their zenith. The Cold Spring was naturally in its element. As expected, even before Xu Yang could guide it, it began furiously absorbing all the essence of ice-cold power from the surrounding space to further strengthen its Sword Soul. Meanwhile, the Emperor's Cauldron was not idle; it swiftly began gathering all available divine materials in the space that could aid in forging a sword body.

A pale white cloud light soon coalesced beneath Xu Yang's feet, supporting his body as he slowly moved forward through the void. This vast forbidden space was entirely covered by miles of solid ice. However, as the Cold Spring's powerful absorption began, all the surrounding ice-cold attributes rapidly melted in a very short time, and all the absorbed essence merged into the Cold Spring Sword Soul.

Before long, numerous budding lotus flowers appeared in Xu Yang's vision. To Xu Yang's astonishment, these lotuses bloomed in a vast clear spring pond, yet the spring's flow within was completely enveloped by icy power. Despite such conditions, these lotuses were astonishingly able to draw sufficient nourishment and displayed various growth stages, which utterly surprised Xu Yang.

"This is quite interesting," Xu Yang mused aloud. "An aura of extreme cold can still nurture these lotus blossoms. And each flower possesses such vibrant vitality. If my judgment is correct, then the source of power for the Misty Rain Royal Family must be sealed within this forbidden land."

Xu Yang spoke softly to himself, but his words were fully registered by an extremely ancient presence. In an instant, Xu Yang's eyes snapped open wide. He scanned the far northern reaches, then accelerated his movement technique to its limit. This single step bypassed the laws of space, covering an unknown, vast distance.

When he reappeared, Xu Yang found himself before an exquisitely crafted giant white jade lotus platform, upon which bloomed an enormous, vibrant snow lotus.

"Boy, you've struck gold!" Yun Wangji's voice echoed in his mind, bringing a shocking revelation. "This is the Immortal Divine Lotus, a legendary spiritual species believed to have gone extinct in ancient times! It vanished from the main continent long before you were born. To think the very last Immortal Divine Lotus in this world grows right here in Kunlun!"

Xu Yang was deeply stunned. "Could it be that the entire Misty Rain Royal Family's life force emanates from this Immortal Divine Lotus?"

Yun Wangji nodded gravely. "Indeed," he affirmed. "Although the Ancient Tree of Life grows within you—itself the most potent spiritual species for nurturing life essence in all creation—it primarily cultivates the power of sentient beings. This Immortal Divine Lotus, however, releases a life essence that nurtures an even more profound and powerful essence of heaven and earth."

"If the Ancient Tree of Life provides the ultimate life force nourishment for mortals, then this Immortal Divine Lotus offers the perfect life force augmentation for cultivators. Aside from the inherent value of this Immortal Divine Lotus, if you can obtain it, Xiaohua will gain the most powerful physical body—a truly immortal body, you understand?"

Hearing Sword Immortal Yun Wangji's explanation, Xu Yang immediately grasped the profound significance of the Immortal Divine Lotus. "Senior," Xu Yang asked, "if this Immortal Divine Lotus were to bind with your soul essence, would you not also be able to revive?"

Yun Wangji shook his head. "My soul has been adrift for hundreds of thousands of years and is no longer whole. Xiaohua's soul origin, however, is perfectly intact, and with her soul's strength, she should be able to withstand the life force released by this lotus."

"This divine lotus alone holds unparalleled value. Obtaining it is tantamount to acquiring the true source of power for the Misty Rain Royal Family. How you choose to use it is entirely up to you. However, I must also remind you: not only this Immortal Divine Lotus but also the jade throne beneath it, which supports the lotus, is the perfect material for forging your Cold Spring Divine Sword. And of course, the materials aren't limited to just the jade throne; they also include the physical remains of the Grand Elder Living Fossil sealed within it."

These words were meant for Xu Yang's ears alone, as the Jade Bone Divine Sword he wielded was, after all, forged from one of the Sword Immortal's own arm bones. When Yun Wangji suddenly offered this hint, Xu Yang immediately understood his implication. If bones could be refined into a divine sword, then the perfectly preserved skeletal remains of the Grand Elder Living Fossil—a supreme cultivator who had transcended the Boundless Realm—would undoubtedly be even more potent.