At that moment, the green-robed man’s figure flickered, and he was already standing at the center of the ice-crystal battle platform. He swept his gaze across the entire field with arrogant disdain and laughed wildly.

  “All you inner disciples of the Profound Frost Sect—why don’t you come at me together? One Han is more than enough!”

  An uproar instantly broke out among the Profound Frost Sect disciples. Faces flushed with anger; even the elders frowned deeply.

  Yet among the Snow Domain Alliance, not a single disciple spoke. Instead, reverent expressions filled their eyes—clearly, this man held extraordinary status within the alliance.

  Ouyang Shuo coughed lightly and called out,

  “Fellow Daoist Han Jing, this is Han Bing, the Chief True Disciple of our Snow Domain Alliance. Let this match be decided by him alone. If your sect has anyone who can withstand ten breaths under his hand without defeat, then the Profound Frost Sect shall be considered the victor!”

  Qin Shuang’s eyes flashed. His figure shot onto the platform as he said coldly,

  “What arrogance! Qin shall learn from you!”

  Han Bing burst into laughter.

  “You? On the surface, Qi Condensation Sixth Layer—yet you’re hiding the Eighth Layer beneath. That level… is not worth mentioning!”

  Cold light flared in his eyes as he casually flicked his sleeve!

  A pitch-black ice wyrm leapt out from within, growing rapidly with the wind until it became a colossal ten-zhang monster! Its ferocious head turned, icy pupils locking onto Qin Shuang’s stunned face, before it suddenly opened its maw and inhaled—

  A terrifying suction force erupted instantly!

  This force was unbelievably strange—it targeted Qin Shuang alone!

  Qin Shuang didn’t even have time to activate a technique. His body was yanked forward like a kite with its string severed!

  Han Bing sneered, reached out with his right hand, and precisely seized Qin Shuang by the throat.

  “Go back and cultivate for another thirty years. Then you might be able to take a single move from me.”

  With a violent jerk of his arm, Qin Shuang was hurled away like a cannonball!

  The final purple-robed female cultivator immediately leapt forward to catch him, yet even she could not fully counter the throwing force. The two slid more than ten zhang across the ground, ice shards spraying everywhere, before finally coming to a stop.

  Qin Shuang’s face was deathly pale. His eyes were shut tight as his body trembled uncontrollably. Around his neck, a jet-black icy mark was embedded deep into the flesh like an iron clamp.

  The purple-robed woman who caught him was utterly shaken, standing in silence.

  Master Han Jing felt bitterness well up inside him.

  This Chief Disciple’s strength is simply terrifying… The pressure he revealed just now was already at the level of Qi Condensation Tenth Layer. He must also be using a talisman to conceal his cultivation—his true realm is impossible to gauge.

  His gaze swept over the disciples behind him, and he sighed inwardly. Among these inner disciples, not one could claim a sure victory. Even his eldest disciple, currently in seclusion deep within the Cold Abyss, was only at Qi Condensation Tenth Layer—perhaps able to fight… but if they lost again, the Profound Frost Sect’s dignity would be utterly crushed!

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  “…Enough. This time, there is likely no hope.” Master Han Jing gave a bitter smile.

  “Ouyang Shuo’s words must be reported to the two Patriarchs at once. If what he said is true… then the Cold Abyss Secret Realm may truly be impossible to protect.”

  Han Bing arrogantly scanned the crowd.

  “Next. Who’s coming up?”

  The Profound Frost Sect disciples stood frozen, not a single person responding. Under Han Bing’s gaze, they instinctively lowered their heads, avoiding his eyes. None dared to meet his stare.

  Han Bing sneered, contempt deepening in his heart. Then, suddenly, he paused—

  Within the opposing ranks, there was actually a gray-robed disciple of only around Qi Condensation Third Layer who did not avoid his gaze at all!

  Yun Che stood calmly, looking straight at Han Bing.

  Han Bing stared at him and said coldly,

  “What? You want to come up?”

  The instant those words fell, all eyes focused on Yun Che. Seeing that Han Bing had pointed out a mere registered disciple, expressions across the field became strangely complicated.

  Master Han Jing sighed inwardly. This Yun Che’s cultivation is low—he never truly entered my notice before. Yet compared to the others who cower now, this courage is… rare.

  Seeing that Yun Che remained silent, Han Bing sneered.

  “If no one dares to fight, then this exchange shall be counted as a victory for my Snow Domain—”

  He turned toward Ouyang Shuo.

  Before the word “victory” could be spoken, Ouyang Shuo’s face was already filled with smug delight as he threw his head back and let out a long howl!

  The howl pierced the clouds. In the distance, from the direction of the Profound Frost Sect’s mountain gate, a mass of snowy clouds surged forth—

  The Snowcloud Crane!

  Ouyang Shuo leapt onto the crane’s back. Snow Domain Alliance disciples followed suit. Han Bing was the last to jump, landing lightly upon the crane’s head and casting a final contemptuous glance at the Profound Frost Sect.

  With a powerful beat of its wings, the Snowcloud Crane shot away. From afar came Ouyang Shuo’s low voice:

  “Fellow Daoist Han Jing, every word I spoke was true. All of your sect’s Nascent Soul Patriarchs have indeed perished on the Outer Domain Battlefield! Since we have won this exchange, tomorrow our Snow Domain Alliance’s Divine Transformation ancestor—Ice Soul Venerable—will personally arrive. You all… should make preparations early.”

  Master Han Jing and the others wore grim expressions, dark clouds weighing upon their hearts. They hastily dismissed the disciples and rushed toward the depths of the Cold Abyss to consult the Core Formation elders.

  All the inner disciples heard Ouyang Shuo’s departing words, and panic spread among them. Zhang Mingyuan’s face was filled with bitterness as he flicked his sleeve and strode quickly back toward Frost Condensation Peak.

  Yun Che stood alone at the edge of the battle platform, gazing in the direction the Snow Domain Alliance had departed. He sighed softly in his heart.

  The Snowcloud Crane is gone. There will be no more chance to obtain Ice Breath.

  He did not return to the menial quarters. Instead, he turned and walked toward the crude hut he had lived in upon first entering the sect. Though simple, it still belonged to him, as his name remained on the registry.

  The room was long sealed in dust. Yun Che brushed aside the ice debris and sat cross-legged upon the stone bed. After a moment of contemplation, he took out the gray-white stone bead, clenched his teeth, and sank his consciousness into it once more.

  Milky-white void. Dots of drifting light.

  The instant he appeared, Li Han’s aged, rolling voice echoed through the space:

  “Why didn’t you go up just now? With your current cultivation, you could’ve slapped that Han brat to death with a single palm!”

  Yun Che gave a bitter smile and replied respectfully,

  “Senior, this junior is only at Qi Condensation Third Layer. How could I possibly contend with him?”

  Li Han snorted.

  “What Qi Condensation Third Layer? Didn’t I tell you last time? You are already at Pseudo-Perfection of the Void Radiance Realm—equivalent to what this backwater place calls ‘Qi Condensation Fourteenth Layer’! Do you think all these years of me consuming Void Origin to nourish your foundation were wasted? If not for that, how could you so easily see through the true cultivation of every disciple?”

  Yun Che froze, his heart tightening.

  “This junior… has truly reached Qi Condensation Fourteenth Layer?”

  “Nonsense!” Li Han snapped.

  “Would I lie to you? Because you cultivate within the Heaven-Defying Pearl, there is a discrepancy between your actual cultivation and how the outside world perceives it. Give it some time—it will gradually adjust and manifest.”

  Yun Che took a deep breath and was about to ask more when Li Han suddenly spoke urgently:

  “Your cheap master is here—get out, now!”

  The scenery before him shattered.

  Yun Che opened his eyes—and almost at the same moment, the door was slammed open!

  Zhang Mingyuan stood there, eyes flickering as he stared at Yun Che for several breaths before speaking in a low voice:

  “Come with me.”

  Han Bing’s dominance is not merely a gap in strength, but the crushing pressure of hierarchy and era itself—while Yun Che’s inaction becomes the true foreshadowing.

  If you were Yun Che, would you reveal your trump card now, or continue to endure in silence?

  With Zhang Mingyuan personally knocking on his door, have the gears of fate already begun to turn?

  Share your thoughts in the comments below.