At the entrance of the Cold Abyss Secret Realm, the layer of deep-blue light continued to ripple—yet it was noticeably dimmer than before.

  Hidden behind an ice-crag, Yun Che extended his divine sense like fine threads, quietly probing into the light barrier.

  —No guards.

  Not a single disciple stood watch. Even the protective formation that usually enveloped the entrance had been weakened by more than seventy percent.

  “So the sect no longer has the capacity to watch over the secret realm…”

  Yun Che pondered silently.

  He hesitated no longer. His figure drifted into the light barrier like a wisp of smoke. The familiar resistance during passage was far weaker than before—clear proof that the formation’s power was fading.

  Yet upon reentering the Cold Abyss, the sight before him made his heart tighten.

  The ice valley lay in ruins.

  Several ice walls had collapsed. Shattered ice crystals littered the ground, along with dark-blue bloodstains that had yet to fully dry. Residual waves of powerful spiritual energy lingered in the air—unmistakable signs that a fierce battle had erupted here not long ago.

  The Snowcloud Crane was gone.

  Yun Che strode quickly to the center of the valley—the place where the Snowcloud Crane usually rested. Deep claw marks, more than a foot into the ice, scored the ground. Their edges were scorched black, as if burned by extreme cold. A pool of dark-blue blood had not yet congealed, faintly radiating the Snowcloud Crane’s unique aura.

  He crouched down and lightly touched the bloodstain.

  The crane feather in his robes suddenly flared with heat!

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  A blurred vision forcefully surged into his mind—

  Three shadowy figures surrounded the Snowcloud Crane. The leader wielded a pitch-black banner, its surface surging with chilling deathly qi. The Snowcloud Crane raised its head in a piercing cry, the blood crystal on its brow exploding in a blaze of dazzling blue light…

  The vision abruptly shattered.

  Yun Che slowly rose, cold light flickering in his eyes.

  “A Soul-Seizing Spirit-Refining Banner…”

  Li Han’s voice echoed in his mind, tinged with surprise.

  “So it was the Snowbound Alliance. I didn’t expect such vile tools to still exist in the Northern Domain.”

  “Senior, you recognize this artifact?” Yun Che asked.

  “Hmph. More than recognize it,” Li Han replied coldly.

  “This banner specializes in stealing the souls of spirit beasts, refining them into banner spirits to greatly amplify the wielder’s combat strength. Judging by the residual aura in the blood… most of the Snowcloud Crane’s essence soul has likely already been extracted.”

  Yun Che clenched the crane feather.

  “Is there any way to save it?”

  “Once the essence soul is taken, the origin is gravely damaged,” Li Han said after a pause.

  “Unless that stolen portion is recovered and nourished with pure yang-aligned wood-element spirit materials, there is only a slim chance of survival.”

  He then warned sternly,

  “But your priority right now is yourself. This place is no longer safe. Anyone capable of sneaking into the secret realm and capturing the crane is at least Foundation Establishment level. If they return, you wouldn’t survive even with ten lives.”

  Yun Che fell silent for a moment, then suddenly turned toward the cold spring deep within the ice valley.

  The spring remained as before, exuding biting chill. He took out more than ten empty jade bottles and used the Minor Guiding Art to control the water, filling them swiftly. Then he placed the stone bead into the spring to soak—this time, deliberately extending the duration.

  Half an incense stick later, he retrieved the bead.

  Inside the bottles, the Cold Marrow Water now shimmered with a faint golden sheen. Its spiritual density far surpassed anything he had obtained before.

  “Still not enough,” Li Han said.

  “The spiritual marrow required for Foundation Establishment must be refined using ten-thousand-year profound ice as the base. There should be an ice-vein core deeper within the Cold Abyss—but going there… is no less dangerous than facing a Foundation Establishment cultivator head-on.”

  Yun Che put away the jade bottles and looked toward the deep fissure at the end of the ice valley—the only path leading further into the abyss.

  “That may be so,” he said softly.

  “But since I’m already here…”

  His figure flashed.

  And vanished into the darkness.

  Do you think this was merely a spontaneous strike by the Snowbound Alliance,

  or part of a long-planned scheme targeting the secret realm?

  will it become the key to turning the tide,

  or the beginning of an even greater danger?