Chapter 148: Entering the Nine Frozen Springs

Chen Ming had gained an understanding from horror movies, to not go around following the storyline. Not fight her decision, uh, I’ll put up a token of denial. Don’t go there, uh, I’ll just take a sneak peek. Don’t touch that, uh, I’ll just brush by it. And then we all die, that’s a horror movie.

Two days later, Fairy Zi Xia tallied the people, no less than twenty-eight Dao Comprehending realm Human Kings. They waited for fifteen minutes in front of the teleportation array, and if it weren’t for her being in charge, they would’ve been angry by now.

They were in awe of Fairy Zi Xia’s renown in combat, not willing to risk being arrogant here.

A man and a woman approached wearing smiley faces. The man had an azure Daoist robe and held a horsetail whisk. Many of the cultivators were wondering, Are people still using horsetail whisk as weapons in this day of age?

On the girl back was a broadsword, she must be the presumed Zhuo Qingyao, the talk of everyone these days. No wonder she had so much pride to keep Fairy Zi Xia waiting. She must have a strong backer since she was from Yan Mountain.

Seeing all were here, Fairy Zi Xia said, “Will all present, let’s set off.”

Chen Ming entered the teleportation array after them. Being a human ranked array master, it was simple for him to understand this teleportation array. His thoughts ran wild, thinking if his mastery increased enough, he could set up a formation like this at the drop of a hat and use it to blink around.

I’ll become elusive!

If others were to hear his fancies, they would be gawking like fishes. Wasn’t it the same as saying he wanted to play with the teleportation arrays?

As the thought burrowed in his heart, Chen Ming couldn’t dispell it for a while. With a careful inspection of the teleportation array, he had come to understand it somewhat.

But it was quite hard to set it up. Being an ancient teleportation array, the materials were hard to come by, after all.

But after a round of mulling, I could just steal one. What a great idea.

This is not the time for flights of fancies, but to strengthen my consciousness instead, and use the Obscure Gates Swordplay Array. Without it, I have no other means to fight.

Following Fairy Zi Xia out of the teleportation array, they were met with a cold pond. Fairy Zi Xia took them to a temple, “This is the Nine Frozen Springs, and that water is the entrance. There is a deep darkness inside, and using spiritual power for light will eat away at our spiritual energy. This place also blocks one’s awareness to inspect the surroundings. Therefore, everyone should rent a night pearl from the Snow Mountain Sect.”

Fairy Zi Xia left and came a bit later, giving Chen Ming and Zhuo Qingyao a night pearl each, “Don’t lose it, since we need to return it afterward.”

Chen Ming stashed it in his storage ring as Fairy Zi Xia continued, “It’s best if you take many spirit stones with you. Once inside, you will need to fend off the cold with spiritual power.”

Chen Ming nodded.

Half a day later, the man from Steel Ox Valley showed up. It was an ancient immortal sect, and its founder relied on a steel ox to become immortal, thus it came to be known as Steel Ox Valley.

The first impression of him was that he was a youngster wearing heavy armor and riding a blue-eyed dark ox. Liu Mang’s body radiated power and vitality, clearly a hardship cultivator, and was ranked fourth on the Dao Comprehension Board. The ones behind him were also hardship cultivators, people that wanted to enter the Nine Frozen Springs and try their luck.

Sword King Pavilion arrived a day later.

Flying swords flitted from the sky and tens of Human Kings landed, receiving admiring exclamations from the other sects’ Human Kings. Like a true sword immortal, Sword King Pavilion’s successor, Su Qingyang scoured the area but failed to find the rumored Zhuo Qingyao. He wanted to meet her since she had Obelisk, as she must be far on the path of the sword Dao.

He didn’t even spare a thought stealing Obelisk, since not just anyone could wield it.

He was just curious.

With the four immortal sects present, the other Human Kings from the sect, with a Sovereign overseeing it, soon came. They all knew of the importance of this trip. With war around the corner, each sect desperately needed Sovereigns.

To transcend the Dao Comprehending realm, one had to find the notion that helped him transcended the mortal coil. The final stage of the Dao Comprehending realm was the Aspect stage. Only when the aspect and one’s heart were tightly connected, fusing into himself, would then be able to transcend.

And this required Soul Returning Water.

This time there wasn’t just Aspect stage cultivators showing, but also from the Dao Seed stage and Divine Palace stage. They all needed lucky encounters, and Nine Frozen Springs was a place that had aplenty of them; everything a Dao Comprehending realm cultivator would need.

Three days later.

A white-robed old man from the Snow Mountain Sect arrived and one look at him left Chen Ming meek. Danger value: 2200.

Was this a Sovereign?

It’s almost twice mine! This kind of person only needs one move to deal with me. If the nine Grand Archfiends from Myriad Mountains didn’t unite, Fiend Sovereign would’ve crushed them by now!

The old man from Snow Mountain Sect said, “In the Nine Frozen Springs, everyone can look for chances without restraint. However, you need to mind your limits! In all fairness, no one is allowed entry in the Nine Frozen Springs over the course of three years. This is the land of Kings, with vague notions of immortality, and filled with fortuitous encounters. Go!”

Chen Ming searched left and right. One moment there was a trace of demonic energy but in the next, it vanished. I must be mistaken. This was a gathering of immortals, how can there be demonic cultivators here? Isn’t it like a mouse surrounded by cats?

Chen Ming witnessed how the Kings jumped into the Nine Frozen Springs. And when it came Fairy Zi Xia’s turn, he went with her.

Snow Mountain Sect’s old man returned to a peak in the sect, and bowed, “Sage, the Nine Frozen Springs is open. Sage, with your insight, will a Sovereign appear this time?”

The Founder nodded slightly, then sighed, “I hope for it. This world hasn’t seen a new Sovereign for ten years. A Sovereign is the greatest power in this world. But how can it be so simple? It is an abyss, an almost insurmountable abyss that cuts away the lives of geniuses!”