The place where the two stood resembled a hall. Apart from the door they had entered, there were three other ice doors. All four walls were made of ice, a foot thick, with uneven surfaces. Upon closer inspection, the irregularities on the surface were actually detailed carvings of various birds, each depiction intricate and lifelike.
Although there were no light sources, the place was as bright as day.
At the center of this icy chamber was a long table made of ice, carved with intricate patterns. On the table lay a woman, dressed in vibrant green feathers and a golden phoenix crown, her ink-black hair spread out like silk.
Surrounding the table were countless human-shaped ice sculptures, all facing the woman on the ice table. They were in various postures – some standing, others kneeling. Every face was unique, making the figures appear incredibly lifelike.
Gu Fuyou glanced at an ice sculpture beside her – a man. The attention to detail was astonishing, from the waist accessories and rings to the patterns on their clothing, even down to their eyelashes. The intricacy was enough to send chills down one's spine.
It was almost as if these ice sculptures were real people frozen in time.
Turning her attention to the woman on the table, Gu Fuyou felt an indescribable terror.
The woman's beauty could only be described as breathtaking. Her eyes, accentuated with a mere touch of red, exuded an allure that was both enchanting and irresistible. In contrast to Zhong Michu, her beauty resonated with its own unique, incomparable grace.
Even though the woman was in this cold chamber, her skin was as white as jade, and she appeared vibrantly alive, as if she were merely asleep.
A feeling of unease washed over Gu Fuyou, as if a dagger was pressed against her heart, making it hard even to breathe.
She couldn't pinpoint the source of this discomfort.
It felt as if entering this place had dulled her senses It was only after some time that she thought of leaving and calling out to Zhong Michu.
When she turned around, she saw Zhong Michu not far from her, suddenly collapsing to her knees.
A chill settled in Gu Fuyou's heart, amplifying her anxiety. In two quick steps, she reached out, supporting Zhong Michu, "Senior Sister Zhong, what's wrong?"
Cold sweat formed on Zhong Michu's forehead, turning into icy beads before it could roll down her temple. She trembled and after what seemed like an eternity, whispered, "There's something…"
When she spoke, a cold mist was exhaled from her mouth.
Glancing down, Gu Fuyou noticed that Zhong Michu's legs had started to freeze. Frost was visibly spreading across her body at an alarming pace.
In her alarm, Gu Fuyou quickly drew her sword and channeled her energy into it. Immediately, a protective barrier emerged, enveloping them both.
While the barrier was weak and its light faint, it was better than nothing.
Gu Fuyou knew they couldn't delay any longer. Looking at those ice sculptures, she felt even more terrified.
Those had once been real people. They must have triggered something upon entering, resulting in their icy transformation.
With Zhong Michu already affected and frost continuing to spread, it seemed inevitable that she too would soon be frozen solid, joining the ranks of the icy figures.
Gu Fuyou asked, "Senior Sister Zhong, did you touch anything?"
Shivering intensely, Zhong Michu managed to grit out, "No…"
She hadn't touched anything and unwittingly fell into the trap.
Gu Fuyou felt a cold sweat forming on her forehead. It wasn't the visible and terrifying enemies that scared her most but the unseen, unknown threats.
Amidst her fear, she dared not act rashly.
Suddenly, a sharp pain emanated from Gu Fuyou's leg. It felt as if it had touched ice and was now freezing. Looking down, she was alarmed to find her left leg encased in ice, with frost spreading upward.
Taking a deep, chilling breath, she forced herself to remain composed.
She had entered with Zhong Michu. They hadn't touched anything. Yet, Zhong Michu, with her superior cultivation, was the first to be ensnared, caught completely off guard.
"It's a formation," Gu Fuyou said.
It must be a some kind of restrictive array formation, one that activates under specific conditions.
Zhong Michu was already at the Golden Core Stage, but she seemed utterly powerless against this. Perhaps…
By now, frost had also covered Zhong Michu's hands and cheeks. She managed to say, "I suspect… it's an ancient formation… unbreakable…"
"Gu Fuyou, if we stay, we'll die. You should… leave…"
All she had to do was cross the long table, head to the opposite door, and she could escape this dangerous place.
Both of Zhong Michu's legs were frozen, and her spiritual power stagnated, leaving her immobilized. While she couldn't move, Gu Fuyou's freezing condition was much less severe. If it were just her, she could muster up the strength and escape before being completely frozen.
There are countless restrictive formations, and without knowing what triggers this particular one, Gu Fuyou couldn't identify it.
Ancient formations typically use rare treasures as their focal point and remain powerful for ages. Breaking such formations, especially when one doesn't even know its nature, is nearly impossible.
Frantically, Gu Fuyou tried to recall every formation she'd ever read about, exerting so much that her brain ached, as if it were going to burn.
She had no clue which restrictive formation this was. Searching for the answer was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
"Gu Fuyou, go!" Zhong Michu urged.
Breaking the formation would be incredibly challenging. If Gu Fuyou didn't leave soon, she might never get another chance.
But Gu Fuyou seemed not to hear her, her body shivering from the cold. Only her arms felt warm, and looking down, she realized it was because she was holding Ah Fu.
Seeing Ah Fu's fluffy body, Gu Fuyou's eyes lit up.
There wasn't a speck of frost on Ah Fu; it wasn't affected by the formation.
Why wasn't it affected by the formation, and what made it different from her and Zhong Michu?
Gu Fuyou thought about it and could only figure two things: Ah Fu is a spiritual beast, different from both of them, and it hasn't opened its eyes.
Ah Fu was just born and hadn't opened its eyes, not having seen anything.
That's it! Ah Fu hadn't seen anything inside!
With this realization, Gu Fuyou recalled a specific type of formation. She stared intently at the woman in the center, wishing she had countless eyes to find the formation's focal point. She thought, "Where is it! Where is the formation's core?"
Suddenly, a noise beside her drew her attention. Glancing over, she saw Zhong Michu collapsing to the ground, frost spreading to the corners of her eyes. Her condition deteriorated rapidly, and her breaths grew fainter.
In desperation, Gu Fuyou quickly placed Ah Fu near Zhong Michu's heart, using her clothes to keep the warmth. At the same time, she shouted, "Senior sister Zhong, hold on! I've found a weakness, I can break this formation, believe in me, believe in me, you must hold on, don't fall asleep!"
Growing more anxious, beads of sweat formed on Gu Fuyou's forehead.
She once again forced herself to calm down and search for clues.
All of a sudden, as if struck by inspiration. Gu Fuyou's gaze shot out, cold as lightning, her eyes fixated on the long platform beneath the woman.
Without hesitation, Gu Fuyou drew her sword. However, after only a step forward, she stumbled and fell. Looking down, she noticed her left leg had frozen up to the knee and her right foot was stiffening, likely beginning to freeze as well.
She got up, leaning on her sword, jumped to the icy platform, channeling her spiritual power, and lifted her sword to strike.
But with all her strength, she only managed to create a small crack, and she was thrown back by the rebound.
She took a couple of deep breaths, realizing her spiritual energy was not enough.
Gritting her teeth, she pressed onto her shoulder, reopening a wound that had recently clotted. Bright red blood began to flow again.
She picked up her sword, smearing it with her blood.
Cultivators refined their bodies with spiritual energy, and their breath and blood were imbued with this power.
Gu Fuyou realized that her spiritual energy might not be enough. She was too weak, only in the early stages of cultivation. If Zhong Michu were here, she could have shattered it with a single blow.
Gu Fuyou bit her lower lip, feeling a deep-seated sense of helplessness rising from within.
But now, Zhong Michu was immobilized, possibly even on the brink of death.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, when Gu Fuyou reopened them, they were burning with resolve, showing no sign of fear.
If she couldn't break this formation core in one try, she would try twice, and if twice wasn't enough, then three times, and so on until it broke!
Gathering her strength, Gu Fuyou struck fiercely, shouting, "Break!"
She had expected only a slightly bigger crack than before. However, the sword suddenly shone brightly, and upon striking the platform, it caused a spider-web-like fracture that quickly spread in all directions.
In an instant, the entire icy platform collapsed, shattering into fist-sized ice chunks.
With one strike, she broke the formation's core, and Gu Fuyou was so surprised she froze.
As the ice platform shattered, the woman on it drifted down gently like a feather, still lying with her eyes closed in tranquility.
A few droplets of Gu Fuyou's blood from the sword had splattered onto the woman's face, marring her lovely features.
But Gu Fuyou had no time to dwell on that. She spotted a clear, palm-sized pearl among the ice, surrounded by spiritual energy, she knew this was the strange treasure used for the formation's core.
She wrapped it in the handkerchief that Zhong Michu had given her earlier and tucked it safely in her bosom.
Quickly, she hobbled back to Zhong Michu's side, calling out, "Senior Sister Zhong, I've broken the formation. Everything is fine now. I'll take you out of here!"
Zhong Michu had already closed her eyes, lying motionless on the ground.
Although the formation had been dispelled, it merely stopped the progression of the freezing effect rather than reversing it immediately.
After calling out to Zhong Michu a couple of times and getting no response, Gu Fuyou lifted her, letting her lean against her shoulder. With the support of her sword, she limped towards the main gate, mumbling, '"t's okay, it's okay, I'll take you out."
As they exited through the door, they found themselves in a corridor lined with icy walls, much like before. After only a few stumbling steps, the door behind them slammed shut.
Looking back, with the illumination from the room, Gu Fuyou could clearly see the three characters 'Ruizhu Palace' engraved above the door.
With one of her own legs also partially frozen, and half-carrying Zhong Michu while leaning on her sword, Gu Fuyou stumbled along the corridor. Finally, she saw a light up ahead.
Her eyes brightened, and she exclaimed, "Senior Sister Zhong, we're out, we made it!"
Gu Fuyou set Zhong Michu down and gently helped her lean against the wall to sit.
Zhong Michu still had her eyes closed, the frost showing no sign of receding.
Gu Fuyou checked her breathing, which was barely perceptible.
Anxiety flooded Gu Fuyou as she gently patted Zhong Michu's face, feeling somewhat helpless. "Zhong Michu, don't die, please, hold on. Hold on."
Ah Fu, lying on Zhong Michu's chest, was shivering from the intense cold radiating from her body.
Looking up, Gu Fuyou noticed blood oozing from the corners of Zhong Michu's mouth and nose.
She instinctively wanted to wipe it away for her. However, when she lifted her sleeves to do so, she saw they were stained from their journey – with water, sand, and mud.
Using her bare hands to wipe the blood, but it kept coming. After a while, her palms were dyed red.
Gu Fuyou cleaned her hands on her own clothes and continued wiping. Becoming increasingly frantic, she trembled, wondering, "Could the cold have damaged her internal organs…"
Eventually, the bleeding stopped, and she had cleaned Zhong Michu's face so it was spotless without a trace of blood.
In contrast, Gu Fuyou's own clothes were stained with patches of red and black.
Even though the bleeding had ceased, the wound was still there, and the frost had not subsided.
Holding onto Zhong Michu's wrist, Gu Fuyou tried to channel her spiritual energy into her. But with a significant gap in their cultivation levels and her own energy drained from their recent struggles, she had little energy left, making her efforts seem like trying to douse a cart fire with a cup of water.
In fact, this bit of spiritual energy seemed even less effective than warmth from a fire.
With this thought, Gu Fuyou grabbed the sword sheath and fiercely smashed it on the icy ground, shattering some ice chunks. She then picked up a bowl-sized chunk and pressed it against a wound on her shoulder.
She had been bleeding profusely from the injury and needed to stem the flow. If she passed out, both of them would likely perish here.
With her remaining spiritual energy limited, she didn't dare waste it, thus she resorted to this method to stop the bleeding.
The biting cold from the ice combined with the sharp pain from her wound, causing Gu Fuyou to collapse to the ground. She curled up, her voice hoarse as she cried out, "Ah, it hurts! Hurts!" Still, she held onto the ice tightly until the bleeding finally coagulated, at which point she tossed the ice chunk aside.
She took off her outer garment and laid it on the ground, gently laying Zhong Michu down upon it. She then removed her inner garment, wrapping it tightly around Zhong Michu.
Dressed only in her underclothes, she hopped outside with her frozen legs.
Exiting the cave, she found herself on the mountainside, surrounded by scorched, black rocks. Looking down, all she saw was a dark red hue, void of any other color.
Gu Fuyou then began to search the side of the mountain, muttering to herself, "This can't be right, I clearly saw there was more."
After walking for a while, she finally spotted a lone flowering tree in the distance. It stood uniquely within a ten-mile radius, its branches adorned with blue petals that appeared like mist. The blooms were splendid, resembling a cluster of purple-blue clouds.
Reflecting on the legends associated with this tree, she observed it standing solitary amidst the vast mountain peaks, with no other living creature in sight. Its lone presence evoked in her a deep sense of desolation.
It was the only tree on the mountain, its trunk thick and sturdy, a testament to its age. Gu Fuyou felt somewhat guilty at the thought of cutting it down.
She clasped her hands in front of the tree and whispered, "I'm doing this to save a life, please forgive me."
With a swing of her sword, she split the tree in half, turning it into firewood, which she then carried back to the cave.
With the last bit of her spiritual energy, Gu Fuyou drove out the moisture from the firewood, set it up, and ignited it until the flames roared high.
She then approached Zhong Michu, feeling a bit apprehensive. After hesitating for a while, she finally mustered the courage to check Zhong Michu's pulse. It was still faint but, fortunately, present.
Relief washed over Gu Fuyou, and she couldn't help but let out a chuckle.
Leaning against her sword, she slumped down beside the fire, too exhausted to move any further.