Chapter 31: The Blazing Fire Sect

At that moment, loud laughter echoed from behind them.

"Elder Li—"

Elder Li looked up; it was the elder from the Blazing Fire Sect. "Elder Sun—"

Both greeted each other politely, but the sharp gleam in their eyes was impossible to hide. Clearly, neither wanted to miss this opportunity.

Elder Sun spoke, "I see, Elder Li, that you have already broken the restriction?"

Elder Li nodded slightly and smiled faintly. "It took considerable effort to lift the restriction, but it was mostly luck."

Elder Sun knew Elder Li’s nature all too well; he was nothing more than a coward desperate to survive. There was no way he would have personally broken the seal. So, the person who did must have been someone else.

He asked, "Which of your disciples broke the restriction?"

Elder Li was reluctant to reveal Wang Lin’s name. After all, once they reached this Void Island, who knew what awaited them? If there were more restrictions ahead, Wang Lin might still be useful.

"It wasn’t my disciple. He had long been trapped within the restriction..." Elder Li’s words were deliberately vague. What happened inside, no one could say for sure.

Elder Sun, assuming too much, lamented, "Such a pity to lose such a talent." He paused, then looked at the group preparing to enter the Ice Mountain and said, "Let them all go. Ice fears fire most of all."

Elder Li considered this but did not object. Elder Sun was only in the early stage of the Transformation Spirit realm; even if they ended up fighting over the prize, it was unlikely Elder Sun would be a match for him.

With Elder Li’s approval, the members of the Blazing Fire Sect followed to the Ice Mountain.

Elder Sun’s gaze fell on Fang Zhiyi’s waist, eyes gleaming with greed. His skin, ravaged by time, was wrinkled like withered branches, making him look even more repulsive.

"Is she a disciple of your Wuji Sect?"

Elder Li stroked his beard. He knew Elder Sun’s lecherous nature well; this man was undoubtedly eyeing the young girl. The girl was indeed pitiable, but...

"Yes, she is a disciple of Wuji Sect."

Elder Li’s response made it clear that she was not an important member of the sect. With her figure, even if her appearance was average, it was no matter.

However, with his vast experience with countless women, Elder Li suspected that beneath her hood was a peerless beauty.

Elder Sun chuckled lasciviously. "Would you be willing to join the Blazing Fire Sect? I will take you as my last disciple."

Being a final disciple meant receiving the best resources. Though Elder Sun was only at the early Transformation Spirit stage and slightly inferior to Elder Li, this was a tempting offer.

But Elder Sun’s ulterior motives were clear to her.

No one could leave the Void Island except for those like them at the Transformation Spirit stage who dared to fight.

Everything spoken here would die with them, sealed in their graves.

Once outside, how many disciples he took in would remain unknown.

Fang Zhiyi replied calmly, "Thank you for your kindness, Elder Sun, but I do not wish to leave the Wuji Sect."

At these words, Elder Li’s face brightened, and Fang Zhiyi looked more agreeable even to him.

Elder Sun’s expression stiffened. He felt she was refusing him politely, but he had many ways to make her comply.

Throughout this, Wang Lin clenched his fists tightly, hating his low cultivation that left him unable to protect Fang Zhiyi, leaving them in such a helpless situation.

Suddenly, everything around them began to tremble. The heavens seemed to collapse, the earth to crack, and countless chunks of ice fell like rain from the sky.

Fang Zhiyi, still connected to the infant spirit within her, clearly saw all that transpired inside.

The Ice Mountain collapsed, burying all cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage within seconds.

The Nascent Soul cultivator inside was ruthless, matching Elder Li in cruelty. To escape, he threw many cultivators into the snow mountain, sacrificing them to buy himself time.

But soon, Fang Zhiyi sensed something amiss.

This was no mere collapse; the Ice Mountain seemed like a giant beast with a mind of its own, devouring the cultivators inside.

She guessed this when the Nascent Soul cultivator hurled others into the ice, momentarily causing it to pause.

Her hand hidden within her sleeve clenched tightly. Then the Nascent Soul cultivator began bleeding from all seven orifices and collapsed on the spot.

The Ice Mountain, witnessing this, swiftly engulfed him completely.

As Elder Sun said, many from the Blazing Fire Sect, due to their fire-related artifacts, were close to escaping.

This was unacceptable. Fang Zhiyi controlled her divine sense to trap each of them inside. Today, not one would emerge from the Ice Mountain.

...

Three hours passed.

The Ice Mountain had fallen silent for over an hour and a half, the tremors ceased, as if everything were over.

Yet, none of the cultivators who entered had emerged.

Elder Li and Elder Sun exchanged glances; this was far from simple. A mere ice collapse wouldn’t leave no survivors.

Especially with Nascent Soul cultivators involved, it was impossible to be so straightforward.

They summoned twenty cultivators to the top of the Ice Mountain.

But, as before, after entering, the Ice Mountain trembled, then after half an hour, returned to calm.

Elder Li frowned and finally focused on Wang Lin.

"You four go in and take a look," he said, referring to Wang Lin, Fang Zhiyi, Zhang Hu, and Zhang Fang.

Elder Sun, protective of the girl, protested, "Let this young lady stay by my side!"

He knew well Elder Li was sending them to their deaths; even Nascent Soul cultivators had perished inside, let alone them.

Elder Sun fancied himself a good man, expecting Fang Zhiyi to be grateful to him. But unexpectedly, Fang Zhiyi said plainly, "I’m willing to go with them."

Elder Li and Elder Sun had always had a strained relationship. The Wuji Sect and Blazing Fire Sect were rivals.

As elders of their respective sects, each sought to benefit their own.

Seeing Elder Sun fail, Elder Li’s eyes held a trace of admiration for Fang Zhiyi.

The four wasted no time and headed toward the Ice Mountain.

Wang Lin’s face showed not a hint of panic, which caused both elders to regard him more highly.

The temperature on the Ice Mountain was colder than outside; any ordinary person would freeze into an ice sculpture instantly.

Even cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage would stiffen, unable to move.

But Wang Lin and Fang Zhiyi showed no such effects.