CHAPTER 448 (1)

“This vast state... Could it be the Northern State where the Cold Water Palace is located?”

Lu Qing sensed the surrounding rules of heaven and earth, and a thought struck him.

He recalled a map given to him by Lin Zhirui, which marked the various powers across the world. Among them were the four great secret realms that had gradually re-emerged over the past two years, along with their respective regions.

However, Lu Qing’s current journey with Xiao Yan was a casual one, devoid of fixed destinations. It wasn’t until he sensed the uniqueness of this place that he realized they had arrived in the great state hosting the Cold Water Palace, one of the four great secret realms.

It was said that most disciples of the Cold Water Palace cultivated techniques aligned with icy attributes. Yet, Lu Qing hadn’t expected their territory to exhibit such distinctive features.

Still, this observation stirred little interest in him.

His journey this time wasn’t meant to intersect with the people of the three remaining secret realms. After all, he knew that ever since he had annihilated Xuankong Mountain, the remaining secret realms likely held complicated feelings about him.

Though the four secret realms were far from united—some even had long-standing feuds, like that between Qingyang Temple and Xuankong Mountain—Lu Qing’s total eradication of Xuankong Mountain, down to its hidden realm, was nothing short of terrifying for the other realms.

They couldn’t fathom how Lu Qing had managed such a feat.

Hence, he reasoned, showing up at another secret realm would probably make many uneasy.

Since that was the case, there was no need to invite unnecessary hostility.

Xiao Yan seemed to enjoy this region, so Lu Qing decided to linger for a while.

...

A few days later, they arrived at a massive city.

“Cold Water City?”

Seeing the ancient characters above the city gates, Lu Qing murmured.

According to Lin Zhirui’s map, Cold Water City was an ancient settlement with a long history, now under the control of the Cold Water Palace.

“How beautiful!”

Xiao Yan gazed up at the grand city, exclaiming in wonder.

Dressed in a lovely fur coat, Xiao Yan looked as adorable as a snow sprite. Even Lu Qing wore a robe, despite his cultivation level rendering him immune to heat and cold, capable of withstanding extremes such as icy peaks or molten lava.

Yet during their travels, he had chosen to follow local customs and don thick garments, partly to keep Xiao Yan company.

Meanwhile, Xiao Li, who detested the cold, had burrowed into Lu Qing’s embrace and fallen into a deep sleep. Wuxing, reduced to the size of a thumb, curled up in Xiao Yan’s hood.

Lu Qing smiled at Xiao Yan’s amazement.

Indeed, the city was beautiful.

Due to the frigid climate, the gates and walls were adorned with intricate ice carvings, lifelike and exquisite, lending the entire structure both grandeur and refinement.

After admiring it for a moment, Lu Qing led Xiao Yan into the city.

Inside Cold Water City, the scenery was even more delightful.

Everywhere they looked, there were delicate and stunning ice sculptures, making the entire city feel like a massive work of art.

“This city has the support of ancient formations, though it seems the Cold Water Palace doesn’t understand how to use them.”

As Lu Qing wandered through the city with Xiao Yan, his divine sense painted a vivid picture of its many details.

Thanks to the Divine Rune Sect’s heritage, Lu Qing had considerable expertise in formations. He could sense that, much like the Sacred City of the Central State, this ancient city had incorporated formation techniques in its construction.

With the revival of spiritual energy in recent years, the city’s ancient formations, dormant for tens of thousands of years, had begun to awaken.

But what puzzled him was this:

The formations within the city seemed to operate autonomously without guidance, rendering their efficiency low. The spiritual energy in the city wasn’t significantly denser than outside, a far cry from the optimized formations he had set up in Jiuli Village.

Moreover, the city’s inhabitants gave him a peculiar impression.

Many seemed hurried, with tense expressions on their faces.

His divine sense also detected numerous powerful presences throughout Cold Water City.

The number of Precelestial Realm cultivators was striking, and even some Foundation Establishment cultivators were present.

This surprised Lu Qing.

While it was true that the past few years of spiritual revival had seen many martial artists break through to higher realms, the sheer concentration of experts in Cold Water City was unprecedented, even surpassing what he had encountered in Xuankong Mountain’s secret realm.

“Could it be that something major is about to happen here?”

Puzzled, Lu Qing continued to explore the city with Xiao Yan before eventually choosing a lively tavern. Securing a private room, he ordered some local delicacies and sat down to enjoy the meal with Xiao Yan and her companions.

While they delighted in their meal, Lu Qing focused on the conversations around him.

He had chosen this tavern because of the powerful cultivators dining there, some even at the Precelestial Realm.

As expected, he soon heard something intriguing.

“Do you think that villain will actually show up today?”

From the private room next door came a lively discussion.

A burly man, whose aura suggested he was at the Precelestial Realm, suddenly asked the question.

“Watch your words! Villain? That’s the master of the Everlasting Regret Sect! Word has it he’s now a transcendent Golden Core Realm cultivator, a true immortal with divine powers.

If he hears you slandering him, he could kill you on the spot, and no one would dare speak up for you!”

The man was immediately reprimanded by his companion.

Chastened, he hesitated before continuing with a more respectful tone. “So, do you think the Everlasting Regret Sect’s master will truly come today?”

“After such a high-profile challenge to the Cold Water Palace, how could he not? If he doesn’t show, he’ll become a laughingstock.”

“Yes, when he flew over the Cold Water Palace and issued his challenge, he was so bold and impressive. It would indeed be shocking if he didn’t show up today.”

“Do you think the palace master will accept the challenge if he does come?” the burly man asked again.

“That’s hard to say. Rumor has it that the master of the Everlasting Regret Sect transcended his Thunder Tribulation on Everlasting Regret Mountain a month ago, achieving the pinnacle of the Golden Core Realm. He now wields divine abilities beyond mortal comprehension...”