The [Lands of the Ice Exalted]. Called such because of the local [Ice Phoenix] myth, nicknamed the frozen hell of the [Great Forest] region.
The legend says that, a thousand years ago, this plateau held no snow at all. But in turn, it was a garden under the heavens. One at the top of an almost eight-mile high mountain, and thus called [Nearsky].
Attracted by its beauty, an Exalted Beast, a legendary [Ice Phoenix], decided to live in it. At first, it brought no changes and even assumed human form to walk among the beautiful flowers, herbs, and trees of the [Nearsky Garden]. But a legendary beast would not be alone, always followed by challengers and devotees.
The former were of two types. The crazy enough as to consider themselves worthy of binding a legendary beast to themselves. And the even crazier ones that believed strong enough to beat it.
As for the latter, they were a group formed by both cultivators and beasts who either for knowledge, protection, or simple devotion attempted to serve or establish a connection with the [Ice Phoenix].
Angry of the first and weary of the second, the [Ice Phoenix] decided to seclude itself. And to prevent itself from being disturbed, commanded both Earth and Heavens to cover the [Nearsky Garden] in a mile of snow. Leaving only a place without it, the ravine that served as its home and seclusion place, the [Ice Phoenix Ravine] called the [Everblossoming Ravine] at that point.
And while no one could be sure of the authenticity of the myth. And neither signs nor eyewitnesses have been found. It is still undoubtedly a likely explanation for the current state of these lands.
Indeed, what but the powers of an Exalted and legendary Beast could have turned this place into the absolutely plain, snow-covered plateau?
A plateau that remained inaccessible until several hundred years ago, when the conditions became slightly less hostile to cultivators, and the first of them managed to explore it.
And while it could not be said to be a confirmation for the myth, they discovered the [Everblossoming Ravine], nestled deep in the mountain, full of flowers, herbs, and trees. And while the air was enough to freeze a weaker cultivator, for some reason, the plants weren't affected by it.
The explorers also discovered another thing. One that served as the reason for some brave souls to move into the otherwise hostile surroundings. It was that the ravine, and in truth the entire plateau, was filled to the brim with natural energies.
With rare resources and herbs present, it wasn't strange that ambitious groups of cultivators followed after the first settlers, intending to establish their sect, school, or another type of power.
But a mountain can not hold two tigers, and so, a hundred square miles ravine can not contain more than a single power either. So, while the plane was being contested and divided by the Overlords, the six local powers did the same on a smaller scale.
In the end, the [Ice Phoenix Nest Sect] ended as the sole owner of the ravine. But their triumph, and the joy it brought to them, did not last long. And a few years later, over nine-tenths of the sect perished in a sudden and crazed wave of local beasts.
By that moment, the overlord of the [Great Forest] region was already settled. And while the [Ice Phoenix Nest Sect] had close to no relationships with it, they still asked and received assistance from the [Great Forest Sect].
Regretfully, because of the lack of a [Teleportation Formation], the help arrived too late and could do nothing else than rescue the survivors.
From that point on, and for over two hundred years, other powers had attempted to settle in the [Ice Phoenix Ravine], but all of them suffered a grim fate. Be it because of internal disputes, incapable leadership, beasts, or even wars. No power managed to lay a claim to these lands and keep them for over a few decades at most.
In the end, the people decided that the ravine was cursed. And for several decades, only some experts braved the dangers and made the journey to it in hopes of harvesting a rare plant or training in its environment.
But two hundred years ago, a minor sect called [Gazing into the Void] decided to try their luck and settle in the [Ice Phoenix Ravine]. They had no choice but to do it anyway, as they had broken ties with the [Demon Worshippers] region and escaped it in hopes of following their, far from demonic, path.
With the land unclaimed and the sect proved to be righteous, the [Great Forest] overlord permitted it while considering that they would not suffer any loss, whatever the outcome was.
Surprisingly, the [Void Palace] that the sect evolved into claimed and maintained the ownership of the ravine for two hundred years already. And probably would do so for another similar amount of time. Or at least that was the overall belief until the last month...
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The second week of summer, early morning, [Void Palace] main building.
"Damned bastards!" An angry outcry tore apart the silence that had ensued in an elaborately decorated room after Zhuan Bo, the elder responsible for the communication formation, informed that there was no way to contact anyone outside the ravine.
"Now, Vice-head Tao, no need to curse. It is our fault for assuming that we were safe and not asking for help before." A calm and collected woman's voice remarked, and the hooded man that had yelled before hung his head in embarrassment.
"But Palace Head, if they are blocking are our communications, doesn't it means that the [Seven Souls Sect] found a way to force us to a battle?" Another woman, clad in the ebony tunic of a [Void Palace] elder, asked.
"I fear that it may be so. Thus, I have ordered all elders to start vacating their towers and gathering their disciples in the [Void Path Entrance]." While the Palace Head spoke calmly, her tone delated that she was worried about the situation.
Not that it was strange for her to be. Even though the [Void Palace] was, since mid-spring, regarded as a 2nd tier power, its numbers were on the lower side even when compared with 3rd tier ones. The number of authentic experts was high, but their current opponents had come prepared for it by attracting allies. And because of that, if a fight ensued, each of the elders would not only encounter itself fighting against a similar-level enemy but at least a dozen of weaker enemies as well.
"Will you allow them to reach the three masters' formation?! You want their dirty hands to touch the [Eye to the Void]?!" With audible shock, the Vice-head of the Palace, Tao Xuegang, blurted out without any semblance of respect.
"Obviously, I do not! But what do you offer then, Xuegang? Try and fight against their three thousand with our hundred elders and six hundred disciples?!" The Palace Head's facade of calmness disappeared, and she bellowed back.
"Two of that three thousand are mere trash gathered from unranked powers, groups, and, heavens forbid me, bandits. We can deal with that rabble quickly. And seven of our Palace members against ten from their sect? That are odds that I will take any day." Tao Xuegang spoke back relentlessly, and as he did, his hood drew back, revealing a wisened face with a short, neatly trimmed gray beard. His eyes had lost the luster of his youth, but they still flared with determination as he concluded, "We will have to fight anyway, and it's better if we do it without risking the heart of our Palace."
"The heart of our Palace? Since when formations, pocket realms, and all else are the heart of our Palace?! They may be our roots, but our heart? Our disciples are, and I do not plan to risk losing all of them!" The Palace Head criticized her most trusted aide words.
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It wasn't as she could not understand what Tao Xuegang was saying, and deep inside, she felt the same. Indeed, how would she look into the eyes of her deceased master if she failed to protect what he had left her? But along with the Palace, her master had left a few words, "Whatever happens, protect the seeds of our Palace." And she planned to follow that words even if she had to lose the Palace itself.
"Master..:" The female elder that had spoken before started to say something, revealing that the Palace Head was, in turn, her master but was interrupted by the arrival of another elder.
"Palace Head! Vice-head!" Panting and sweating, the middle-aged man jumped out of a void corridor, claiming the attention of the three people present in the room.
"Elder Shen? What happened?!" Both the head and vice-head asked right away. Shen Kun was the elder responsible for the protective formations surrounding the outer perimeter of the Palace grounds. And so, his presence here, far from his post, was a troubling sign.
"The first, second, and third node of the [Shearing Restriction] formation was destroyed." Noticing how the two people with faces uncovered paled, Shen Kun inwardly lamented to be the one to bring the bad news, but regretfully, they weren't the only ones. Thus, he braced himself and explained in one go, "The 87th tower has fallen. And with it, the attackers have access to the void corridors between the western towers."
"...What about Zi Na?" The Palace Head asked in a heavy voice.
"Locked in the tower's control room, unable to exit as if she does, she will be restricted to a 3rd level Warrior Lord cultivation." Shen Kun explained in a deadpan tone.
"How many?" Tao Xuegang asked in a low voice, without specifying what he was asking about.
Still, Shen Kun understood and so, after closing his eyes for a few moments, answered, "14 in the tower, and at least 20 in the surroundings."
"How much time before the [Shearing Restriction] next node is destroyed?" Tao Xuegang continued questioning as his face turned pensive.
"If it goes like it has, then no less than one and not more than two hours." Shen Kun estimated, unable to hold back the shame he felt for missing one of the formation lines being uncovered. And now, via that line, the one he did not get in time to, the assaulters were slowly destroying the formation he was responsible for.
"We confirmed over a thousand cultivators in and below the 3rd level of the Warrior Lord realm. So, Tao Xuegang, whatever you plan, don't." The Palace Head understood what he was thinking. So she tried to prevent him from something like mounting a rescue operation for elder Zi.
After all, with the [Shearing Restriction] formation active, all cultivators in its zone of effect would be restricted to a determined level. And so, no matter how stronger the Palace experts and disciples were, they would be overrun by the hundreds of nobodies gathered by the [Seven Soul Sect].
"But we can not leave her there! As soon as the formation preventing the demon-loving bastards from acting stops, they will immediately rush and capture her!" Vice-head Tao boomed and then added far calmer, "I will go, alone."
"No, you will not! You know what will happen as soon as they sense even a trace from our elders, not to mention you! They will send all the possible cultivators to surround and kill. Regretfully, the formation is working for their benefit more than ours." The Palace Head reasoned calmly as before, but her voice revealed sorrow.
And then, her ex-disciple, a current elder, concluded, "And sending disciples is out of the question, as a group big enough will attract the same attention..."
"Damned bastards!" And this time, no one interrupted or chastized Vice-head Tao for his outcry.
***
The next quarter of an hour was one of silence. Each of the, now, four people in the void-stone statues and mosaics decorated room were trying to find a solution.
But they could not find any which would not lead to deaths. And while everyone knew that there were brave souls among the Palace that would not hesitate, the possible losses would be too high compared to rescuing a single elder.
"So, we can truly do nothing." The Palace Head figure was shrouded in her aura, but it was still possible to understand that she shook her head as she spoke these words.
And as no one could refute her words, she continued, "I will tell her herself. And hope that, by some chance, the tower is left unguarded at some point so she can escape."
"Wait, what if we attempt to distract them?" Meng Chin, the Palace Head disciple, abruptly asked.
"But any distraction will carry the same risk as a rescue. It's not that we did not think of it. It's just that there is no way to attract their attention without painting a target on someone." Tao Xuegang had calmed himself enough to accept the Head's reasoning, and while he was ready to risk himself, he would not do it with the others.
"Indeed, but what if we use He Delan's idea? The one we discussed yesterday?" Meng Chin nodded, showing that she was aware of the risks behind the previously dismissed idea of her junior, and continued, "They already have access to some of the corridors, so why not connect them all while we can defend the exit?"
"But we would be unable to sever the connection, and the formation does not reach inside the Palace. That's inviting all of the enemy experts to walk in!" Shen Kun exclaimed in alarm.
"Mmm, but they will suppose a trap and send only a few men inside first." Tao Xuegang grew more and more interested as he developed the idea, "And then, when everyone reaches the Palace, we can destroy the void corridor itself!"
"Huh, it seems that not only I am ready to sacrifice some of our inheritance as to save everyone, Xuegang?" The Palace Head asked in a half-joking tone, tinged by worry but still more optimistic than before.
"It will take us a couple of years to recreate the void corridor, but it is doable." Shen Kun, the most advanced formation master in the Palace, commented. But he immediately splashed a bucket of cold water after it, "But that will only trade one siege for another. After all, how will we leave the Palace?"
"If we can't hold it, Head Kongbai's plan of leaving via the path will be available as our last resort. Granted, we can not know where and when we will emerge from it, and the Palace would be lost, but at least everyone will be able to escape." Tao Xuegang's voice was grim as he spoke, and he hoped that it would not get to that point, but at least it would be a way to save everyone.
He also inwardly complemented,
But before they could act on the decided plan, a tear in the void opened, and a panicked voice reached them, "Palace Head! Vice-head! Senior Shen!"
Although unable to see the speaker, the small number of elders meant that all the present people identified the speaker right away.
"Elder Dai? What happened?" Aware that Dai Yong would only show panic if the situation turned absolutely sinister, the Palace Head asked in a soft voice.
"They... They brought out more [Void Corridor Interference] treasures! Elders Yan Zheng, Huo Lang, and Dai... Dai Zimu, along with all of their disciples were intercepted while attempting to reach the [Void Path Entrance]. The twenty-one were forcefully summoned out of the void. And are now surrounded while fighting for their lives near the [Guest Square]." It wasn't surprising for Dai Yong to choke on Dai Zimu's name. After all, it was his daughter.
The [Void Palace], the new form of the [Gazing into the Void] Sect, did not carry the characters of [Void] in vain. It was by far the power with the most advanced system of corridors, tamed void teleportation formations, and even their techniques related to it.
And thanks to the latter, most of their disciples and elders had always shown prowess above their level. After all, the void had always been one of the biggest mysteries for cultivators. Granted, any Warrior Lord was able to enter it. But use it for anything but storage or movement? Almost none could. As for one to comprehend it, use it for attacking or fighting, and so on, only a few select Warrior Emperors were able.
But the [Void Palace] cultivators could. Partly because of the inheritance in the form of several formations and treasures. Partly because of its unique approaches and accumulated insights. But no matter the reason, they could, and they did.
Still, anything in the galaxy has its counter or nemesis. And for the [Void], it is the so-called interference. An ability to create a disturbance in the void. If targeted at a cultivator in the void, the interference would force him or her to return to the normal plane.
Only a few such treasures and materials were known. Most of them were rare enough that even Overlord-tier powers could not find enough. And they were required indeed. Otherwise, how would they block their Teleportation formations and shield their headquarters from hostile or ill-willing cultivators?
But... by means unknown, the [Seven Souls Sect] had obtained enough of them to block the Teleportation Formation of the [Palace], which they did at the start. And now, it was revealed they had enough to start interfering with the far smaller and numerous Void Corridors that connected almost every building, space, and even room of the [Void Palace]. Thus, even the last resort of escaping via the unconnected [Void Path] the Palace used for training was now crushed...
"Damn you heavens, are you trying to kill all of us?! Has the [Void Palace] reached the point when it has to vanish?!" Kongbai Meili, head of the [Void Palace], shrieked in despair. But then, after showing such a lack of control, she forced herself to regain calmness. And without any emotion, as if she was mentioning something that did not deserve any attention, she declared, "If the heavens want us dead, we will die then. But not without fighting. Elder Shen, return to your post. And prepare to deactivate the [Shearing Restriction] formation on my command."
Each of the four people that heard her words reacted differently. But only the Vice Head showed his emotions, with a burst of loud and roaring laughter followed by the words, "Good! Even if we all die, let's take them with us. To the grave, but not alone!"
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Unbeknownst to both the [Void Palace] leaders, who were preparing for the last stand, and the [Seven Soul Sect] ones, who in turn were preparing for the Palace's destruction, a lone youngster was slowly descending the six-mile tall cliff that separated the ravine from the plateau.
Alone and showing a mere Warrior Lord cultivation, even if any powerhouses were aware, they would pay no attention to him anyway. And they would do wrong, albeit not because of their lack of knowledge or experience.
After all, how could they know that this young man, with salt-pepper hair and dressed in common robes, was one about to greatly influence the current situation?