Chapter 468: Ice Clan (Two-in-One)

"Buzz—"

Weird energy surged at Yan Jing's fingertips, making the ice walls of the entire cavern tremble violently.

The amount of weird energy required to invoke March was no small sum; it had long surpassed the limit of what this area could withstand.

But the heavy piano notes swept across the space like a biting winter wind over a lake, instantly freezing the ripples and distortions that had just formed.

Everything around them seemed to drain into a pale, ashen gray. Yan Jing became the only existence still capable of movement in this world.

About two seconds.

The tiers of his two opponents were higher than his. Even with the reinforcement of the Divine State, his time-stop could only reach this level.

Yan Jing didn't hesitate in the slightest. He threw a punch directly at Meng Bing, whose physical capabilities were visibly weaker.

Two seconds, hundreds of punches.

In an instant, his fists blurred into ashen afterimages in midair.

He didn't hold back at all. Weird energy surged around him as his heart vigorously pumped blood, and the power hidden within his lean, corded muscles erupted completely.

Under the violent gale of his punches, the paused space around him warped faintly.

Forehead, heart, brainstem—

He was gambling. He bet that an opponent of her tier couldn't possibly be beaten to death in just two seconds—he had to knock her unconscious.

But if he lost that bet... he could only blame her bad luck.

Beneath the terrifying barrage, Meng Bing was lifted off the ground, seemingly suspended in midair. Her pale skin didn't burst under the bombardment; instead, spiderweb cracks surfaced across it, accompanied by the continuous sound of shattering glass.

Although her blood didn't spray out due to the stopped time, it was still squeezed out by the frantic blows, seeping from her wounds.

Just as the two seconds were about to end, a Jade Pendant floated up from Meng Bing's chest. Its deep blue light formed a spherical barrier that actually broke through the restriction of the time-stop. Though it only lasted a split second, it still blocked Yan Jing's final onslaught.

"Phew..."

Finally, the two seconds ended.

Wang Yan stared at Meng Bing lying in a pool of blood before him, her fate unknown, and his scalp went numb. Acting almost purely on instinct, he shot backward.

He felt as if he were missing a chunk of his memory; his consciousness was still stuck on the moment Yan Jing had appeared at the ice layer.

Meng Bing had lost!

How did she lose? He had absolutely no recollection!

Was it an illusion? Hypnosis? Extreme speed—or... a time-stop?

His mind was in absolute chaos. Seeing Yan Jing's murderous gaze and blood-soaked hands, cold sweat instantly drenched his clothes.

Like a conditioned reflex, a White Crystal materialized in his palm, weird energy surging.

Yan Jing keenly caught this change, and his thoughts suddenly cleared.

If he activated time-stop now—

Unfortunately, the cooldown for March was a bit long. Unless he summoned a Painting Spirit ahead of time, there was no way to use it a second time in a row. Otherwise, he would have just snatched the crystal right now.

If he stole the crystal, why would he need photos?

Or, he could gamble on a Freeze Frame Moment right now—

Everything happened in a flash. In the end, Yan Jing didn't use the Freeze Frame Moment either.

After all, unlike time-stop, Freeze Frame Moment wouldn't affect the environment.

If it triggered an avalanche, that would only create more trouble.

He ultimately chose to trigger the trap he had laid during the time-stop.

Inside Wang Yan's chest, the seed that had been planted there grew wildly. Pitch-black Thorns sprouted with reckless abandon, withered flowers blooming at their tips as they forcefully pushed through the red light enveloping his body.

"Argh!"

A pain akin to scraping bone instantly pierced Wang Yan's mind. Veins bulged on his forehead as he let out an agonizing roar.

Of course, this still failed to stop him from activating the crystal; if anything, it solidified his resolve.

Yet, just before leaving the Dungeon, for some unknown reason, a momentary look of bewilderment flashed across his eyes.

Seizing that brief window, Yan Jing lunged forward and delivered two more punches, beating him until he vomited blood.

Finally, covered in wounds, Wang Yan dissolved into motes of light and exited the Dungeon.

"Dongchuan, this move of yours is pretty handy." Yan Jing looked back at Zhao Dongchuan. Clearly, Wang Yan's momentary hesitation at the end was his doing.

Hearing this, Zhao Dongchuan smiled mildly. "I originally wanted him to choose the pathway of Fate where he stayed behind."

"Unfortunately, I didn't succeed."

"I'm truly sorry, Captain."

"No, you did great." Yan Jing patted Zhao Dongchuan on the shoulder. Being able to capture Meng Bing alive was in no small part thanks to him.

"Captain, should we strip this one?" Mo Lian looked at the unconscious Meng Bing.

"What kind of question is that?" Yan Jing glared. "We treat everyone equally."

"Yes, Captain!" Mo Lian and Wang Gang moved at lightning speed. In just a few short minutes, all the evidence was fully collected.

When Meng Bing finally woke up...

An incomparably shrill scream echoed through the entire Ice Cavern.

The First Ring Domain.

The gathering point for those exiting the Dungeon.

"I swear, domain lord, it was them. It was Beast Lord's people who attacked me," Xia Nuo said with utmost solemnity, kneeling on both knees behind the T-shirt Man.

But all that answered him was a cold snort from the T-shirt Man, followed by a single word: "Fool."

Xia Nuo was incredibly confused. He really couldn't understand. The T-shirt Man had always been fiercely protective of his own; why wouldn't he believe his words today?

On the other side, the Tiger-Skin Skirt Woman was also flying into a furious rage at the person reporting to her.

"What do you mean they were Tianzi's people?!"

"Didn't you see them exit the Inner World right alongside you?!"

"Don't you understand anything?!"

"Someone infiltrated this chaotic brawl, took you out, and then disguised themselves as you!"

"Right now, everyone by Wang Yan's side is the enemy!!!"

Only then did the two reporting subordinates realize what had happened. Understanding the true gravity of the situation, they immediately broke out in a cold sweat and profusely apologized to the two domain lords.

"Forget it," the T-shirt Man said coldly. "Even if Xiao Bing is alone, she should be able to handle it."

The Tiger-Skin Skirt Woman also gave a cold sneer. "I have high hopes for Wang Yan. Even though his ranking isn't high, that's only because he never participates in the struggle for the throne."

"If that kid thinks things are going to be that simple, he's dead wrong."

But just as her voice fell, a figure suddenly appeared in the room.

With a groan of "Argh," he violently coughed up a massive mouthful of blood.

The figure was covered in a shattered red glow. Pitch-black Thorns pierced right through the gaps in the light, impaling the right half of his body and tearing his clothes. On his chest lay two distinct, dark-purple fist imprints, weird energy pooling within the sunken flesh.

"Wang Yan!!!" the Tiger-Skin Skirt Woman exclaimed, her eyes going wide.

She never expected that Wang Yan, who had just confidently sworn nothing would go wrong, would abruptly exit the Dungeon.

And from the looks of it, his injuries were anything but light.

"Domain lord—"

"Who did this?" Red light soared into the sky around the Tiger-Skin Skirt Woman, veins bulging visibly across her skin. Anyone who knew her understood this was a sign of her explosive fury.

"Yan Jing..." When Yan Jing appeared, he hadn't worn a disguise, so Wang Yan could directly state his name.

His neck trembled with every breath; he appeared completely drained of strength.

"Yan Jing..." The Tiger-Skin Skirt Woman's gaze darkened. After carefully inspecting Wang Yan's wounds, she spoke softly. "It's fine. There are no fatal injuries. You did the right thing; there was no need to risk your life. Go find Doctor Luo first, then get some good rest."

"Understood," Wang Yan sighed softly.

He also felt remorseful; he shouldn't have stepped into the Ice Cavern so easily.

He had originally planned to shine brilliantly in this ranking tournament, but the result was—

He walked toward the door in utter dejection, only to hear the T-shirt Man's voice behind him. "Then it looks like our Xiao Bing is fine, eh?"

"Heh. Who is strong and who is weak is already clear."

Normally, the other party was a domain lord. At his tier, forget about talking back—even just speaking to one required him to gauge the occasion and be exceptionally careful.

But upon hearing the T-shirt Man's smug tone, Wang Yan turned his head as if possessed and said, "Meng Bing... has already been captured by Yan Jing. Right now, she's unconscious, her fate unknown."

...

As his words fell, a pin drop could be heard in the room.

That was one of the Tianzi's Nine Children! Rumor had it that whenever the Nine Children appeared, they could sweep across an entire domain. And yet, she had been captured?!

"Is what you're saying true?!" The T-shirt Man's voice sank to a terrifying depth. For some inexplicable reason, everyone in the room suddenly felt as if they could hear the echoing roar of a dragon.

But no one knew that the pressure weighing on Wang Yan at that moment was so intense he felt like he would explode.

The wounds that had just managed to seal shut instantly burst open, sending fresh blood spraying out like a fountain.

The Tiger-Skin Skirt Woman grew furious as well, roaring, "What the fuck do you think you're doing!"

"Do you think I, Wang Yu, don't exist?!!"

As her voice dropped, everyone in the room seemed to hear the roar of a fierce beast.

The roaring of a tiger and a dragon converged within that tiny room.

The already-injured subordinates didn't dare breathe, their hearts pounding wildly.

Fortunately, a few seconds later, the T-shirt Man scoffed coldly. He turned, walked to the window, and gave it a light tap. The entire wall instantly disintegrated.

Then, stepping on empty air, he walked up into the sky and looked at the ranking board floating high above.

He confirmed the news.

[The player with the honorary title of Yi has defeated Bing]

[Bing has been captured]

[Bing has lost something she values immensely]

Seeing this final line, the T-shirt Man let out a furious roar, "Yan Jing!!!"

Inside the First Building.

The figure beneath the white veil watched everything before her with a calm gaze, the corners of her mouth curling up slightly. She seemed to have found a way to make Yan Jing obediently listen to her.

"Excessive hardness leads to snapping. If he doesn't understand this principle, he can't possibly go far..."

"What exactly are you all trying to do?! Are you still Venerables?! King Grades?! You're just a bunch of thugs! Worse than thugs!!!"

Back in the Ice Cavern, Meng Bing had completely lost her composure. "Do you know that if you lowly peasants were in Tianzi, I would have killed you hundreds of thousands of times over by now!"

"I'm going to kill you! Kill you all!!!"

With her innocence on the line, there was no way she could remain calm.

"Heh."

Qi Ming stepped forward, wearing a sleazy smile. "That's right, Miss Meng. You're completely correct."

"Who in the Fourth Ring Domain doesn't know that I, Qi Ming, am a lecher?"

"You wouldn't want these photos flying everywhere, right? Hmm?"

Hearing Qi Ming's words, a wave of despair washed over Meng Bing.

If these photos really got out—

If they made it back to Tianzi—

At that thought, she let out a muffled groan and actually coughed up a mouthful of blood on the spot.

"Coughing up blood! What's the use of coughing up blood?!" Qi Ming snapped. "If you don't want a tragedy to happen, then be a good girl and listen! Go scout the path ahead!!!"

Left with no choice, Meng Bing stood up and walked toward the ice wall in front of them.

At this moment, she had only used black weird energy to form a simple covering around her body, aside from a burlap sack that Wang Gang had given her out of humanitarian pity.

Thinking about how a woman as cold and aloof as an iceberg like her had been reduced to such a state, shame and indignation instantly surged in her heart, ultimately transforming into glistening teardrops.

Eyes brimming with tears, she reached out and began bombarding the ice surface.

Just like that, Meng Bing led the way.

The others trailed behind her.

Sixth layer.

Seventh layer.

Inside the Ice Cavern, there was no concept of day or night.

Even though Meng Bing's speed was far slower than Yan Jing's, Yan Jing had no intention of stepping in. He merely watched coldly as Meng Bing broke through the ice layer by layer.

The cruel part was that once she started bombarding the ice, Meng Bing couldn't even slack off. She had to keep attacking; otherwise, she would be swallowed by the ice.

This continued all the way to the eighth layer.

Upon reaching this layer, for some reason, Meng Bing's progress on the ice wall became incredibly sluggish. Copious beads of sweat seeped from her forehead, and several times, she nearly collapsed from exhaustion.

When she had broken through about a third of the way, Meng Bing suddenly let out a loud, startled scream.

In an instant, half of her body exploded into minced meat. Blood bloomed, spraying radially into the ice, making it look as though a crimson flower had blossomed within the frost.

"Ah—!"

Seeing that the remaining half of Meng Bing's body was about to be devoured by the ice, Yan Jing—who had been prepared for this—activated his time-stop.

He had been paying close attention for a long time.

Thus, he sharply caught the true reason her body had exploded.

It wasn't that Meng Bing's speed at breaking the ice had slowed down.

It was because, in that split second, the half-broken ice wall in front of her had suddenly moved.

It was as if the transparent ice had come to life, forming sharp claws and fangs to take a direct bite out of Meng Bing's body.

Yan Jing used threads to pull the remaining half of Meng Bing's body out, then quickly applied some healing.

By the time the time-stop ended, Meng Bing's figure vanished from the spot.

Pushed to the brink of life and death, she finally activated the crystal's ability and waited no longer.

Yan Jing didn't mind this. He looked directly at the ice wall before him, which had restored itself to its original state, his eyes flashing.

Promptly, he had Qi Ming step forward and press an ear against the ice.

"Do you hear it?" he asked.

"Hear what—" Qi Ming started, only to freeze.

Because he truly did hear it.

From within the solid ice before them came the faint sound of breathing.

Hearing Qi Ming's response, Yan Jing flashed a bright smile.

He stepped closer to the solid ice and spoke softly, "Ice Clan."

"Legend has it that the bodies of the Ice Clan are as transparent as ice."

"This is the trap of this vault."

"No one ever said exactly how many layers were in this Ice Cavern."

"They only said that within the Ice Cavern, there is a block of Ten-Thousand-Year Solid Ice."

"For a member of the Ice Clan—one who wants to evade the erosion of time and yearns to awaken again someday—what would be the best method?"

"Perhaps it's hiding inside this very block of Ten-Thousand-Year Solid Ice."

"When people are rejoicing over the vault's treasures, who would think that this eighth ice wall is actually the greatest treasure in the Ice Cavern?"

"And who would imagine that hidden inside is an old monster thirsting to devour others to restore its strength?"

"But you miscalculated. You never expected that one day, the treasures in the vault would no longer be considered treasures. Nor did you foresee that people would find it incredibly difficult just to open the vault and reach this final layer."

"Am I right?"

He gently stroked the block of ice in front of him. Seeing no reaction from the solid ice, he smiled. "It doesn't matter. Whether my guess is right or wrong, I'm just going to take this block of ice with me."

"You might have to stay with me for a while after this, darling."

"Hum—"

Qi Ming, who was listening intently, saw his eyes light up. He truly heard the breathing sound from within.

Its breathing faltered.