Ice and Snow Divine Art

Everyone looked at Wang Yu with a rather dazed expression, including Ye Tianlin. Yang Weiming was the first to speak. "The Prince of Zhenxi's Manor's Flowing Fire Reflection is renowned across the realm, and your late father dominated the Northwest with the Fire Cloud Divine Saber—this we all know. I once crossed paths with your father on the road; though we did not exchange blows, I witnessed his martial arts and saber techniques. His internal energy was profound, blazing like the setting sun, but his true qi was purely fiery, without the slightest trace of chill." Thinking Wang Yu had misunderstood, Yang Weiming explained further, "What we need is someone who cultivates both ice and fire simultaneously, not one person cultivating ice and another cultivating fire. Treating Senior Yan is delicate work; it cannot be done through two people coordinating, not even twin brothers who share complete telepathy." Wang Yu wasted no words, extending his hand. "Please!" Frowning, Yang Weiming reached out and grasped Wang Yu's hand. In the next moment, he felt a surge of internal energy combining ice and fire rush toward him. His Jade Snow Art, cultivated diligently for over thirty years, was nearly unable to hold it back! No—it truly failed to hold it back! Yang Weiming's expression shifted in shock. He felt his internal energy forced aside as the opposing ice-and-fire energy spiraled like a vortex, driving upward along his Hand Shaoyin meridian and forcing his Jade Snow true qi to retreat step by step. Moreover, not only did the other party's internal force push forward relentlessly, but a gentle water-like energy followed behind, protecting Yang Weiming's meridians so they wouldn't be torn apart by the unfamiliar ice-and-fire force. Yang Weiming's perception was keen. This surge of true qi was pure and profound, mutually generating and reinforcing yet piercingly fierce—not at all inferior to his own Xiantian-realm Jade Snow true qi. Even if he focused his breath and fully mobilized his cultivation, the best he could manage was a stalemate, followed by gradually prevailing through the sheer volume of his reserves. Yet if it came to that, even winning would be a defeat. After all, he was a seasoned Xiantian master, whereas the other was merely a green youngster who had not even reached the Xiantian realm! With a low shout, he actively channeled his true qi. A force as proud and chilling as frost and snow surged forth from his Jade Snow true qi. It was precisely the Tianshan Sect's secret art, which could only be practiced after bringing the Jade Snow Art to an extremely high realm—the Frost-Soaring Jin! When the two arts converged into Jade Snow Frost-Soaring, it formed the Tianshan Sect's supreme esoteric art: the Jade Snow Frost-Soaring Divine Art! Jade Snow was profound and vast, while Frost-Soaring was sharp and piercing. In a brief moment, it pushed Wang Yu's ice-and-fire energy back. Wang Yu naturally quit while he was ahead. After all, this exchange was merely to prove the nature of his internal art, not to engage in a contest of dominance—not to mention that he was no match for Yang Weiming to begin with. Both released their grip. Wang Yu stepped back with a smile, while Yang Weiming's weathered face flushed red. Still, he addressed the others, "It is indeed an internal force of ice and fire, and within the profound ice there flows water. It is quite wondrous." Ling Feiyun glanced sideways at him. As Yang Weiming's master, he could naturally tell that Yang Weiming had suffered a slight disadvantage at first due to carelessness and had only recovered the situation by resorting to Frost-Soaring Jin. "After Master's birthday celebration, enter closed-door seclusion for three months and contemplate thoroughly," Ling Feiyun said coldly. "If you cannot integrate Frost-Soaring Jin into the Jade Snow Art within five years, channeling the force at a single thought, you will find it difficult to advance another step for the rest of your life." Yang Weiming lowered his head. "Yes." Wang Yu grinned wryly. He hadn't expected that a simple test of his would result in the future sect leader of Tianshan being ordered into confinement. Yet Yang Weiming's test had indeed proven that Wang Yu was precisely the expert who cultivated both ice and fire. Even if he had not yet entered the Xiantian realm, he was a first-rate adept. Ardai's eyes brightened once more, and even Yan Xiangxue revealed a glimmer of anticipation. Ye Tianlin beckoned. "Prince Zhao, step forward, please." Wang Yu stepped forward hurriedly and cupped his hands. "Senior may simply call me Zhao Yu. I dare not accept such an honorific from you." Decades ago, Ye Tianlin had roamed the realm with sword in hand, undefeated against all seven of the Seven Great Sword Sects. People of that era had already hailed him as the world's foremost swordsman. Of course, some also called him the Sword Fiend, as his temper was said to be dreadful. Later, Ye Tianlin founded his sect on Mount Tianshan and no longer set foot in the Central Plains. Other swordsmen then rose to prominence in the central lands—most notably Sword Saint Liu Suifeng, whose brilliance rivaled Ye Tianlin's across different eras. Because they had never directly crossed swords, the title of world's foremost swordsman gradually faded from Ye Tianlin, while the title of Sword Fiend resonated across the land. Among the Five Renowned Swords of the world, Ye Tianlin was the eldest, and while the others bore titles that leaned positive or neutral, he alone was named a fiend. Anyone who took him for nothing more than a beaming, benevolent old man would be a fool. "The Princes of Zhenxi have guarded the Northwest for three generations, protecting the Han people. For that, this old man holds great admiration," Ye Tianlin said as he took Wang Yu's hand. Immediately, Wang Yu felt a cool, refreshing thread of internal energy probe into his body like a strand of silk. Wang Yu did not mount a defensive counterattack, but merely circulated Flowing Fire Reflection and Flowing Springs of the Icy Mountain, activating Ice and Fire Dual Heavens to allow Ye Tianlin to inspect him freely. Under Wang Yu's perception, Ye Tianlin's true qi seemed as slender as silk, yet it was dense, resilient, gentle on the outside, and unyielding within. Wang Yu suspected that even if he resisted with all his might, he wouldn't be able to stop the man's probe. Calling it an iron wire piercing through tofu might be a slight exaggeration; substituting dried pressed tofu for soft tofu was probably more accurate—it would at least require a bit of effort. Ye Tianlin withdrew his internal energy and praised with a smile, "Flowing Fire Reflection truly lives up to its reputation. But may I ask the origin of your ice-and-water-attributed internal art, young friend?" "This art is called Flowing Springs of the Icy Mountain." Wang Yu recounted how he had obtained it. Ye Tianlin understood and nodded. "Young friend's natural talent is extraordinary. Not only did you master Flowing Springs of the Icy Mountain, but you also fused two distinct arts into one, creating your own cultivation method of ice and fire. Such comprehension is truly astonishing." Qianqian raised her eyebrows and cast Wang Yu a sidelong glance. Ardai asked crisply, "Then can he save my master?" Everyone looked at Ye Tianlin with expectation, but he shook his head. "He cannot." Ardai gasped, "Ah? Why?" Not only Ardai, but even Wang Yu was rather taken aback. "Because Young Friend Zhao's ice and fire internal energies are imbalanced," Ye Tianlin explained. "Flowing Fire Reflection is a top-tier fire-attributed method, whereas Flowing Springs of the Icy Mountain falls a grade short. Although you have mastered both to the same realm, the fire force still overtops the ice and frost. What is more, Flowing Springs of the Icy Mountain is not a purely ice-attributed art to begin with. If you were to treat Miss Yan with this technique, the frost would be unable to suppress the fire. Furthermore, because of her injuries, Miss Yan cannot actively circulate her cultivation to cooperate. It would only provoke an instinctive backlash from the true qi within her body, turning a clever scheme into disaster." "Ahhh..." Ardai deflated once more. After her emotions had swung through several sharp highs and lows, her eyes reddened uncontrollably. Then she heard Ye Tianlin's tone shift: "However, it is not entirely hopeless." "Huh?" Ardai snapped her head up. Had she not known that Ye Tianlin was a generation senior to her master, she would have wanted to march up and yank every hair from the old man's beard. Ye Tianlin said calmly, "Mr. Sun can suppress Miss Yan's injuries for a year with medicinal pills. If Young Friend Zhao can learn another ice-attributed art within this year, master it, and integrate it into his self-created ice-and-fire technique—bringing ice and fire into balance, or even allowing ice to edge out fire—he will be able to heal Miss Yan." Everyone's eyes lit up. Acquiring an ice-attributed art was not difficult. Not only was the Tianshan Sect rooted in the cold ice lineage, but the art Yan Xiangxue cultivated also belonged to the frost path, and it was likewise a Grandmaster-level cultivation method, not the least bit inferior. The problem now was whether Wang Yu could learn it within a single year, master it thoroughly, and integrate it into what he had already learned. "Given Young Friend Zhao's natural gifts, there is still hope." Ye Tianlin turned to Yan Xiangxue. "If your technique cannot be passed to a man, let him practice Tianshan's Jade Snow Art." Yan Xiangxue chuckled. "You jest. The Tianshan Sect has vast foundations and plenty of heirs; they have no shortage of successors. Let him pass down my Ice and Snow Divine Art instead." Ye Tianlin chuckled and said to Wang Yu, "Miss Yan possesses peerless brilliance. She deduced and evolved an ordinary Flying Snow Art into the Ice and Snow Divine Art, ascending straight to the Grandmaster realm. It is in no way inferior to Tianshan's internal arts; do not underestimate it." "Junior would not dare!" Wang Yu expressed his admiration, thinking to himself that these people were all living, breathing turtle shells. Ye Tianlin nodded, then glanced at Li Yunxiu and Qianqian. "Are they both your consorts?" "Indeed," Wang Yu said, introducing them to Ye Tianlin. "This lady once disguised herself as a man and achieved top honors as the Zhuangyuan, and was subsequently betrothed to me by imperial decree. This other lady is the daughter of my father's close friend, and is also my fiancée." Ye Tianlin uttered an affirmative grunt, looked at Qianqian once more, and asked placidly, "Are you Girl Zhuang's disciple, or Girl Ruan's disciple?" Qianqian set aside her coquettish charm. Clad in white, solemn and dignified, she appeared both pure and holy as she bowed and answered, "My master is Zhuang Muyu." "The Mysterious Maiden lineage." Ye Tianlin understood, then asked, "Is your grandmaster well?" Qianqian lowered her head. "Grandmaster has already passed away." Ye Tianlin nodded. "Thirty years... it truly is a long time." Hearing the exchange between Ye Tianlin and Qianqian, the others only then realized that he actually shared past ties with Qianqian's elders. Upon hearing the name Zhuang Muyu, Ling Feiyun and Yan Xiangxue both froze for a moment, after which the way they looked at Qianqian and Wang Yu changed completely. It was well known that the Mysterious Maiden lineage took romantic passion as its dharma, ultimately severing emotional attachments to achieve enlightenment, thereby gaining an immense surge in martial power while leaving behind a heartbroken young hero. Of course, there were also cases where a maiden failed to sever her feelings and surrendered her chastity, leaving her martial arts unable to progress further. Such occurrences, however, were exceedingly rare and seldom involved outstanding disciples of the lineage. Yet Qianqian was breathtakingly beautiful and had been dispatched to the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor. She was clearly no ordinary disciple, but Zhuang Muyu's prized apprentice. Strictly speaking, therefore, Wang Yu was Qianqian's cultivation vessel. Ye Tianlin looked at Wang Yu, only to find the young man's expression calm, even shooting Qianqian a subtle wink. Seeing this, Ye Tianlin couldn't help asking, "Young Friend Zhao knows she hails from the Xuansu Sect?" Wang Yu nodded. "I know." "It seems Young Friend Zhao possesses great confidence, so this old man shall say no more." Ye Tianlin chuckled with understanding, then turned to Qianqian. "The reigning Prince of Zhenxi—you could actually bring yourself to target him? Aren't you afraid of blowing up the whole game?" Qianqian let out a coquettish giggle, her entire demeanor instantly bursting with vivacity. "It's precisely because he is the reigning Prince of Zhenxi that my heart was moved." Ye Tianlin shook his head and said nothing further. To be honest, he didn't quite understand. The Xuansu Sect had revealed its identity to collaborate with the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor, so the two sides ought to maintain good cooperative relations. Yet now Qianqian was treating Wang Yu as a cultivation vessel. Once she severed her feelings to attain enlightenment and left Wang Yu heartbroken, how could the two sides cooperate in the future? Wasn't that just boxing themselves into a dead end from both sides? Little did he know that Zhuang Muyu had never expected Qianqian to take an interest in Wang Yu in the first place, as Wang Yu's prior reputation in the capital had merely been that of a useless dandy—and disciples of the Mysterious Maiden lineage seeking cultivation vessels always sought outstanding young heroes! Still, if he didn't understand, he wouldn't dwell on it. Ye Tianlin didn't fret over it; in any case, people from the Demonic Cult always seemed a bit unhinged, and it was only reasonable that a normal person like him couldn't fathom lunatics. As long as Qianqian exercised restraint over the coming year, avoided reaching a decisive conclusion with Wang Yu, and allowed him to master the Ice and Snow Divine Art smoothly so that he could save Yan Xiangxue, that would suffice. Though he hadn't stated it openly, Ye Tianlin trusted Qianqian had the tact to see as much.