Chapter 292: Ice Demon Prison

Before the wheelchair even landed, Ye Tinglan's divine sense had already penetrated the Ice Prison Sect's defenses and swept across the mountains. She saw her good disciple earnestly discussing matters with Ling Qixuan, completely out of danger, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Her persistent desire to help her disciple this time stemmed from her distrust of the demonic path, which she perceived as cruel and unreasonable. This unease often distracted her, even during intimate moments with her "little man."

Once here, she realized why Lu Xingzhou could sleep so calmly.

No matter how cruel the demonic path, two factors were at play: Emperor Si Han's prestige and authority as the nation's sovereign kept them in check, and her own background from the Heavenly Jade Holy Land provided protection. Ling Qixuan wasn't insane; there was no logical reason for Qingli to be in danger by simply visiting under such circumstances.

For a moment, Ye Tinglan felt she had left for no good reason and would have been better off staying in bed with her "little man."

However, since they were already here, and her "little man" was right, approaching the situation from a different angle would likely help Qingli make progress. Qingli herself probably wouldn't get any meaningful information, as the other party's attitude towards her was polite but distant, making a genuine exchange impossible.

The arrival of the King of Hell, however, would change everything!

The two folded their wheelchair, descended from the sky, and formally announced their identities at the mountain gate, requesting a meeting.

Shortly after, Ling Qixuan hurriedly emerged, his eyes filled with confusion. "Your Highness, King of Hell, what brings you here...?"

"Can one not visit without a specific purpose?" Ye Tinglan replied coldly.

The metallic voice, integrated with the mask, naturally conveyed an aura of indifference. Having long held a high position, Ye Tinglan exuded an imposing, condescending demeanor that was even more awe-inspiring than Yuan Muyu's own.

Cold sweat beaded on Ling Qixuan's forehead, and any slight doubt about the visitor's identity instantly vanished.

If not the King of Hell, then who? Such a powerful cultivation aura, such an overwhelming transcendent-grade presence, and that commanding demeanor of one who has long held supreme authority. Even if one were to find a transcendent-grade expert to impersonate the King of Hell, they would have to be willing to lower themselves to such an extent!

"By no means, the Ice Prison Sect always welcomes the King of Hell as a guest," Ling Qixuan said, bowing as he led the way. "May I inquire if there's anything the Ice Prison Sect can assist you with today, Your Highness?"

Ye Tinglan was momentarily stumped; she hadn't actually prepared an excuse for her visit.

She couldn't very well say, "Oh, I'm just here for fun, simply dropped by for a visit."

Fortunately, her strategist was at hand. Lu Xingzhou immediately took over the conversation: "It is said that the dragon bone, which sparked contention among various factions, was first discovered by your esteemed sect?"

Ling Qixuan's heart skipped a beat. "And you are...?"

"Merely an attendant to the King of Hell, there's no need to concern yourself," Lu Xingzhou stated. "We merely wish to confirm if the dragon bone was indeed discovered by your esteemed sect."

Ling Qixuan could only reply, "Yes."

"So you were aware that the skeletal dragon subsequently became Emperor Si Han's property?" Lu Xingzhou asked coldly.

"We were aware..."

"Then why did you not inform Dong Chengbai, leaving him with only the news of the dragon bone but no further details? The King of Hell dispatched someone to investigate and was nearly embroiled in the ensuing turmoil. Is this how your esteemed sect treats its allies?"

Ling Qixuan was drenched in cold sweat, utterly at a loss for how to respond.

Ye Tinglan ascended the stone steps with a composed demeanor, subtly glancing at her "little man" from the corner of her eye, her heart filled with admiration.

Indeed, Ji Wenchuan had participated in the skeletal dragon dispute. From his demeanor, it was clear he was unaware of the full details; he had merely heard about the dragon bone and came to investigate the situation.

If the Ice Prison Sect was the origin point of these events, then Ling Qixuan should have been intimately familiar with the situation, yet he failed to inform his allies.

Naturally, with the Ice Prison Sect being far away in the Heavenly Frost Nation, cooperating with its sovereign on a matter, there was no inherent reason for them to inform the distant Palace of Hell in the Great Qian Dynasty about every detail. Ling Qixuan's lack of notification was quite normal. However, Lu Xingzhou expertly exploited this very point, transforming it into an excellent pretext for the "King of Hell" to demand explanations.

Even Ye Tinglan herself, who had been involved in the entire affair, couldn't have found such an excellent point of entry so swiftly.

Her "little man" was truly brilliant.

Still, the other party was merely an ally, not a subordinate. Would such a demanding and accusatory tone provoke conflict?

Ah, yes. The demonic path respects power, not virtue. All that was needed was to exert the pressure of a superior.

Ye Tinglan appropriately released a subtle hint of her suppressive aura.

Ling Qixuan instantly felt overwhelmed by the pressure and hastily offered an apologetic smile. "This matter... was indeed an oversight on our part. We didn't anticipate that Your Highness, the King of Hell, would also be interested..."

Lu Xingzhou interrupted him. "Didn't anticipate? The Palace of Hell also deeply cultivates the domains of death and shadows. Just two months ago, we brought the Yin Corpse Sect under our control in Great Qian. I presume I don't need to explain the nature of the Yin Corpse Sect to Sect Master Ling, do I? For a matter as significant as an ancient dragon bone, the Palace of Hell's interest would certainly be second to none. On the contrary, Emperor Si Han was the least suitable recipient. You considered yielding the dragon bone to him, yet never once considered our Palace of Hell?"

As they spoke, the group finally ascended to the main hall. Ling Qixuan hastily said, "Your Highness, King of Hell, please take a seat. What are you all standing around for? Bring the tea!"

Ye Tinglan very naturally took the principal guest seat.

In any case, she only needed to maintain a silent, dignified presence; everything else could be left to her "little man."

Lu Xingzhou sat beside her, then softened his tone. "That being said, you and I are, after all, merely allies, and there's indeed no expectation for us to inform each other of every single detail. Our visit here is not intended as an accusation, but rather a hope that if Sect Master Ling encounters similar matters in the future, you will consider the needs of your allies more thoroughly."

Ye Tinglan cooperatively picked up her teacup, using the lid to brush away the foam. She mused that when she used to wear a veil, she could simply lift a corner to drink tea. How did Yuan Muyu manage with this mask? Could the years of suppression have adversely affected her?

Ling Qixuan, greatly relieved, chuckled apologetically. "This matter was indeed an oversight on our part. Your Highness, King of Hell, rest assured that in the future, we will intensify our glacier explorations. Should anything similar arise, we will notify the Palace of Hell immediately. Hmm... originally, the Western Ghost Emperor was our liaison, but he appears to have gone missing. Due to his abrupt disappearance, the Northern Ghost Emperor has taken over, resulting in a slight communication gap."

Lu Xingzhou blinked.

Western Ghost Emperor Tan Xinhong was Ye Wufeng's master. That faction had always been the least friendly towards him; he used to engage in considerable internal power struggles with them during his time in the Palace of Hell. Now that he had left, that faction had seemingly collapsed.

Yuan Muyu's acquisition of the Yin Corpse Sect was likely intended to compensate for this deficiency.

So he said, "Dong Chengbai doesn't fully oversee this particular area; he's merely acting as a temporary substitute. That's why Ji Wenchuan was able to step in and claim to represent him so casually. If Dong Chengbai were fully in charge, our Palace of Hell wouldn't permit such arbitrary replacements. Moving forward, the former Yin Corpse Sect personnel will assume the position of the Western Ghost Emperor, and Sect Master Ling can liaise with them at that time."

Incredibly professional.

Ye Tinglan almost laughed as she listened, feeling that even without her presence, Lu Xingzhou alone could portray an envoy from the Palace of Hell so convincingly that Ling Qixuan would believe him completely.

"Then I understand," Ling Qixuan replied. "In the future, if we unearth any more ancient remains, we will first inform the new Western Ghost Emperor."

"Returning to the matter," Lu Xingzhou said, "this time, the skeletal dragon was obtained by Ji Wenchuan, but ultimately, it was still to our advantage."

Ling Qixuan hastily interjected, "That was due to Mr. Ji's own brilliant tactics."

"We have also gained insights from studying this dragon bone, though we are unsure if it is complete. Sect Master Ling, your sect previously conducted research; what were your conclusions? We would appreciate the opportunity to review them."

"The dragon bone is indeed ancient; its precise age is difficult to determine," Ling Qixuan stated. "However, the fact that this ancient dragon bone emerged from the ice and came into our possession proves something significant..."

Lu Xingzhou interjected, "Does it prove that the space beneath the glacier is becoming turbulent, leading to an increasing number of spatial rifts and ancient artifacts in the future? And perhaps, as the spatial chaos intensifies, the glacier itself could completely collapse?"

"Precisely," Ling Qixuan confirmed. "This phenomenon aligns perfectly with our sect's research across generations. Most people speculate that the Frozen Moon Cold Stream conceals the ruins of an ancient immortal kingdom beneath it, and that's our official stance as well. However, our sect firmly believes that a primordial ice demon is sealed below, with the cold stream acting as its prison—hence the name Ice Prison Sect. The current spatial turbulence is very likely a premonition of the ice demon's escape."

Lu Xingzhou and Ye Tinglan exchanged glances. Then, Lu Xingzhou said, "When we formed our alliance previously, the assistance you hoped for from us was to help release this ice demon at a certain opportune moment, wasn't it?"

"Yes... While we don't know precisely when this can be accomplished, we believe that given the current turbulence, that day should not be too far off."

Ye Tinglan couldn't help but ask, "Assuming the glacier collapses and the icy ocean melts, what would be the consequences?"

Ling Qixuan replied nonchalantly, "The icy ocean would breach its bounds, flooding the world. The Heavenly Frost Nation, being high in elevation, would conversely become a sanctuary, while Great Qian and the Demon Realm might face misfortune. However, even if the Palace of Hell is in Great Qian, it wouldn't be a significant issue. Firstly, your esteemed institution can relocate at any time. Secondly, if the sky were to fall, the Heavenly Jade Holy Land and the Great Qian imperial family would be there to withstand it. The Heavenly Jade Holy Lord is the foremost power in this era, and the Heavenly Jade Holy Land and Great Qian conceal so many transcendent-grade experts. If a world-ending flood truly occurs, who else but them would be responsible?"

Ye Tinglan suppressed the urge to slap him, taking a deep breath. "You are absolutely right," she said. "Causing trouble for the Heavenly Jade Holy Lord is indeed something this seat would welcome."

Ling Qixuan chuckled.

Lu Xingzhou, however, suddenly interjected, "Regarding this ice demon, does your esteemed sect have any further information to share?"

Ling Qixuan paused, momentarily speechless.

Lu Xingzhou's face darkened. "Since your esteemed sect hopes for the King of Hell to intervene and assist when the time comes, yet you fail to clearly explain the ice demon's situation, are you implying that you wish for our King of Hell to serve as cannon fodder?"