Martial Arts Crossover: The Sweeping Monk of Wudang? That's our patriarch!

Lin Daochen had no time to watch their bickering. He stepped forward and asked calmly, "What you just said—that if we follow Senior Jiang's method, our primordial spirits might be annihilated—is that true?"

Shen Gongbao nodded: "That's right. Your nine primordial spirits have already solidified and formed their souls. They seem to be independent, but in reality, they are from the same root and origin. If one of them is harmed, the rest will all be in danger."

"Senior brother's move is indeed risky, but it is also a last resort. If we let it run wild, it will eventually devour each other, its soul will collapse, its cultivation will be destroyed, and its body and spirit will be annihilated."

Lin Daochen's heart sank, a chill running down his spine. After a moment's thought, he immediately knelt down, clasped his hands, and looked up: "Seniors, I have long admired your great names—Senior Jiang Ziya was ordered by the Heavenly Emperor to oversee the Investiture of the Gods and establish the divine ranks; Senior Shen Gongbao is a strategist who commands all directions, both pillars of the divine realm."

"Now that I am trapped in the Integration Realm, with my nine gods in disarray, I humbly beg you two to show me a way out!"

Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao exchanged a glance and sighed in unison.

"Even we saints are not omnipotent. The strength of your primordial spirit is unparalleled throughout history. If your foundation were not so solid as to defy the heavens, how could it have split into nine paths?"

"However, since you have come here today, it is fate. So—go east, enter the Frozen Valley, and slay the nine Frost Abyss Beasts that are entrenched therein."

"One of them will spit out an Ice Condensation Bead. This bead can freeze the fluctuations of the divine soul, temporarily suppress the fierce battle of the nine gods, and give you a chance to catch your breath."

"Ice Valley..."

……

Two hours later.

Lin Daochen stood at the valley entrance, the wind and snow like knives slashing at his face. His white robes fluttered, his figure was as sturdy as a pine tree, and his gaze was as calm as a deep, ancient well. Snowflakes landed on his eyelashes, but he didn't even blink.

"Demon beasts... it's been a long time." He gently stroked the scabbard on his chest with his right hand, his voice as soft as the wind. "Azure Edge Sword, you heard that too, didn't you? Your fighting spirit has been burning ever since."

This sword is his old companion, which he has carried with him since he first embarked on the path of cultivation. Over the years, it has accompanied him through the Netherworld, through tribulations of lightning, and through life-or-death trials, tempering him from the Qi Refining stage to the peak of the early Integration stage. The sword's blade faintly glows with a bluish light, and its sword intent is as deep and restrained as an abyss; calling it a divine weapon is no exaggeration.

He stepped into the valley, his sword sheath slightly tilted, his clothes fluttering in the wind.

"roar--!"

Shadows flickered between the cliffs on either side, their low growls rumbling like thunder across the valley. Lin Daochen's steps did not falter, his expression remained unchanged. He was now only half a step away from the Immortal Sect; why should he be alarmed by these beasts from the Cold Cave?

The deeper Lin Daochen went into the valley, the more strange he felt—his body, which had been steaming and burning hot just moments before, was gradually cooling down, the chill like a snake piercing his heart, penetrating straight to his bone marrow, even turning his fingertips bluish-white.

"That's strange. I'm protected by immortal power, so why am I feeling cold? It doesn't make sense."

He instinctively wrapped his robe tighter around himself, his shoulders trembling slightly. With each step he took, the chill intensified, as if his entire lifeline was being frozen by an invisible current of cold.

"Is this the power of the Ice Condensation Valley? It even dims the Spirit Platform True Fire... If it can even seal my cultivation, then the Ice Condensation Pearl is probably a treasure of heaven and earth, and it might really be able to solve my current predicament."

He took a deep breath and strode into the heart of the valley. At that moment, a ferocious beast covered in frost and snow-white fur suddenly leaped out from the withered white grass—it resembled a lion, its mane cascading like an avalanche, its breath turning to frost, and wherever it passed, the ground cracked and froze, with cracks spreading like a spider web.

"Sword, come!" Lin Daochen frowned, drew his longsword, and the sword light burst forth like a celestial river hanging upside down, with thousands of sharp energies cleaving down from the sky, directly enveloping the ice beast. But before the sword energy could get close, it suddenly froze halfway, shattering into crescent-shaped, translucent ice teeth that fell to the ground with a rustling sound.

"Heh, interesting."

He raised the corners of his lips slightly and urged his sword intent forward, which surged forth in layers like a surging tide. But the chilling aura seemed to possess a spirit; the sword intent condensed into thin ice just ten feet in front of the ice beast, hovering there motionless.

"It can even seal away sword intent... No wonder Senior Jiang Ziya specifically asked me to retrieve the Ice Condensation Pearl. Of the nine beasts that suppress the valley, only one beast has conceived the pearl—"

In other words, none of the remaining eight can be kept.

He glanced around: a creature crouched on the right wing, its fangs slightly bared and claws poised for action; behind it, three shadowy figures silently closed in, and ice shards crumbled away without a sound.

"Five have appeared... You can freeze my spiritual power and sword energy, but you cannot freeze my unyielding sword heart."

Bang—the ice shell shattered! The hundreds of sword energies that had been frozen suddenly burst forth, like silver shuttles piercing the air, instantly penetrating the chest of an ice beast. Even more strangely, those frozen sword intents thawed out of thin air, their sharpness undiminished, their remaining force still fierce.

"roar--!!"

A furious roar tore through the frigid sky. In just a few breaths, the distant mountain valleys, cliff crevices, and ice caves trembled in unison as eight white figures arrived, accompanied by a blizzard—the nine beasts had gathered, their formation imposing.

Lin Daochen shook his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the nine beasts. They walked unsteadily, their heads and necks stiff, as if their spirits were being eroded by the cold poison; upon closer inspection, fine ice crystals floated on each body, like frost flowers climbing vines, wandering and spreading along the bones and muscles—the ice crystals must be hidden inside one of the beasts.

But which one? He couldn't tell. Nor did he bother to try.

He held the Azure Peak Sword horizontally in front of his arm and slowly stepped forward. The nine beasts roared, forming an impenetrable formation. Their overwhelming divine power exploded, darkening the sky, causing the air to vibrate and even cracking the solid ice beneath their feet.

He was slightly surprised: How could a demon beast possess divine power? But with a little perception, he knew that among the nine beasts, only one had a completely different aura: its physique had nearly doubled in size, and its eyes burned with a golden light, not the golden light of the mortal world, but the radiance of the Great Dao, calm, ancient, and impossible to look directly at.

Lin Daochen chuckled twice, already understanding—this beast was the host of the pearl.

But to pluck the pearl, one must first clear the obstacles. None of the other eight beasts can be bypassed.

The nine shadows moved like lightning, echoing each other, leaving no flaws to be found.

He lightly touched the ground with his toes, his body leaping up and circling to one side and behind in ten breaths. It was too fast—so fast that only a flash of blue light could be seen, and nine cold meteors tore wildly across the dome, weaving a dense and impenetrable killing net.

A figure in white, like a needle piercing through a curtain, seized a streak of blue light and gave chase.

hum-

86

Nine streams of dark blue light suddenly froze in mid-air, then exploded with a deafening roar, unleashing a vast and mighty force. The earth trembled, and even the void itself rippled with layers of wrinkles.

The nine beams of blue light then dissipated, transforming into nine heavy bodies that crashed to the ground. Amidst the flying ice shards, their forms coalesced once more—they were none other than the Nine Ice Crystal Beasts.

Lin Daochen touched the ground with his toes, his figure moving like lightning, instantly appearing in front of one of the ice crystal beasts. He slightly opened his eyes, his pupils gleaming with golden light, like flowing molten gold.

It was the same creature that had hidden the Ice Condensation Pearl.

"Little thing, don't waste your energy. Hand over the Ice Condensation Pearl and you'll suffer less; if you keep trying, don't blame me for being ruthless."

"You can't escape what's coming to you today."

The Ice Crystal Beast lay sprawled on the ground, its body riddled with cracks and radiating a chilling aura, yet it still glared intently at Lin Daochen, its eyes burning with two unquenchable flames.

Lin Daochen chuckled softly and stepped forward. A quick glance revealed that although its injuries were severe, they were not fatal. However, right beside it, frost continued to grow wildly, the power of ice crystals swirling and surging like living things, its chill piercing to the bone. Even the spiritual energy in his dantian was faintly stiffening, about to form frost flowers. He felt a slight chill in his heart—such a strange and pure source of cold should indeed only exist in this otherworld.

Senior Jiang Ziya and Senior Shen Gongbao must have fought it before. Otherwise, how could a wisp of the lingering radiance of the Great Dao still remain within its body?

Lin Daochen nodded, bent down and extended his palm. With a slight twist of his fingertips, a force of absorption that could swallow all things suddenly took shape. The wisp of light of the Great Dao was stripped away in response, as thin as silk threads, and forcibly extracted.

At the very moment the radiance departed from the body—

A deep blue crystal slowly rose from the belly of the Ice Crystal Beast, as clear as a tear and as cold as an abyss. It was completely transparent, with every detail of its internal organs clearly visible, except for that blue crystal hanging in its heart, shining brightly and captivating the soul.

The Ice Crystal Beast let out a shrill roar, its claws lashing wildly, but it couldn't even touch the hem of Lin Daochen's clothes. It was completely exhausted, only able to gasp for breath, like a fish waiting to be slaughtered on a chopping board.

The remaining eight heads were also limp and lifeless, too weak to even lift their heads, let alone resist.

The north wind whipped up snowflakes that stung Lin Daochen's face. He looked down at the nine disheveled figures on the ground, and his heart suddenly softened.

He raised his hand and spoke in a low but clear voice: "Go. I didn't come here to slaughter. Now that you have the Ice Condensation Pearl, I won't pursue anything else—get out of here before I change my mind."

The nine-headed ice crystal beasts were taken aback at first, then their eyes flashed with wild joy. Survival instinct overwhelmed everything. They struggled to their feet and staggered away, scattering into the snow in the blink of an eye. Some leaped onto ice cliffs, some burrowed into crevices, and some disappeared into dense forests... each going their own way, never to travel together again.

Lin Daochen stared in the direction they had disappeared, a slight smile playing on his lips—they were clever enough to split up and escape, thus ending his pursuit.

He opened his palm, and there lay a deep blue crystal, its chill penetrating yet warm and gentle.

"The Ice Condensation Pearl that Senior Jiang Ziya and Senior Shen Gongbao wanted is this. After consuming it, the original spirit can be condensed, and the chaotic phenomenon of the nine divine souls tearing each other apart can finally be stopped."

He carefully stored the crystal, then stomped his foot, causing clouds to surge and he soar into the air. About two hours later, he landed on the bank of a clear, cool river.

In front of the thatched hut, the river flows quietly, and Jiang Ziya still sits upright, fishing with his rod tilted at an angle, as if time has never moved an inch.

Beside him, surprisingly, stood another figure—Shen Gongbao. He stood with his hands behind his back, his aura deep and restrained, so much so that even the surrounding snowflakes swirled three feet away from him, leaving only a clear expanse. Lin Daochen felt that his aura was as deep and vast as the sea, its bottom unfathomable.

Indeed, a supreme being who holds the Investiture of the Gods and a renowned genius weapon refiner whose cultivation is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

The wind and snow on the river intensified, and the heavy snow had already covered Jiang Ziya's straw hat, obscuring even his eyebrows and eyes. Shen Gongbao suddenly turned around, his smile warm, and greeted Lin Daochen.

"Well? Did you find the Ice Condensation Bead?"

"If you truly obtain it, the danger of your nine primordial spirits tearing each other apart can be completely suppressed. However—I suspect you've gone astray; what you hold in your hand is probably not the Ice Condensation Pearl, is it?"

Lin Daochen's heart sank suddenly, his fingertips tightened, and he hurriedly reached into his pocket and pulled out the dark blue crystal.

The crystal shimmered with a cold light, exuding a double-edged chill. With just one glance, his sea of ​​consciousness felt as if it had fallen into an ice cave, and his primordial spirit seemed about to freeze and die on the spot.

Jiang Ziya suddenly burst into loud laughter, casually leaned his fishing rod against a blue stone on the shore, rushed forward, snatched the dark blue crystal, and weighed it in his palm.

"I knew it! This isn't some kind of Ice Condensation Bead; it's clearly the Ice Crystal Beast's natal crystal core—without it, that beast can barely even exhale a breath of cold air!"

"Go and search again! If you cannot find the Ice Condensation Pearl within seven days, your nine primordial spirits will completely collapse and kill each other. At that time, your soul and spirit will be shattered, and there will be no chance of recovery."

Lin Daochen's Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and he nodded silently. All that effort for half a day had come to nothing. But the defeat didn't linger on his face for long; his gaze shifted to Shen Gongbao, who stood with his hands behind his back not far away.

"Senior, I have heard that you were wronged and suffered injustice in the past, but you still held firm to your original intention and persevered to this day. This kind of integrity is enough to make us younger generations ashamed."

"The phenomenon of my nine primordial spirits devouring each other is unprecedented, even in the ancient texts. I'm afraid I'm the only one in the entire cultivation world who has encountered this calamity."

"Anyone else would have stood by and watched; but these two seniors not only offered guidance but also personally led the way... I, Lin Daochen, will remember this kindness and righteousness to the core. From now on, if you ever need my help, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Jiang Ziya turned his back without speaking, only picking up his fishing rod again, flicking his wrist, and the silver line pierced the air, "whoosh," and was cast into the center of the river. Finally, he waved his hand: "Go on. This is a small matter, not worth mentioning. Shen Gongbao and I are just sitting here fishing, waiting for some excitement—I heard that the second round of selection for the Investiture of the Gods will begin in the next few months."

Lin Daochen's brows furrowed suddenly: The Investiture of the Gods?

These three words felt like a red-hot iron, making his heart skip a beat. It was the only path to godhood; one wrong step and he would be doomed forever; of the thousands who tried to cross it, only one in ten survived.

As if sensing his change in expression, Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao coughed twice in unison, cutting off his unspoken question.

"That's a long way off for you. The most important thing right now is to secure the Ice Condensation Pearl—you're already on the verge of death, what's the point of worrying about a divine position?"

Lin Daochen nodded, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and suddenly soared into the air, heading straight for the distant, vast mountain peaks.