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

Before he even reached the foot of the mountain, he could already see nine snow-white figures perched atop the peak, their fangs slightly bared and their cold eyes like nails, firmly blocking his path—it was the group of ice crystal beasts.

Holding grudges is ingrained in their bones.

While he was still in mid-air, the nine beasts roared in unison, unleashing their power and spreading out a bone-chilling cold domain. The air instantly became as thick as glue, even the wind seemed to stand still, and time itself seemed to be frozen and cracked inch by inch.

Legend has it that extreme cold can seal space and time, a manifestation of the laws of the Great Dao. But these little beasts? At most, they can only slow Lin Daochen's hand movement by half a beat and delay his spellcasting by a moment—they won't injure him, just cause some trouble.

"Wind Whisper Spell".

He parted his lips slightly, and as his voice faded, the wind rose.

At first, it was just a faint sound in my ears, but in the blink of an eye, a raging storm swept through, and within three breaths, the entire valley was swallowed up by a towering tornado.

The snow valley, already frozen for miles, was now even colder. Wind blades, carrying frost particles, whistled down, and in the blink of an eye, the entire mountain range was frozen into translucent icicles.

The tornado, carrying the force of thunder, crashed into the icy barrier laid down by the ice crystal beast. The sound was as crisp as shattering glass, and the icy air crumbled in disarray.

Seeing that the hurricane was about to overturn the mountaintop, the nine beasts turned around in unison, pushed off the ground with their four paws, and fled desperately into the depths of the sea of ​​clouds.

Lin Daochen felt his spiritual energy suddenly stagnate, as if a frozen stream was being drawn away and dissipating inch by inch—the Ice Crystal Beast had indeed escaped. But this result was like swallowing a mouthful of ice, bitter and astringent.

Once the Ice Crystal Beast fled, the Ice Condensation Pearl vanished like a pavilion in the mist, impossible to find again. His mind raced, and with a flick of his sleeve, a whirlwind arose once more, as he roared off in pursuit of the fleeing snow-covered figure.

The beastly figures disappeared into the heart of the mountains, vast and boundless, with thousands of peaks covered in snow and countless valleys filled with cold. The white expanse was a chaotic mess. The nine translucent ice crystal beasts had long since merged with the wind and snow, making it impossible to distinguish one from the other.

But this predicament didn't even make Lin Daochen frown. He looked around and suddenly sneered—since the world is frozen, why not take advantage of the situation? He might as well unleash a bone-chilling cold wave and freeze the entire mountain range into a crystal cage!

The hurricane exploded with a roar, sweeping across more than ten snow-capped mountains in an instant.

Click!Click!

Where the cold front passed, pines and cypresses stood stiff, birds fell from branches, and even fish swimming in mountain streams were frozen in a half-foot-thick layer of ice, their eyes still showing fear.

The ice crystal beasts hiding in the crevices and snow caves were not spared either. With their limbs slightly outstretched, their bodies covered in ice armor, and even their eyelashes covered in fine frost, they were completely unable to move.

Lin Daochen stepped forward slowly, a slight smile playing on his lips—retrieving the pearl now would be as easy as taking it out of a bag.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch the ice crystal on the beast's forehead, his pupils suddenly contracted: the beast's belly was slightly bulging, and its fetal breath was faintly visible; it was already pregnant and about to give birth!

Just then, a figure in white robes descended from the clouds, stepping through the snow. His white robes fluttered, and his beard and hair were like frost. He stopped steadily before him, his voice gentle yet deep: "Young friend, please stop. This beast already carries three cubs in its belly, and will give birth in less than seven days. If you forcibly take the Ice Condensation Pearl, the mother will die instantly, and the fetuses' souls will be scattered—you will save your own life, but you will have to stain three lives with blood. Are you willing to bear this karmic consequence?"

Lin Daochen's fingertips hovered in mid-air, motionless.

The Ice Condensation Pearl was indeed his only antidote to prolong his life—his primordial spirit was torn apart, and his nine divine consciousnesses were devouring each other day and night. If this continued for another seven days, he would surely be reduced to dust.

But this faint warmth before him, this gentle throbbing of life within his belly... if he were to actually strike, how would he be any different from a villain wielding a knife to slaughter a child?

He lowered his eyes, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his shoulders slumped slightly.

The old man in white robes slowly approached, gently stroking his long beard with his fingertips: "If one kills to save one's own life, even if one gains immortality, one's heart has already fallen into the abyss. Young friend, are you cultivating the Dao, or the Tribulation?"

The wind brushed past my ears, and the snow fell silently.

Lin Daochen suddenly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the leaden clouds, looking towards the vast and boundless sky—that vastness seemed to contain the ancient Milky Way, and also contained the three faint breaths within this small space.

He exclaimed, his laughter clear and bright: "Since there's a glimmer of hope to save them, why not? I won't take this pearl."

Having said that, he turned around, his blue robe billowing, and his figure disappeared into the depths of the wind and snow, never to be seen again.

The old man in white robes stood there silently for a long time, only placing his hand on his chest, a smile slowly spreading across his eyes and brows.

Later, one day, in a sunny cave deep in the mountains, three ice crystal beasts with sparse downy fur nestled beside their mother, licking the frost off their paws, their ears trembling slightly, their noses sniffing gently, looking completely at ease.

A hundred miles away, on the riverbank where the ice floes had not yet melted, Lin Daochen walked alone, his robes covered in snow, his steps heavy.

Jiang Ziya turned around upon hearing the voice, smiling broadly: "Have you retrieved the Ice Condensation Pearl? Bring it here quickly, and I will immediately strengthen your foundation and stabilize those nine restless primordial spirits."

Shen Gongbao also stood to the side, a glint of light flashing in his eyes—if the Nine-Headed Serpent's image, which appears only once every million years, were truly sealed with the Ice Condensation Pearl, what kind of earth-shattering power would it unleash at the Integration Realm? He held his breath and waited.

But Lin Daochen simply shook his head, his voice low and flat: "I didn't take it."

The smiles on their faces instantly froze on their lips.

"I am ashamed, seniors, I was unable to retrieve the Ice Condensation Pearl—I'm afraid this is truly the last time I will be able to say goodbye to you both."

"My path has probably come to an end here. I will always remember your help today."

Before he finished speaking, Lin Daoquan bowed his head in greeting, turned and left, his robes brushing against the snow, his footsteps breaking through the thin ice, heading straight for the edge of the painting boundary.

Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao exchanged a silent glance, sighed softly, their brows furrowed with regret. Before them stood a magnificent tree, destined to become a pillar, yet it seemed destined to fall at the first sign of snow.

Lin Daochen walked further and further away, his figure shrinking into a tiny ink mark on the vast snowfield, as if he might be swallowed by the sunlight or scattered by the cold wind at any moment.

Suddenly, Jiang Ziya waved his sleeve and his voice was like tearing silk: "Young friend, hold on! There is another way to break this deadlock!"

Lin Daochen stopped walking, slowly turned around, his gaze calm, yet unable to conceal the slight trembling hope in his eyes.

"Is what you say true, senior? Now that the Ice Condensation Pearl is lost, didn't you clearly state before—"

"Only this pearl can suppress my cultivation and lock down the nine violent primordial spirits, preventing them from backfiring on my true self?"

The voice came from afar, each word clear and distinct, like the tolling of a bell, as if whispered close to the ear.

"That was merely a test of your character and your potential. Now it seems you are indeed the chosen one. Come back."

Lin Daochen paused for a moment, then nodded, turned around and went back, his steps as steady as ever.

A moment later, a small fire flickered in the stove inside the thatched hut. Lin Daochen sat in the main seat, with Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao on his left and right. Even more astonishingly, the white-robed old man who had pleaded for the Ice Crystal Beast was now standing by the door with his hands at his sides, his back slightly hunched, his expression respectful, and even his breathing was extremely soft.

"Sir, as you instructed, I have secretly tested this man. As expected, he passed."

After speaking, he bowed deeply and then quietly withdrew, the curtain swaying gently without making a sound.

Lin Daochen felt a chill run down his spine, his fingertips slightly cold. Yet this thatched hut seemed to insulate against the wind and snow, its warmth overflowing like spring water. He looked around at the four walls, bewildered and helpless—could it be that from the moment he stepped into the world of painting, all the joys and sorrows, struggles and despair, were nothing more than a game of chess they had laid out?

Just then, a loud laugh suddenly arose outside the door, clear and melodious like the cry of a crane in the sky.

Everyone turned to look, and saw Chen Hao standing with his hands behind his back, his blue robe fluttering in the wind, his eyes full of hearty laughter.

"Senior?" Lin Daochen hurriedly stood up and bowed.

Chen Hao strode forward and patted him heavily on the shoulder: "Good lad! You didn't disappoint me! I told them long ago—you're different from those petty cultivators. You have a broad mind and a vast inner world; only by embracing all things can you achieve greatness!"

"Only those with such a broad mind are worthy of traveling thousands of miles alone between heaven and earth, breaking new ground and forging new paths!"

Having said that, he glanced sideways at Jiang Ziya and Shen Gongbao, a smirk playing on his lips: "My two senior brothers, the bet is settled, don't renege on it—the three spiritual treasures and seven Dao pills you promised me, and the 'Frost Dragon Sword' you still owe me, all need to be settled as soon as possible!"

Jiang Ziya sighed and rubbed his forehead, while Shen Gongbao waved his hands repeatedly. Their previous air of otherworldly wisdom vanished, and they became nothing more than two old rascals driven to desperation.

"You're so unfair! Bringing up old grievances to attack us. Do you really want us, these two old folks, to lose everything, even our life savings for our funerals?"

The two stared at Chen Hao, while Lin Daochen was completely bewildered, feeling as if the whole room was filled with mystery.

He took a deep breath and finally spoke: "May I ask... from the moment I stepped into the world of painting, have I already been caught in this game? Are you all betting on whether I can survive this ordeal?"

The playful expression on Jiang Ziya's face vanished instantly. He slowly rose to his feet, his expression solemn as a monument.

Indeed, that is exactly it—the moment you stepped into this painted world, destiny had already quietly taken its course. This trial was designed for you, awaiting your personal experience to break free of your cocoon and transform. As for whether you can overcome this challenge, we have never presumptuously predicted it.

But it seems you have already won.

Lin Daochen's brows suddenly relaxed, and his mind cleared as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun. So that's how it is! All the mysteries have been revealed.

The gamble had already begun the moment he stepped into the painted landscape and onto the real waterfall cascading down.

The so-called Ice Crystal Beast was merely a prelude; the supposed crisis of the Nine Primordial Gods devouring each other probably never actually occurred.

The real test began when he first encountered the Ice Crystal Beast—seeing the fetal movement in its belly and its weak breath, he was truly faced with a choice: kill it to take the pearl, or protect its life? That single thought was the true threshold set by the Great Dao.

At this moment, Lin Daochen's mind was as clear as a mirror. When he looked up at the sky again, the blizzard had long since dissipated, and the sky was clear and cloudless, just like the clear and open state of mind in his heart.

"Hahaha! So that's how it is! I understand everything now! Thanks to your kindness, senior, I have not only passed this test, but also figured out the reason why I was trapped in the Golden Core for so many years!"

……

"Now I am ready to knock on the door of fusion. Farewell, everyone!"

Before he could finish speaking, Lin Daochen's figure blurred, transforming into a streak of light and speeding away. In the blink of an eye, he was already soaring above the sea of ​​clouds.

The snow-white clouds surged endlessly, reflecting a rainbow of colors. Standing amidst them, he felt as if he were in the land where the Great Dao first opened up, his body light and his mind clear, as if the ultimate truth of heaven and earth was in the space between his breaths.

He laughed loudly, his voice shaking the heavens—and Jiang Ziya and the others below all witnessed this scene.

"Senior brother, this kid... could he have truly attained enlightenment? I've never seen a cultivator who could pass our test—which cultivator would be willing to sacrifice their life for something else?"

Jiang Ziya stroked his beard and smiled, his gaze gentle, a hint of surprise hidden in his smile: "Junior brother, your words have reminded me. Perhaps the one we've encountered today is truly a once-in-a-millennium prodigy of cultivation. His future is far beyond our comprehension. Enough, let's go fishing."

He laughed loudly, turned and strolled back to the riverbank, where he sat steadily in the midst of the heavy snowfall, casting his line and waiting for the winds to carry him. Shen Gongbao, on the other hand, shook his head and sighed softly, then rose into the air with a flick of his sleeve, his figure gradually disappearing into the clouds, as if the turbulent events that had just transpired had nothing to do with him.

Deep within the sea of ​​clouds, streams of seven-colored light surged in from all directions, gentle yet powerful, completely enveloping Lin Daochen.

"Is this the light of the Great Dao? It is indeed profound... Although I have seen it from afar, this is the first time I have been permeated by it—so all things originate from this." He nodded slightly, knowing that the moment of enlightenment was about to arrive.

The light was as if the Great Dao itself had descended, resonating with him. He sat upright on the cloud, a gentle breeze caressing his face, and suddenly felt a warm sensation in his mind, as if his soul was quietly merging with heaven and earth.

Just then, a magnificent rainbow of light suddenly poured down! A seven-colored mist swirled up from beneath his feet, spinning faster and faster, like a dragon coiling around him, enveloping his entire body.

Lin Daochen took a deep breath—in that instant, nine figures suddenly appeared before him, each resembling himself, chatting and laughing, speaking warmly, like old friends reunited after a long separation.

He felt a slight tremor in his heart: these were clearly nine primordial gods manifesting themselves, sitting around discussing their hearts, pouring out their past experiences, and revealing their obsessions, as if nine different lives were converging here.

In that instant, his heart became like a mirror, reflecting all things. The world suddenly appeared different in his eyes—not that it had changed its appearance, but that he had finally seen its true nature.

He was not alarmed; he merely smiled slightly and spoke calmly:

"I am you, and you are me. Now that we have returned to our true selves, why distinguish between us? Come back."

As soon as he finished speaking, the nine figures turned their heads in unison to look at him. Their brows relaxed and their smiles were warm, as if the burden that had been pressing down for thousands of years had finally been lifted, leaving them only with a sense of ease and relief.