Chapter 1017 - Extreme North

In the following days, Liu Wuxie launched a broader search, handing out portraits of Xu Lingxue and Murong Yi. Soon after, scouts poured in with reports. Nearly all reported sightings of Xu Lingxue and Murong Yi heading toward the extreme north, so the search teams redirected their search toward there.

Days flew by as they trekked through mountains and rivers, covering vast terrain in just over ten days. Along the way, they faced hostile receptions, broke into scuffles, and several Renowned Sword Manor disciples suffered injuries after accidentally barging into nunneries.

Once the three teams regrouped, Miao Jianying pointed toward the distant north. "Brother Liu, up ahead lies the extreme north, and very few people live out there."

An endless white plain stretched before them, blanketed in thick glacial ice. It was a barren, lifeless world.

Northern City spanned over a wide area, but most people lived in concentrated zones, as survival in places like this was nearly impossible.

The howling wind and cold made every breath feel like shards of ice scraping their throats. More importantly, the spiritual energy here pressed down oppressively. It was far too dense for human cultivation. Only the truly gifted could endure a place like this.

Liu Wuxie activated Ghost Eye to scan hundreds of miles into the distance.

"Does anyone even live here?"

He saw no trace of vegetation, let alone any sign of human life.

Miao Jianying shook his head after a pause. "No, I've never heard of anyone surviving out here."

"Wait—I just remembered something!" Ji Qiu exclaimed, slapping his thigh as he stared into the distance.

"What is it, Brother Ji?" Liu Wuxie asked, a flicker of hope flashing in his eyes.

Everyone turned to Ji Qiu.

The formidable cultivators were fine, but ordinary disciples were already shivering despite having stocked up on thick fur coats to fend off the cold.

Cultivators were usually resistant to extreme temperatures, but the cold here was so terrifying that even they felt its bite.

"I remember reading about a mysterious sect that once lived in the extreme north," Ji Qiu explained. "But eventually, it declined long ago. Maybe they took the two ladies you're looking for."

Thousands of years ago, a mysterious sect had made the extreme north its home. However, the brutal conditions had driven them out, and without new disciples, they had gradually disappeared into obscurity.

"Why haven't I heard of this before?" Miao Jianying asked, frowning. A sect living in the extreme north was news to him.

"That's not surprising. The sect's so secretive they almost never appear in Northern City. Few even know they exist."

Thousands of years ago, many were aware of the sect, but over time, its existence was forgotten.

"I'll head in alone. Wait here," Liu Wuxie said.

Thanks to his mastery of the Frost Dao Art, the cold didn't bother him. In fact, it would help him refine his ice-attribute true essence. Nevertheless, for the others, it was a different story.

"No way. We're going with you. If anything happens, we'll be there to help," Miao Jianying insisted. They had come this far together, and there was no way they'd let Liu Wuxie enter the extreme north alone.

"Ying'er and I will go with you. The rest should fall back to the border and stay in contact," Ji Qiu said.

Most of the disciples were injured or simply too weak to endure the harsh conditions of the extreme north.

Liu Wuxie agreed. Ji Qiu likely knew the terrain, having been here before, and Wuxie would risk getting lost without a guide.

After settling the other disciples, the three ventured into the extreme north.

Liu Wuxie wrapped himself in a thick white coat. Ji Qiu and Miao Jianying followed suit, bundling tightly to block the cold.

Conditions worsened the farther they went. Furious winds howled, and heavy snow fell without pause. The wind cut like blades against their skin. No wonder no one lived here.

When even Liu Wuxie struggled against the brutal cold, what hope did ordinary people have?

The three pressed forward, unaware they had already traveled hundreds of miles.

"There's a shelter up ahead. We'll rest there for the night. The temperature drops sharply after dark, and it's safer to wait it out," Ji Qiu said, pointing to a small hill in the distance.

At night, the extreme north became a frozen purgatory where nothing could survive.

Liu Wuxie and Miao Jianying nodded in agreement, trusting Ji Qiu's judgment.

They pushed through the howling wind toward the hill, where a massive pillar shielded them from the worst of the storm. They pitched a tent and secured it into the glacier with special nails to keep it from being swept away by the wind.

Crafted from snow beast fur, the tent easily resisted the cold. Snow beasts were common in Northern City and had evolved to thrive in freezing temperatures.

The tent held all three comfortably, and stepping inside created the illusion of another world. It wasn't warm, but it was bearable.

They peeled off their outer layers and sat down, rubbing their hands for warmth.

"Brother Liu, don't worry. If they're still in Northern City, we'll find them," Ji Qiu said, breaking the silence with a reassuring tone.

Liu Wuxie nodded. The search didn't trouble him—what haunted him was the two women's safety.

Two years had passed since they had parted. He didn't know how they were doing or if they were in trouble. He didn't know whether someone had taken them by force or if they'd come to Northern City of their own will.

Fierce winds battered the tent, shaking it with violent gusts while ice chunks pelted the roof.

The trio sat silently and cultivated until dawn. By morning, they found the tent almost buried under snow and pried it open with effort.

"It snowed hard last night."

Thankfully, they had set up camp the night before. Had they kept moving, the storm would've buried them alive.

"This is the extreme north; blizzards one day, clear skies the next," Ji Qiu muttered.

The storm had passed. Visibility returned, and the cold eased enough for them to move.

To avoid getting lost, Ji Qiu marked the trail as they moved. Most markers were buried beneath the snow, but with careful searching, they could still find traces.

They trudged across a vast sea of white, no larger than ants against the endless expanse. The extreme north stretched endlessly, offering no sign of borders.

With the storm gone, they moved at twice the previous day's pace.

After crossing several icy valleys, they emerged before a majestic mountain range. Each peak was buried in snow.

The peaks shaped a breathtaking landscape, their contours resembling dragons, tigers, rabbits, and even hunched old men in motion.

"What a beautiful place!" Miao Jianying exclaimed, awestruck. He hadn't expected such a wonder in the extreme north. For a moment, they stood mesmerized, their mission momentarily forgotten.

"Look! What's over there?" Miao Jianying cried out.

Colorful rings of light shimmered atop a distant mountain, bathing the world in radiant hues.

"That's the aurora. It shines even brighter at night," Ji Qiu said.

Liu Wuxie had recognized it instantly, but had kept his attention focused on tracking the two women.

Something about the place felt off to Liu Wuxie.

"Let's check it out," Miao Jianying said, his curiosity piqued by the aurora. He anticipated uncovering something up there.

Liu Wuxie and Ji Qiu nodded in agreement, and the trio circled the peaks to reach the glowing mountain's base by dusk.

"Brother Liu, why did you stop?" Miao Jianying and Ji Qiu asked when they saw him standing motionless.

"Don't you find this mountain odd?" Liu Wuxie asked with a frown.

Ji Qiu and Miao Jianying quickly turned to study the mountain as soon as Liu Wuxie spoke.

"Now that you mention it, the other mountains look natural, but this one seems hollow inside," Ji Qiu said, narrowing his eyes.

"Let's climb it," Liu Wuxie decided. He intended to investigate the mountain, hollow or not.

"Agreed!" Ji Qiu and Miao Jianying echoed, then began climbing the icy slope with effort.

The howling wind raged so fiercely that flying would've sent them tumbling through the air. They had to find shelter before nightfall, or the wind would toss them off the peak.

Using climbing gear, they quickened their pace up the slope. Liu Wuxie paused every few steps, scanning the ice and spotting marks clearly left by human hands.

"This could be a mountain trail," Ji Qiu muttered as he dug into the ice with a shovel.

Miao Jianying joined him, and together, they broke through the ice, uncovering a set of stone stairs beneath.

"People must have built these!" Miao Jianying exclaimed, his voice filled with disbelief.

The stairs looked too precise to be natural, and someone had clearly carved them into the mountain stone.