In a forbidden area at the heart of the Domain of Frigid Depths.

The frosty mist that filled the entire domain seemed to originate from this place.

It was a lake that emanated an intense frigid aura. The surface was as smooth as a mirror, with a thick, white mist spreading from its center towards every remote corner of the Domain of Frigid Depths.

This lake was called the Frigid Depths.

The Domain of Frigid Depths had been named after it.

On the glistening surface of the lake stood a throne that had been carved from a glacier, on which sat a Bonebrute: Grand Monarch Ice Bones.

Completely motionless, Grand Monarch Ice Bones, who was hundreds of meters tall, looked down at the Frigid Depths with profound cold auras exuding from his eyes, which looked like a pair of icy crystals.

Ripples would rise on the tranquil lake from time to time.

FZZZ! FIZZ! FIZZ!

Sparks of starlight could be seen flashing in the depths of the lake.

At first glance, it looked as if there were a starry river in the lake, with numerous sparkling stars in the dark. At the same time, a huge shadow could be seen in the depths of the lake, as if something was imprisoned under there.

That figure channeled power from the starry river and cast profound incantations, yet all of its attempts to break free from the Frigid Depths failed.

Grand Monarch Ice Bones lifted his large hand.

Drops of Blood Essence that were white and spotless flew out of his sparkling icy fingertips. Exuding a bleak aura of death, they spread on the lake’s surface before dispersing downwards.

BOOM!

Tens of thousands of interweaving silver lights suddenly appeared on the surface of the lake. As the essence of Grand Monarch Ice Bones’ blood, they were vested with the profound mysteries of the ultimate bleak and cold death power.

As that happened, tranquility was restored to the slightly rippled lake surface.

The enormous starlight-emanating shadow that was struggling in the depths of the lake was held down once again.

BOOOOM!

A large piece of ice that stood in a corner of the lake suddenly started to shake violently.

As it shattered, Lu Qingchen emerged.

At the same time, billions of rays of icy light interwove and set up the Frigid Ice Divine Kingdom once again, forming around the space where he emerged.

It was just that the reformed Frigid Ice Divine Kingdom was significantly smaller than its original form.

WHOOSH!

The Gelid Heavenly Ice Sword that had been forged after spending ten thousand years in the Frigid Depths was cast out by Lu Qingchen. It descended into the Frigid Depths, as if to absorb its cold power, which would help it repair itself.

“Sectmaster Lu,” Grand Monarch Ice Bones said in broken human language. “You’ve taken care of those Saint domain cultivators from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace? Saint domain cultivators’ inner domains are rather valuable. If you could separate them, I bet you’d be able to sell them for a good price. Although I reckon that’s not a hard thing to do with the help of your Frigid Ice Divine Kingdom and Gelid Heavenly Ice Sword.”

“There... was a little problem, Grand Monarch,” Lu Qingchen said, sagging his head.

“Problem?” Grand Monarch Ice Bones’ eyes widened slightly, and a bleak, bone-chilling aura seemed to pierce into Lu Qingchen’s mind.

Even though Lu Qingchen also practiced cold power, he shuddered involuntarily before hastily explaining, “Strong reinforcements from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace arrived!”

Grand Monarch Ice Bones snorted disdainfully. “Strong reinforcements? Who from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace other than Luo Wanxiang could pose a threat to you?”

“The seventh Son of the Stars, Nie Tian,” Lu Qingchen answered.

Grand Monarch Ice Bones’ eyes grew wide. “Are you kidding? What can a Son of the Stars do? Even Dou Tianchen isn’t to be feared, much less Nie Tian.”

CRACK! CRACK!

With these words, his flesh aura sea suddenly spread out, freezing everything within a million kilometer radius around him, including space itself.

His command of cold power, freezing ability, and range of influence was who-knew-how many times superior than Lu Qiangchen’s.

“Of course it wasn’t Nie Tian himself,” Lu Qingchen said with his eyes cast down. Fear could be heard in his voice. “There were also Mo Qianfan from the Heavenly Thunder Sect, who has recently entered the God domain, and Yin Xingtian from the Streamcloud Sword Sect. That Yin Xingtian even nearly pierced through me with his divine tool Heavenbreaker.”

Grand Monarch Ice Bones was clearly taken aback upon hearing these names. “Mo Qianfan and Yin Xingtian?!”

Even though he was a Bonebrute grand monarch, he seemed to be familiar with Mo Qianfan and Yin Xingtian. “Mo Qianfan wasn’t worth mentioning before he entered the God domain. However, I’ve heard stories about that Yin Xingtian since long ago. Not only is he a very seasoned cultivator who’s accumulated power at the late Saint domain for many years, but he holds a mighty divine tool as well...”

“I tried to fight the two of them single-handedly, but failed,” Lu Qingchen said.

Grand Monarch Ice Bones pondered for a moment before saying, “The ultimate goal of their trip to the Domain of Frigid Depths has to be to rescue Chu Rui. Don’t worry. Tell your people and the other local sects and clans to stay low for now. And inform Mo Qianfan and Yin Xingtian of this place.”

Looking spirited, Lu Qingchen said, “Got it.”

With an expressionless face, Grand Monarch Ice Bones said, “As long as I remain by the Frigid Depths, I can deal with Mo Qianfan and Yin Xingtian while trapping Chu Rui. It doesn’t matter who comes, Chu Rui, Mo Qianfan, or Yin Xingtian. I’ll turn them all into ice sculptures where their bodies and souls will be frozen for eternity.”

“I’m on it,” Lu Qingchen said cheerfully.

...

In the frosty mist.

From Master Pure Metal and Lord Green Wood, Nie Tian soon learned that the chubby vice sectmaster of his sect was currently trapped in the Frigid Depths by Grand Monarch Ice Bones.

Just before he had been imprisoned, he had informed Master Pure Metal, Lord Green Wood, and his other subordinates through soul messages, and told them to run, and that they should report his situation to his sect as quickly as possible.

However, powerful experts from the Extreme Coldness Palace and the other local forces in the Domain of Frigid Depths had pursued Master Pure Metal and the others as they had fled. Even after they had split up, many had been captured and killed.

At the same time, word of what had happened had spread.

Then, the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace had given the task of aiding the mission to the Domain of Frigid Depths to Zu Guangyao and Xin Qing.

However, they had been informed that Luo Wanxiang, another vice sectmaster, had been at a crucial moment in his secluded cultivation. Apparently, he had been practicing some secret incantation. Therefore, his connection to the outside world had been completely cut off.

Without any God domain experts to use, the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace had been stuck.

Fortunately, Nie Tian had risen and shone in the Domain of Primal Yang. With Mo Qianfan’s assistance, he had severely injured Wu Zhuri, captured him and Qi Jiaoyang alive, and let Fang Yuan escort them back to the sect.

Upon hearing about this, Wei Lai had sent Han Wanrong to ask for Nie Tian’s service once again.

“Nie Tian, our master is being held in the Frigid Depths by Grand Monarch Ice Bones as we speak,” Master Pure Metal said with an imploring tone. “That strange Frigid Depths seems to be the place where Grand Monarch Ice Bones has been hiding and strengthening his bloodline the whole time. Plus, the Frigid Ice Divine Kingdom, the Gelid Heavenly Ice Sword, and the entire Extreme Coldness Palace seems to have profound connections to it.

“Considering our master’s current cultivation base, I doubt that he’ll be able to score a victory fighting Grand Monarch Ice Bones in a place where he has practiced cultivation for hundreds of thousands of years.”

Master Pure Metal, Lord Green Wood, and Teng Yue all looked at Nie Tian with eager eyes.

“The Frigid Depths, Grand Monarch Ice Bones...” Nie Tian pondered the matter.

Mo Qianfan took a moment to think before shaking his head, “Grand Monarch Ice Bones is at the middle tenth grade. If he really has practiced cultivation in the Frigid Depths for that long, it’s gonna be unwise to fight him there. Vice Sectmaster Chu Rui is at the middle God domain. Normally speaking, he should be able to match Grand Monarch Ice Bones in battle, yet he ended up imprisoned in the Frigid Depths.”

Yin Xingtian also frowned, and had a feeling that the odds would be against them if they were to fight Grand Monarch Ice Bones at the Frigid Depths.

Eyes narrowed, Nie Tian said, “Grand Monarch Ice Bones competed with Grand Monarch Crystal Bones for the position of high chieftain. Only after his loss did he find a place to hide. Now that Grand Monarch Ice Bones has shown up in the Domain of Frigid Depths, what if we let the Bonebrutes know about this?”

Master Pure Metal smiled bitterly and said, “Are you suggesting that we let Grand Monarch Crystal Bones come after Grand Monarch Ice Bones?”

Nie Tian nodded.

“I don’t think that’ll work,” Master Pure Metal said. “As soon as we learned that Grand Monarch Ice Bones, who has been hiding in the Frigid Depths, made a move against our master, we had people spread the word to the Bonebrutes. However, the Bonebrutes didn’t do anything, as if they’ve never thought about going after Grand Monarch Ice Bones in the first place.

“The Bonebrutes are now led by three grand monarchs: Grand Monarch Crystal Bones, Grand Monarch Pale Bones, and Grand Monarch Withered Bones, with their bloodlines at the late, middle, and early tenth grade. Among them, only Grand Monarch Crystal Bones and Grand Monarch Pale Bones can create trouble for Grand Monarch Ice Bones. However, as the high chieftain, Grand Monarch Crystal Bones refines his bloodline in private year-round. It’s been a long time since he appeared in public.

“As for Grand Monarch Pale Bones, who’s also at the middle tenth grade, even if he headed over here, I doubt he’d be able to defeat Grand Monarch Ice Bones at the Frigid Depths...”

Nie Tian went silent for a brief moment before muttering, “So that means even the Bonebrutes don’t have anyone strong enough to defeat Grand Monarch Ice Bones?”

Master Pure Metal nodded. “That’s right. There’s nothing they can do about him, unless their high chieftain, the late tenth grade Grand Monarch Crystal Bones, comes here himself. But since he hasn’t shown up for many years, most of the Bonebrutes’ affairs are being managed by Grand Monarch Pale Bones. I doubt that he’ll be willing to plunge into a war just to get rid of Grand Monarch Ice Bones.”

Everyone frowned in frustration as the discussion carried on.

Even Mo Qianfan and Yin Xingtian found the situation thorny, as they didn’t have any confidence in defeating Grand Monarch Ice Bones, who was waiting for them at the Frigid Depths.

WOO! WOO! WOO!

While Nie Tian was anxious about what to do, the five evil gods, which hadn’t returned to the Spirit Pearl, let out shrill cries at the same time.

Like sharp swords and steel needles, the shrill cries pierced far into their surroundings.

Nie Tian was somewhat baffled. “Hmm?! What’s going on with you?”

He hastily focused his attention on communicating with them in an attempt to read their thoughts from the auras they emanated.