Inside the hall, the faces of the majority of those present turned unsightly upon hearing the announcement, while the members of the Fourth Branch were all beaming with joy.
Everyone understood clearly that this decision was the result of the ancestors' multifaceted considerations and could not be altered. Their thoughts immediately turned to how they might improve their relationship with the Fourth Branch; even if they couldn't obtain a Purple Oriole, surely they could manage to get a Green or Yellow one.
After the dual cultivation ceremony concluded, Ji Rufeng and Bai Xingyu followed Li Xue and the others back to Jinming Star.
Five years later, the Great Magic Assembly of the Primordial Sect was approaching. Traveling from Jinming Star to the Primordial Star in the north would take over two months via teleportation arrays. Li Xue and her companions decided not to rely solely on teleportation, opting instead to travel toward the Primordial Star as a form of experiential cultivation. After reaching the mid-stage of Core Formation, simply meditating in seclusion was insufficient; traveling was the best choice. Moreover, many places within the Primordial Chaos Star Domain were well worth a visit.
Li Yuhong and Bai Ruihua naturally would not travel with the juniors and set off ahead of them, embarking on their own journey. Bugui Sanren, however, was in high spirits as he pointed out several places of interest on the star map, much to the group's delight.
Originally, Li Xue and the other five had intended to split into two groups and stay in contact through the Dream Realm, thinking it might be safer. Bugui Sanren scoffed at the idea. "Your feathers aren't even fully grown, yet you're already thinking of flying off in different directions? If you get lost, don't come crying to me."
Hearing this, Yu Nanqing also advised, "Traveling through the void is extremely dangerous. With your cultivation levels, a group of two or three might not be able to handle what comes your way. If you encounter a Nascent Soul evil cultivator, they might hesitate before trying to wipe out a large crowd, but for two or three people, they’d do it with a flick of their wrist. It is better for you all to travel together."
Li Xue realized he was right. A large group of Core Formation cultivators was like children on a spring outing; an adult might just smile and let them pass. But if there were only two or three "kittens," a bored or ill-tempered expert might very well destroy them on a whim. The cultivation world was perilous; one had to be cautious when traveling.
Bai Xingyu piloted the Nebula Boat. With everyone on board, they watched the countless points of light in the void from the vessel's vantage point, their hearts filled with excitement. The interior space of the Nebula Boat could be expanded or contracted, and it was fully equipped with all the necessary domestic comforts.
In the forward cabin, Bai Xingyu placed five high-grade spirit stones into the array and performed a series of hand seals. The Nebula Boat entered an active defensive flight mode. Beside her, Ji Rufeng gave his wife a tender embrace and said softly, "Xingyu, go and rest. I'll keep watch here." Bai Xingyu smiled and nodded.
Li Xiaoyin sat in Li Xue’s lap, giggling. "Mother, Xiao Huang told me a story once. She said when a newlywed couple goes traveling, it’s called a 'honeymoon.' Is that right?"
"That’s right. So your Uncle Ji and Auntie Yu are having a 'void honeymoon.' Isn't it romantic?" Li Xue replied.
"Yes, so romantic! When Zi Huang takes human form, I want to go on a honeymoon with her too!" Xiaoyin said.
"Er..." Li Xue didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "You and Xiao Huang are both girls. That wouldn't be a honeymoon; that would be a 'sisters' void trip.'"
Dongfang Jing chimed in from the side, "And me! Xiaoyin, I'll accompany you on your travels when the time comes!"
"Great, great! Brother Dongfang can come on the sisters' void trip too!" Li Xiaoyin said happily.
Li Xue shook her head. Xiaoyin was happy as long as there was fun to be had; she truly had the temperament of a child. Li Xue then sat cross-legged to meditate and rest, leaving Dongfang Jing to play with Xiaoyin.
Ten days later, the Nebula Boat’s speed gradually slowed. Ji Rufeng looked out and called, "Look! We’ve reached the first location Senior Bugui marked. Why is it a white star?"
Everyone opened their eyes to observe the large white star ahead. It was a vast expanse of snowy white. Ji Rufeng steered the Nebula Boat toward the white star and soon entered its atmosphere, but they encountered resistance immediately upon breaking through.
Ji Rufeng performed several hand seals, forcing the Nebula Boat through the layer. He said in surprise, "This is a layer of ice. Is this an ice star? Even the outer atmosphere is frozen!"
The Nebula Boat soon descended to the icy surface. Everyone disembarked, and Bai Xingyu stowed the boat away. It was indeed a world locked in ice. Everywhere their divine sense reached—whether land or water—was covered in thick ice.
The group was secretly delighted. A place perpetually frozen like this was bound to contain ice crystals. With a bit of luck, they might even find Ice Crystal Jade, which were excellent materials for artifact refining. Li Xue also needed such materials for the consciousness-type magic treasure she intended to forge.
"Don't go too deep yet. We don't know what dangers lurk here," Li Xue cautioned. The group began to head toward the inner layers of the ice star.
Their target was a nearby ice mountain. Ice crystals usually appeared on such peaks. Violent icy astral winds buffeted them, but by circulating their spiritual power for defense, they were able to advance with relative ease.
As they reached the foot of the ice mountain, the astral winds grew even more ferocious. Li Xue was forced to release her Five Elements Flying Shuttle for protection, and the others followed suit. Only Ji Rufeng acted as if nothing were wrong; he shielded Bai Xingyu, strolling forward with effortless grace. The others curled their lips at the sight—the lad had an ice spiritual root, so cultivating in this frozen world was actually beneficial to him.
Ji Rufeng activated the Divine Art of the Icy Heart and summoned the Dragon-Overturning Seal, smashing it directly against the ice mountain. With a thunderous *crack*, the surface layer of the mountain split open, yet the inner layers remained completely unscathed.
"Rufeng, that's too violent. Watch me!" Yu Ming summoned her Cloud-Perching Hooks. The twin hooks spiraled and sank into the ice mountain. Yu Ming’s hands moved rapidly, casting one spiritual seal after another. A harsh screeching sound, like glass grinding against glass, filled the air. After a moment, Yu Ming retracted the hooks. Everyone looked closer and saw that a tunnel had been bored into the ice.
"Not bad, Ming'er. Let me scout the way!" Ji Rufeng’s Ice Feather Fan flew into the tunnel. He used the Divine Art of the Icy Heart to manipulate the fan, probing deep toward the bottom of the hole.
Li Xue and the others were not idle either, using their divine sense to search for traces of ice crystals. They couldn't probe the very base of the ice mountain, however, as the extreme cold there was more than even divine sense could endure.
Soon, Ji Rufeng retracted his Ice Feather Fan and said, "There is an ice lake beneath the mountain. I didn't see any immediate danger."
"Then let's go down and look," Li Xue said. She then turned to Li Xiaoyin. "Xiaoyin, go back for now. Once we're down and sure it's safe, you can come back out."
Xiaoyin nodded obediently. Li Xue performed a hand seal and drew Xiaoyin back into the Dream Realm. Everyone knew Xiaoyin was a spirit entity, so they didn't ask where Li Xue had sent her, though Dongfang Jing’s eyes flickered as he watched the spot where she disappeared, casting a pensive glance at Li Xue.
Ji Rufeng led the way into the tunnel, followed by Li Xue and Bai Xingyu, with Yu Ming and Dongfang Jing bringing up the rear. Li Lin, Chi Ze, and Hei Yan were still in seclusion recovering from their injuries and did not join them.
The group quickly reached the bottom. Beneath the ice mountain lay a vast frozen sea. Ice pillars and spikes were everywhere, and ice floes drifted upon the water, crystal clear and translucent, reflecting light until the entire cavern glowed brightly.
What a magnificent world of ice; it was truly beautiful.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 元始星 | Primordial Star | A planet/star associated with the Primordial Sect. |
| 历练 | Experiential cultivation | The practice of traveling to gain experience and insights. |
| 鸿蒙星域 | Primordial Chaos Star Domain | The broader region of space where the story takes place. |
| 星标 | Star map | A navigational marker or map for space travel. |
| 姐妹淘 | Sisters' trip / Sisterhood | Slang for a group of close female friends hanging out. |
| 冰罡风 | Icy astral winds | High-altitude or space-based winds with freezing properties. |
| 冰晶玉 | Ice Crystal Jade | A rare mineral used for refining high-quality magic tools. |
| 冰心神诀 | Divine Art of the Icy Heart | Ji Rufeng's cultivation technique. |
| 翻龙印 | Dragon-Overturning Seal | Ji Rufeng's magic treasure. |
| 栖云钩 | Cloud-Perching Hooks | Yu Ming's magic treasure. |
| 冰羽扇 | Ice Feather Fan | Ji Rufeng's magic treasure. |
| 五行飞梭 | Five Elements Flying Shuttle | Li Xue's defensive/utility magic treasure. |
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Ascended Without Me: Cultivating with a Genius Son | Chapter 124 | Voyage to the Frozen Star | Novela.app | Novela.app
