Chapter 8

Book 9 Chapter 8 – The Cruel Cold

Lei Xinfeng nodded . “Okay, so three Ancient Yin Rings total…that’s not a lot . ” He gave Fengying an Ancient Yin Ring, and two to Shihu, saying, “Take this chance and ascend! If it’s not enough, talk to me…I still have a lot, haha . ”

Jin Daya knew about Ancient Yin Rings . It was much more powerful that the Yin Rings that modern Monarchs create . After thousands of years, the Yin energy preserved in it is extremely pure . He had long given up ascending, only relying on Yin Rings to preserve his life . Since Ancient Yin Rings are much more powerful than normal Yin Rings, the effect on his longevity is similarly substantial . However, nobody will be willing to give such precious objects just to extend an old man’s life .

Lei Xinfeng saw Jin Daya’s pained expression and guessed his thoughts . “Uncle Jin, you take one too . Test it out the effects . ”

Jin Daya laughed . At a crucial moment, this was extremely precious . He could still find normal Yin Rings, but he’d never even seen an Ancient Yin Ring before, only heard of it . He thanked Lei Xinfeng .

Lei Xinfeng smiled . “Uncle Jin, from now on, we’re family . Don’t be stiff!”

For the first time, Jin Daya felt something stir inside . Emotions welled up in him .

Xin Zhaolun smiled . “Ah Feng, I can’t just ask something from you, so how about we trade five for one?”

“No need to trade, I’ll give you two as a gift,” Lei Xinfeng replied, taking out two more .

From the pile of beast pelts, Miaolin stuck out her head . “Younger brother, I want some too!”

Lei Xinfeng got quite the fright . “Elder sister, how are you here?” He didn’t even see her . She was so afraid of the cold that she spent the entire time so far under a pile of pelts so she would be a little less cold . Since Hongjie kept pinching her under the covers, she heard everything about the Ancient Yin Rings . Naturally, she popped out to ask for some too .

Lei Xinfeng wasn’t stingy, so he said, “Okay . I’ll give you two as well, but I can’t give any more . I didn’t gather that much in the first place . ” He didn’t dare be too generous . It’s not that he couldn’t afford to, but because he also had a bunch of subordinates that needed them as well . If he didn’t have enough when it was them for them to ascend, then there will be trouble .

Miaolin laughed . “Two? That’s great! Yay!” She personally thought that she wouldn’t even get one . Hongjie was also full of smiles . She was Miaolin’s head guard and managed a bunch of her own subordinates . That kind of item will definitely come in handy .

Now wasn’t the time to create his Lightning Stamp, nor could Lei Xinfeng cultivate, so he could only take out a big copper pot to cook more food .

Soon, a copper pot hung above every brazier . After putting in water and meat, steam rose and filled the entire room . “I put the lid on already . If I keep cooking, we won’t be able to see anything,” Lei Xinfeng said .

Xin Zhaolun said, “This isn’t good . We have to put pipes into the air holes, or we won’t last past tomorrow . ”

The air holes were curved holes in the ice wall that allowed outside air to enter . If they didn’t exist, everyone inside will suffocate . Now that there’s so much steam, it was easy for the holes to get clogged up by the steam that freeze into ice . That’s why they outfit the holes with pipes . When the pipes froze shut, they could just change the pipes .

“Open some more holes,” Lei Xinfeng suggested .

Since there was so many people, and so many fires were burning, they needed a lot of oxygen . If a pipe failed without them noticing, it could quickly snowball into a large problem . Even if they didn’t freeze, they’d suffocate to death . It’s better to prepare in advance .

On the second day, the coldest day finally came . Lei Xinfeng finally realized just how cold Hanya Castle could really be . Even the house made of ice began to creak in the cold, as if it was shattering . It filled Lei Xinfeng with anxiety . White fog began entering the room, freezing the pelts solid .

A brazier, enveloped by the fog, instantly went out .

It startled Jin Daya so much that he summoned a ball of fire and lit a few sticks of oil wood, causing flames to rise up with a roar and disperse the white fog .

Lei Xinfeng pointed at a wall . “There!” The fog was drifting out from a corner in the room .

Chuizi grabbed a pelt and threw it toward the leak . It touched the fog midair, and when the soft pelt hit the floor, it made the sound of a hard object colliding with another hard object . It made hair of everyone present stand on end . The pelt was already frozen hard as rock . If a living being were to be enveloped, they’ll lose consciousness instantly .

Oil wood was piled on top of the braziers . The flames rose, dispersing the white fog .

“What the hell, that’s terrifying,” Lei Xinfeng said, stunned .

“If it weren’t for that, there will be a lot more people here . This kind of cold can only be stopped by Monarchs . Even we Ninth Ring Sages must try our best to avoid it,” Xin Zhaolun said .

“Did it kill any Ninth Ring Sages?” Lei Xinfeng asked .

“Of course . Plenty, in fact . ”

“Because they were overconfident,” Fengying said . “They wouldn’t listen . Every year, there’s a few idiots that believe that with their strength, they can definitely withstand the cold . Haha, one by one, they drop like flies, believing to their last breath that they’ll be fine . ”

“Do they die in their rooms?” Lei Xinfeng asked .

“Because they didn’t prepare sufficiently, the walls cracked . You know how terrifying this fog is, right? They can’t even hide anywhere, so they could only die,” Jin Daya said .

Lei Xinfeng was speechless . Even Ninth Ring Sages will freeze to death, just like that . He couldn’t believe it .

“Some cracks can be fixed with pelts, while others need water . Prepare in advance,” Xin Zhaolun commanded .

Suddenly, Shihu’s body made a crackling sound . “Not bad, Old Hu ascended!” Xin Zhaolun said .

Following close after him was Miaolin and Xiao Diya . Fengying grimaced . “I’ll cultivate too . ” He was worried about Lei Xinfeng, so he didn’t cultivate . ”

“I’ll guard, you cultivate,” Jin Daya said .

Meanwhile, Hongjie was reassuring Miaolin . “Don’t be impatient, keep cultivating . Calm down and don’t worry, I’m here, so you won’t be in any danger . ”

Miaolin only made a small sound like a cat, since she was so cold . But the speed of her cultivation was so fast, welling up like boiling water . Not even half a day since she started, she already ascended .

Lei Xinfeng didn’t dare cultivate . He knew that if he did, he’d ascend instantly, but he hadn’t finished his Lightning Stamp . He could only concentrate on the fire in the braziers, and the cracking sounds coming from all directions . If even ice could freeze until it cracked, then the temperature was truly terrifying .

Jin Daya and Xin Zhaolun both held beast pelts, ready to plug in any holes . Chuizi and Futou were both visibly nervous . They knew more than anyone the terror of the cold here . They were used to hiding underground with the rest of their clansmen, but this time, they were too late, so they could only hide here with Xin Zhaolun .

Except for the cultivating people, Lei Xinfeng, Xin Zhaolun, Jin Daya, Chuizi, Futou, and Hongjie, were all on guard . They couldn’t sleep, and they must keep the fire going . And if they discovered a leak, they must fill it in immediately .

Lei Xinfeng was in charge of preparing a massive amount of food to fill everyone’s stomach .

While there was nothing to do, the six of them began to chat .

Chuizi had a large bowl in his hands filled with soup, eating loudly . “The harshest cold I’ve ever seen… that time, several clans were wiped out . None of them survived . It was so terrifying,” he said, spittle flying .

“No way . You all live underground . How can they all just die like that?” Lei Xinfeng asked .

“I’m not lying, it’s true!” Chuizi insisted .

“But the underground . How is it possible?”

Chuizi drank another mouthful of soup and answered after a while . “Why isn’t it possible? The air froze into liquid and ran underground . Anything is possible . ”

Lei Xinfeng couldn’t think of a reply . “Wha… the air turned to liquid? Heavens . ” To himself, he thought, “Could it be liquid nitrogen? What is this, below absolute zero?”

But Xin Zhaolun had heard of the story . “I know of this . That time, only two of ten people in the entire Hanya Castle survived . The others all died . I heard that even a Monarch almost died . He was quick and forced open a gate to escape, but he still sustained massive damage .

“Fortunately, this is rather rare . If such a thing happened, then our luck is bad . Our skill and preparations will be irrelevant, and there is only fate . ”

“That’s too scary . I hope that doesn’t happen often,” Lei Xinzhao said .

“Happen often?” Xin Zhaolun scoffed . “The last time that happened, for almost no one came here for decades . Everyone was too afraid . ”

“How long has it been since the last time?” Lei Xinfeng asked .

Chuizi laughed . “A long time, back when I was still small . Around maybe seventy or eighty years? It’s been less cold these past few years, so we shouldn’t have any problems . This is also the reason I’m still here . If not, then I’d be long gone underground . ”

“Elder brother, how much materials do you need to prepare for your ascension?” Lei Xinfeng asked Xin Zhaolun .

He sighed . “A lot . So much you can’t imagine . Ah Feng, you should start preparing now . Don’t wait like me and start when the time is almost upon you . Too much effort that way . ”

“What do I need to prepare?”

Xin Zhaolun answered . “You can ask Master for a Star Python Record . Everyone is different, and because our attributes are different, we need different materials as well . ”

Lei Xinfeng nodded . “Then, maybe some commonly used materials…” He didn’t even finish when he heard a loud cracking sound as something broke apart . Everyone went white in the face with fear .