Chapter 272 - 187: Icefield

Chapter 272: Chapter 187: Icefield

Saint Hong had revealed a few details about the crisis concerning the Profound Realm’s Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy to his father-in-law.

This was why Bai Yimeng, despite being the Commander-in-Chief, always wore a worried expression.

As a ’Sword Immortal’, he considered himself to be at the Martial Arts Peak within the Profound Realm.

Name: Bai Yimeng

Root Bone: Hero

Talent: High-Grade Talent [Sword Immortal]

Bloodline Talent: [Ancient Baize 30%]

Bai Yimeng had already comprehended an Advanced Martial Arts True Intent. Combined with his bloodline and Root Bone, he was no longer inferior to his martial uncle, Jiang Changge.

However, Bai Yimeng always felt like something was missing.

’Perhaps what’s missing is the truth about the Profound Realm.’ The higher his Martial Arts strength became, the less Bai Yimeng found he understood about the Profound Realm.

Furthermore, with the continuous decline of Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy over the past few decades, Bai Yimeng had long sensed that something was amiss.

’Only two people likely know the true secret of the Profound Realm.’

The Saint Master and the enigmatic successor of the Martial Arts Array—Qiankun Daoist.

Shaking his head, Bai Yimeng pushed the distracting thoughts from his mind.

The current priority was to restore the ancient path through the Icefield and conquer the nations beyond it, bringing them under the Holy Country’s rule.

Bai Yimeng did not want to see the day the Profound Realm truly reached the state the Saint Emperor had described.

The Icefield Army led by Bai Yimeng was structured like the Extreme North Army, likewise equipped with ten Vanguard Generals.

Besides the Demon Generals from the Demon Sect, a few other Vanguard Generals were Rebirth Realm experts personally supported by Saint Hong.

Because of the Icefield’s extreme climate, one had to be at or above the Bone Refining Realm to survive there for long.

Thus, aside from the ten Vanguard Generals, the Icefield Army was only equipped with five hundred Bone Refining Realm experts.

At this moment, a Vanguard General arrived outside Bai Yimeng’s carriage.

"Grand General, it seems we’ve passed through the extreme freeze zone!" The one who spoke was Purple Dragon of the Heavenly Corpse Demon Sect, one of the few Demon Generals who had been in service since the time of Lu Changfeng.

"Oh?" Bai Yimeng’s eyes lit up.

He had been leading the Icefield Army across the Icefield for three long years.

Half a year ago, they had entered the central region of the Icefield, the so-called extreme freeze zone, and only today had they finally emerged from it.

This meant they had already covered more than half of the journey across the Icefield.

"Come, let’s go see."

Bai Yimeng flashed out of the carriage and went to the front of the Vanguard Team. As expected, he could sense that the surrounding temperature had risen considerably.

"Increase our pace! We must get out of this Icefield as soon as possible!"

Bai Yimeng exclaimed joyfully.

According to the records in the ancient atlas of passages, after leaving the extreme freeze zone, there was only another quarter of the journey left before they would exit the Icefield and reach the plains to the north.

The Icefield Army was composed of experts at or above the Bone Refining Realm. At full speed, they could cross the remaining distance in just a few months!

With a command from Bai Yimeng, the Icefield Army advanced at full speed.

A single leap from a Bone Refining Realm expert could cover dozens of meters.

Marching at full speed, the entire force swiftly skimmed across the Icefield.

After just three months, Bai Yimeng led the Icefield Army to the northern edge of the Icefield.

Looking out, he saw overlapping mountain ranges below the edge of the Icefield, and nestled within was clearly a sizable town.

Bai Yimeng first reported their arrival to Saint Hong.

Then, he cautiously dispatched a few Bone Refining Realm experts to descend and scout the area, while the main army rested and regrouped on the Icefield.

Before long, the Bone Refining Realm scouts returned with intelligence.

The Northern Icefield Region had been in a warring states period ever since a dynasty fell thousands of years ago. There were now a total of nineteen nations.

The town below the Icefield belonged to the Zhao Country.

Among the nineteen nations, the Zhao Country was considered middle-tier.

On the surface, the Zhao Country had a total of nine Rebirth Realm masters.

All of them were at the Primordial Spirit Body Realm.

It was worth noting that despite being separated for several millennia, the language in the Northern Icefield Region was not significantly different from that of the Song Territory. At most, there were some variations in accent, but the differences were minor.

Since the Northern Icefield Region was already divided into nineteen nations, accent differences were not an issue at all.

Bai Yimeng briefly pondered his next course of action.

Saint Hong had just granted him full authority to act, and follow-up troops were already rushing to their location at full speed, following the route Bai Yimeng had provided.

This time, Saint Hong had arranged for a large number of supply troops to establish outposts along the route Bai Yimeng had secured.

As long as there were enough outposts along the way, even ordinary Martial Artists would be able to cross the Icefield!

’At that time, the entire Northern Icefield Region will be enveloped by the Holy Country!’

"First, we’ll disperse. Gather information on this region from all angles. We will meet in the Zhao Country Capital in one month."

Bai Yimeng said calmly.

Following Bai Yimeng’s orders, the ten Vanguard Generals and the Bone Refining Realm soldiers stealthily descended the mountain, quickly blending into the town before dispersing to various parts of the Zhao Country.

Bai Yimeng, accompanied by a Bone Refining Realm expert from the Yun Family named Yun Tianming, also entered the town.

Before long, Bai Yimeng appeared in a tavern in the town.

After trekking across the Icefield for several years, Bai Yimeng’s taste buds were screaming for flavor.

He and Yun Tianming ordered a table full of food and wine.

"Tianming, how much of your ancestor’s Sword Realm Power have you inherited?" Bai Yimeng asked while eating, once the dishes were served.

Yun Tianming shook his head. "I’ve only learned the basics."

Yun Tianming was Yun Tiankong’s great-grandson and the prodigy of his generation in the Yun Family, which was why he had been placed under Bai Yimeng’s command as a personal aide.

Yun Tianming had grasped Sword Realm Power and was considered a noteworthy expert in Saint Hong’s eyes, so naturally, he warranted special attention.

"Did you hear? The Princess of Zhao is recruiting an Imperial Consort. You’re just the right age. You should give it a try," Bai Yimeng said.

Besides eating, there was another purpose for being in the tavern: to listen to the idle chatter of the nearby patrons and gather useful information.

And from this, Bai Yimeng had gleaned a remarkable piece of intelligence: the Emperor of Zhao was holding a martial arts tournament to find a husband for his eldest daughter.

The event was just half a month away.

Having Yun Tianming participate in this marriage tournament would allow them to understand the Martial Arts of this region’s practitioners. And if he was fortunate enough to win, he would directly infiltrate the inner circles of the Zhao Country. It was killing two birds with one stone.

"What?! Commander-in-Chief... COUGH, COUGH, Uncle Bai, isn’t that a bit much?" Yun Tianming nearly choked on his food. Realizing his formal address was out of place, he quickly corrected himself.

"This region will sooner or later be brought under the Holy Country’s banner. What’s so inappropriate about you marrying a princess from here?" Bai Yimeng said.

Under the coaxing of the Imperial Father-in-Law, Yun Tianming hesitantly agreed.

And so, over the next half a month, Bai Yimeng traveled around with Yun Tianming, managing to reach the Zhao Country Capital and successfully register him for the Eldest Princess’s martial arts tournament just before the deadline.

As Yun Tiankong’s great-grandson,

Yun Tianming had inherited Yun Tiankong’s Sword Dao Talent and possessed a good Root Bone. In his early thirties, his cultivation had already reached the Copper Bone Stage of the Bone Refining Realm.

The age limit for this recruitment of an imperial consort by the Zhao Country’s Eldest Princess was under forty years old. Therefore, with Yun Tianming’s Realm and his Sword Dao Talent, his chances of becoming the Imperial Consort were quite high.

"The martial arts tournament begins tomorrow. Perform well, Prince Consort Yun." Bai Yimeng patted Yun Tianming’s shoulder.

Yun Tianming gave a wry smile. "Please stop joking, Uncle Bai. I’ll do my best to win."

"Don’t look so miserable. I hear the Eldest Princess of Zhao is stunningly beautiful." After teasing Yun Tianming, Bai Yimeng began to meet up with his subordinates who had already arrived in the Zhao Country Capital.

After half a month of gathering intelligence, Bai Yimeng had a basic grasp of the strength and situation of the Zhao Royal Family.

Of the Zhao Country’s nine Rebirth Realm experts, six were from Noble Families, two were commoners, and only one belonged to the Royal Family.

Thus, the position of the Zhao Royal Family had long been precarious.

This martial arts tournament was clearly an attempt by the Zhao Royal Family to recruit a Martial Arts genius and cultivate them.

In Bai Yimeng’s eyes, this was an excellent opportunity.

The Noble Families controlling the imperial court would definitely not let the new Imperial Consort have an easy time.

Once Yun Tianming successfully became the Imperial Consort, Bai Yimeng could act in the capacity of a sect elder from Yun Tianming’s background. With the help of the Zhao Royal Family, he could then find an opportunity to eliminate all the Rebirth Realm experts from the Noble Families.

Finally, Yun Tianming could stage a coup as an imperial relative by marriage, allowing him to "logically" seize control of the Zhao Country.

The Holy Country would have then smoothly planted its first flag in the Northern Icefield Region.