Chapter 711 - 709: Bait
It takes two years of earlier emergence to compete with Liou Xueyan?
Xu Yang merely smiled noncommittally and said calmly, "Are you three planning to block my path?"
Zhao Yuanyuan took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and said, "You may be powerful, but you’re not strong enough to withstand the three of us joining forces."
"Xu Yang, you’ve disgraced the disciples of our Immortal Palace. Sorry, you shall not pass!"
"Disgraced? If your skills are inferior and you can’t accept it, what kind of logic is that?"
Xu Yang sneered coldly.
Zhao Yuanyuan’s face instantly turned ashen.
Because what he said was the truth.
"Heh."
Zhao Hong suddenly smiled and said, "Miss Zhao, after all, he is a guest we invited. There’s no need to treat him like this."
Zhao Yuanyuan and Li Qingtian both looked at Zhao Hong with surprise and suspicion upon hearing this.
Zhao Hong narrowed his eyes and said, "You want to go through—fine. But you need to help us with something. Besides, I’ll also give you something you want."
"I’m listening."
Xu Yang’s expression was blank, but his heart was extremely heavy.
This Zhao Hong, whose strength was the greatest, was a nearly unbeatable foe. If Zhao Yuanyuan and Li Qingtian—both Celestial Immortals—joined in, he would have no choice but to retreat.
"Icefield Atlas!"
"It records all kinds of heavenly materials and earthly treasures nurtured in the icy lands of the icefield."
Whoosh!
Zhao Hong directly tossed out an ancient scroll emitting a faint chill.
Xu Yang unfurled it and raised an eyebrow slightly.
It was exactly as he had said; nearly a hundred types of ice-attributed heavenly materials and treasures were recorded, with detailed descriptions and illustrated comparisons.
Glancing over it once, he immediately found the treasure he’d previously taken from the Snow Shaman—a jade-mirror-like item named the Snow Mirror. It could be used for cultivation or to refine immortal artifacts when mixed with special ice materials.
"There’s also this."
Zhao Hong raised his palm, and a one-foot-long, three-finger-wide object appeared, resembling a jade ruler. Its entire body was dark and profound, giving off an extremely strange aura.
Xu Yang looked on with suspicion.
"This is the Cold Vein Jade Treasure Talisman. After you refine it and release it, within a thousand-foot radius, any weak fluctuation from heavenly materials or treasures can be sensed and projected on its surface."
"There’s actually such a treasure?" Xu Yang couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.
Though a thousand feet wasn’t a wide range, in a place like this, it was certainly a powerful tool for treasure hunting.
The cold here was astonishing. Even the sharpest senses could only probe a small area, unless something caused a massive disturbance.
"You can try it."
Zhao Hong tossed the jade talisman to him.
Zhao Yuanyuan wanted to say something but held back.
Xu Yang gave Zhao Hong a deep glance, clenched his palm, and summoned his Immortal Essence to refine it, leaving his mark on it.
Soon after, under his control, the jade talisman shot like lightning into the icy palace behind him.
Only a few moments passed.
He sensed the talisman suddenly tremble, as if it had detected something, pointing like an apparition to a distant spot, and a blurry crystal image surfaced on the talisman.
Sure enough, it was a Cold Ice Immortal Crystal hidden in the ice wall.
Xu Yang’s expression flickered, and he continued to manipulate the talisman further away.
Up to a thousand feet.
The connection remained intact.
At a single thought, Xu Yang recalled the talisman and let out a sigh of admiration: "Impressive indeed!"
With this item, searching for heavenly treasures in this expanse would become far easier.
"Now, tell me your terms." He looked at Zhao Hong.
Zhao Hong grinned wickedly: "Be our bait!"
"Bait?"
Xu Yang’s brow furrowed.
Zhao Hong said, "There’s a spiritual object near the surface of the Cold Vein below, but it’s swarmed by snow rabbits. You encountered those rabbits on your way here—they’re incredibly fast, fairly strong. Three or five aren’t too bad, but in large numbers, they pose a deadly threat."
"All you need to do is lure away those snow rabbits."
"How many snow rabbits are there?"
"Thirty to forty."
Xu Yang’s mouth twitched. "I can tell the difference between being bait and marching to my death."
He’d experienced the snow rabbit’s speed and strength himself—a few weren’t a problem, but an entire pack could be devastating.
Besides, this guy might not be telling the truth.
What if there are even more?
Zhao Hong showed no surprise at Xu Yang’s reaction. He said coolly, "You may refuse, of course—but if the three of us work together, you won’t be able to leave even if you want to."
As soon as he finished speaking, Li Qingtian and Zhao Yuanyuan exchanged glances, then flashed to Xu Yang’s sides, one on the left and one on the right, eyeing him like tigers stalking prey.
"Xu Yang, you have no choice!"
"It’s dangerous, but it’s not certain death!"
"Even if you leave now, the labyrinthine Cold Veins could prevent you from ever entering the Cold Vein Palace again."
Xu Yang’s expression shifted several times before he said quietly, "You want me as bait? This atlas and talisman alone aren’t enough!"
"Hahaha."
Zhao Hong laughed aloud and suddenly tossed out a Storage Ring.
Xu Yang caught it, focused his senses inside—and a dazzling white glow nearly made him dizzy.
Inside the Storage Ring were piles of snow lotuses.
At least a hundred of them.
And every one of them was second-tier quality.
Even more extraordinary than those he’d found earlier.
"Is this enough?" Zhao Hong asked, half smiling, eyes fixed on Xu Yang.
Xu Yang pocketed the Storage Ring and said coolly, "I suppose I have no choice."
He was secretly astonished as well. While Zhao Hong was the strongest among them, that many snow lotuses were still a fortune.
Unless the treasure below was so valuable that these lotuses paled in comparison.
Still, sending someone as bait with such risk obviously wasn’t enough, but for now, he didn’t want to confront all three directly.
Zhao Hong nodded with satisfaction, turned, and headed down the pit: "Come."
Xu Yang gave Zhao Yuanyuan and Li Qingtian a sidelong glance, then proceeded forward, the two trailing him warily.
At the pit’s edge, Xu Yang finally saw that there was a large hole at the bottom.
Keep in mind, this ice palace was already deep beneath the ice layers.
Under the hole...
"Below, you can already see the Cold Vein with the naked eye. Near the very edge, even a Middle Stage Celestial Immortal who dares approach will be turned into an ice sculpture!"
Zhao Hong said gravely, "But the ice cavern down below holds far more treasures than above."
He finished, shot Xu Yang a look, and leaped in.
Xu Yang did not hesitate and followed closely after.
Whoosh!
The dense cold surged all around; beneath the hole, the cold was so thick it was a vast white haze.
With just a glance, Xu Yang saw at the bottom, a long, silver, giant python-like Cold Vein stretching far into the depths.
Even from above, sheltered by the jade talisman, Xu Yang felt his heart pound with dread!
"Look over there."
Zhao Hong pointed his finger.
Xu Yang followed his gaze. Several hundred feet to the side on an ice wall, there grew a small tree, several meters tall.
On the tree hung five grayish fruits, shrouded as if covered by a layer of mist.
"What is that?" Xu Yang asked curiously.
"Cold Nether Immortal Vein Fruit!"
Hearing the name, Xu Yang opened the Icefield Atlas and quickly found an identical tree and fruit.
The Cold Nether Immortal Vein Fruit: born in places of intense cold, requiring constant Cold Vein energy to nurture. The fruit can help cultivators open up and strengthen their immortal veins.
Reading this, Xu Yang’s heart shook.
This treasure was no ordinary thing.
For cultivators, immortal veins were of utmost importance.
After becoming a True Immortal, an immortal’s foundation connects with the immortal vein; all immortal essence is linked to it.
Being able to open and empower immortal veins—just imagine the significance of this item!
"Where are the snow rabbits?"
Xu Yang carefully scanned the area around the small tree, but did not see a single rabbit.