Imperial Treasure

"Hello, everyone. This is an Ice Spirit Guard lord. We’re investigating the terrorist attack just now, so I must ask you all to cooperate."

She finished and stepped back to the side, because it hadn’t even occurred to her that anyone might resist.

In fact, Sui Yi and the others hadn’t resisted either.

The Ice Spirit Guard was very stern. Seeing there were four women in the compartment and only one taciturn young man, and that all the tables were covered in either books or papers, it was obvious they weren’t people from the lower strata.

His gaze slowly swept across...

Finally he withdrew it, dipped his head slightly in a nod: "Ladies, sorry to disturb you. Enjoy your trip."

Then he pulled the door closed.

That’s it?

Green Bean stared, dumbfounded.

The conductor, however, was already used to it.

Because all the groups who’d been questioned before had gotten the same attitude: he just looked at people coldly for a while, didn’t ask a single thing, and then ended it directly.

No one knew what exactly they were investigating.

In truth, Pu Qinghan understood very well. Just now when that fire Gleam slammed toward them, by rights it should have been able to burn the front of the train to ashes, but because Sui Yi made a move, in reality it hadn’t suffered so much as a scratch. Combined with the earlier sudden stop of the train, the Ice Spirit Guard would naturally be able to guess someone on board had intervened; it was proper for them to stay alert and investigate. But just as Sui Yi had said, they’d grasped the main points clearly—their motive to dig deeper wasn’t strong. So when they failed to detect any obvious traces from them, they simply gave up.

Still, in the follow-up a mark had ultimately been left behind.

But there was no helping that. What, was Sui Yi supposed to just sit and watch?

That was impossible.

Pu Qinghan and the other two silently filed this matter away in their hearts, and at the same time reminded themselves that the Dragon Ape World was even more dangerous than they’d imagined.

Death always comes by surprise.

Yet that whole mood was promptly scattered when Green Bean, in her muddled way, piped up, "What are they checking us for? If they’re going to investigate, shouldn’t they be going after those Masters who’ve been officially recorded...? So random."

Heh, this goblin probably still hadn’t realized that the people she’d been living with day and night these past few days were three Void-breaking Masters and one Master currently working his way toward Void-breaking.

————————

The train finally announced that the Ice Gleam District was up ahead.

Sui Yi tucked the finished manuscript into a small case, slipped it into her backpack, went out onto the balcony, and saw the massive mountain ahead, still with a tunnel.

Only...

When Sui Yi saw the engraved reliefs carved on the outer wall of that mountain, she froze for a moment, then her gaze sharpened, Magnetic Sensation surging outward...

But it was still too late; the train had already entered the tunnel.

What was that just now?

Sui Yi frowned. When the train came out of the tunnel, she spread her Magnetic Sensation backward at top speed, letting it fall upon the inner wall of that ice mountain, and saw that the soaring inner wall of ice was covered in countless enormous carved patterns... among them...

Magnetic Sensation went wild, frantically absorbing the aura from those carvings...

Crash!

Sui Yi’s mind suddenly jolted; she had no choice but to reel back the Magnetic Sensation that had stretched too far.

"Sister Sui, what’s wrong?" Green Bean saw Sui Yi’s face suddenly go pale and couldn’t help growing nervous.

"Nothing."

Sui Yi waved her hand, pulled out a sheet of paper, set pen to it... Very soon, a pattern had appeared on the blank page.

Ye Zixu took one look and was astonished. Wasn’t that the emblem of the Thousand Buddha Hands?

It was from the carving on that ice mountain just now?

It wasn’t that Ye Zixu and the others hadn’t seen the patterns on it, but there had been too many, and the train wasn’t moving slowly either. They’d only managed to glimpse some of them; how could they capture them in bulk like Sui Yi? Thus they hadn’t known there’d actually been a Thousand Buddha Hands pattern among them.

A clue!

Ye Zixu was overjoyed and folded up the sheet, putting it away.

Green Bean wasn’t particularly sharp, but even she could tell these people weren’t simple. It was just that she’d never thought too hard about it—everyone has a few secrets and a few things of their own, right? So her general attitude toward the topics Sui Yi and the others discussed was: if she didn’t understand, she just wouldn’t listen. She’d long since run off to tidy up her own drafts...

Not long after, everyone was packed up. As the train’s speed slowed more and more, Sui Yi and the others were able to truly take in this vast and magnificent world of ice and snow.

There were houses made entirely of ice and snow, and there were also classical wooden or brick-and-tile buildings. Each had its own character, but without exception they all occupied generous plots of land or else towered extremely high. In short, the architecture was particularly imposing and sumptuous, especially the deeper in you went.

Snow drifted in the sky; everywhere was frost and ice. Yet it was not frozen and lifeless; on the contrary, it was bustling and lively. They could even see a number of snowmen walking along the streets, as well as all kinds of ice-and-snow beasts. Naturally, there were many people too—some bundled up thickly, some in short sleeves...

All sorts of types.

Of course, there were also many high-level warriors carrying weapons. The Martial Artists strolling back and forth were basically at least SS-rank. At least!

That was terrifying.

And Sui Yi and the others also noticed that among the people coming and going, those carrying bows and arrows or wearing crossbows on their wrists far outnumbered those with sabers and swords.