HSSB344: Body of a true dragon
Falling within the ice lake, they could clearly feel a bone-piercing chill permeate their bodies.
However, as compared to the terrifying Ice Pith Vein of before, it was much more inferior in comparison.
Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu travelled downwards into the lake, the fluctuations of Yan Zhaoge’s aura-qi vaguely achieving resonance with the surrounding ice lake.
Several white rings of light expanded within the lake’s waters, surging unceasingly.
Streams of cold qi were emanated from the white light, freezing the lake water at the depths of the lake solid, causing the white light to gradually take solid form.
Amidst the fierce hidden undercurrents of the lake, a simple and extensive, elegant and majestic ice palace appeared out of nowhere, making for a magnificent sight.
Seeing this, Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu could not help but click their tongues in praise.
Sounds of people entering the water resounded from behind them, as the Heavenly Thunder Hall martial practitioners had already begun their pursuit.
The face of that Essence Spirit Martial Grandmaster who had been obstructed by the pillar of the Divine Palace earlier was livid as he charged at the forefront.
Without even having entered the water, his violent attack was already first trying to take Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu down.
A terrifying thunder dragon rushed into the water, roaring as countless threads of electricity spread out within the ice lake in a netlike form, coming to cover the entire surrounding area.
Billions of leaping lightning snakes speedily traversed the water, chasing after Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu.
Violent thunder exploded unceasingly within the water, even resulting in high temperatures that decreased the density of the cold qi within the ice lake.
The Essence Spirit Martial Grandmaster himself also followed closely after, entering the water as he rampantly brandished his mid-grade spirit artifact sabre, violent thunderbolts descending one after another, shooting towards Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu like a tempestuous storm.
The rampant thunder was such that it even caused the other Heavenly Thunder Hall martial practitioners who had entered the icy lake in pursuit to feel some numbness pervading their bodies.
Not even turning back to look, Yan Zhaoge utilised his Immortal Crane Wings that was even able to accelerate in water, shooting towards the ice palace at the lake’s bottom at his greatest speed.
When he and Ah Hu were close to the ice palace, numerous white runes of light flickered on its surface, forming a barrier which instantly repelled the attacks from behind.
Yan Zhaoge came before the great door of the ice palace, pressing down on its exterior as he infused his aura-qi within.
On the great door, where Yan Zhaoge’s palm was pressed, with his palm as its centre, a rectangular rune that was about a metre in length instantly appeared.
As the rune flickered, Yan Zhaoge’s entire person seemed about to merge within the ice as he gradually began to disappear.
The pursuing Heavenly Thunder Hall forces were all greatly anxious, that Essence Spirit Martial Grandmaster drawing on all his might as he hacked down towards Yan Zhaoge.
However, the white runes of light surrounding the ice palace shook mightily, resembling an enraged massive beast awoken from its slumber. After blocking the sabre-light of thunder, it even sent back great roiling tides of coldness in retaliation.
This Heavenly Thunder Hall Elder immediately felt himself unable to withstand it as he could only helplessly retreat.
However, swept by the tides of coldness, all the water of the ice lake seemed like it was going to now completely freeze up.
As the ice spread, this Heavenly Thunder Hall Elder didn’t dare to hesitate in the least, roaring loudly as he let go of the mid-grade spirit artifact sabre within his hands, making use of that instant’s explosive force to break free of the restraints of the ice, only then managing to rush out from within the ice lake, not being completely frozen and sealed within it.
Meanwhile, the other Heavenly Thunder Hall martial practitioners also leapt out of the ice lake in pandemonium, only hating why their parents had only birthed them with two legs, only fearing that they might be fleeing too slowly.
At the bottom of the lake, Yan Zhaoge and Ah Hu were not at all affected by this. His palm pressed down on the great door of the ice palace, Yan Zhaoge’s figure vaguely merged within.
Brought along by him, Ah Hu entered the ice palace alongside him.
Having entered the ice palace, Yan Zhaoge did not proceed forward immediately, instead staying where he was and first observing their surroundings carefully.
The ice palace was tall, its architectural style also appearing extensive and broad, lifelike coiling dragons carved on its walls.
Carefully observing these carved ice dragons, Yan Zhaoge’s eyes gradually narrowed into slits, “This is genuine dragon qi. The legacy of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint, other than the martial legacies of before the Great Calamity, is indeed related to the dragon race.”
Appraising the ice palace, feeling the flow of spiritual qi within, Yan Zhaoge muttered to himself, “Not the burial grounds of the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint, rather seeming like his old abode.”
Ah Hu asked, “Young Master, the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint should be one of the earlier Martial Saints of the Eight Extremities World, appearing following the resumption of the martial civilisation after the Great Calamity?”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “That’s right. He was of the same generation as our Broad Creed Mountain’s founder, one of the first batch of the Eight Extremities World’s Martial Saints following the Great Calamity.”
“However, he was unlike our clan’s Ancestor Mountain Establishing Old Man and some other seniors, re-establishing the martial path of the Eight Extremities World.”
“The Glacial Dragon Martial Saint was used to moving solitarily, seldom coming into contact with others, also not leaving any martial legacies behind, his life and death, as well as his movements all being mysteries, just having made a sudden dazzling appearance in our world’s history.”
“However, this does not obscure his legend. In the Eight Extremities World of after the Great Calamity, he was indeed a significant, prominent figure.”
His hands crossed over his chest, Yan Zhaoge looked at the ice palace before him, “And it is precisely because there are too many mysteries regarding him that many instead came to wonder about his location, wonder what exactly this Martial Saint expert had gone to do.”
“Sadly, he left too few clues behind. It was only in recent years that some signs cropped up.”
As Yan Zhaoge said this, the information he had obtained previously surfaced within his mind once more, “The numerous stars converge, Dragons enter the sea, The ancient, cold abyss, Reverse scale shocks moon…”
“The location of this person is perhaps related to even more things.”
Ceasing his thoughts, Yan Zhaoge continued striding forward, “Let’s go, and see whether there is anything of value in the old dwellings of this veteran Martial Saint.”
Proceeding forward, traversing the grounds of ice, the two came to the central area of the ice palace.
Just having entered, roiling cold qi assaulted them.
Looking over carefully, Yan Zhaoge saw a thick ice pillar at the exact centre of the palace, seemingly its support.
Having properly seen the appearance of the ice pillar, Yan Zhaoge’s pupils instantly dilated slightly.
The ice pillar was transparent, a massive black shadow sealed within.
It was, shockingly, the corpse of a dragon!
It was not like the bones of the glacial dragon that they had found back in the Eastern Tang’s Luliao Mountains, instead being the complete corpse of a true dragon.
Dragon claws, dragon scales, dragon feelers, dragon tail…all of them were there.
Other than its lack of life, the dragon was completely intact. Sealed within the pillar of ice, it seemed only to be in a deep sleep, preserved perfectly as it lay there lifelike in the flesh.
Yan Zhaoge laughed, “Good fella, just this thing alone makes is that this trip of ours was not a wasted one.”
Ah Hu’s saliva nearly flowed out of his mouth, “Young Master, it’s a real one ah. Such a complete dragon’s body-in the Eight Extremities World of after the Great Calamity, other than the founder of Jade Sea City who obtained a water dragon’s corpse, there was no one else?”
Yan Zhaoge nodded, “That’s right, it is precisely so.”
He scanned their surroundings, “While the Glacial Dragon Martial Saint’s Sacred Artifact was not left here, being able to obtain the corpse of a true dragon like this, it is also greatly beneficial to us.”
Yan Zhaoge took his mind off the ice pillar, beginning to examine their surroundings in closer detail.
Within the great hall, there seemed to be a massive chair formed completely of pure ice, flickering with clear, bright radiance.