Forging Immortality through the Dao Seed

"Thirty-Eight, go down first. Pick a random spot."

Zhang Jing said gently.

"Yes, Master."

Without questioning, Lu Thirty-Eight, who was fleeing at full speed toward the direction of the Three Elements City, responded. His escape light suddenly turned a corner, dropping straight down.

A few moments later.

At the foot of a small, desolate hill.

The escape light slowly dissipated.

The figures of Lu Thirty-Eight and Zhang Jing riding on his back were revealed.

Looking around.

The ancient trees were lush, and the ancient road scattered with stones in the distance was overgrown with weeds, nearly obscuring its original appearance.

The intermittent roars of various beasts only emphasized the desolation of this place.

Zhang Jing nodded with satisfaction.

Then he gently got off Lu Thirty-Eight's back.

"Thirty-Eight, I have some things to do. Keep an eye on the surroundings."

"I understand, Master. Please rest assured!"

Having said that.

Zhang Jing stepped forward and in a moment, appeared on a giant rock a hundred feet away, sitting with his legs crossed.

He lowered his head.

His gaze gently fell onto the white jade decree in his hand.

"I wonder what the Ice Crystal Immortal Spirits' tribe looks like, and whether it can accept my command."

Zhang Jing's eyes narrowed, a hint of unease rising in his heart.

After all, his current cultivation was only at the Golden Core Realm.

He did not choose to summon the Ice Crystal Immortal Spirits in the Three Elements City.

On one hand, the place was crowded and inhabited by many mortals. Plus, he was summoning the Ice Crystal Immortal Spirits for the first time.

If something unexpected occurred, it could harm innocent people.

This would lead to unnecessary karma.

On the other hand.

The Three Elements City, after all, was a force within the Immortal Way.

Better to avoid unnecessary trouble.

...

...

Then everything went dark.

Zhang Jing found himself standing on an icy, snow-covered wasteland.

Wherever he looked.

It was all white.

The ice and snow stretched to the horizon.

Behind him.

Toweringly tall snow peaks and glaciers were visible, rising endlessly. Among them, occasional movements of various creatures, some strong, some weak, could be seen.

Where was this?

Zhang Jing was taken aback.

All of a sudden.

"Are you our master?"

A soft voice suddenly appeared in his ear.

He looked down involuntarily.

He saw a short, exquisitely-crafted, blue-glowing figure appear before him.

Its two gem-like eyes were particularly striking.

The aura of the figure.

Had already reached the Golden Core Realm.

"You are... an Ice Crystal Immortal Spirit?"

Zhang Jing squatted down, curiously examining this Ice Crystal human clad in a small dress.

"It's a little girl."

A smile flickered in his eyes.

"Master, my name is Bing Liangliang. I am a warrior of the Hanyou Tribe of the Ice Crystal Immortal Spirits."

Looking into Zhang Jing's eyes.

Bing Liangliang seemed a little shy, her transparent little hands tightly clutching her dress hem, answering timidly.

"Hanyou Tribe! Could this tribe be the Ice Crystal Immortal Spirit slaves that Aunt Bai Chan gave me?"

Zhang Jing thought to himself.

For a moment.

He felt a special connection between the white jade decree in his hand and Bing Liangliang in front of him.

"So your name is Bing Liangliang."

Zhang Jing reached out and patted her little head. Then he proceeded to ask:

"Where is this place? How did you know I am your master? What's the current situation of your Hanyou Tribe, how many of you are there, what's your strength? Also..."

A series of questions flowed from Zhang Jing.

In an instant.

Bing Liangliang's sparkling gem-like eyes widened, revealing a look of bewilderment.

"Master, I... I'm sorry, but I'm a bit slow. I can't remember so many things at once."

Bing Liangliang drooped her head, darkening her eyes.

Her voice carried a hint of depression.

Seeing this, Zhang Jing involuntarily shook his head and was about to comfort her.

However, the next moment.

She lifted her head, laughed naively, and then said excitedly:

"Hehe, but our Chief must know. Master, let Liangliang take you to meet the Chief. Also our tribe members, we have been looking forward to your arrival for a long time."

Upon saying that.

Bing Liangliang stretched out her two small hands and tightly grabbed Zhang Jing's clothes hem, completely clinging to him as if she was afraid he would run away.

...

Soon after.

Under Bing Liangliang's guidance.

Zhang Jing walked straight into a majestic glacier.

The inside of the glacier had been hollowed out to form a vast space where small ice houses about half the height of a person stood.

The houses were neatly arranged in an orderly fashion.

Figures were moving in and among them, all resembling Bing Liangliang as Ice Crystal humanoids.

The strong and weak auras rose and fell.

With the arrival of Zhang Jing.

This Ice Crystal kingdom began to stir, countless gazes filled with anticipation and excitement were cast at Zhang Jing, as if they were expecting something.

...

In the middle of a grand ice palace.

Zhang Jing sat cross-legged.

Across from him, there sat a white Ice Crystal Immortal Spirit roughly his height, its aura intimidating.

The entity before him, even sitting still, struck Zhang Jing as a prehistoric iceberg, like a numbing sensation capable of freezing everything around it.

This was the Clan Leader of the Hanyou Tribe.

"A Unity Realm Stage Ice Crystal Immortal Spirit!"

A hint of surprise flashed across Zhang Jing's face.

He had not expected that among the Immortal Spirits gifted to him by Aunt Bai Chan, there would be one at the Unity Realm Stage!

On the other side.

Noticing Zhang Jing's reaction.

"It seems that my presence has surprised you," said the Clan Leader with a chuckle, his tone gentle.

His arrival here bearing the decree of a True Monarch implied something significant.

"May I ask how the Clan Leader should be addressed?"

Zhang Jing probed carefully.

Although, theoretically speaking.

The other was considered his servant, and he, his master.

The vast chasm in their cultivation levels nonetheless mandated caution on Zhang Jing's part.

After all, he was in the presence of one at the Unity Realm Stage.

Almost immortal.

Even among the multitudes within the many Heavenly Realms of human race, he remained a well-known figure.

"You can call me Han Sheng, and please be assured, sir, that as long as you will accept us, the Hanyou Tribe will always be your most loyal subjects."

The Clan Leader spoke with a smile, and simultaneously offered Zhang Jing assurance.

At his words.

Zhang Jing let out a sigh of relief.

He looked at Han Sheng hesitating for a moment, then asked openly:

"Clan Leader Han Sheng, how many Ice Crystal Immortal Spirits does your Hanyou Tribe currently have, and what is their level of strength?"

"To answer your question,"

"At present, the Hanyou Tribe has a total of 983 members. In terms of strength, as classified by your Human Immortal Way, we have one at Unity Realm Stage, thirty-eight at Dharma Phase Realm, five hundred ninety-one at Golden Core Realm, and the rest are all at the Foundation Establishment Realm."

"No one at the Refining Qi Realm?"

Zhang Jing asked in surprise.

"I dare not deceive you, sir. We, Ice Crystal Immortal Spirits, are among the higher-ranked natural Immortal Spirits. Innately inclined towards the icy Dao, we are at Foundation Establishment Realm at the moment of birth."

I see.

Zhang Jing suddenly understood, feeling a touch of envy.

They truly were natural Immortal Spirits.

They are born at Foundation Establishment Realm and, moreover, live for tens of thousands of years.

Subsequently.

Zhang Jing looked at Han Sheng with intense curiosity and asked:

"Clan Leader Han Sheng, could you accompany me on a trip outside?"

However.

Looking at Zhang Jing.

A look of guilt swept over Han Sheng's face, his voice filled with regret:

"With all due respect, sir, this place is known as the Extreme Ice Field, fraught with danger. If I were to leave, I'm afraid no one would look after my tribe and it may face a risk of collapse. I hope you understand."

"Moreover——"

He seemed hesitant, as if there was something he found difficult to express.

...

...

Time slowly passed.

A flash of light appeared before Zhang Jing's eyes.

His eyes suddenly sprang open.

He found himself once again back in the wasteland.

A short distance ahead of him.

Lu 38 was vigilantly observing the surroundings, his expression extremely serious.

Phew——

Zhang Jing exhaled a sigh of relief.

Images of his moments in the Extreme Ice Field flashed across his mind.

"The Extreme Ice Field, neither real nor illusion, simultaneously actual and virtual, what exactly is this place? Could it be Aunt Bai Chan's Cave Heaven Daoist Abode, or a world she has since created from her cultivation in the Primitive Genesis?"

Zhang Jing mulled with curiosity.

His thoughts returned to the present.

Upon his intention.

The jade decree in his hand started to quiver.

Immediately.

In front of him, a dark swirling void about two feet wide appeared from which emanated waves of extreme icy aura.

Three Ice Crystal Immortal Spirits clambered out of the vortex with difficulty.

The overwhelming momentum of the Dharma Phase Realm peak flashed and was gone.

"Bing Feng (Ice Mountain) (Bing Yan) pays respect to the master, may I ask what are your orders?"

The three Ice Crystal Immortal Spirits looked curiously at their surroundings after their emergence and then bowed before Zhang Jing and asked in unison.

Their voice was cold.

But nonetheless, it bore a hint of warmth.

"In five thousand miles in that direction, there is a nascent spiritual land guarded by three Dharma Phase Realm humans. You three, watch them for me."

"If any of those three make any move to damage the spiritual land, make every effort to stop it. And if they do not take any action, ignore them."

"Be careful to conceal your aura."

Zhang Jing pointed in the direction of Lingshu Mountain, giving instructions with a smile.

"We will not disappoint you, sir!" replied the three Ice Crystal Immortal Spirits with Bing Feng leading, with the utmost respect.

As their voices fell.

Their figures quietly vanished from sight.

Seeing this.

Zhang Jing finally let down his guard somewhat.

His eyes shifted.

The deep black vortex that beckoned the Ice Crystal Immortal Spirits had not dissipated.

He attempted to close it by communicating to the decree via his mind.

Unexpectedly, just at that moment.

A small head popped out from it shyly, her eyes fixated on Zhang Jing, her two ice-blue braids swinging.

Her sapphire eyes gleamed with a ray of hope.

It was none other than Liangliang.

She then pleaded in a pitiful tone:

"Master, master, Liangliang wants to come out and see the outside world too."