Chapter 239: Heading to Frost Dragon Abyss, the Mantis Stalks the Cicada

[Binding Successful]

[Name: Jiang Yuntian]

[Fate: Emperor Clan Bloodline (Purple), Favored Son of Heaven (Purple)]

[Recent Opportunity: In three days, Jiang Yuntian will accompany a team to escort Thousand-Year Ice Soul to the Frost Dragon Abyss in the Far North, obtaining a stalk of Saint Grade High Grade Spirit Medicine, Red Blood Grass, on the outskirts of Frost Dragon Abyss.]

“Thousand-Year Ice Soul? Frost Dragon Abyss?”

Zhou Chen's eyes lit up, and he immediately checked the detailed information.

[Opportunity Details: The Jiang Family is secretly escorting a piece of Thousand-Year Ice Soul, led by Emperor Realm Second Layer Elder Jiang Zhiwei, to the Frost Dragon Abyss in the Far North. The purpose is to ripen a wild Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus secretly discovered by the Jiang Family. The Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus requires the cold energy of the Thousand-Year Ice Soul for nourishment and is expected to mature in fifteen days.]

“Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus?!”

Zhou Chen's heart pounded wildly.

He remembered Elder Xuan saying that the Blazing Flame Dao Lotus was a supreme treasure of the Flame Clan, hidden in their treasury and nearly impossible to obtain; he would set that aside for now.

However, the Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus was also a source of great regret. He hadn't expected that just as he was getting sleepy, someone would provide a pillow; since he had encountered one, he certainly couldn't miss it.

Zhou Chen immediately continued to bind others, hoping to find more information.

Soon, he bound five or six more Jiang Family Disciples and pieced together the complete information from their opportunity panels.

As it turned out, the Jiang Family had discovered a wild Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus in the Frost Dragon Abyss years ago, but it grew in an extremely cold place that ordinary people could not even approach.

The Jiang Family had gone to great lengths to keep it hidden and cultivate the Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus. They had been nourishing it with various cold-attribute treasures for years, and it was finally nearing maturity.

With just a little more stimulation from the Thousand-Year Ice Soul, the Dao Lotus would be fully mature in fifteen days!

Zhou Chen smiled, but then he saw another piece of information on an opportunity panel.

The Ying Family also seemed to have their eyes on this Dao Lotus.

Zhou Chen checked a few passing Ying Family Disciples and indeed saw relevant information on their opportunity panels.

The Ying Family had long received secret reports and knew that the Jiang Family was going to ripen the Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus in the Frost Dragon Abyss. They had already mobilized Emperor Realm experts to set an ambush on the outskirts of the Frost Dragon Abyss, planning to strike and seize it the moment the Dao Lotus matured!

“These two families are fighting both openly and secretly; it seems there are many hidden conflicts.”

Zhou Chen pondered.

“If these two families start fighting, I'll have a chance to fish in troubled waters and reap the rewards.”

A flash of realization crossed Zhou Chen's eyes.

He didn't linger any longer, quietly performing the Taiyi Golden Light Step and turning to leave.

There were still a few days before the Jiang Family would escort the Thousand-Year Ice Soul and fifteen days before the Dao Lotus matured; there was plenty of time.

Zhou Chen needed to arrive at the Frost Dragon Abyss ahead of time to make preparations.

—

Three days later, in the Far North of the Eastern Desolation.

This place was covered in ice and snow year-round, and the temperature was terrifyingly low. An ordinary person would freeze to death within fifteen minutes here.

But for a Cultivator, this bit of cold was nothing.

Wrapped in a thick cloak, Zhou Chen stood on an iceberg, gazing towards the Frost Dragon Abyss from afar.

Frost Dragon Abyss was one of the most dangerous places in the Far North of the Eastern Desolation. Legend had it that this was once the habitat of the Ancient Ice Dragon Clan; although the Ice Dragons were long extinct, the residual cold energy had not dissipated to this day.

The entire Frost Dragon Abyss was covered in ice and snow, with a massive, bottomless crack in the center from which cold energy continuously surged.

And the Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus being cultivated by the Jiang Family grew right at the edge of that crack.

“I'll scout the way first to see the situation.”

Zhou Chen activated the Divine Concealment Art, causing his presence to vanish completely as he approached the Frost Dragon Abyss.

He proceeded cautiously along the way, avoiding several waves of Jiang Family patrols.

Soon, Zhou Chen reached the edge of the massive crack.

An even more terrifying chill rushed toward him. Even an ordinary Quasi-Emperor body would feel the bone-piercing cold, but it clearly had no effect on Zhou Chen. With the enhancement of the Samadhi True Fire, no matter how cold it was, it couldn't cause him any harm.

He looked down; the crack was bottomless, and the ice-blue cold energy within surged continuously like a living thing.

From time to time, the low growls of polar monsters could be heard.

On a massive, oval ice stone at the bottom of the crack, a snow-white lotus was growing.

The lotus had only three petals, each crystal clear and emitting a faint glow. Although it wasn't fully mature yet, the majestic power contained within could already be felt.

An invisible power of rules continuously circled the lotus before being gradually absorbed by it.

“This must be it, the Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus!”

Excitement flashed in Zhou Chen's eyes. Truly, one finds things by chance after searching in vain; one cannot get rich without a windfall.

But he didn't act immediately.

Because around the Dao Lotus, dozens of Restrictions were set up, and several Jiang Family experts were on guard.

“Now is not the time, and the Dao Lotus isn't mature yet. I'll wait until they start fighting.”

Zhou Chen retreated and found a hidden spot to hide.

—

Days passed by.

Zhou Chen sat upright in an ice cave, as still as a monk in meditation, looking like an ice sculpture.

Every day, he used the System to check the opportunity panels of Jiang Yuntian and other Jiang Family Disciples to keep track of the Jiang Family's latest movements.

On the tenth day, the Jiang Family's escort team finally arrived at the Frost Dragon Abyss.

Watching from a distance, Zhou Chen saw Jiang Zhiwei leading over a dozen Jiang Family experts, escorting a jade box that emitted a chilling aura.

Inside the jade box were several pieces of Thousand-Year Ice Soul.

“Finally, they're here.”

Zhou Chen's spirits lifted.

Jiang Zhiwei came to the edge of the crack and carefully opened the jade box.

A blast of extreme cold instantly spread out, and the surrounding temperature plummeted. Inside the jade box, a fist-sized ice-blue crystal lay quietly, emitting a heart-palpitating chill.

“Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus…”

A hint of greed flashed in Jiang Zhiwei's eyes, but he quickly returned to normal: “Proceed according to plan. Place the Ice Soul next to the Dao Lotus.”

“Yes!”

Several Jiang Family Disciples stepped forward and carefully placed the pieces of Thousand-Year Ice Soul on the ice stone next to the Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus.

Instantly, an invisible force began to sweep through. As the Dao Lotus swayed, it began to frantically absorb the cold energy emitted by the Ice Soul. The petals, which were originally only three, grew at a speed visible to the naked eye—the fourth, the fifth…

“Good! At this rate, the Dao Lotus will be fully mature in five days!”

Jiang Zhiwei was overjoyed: “Strengthen the guard! No one must be allowed to approach!”

“Yes!”

The Jiang Family experts immediately dispersed, sealing off the entire Frost Dragon Abyss so tightly that not even a drop of water could leak through.

Hiding in the shadows, Zhou Chen narrowed his eyes.

“Five days…”

He sensed the outskirts with his Divine Sense.

As expected, the Ying Family's ambush was already in place.

The Ying Family had sent Ying Tianji, an Emperor Realm Second Layer expert, leading over twenty elites of the Quasi-Emperor and Half-Emperor levels to lie in ambush on the outskirts of the Frost Dragon Abyss.

Their plan was simple—wait for the moment the Heavenly Heart Dao Lotus matured, when the Jiang Family was most relaxed, then strike suddenly to catch them off guard.

“Tsk tsk, both sides have arrived.”

Zhou Chen wore a confident smile.