Chapter 110: The Concept Of Deepfrost

The chamber was a marvel of frozen artistry, a crystalline cathedral carved from ice so pure it seemed to glow with an inner light. The walls were not mere barriers but intricate tapestries of frost, their surfaces etched with flowing lines that twisted and turned in mesmerizing patterns. Snowflakes of impossible complexity stretched across the expanse, their delicate arms branching into fractal designs that seemed to pulse with a faint, icy rhythm.

Between them, the outlines of white trees rose like spectral sentinels, their branches heavy with snowdrops that shimmered as if alive. Shards of ice, sharp and jagged, jutted from the walls at odd angles, casting prismatic reflections that danced across the chamber like ghostly flames. Every inch of the space was alive with the essence of ice, a living testament to the Dao of Deepfrost—a path that transcended mere cold and delved into the very essence of stillness, purity, and unyielding strength.

"The temperature is falling and the icy spiritual energy in the air is increasing" Jiang Feng stated as he sense his infernal breathing technique slowly down slightly.

"I can feel it too, but it feels comfortable to me. Ice spiritual energy is my forte after all" Ji Moran looked around intently, though they could see that some ice formed at the edge of their clothes, it wasn't anything life threatening. Jiang Feng had his Skyforge Flame heating up his body as he also looked a head.

The air itself was thick with the weight of comprehension. Jiang Feng could feel it pressing against his skin, a subtle but insistent force that seemed to whisper secrets of the natural world. The patterns on the walls were not random; they were the natural lines of heaven and earth, the very fabric of the universe rendered in ice. To comprehend them was to grasp the essence of Deepfrost, to align oneself with the Dao and unlock its boundless potential. This was no mere trial of strength or endurance—it was a test of insight, of one's ability to see beyond the surface and into the heart of heaven and earth itself.

Ji Moran's breath misted in the frigid air as she stepped closer to the wall, her eyes tracing the intricate lines. "This isn't just a challenge," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's an opportunity. These patterns... they're like a map, a guide to understanding the Dao of Deepfrost. If we can decipher them, we might gain insights that would take years to achieve otherwise."

Jiang Feng nodded, his gaze fixed on the swirling designs. He could feel the cold seeping into his bones. "The spirits said each challenge holds a prize," he said thoughtfully. "This must be ours. But it won't be easy. Comprehension isn't something you can force. It requires patience, clarity, and an open mind."

As he spoke, he reached out and placed a hand on the wall. The ice was smooth and unyielding, but beneath his fingertips, he could feel a faint vibration, a hum that resonated with the rhythm of his own heartbeat. It was as if the chamber itself was alive, waiting for someone to unlock its secrets. He closed his eyes, letting his senses expand, and for a moment, he felt as though he were standing at the edge of a vast, frozen ocean, its depths stretching into infinity.

Ji Moran watched him, her expression a mix of curiosity and admiration. She had always known Jiang Feng was different, but here, in this place, she could see it more clearly than ever. There was a quiet intensity about him, a determination that went beyond mere ambition. He wasn't just fighting for power or survival—he was searching for something deeper that what he let on, something that transcended the physical.

"We should split up," she suggested after a moment. "Cover more ground. The patterns are vast, and time might be limited. If we work together but separately, we can piece together the puzzle faster."

Jiang Feng opened his eyes and nodded. "Agreed. But stay close. If this place is as dangerous as it is beautiful, we'll need to watch each other's backs."

As they moved deeper into the chamber, the patterns on the walls grew more complex, the lines intertwining in ways that defied logic. Ji Moran found herself drawn to a section where the ice formed the shape of a towering tree, its branches heavy with frost. She reached out, her fingers brushing against the surface, and suddenly, the world around her shifted. She was no longer in the chamber but standing in a frozen forest, the air thick with the scent of pine and snow. The trees around her were ancient, their trunks gnarled and twisted, and in the distance, she could hear the faint sound of running water.

"An illusion?" she whispered, her breath visible in the cold air. But it felt real, too real to be mere trickery. She took a step forward, her boots crunching in the snow, and as she did, a voice echoed in her mind—a voice that was both familiar and alien, like the whisper of the wind through the trees.

*"To comprehend the Dao of Deepfrost is to understand the stillness within motion, the strength within fragility. Look deeper, and you will find the truth."*

Ji Moran opened her hand as snow flakes landed therein, with a calm expression she sat down as closed her eyes, allowing the winds to blow past her and the snow flakes to cover her body. The freezing spiritual energy in the wind seeped into her body, going through her nine meridian channels where it gathered above a lake of ice. This lake was her essence lake that frozen still from the moment it was created.

Meanwhile, Jiang Feng had found himself drawn to a section of the wall where the ice formed a series of jagged shards, their edges sharp enough to cut. As he studied them, he noticed that the shards weren't random—they formed a pattern, a sequence that seemed to tell a story. He traced the lines with his eyes, following their path as they twisted and turned, and as he did, he felt a strange sensation.

The air around him grew colder, and for a moment, he thought he saw a figure standing in the distance—a figure made entirely of ice, its eyes glowing with a pale, blue light. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, but the impression it left was indelible. Jiang Feng felt a shiver run down his spine, not from the cold but from the realization that this place was more than just a trial. It was a gateway, a bridge between the mortal world and the divine or so he thought.

"Ji Moran," he called out, his voice echoing in the vast chamber. "We need to focus, don't let your mind wonder. This isn't just about surviving—it's about comprehending as best of possible so that the icy aura doesn't kill us. The deeper we go, the closer we get to the heart of this place."

Ji Moran who was lost in her thoughts opened her eyes which cause the snow to still before falling again. She turned to him, her eyes wide with wonder. "I think I'm starting to see it," she said. "The patterns... they're not just lines. They're a language, a way of communicating, it's like speaking your truth but not through words but emotions or should I say no emotions."

Jiang Feng smiled after realizing that had a progressed further down her path without realizing, a rare expression of warmth in the frozen chamber. "Then let's learn it together. We'll a head in due course."

As they stood there, surrounded by the beauty and mystery of the ice, they could feel the weight of the challenge pressing down on them, the cold temperatures had even started to affect Ji Moran. But they also felt something else—a sense of possibility, of potential as the walls pushes them towards understanding or towards death. This was their chance to rise above the chaos, to claim not just the flames but the wisdom of the heavens themselves. And they would not let it slip away.

The chamber seemed to respond to their determination, the patterns on the walls shifting subtly, as if acknowledging their presence. The air grew still, the cold deepening, and for a moment, it felt as though time itself had paused. Jiang Feng and Ji Moran stood side by side, their breaths visible in the frosty air, their minds and spirits aligned in purpose. The Dao of Deepfrost was within their grasp, and they would not rest until they had unlocked its secrets.

Ji Moran closed her eyes once more, her mind slipping effortlessly into the illusion of a vast, endless snowfield. The world around her was a pristine expanse of white, untouched and serene, save for the towering tree that stood at its center. Its massive trunk rose like a monument to the cold, its branches stretching outward in a delicate lattice of ice. Each leaf was a masterpiece of frozen artistry, crystalline and shimmering, hanging like fruits of winter.

As she drew closer, she realized the tree was no ordinary creation—it was a living embodiment of icy spiritual energy, its essence woven into the very fabric of its form. The roots, branches, and leaves were not mere shapes but lines of pure, burning cold, a paradox of energy that was both freezing and alive.

A deep, resonant voice echoed through the stillness, its tone ancient yet cold. "Deepfrost is ice in its truest form," it intoned, each word carrying the weight of centuries. "It is like fire, wind, earth, water, and wood—branches that stem from one of the five elements. Water, in its extreme, becomes ice. It is freezing cold, yet comforting to those who embrace it."

Ji Moran listened intently, her breath visible in the frigid air as the voice continued to guide her. The tree swayed gently, its icy leaves tinkling like chimes in the wind. At its crown, a small blue phoenix perched, its form carved entirely from ice. Every feather, every curve of its body, was a testament to the artistry of the cold. The phoenix's eyes glowed with a soft, ethereal light, and as it spread its wings, a cascade of snowflakes spiraled into the air, dancing like fireflies in the moonlight.

With a graceful swoop, the phoenix descended from its perch, its wings leaving trails of frost in its wake. It hovered before Ji Moran for a moment, its gaze piercing yet kind, before landing gently on her head. The moment it touched her, a shiver ran through her body, not from the cold but from the profound energy that flowed into her. The phoenix's voice echoed in her mind, clear and resonant.

"Deepfrost burns like a flame," it said. "Ice is cold, but it becomes hot like the sun. This is the concept of Deepfrost."

Ji Moran's body trembled as the words sank into her very being. Her frozen essence lake, the core of her spiritual energy, began to expand, its icy surface rippling with newfound understanding. Her expression, once calm but fearful, grew colder, sharper, as if the frost itself was seeping into her soul. Yet, as the phoenix's wisdom took root, a warmth began to bloom within her—a paradoxical heat that burned with the intensity of the sun.

"Ice is cold but burns like the sun," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper. "To have a burning passion that melts all ice."

Her thoughts drifted to the past, to the month she had spent training under Jiang Feng's watchful eye. She remembered the massive tree branch where they had practiced, the rhythmic pounding of the forge, and Jiang Feng's stoic face, unwavering and focused. Despite the coldness of their surroundings, there had been a warmth in those moments—a shared determination, a bond forged in the fires of perseverance. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, breaking through the icy mask that had settled over her features.

Opening her hand, Ji Moran focused her energy, and from her palm, an icy tree began to take shape. It grew from the root up, each branch forming with meticulous precision, its structure a reflection of her soul. The tree was more than a manifestation of her power—it was a projection of her spirit, a bridge between the ethereal and the tangible. As the tree grew, so too did her essence lake, its icy waters expanding with each new branch, each new revelation.

The phoenix watched from above, its icy form glinting in the pale light. Ji Moran could feel its presence, a silent guardian guiding her through this journey of enlightenment. The snowfield around her seemed to pulse with energy, the very air alive with the essence of Deepfrost. She was no longer just a cultivator—she was a vessel for the cold, a conduit for the burning passion that lay at the heart of ice.

And as the tree reached its full height, its branches stretching toward the heavens, Ji Moran knew that she had taken the first step toward mastering the Dao of Deepfrost and towards Golden Core. The path ahead would be challenging, but with each passing moment, she grew stronger, her spirit more attuned to the icy flames that burned within her.