“In my memory, the Fire Essence Kingdom had a village called Yanyao,” the Elder said, voice heavy with the weight of ages. “Back then the kingdom was only just taking shape. I never imagined one sleep could last this long…”

  He waved a weary hand. The other mutated figures calmed at the gesture.

  “Since the Lord wishes to see you, there must be a reason. Will you follow me deeper?”

  The Elder turned to Yan Tang and Timo, then pointed at Feiyu with open disgust. “But this filthy fish demon may not set foot in our sacred ground.”

  At the renewed invitation, curiosity flared in Timo’s eyes. He glanced down at his master.

  Yan Tang had braced for battle—he knew human nature too well. Part of him wanted to walk away. Yet the thought of never leaving this forsaken place gnawed at him.

  His broad hand swept the sand; grains hissed into words: “Leave Feiyu here as backup. We go with them. If there’s a way out, it’s worth the risk.”

  Timo nodded, leaned close to Feiyu’s ear, and whispered. Feiyu melted into the damp shadows and vanished.

  “My master agrees,” Timo said. “But at night, spectral soldiers and magical beasts prowl outside. We can’t linger too long.”

  The Elder snorted at the mention of spectral soldiers and beasts. “Those wretched things are nothing to fear. Follow me.”

  He stepped through an arched doorway ahead and disappeared. Darkness swallowed him, yet a strange ripple lingered in the air.

  Yan Tang followed without hesitation. Timo glanced back at the damp corner. “Feiyu—stay put until we return.”

  A low, frog-like croak answered—their agreed signal.

  Timo crossed the threshold.

  Ancient stone walls rose around him, veined with pale blue humanoid energy forms that drifted like ghosts.

  They descended a spiral stair to a circular platform where the others waited in reverent silence.

  “Liancang Capital was once a port city of the Water Essence Empire,” the Elder said as they walked. “We were a nation of courtesy, at peace with the world. But betrayal came. The traitor must have prevailed—only that could reduce this place to what it is now.”

  “What happened back then?” Timo asked, relaying the question Yan Tang had traced in the sand.

  “The Spirit Tamer was meant to bring salvation. Instead, his greed delivered ruin. He sought to control the world’s order, to make every nation kneel. His evil spirit power birthed the spectral soldiers and those vile creatures.”

  Even Yan Tang, widely traveled, had never heard it told this way. Timo read his master’s next words aloud.

  “The Spirit Tamer you speak of—was he a cultivator who mastered all five essences?”

  “Yes. In our time, everyone aspired to become a Spirit Tamer, to build together an immortal paradise. But the Fallen Tamers changed everything.”

  Memories flooded the Elder; this had once been a place of pure cultivation, now lifeless and cold.

  “Those who wielded three essences were hunted by the betrayers. Some hid here and fought alongside us against the Fallen.”

  Yan Tang knew the term well—Fallen Tamer was another name for the Evil Cultivators of the Spirit Taming Cult.

  “The Fallen Tamers are now called Evil Cultivators of the Spirit Taming Cult,” Timo said. “My master says his team came here hunting their remnants. They were lost at sea on that mission.”

  The air grew fresher as they descended. Swirling rings of mist-like energy drifted past.

  “The sacred ground weakens,” the Elder murmured. “To suppress that evil force, countless essence cultivators gave their lives. Hundreds slumber here. We poured our power into the altar to contain the necrotic energy.”

  Lower still, a towering spire rose into the energy rings. Pale blue waves pulsed along its surface, rippling outward like current through the stone walls.

  Timo relayed Yan Tang’s next question.

  “My master says legend claims mastering five essences lets one tame spirits and ascend to godhood. From your words… does that mean even five essences cannot make a god? Was ascension always a lie?”

  The Elder paused, lost in thought. Gods, demons—he no longer cared.

  “Whether it was a lie, we do not know. Clearly some truths lie beyond what essence cultivators believed. I am curious—what has the world become?”

  Timo read the sand again. “My master says tri-elemental cultivators are rare now. Spiritual veins are exhausted. Essenceless people multiply. War rages everywhere—survival of the strongest.”

  “The rise of the Fallen sealed that fate.” The Elder’s gaze shifted to Feiyu’s absence. “I still wonder—where did you meet that fish demon? They were created only to kill. How does it obey you?”

  Timo shuddered at the memory of nearly being devoured by a juvenile sea demon five years ago.

  “Five years back, humanoid fish demons captured me and dragged me to their lair. Feiyu guided me out. I saved him; he saved me. He’s followed me ever since—learning, training.”

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  The Elder’s brow furrowed in disbelief.

  “To think a cursed abomination could possess humanity… They are soulless monsters, no different from the spectral soldiers of the Black Forest.”

  The mention of Black Forest jolted Timo—a faint headache stirred, as though the name tugged at buried memory.

  “To resist spectral soldiers and these cursed beings, our most loyal allies—the Watch Legion—lost half their number. I wonder how they fare now.”

  Yan Tang’s surprise was profound. Over thirty years ago, his team had coordinated with the Watch Legion to eradicate the Spirit Taming Cult. They had been en route to that alliance when trapped here.

  “The Watch Legion? The ancient legion? They came here too?”

  “Yes. Long ago this was fertile plain, rich with resources. Magical beasts roamed freely. Nearly everyone could cultivate to three essences…”

  The Elder pressed his face to the wall and scratched lightly with a nail. The stone ignited like a fuse, blooming into faint water-blue images.

  “This was Liancang Capital. We stand here.”

  A vast map etched the walls—more magnificent than any Fire Essence Empire territory Yan Tang knew. The Elder pointed to a corner: a radiant white tower, the sacred ground.

  “Now a graveyard…”

  The deep voice echoed again, resonant and sorrowful.

  “Liancang is lost. No need to cling to the past. I sense the cursers everywhere.”

  As they descended further, the murals expanded—elegant, willowy humans of breathtaking beauty.

  “Our awakening will alert the betrayers,” the Elder said. “You four—rouse the others. Guard this place.”

  At his command, the four vanished into side passages.

  Gears ground and groaned within the walls. Panels slid open like cabinet doors.

  Blue crystals embedded in the niches melted away. One by one, the slumbering essence cultivators awoke.

  The Lord Beneath the Ice (Part 2)

  “Master, the deeper we go, the more alive I feel. Have you ever seen a place like this?”

  Yan Tang shook his head. He had never even heard of anywhere with essence this abundant.

  The vast underground chamber resembled a cavern of boiling magma—only here, what churned and seethed was raw spiritual essence, flooding the senses with boundless vitality.

  If the powers of the outside world discovered this place, bloodshed and catastrophe would surely follow.

  As Timo Yang and Yan Tang descended further with the Elder, the floor below came into view: crystalline bricks gleaming with water-blue halos.

  At the heart of the broad circular hall, a towering pillar of frost encased the central altar, reaching all the way to the spire above. The pulsing blue rings emanated from a human figure sealed within the ice.

  Closer inspection revealed a striking man in battle armor, his long hair pure white. A crown rested on his brow, its central ice-blue gem radiating steady light.

  The moment Timo stepped into the hall, the frozen figure sensed him. His eyes opened, fixing on the youth.

  “So the surge of power I felt earlier came from you. Boy—what is your connection to the Spirit Essence Empire?”

  Timo scratched his head with an awkward grin. “I’ve never heard of any Spirit Essence Empire. Truth is, I barely remember my parents. I fell from a great height—lost everything.”

  “The power of rebirth… only the true bloodline of the Spirit Essence Empire inherits that gift.”

  Seeing Timo’s blank, almost childlike confusion, the Lord sighed deeply.

  “Never mind. I have no wish to know the world above. That Devouring Spirit Heart you carry once belonged to your ancestor. It binds the power of the Lord of Life. Every previous owner died betrayed.”

  His gaze shifted to Yan Tang—and froze, mouth half-open in shock.

  Yan Tang recognized the face at once: the legendary Spirit Tamer who had ascended to godhood.

  Timo hurriedly read his master’s sand-script aloud.

  “My master says you are the legendary God of Spirit Taming.”

  A bitter laugh escaped the Lord. “So after all this time, that portrait still circulates. But the man in the painting was not me—my twin brother. He is the one who reduced our Liancang to this ruin.”

  Timo continued relaying Yan Tang’s words.

  “Before coming here, we had never heard of Liancang Capital or the Spirit Essence Empire. The Water Essence Empire is now ancient myth, hidden deep beneath the seas. They show themselves to no one.”

  The Lord laughed again, the sound echoing through the chamber. Far outside, Feiyu huddled in his corner, claws extending in fright.

  “The Spirit Essence Empire endured thousands of years unchallenged. Even Liancang fell to those filthy creatures—yet who could topple the Spirit Essence Empire? You fire-essence folk remain as arrogant as ever.”

  At the Lord’s rising anger, the Elder dropped to his knees in reverence.

  “My Lord, I scouted above. The sacred ground is buried. Mountains and black sea mist surround us. Even the Watch Legion has vanished. If the Spirit Essence Empire faced calamity, it would not surprise me.”

  The Lord’s laughter shook the hall.

  “As long as the Spirit Sovereign Continent belongs to essence cultivators, the descendants of the Spirit Taming clan will rise to tame spirits and claim godhood.”

  Yan Tang’s mouth fell open; the Lord saw clearly the ruined tongue within.

  “What amuses you? The creatures that tormented you once captured my people, using evil spirit power to forge blood-spirit springs and steal the heart of our earth veins. I—argh!”

  Cracks spiderwebbed across the altar as fury seized him. He threw back his head and roared in agony.

  “This mortal frame… such torment…”

  Green energy coalesced before him, enveloping Yan Tang and flowing into his body.

  Timo raised the Blazing Chain Lance to strike, but the Elder blocked him.

  “Fire-essence one—do not act rashly! The Lord senses his pain. He is healing him.”

  Yan Tang writhed in the roar—then felt his tongue regrow, flesh budding, lengthening. From garbled murmurs he cried out clearly, joy and pain mingled.

  But when tender new flesh began to form over his severed legs, the Lord weakened, head bowing.

  “The healing energy… so scarce…”

  Yan Tang gathered wind essence and landed lightly, touching his restored tongue in disbelief.

  “My tongue… it’s back! Ha…”

  Laughter spilled from him—something he had never dared dream.

  “This place is poisoned,” he said. “The spiritual veins, herbs, beasts—even the fish demons—all corrupted.”

  He continued, voice steady now.

  “You mentioned the Spirit Taming clan. They were exterminated by the Five Alliance Nations over three hundred years ago.”

  The Lord stared, killing intent flaring.

  “Is this truth? Swear it, arrogant fire-essence man.”

  Yan Tang raised his hand in solemn oath.

  “I have nothing to fear. I, Yan Tang, swear on my life—every word is true. The Spirit Taming clan practiced evil spirit power, seeking to scour heaven and earth. All records say the Fallen emerged from their ranks.”

  The Lord exhaled heavily. If the Fallen had only begun their rise fourteen hundred years ago and already wrought such havoc, the world above must now be chaos incarnate.

  “Your words ring true. The Fallen did found nations. Only the Spirit Taming clan could oppose them. If the clan was slaughtered… then great disorder has come. Has the Son of Darkness already descended?”

  Yan Tang snorted at the name.

  “In fire-essence eyes, the leader of the Spirit Taming Cult was the Son of Darkness. Thirty years ago we came to crush their remnants. Even if one saved my life today, I would still cut him down.”

  “So the Fallen brought catastrophe great enough to earn your wrath. I saved you from the blood-spirit spring out of pity all those years ago.”

  Yan Tang gaped.

  “You… saved me thirty years ago?”

  “Yes. I know everything that transpired here. The betrayers sealed this sea, waiting for my end. This power must never fall to them. It seems the day of reckoning has come.”

  The ice encasing him melted, flowing back into his body.

  He removed the crown. Four radiant rings of essence flared around him—each element perfected, boundless.

  To master and disciple, he was divinity made flesh. Their eyes shone with awe.

  With a mere gesture of essence, the Lord lifted the entire altar. Beneath lay a well of rippling water-blue spiritual essence.

  He held the crown aloft. The ice-blue gem drank deeply, absorbing every ripple until the chamber fell still and silent.

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