Chapter 16 The Ice-Fire Formation Diagram

Ji Ning's heart clenched.

The Iceheart Marrow was the foundation?

"Without the Iceheart Marrow, you can never again nurture Iceheart Leaves," the Hellgod said, looking at Ji Ning. "One Celestial Immortal after another enters Ten Thousand Mountains Island. I can't cut off this treasure just because of you."

"I heard that the one who left earlier, called 'Jueming,' didn't get just one Iceheart Leaf," Ji Ning suddenly said.

"Uh..."

The Hellgod's expression shifted slightly, and he muttered curses under his breath. "That Jueming, getting a treasure and then blabbing about it outside. Deserves to die!"

"You're right," the Hellgod said, looking at Ji Ning. "When Jueming entered the Moon Under the Pool, it was a very, very long time ago. He charged straight through to Ten Thousand Mountains Island in one go, becoming the second person to reach it. Back then, there really were many Iceheart Leaves, so twelve wasn't a big deal. But as time passed, one Celestial Immortal after another, after constant tempering, grew stronger and entered this island... more people, fewer treasures. So it was changed to only one leaf per person."

"You charged through in one go. If you want twelve, I'll give them to you."

The Hellgod waved his hand.

Whoosh.

Ripples spread across the Iceheart Marrow region, as if some restriction had been removed. Suddenly, countless swaying Iceheart Leaves appeared. At a glance, within the several-li radius of Iceheart Marrow, there must have been over ten thousand Iceheart Leaves growing.

"So many?" Ji Ning was astonished.

"Many? If each Celestial Immortal took twelve, a thousand of them would take over ten thousand!" the Hellgod snorted. "Of course I have to be frugal with this treasure. It's only because you charged through in one go that I'm willing to give you twelve. Twelve Iceheart Leaves are fine, but the Iceheart Marrow—that's the foundation. Don't even think about it."

Ji Ning understood. The ten thousand Iceheart Leaves before him were all grown from the Iceheart Marrow. How hard it must be to obtain the Iceheart Marrow itself.

"Actually..." Ji Ning quickly said, "I only need a little Iceheart Marrow, say, a few dozen zhang's worth?"

"A few dozen zhang?" The Hellgod's eyes widened. "And you call that a little?"

Ji Ning's heart leaped with joy. The Hellgod's tone suggested there was room for negotiation.

"There are several li of Iceheart Marrow here. Just a few dozen zhang is very little," Ji Ning said quickly. Seeing the Hellgod's expression, he knew it was unlikely, so he added, "Just ten zhang!"

"Do you know how deep that Iceheart Marrow is?" the Hellgod countered. "Nearly thirty zhang deep. You want ten zhang in radius and thirty zhang deep? Impossible."

"Three zhang in radius, three zhang deep," Ji Ning said quickly. "I only want that much..."

The Hellgod frowned.

"That much Iceheart Marrow, plus one Iceheart Leaf," Ji Ning said, looking at the Hellgod. "I won't take any other treasures. You said I could choose three items. I only want three zhang in radius, three zhang deep of Iceheart Marrow, and one Iceheart Leaf."

"Three zhang..." The Hellgod looked at Ji Ning, hesitating for a long time.

Ji Ning watched him.

"Fine," the Hellgod nodded. "Since you charged through in one go, three zhang won't affect the foundation. You were supposed to choose three treasures, but now it's just one Iceheart Leaf and this Iceheart Marrow."

"Mm." Ji Ning was overjoyed.

"Do you have a vessel to collect it?" the Hellgod asked. Ji Ning naturally produced a green jade gourd. The Hellgod nodded and waved his hand, as if an invisible hand scooped out a 'pit' in the Iceheart Marrow region, about three zhang in radius and three zhang deep. The Iceheart Marrow floated up and flew toward Ji Ning.

"Collect!" Ji Ning willed it, and the Iceheart Marrow rapidly shrank, all flying into the green jade gourd.

He stoppered it, then reached out and took the Iceheart Leaf that flew before him. Ji Ning breathed a sigh of relief. He had succeeded. He wasn't particularly interested in the other treasures; he wasn't a refiner or alchemist, and he didn't understand other methods. What he needed were techniques and treasures to increase his strength.

"This time I really lost out. For an ordinary Celestial Immortal, one Iceheart Leaf and three other treasures would have been enough," the Hellgod muttered. "And here's another one who knows Jueming got twelve. That Jueming is a real pest."

"Go on, get out of here."

The Hellgod glared at Ji Ning. "Do you want me to escort you?"

Ji Ning smiled, then left.

...

In the portable immortal estate.

Another true body clone of Ji Ning was in a quiet room inside.

"Iceheart Marrow in hand," Ji Ning said, holding the green jade gourd with a joyful expression. "Luckily, the Hellgod was reasonable and not too rigid, or it would have been troublesome."

In fact, knowing that Buddha Jueming had taken twelve Iceheart Leaves back then, while the Hellgod initially only showed him one, Ji Ning realized... the Hellgod must have been playing tricks. Since one Celestial Immortal after another entered Ten Thousand Mountains Island, the Iceheart Leaves couldn't possibly be just one. The Hellgod must have some authority.

He might not be able to give too many, but he could give fewer.

Ji Ning tried his best and finally succeeded.

"Three zhang in length and width, three zhang deep. This Iceheart Marrow is slightly lighter than water," Ji Ning thought. "With this much, it's about six hundred thousand jin."

Iceheart Marrow could float on water, but this amount was enough.

"My thirty-six clones need a total of three hundred sixty thousand jin. That's enough."

Having obtained the treasure, Ji Ning didn't hesitate. He took out another red jade gourd, which contained Nine Yang Pulp. This time when he entered the Moon Under the Pool, Ji Ning had brought one hundred thousand jin of Nine Yang Pulp.

"Let's begin."

Ji Ning uncorked both the green and red jade gourds, placed them on the ground in the distance, and then sat cross-legged in silence.

Whoosh.

Ji Ning floated up into the air, about ten zhang above the ground. As his true immortal magic power surged, a massive formation diagram gradually formed beneath him. As the power flowed, the diagram began to glow with golden light. This golden light diagram was circular, covering nearly a hundred zhang, like a huge barrier.

Countless runes flowed, infused with magic power, profoundly mysterious.

It took Ji Ning a full half hour to complete it.

"The Fire Formation Diagram is complete." Ji Ning breathed a sigh of relief, took out a Grand Immortal Pill to replenish his magic power, and then began to form another formation diagram. Above his head, in the high sky, another hundred-zhang circular diagram gradually appeared. As Ji Ning continuously formed and traced it, the diagram began to glow with black light, becoming more perfect and dense, until finally it was like black jade.

The hundred-zhang golden formation diagram was beneath his feet.

The hundred-zhang black formation diagram was above his head.

"The Ice-Fire Formation Diagram is complete. Now to temper the golden core." Ji Ning opened his eyes and looked at the two gourds placed in the distance. From the red jade gourd and the green jade gourd, fifteen thousand jin of Nine Yang Pulp and fifteen thousand jin of Iceheart Marrow flew out. Ji Ning was worried it might not be enough, so he took out a bit more.

The Nine Yang Pulp and Iceheart Marrow coalesced into two spheres.

Two spheres floated before Ji Ning.

One sphere of Nine Yang Pulp, one sphere of Iceheart Marrow. Inside, the Nine Yang Pulp and Iceheart Marrow slowly churned.

"Hoo... hoo..." The essence from the Nine Yang Pulp sphere was gradually absorbed by the golden formation diagram below, while the essence from the Iceheart Marrow sphere was absorbed by the black formation diagram above.

After absorbing the essence of these two extraordinary substances, the golden and black formation diagrams greatly increased in power, gaining mysterious and unfathomable strength. The two forces passed through Ji Ning's body and converged at his 'Pure Yang' golden core.

The opposing forces of ice and fire—both Nine Yang Pulp and Iceheart Marrow were extraordinary substances born from chaos, their power filled with endless wonder.

"So comfortable."

Ji Ning felt his Pure Yang golden core, tempered by this ice-fire force full of endless wonder, become very comfortable and begin to change very slowly. Though slow, this change was clearly perceptible to Ji Ning.

In a short time, the change might be small, but over a day or two, three or four days, the change would be astonishing.

"According to the Ice-Fire Golden Core Tempering Art, raising my Pure Yang golden core to the second rank will take about a month. This process must be slow, gradually nourishing the golden core and changing it. I must not rush." Ji Ning suppressed his excitement and slowly drew power through the two formation diagrams, tempering his golden core.

He believed that in a month...

His Pure Yang golden core would reach the second rank, which was half a step into the Daofather level. This transformation was a fundamental one. Once the golden core transformed, the divine soul nurtured by it could also advance by leaps and bounds.

"Just wait a month."

...

One true body clone was performing the 'Ice-Fire Golden Core Tempering Art' to temper the Pure Yang golden core, while another true body clone left the small island and arrived at the large island—Ten Thousand Mountains Island.

At the entrance of Ten Thousand Mountains Island stood a black stone tablet.

On the stone tablet was a flame pattern.

"The stone tablet on Volcano Island contained the mysteries of the Snow Demon's spear technique. This one probably contains the mysteries of the Hellgod's halberd technique." Ji Ning was quite interested. Although he had fought fiercely with the Hellgod for so long, it was all frantic combat, making it hard to glimpse the essence of his opponent's techniques.

Ji Ning stood before the black stone tablet, looking at the flame pattern. Soon, his consciousness was drawn in.

In a hazy space.

A humanoid creature held two halberds, starting from basic moves and gradually delving deeper into the dual-halberd technique. First simple, then complex. First slow, then fast. Finally, it all came together into a terrifying final move.

A long time passed.

Ji Ning's consciousness left the stone tablet, and he exclaimed in admiration: "Seeing it from shallow to deep in one go, I've gained a lot. My dual-sword technique still falls short." Ji Ning had gained some insights, giving him ideas to perfect his Brightmoon Sword Art.

"Let me first look around Ten Thousand Mountains Island."

Ji Ning swept his gaze around.

This vast island was filled with countless peaks—some towering into the clouds, some sharp as blades, some low, some bizarre. There must have been tens of thousands of peaks. Each peak stood isolated from the others, creating a truly wondrous sight.

"I wonder which Celestial Immortals are on this island." Ji Ning immediately walked deeper into Ten Thousand Mountains Island.