Opportunity!

The cold tide vanished instantly.

Gong Ning could even hear the faint sound of flowing water—above, the frozen lake was beginning to thaw.

She opened her System and examined the celestial meteorite.

Frostbound Star Core—that was its name. Or rather, the name given by ancient cultivators.

(Descended from beyond the heavens, it transformed into a divine artifact after eons in this world.)

From the description, its formation was similar to spirit stones—yet fundamentally different, as it was not born of this land.

Gong Ning pulled it from her System space and held it in her hand.

Now freed from the formation’s restraint, the Frostbound Star Core suddenly erupted with power—pouring energy directly into Gong Ning’s body.

In an instant, her dantian, sea of consciousness, and meridians trembled violently.

A sensation like growing pains surged through her—only far more intense—nearly knocking her unconscious.

The Su’e Nine Luminaries True Scripture within her seemed to awaken, circulating on its own.

At the same time, Gong Ning felt as if plunged into an ice cellar.

Even her saliva and the tears squeezed out by pain threatened to freeze.

Long after.

When she opened her eyes again, she immediately sensed something different.

Inside her body—a new spiritual root had formed.

Gong Ning had originally possessed innate dual roots—Metal from the Tianjian Pavilion Gong family, Wood from her mother.

As a side-branch descendant, her Metal root was mediocre—she had focused on Wood cultivation as a child.

Long ago, the standard for spiritual roots was the purer, the better—because early cultivation techniques couldn’t balance multiple roots.

Over time, standards evolved.

Now, quality was judged by innate purity—and in later stages, cultivators often sought to complete their set of roots.

To be a good master, Gong Ning had spent about fifty years cultivating the other three—Fire, Earth, and Water—but those were artificially formed.

Yet this new root—ice—was truly innate.

Fortunately, her vast knowledge allowed her to understand why.

Age was counted from birth.

But innate qi began the moment life formed in the womb.

This body was less than three months old—its innate energy was still full.

Even forming a new root now, it remained innate.

For years, she had relied on her System to steal opportunities from others.

Now, for the first time, an opportunity had fallen into her lap.

Even Gong Ning couldn’t help but feel joy at this unexpected gift.

She almost laughed out loud, ready to howl at the sky.

But with so many disciples around, she restrained herself—wouldn’t want to embarrass Xuantian Sword Sect.

She climbed the steps back to the cave.

The moment she emerged, she noticed something strange.

Every disciple was staring at her—eyes dazed, blank.

She wondered if her clothes were disheveled.

Tang Qiaohuan came running, whispering, “Master… rein it in a little…”

Gong Ning didn’t understand—until a roar echoed from outside.

Her expression darkened instantly.

Yan Sha was here? How—?

The beast already loomed at the cave entrance.

Joy still fresh, Gong Ning stepped in front of the group and pulled a defensive artifact from her System space.

She felt thick hostility and resentment—like facing a true enemy.

Then, she relaxed—because a dome surged from behind, trapping Yan Sha.

A second, stronger barrier enclosed the disciples.

Jiang Yuyao landed beside her.

She noticed Gong Ning’s change—but now wasn’t the time to ask.

“Yan Sha’s power suddenly increased.

We lost focus for a moment—it broke through.

Did anything happen here?”

Gong Ning instantly understood.

“Perhaps the entire secret realm was one great seal.

Its core was Su’e’s inheritance—now claimed by me.

So Yan Sha grew stronger.

Did you find any weakness?”

“No.

If not for the city above, we’d have shattered it already.”

The dome was cracking.

Three Nascent Soul cultivators had their techniques ready.

More had arrived—preparing a formation behind them.

Long Hanxi was among them.

It wasn’t hard to guess who had gone for help.

“Even if we destroy it, this evil beast will reform eventually.

It’ll linger for a thousand years.”

Perhaps she should reconsider—did Su’e leave any other means?

If she had foreseen intruders, she must have accounted for Yan Sha.

Gong Ning rushed back to the chamber.

If legends were true—Su’e ascended before thirty—then she likely couldn’t have set up such a complex formation.

Even if she could, her heir might not understand it.

So there had to be a foolproof backup method.

She began searching carefully.

After much investigation, she realized—the backup was herself.

There were two formations.

The first restricted cultivators below Nascent Soul—preventing heirs from claiming the Frostbound Star Core too early.

The second was the seal on Yan Sha.

Tang Qiaohuan’s information was flawed.

Su’e had simply placed the Frostbound Star Core here.

Later cultivators used her inheritance to reseal Yan Sha.

The original caster likely intended for the heir to suppress Yan Sha with strength—never considering the destructive power of a full Nascent Soul assault.

Who could have predicted that a city would one day be built above this place?

Otherwise, Yan Sha would have been contained long ago.

The ancestors’ method had failed.

She had to find her own way.

Gong Ning returned to the battlefield.

Yan Sha shattered the dome.

Was it because the seal had weakened?

Its body swelled again.

Five Nascent Soul cultivators attacked together.

This was likely the most frustrating fight of their lives—only allowed to suppress, never to unleash full force.

The longer it dragged, the worse it became.

The soil beneath Yan Sha’s feet melted.

Its raging fire energy thickened in the air.

Since it was targeting her…

“Yuyao! Tang Qiaohuan!”

Her cultivation was too low for telepathy.

And Yan Sha understood human tactics—she couldn’t shout her plan.

Jiang Yuyao moved to her side.

“In a moment, I’ll flee upward.

Yan Sha will chase me.

You protect the disciples—follow behind Yan Sha…”

Gong Ning glanced at the secret realm’s structure.

“When the time is right, I’ll leap down from above.”

A detour—leading Yan Sha back to the starting point.

That way, the disciples could be saved.

“Understood.”

Jiang Yuyao wrapped an arm around Gong Ning’s waist and vanished in a flash.

Yan Sha instantly locked onto Gong Ning.

It ignored the wounds on its body—charged after her, its massive form shaking the realm.

Fortunately, the beast didn’t understand human tactics.

It didn’t know the value of hostages.