“Little friend, you have a good eye. This ‘Palace of Winter’ is indeed a portion of the ancient Heavenly City.” A firm voice echoed from within the palace as the owner stepped out.

The voice belonged to a dignified middle-aged man wearing a plain daoist robe. He carried a long sword on his back and held a fly-whisk in his hand. He looked like an expert that had left behind the mundane world, someone that had reached enlightenment.

Song Shuhang looked at the middle-aged man and managed to determine his strength with just one glance—Second Stage Realm. To be more precise, Second Stage Fifth Dantian ‘Dragon Palm Dantian’ Realm. The great river of true qi of the middle-aged man had only condensed up to the ‘Dragon Palm Dantian’.

His realm was slightly higher than that of the Western monk, and was the same as that of ‘Altar Master’ back in the day.

Am I mistaken? Or does this daoist priest really have the strength of the Second Stage Realm? Song Shuhang thought to himself.

This daoist priest looked a little too weak for the master of this palace located in the forbidden area… Was it possible that his realm seemed so low because he was suppressing his strength?

[I also took a look, and the opposite party indeed seems to have the strength of the Second Stage Fifth Dantian Realm. Perhaps they are really purposely suppressing their aura and realm…] Ye Si remarked in Song Shuhang’s mind.

“I’m the current palace master of the ‘Palace of Cold Winter’, Cold Gleam. May I know the names of these two fellow daoists?” Cold Gleam greeted Song Shuhang and Venerable White.

No one was going to strike a smiling face. As such, Senior White also refrained from taking action.

“My name is White, and you can call me Venerable White if you want,” Senior White replied.

Venerable? Whom are you trying to deceive?! If a Venerable can really slaughter his way to the Palace of Winter, I’ll cut off my head and allow you to play soccer with it!The corner of Cold Gleam’s mouth twitched. However, he still forced out a smile, and said, “Hello, Fellow Daoist White.”

Song Shuhang likewise replied, “Fellow Daoist, you can call me [Scholar Mountain of Books].”

Senior White turned his head, and asked curiously, “Eh? Wasn’t your daoist name ‘Tyrannical Saber Song One’?”

“Yes, but it’s Friday today,” Song Shuhang replied in all seriousness.

“Oh.” Senior White was baffled, but still nodded.

“…” Cold Gleam. What is the relationship between your name and the days of the week…?

Cold Gleam tried his best to make his smile look natural. “Fellow Daoist Scholar Mountain of Books, you seem very young. How long has it been since you started cultivating?”

Song Shuhang was somewhat confused. Why was the opposite party asking him this question?

“Fellow Daoist, no need to worry. It was just a random question. You don’t have to reply if you don’t want,” Cold Gleam said with a smile.

“It’s not really a secret or anything,” Senior White said with a smile at this time. “Little friend Shuhang, you can reply to this question of Fellow Daoist Cold Gleam.”

Song Shuhang replied, “It hasn’t been long since I’ve started cultivating. I came in contact with the world of cultivators only three months ago, starting to cultivate around that time.”

“Three months?” Cold Gleam was dumbfounded and looked at Song Shuhang skeptically.

“It’s been three months altogether, but I’ve had a fortuitous encounter in the past and stayed in a time-related secret realm for some time. If that portion of time is also taken into consideration, it’s been four months since I’ve started cultivating,” Song Shuhang said.

“Fellow Daoist, your luck is really good.” Cold Gleam laughed.

Then, he took off his plain daoist robe, and revealed a set of battle armor beneath. “Palace of Cold Winter, I want to activate the 1vs1 battle arena feature and appoint this guy called ‘Scholar Mountain of Books’ as the challenger. Damn, I’ve practiced for 30 years, and I’m already at the Second Stage Fifth Dantian Realm. Beating this noob that has practiced for only three months will be a piece of cake!”

“…” Song Shuhang.

“…” Senior White.

“…” Ye Si.

Was this a case where the ‘plot got finally revealed’? Had Daoist Priest Cold Gleam asked Song Shuhang and Senior White those questions so that he could secretly collect information? Then, as he discovered that Song Shuhang had started cultivating only three months ago, he happily dragged him into this ‘1vs1 battle arena’ to beat him up.

But why did he want to beat up Song Shuhang? Even if he beat up Song Shuhang, there was still Senior White. Was he planning to fight Senior White as well?

“If you don’t seek death, you won’t die… Why are so many people unable to understand this simple concept?” Song Shuhang muttered to himself.

While speaking, he felt his body becoming lighter and getting dragged to a battle arena.

This ‘1vs1 battle arena’ Cold Gleam mentioned was very similar to the Battle Arena Dimension where the little demonic hamster had dragged Song Shuhang some time ago. It was likewise an independent space cut off from the rest of the world.

Song Shuhang and Cold Gleam stood on the battle arena.

Senior White stood outside the arena, acting as a spectator.

Song Shuhang sighed, and said, “Fellow Daoist, is this really worth the trouble?”

“It cannot be helped. This poor daoist also has a duty to complete!” Cold Gleam sighed, and said, “In the capacity of the guardian of the ‘Palace of Winter’, I likewise have to block the cultivators that intrude this forbidden area. If I don’t, my status as the ‘guardian’ will be revoked, and I will have to start everything anew. I can only say that your luck wasn’t good enough, Fellow Daoist Scholar Mountain of Books.”

“…” Song Shuhang.

From his words, he could more or less understand why the opposite party had dragged him to this battle arena.

However, how had Cold Gleam—someone only at the Second Stage Realm—become the ‘guardian’ of the Palace of Winter? Was it possible that there was no one else in the palace aside from him?

“Fellow Daoist Scholar Mountain of Books, it’s pointless to struggle. My talent is average, I’ve missed the best period to practice, and I’ve practiced for 30 years only to reach the Second Stage Realm… but it’s more than enough to take care of someone that has practiced only for three months. Little friend, you should stand still and let me give you a beating. As long as you faint, my duty would be considered complete,” Cold Gleam suggested.

“Fellow Daoist Cold Gleam, didn’t you check my realm when you dragged me to this place?” Song Shuhang asked.

“What do you mean?” Cold Gleam asked.

“Alright, it seems Fellow Daoist didn’t check my realm. Such being the case, let me introduce you to my ghost spirit.” Song Shuhang snapped his fingers.

Ye Si coordinated with Song Shuhang and came out. Then, she pulled her skirt and greeted Cold Gleam like a young fairy maiden—it was something she had recently seen on the TV.

Cold Gleam looked at Ye Si. He could feel that spiritual energy was surging in the body of this ghost spirit, as well as the indistinct aura of a Golden Core.

“This is my ghost spirit, Ye Si. She has the strength of the Fifth Stage Realm and is a Golden Core Spiritual Emperor!” Song Shuhang said.

Cold Gleam said, “Your uncle!” He was just a cultivator that had practiced for three months, how could he already have a ghost spirit of the Fifth Stage Realm?!

This was absurd!

There was definitely an illicit sexual relationship somewhere in the middle!

“Fellow Daoist Scholar Mountain of Books, what you did just now was improper. This battle between the two of us in a very private matter. How can you suddenly bring out that ghost spirit miss?” Cold Gleam clenched his teeth, and said.

Song Shuhang said, “A ghost spirit and its master are one entity. There is no difference between them.”

Cold Gleam gritted his teeth. “I didn’t think that you would have such a method at your disposal… Luckily, I also have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

After saying this much, he shouted loudly, “I invoke the rules of the arena! Please send this ghost spirit outside the arena. It’s forbidden to rely on the power of a ghost spirit during this battle!”

“Whizz~”

Ye Si was teleported off the ‘1vs1 battle arena’, ending up beside Senior White.

“This arena has such a feature as well?” Senior White said.

Off the arena, Ye Si smiled and waved at Song Shuhang. “Shuhang, good luck. I can’t help you anymore!”

“…” Song Shuhang.

Cold Gleam said, “Now, you don’t have your ghost spirit anymore.”

“Hmm, nice trick, Fellow Daoist. But, how many times can you make use of the rules of the arena?” Song Shuhang asked.

Cold Gleam laughed, and said, “Fellow Daoist, why don’t you guess?”

“No guesses, Fellow Daoist will ask!” Song Shuhang took out the treasured saber Broken Tyrant and aimed it at Cold Gleam.

Cold Gleam slowly unsheathed the long sword on his back, and said in a grave tone, “The name of this sword is [Deadly Cold]. It’s 120 centimeters long and was forged from an extremely cold ore—”

However, Song Shuhang attacked before he could finish his sentence.

Thanks to the ❮Virtuous Man’s Ten Thousand Mile Walk❯, Song Shuhang drifted from place to place, approaching Cold Gleam at very high speed.

At the same time, he gently spun his wrist.

Blazing flames started to burn on the blade of the saber. The flames had a pale color and very high temperature. Song Shuhang was planning to end this battle with one move of the Flaming Saber Technique that Daoist Priest Scarlet Heaven had passed on to him.

“You are also a cultivator of the Second Stage?” Cold Gleam said, astonished. Although the Flaming Saber Technique was a widespread beginner-level saber technique, one needed to be a cultivator of the Second Stage to bring out those flames.

“Why don’t you guess?” Song Shuhang slashed.

Guess your uncle, you cheater! Didn’t you say that you practiced for only three months? How did you reach the Second Stage Realm in just three months?! Who do you think you are, the little brother of the Wielder of the Will?!

Cold Gleam gritted his teeth and held onto his long sword. “Roar of the Ice Dragon!”

The ‘Roar of the Ice Dragon’ was both a defensive and offensive sword technique. While slashing, the cold energy on the sword would coordinate with his ice-type true qi and form a lifelike ice dragon.

The ice dragon could retreat and defend, and also advance and attack. There was no way an ordinary saber technique like the Flaming Saber Technique could compare to it.

Even if this cheater is at the Second Stage Realm, an average technique like the Flaming Saber Technique is doomed to be devoured by this ice dragon of mine—

Cold Gleam still hadn’t finished thinking that the ‘ice dragon’ he had condensed melted.

The lifelike ice dragon had just appeared when it met the saber qi of the Flaming Saber Technique and melted like a snowflake under the blazing sun, turning into water.

The ice dragon turned into a water dragon. The water dragon lost its support and splashed on the ground.

The remaining strength of the Flaming Saber Technique didn’t diminish as Song Shuhang slashed down.

“Screeeeech!” The Flaming Saber Technique clashed against Deadly Cold. When the two blades clashed, they issued a screeching sound.

Cold Gleam felt that his arm had become numb due to the blow.

The opposite party had great strength.

In addition, the flaming saber qi was now burning on Deadly Cold’s blade. If not for the fact that Deadly Cold was a godly weapon, it would have been destroyed after the blow.

Cold Gleam had a bad premonition. The Flaming Saber Technique of the opposite party wasn’t an average one.

“Three Heads and Six Arms Technique!” Song Shuhang called out.

The Three Heads and Six Arms Technique? This youngster has studied that type of technique as well? Cold Gleam was alarmed.