"You fought them... eighty thousand years ago?" Lin Mu asked quietly, almost disbelieving.

The Elder's lips curved into a faint smile that did not reach his eyes. "Indeed. They have always hidden in the shadows, whispering falsehoods and bending mortals to their will. I thought they had been destroyed during the Cleansing of the Unorthodox, when their strongholds were buried beneath the wrath of the powers. Yet it seems even then, some of their lineage escaped."

He looked down at Lin Mu, seeing the disbelief in the young man's face, and let out a quiet chuckle. "You are wondering how I still live, I see."

Lin Mu scratched the back of his neck, feeling slightly embarrassed to be caught. "I admit, I am. It is rare for even immortal beasts to survive through so many milleniums."

The Elder's eyes softened. "Child, I am an Elder Ice Drake. My kind are not like humans. From the moment we are born, we are blessed... or cursed with time. Even a newly hatched Ice Drake begins its life at the Dao Treading realm and has a lifespan exceeding ten thousand years. Upon reaching the first tribulation stage, that lifespan doubles. The stronger we grow, the longer the river of time stretches before us."

Lin Mu listened intently, realizing how little he truly knew of draconic physiology.

"For one such as I," the Elder continued, "to live a hundred thousand years is not a feat. It is the natural course of our bloodline. Of course, longevity alone does not always grant wisdom. Many of my kin still chase strength and pride, but those who endure learn patience. The world changes around us countless times, but the frost remembers."

Lin Mu nodded in quiet understanding. It made sense now, not just the Elder's survival, but also his humanoid form. Only beasts of incredibly pure lineage and cultivation could take such shapes, and even then, only when their essence, bloodline, and Dao aligned perfectly.

"Your human form," Lin Mu said thoughtfully, "it must be the result of your cultivation and bloodline, perhaps the perfect harmony of both."

The Elder smiled faintly. "You are perceptive. Yes, taking this form is not simple. Many of my kin cannot, for their paths diverge from balance. To take a humanoid form is to temper one's beastly instincts, to bring order to the chaos within. It is the mark of one who has walked far upon the Dao."

Lin Mu bowed slightly again. "Then I am honored, Elder, to stand before such an existence.""

The Elder's laughter rolled across the frozen valley, deep and powerful. "You speak well, Lin Mu. I see why the others brought you to me. Perhaps it was fate that guided you here."

He then turned his gaze toward the horizon, where the snow met the sky. "If the Ephemera Sect truly walks the world again, then we will not remain idle. Their crimes against my kin will not go unanswered."

Lin Mu nodded firmly, his eyes meeting the Elder's. "Then we stand together in this, Elder. For whatever plans they are weaving, we will end them before they can reach their next victim."

The Elder's horns gleamed with faint light as he spoke solemnly, "Then let the frost bear witness to our accord, young one. The Ice Drakes shall no longer remain silent."

Lin Mu waited until the elder's breath had calmed again before continuing.

The air was still sharp with the chill of residual Ice Dao, but now the silence felt heavy with thought rather than rage. The Ice Drake Elder stood before him, his expression solemn, and Lin Mu knew he could not delay any longer.

"Elder," Lin Mu said quietly, "what I told you earlier may only be the beginning. I believe the Ephemera Sect's actions are part of a much larger plan. From what I've gathered, they have already exhausted the catalyst they made from the young Ice Drake. They will need more, and this time they might not stop at one."

The elder's eyes gleamed with cold fury again, but he remained composed. "You mean to say they would dare come again, even after what they have done?"

"Yes," Lin Mu replied. "They have likely spent years building their ritual arrays and feeding their catalysts, perhaps even failed in their first attempt. Their last remaining catalyst must have run dry, which means they will need more Ice Drake corpses to continue their work.

Their next move will be more desperate, more reckless. And I intend to stop them before they can act, or better yet, capture them and find out what they are truly planning"

A deep growl rumbled through the Elder's chest. Frost began to gather in the air once more, the temperature sinking again, but this time he kept it

restrained.

"Then they have chosen their own destruction," he said, his tone quiet but dangerous. "To lay hands upon one of my kin once was a sin deserving

annihilation. To think they would dare to repeat it..." He exhaled slowly, the icy mist from his breath curling through the air like ghostly vapors. "They will

regret it dearly."

Lin Mu inclined his head. "That is my intent as well, Elder. But the problem lies in timing. I still do not know when they might act, or where. Their ways are subtle, and they thrive in the shadows.

And while I know Ice Drakes are resilient and strong, we still don't know what kind of trickry they might use. As such we must be ready at all times."

The elder nodded slowly, his gaze thoughtful. "Then readiness shall be our weapon. I will summon my kin and warn them. From this moment onward, the Ice Drake clan shall remain vigilant.

However, if we wish to catch these snakes properly, we must not make it obvious. From what I know of them, the Ephemera Sect's members are cunning. If they sense that the Ice Drakes are aware, they will slink back into the dark and wait for another era to pass before resurfacing."