The group followed the Elder Ice Drake through a passage carved from luminous ice that shimmered with faint blue light.

The walls glowed softly, the glow reflecting across their faces as they walked. But the deeper they went, the warmer it became, which surprised Meng Bai most of all. He had been bracing himself for an even colder interior, imagining his breath freezing midair, but the temperature seemed to shift comfortably around them.

Eventually, they emerged into a grand hall.

The entire chamber appeared to be sculpted from pure ice, yet there was no discomfort to be felt. A gentle warmth filled the air, soothing and inviting. The hall itself was enormous, wide enough to fit a dozen Ice Drakes comfortably. Arched ceilings sparkled with embedded crystals that cast a shifting aurora of light across the icy floor.

Elyon exhaled in relief, rubbing his hands together. "Now this is unexpected. I thought I'd be a frozen statue by the time we got in here."

The Elder Ice Drake gave a small, knowing smile. "The temperature here is maintained by an ancient formation. It adapts to each being's comfort," he explained, his voice echoing gently through the cavern. "Those who favor warmth will find it warm, while those who thrive in cold such as my kin will find it cool."

Daoist Chu nodded with visible respect. "An adaptive array. That is a remarkable level of refinement."

"Of course, this was made in ancient times by our ancestors." The Elder said proudly.

But it was Meng Bai who seemed the most affected.

His eyes were already darting from wall to wall, scanning the faint lines of runes and formation marks that ran through the crystalline surface. He crouched, leaning close to trace one of the sigils with his finger, muttering to himself as though solving a puzzle.

"Temperature adaptation... no, it's not that simple," he whispered. "There's energy flow here that's responding to our auras directly. The array must have sensors formations attuned to spiritual signatures. That would mean... but how did they maintain stability between conflicting preferences?"

The Elder looked at Lin Mu with a glimmer of amusement. "Your disciple is quite the curious one."

Lin Mu smiled faintly, watching Meng Bai wander deeper into his thoughts. "He always has been. If something catches his attention, he forgets the world around him."

Daoist Chu folded his hands together, chuckling. "Meng Bai's talent for

formations is exceptional. He learns faster than anyone I have ever taught. If he continues like this, he will make breakthroughs most formation masters can only dream of."

The Elder Ice Drake let out a hearty laugh, a deep sound that reverberated like rolling thunder through the ice. "Good, good! Curiosity and diligence are the roots of greatness. Let him wander. The formation here will not harm him."

He then looked at Meng Bai and said, "Young one, feel free to explore. When you wish to cultivate, tell any of my kin, and they will guide you to the cultivation halls. There, the energy is dense and stable, suitable even for humans."

Meng Bai turned, eyes wide in surprise, then quickly cupped his hands. "Thank you, Elder! I'll be careful not to disturb anything"

The Elder chuckled again. "If you can unravel how this array functions, that in itself will be a contribution. After all these years, there aren't many among my kin that are talented in formations anyways."

Lin Mu smiled proudly as Meng Bai eagerly moved off, his fingers tracing faint lines of script hidden within the walls. The young man muttered calculations and theories under his breath as he went, his focus absolute.

The rest of the group followed the Elder deeper into the hall, where the floor rippled faintly like frozen water.

When they reached the center, several smooth blocks of translucent ice rose from the ground, reshaping into chairs and low tables. The Elder gestured for them to sit, and the moment they did, the seats adjusted subtly beneath them, warm and comfortable.

"Let us discuss what must be done," the Elder said, lowering himself into a throne-like seat that formed behind him. The chair gleamed with streaks of frozen light, fitting for one of his stature. "You know earlier that the young Ice Drake was captured. You must understand how that came to be before you act."

Lin Mu leaned forward, his expression serious. "Indeed, Elder. That was one of my questions. It seemed strange to me that a young Ice Drake could be captured at all, considering their natural strength and bloodline. How did it happen?"

The Elder's expression darkened, and the faint aura around him shifted, bringing back the faint chill of the glacial air outside. His gaze turned distant, filled with memory and restrained fury.

"It happened quickly," he began, his voice solemn. "Too quickly for us to respond. The nest where our young ones resided was attacked by hundreds of cultivators simultaneously. They struck with great precision and overwhelming numbers."

Monk Hushu frowned deeply. "Hundreds? That is not a small ambush. It was an organized operation."

"Indeed," the Elder continued. "There were three young Ice Drakes present at that nest, each newly ascended into the Immortal Realm. Their strength was comparable to the first or second tribulation stage, which for any human cultivator would already be extraordinary. They fought bravely and destroyed the entire first wave of attackers, leaving no survivors. But in doing so, they sustained heavy injuries."

The group listened in silence, the gravity of the story pressing down on them. "The others," the Elder went on, "our kin and I, sensed the battle soon after. We immediately set out, but that nest is nearly four hundred kilometers from here. Even with our speed, it took us nearly an hour to reach. In that time, the second wave came."

Daoist Chu's brows knitted tightly. "So the first wave was merely bait."

The Elder nodded grimly. "Precisely. The first assault was meant to weaken and occupy the young ones. The second came prepared. They brought stronger cultivators, some even at the higher Immortal stages reaching the Sixth Tribulation Stage, and they carried talismans and treasures crafted to counter

our kind."