“Fusing these two weapons together will not be tolerated by Heavenly Dao,” the Dragon Maiden said. “When that Heavenly Tribulation comes, I won’t be able to withstand it.”
“In this world,” Xu Zimo replied calmly, “there is no Heavenly Tribulation, because here, I decide what exists. Also,” he added with a faint smile, “I want your Torch Dragon Staff to be fused in as well.”
“No!” the Dragon Maiden immediately protested. “The Torch Dragon Staff is the sacred treasure of the Dragon Race. If you dare fuse it, you’ll bring the wrath of the entire Dragon Race upon you.”
“Even if all Sixteen Beast Races came at once, I wouldn’t fear them, let alone a single Dragon Race,” Xu Zimo said with amusement.
“If you insist on fusing the Torch Dragon Staff, then I’d rather refuse to help you forge anything,” the Dragon Maiden said coldly.
“Whatever. To be honest,” Xu Zimo replied, “I don’t really care much for that staff anyway. How long will it take to fuse the two main weapons?”
“If we rely on pure forging without external aid, it will take at least one month,” she said after thinking for a moment. “And I’ll need various auxiliary materials for the forging process.”
“Name them. Whatever you need, I’ll provide it,” Xu Zimo said. “In one month, I want a brand new sword in my hand.”
“Most materials are easy enough to find,” the Dragon Maiden said, “but there are two that I doubt you possess.”
“What are they?” Xu Zimo asked.
“To forge weapons of this level, we need a flame capable of melting them. The Grand Pivot God-Sword is no ordinary weapon. I don’t yet know of any flame that could melt it,” she explained. “Second, once the fusion is complete, we’ll need something to cool and stabilize the weapon, a frost that can extinguish even that kind of divine fire. Do you have such a thing?”
Xu Zimo brought out the Nine-Curve Divine Fire he had once obtained from the Heavenly Dao Academy. It was the same flame he’d used to merge the Shadow Tyrant with the True God Sword in the past.
“This flame is powerful,” the Dragon Maiden said, shaking her head, “but still not enough. If you don’t believe me, try melting the Grand Pivot God-Sword with it.”
“Then do you know of any place where such fire and frost might exist?” Xu Zimo asked.
“Even if I did, why would I tell you?” the Dragon Maiden replied. “Our agreement only said I would forge the weapon, it didn’t include providing materials.”
“Don’t you want your freedom?” Xu Zimo asked.
“I do,” she said quietly, “but I don’t believe you’d let me go. Because I’ve discovered your secret.”
Her eyes swept across their surroundings, and she gave a faint smile.
“If I’m not mistaken, this place is a self-contained world, isn’t it? Someone actually created an independent world from their True Fate. What are you planning, do you intend to replace the Nine Heavens themselves?”
“That’s not something you need to concern yourself with,” Xu Zimo replied. “If you refuse to tell me, you’ll remain imprisoned here for eternity. But if you cooperate, tell me your regrets or final wishes, I might consider granting them. You can decide for yourself.”
“I truly don’t know about the flame,” the Dragon Maiden said finally. “But as for the frost, at the bottom of the North Sea, there lies a mountain of Deep Sea Black Ice. It is the coldest, hardest substance in existence. However, even I can’t approach it. The depths of the North Sea are home to countless shadowy sea beasts, ancient creatures of godlike strength and in great numbers. Some of them have lived since the Primordial Era. When I first built the North Sea City, I wanted to use Deep Sea Black Ice,” she continued, “but I couldn’t obtain it, so I had to settle for Mystic Ice instead. Mystic Ice is merely the residue, the frozen aura released by the true Black Ice. Even that lesser ice doesn’t melt in ten thousand years. You can imagine how powerful the real Black Ice must be.”
At this, the Dragon Maiden smiled faintly.
“I’ve told you where it is. Whether you can obtain it or not, that’s your problem.”
“You’re hoping I’ll clash with those deep-sea beasts, and then you can take advantage of the chaos to escape, aren’t you? What a smartass!” Xu Zimo said with a laugh.
“Even if I said yes,” she countered, “would you refuse to go?”
Xu Zimo shook his head. “That’s an open trap, but one I can’t eactly avoid.”
His God Soul returned to the outside world. Just as the Dragon Maiden had said, no matter the scheme, he still needed the Deep Sea Black Ice.
Their previous battle had already devastated millions of miles, killing countless sea creatures in its wake. Yet, those deep-sea behemoths had never surfaced. It meant they wished to remain undisturbed, dwelling quietly in the abyss.
……
Xu Zimo locked onto the direction and began descending toward the ocean floor. The deeper he went, the stronger the pressure grew.
But such pressure couldn’t affect him.
He descended for what felt like an eternity, perhaps an hour passed, until the surrounding waters turned pitch-black. That darkness carried an icy chill so sharp it pierced into his pores, making his whole body tremble.
Jagged reefs appeared around him, intertwined with cold stone and strands of seaweed. At first, he paid them no mind, but the deeper he went, the colder it became, until even his limbs stiffened.
He summoned his fire-attribute aura to burn against the cold, keeping himself warm. Finally, when he looked up, he saw it, a faint outline deep within the darkness.
A massive mountain of ice.
The mountain seemed to merge with the black water around it, its darkness even purer than the abyss itself.
Xu Zimo swam faster, enduring the biting chill that pressed against him.
When he finally reached it, he realized how colossal it truly was, beyond what he’d imagined.
Everything nearby was frozen solid, the depths silent and eternal.Before he could examine it closely, a massive black claw suddenly descended from above.
Xu Zimo reacted instantly, retreating backward.With a thunderous boom, the water erupted, sending waves crashing in all directions.
Steadying himself, Xu Zimo looked around, the darkness was even thicker now. He couldn’t make out shapes, only countless glowing red eyes staring back at him from the void.
“Human,” a deep, echoing voice resounded through the waters, “this is not a place where you belong.”
“I’m only here to collect some Deep Sea Black Ice,” Xu Zimo said with a smile. “You wouldn’t be so stingy, would you?”
A wave of murderous intent rippled through the sea. It was as if ancient beings had been roused in fury, their crimson eyes blazing with boundless power.
“Human, do not seek death,” one of them growled.
Xu Zimo only smiled, unmoved.
“Then I suppose,” he said, “there’s nothing left but to fight.”
Just as the tension reached its peak and battle was about to erupt, the water around them suddenly shifted. A massive, ancient creature emerged from the depths.
Xu Zimo couldn’t make out its full form in the darkness, but its presence alone filled him with immense pressure.
“Enough,” the creature’s voice boomed. It turned toward Xu Zimo, silent for a long moment before speaking again.
“You may take the Deep Sea Black Ice, but you must swear an oath. Once you obtain it, you will never set foot in this place again for the rest of your life.”
“Sure,” Xu Zimo nodded without hesitation.
The colossal creature slowly raised its right claw.