Ancient Freaks

Beizhou.

This was the extremely cold region of the Nine Provinces, covered in wind and snow year-round, making it virtually uninhabited.

At this moment, two middle-aged men appeared, walking through the air amidst the swirling snow.

Relying on a secret technique in their hands, they searched for something across this eternal ice field, finally landing on one of the icy peaks.

“It is indeed here.”

“Yes. The Saint and Saintess both sealed themselves here.”

The two middle-aged men put away their secret techniques. After confirming the location, they muttered incantations and simultaneously deployed dozens of arrays.

Disturbed by the arrays, the peaceful ice field vibrated violently. Beneath their feet, two dense black spots emerged, rapidly rising from deep within the ice.

A crisp sound of breaking ice rang out. The two middle-aged men soared into the air and poured more spiritual energy into the arrays. With the arrays as the center, cracks began to spread in all directions until they covered the entire icy peak.

The icy peak shattered and the ice field collapsed. Countless massive chunks of ice rained down, plunging into the sea beneath the ice sheet and kicking up colossal waves.

Right after, two blocks of dark purple ice floated before them, surrounded by an aura of extreme cold.

The first heartbeat.

The second heartbeat.

The third heartbeat...

The heartbeats grew stronger and stronger, and the outermost layer of black ice began to shed. With a loud pop, the black ice at the top shattered, revealing the figure within.

“Haa~”

The silver-haired youth exhaled a breath of cold air and slowly opened a single silver eye. It was icy, ruthless, and devoid of any emotion whatsoever.

“Yinyang Valley welcomes the awakening of the Saint!”

The two men spoke in unison.

“A slumber of nearly a thousand years... Another round of the Ancient Immortal Realm has opened,” the silver-haired youth spoke, his voice cold and piercing like the winter wind.

“Yes.”

The black ice on the right shattered. The silver-haired youth reached out with his free right arm, placed it over his left eye, and with a crack, peeled away the black ice covering his face.

Then, as he opened both eyes, the black ice broke away like shards, clinking as it fell, until it was entirely gone, revealing his full appearance.

Handsome, demonic, and cold.

The silver-haired youth moved his stiff limbs. Blood circulated through his body once more, and his lost warmth slowly returned to normal.

Thin threads of bloodshot veins also appeared within his silver pupils.

“It's been so long since I last moved. I'm really not used to this.”

“Yes, indeed.”

An even colder voice came from beside him, belonging to the frozen Saintess.

“Oh, Her Ladyship the Saintess is awake too,” the silver-haired youth teased. “Do you need me to help you break the ice?”

“Do you think I need it?”

From within the black ice, the silver-haired woman cast a cold glance at him. Then, with a bang, she broke out of the ice, simple and direct.

As her blood flowed once more, a hint of rosiness returned to her pale face, and her silvery-white hair gradually turned back to its original icy blue.

“Saint, Saintess, congratulations on your return.”

The two men spoke respectfully again.

“Hehe, no need for formalities. It's been nearly a thousand years. It's time to go back and take a look.”

“Indeed. I wonder if they have awakened yet.”

The blue-haired woman reminisced.

The “they” she spoke of were, of course, the group of people who, like her, had missed the previous Ancient Immortal Realm and wanted to perfect their Dao and techniques. They were all peerless geniuses of their respective eras.

They had all awakened in the present era for one purpose: to compete.

At the same time.

In deserts, lava, ancient trees, and fallen meteors... in every corner of the Nine Provinces and within various factions, one ancient freak after another awakened.

Awakening alongside them were the demon race, evil cults, external demons...

Among the myriad races, all kinds of monstrous geniuses burst onto the scene. Having remained dormant year after year, through hundreds of autumns, they had finally waited until the arrival of this grand era.

...

Tianzhu Peak.

Su Qian looked at Huo Huang and Murong Qing, who had been coming over to freeload meals every day for the past few days, and asked, “Little Yi-Yi, has Tianyun Peak been eaten out of house and home by Xiao Hongye's disciples?”

“I don't know. They shouldn't be... that poor, right?”

“Big Brother, another bowl!”

In Wang Xuanyi's arms, Murong Qing held up her small bowl, her face dotted with several grains of rice, looking rather comical.

Seeing this, Zhu Huai stepped forward to wipe them off for her.

Such a warm scene carried quite the family atmosphere.

“Brother, me too!”

“Okay.”

Wang Xuanyi replied, forced to take on the roles of both a nanny and an older brother.

“My, my, Little Yi-Yi will make an excellent father in the future.” Seeing how practiced Wang Xuanyi's movements were, Su Qian rested her chin on one hand, her voice soft and sweet, yet filled with teasing.

Hearing this, Wang Xuanyi merely rolled his eyes. On the other hand, Zhu Huai, who was crouching down to wipe the rice off Murong Qing's face, blushed with embarrassment on her fair cheeks.

“A father... isn't it a bit too early for that...?”

The more Zhu Huai thought about it, the more visible her embarrassment became, and steam practically began to rise from the top of her head.

Then, Su Qian poked Murong Qing, who was burying her face in her food, and made a thinly veiled insinuation. “If a certain someone had that kind of courage, their child would probably be about this big by now, and I'd be able to play with a cute little niece.”

Mo Yan, who was drinking wine, couldn't hold it in and sprayed it all out. The wine drooled down his chin, leaving him with a look of pure, unadulterated stupidity.

“Mm-hmm, Martial Aunt makes a lot of sense.”

Wang Xuanyi crossed arms and nodded in agreement.

If the old geezer had been more capable, maybe he would have had a senior sister, or a cute younger sister by now.

Huo Huang didn't say anything, focusing entirely on devouring her food while listening to the gossip.

The dining table at Tianzhu Peak was truly different from Tianyun Peak.

There weren't as many rules; it was much more casual.

Huo Huang really enjoyed this kind of atmosphere.

After the meal, Huo Huang cleaned up the pots, pans, and dishes, while Murong Qing fell fast asleep in Wang Xuanyi's arms.

She wasn't tired; she was probably experiencing a carb crash.

For a little child in the Qi Refining Realm to devour three whole large bowls of rice along with countless meats and vegetables, which she couldn't fully digest, a carb crash was inevitable.

Wang Xuanyi subconsciously opened his robe and wrapped it around Murong Qing.

“Senior Sister, Gongyi Lingren and Wenren Jing should be waking up soon too, right?”

The two people Mo Yan spoke of were ancient freaks hidden away by the Heavenly Martial Immortal Sect, monstrously talented geniuses born several hundred years after Xiao Hongye's generation.

Needless to say, their talent and aptitude made them monsters of their era hundreds of years ago, geniuses who even moved the older generation.

The former not only possessed a Sword Spiritual Root but also a rare Transparent Sword Heart, making them like a fish in water on the path of the sword, truly a cut above the rest.

The latter possessed an Unblemished Body. With every gesture, she could communicate with the power of heaven and earth to use for herself, making her a true daughter of heaven and earth.

Su Qian took a sip of tea and spoke unhurriedly, “Yes. Aside from those two, Master's descendant has also awakened.”

“Why let him out?”

Mo Yan was surprised.

The master of Xiao Hongye and the other three was the previous Sect Master of the Heavenly Martial Immortal Sect.

Before the old man passed away, he and his beloved had a son.

Although his son was talented, he had a terrible personality.

Not only was he arrogant and overbearing, but he was also a notorious playboy.

Hundreds of years ago, many female disciples within the immortal sect had suffered from his harassment, but out of respect for the old Sect Master, they didn't dare to voice their grievances.

After all, they didn't have a great father to back them up.

Back then, Xiao Hongye and Su Qian had also been subjected to his harassment, but due to their cultivation realms, he could only resort to verbal harassment.

Later, after the old Sect Master passed away, he entrusted Xiao Hongye and the others with his final request.

To seal Lyu Wu and wait for the golden grand era.

Abiding by their master's command and repaying the father's kindness.

In accordance with the old Sect Master's dying wish, they sealed Lyu Wu to await the next opening of the Ancient Immortal Realm.

“If he's let out, so be it. Hundreds of autumns have passed, and the old Sect Master is gone. Naturally, someone will punish him,” Su Qian said calmly.

As early as several hundred years ago, she and Xiao Hongye had wanted to kill Lyu Wu.

However, they had received too much kindness from the old Sect Master. Reputation, reason, and morality did not allow them to deal a fatal blow.

This time, the wicked will be dealt with by the wicked.