In the endless snowfields, life could be extinguished at any moment by the bone-crushing, pure white world, leaving no trace behind.
Occasionally, one could see a protrusion in the snowfield. After clearing away the covering snow, one would discover petrified corpses, frozen as hard as iron and stone.
"This is the skeleton of a scorpion-like Magical Beast. It's several zhang in size and is likely a top-tier existence in this Extreme Northern Land. Judging by the remains, it probably died twenty years ago."
Little Fairy Doctor flicked a stream of Dou Qi, sweeping away the ice and snow to reveal a massive, bone-white skeleton.
She and Chen Xiao clearly remembered Xun Er mentioning that Dou Zong level powerhouses were rare in this region. Looking at the Magical Beast remains before them, it had already reached the seventh-tier level, considered a peak existence in this area.
Yet now, it had perished in this snowfield.
This showed that the Extreme Northern Land was not as safe as imagined.
"Are there many people fighting up ahead?"
Suddenly, Little Fairy Doctor sensed something and looked towards the north.
Chen Xiao also felt it, a hint of anticipation appearing on his face.
"After leaving the Black Water Heavy Abyss, we've been in the Extreme Northern Land for a full half-month. We've finally reached a place with human activity. Let's go and see!"
As he spoke, Chen Xiao stepped into the sky.
Little Fairy Doctor followed closely behind.
In less than five minutes, the two landed on the peak of a snow-capped mountain.
Looking down from their vantage point, they could see a fierce battle unfolding on the flat snowfield below.
Both sides engaged in the conflict were humans, wearing thick padded clothes. One side was no different from normal humans, still using weapons and Dou Skills as their combat methods.
The other side, however, surprised Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor.
This was a group of tall humanoids. Almost every one of them was over two meters tall. Even those with youthful appearances, who seemed not yet adults, were taller than normal adult humans.
Most striking were their unique combat styles.
Some fought like tigers or wolves, moving with incredible speed, their eyes turning scarlet during combat, and occasionally letting out tiger roars or wolf howls. Others were like ferocious bears, possessing immense defense. Their already exceptionally tall bodies, augmented by the intermittently appearing phantom images of Magical Beasts, seemed even more imposing and oppressive.
"Both are Three Star Dou Ling, yet the human's full-power Dou Skill attack couldn't inflict any damage. Could these be the Barbarian Tribe active in the Extreme Northern Land?" Little Fairy Doctor asked with surprise.
The strongest leaders on both sides below were only at the Dou Wang level. In the eyes of Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor, it was no different from children playing house.
However, this novel combat style truly refreshed Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor's perspectives.
"Most likely. The Barbarian Tribe can fuse with beast souls, thereby gaining the unique characteristics of the fused Magical Beast, be it speed or defense. In battles of the same realm, they possess a considerable advantage. Since we've finally encountered people, we can't let them be wiped out. As locals, they must know this region better than us."
Chen Xiao nodded slightly. As his words fell, his figure had already appeared within the battlefield.
A Barbarian tribesman, with the phantom image of a strange bird intermittently appearing behind him, scanned the entire scene. He immediately noticed Chen Xiao's appearance and, with a wave of his hand, four Barbarian warriors converged towards this outsider.
However, facing the approach of the four, Chen Xiao merely lightly stamped his foot. A surge of Dou Qi instantly erupted from him, spreading outwards in all directions.
"Ah!" "Ah!"...
Screams and cries followed one after another. The center of the battlefield was instantly cleared. Both the seemingly normal humans and the conspicuous Barbarians turned their gazes towards the newcomer.
The sudden turn of events cast a hush over the battlefield, and everyone vigilantly assessed the unfamiliar outsider.
Under this atmosphere, two figures emerged from the crowd, one from each side of the conflict, seemingly their leaders.
"Barbarian, tell me your name, so that your pathetic fate can become a topic of discussion at my feast!"
The Barbarian leader spoke first. His voice was rough and unkempt, and his nearly three-meter height exuded immense pressure. He wore a tiger-skin coat and wielded a staff as thick as a pillar.
Standing before the Barbarian leader, even Chen Xiao, who was considered tall among humans, appeared delicate.
Especially hearing the appellation 'Barbarian' from the other party, it couldn't help but make Little Fairy Doctor on the mountaintop chuckle.
After all, being called a barbarian by the beast-like, sturdy Barbarian tribe truly felt like a topsy-turvy situation.
"I will protect these people. Take your tribe and leave this place."
Chen Xiao, too lazy to answer, stated calmly.
He had no connection to either side of the conflict; he simply wanted to find someone to understand the detailed situation of the Extreme Northern Land.
His choice of the human group might stem from sympathy for the weaker side. After all, in the previous battles, the Barbarian Tribe held an absolute advantage, with bodies littering the ground, most of them human.
Even in terms of strength, the Barbarian leader had reached the Six Star Dou Wang level, one star stronger than the human leader.
Besides this, such a choice was likely also due to an instinctive aversion to foreign races.
"Barbarian, you will pay the price for your arrogance!"
His question ignored, the Barbarian leader was greatly displeased. With a roar, he shouted, "Beast Soul Fusion, Earth Barbarian Bear!"
At this moment, a giant bear phantom flickered behind the Barbarian leader. His already tall body expanded by another circle, and his aura instantly ascended by a notch, faintly possessing the might of a peak Dou Wang.
"Your Excellency, allow me to assist you!"
The human leader from behind changed his expression and quickly flew forward.
Chen Xiao's sudden appearance on the battlefield hadn't revealed his true strength. Merely from his stomp, both leaders could only be certain that he was definitely a powerhouse above Dou Wang, but they didn't know his exact star level.
As for a Dou Zong powerhouse...
Neither group had ever imagined such a situation.
This was because such powerful individuals were only possessed by the very top-tier tribes.
Realizing Chen Xiao seemed to be on their side, the human leader immediately seized the opportunity.
Regardless of Chen Xiao's intentions, this was a good thing for them!
The human leader flew forward, ice blades surrounding him as he attacked the barbarian leader.
Facing such an assault, the barbarian leader sneered, not taking it seriously at all. He gripped the long staff in his hand, sweeping it with immense force and an unparalleled terrifying power, shattering each ice blade with a single strike.
"Pfft..."
Blood splattered onto the snowfield, a shocking sight.
The human leader was sent flying backward, crashing into a snowdrift dozens of feet away.
Several breaths passed before a disheveled head emerged from the snow pit. His face was etched with undisguised fear, seemingly not expecting that, with a cultivation level only one star lower, he would be so easily defeated.
Chen Xiao was also greatly surprised. This fusion of barbarians and beast souls in combat seemed to have some real merit!
"Savage, it's your turn!"
Having heavily injured the human leader with one blow, the barbarian leader grew more arrogant. He let out a loud laugh, wielding his massive staff and smashing it directly towards Chen Xiao's brow.
"Those not of our kind are bound to have different hearts!"
Just as humans were prejudiced against other races, so too were other races.
Watching the rapidly enlarging staff shadow in his vision, Chen Xiao's expression remained calm. With a flick of his finger, he repelled it.
Immediately, Chen Xiao's mind stirred, and countless ice blades hovered behind him, carrying sharp killing intent as they locked onto all the barbarians.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
The ice blades sliced through the air, falling onto the battlefield like dense raindrops.
Screams and wails arose again, blood splashing.
In a mere few breaths, all the barbarians lay bleeding on the snowfield, including the barbarian leader who had been so arrogant just moments before.
Seeing the barbarian leader heavily injured and barely clinging to life, the human leader ignored his own wounds, pushed off the ground, and surged forward again.
"Kill these barbarians! Leave none alive!"
His surviving tribesmen, upon hearing the command, instantly sprang into action.
This one-sided slaughter ended in less than five minutes.
"Thank you for your timely assistance, senior. This is the Storage Ring of the Barbarian Bear Tribe's Barbarian King. Please accept it!"
The human leader, dragging his injured body, led his tribesmen forward and presented a black Storage Ring with both hands.
At first, he had only thought Chen Xiao was a high-level Dou Wang, not significantly weaker than them. But after witnessing the overwhelming defeat of the Barbarian King, he realized he had been too naive.
This unfamiliar young man was likely a Dou Huang!
Chen Xiao was unaware of his thoughts. He looked at the offered Storage Ring and accepted it without refusal.
He had also noticed that Storage Rings, while common in the Central State and not particularly rare even in the Northwest Continent, were incredibly scarce in this Extreme Northern Land. Out of hundreds of barbarians, only the Barbarian King possessed one.
A graceful figure appeared beside him – it was the Little Fairy Doctor, who had not made a move until now.
Dealing with a group of barbarians whose strongest member was only a Six-Star Dou Wang, Chen Xiao's intervention was already more than enough. If the Little Fairy Doctor had also acted, it would have been like using a cannon to swat a fly.
In fact, if he hadn't wanted to experience the barbarians' novel combat methods, Chen Xiao wouldn't have personally intervened at all; he could have simply let the Heavenly Demon Puppet clear the field.
Seeing the Little Fairy Doctor appear, the group opposite them froze, followed by immediate wariness.
Only when they saw the Little Fairy Doctor smile sweetly at Chen Xiao, and their intimate demeanor, did they realize they were together, and their vigilance slightly lessened.
"What is your name?"
After collecting the spoils of war, Chen Xiao looked up at the leader of the group opposite him.
"Reporting to senior, my name is Ji Chuan. I am the leader of the Shuofeng Tribe, a hundred miles from here."
"Take us to your tribe. I have some questions for you."
Chen Xiao nodded slightly and said.
The Extreme Northern Land was vast and covered in ice and snow. Without familiarity, even Dou Zong experts could easily get lost.
Chen Xiao had saved these people with the intention of inquiring in detail about this region.
"Yes, honored seniors. Please, this way!"
Without daring to hesitate, Ji Chuan quickly bowed in agreement and personally stepped forward to lead the way.
About ten minutes later, the group arrived at a seemingly very dilapidated small city, its area not even comparable to Wu Tan City in the Jia Ma Empire.
Thinking that Xiao Zhan, merely a Da Dou Shi, could become the overlord of Wu Tan City, it was truly disheartening that Ji Chuan, a dignified Five-Star Dou Wang, could only govern such a ruined city.
Upon entering the city, Ji Chuan dismissed his tribesmen and led Chen Xiao and the Little Fairy Doctor into the tallest building.
After ordering hot tea and charcoal fires to be brought, Ji Chuan sat upright. Despite being a small old man in his fifties, he looked as obedient as a primary school student waiting to be questioned by his teacher.
Chen Xiao played with the tea cup in his hand. He had too many questions, so he decided to have the other party introduce things, and then he would ask his questions one by one.
"Xian'er and I are from the Central State, so we don't know much about the Extreme Northern Land. Could you tell us about its general situation, including the distribution of forces and the strength of peak experts?"
Hearing this, Ji Chuan wasn't surprised.
He had already guessed as much.
After all, Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor's attire and demeanor clearly indicated they weren't from the Extreme Northern Land.
Furthermore, their skin tone was normal, showing a distinct difference from those who lived year-round in icy conditions.
Ji Chuan nodded slightly, chose his words carefully, and then began to explain.
On the Northern Continent, which you elders refer to as the Extreme Northern Land, there are three main groups: the Barbarian Tribe, the Human race, and Magical Beasts.
"Among them, the Barbarian Tribe and the Human race are organized into tribes and have been in conflict for a long time, with deep-seated grudges. In comparison, our Human race doesn't hold an advantage on the Northern Continent because the Barbarian Tribe can hunt Magical Beasts and merge their beast souls. Within the same cultivation level, most humans struggle against them, with the exception of a very small number of geniuses. You saw it today."
"As for Magical Beasts, their distribution is relatively scattered; they can be found anywhere."
"From what I know, there are thousands of tribes, large and small, on the Northern Continent. The larger ones can have a population of up to a million, while the smaller ones might only have a hundred people."
"My Shuofeng Tribe has over 40,000 people, making it a mid-to-upper-tier tribe. The Barbarian Bear Tribe we fought today has nearly 50,000 barbarians, but after their Barbarian King's death, their tribe will inevitably be annexed, and the Barbarian Bear Tribe will cease to exist."
"On the Northern Continent, eight major tribes are renowned. Legend has it that each of these tribes has a Dou Zong expert residing within, making them true overlords!"
"Among these, the Tianji, Diyan, and Xuanfeng tribes belong to the Human race, while the other five are all Barbarian tribes..."
Ji Chuan recounted everything he knew, without holding back. Whether he concealed anything was unknown.
Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor listened quietly, gradually gaining an understanding of the continent's power structure.
Each of the eight major tribes had one to two Dou Zong experts. In the entire Extreme Northern Land, there were less than twenty Dou Zong experts on the surface!
This seemed somewhat unbelievable. While the Extreme Northern Land might not rival the Northwest Continent, it shouldn't be this weak.
This left only one explanation: there were other powerful individuals hidden in the shadows, biding their time.
After all, overt strength didn't represent the entirety of their power.
"Do you have a map of this continent?"
"Yes, a map is essential for survival on the Northern Continent. Without a map to guide us, we could easily get lost and stumble into the territory of the Barbarian Tribe or some Magical Beasts. Please wait a moment, I will have someone fetch it." Ji Chuan nodded in agreement.
Chen Xiao nodded slightly, and after Ji Chuan arranged for the map, he continued, "How far is the Fallen God Ice Plain from here?"
Upon hearing the words "Fallen God Ice Plain," Ji Chuan's expression drastically changed.
His obviously unusual reaction caused Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor to narrow their eyes.
Ji Chuan realized his reaction was too obvious and gave a wry smile before explaining.
"Seniors might not know, but the Fallen God Ice Plain is located directly north of the Northern Continent. It's vast and borders the endless Northern Sea. For an ordinary Dou Wang expert to travel from here to the Fallen God Ice Plain would likely take over half a year."
"I haven't been to the Fallen God Ice Plain myself, but I've heard of this place before, which is why I was surprised when you mentioned it just now."
"You know of it?"
"Everyone on the Northern Continent knows of the Fallen God Ice Plain."
"Oh?"
Chen Xiao and Little Fairy Doctor both became interested.
"Seniors might not know, but all of this is related to an event from many years ago."
Many years ago, someone discovered a Bone Spirit Cold Flame in the Fallen God Ice Plain, which led to fierce competition.
"At that time, experts from the Central State and other regions traveled from afar to enter the Northern Continent. These people had no ties to the Northern Continent; they were only there to fight for opportunities and acted without restraint. Coupled with their powerful strength, that period was a catastrophe for the Northern Continent. In just over a decade, hundreds of tribes were wiped out, and the tribes living within the Fallen God Ice Plain were almost completely annihilated."
"Among them, there was originally a tribe called Huangji, which was no less powerful than the current eight major tribes. It was also destroyed by a Dou Zong expert named Qing Hua during that catastrophe."
"Precisely because of this, when the Fallen God Ice Plain is mentioned now, people on the Northern Continent, whether human or barbarian, are unwilling to speak of it further."
Listening to Ji Chuan's account, Chen Xiao was stunned.
The catastrophe caused by the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, wasn't this the same experience Yao Chen had gone through?
Chen Xiao even had some impression of that Qing Hua.
In the current Central State, there was a renowned high-grade alchemist known as Old Monster Qing Hua!
In the original timeline, he even participated in the next alchemist competition, the Pill Gathering, which was just a few years away, and his desire for Heavenly Flames was notorious.
Chen Xiao hadn't expected to hear about Yao Chen and the others after so many years.
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