Chapter 59: Turbulent Times

North Mystic Family, Ice Cold Pavilion.

The Ice Cold Pavilion was built from snow ice rock, a naturally cold stone that emits bone-chilling cold even in the scorching summer.

The Ice Cold Pavilion has nine floors, towering dozens of feet high, with cold air permeating all around, resembling a cold and desolate ice mountain.

—This is North Mystic Injury’s place of rigorous cultivation.

The North Mystic Family’s “Extreme Cold Ice Flame” martial soul is inherently cold, and cultivating in an Ice Cold Pavilion built from snow ice rock is highly beneficial for the “Extreme Cold Ice Flame” martial soul.

Generally, North Mystic Injury would not leave the Ice Cold Pavilion unless he was refining secret treasures.

Every visitor to the North Mystic Family had to endure the cold air of the Ice Cold Pavilion and meet him there.

North Mystic Injury never cared about others' feelings and always made others accommodate him.

From the first to the ninth floor of the Ice Cold Pavilion, the cold air gradually intensifies. Even the ordinary members of the North Mystic Family can only wait on the third or fourth floor when they come to see him; any higher, and their bodies would struggle to cope.

Sixth Floor of the Ice Cold Pavilion.

In the center of the towering ice pillars, North Mystic Injury sat with a majestic figure, surrounded by a thick, unyielding cold. On the ice pillars of the sixth floor of the Ice Cold Pavilion, strange ice-cold flames burned, making the cold here even more bone-chilling.

Mo Tuo frowned, standing opposite North Mystic Injury, while the handsome North Mystic Ce stood beside him.

Yin Kui and Jiu Shan, like two ghostly shadows, sat behind two ice pillars, their heads lowered as if they were already asleep.

Under the guidance of a martial artist from the Ice Cold Pavilion, Mu Yudie and Di Yalan arrived at the sixth floor of the Ice Cold Pavilion.

The cold air on this floor was twice as intense as on the fifth floor!

As soon as the two women stepped into the sixth floor, their bodies trembled slightly, feeling as if they had entered an ice cave, and their limbs began to gradually stiffen.

"You’ve come." North Mystic Ce took a step forward, giving Mu Yudie a meaningful look and said, "This is my grandfather, and this is... the head of the Mo Family."

Mu Yudie and Di Yalan’s faces changed simultaneously. They glanced at Mo Tuo, and their expressions seemed to stiffen.

Luo Hao’s death was clearly explained by Hu Long, mentioning not only the involvement of Bernard and Dark Mystic’s Moon Envoy but also the lightning bolts that descended from the sky...

After the incident, the two women had also met Mo Chaoge, knowing that Mo Chaoge was definitely involved in Luo Hao’s death.

Unfortunately, the Mo Family had significant influence in the Merchant Alliance and had some connections with the North Mystic Family. When North Mystic Ce simply dismissed Mo Chaoge, it was clear he did not want to strain relations with the Mo Family and had no intention of standing up for the two women.

Now, suddenly seeing the head of the Mo Family in the North Mystic Family, Mu Yudie and Di Yalan naturally felt some displeasure. However, in front of North Mystic Injury, they could not show it and could only silently seethe.

"Grandfather Injury, we greet you." Mu Yudie and Di Yalan bowed together to North Mystic Injury, deliberately ignoring Mo Tuo.

Mo Tuo’s expression remained unchanged, a faint smile on his lips, as if he did not mind the two women’s disregard.

"I heard that you once spent some time with a young man in the Dark Forest. I have some matters I want to inquire about this young man. Do you know his background?" North Mystic Injury nodded lightly, his narrow eyes showing no special expression, and he asked directly.

Mu Yudie’s heart tightened. She hesitated for a moment before saying, "He’s just an insignificant martial artist. Why would Grandfather Injury know such a person?"

"He has something I want." North Mystic Injury’s brows furrowed slightly. "Do you know the young man’s background?"

Mu Yudie shook her head. "I’m not sure. We met him by chance on the road. Because we were afraid of being killed by beast demons, we traveled together. I don’t really know his background, only that his name is Ding Yan, and he seems to be an ordinary martial artist in the Merchant Alliance."

"Ding Yan..." North Mystic Injury nodded, paused, and then said, "Do you know which city he comes from or where he might be found?"

"I don’t know." Mu Yudie shook her head again.

North Mystic Injury suddenly fell silent. After a while, he said calmly, "That’s all. There’s nothing else. The martial arts competition will be held soon. You two can go with Ce to watch it. Staying here all the time must be boring for you. I had some connections with your grandfather in the past. Now that he’s gone, I will take good care of you. Don’t worry, the people from Dark Mystic won’t dare to touch you in the Merchant Alliance."

"Thank you, Grandfather Injury." Mu Yudie’s eyes gradually moistened, her voice slightly choked. "Thinking of my family’s plight, I wish to grind their bones to dust! My family of a hundred people was slaughtered in one night, Grandfather Injury, you must do justice for me!"

"This matter can’t be rushed. We’ll talk about it later." North Mystic Injury nodded and waved his hand. "Rest well. This floor is too cold, and with your cultivation, you might not be able to bear it."

"Okay." Mu Yudie didn’t dawdle, bowed again, tugged at Di Yalan’s sleeve, and the two of them left together.

"Will those girls hide the truth?" After Mu Yudie and Di Yalan left, Mo Tuo frowned. "With just a name, it will be very difficult to search for him."

"Ce, what do you think?" North Mystic Injury glanced at North Mystic Ce.

"He doesn’t seem to be lying. I’ll find a chance to ask again. The fragment from Ethereal Pavilion is still there, so there’s no rush." North Mystic Ce replied.

North Mystic Injury nodded. "Yes, keep an eye on those two girls. Remember not to be swayed by them. I don’t want you to become a tool for others, understand?"

"Grandfather, I know what to do." North Mystic Ce smiled.

"Mo, don’t worry about this matter. I’ll send people to inform the Shi and Zuo families to keep an eye out for Ding Yan. Rest assured, I’ll handle it in my name and won’t involve you." North Mystic Injury said proudly, "With the five major families of the Merchant Alliance working together, I don’t believe we can’t find a commoner! Yes, remember to send a portrait of that young man. As long as he’s alive, he won’t escape."

"Okay, I’ll take my leave." Mo Tuo nodded and left without further ado.

"Ce, pay more attention to Zuo Shi from the Zuo family. Zuo Shi has connections with Chixiao. If you can marry her, it will save us a lot of trouble." After Mo Tuo left, North Mystic Injury glanced at North Mystic Ce and said, "That girl has exceptional talent and is Zuo Xu’s beloved. If you can subdue her, Zuo Xu will have no choice but to align with our North Mystic Family."

"No rush, one at a time." North Mystic Ce said confidently.

North Mystic Injury nodded and added, "Mu Yudie is also talented, but her musical martial soul, though powerful, doesn’t benefit our North Mystic Family’s ‘Extreme Cold Ice Flame’ martial soul. However, that girl Di Yalan, who possesses the ‘Blue Demon Flame’ martial soul, might complement our ‘Extreme Cold Ice Flame’ martial soul. Keep a close eye on her. If you can marry her, she might bear an outstanding descendant for our North Mystic Family in the future."

"Grandfather, rest assured. What I set my eyes on won’t escape."

"Yes, since they’ve come to our North Mystic Family, they won’t be able to leave."

...

Zuo Family.

Zuo Xu was leisurely drinking tea in his room. Behind the screen, a shadow squatted and reported, "North Mystic Injury sent a message, asking us to find a young man named ‘Ding Yan’. He says the young man stole something from the North Mystic Family. If we find him, they will offer five mystic-level weapons."

"Five mystic-level weapons." Zuo Xu sipped his tea and smiled lightly. "North Mystic Injury is always so stingy. Offering five mystic-level weapons for half a fragment of the ‘Heavenly Gate’ map, he’s really making a good calculation."

"Lord, what should we do?"

"Find him. Have our people spread the word in various cities, but don’t take it too seriously. Just find a few people named Ding Yan to deal with it, to avoid arousing suspicion."

"Understood."

...

Shi Family.

Shi Jian also received the same message, holding the envelope with a cold laugh. "It seems Mo Tuo has approached North Mystic Injury. Hmph! Fortunately, Shi Yan told me the truth, or I wouldn’t know the situation. North Mystic Injury, you probably never dreamed that Ding Yan is Shi Yan. Asking me to help you find him, hehe, I’ll help you find him well!"

"How to find him?" Han Feng said calmly.

"Find a few people associated with the Mo Family, make them mute, and say they are all named Ding Yan. Send them to the North Mystic Family."

"Okay."

...

The North Mystic Family, Zuo Family, Mo Family, Shi Family, and Ling Family, the five major families of the Merchant Alliance, were searching for a person named “Ding Yan” in various cities, either openly or secretly.

In a short time, the name “Ding Yan” became widely known in the Merchant Alliance.

Many people named “Ding Yan” suffered, being taken away by the five major families. Even those who had close ties with the Mo Family but were not named “Ding Yan” suffered unjustly, being maimed and made mute, and sent to the North Mystic Family.

With the martial arts competition about to begin, martial artists in the Merchant Alliance were all preparing, and some martial artists from other regions also came a long way for the competition.

Ironically, many martial artists who came because their names were “Ding Yan” were directly apprehended by the five major families.

In a single night, “Ding Yan” became a rat everyone wanted to beat.

Meanwhile, the instigator was in the gravity room of the Shi Family, using his fingers to repeatedly stab an iron sandbag tens of thousands of times a day.

Each time he stabbed, the iron sandbag, which weighed hundreds of pounds and hung high in the gravity room, would be pierced with a deep hole.

"Pfft!"

Shi Yan’s five fingers plunged straight into the center of the iron sandbag, his arm deeply embedded. When he pulled his arm out, his fingers shimmered with a strange cold light, like iron-made blades, extremely terrifying.

"Hmm, the martial arts competition is about to begin, and the storm from Ethereal Pavilion is also coming. My ‘Finger Gun Technique’ has finally achieved some success."

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