At the foot of Hantian Mountain, Qin Hao gazed toward the summit from afar, but saw only a sea of clouds and mist. He could not observe the entirety of Hantian Mountain at all. However, the faint cold qi drifting over was worthy of the mountain's name.
“It feels a little cold.” Quan Jiu sneezed, appearing somewhat unaccustomed to it.
Everyone else also felt varying degrees of cold, with the exception of Qin Hao.
Although Qin Hao could sense changes in temperature, his Corpse King Physique made him impervious to water and fire. A little cold was nothing to him.
“We will have to ask daoist friend Zhang San to lead the way.”
Qin Hao politely let Zhang San move to the very front of the group. Zhang San had no reason to refuse, since he was the one who had invited Qin Hao here to seek a fortuitous opportunity, and Qin Hao did not know the route to Cold Heaven Cave.
“Naturally.”
After nodding, Zhang San stood at the very front of the group.
Immediately behind him were Wang Wu and Quan Jiu, followed by Qin Hao and Qian Qi.
Aside from the increasing cold, nothing unexpected happened along the way, so the group traveled in relative safety.
However, Qin Hao did attract some sidelong glances. Everyone else had frostbitten-red faces, while Quan Jiu was especially exaggerated, constantly rubbing his hands and even using spiritual power to ward off the cold.
The others were in slightly better condition, but as they drew closer to Cold Heaven Cave, they also began circulating spiritual power to resist the cold.
Qin Hao, meanwhile, walked along as if nothing were wrong.
Zhang San turned back and exchanged a glance with Qian Qi. Their eyes held an extra measure of wariness. Qin Hao's strength might be even greater than they had imagined!
However, Zhang San had complete confidence in his plan.
“This Qin Hao truly is extraordinary. It seems the evil technique he Cultivates is remarkable. If I could obtain it, eldest senior sister would be mine!”
At the thought of this, Zhang San could not help laughing.
“Daoist friend Zhang San, what are you laughing about?”
Qin Hao deliberately asked the question, making Zhang San somewhat nervous. Qian Qi also silently lowered his head, calculating that if Qin Hao discovered their true intentions, he would strike first and launch a surprise attack!
“I saw that daoist friend possesses formidable strength and is unafraid of the wind and cold. Our trip into Cold Heaven Cave will surely go smoothly, so I could not help laughing.”
Zhang San was quite capable. In the blink of an eye, he came up with a decent excuse. Seeing this, Qin Hao cheerfully said:
“You flatter me, daoist friend. I merely know a few insignificant tricks, hardly worthy of mention.”
“Not at all, not at all. You are being too modest, daoist friend. In my view, you are extraordinary. In the future, even if you ascend to the golden core Realm and form a nascent soul, it would only be right and proper.”
After Zhang San finished speaking, Qin Hao burst into hearty laughter and nodded repeatedly. Seeing this, Qian Qi's wariness diminished considerably. In his eyes, Qin Hao was simply a fool who could be sent soaring by a few compliments.
Who knew how Qin Hao had managed to possess such formidable strength?
This made Qian Qi even more covetous of the inheritance on Qin Hao.
How could he know that Qin Hao was deliberately pretending to be this way? Qin Hao had come with hostile intentions from the very beginning!
After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea had passed, everyone arrived before a cave entrance. Visible white mist poured from within, proving just how cold it was inside.
A gust of cold wind blew over. Apart from Qin Hao, everyone hurriedly circulated spiritual power to protect their meridians and maintain their body temperature, lest they suffer frostbite.
Qin Hao could feel it, but only as a trace of cold. It could not affect his body in the slightest.
“Daoist friend, your physical body is truly powerful. The Hantian Stalactite Milk is inside Cold Heaven Cave. We fear the cold and can only ask you to enter alone.”
As Zhang San spoke, he sneezed. Wang Wu and Quan Jiu on the other side were shivering violently from the cold. Since Qian Qi was at the seventh layer of qi refinement and had a higher cultivation level, he remained relatively normal, though he had also mobilized a considerable amount of spiritual power to protect himself.
After taking one look, Qin Hao revealed a disdainful expression. He was practically calling them a bunch of weaklings.
They could not even enter Cold Heaven Cave. They were already in this state merely by standing outside!
Of course, Qin Hao knew very well that these people definitely had trump cards they had not used. They could not possibly be this miserable; they were probably putting on an act for him.
“No matter. I will go ahead, then.”
Qin Hao paid them no further attention. These people could not stir up any trouble under his watch, so he braved the white mist inside the cave and walked straight in.
After Qin Hao entered, Qian Qi gave Zhang San a meaningful look. Zhang San smiled faintly and took out a pearl. The pearl was bright red and radiated heat and light, instantly dispelling the cold.
“That Ma Liu definitely does not know that we possess such a Treasure as the Fire Spirit Pearl. With the Fire Spirit Pearl, the cold inside Cold Heaven Cave has no effect on us. If not for that Icefire Cold Python, we would have obtained the Hantian Stalactite Milk long ago,” Zhang San said.
“Senior brother Zhang is right,” Quan Jiu said.
“I wonder whether that Ma Liu can fight the Icefire Cold Python to a standstill. What if he gets killed by it?”
Qian Qi was somewhat worried. He knew how powerful the Icefire Cold Python was. It was incomparably strong; even the four of them together had been no match for it, losing after only a few exchanges.
Although Ma Liu was powerful, in Qian Qi's view, there was a limit to how powerful he could be.
“There is no need to worry. If Ma Liu cannot withstand the Icefire Cold Python and dies inside Cold Heaven Cave, we can take the things on his body while the Icefire Cold Python is distracted. I have long coveted the inheritance of the evil technique he possesses.”
Zhang San revealed a greedy expression, as though the things on Qin Hao already belonged to him.
At that moment, Qin Hao suddenly rushed out.
His eyelashes were covered in frost, and his black hair had nearly turned white. Panting heavily, he looked at Zhang San in confusion.
“Why is it so warm outside? Daoist friend Zhang San, what is that in your hand?”
“Daoist friend Ma Liu, why have you come out?” Zhang San asked, attempting to change the subject.
“Because it was too cold, of course.” Qin Hao shuddered, then stared motionlessly at the Fire Spirit Pearl in Zhang San's hand. “Daoist friend Zhang San, could that pearl in your hand be the Fire Spirit Pearl? This is a Treasure that wards off the cold!”
“Why didn't you take it out just now?” Qin Hao's expression turned somewhat ugly. The atmosphere grew tense, and an oppressive force surged from him as his powerful aura erupted.
This threw Zhang San into a panic!
He knew Qin Hao's strength very well. Qin Hao was the ruthless figure who had instantly killed a seventh layer of qi refinement demon beast, the crocodile, and had also Cultivated an evil technique!
If he lost his temper, they would all die!
“It is just that you left too hastily, daoist friend, and I did not have time to give it to you!” Zhang San said with an ingratiating smile.
“So it was meant for me.” Qin Hao suddenly understood. Smiling broadly, he directly snatched the Fire Spirit Pearl from Zhang San's hand and said:
“What a fine Treasure, truly a fine Treasure. Now I no longer have to fear the cold.”
Having said that, Qin Hao turned around and entered Cold Heaven Cave once again.
Only the four people left behind could stare at one another in stunned silence.
After a long while, Quan Jiu finally said, “Do you have any more fire spirit pearls? It is really cold!”
Wang Wu and Qian Qi looked at Zhang San.
“No more!”
Zhang San stamped his foot fiercely, then could not help shivering.
It really was cold!