The Mystical universe

The True Martial Ancient Great World was immeasurably vast. 

Even its smallest continent, the Southern Desolation, was so colossal that traveling across it would take decades, if not centuries. 

This immensity was not due to the surface area alone. The True Martial Great World was an ancient realm, once thriving in great prosperity, until a chaotic era led to its downgrade into its current form. 

Yet, despite its decline, it remained a world filled with mysteries, ancient wonders, and forgotten legacies. 

While the five continents were commonly recognized as the primary landmasses, one must also consider the endless bottomless seas that supported each supercontinent. 

Like any life-bearing planet, the True Martial Great World was predominantly water—and the mysteries lurking beneath its titanic seas were equal to, if not greater than, those on the surface. 

... 

The Perilous Northern Sea 

While Kaeln and his companions ventured through the mysterious and perilous wilderness, far to the north of the world, a vastly different scene unfolded. 

Above the boundless Northern Sea, the winds howled, carrying a piercing chill across the vast waters. 

In the sky above, three celestial bodies loomed—two silver moons, one deep purple moon, and the majestic Great Sun. 

All four radiated their splendor upon the seemingly endless, icy ocean. 

It was a well-known fact in the Great Martial World that the moons held great influence over the behavior of the seas. 

One could only imagine the turmoil of the oceans under the pull of three mighty moons. 

Yet, despite this latent turbulence, the Northern Sea remained eerily calm—a stillness so unnatural that it would send shivers down the spine of any observer. 

Then, suddenly— 

A massive vortex began to form on the surface of the sea, its diameter equal to that of a small mountain. 

From the depths of the ocean, an icy, silver-gray energy seeped upward through the vortex. 

Wherever this strange energy flowed, space itself seemed to tremble and freeze. 

Even under the blazing warmth of the Great Sun, the Northern Seas maintained an unnatural cold. 

According to ancient folklore, the deeper one traveled into the Northern Sea, the colder it became—a truth found in all oceans. 

However, the Northern Sea possessed a peculiarity that set it apart from all others. 

It was filled with an energy unlike any other— 

Extreme Void Frigid Qi. 

This mysterious Heaven and Earth energy was considered a higher form of natural force, similar in purity to Dragon Energy—but so unfathomably cold that it could distort space and freeze reality itself. 

Some claimed it was caused by the moons' gravitational pull, mixing with the immense pressure at the ocean's depths. 

Others told a different tale— 

That an Immemorial Blue Dragon, once traveling through the cosmos, crashed into the Northern Sea, and the Extreme Void Frigid Qi was the lingering release of its divine energy, persisting through eternity. 

There were many more theories— 

Some rooted in science, others in mythology. 

Treasure hunters, however, had their own belief— 

That at the very bottom of the Northern Sea lay an unimaginably divine treasure, a relic of immense power. 

In the end, no one knew the true origin of the Extreme Void Frigid Qi. 

One thing, however, was undeniable— 

It existed. 

And those who dared to delve into the cold depths unprepared would become nothing more than eternal ice sculptures. 

At the eye of the massive vortex, two brilliant lights clashed at unimaginable speeds. 

One was a radiant, fiery red, exuding a blazing vitality that resisted the cold. 

The other was a deep, oceanic blue, seamlessly merging with the icy energies of the sea. 

In fact, the blue energy seemed to absorb traces of Extreme Void Frigid Qi, further enhancing its power. 

Tiny silver star-like specks soon flickered within the expanding blue aura, its strength surging immensely. 

The blue aura swelled, rapidly overtaking the vortex until it suppressed the fiery red light within. 

Finally, the form within the flames became visible— 

A woman. 

Her beauty was immeasurable, her presence otherworldly. 

She appeared no older than twenty, yet her breathtaking features carried a mature elegance. 

Her vibrant ruby-red eyes burned with indomitable spirit, framed by long, dark, untamed hair, as black as the endless night. 

Her rosy lips and starry, flame-imbued aura painted a soul-stirring scene. 

She was tall, curvaceous, and utterly mesmerizing. 

And yet, despite her undeniable allure, she stood unfazed within the massive vortex, completely unshaken by the suppression of her opponent's icy energy. 

Instead— 

A bright ruby flame ignited within her sublime irises, and her entire being erupted in flames. 

Her starry black hair glowed crimson, as her body pulsed with an aura of absolute power. 

She wore a long, flowing black gown that did nothing to hide her flawless physique. 

The fabric clung to her curves, with an open chest area, revealing a glimpse of her perfectly sculpted figure. 

If one word could describe her— 

"Sexy." 

Sexy to the extreme. 

Yet, despite her revealing attire, she appeared completely unaffected by the frigid cold. 

Behind her, a monumental pink flame lotus manifested, radiating an all-consuming heat. 

The moment it appeared, it rapidly overtook the blue energy, until both auras reached equilibrium within the vortex. 

Had any observer been present at that moment— 

Their hearts would have shattered from sheer awe and fear. 

For even the Extreme Void Frigid Qi, a force said to be nearly unstoppable, was slightly suppressed by the mere presence of this fiery lotus. 

Above the gigantic sea vortex, two divine manifestations faced off. 

A towering, rose-colored phoenix, its flaming wings illuminating the heavens. 

A colossal azure-scaled sea serpent, coiling through the air, its majestic presence carrying an unfathomable chill. 

Their owners stood beneath them— 

One, a flaming goddess of battle. 

The other, an icy queen of grace and dominion. 

The tumultuous sea raged beneath their overwhelming auras. 

At last, the icy beauty spoke— 

"Sylvia Ironheart, you are truly my greatest rival." 

Her melodic yet detached voice rang across the sea. 

"We have fought a dozen times in this Northern Sea. 

"And yet, despite having the advantage of terrain, I have never bested you. 

"I—Long Xue Xing—will not accept perpetual defeat. 

"I swear—I will vanquish you." 

A melodic yet detached voice rang through the void. 

Oddly enough, the wrathful vortex surrounding them could not mask her words—her voice carried a commanding presence, reaching her opponent with crystal clarity. 

The dark-haired beauty, Sylvia, merely scoffed in response. 

An unmatched arrogance flowed across her peerless face, utterly unfazed by the challenge before her. 

Indeed— 

Sylvia Ironheart had been undefeated since birth. 

In her clan and beyond, she had never lost a battle. 

The number of people she would consider equals in the entire Ancient Martial World was few and far between. 

Even the fabled genius from the Sword Palace, heralded as a once-in-a-generation prodigy, had been defeated by her with ease. 

Yet, even she had to admit— 

The woman standing before her was different. 

Though Sylvia held absolute confidence, she never underestimated her opponents. 

In contrast to her fiery and arrogant demeanor, she took every battle seriously. 

Perhaps that was why she had never been defeated, from her youth until now. 

She exhaled slowly, her crimson irises glowing within the swirling flames that surrounded her. 

Her lips curled into a sly yet domineering smile. 

"Long Xue Xing…" 

"I must admit, you are among the most powerful geniuses I have encountered in this great world—" 

"But to think that you could defeat me with your current strength—" 

"That is folly." 

As she spoke, Sylvia raised her right hand, her delicate fingers shimmering under the light of the vortex. 

On her index finger, a pink phoenix ring crafted from an unknown material suddenly shone with an ethereal luster. 

In an instant, a long and thick war halberd materialized before her. 

It was an exquisite work of art, standing two meters long and three fingers thick. 

Its deep black body was engraved with intricate patterns, humming with latent power. 

The axe-like blade gleamed menacingly, radiating a murderous aura so intense that space trembled around it. 

Even without wielding it yet, the weapon exuded a terrifying pressure, its sheer weight alone oppressive beyond measure. 

Sylvia extended her hand forward. 

The moment her fingertips brushed against the halberd, a shocking cry erupted from within it. 

A massive shockwave exploded outward, expanding the already-massive sea vortex threefold. 

Then, her aura shifted. 

No longer was she a haughty queen of flames— 

In that moment, she became a battle goddess. 

Her towering form, standing at an impressive six feet three inches, made her presence even more imposing. 

Above her, the majestic phoenix that had been soaring through the sky descended in a flash of blinding light. 

The divine beast fused into her body, transforming into a flowing red energy. 

In the blink of an eye— 

Her attire shifted. 

A majestic, intricately designed red feathered armor wrapped around her form, completing her battle-ready stance. 

Despite the heft of her weapon, Sylvia effortlessly swung the halberd with a single hand, as though she were waving a mere feather. 

With one casual motion, a red light burst forth from the halberd's edge, slicing through the void itself. 

The blade light shot forward, cutting through the massive vortex, traveling hundreds of miles before vanishing into the depths of the ocean. 

How many creatures perished from that single attack? 

No one would ever know. 

Perhaps the weaker sea creatures had already sensed the coming battle and fled the area entirely. 

Sylvia's fiery gaze locked onto her opponent. 

Her voice was light, yet carried boundless confidence— 

"Get ready." 

Long Xue Xing watched Sylvia's majestic transformation without a shred of fear. 

Her icy blue eyes narrowed, a mysterious glint flickering within them. 

She lifted her slender hand, and the blue dragon ring on her finger gleamed with a cold, silver light. 

In response, a long white trident materialized before her. 

Though elegantly crafted, the weapon held an indomitable presence, equal in grandeur to Sylvia's halberd. 

The moment she grasped it, the colossal azure sea serpent hovering above her descended into her form, its mystical energy fusing into her body. 

A brilliant white-and-blue scaled armor wrapped around her frame, complementing her flowing Chinese-style long white dress, embroidered with intricate blue dragon motifs. 

Her energy erupted explosively, further agitating the raging ocean beneath them. 

By this point— 

The vortex, which had once been the size of a small mountain, had grown several times larger, devouring dozens of miles of sea into its spiraling depths. 

The very ocean trembled, as if in fear of the two beings above it. 

Both warriors' auras intensified, clashing invisible yet tangible pressure against one another. 

Then— 

They moved. 

"Ahhh!!" 

Both women let out battle cries, their voices echoing across the sea, shaking the fabric of reality itself. 

A heartbeat later— 

Their figures blurred, transforming into two streaks of light, each carrying the full force of their respective elements. 

One, a fiery crimson streak, bursting forth like a divine star descending from the heavens. 

The other, a cold blue flash, streaking across the sky like a divine spear of frozen death. 

In an instant, they had crossed hundreds of meters, crashing head-on with unstoppable force. 

Then— 

"BOOOOOM!!!" 

A cataclysmic explosion erupted from their collision. 

The chaotic energies surrounding them surged outward, forming a colossal sphere of light, swallowing the entire battlefield. 

Within this blinding sphere, the figures of Sylvia and Long Xue Xing were completely hidden— 

Only the sounds of their fierce battle could be heard, echoing for hundreds of miles. 

Their battle—a clash between fire and ice, between pride and will— 

Had only just begun.