The Nether Soul Domain regaining its ability to sense his surroundings signified that Xiang Shaoyun could start thinking of a way to solve his current predicament. He discovered that a thick layer of ice surrounded his body, and surrounding the ice was water.
He could sense the water flow and the waves of the water. He also discovered a group of ice arrowfish swimming in the water. He was also certain that he was no longer within the lake. Rather, he had drifted somewhere else in the sea.
He wished that the ice arrowfish would actually discover him so he would be able to use their sharp arrow mouths to break the ice around him and free him. Unfortunately, that was merely his wishful thinking. The fish had not discovered him.
Apart from that, he also found that there were some crystals of extreme cold encased within the ice chunk surrounding him, and the discovery filled him with excitement. He was impatient to regain control over his body, grab all these crystals, and meet up with Han Chenfei’s group.
He wanted to expand his Nether Soul Domain to envelop the ice around him before using the chains of his Imperial Nether Prison to break him free. Unfortunately, he found himself unable to extend his Nether Soul Domain. The layer of ice around him had completely suppressed the domain’s power.
He sank into depression when he found that his idea wouldn’t work. Left with no choice, he could only calm his mind and sense his body through meditation. He tried his best to go through the frost and slowly regain the connection with his physical body.
After all, it was his own body. Although it had been frozen, his Nether Soul Domain and soul had recovered. He could use his soul power to charge the frost again and again, awakening the basic instincts of his body. Unfortunately, this plan did not seem to work very well either.
Finally, he thought of a different plan: to comprehend the profundity of ice and water. Only then would he be able to free himself. Slowly, his soul chanted the Desolation mantra.
Borrowing from his previous experiences of using the mantra, he gradually immersed himself in a state of comprehension. Prior to entering the lake, he had already gained a certain level of comprehension on ice and water, especially water.
Although he was encased in a chunk of ice, he could still sense the water around the ice. Again and again, he focused on the flow of the water and the sensation of the ice. Slowly, his comprehension deepened.
He could sense the water brushing past the ice, turning the outer layer into water. At the same time, part of the water was left on the ice and formed another layer of ice. It was like an eternal cycle, ice into water, water into ice.
The cycle of ice and water taught Xiang Shaoyun of the two’s shared characteristics and differences. Ultimately, he reached a conclusion that when water encountered cold, it became ice, whereas ice and heat would become water. In essence, both were considered a part of the power of water. They merely shared different forms.
After understanding that, Xiang Shaoyun concluded that he should be able to seek a method to change the forms of water and ice at any time. The moment he found that method, he would be able to make use of both water and ice, and it might let him comprehend the profundity of ice and water.
Day after day, Xiang Shaoyun meditated untiringly using the Desolation mantra. He was no longer aware of the passage of time.
This day, he had a sudden source of inspiration when he observed a passing berserk tide. Water would be still when calm, and water would be ferocious when stirred. Water would become ice when cold, and ice would melt when heated. His filthless soul locked on to the two concepts. Using his soul power like water, he formed wave after wave that crashed into the frost within his body.
Using his soul power as water, he stirred the water, granting it ferocity, causing it to warm. And with heat, the ice would melt. He operated his soul power according to the profundity of water. Finally, he slowly loosened the frost within him, causing the ice to melt.
As he controlled his soul power in such a manner, his blood seemed to be affected as it started slowly flowing in accordance to the profundity of water. Initially, the blood moved slowly, and then it eventually increased in speed. As his blood circulation recovered, his heart started throbbing, and finally, he restored the connection between his body and soul.
When he sensed that happening, he urged his soul power to move faster, trying to completely break the ice encasing his body. His blood started circulating healthily while energy coursed through his meridians. His acupoints shone brightly, and along with the circulation of astral energy, his stars awakened.
Taking this opportunity, Xiang Shaoyun activated his flame star, awakening Yun Flame and using it to release a massive amount of flame power to defrost his body. During the melting process, he could sense how cold his body was.
Water was at its lowest temperature when it turned to ice, and this was a place containing the energy of extreme cold. If he couldn’t completely recover from the cold, it would transform into a hidden injury that would plague him. His meridians and vitality would suffer, and his body would not stop losing vitality until he died.
As his body was recovering, he hurriedly circulated his cultivation method and moved all the frost energy within his body into his water star. Water and ice shared the same origin, and Xiang Shaoyun was confident he could master both. Thus, the water star would be a perfect container for the energy of extreme cold.
Sure enough, upon entering the water star, the energy of extreme cold did not conflict with the existing water energy within. Rather, the water energy was strengthened, gaining a trace of frost power.
Xiang Shaoyun did not have the time to observe these changes. He was trying his best to recover and regain control over his body. He still needed to break the layer of ice around him and seize the crystals of extreme cold.
After some hard work, he finally regained full control over his body. He quickly refined several drops of lightning liquid to heal his injuries. The breath of the black tortoise earlier had injured him badly.
If it wasn’t for the broken armor taking the brunt of the impact for him, his entire body would have been crushed. With the lightning liquid, he nourished his injuries and slowly recovered.
At the same time, he also refined some soul spring to replenish his soul power. He even fed the surviving ghostrunes some soul spring, allowing them to recover fully. Once again, Xiang Shaoyun was able to move his body.
He no longer needed Yun Flame’s protection. He could even directly absorb the frost energy around him to enhance his water star. Once again, he used his Nether Soul Domain to sense the location of the crystals of extreme cold. The moment he was certain of their location, he no longer held back and started digging into the ice around him.
