The frost spread with incredible speed, advancing from the depths of the dense forest to right in front of them in the blink of an eye. Not only that, but the frost seemed to be conscious, dividing into two semicircles before finally encasing everyone within. A piercingly cold chill suddenly descended.

Alice was stunned. She had been educated in the science of the twenty-first century. Because of her status, she had received the very best education and was taught the most advanced scientific concepts. In her view, everything could be explained by science. Even the Gu poison in her body, to her, was just an unknown toxin that current medical methods simply couldn't solve yet. But this… this scene unfolding before her eyes clearly could not be explained by science.

By the time Alice came to her senses, the ground was already covered with a thick layer of frost, rendering her completely immobile. An elderly figure calmly approached, treading slowly across the ice. The elder wore a strange set of mourning clothes that were extremely unsettling. Moreover, his eyes were an icy blue that struck fear into anyone who met his gaze.

"Hmph! You've got some nerve, causing trouble on my turf!" The moment the elder appeared, his icy blue eyes fixed on Lin Mu, a hint of murderous intent flashing within them.

"Master, quickly kill this man!" Chu Zhengbo cried out excitedly as soon as the elder appeared.

This man was the Master, a figure of immense prestige in the Southeast Five Provinces. He was a revered guest among various powerful leaders, regarded as a divine being. The Master was a being who transcended the mortal world; in Chu Zhengbo's eyes, he was a god! Chu Zhengbo had personally witnessed him freeze an entire lake with a single gesture, and on a blistering summer day at that! He had also seen the Master shatter a rockery with a single slap. What else could such power and means be, if not the work of an immortal? Who among mere mortals could possibly contend with him?

That was why Chu Zhengbo dared to claim that if they wished it, the Chu Family would reign supreme. With a divine figure like the Master backing them, the Chu Family truly could do as they pleased. If the Master hadn't instructed them to keep a low profile and avoid exposing his existence, the Chu Family would have long since become the number one family in Handong Province.

Lin Mu had realized it as well. By the standards of the Cultivation World, this old man could be considered a novice who had grasped a sliver of the Way. The only reason he hadn't fully awakened was due to the sparse Spiritual Energy on Earth. Even so, achieving this much was already impressive. At the very least, the powers of the mundane world could no longer restrain him. Even the old fisherman, Jin Bumie, would only face certain death against this man.

"Hn." Hearing Chu Zhengbo's words, the elder nodded and pointed his finger.

CRACKLE! CRACKLE! CRACKLE!

In the blink of an eye, all the bodyguards Chu Zhengbo had brought with him turned into ice sculptures.

CRACK!

The next moment, the ice sculptures shattered, leaving no trace of the people inside—not even their bones remained. In the blink of an eye, he had annihilated dozens of bodyguards. Such terrifying strength!

"Master, what are you..." Chu Zhengbo was thoroughly scared and blurted out, "Master, you should be killing them!"

Chu Zhengbo pointed at Lin Mu and his companion, his face etched with fear.

"Before killing them, I'll deal with some small fry first."

The elder's eyes flashed. When he noticed Alice, his icy-blue gaze suddenly brightened. "Not bad, not bad at all. I didn't expect the offering you brought this time to be so fine. In that case, I shall spare your life!"

The elder laughed heartily, then with a grasping motion of his hand, Alice was suddenly pulled into the air, flying toward him.

"Ah!" Alice screamed, "Save me! Please, save me!"

"Hahaha! Who could possibly save you now that I've made my move?" The elder cackled, his face flushed with excitement. "So many years... I have waited for so many years to find someone of such fine quality. For my Gu poison to have been nurtured in you for so long without killing you... it seems your constitution is truly extraordinary.

"Once I devour your vital blood, I will be able to completely control this body! I'll no longer need to hide in the shadows!"

The elder laughed loudly as he spoke, the excitement on his face impossible to conceal. A look of utter despair crossed Alice's face. It seems my death today is inevitable.

"Master, let's take this chance to escape!" the Spirit Seer suddenly said. "This beast seems to have grown even stronger! We're no match for it."

The Spirit Seer hadn't expected this. Although the old man hadn't fully taken control of his body yet, he was frighteningly close. Once he devoured that foreign woman, he would definitely gain complete control of this fleshly vessel. By then, it would be too late for them to leave.

"Trying to run away?" The elder shot a look at Lin Mu and his companion, a cold sneer on his face. "Do you really think you can escape?"

Alice, pale as a ghost, hovered in mid-air as if controlled by some mysterious force. The elder looked at Lin Mu and the Spirit Seer with utter disdain. He didn't take them seriously in the slightest; after all, the power he wielded was something these mortal ants could never comprehend.

"Who said I was going to run?" Lin Mu suddenly smiled. "On the contrary, I think the one who should be running is you. How about I give you a choice? One, hand over this physical body. Two, I'll drag you out myself!"

Lin Mu added with a grin, "Of course, if I have to do it myself, your end won't be nearly as pleasant."

"You whelp, you're blaspheming a god!" Chu Zhengbo interjected before the elder could even speak.

In his eyes, the Master's status was supreme. Over the years, he had helped the Chu Family countless times; to him, the Master was a divine being. The Chu Family's ability to last for generations depended entirely on him. For Lin Mu to dare insult the Master now... it was a death wish!

"A god?" Lin Mu laughed as if he had just heard the world's biggest joke. A god? Forget this old man, even someone like Lord Tathagata wouldn't dare call himself a god in my presence. This insignificant mortal has barely touched the threshold of Cultivation, and he dares to call himself a god?

"An insignificant ant like you dares to call itself a god in my presence? Are you tired of living?"

Lin Mu's words made the elder's expression darken completely. Beside him, the Spirit Seer's face went pale.

He knew his own split spirit better than anyone. Bloodthirsty, cruel, and quick to anger! It couldn't stand being provoked. This split spirit was already much stronger than before. If it made a move, he would face certain death, his soul truly scattering into nothingness. Thinking of this, the Spirit Seer felt a pang of regret. Why did I follow Lin Mu looking for trouble? Wouldn't it have been better to stay quietly in the Soul Communion Realm? It's really over now.

"Good. Good. Very good!"

As the Spirit Seer had feared, the elder was enraged. He licked his lips, a vicious smile spreading across his face. "I won't kill you right away. I will slice the flesh from your body, piece by piece, then extract your soul and torture it slowly.

"Not only that, but I will also find your family and your friends. I will slowly torture them to death as punishment for your disrespect!

"So, what do you think of this punishment?"

The elder's expression was ferocious, and a hint of crimson flashed in his ice-blue eyes, signaling that he was utterly enraged.

Lin Mu grinned. "A fine idea. I'll be sure to use that exact method on you."

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