Immortal Ice Empress: Path to Vengeance

After a few days of traveling through the thick, snowy terrain, Mira eventually got sick and tired of moving at Hana's pace.

'I haven't sensed anyone watching us over the past few days, and I doubt a Sect Master would waste so much time stalking two weaklings like us.' She thought, transforming back into her hybrid form.

"Wha-! AHH!"

Without explaining herself, she wrapped her tails around Hana and soared into the sky, shooting off into the distance.

"Mira! What are you doing?!" Hana managed to shout, her voice barely audible over the howling wind.

"We're moving at my pace now," Mira said resolutely. "I'm tired of crawling through the snow."

The landscape below them changed rapidly, mountains giving way to forests and then to open plains, all blanketed in snow. Mira's enhanced senses scanned the terrain, searching for any sign of a landmark, anything that could give them a clue as to their location.

After what felt like hours, Hana finally spotted something. "There! To the left!" she yelled, pointing towards a distant mountain range that pierced the sky. "That's the Azure Peaks! If we head south from here, we'll reach the City of Blossoms!"

Mira adjusted their course. The City of Blossoms was known as a hub for adventurers, mercenaries, and cultivators, a place where information flowed as freely as wine. It was the perfect place to gather news and find clues about any unique places that had appeared.

As they neared the city, Mira's tails gently dropped them on the outskirts, near a small grove that offered some cover from prying eyes.

"We'll enter the city as travelers. No need to draw unnecessary attention," Mira instructed, her eyes scanning their surroundings with practiced caution.

Hana nodded, still catching her breath from the exhilarating flight. "Got it. Let's find an inn first. I could use a hot meal and a warm bed."

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The pair made their way into the City of Blossoms, their appearance drawing a few curious glances but nothing more. The city was alive with activity, streets bustling with vendors selling exotic goods and taverns filled with laughter and music.

Mira's keen eyes quickly found them a modest inn tucked away in a quieter part of the city. The innkeeper, a jovial man with a bushy beard, welcomed them warmly, offering them the last two rooms available.

Once settled, Mira and Hana ventured out to gather information. They split up, agreeing to meet back at the inn by sunset. Mira headed to the market, her senses alert for any conversation about the Decennial Storm.

Meanwhile, Hana visited the local library, hoping to find historical records or legends that might assist them. The librarian, an elderly woman with a sharp gaze, was more than willing to assist, intrigued by Hana's unusual request.

Hours passed, and as the sun began to dip below the horizon, Mira and Hana regrouped at the inn, sharing their findings over a hearty meal.

"I heard rumors of a sect that worships the storm," Mira began. "They believe it's a trial sent by the heavens to test the worthy. Who knows? They might have something interesting." However, part of her doubted whether they were anything special.

If the blizzard was really that great, shouldn't they be a ruling power? Or maybe they only appeared every ten years? All she heard were vague rumors, so it was impossible to draw any conclusions. Either way, Mira was a bit curious.

Hana nodded, excitement gleaming in her eyes. "And I found an old legend about the 'Frozen Halls' that exists outside the blizzard, yet in the words of the people, 'comes alive' every ten years. It's said to be a place where cultivators can test their limits and seek great treasures. Supposedly, it's at the 'center of the storm', but whether it's the cause is up for debate.

From what I understand, it's just a byproduct of the blizzard."

Of course, that wasn't everything they found, but those were the only things worth mentioning. Most of the people were rather weak according to Mira's standards. Many of them were getting excited over a few Heaven and Mystical-Grade resources.

For Mira, Mystical-Grade was just the threshold for something interesting. She'd collect it if she could, but if it were too out of the way, she'd leave it be. Her strength was just too high, after all.

Anything below Mystical-Grade was useless to her.

'I say that, but my scythe is technically a Late-Stage Heaven-Grade weapon.' She chuckled, but that wasn't correct either. Her scythe was tied to her cultivation. It was as strong as she was.

'Speaking of, I wonder what my scythe's limit is? I doubt it can keep growing infinitely just by being connected to my cultivation.' Since it was a mortal weapon, its limit was probably the Mortal Realm, but she had a feeling that once she broke through the later realms, it'd start falling off compared to other weapons.

The only thing unique about her scythe was the cultivation technique that came with it, but since she had done away with that, it wasn't much different than a strong lump of metal.

'...It seems I actually do need to work on my forging for something other than research purposes.'

And what better way to get materials to practice with than looting and plundering?!

"We're going to search for this blizzard-worshipping Sect tomorrow." Mira declared before walking into her room, leaving Hana to her own devices.

For some reason, the girl had a bad feeling, but what could she do? Hana ignored the hard thumping of her heart and shut the door to her room. She needed to mentally prepare herself for the possibility of them ruining an entire 'religion' tomorrow.

***

In the icy expanse of the Northern Continent, the sky was ablaze with the vibrant hues of battle. Amidst the swirling snowflakes, a colossal Frozen Ash Dracophoenix soared, its majestic wings beating against the howling winds.

Below, the Pyre Ascendants Sect, a formidable force known for their mastery of fire-based techniques, mobilized almost their entire Sect—Disciples and Elders alike—in a fervent witch hunt. Their target: Elenei, the Dracophoenix, a creature they didn't even know could exist.

If they could just chop off one piece of her, the benefits it'd bring their Sect would be immense.

Not to mention, this creature has been running amok with a small, blood-red fox woman on its back, stealing one treasure after another and killing droves of people.

It was about time they put an end to this madness before they took all the half-decent resources for themselves!

Dominique, perched nonchalantly on Elenei's broad back, couldn't help but marvel at the spectacle unfolding.

Despite the apparent danger, there was a thrill in the air that made her blood sing. "Quite the welcoming party, isn't it, Elenei?" she shouted over the roar of the wind and the cacophony of battle.

'They're just greedy pigs. All we did was kill a few people from their Sect. Who knew they'd launch a full-on assault.' An elegant voice entered Dominique's mind, who chuckled wryly.

"It was more than a few, but… yeah. At least I was able to test my new power on them, though. "

"KILL THEM! Take revenge for your fallen brothers and sisters!" Suddenly, a loud roar came from below, causing the two in the sky to sigh.

Elenei's response was a defiant screech, a sound that resonated with the raw power of the storm itself.

She dove and weaved through the air, evading the relentless onslaught of fireballs and flaming arrows that sought to bring her down. A flurry of ash rained down on the humans, which they unknowingly inhaled. The razor-sharp ice shards within then began wreaking havoc on their lungs, causing many to start coughing up blood.

The Sect, despite their numbers and prowess, found themselves outmatched by the Dracophoenix's agility and her natural presence. She didn't even need to use any abilities to take care of the weaker members.

Below, the Sect's Elders coordinated their efforts, channeling their cultivation into a massive, collective spell aimed at subduing Elenei. "Focus your energy! We must capture this creature!" bellowed the Sect Leader, his voice amplified by his cultivation, carrying across the battlefield.

Dominique, feeling the surge of energy below, smirked. "Looks like they're getting serious. How about we show them what serious really looks like?" Without waiting for a reply, she tapped into her own reserves of power, her aura flaring dangrously.

Elenei let out another screech and descended from the sky onto the army. Together, they turned to face the gathering storm of energy, ready to unleash their combined might.

The clash that followed was cataclysmic. Dominique's bloody energy mingled with Elenei's icy feather bombs, creating a maelstrom of chaos that engulfed the Sect's spell. The explosion that ensued lit up the sky, sending shockwaves rippling through the air and across the land.

When the light and the snow settled, the Pyre Ascendants Sect found themselves in disarray. Many of their members lay scattered across the snow in multiple pieces. Some of their heads even exploded due to the ferocity of her cry.

The Elders, though standing, were visibly shaken, their confidence shattered by the display of power they had witnessed.

The Sect Leader, his robes singed and his face a mask of frustration, could only watch as Elenei and Dominique demolished his Sect. "After them!" he roared, but his voice lacked its previous authority. The Sect's morale had taken a massive hit, and they struggled to regroup and give chase.

Dominique laughed, the sound carried away by the wind as Elenei soared higher into the sky, the snow and clouds closing in around them, obscuring their form from view. "They really thought they could capture you, huh?" she said, patting Elenei's neck. "Why don't we root out this little Sect and prevent any future troubles for Mother?"

'...' Elenei wasn't sure what to say to that.

Now that Dominique was finally out in the real world, she had started to act a lot more like Mira, albeit more talkative. She was growing up to be a bloody killer, literally. Something that honestly scared Elenei a bit. She couldn't imagine how dangerous the Mother-Daughter duo would be together once their power was similar.

Still, Elenei couldn't argue with the decision to root out future troubles and dove back down toward pursuing Sect. 'Might as well get this over with…'