Chapter 113: The Arrow is on the Bowstring

"Frost Giants?"

At the mere mention of the name, the expressions of all the Quasi-Saints present changed drastically. Many of the more knowledgeable Great Luo Golden Immortals and Taiyi True Immortals were equally shaken.

"The terrifying Frost Giants from the Primordial Era?" A North Pole Bear King, a mid-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal, swallowed hard, his eyes filled with disbelief and deep, lingering dread.

"Bear King, what exactly is so formidable about these Frost Giants? Why are even the Quasi-Saints so wary of them?" Beside him, a Tiger Shark Demon, a nascent Great Luo Golden Immortal, was utterly bewildered. He prided himself on having attained sentience during the Primordial Era and possessing deep knowledge of many secrets, yet he had never even heard the name. Relying on his acquaintance with the Bear King, he could not help but ask.

As the Tiger Shark Demon spoke, the surrounding crowd, equally confused, pricked up their ears.

"Sigh! The Frost Giants were legendary in the Primordial Era!" The Bear King fell into a trance, as if the ancient years of the world were unfolding before his eyes.

"Legendary? Brother Bear King, you must be joking! My cultivation may be mediocre, but my origins are not late. I traveled the Primordial world before the rise of the three ancient clans, and I have never heard the term 'Frost Giant'!" A peak Taiyi True Immortal Vulture Demon countered, hearing the Bear King’s words.

The Vulture Demon’s statement caused the Great Luo and Taiyi Immortals to look at him in astonishment. None had expected a mere peak Taiyi True Immortal to have such ancient origins, as most of those present had been born during the era of the three clans or in the aftermath of their great tribulation.

"Brother Lingjiu, your aptitude is truly remarkable," a mid-stage Taiyi Immortal who held a grudge against the Vulture Demon remarked with biting sarcasm, causing the crowd to chuckle.

"Hmph!" The Vulture Demon felt insulted but held his temper. He was alone, while his opponent had several allies of similar cultivation; an altercation would leave him at a disadvantage. He refused to yield verbally, however: "My cultivation may be lacking, but my seniority is set in stone. Regardless of anything else, you are still a junior."

"Lingjiu, you seek death!"

"If you have the ability, let us settle this!"

"Hmph! My friends and I always act in unison; dealing with one is the same as dealing with a group!"

"Coward!"

Seeing the conflict escalating and fearing a battle, the curious Great Luo Golden Immortals stepped in to mediate. Neither side truly wished to fight, but both were trapped by pride; with this excuse to back down, they exchanged angry glares and vowed to fight another day, secretly sighing in relief.

"Brother Bear King, please, continue telling us about the Frost Giants!"

Seeing the sea of inquisitive eyes fixed upon him, the Bear King felt a swell of pride. It was his first time being the center of attention, especially among so many Great Luo Golden Immortals, whom he usually had to treat with deference.

"During the Chaos, Pangu slew the three thousand Primordial Demon Gods and cleaved the world into existence, dying from exhaustion. Dozens of surviving Primordial Demon Gods, their spirits and demonic souls escaping destruction, seized the chance to anchor themselves to innate spiritual objects to be reborn. They were the first beings of the Primordial world. Because of their unfathomable cultivation, they were honored by later generations as the Ancient Demon Gods or Innate Deities." As he spoke, the Bear King’s eyes gleamed with longing, imagining himself one day reaching such heights.

"Heh, Bear King, don't tell me you don't know anything about the Frost Giants and are just spouting these dusty old tales to fool us." The Vulture Demon sneered, goading him to force the Bear King to reveal the truth—or, if he were indeed faking it, to shame him into becoming a laughingstock.

"Bullshit! Would I lie? My father told me about the Frost Giants. In the early Primordial Era, they were infinitely glorious, invincible, and peerless. Even the Ancient Demon Gods and Innate Deities dared not provoke them. Sadly, something happened—no one knows what—and they vanished from the Primordial world. As time passed, the name 'Frost Giant' was forgotten. Coupled with the wars between the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin clans, and the conflict between the Dao and the Demon, nine-tenths of the world’s powerhouses were wiped out. Who would remember the Frost Giants now?" The Bear King, feeling insulted and sensing the doubt in the eyes of his audience, spoke with absolute conviction.

"There were many factions in the Primordial Era. In the far north, at the world’s end where the cold is absolute, there was a kingdom called the Frost Dynasty. Its monarch was unknown, but its three thousand Frost Giants were enough to sweep the heavens. These giants could only be refined by supreme Yang energy; otherwise, even if they were blasted to dust by Yin-Yang energies, they would reform in an instant. The most monstrous part was their immunity to the Laws of the world, and their strength was said to be half that of a standard early-stage Quasi-Saint. Think about it—what does that mean? It’s like having three thousand half-Quasi-Saints who ignore the Laws! They could probably even kill a peak Quasi-Saint by joining forces. With such a lineup and a mysterious monarch, tell me, could they not sweep across the Primordial world?"

The Great Luo and Taiyi Immortals were stunned.

Half the strength of a Quasi-Saint? Immunity to the Laws? This... this was simply monstrous.

"How many more monsters were there in the early Primordial Era?" If a power like the Frost Dynasty could vanish into history, one could only imagine how perilous the world once was.

***

Soon, everyone present understood the history and horror of the Frost Giants.

"Could the Frost Dynasty be staging a comeback?" Fuxi, elegant and refined in his cyan robe, frowned, his expression grave as he stared at the towering giants.

"Could it be that the Frost Dynasty is also eyeing that God-Slaying Spear?" the Ancestor Minghe speculated.

"So, the rumors about the God-Slaying Spear were true after all." Kunpeng rolled his eyes, a cunning look on his face, his mind clearly racing.

***

After the four hundred Frost Giants took form, their previously vacant eyes began to flicker with a brilliant blue light. They began to flex their limbs, testing their bodies.

The ground shook incessantly, fissures spread and expanded, and the booming echoes vibrated through the heavens, causing ripples in the void. The power of the Frost Giants was evident; they had transcended the realm of Great Luo Golden Immortals, existing as "half-step Quasi-Saints" between the Great Luo and Quasi-Saint levels, specifically utilizing Yin-Yang energy.

"Who would have thought the Ancestor of Ice had such heaven-defying means? Now that four hundred laborers are exhausting their minds to control these giants, my plan to escape has encountered a major variable!" It turned out these giants were the work of the Ancestor of Ice, controlled by the four hundred laborers of the Ice Soul Mine, including Qingxu. This left him feeling deeply frustrated; his painstaking planning was now in jeopardy.

As Qingxu grew accustomed to his divine avatar, he felt an inexhaustible power. He was certain that with a single punch, even without using Yin-Yang energy, he could shatter the Primordial void.

"It is too powerful, simply too powerful! Even if there were a thousand or ten thousand Great Luo Golden Immortals, I could kill them all!" Now in the form of a Frost Giant, Qingxu felt the terrifying strength firsthand. Plucking stars and grasping the moon, tearing seas and severing rivers—all were child's play. He could even travel through the perilous Chaos and Primordial Void at will.

"Is this the power of a Quasi-Saint?" Even without the cultivation or command of the Laws, this raw power fascinated Qingxu, and a desire for supreme strength surged in his heart.

Qingxu was stunned, and the other laborers were no better, all intoxicated by the beauty of their newfound power.

"This is the site of this Ancestor's seclusion. I advise you all to leave quickly. Do not be foolish and let your cultivation turn into nothingness, resulting in the destruction of both body and spirit." A vast, overwhelming divine sense flooded the world. It was the Ancestor of Ice. His situation was dire; while on the surface these four hundred giants could easily slaughter everyone present, the reality was not so simple. Creating them had consumed eighty to ninety percent of his primordial spirit energy, and they required constant control. Furthermore, they could only sustain a single strike at the Taiyi True Immortal level or three at the Great Luo level before dissipating.

"Among these Quasi-Saints, there are many with profound insight. As long as they recognize the Frost Giants, things will be manageable. Surely four hundred giants are enough to scare off these twenty-odd Quasi-Saints? It is a pity that the effort of countless ages is lost in a day. If I find out who leaked the fake news, I will make them regret it at any cost." The Ancestor of Ice’s primordial spirit was weak and ethereal; his magic was nearly depleted. This was a massive loss. Having survived the Sword of Immortal Execution of the Demon Ancestor Luo Hou, his hard-earned reserves were gone. In this state, even if he possessed a fragment of the Ice Soul Heart, he dared not manifest a physical form; he knew too well the terror of the heavenly tribulation triggered by a Primordial Demon God’s rebirth. Without the magic of a Quasi-Saint, there was no hope of survival.

The Ancestor’s warning caused the Quasi-Saints, Great Luo, and Taiyi Immortals to exchange glances, calculating their next moves.

"What? You juniors wish to die? There are only four hundred giants now; wait until all three thousand emerge. I have been merciful, reluctant to commit mass slaughter, and have given you a way out. But if you insist on seeking your own deaths? Heh heh!" he threatened gloomily.

Under the threat, many began to panic, intending to flee.

"Hahaha! The arrow is on the bow, it must be fired!" At this moment of wavering morale, Di Jun threw his head back and laughed.

"Foolish! Now, do not blame this Ancestor for being ruthless." As the situation spiraled out of control, the Ancestor of Ice felt a surge of panic, though his voice remained harsh.

"Ah!" Hearing the threat, the crowd was filled with horror, glaring at Di Jun with resentment.