Chapter 56: Sweeping Through

Li Mochen's destination was a mine thirty-five li south of Ghost City. Several hundred years ago, this had been a snow quartz vein, but as the deposits gradually depleted, it was abandoned.

Yet some snow quartz remained, making it a gathering place for ice elements and dark creatures.

By all reason, this should have been a hunting ground for magic-energy professionals. However, because the ice-type creatures in the mine could greatly enhance the power of their innate magic in the special environment surrounded by snow quartz, the danger outweighed the rewards. Over time, it was forgotten by Ghost City's magic-energy professionals. Only the government garrison would conduct periodic cleanups to prevent these dangerous creatures from spreading to the outer plains.

Li Mochen had learned beforehand that the most recent 'cleanup' operation was seven years ago, and it only went to the fourth layer, not deeper.

The commander in charge at the time believed their purge was sufficient to ensure safety around the mine for the next twenty years. The remaining snow quartz was not enough to nurture higher-ranked dark creatures or elemental generals.

However, in a recent map update by Tuch Cartography Company, a 'Deep Cold Elemental Lord' was clearly marked above the mine.

Although there was a small question mark after the term, indicating uncertainty, Li Mochen felt he should come and see for himself.

As Li Mochen approached the mine shaft, covered in ice and exuding desolation, he sensed a group of beings gradually awakening in the darkness and turning their gazes toward him.

But in his Heavenly Mind state, Wenjian Taoran naturally paid no heed to such lowly existences. He coldly put on the 'Divine Will' mask and calmly stepped into the mine.

Nothing unusual happened in the first three layers. But when Li Mochen entered the bitterly cold fourth layer, the stone walls on both sides collapsed with a roar, and five ice wolves leaped out, their figures swift and extraordinary, stirring up a gust of wind in midair.

In the next instant, their heads were separated from their bodies. Their bodies ran a few more steps before crashing to the ground.

Li Mochen, like a phantom, flashed ten meters away, not a single bloodstain on his clothes.

Around him, several cold blade lights flashed. The three fourth-level ice elements that had burst from the walls were instantly 'frozen' in place. Only after Li Mochen left did they collapse and disintegrate, their elemental cores at their chests shattered to pieces.

The rest of Li Mochen's journey was like the verse from this world's poem: 'Ten steps to kill one man, a thousand miles without leaving a trace.' He strolled leisurely, breaking through obstacles with ease.

All dangers were nipped in the bud; any creature that came within ten meters of him was granted death in the blink of an eye.

Even when Li Mochen entered the fifth layer, his pace did not change. The only difference was that here he began to use his alloy war hammer, causing the empty, desolate mine to echo with the roar of gunfire from time to time.

The dark creatures and ice elements here were clearly a level above those outside. Even ninth-level frost spiders and ice generals occasionally appeared.

These beings could not be easily dealt with by Li Mochen's training sword.

They posed no danger to him; it was just a matter of one sword stroke becoming five or seven. But in his Heavenly Mind state, he had no patience. A bullet could solve such lowly things, so there was no need to waste energy.

The fifth layer was the last. Li Mochen did not rush through like the previous layers but searched it meticulously, like a carpet sweep.

After about twenty minutes, he had searched nearly half of the layer. When he stepped into a spacious, hall-like space, his pupils contracted slightly. He immediately retreated without hesitation. The next moment, the spot where he had stood was engulfed in a large area of cold air, and the surrounding ice expanded and thickened. In midair, white freezing rays crisscrossed the cavern.

Without needing instructions, the Fire Wyrm flew out from his hood, casting 'Fire's Blessing' on his gun while breathing dragonfire.

Though the flame breath was barely larger than a lighter's flame, the high temperature within forcibly dispersed some of the converging cold air.

Li Mochen stared coldly ahead at the ice creature, which resembled a human female figure swooping down, and mercilessly pulled the trigger.

The first bullet he fired was an intermediate 'Molten Fire Bullet'.

The magic rifle bullet was blocked by a huge ice shield, but the instant temperature rise to over a thousand degrees melted the intermediate ice shield in no time.

Meanwhile, his alloy war hammer continuously spat fire, ten shots in succession, causing the surrounding ice to show signs of cracking.

The successive primary 'Molten Fire Bullets' all hit the target with precision, like repeated hammer blows, smashing the ice creature's 'shell' to pieces.

The layer of at least sixth-level ice magic 'Frost Armor' collapsed after Li Mochen's fifth shot. Each of his shots struck the weakest points of the 'Frost Armor's structure.

Then came another intermediate 'Molten Fire Bullet', melting the intermediate ice shield the creature summoned again.

Li Mochen's sixth shot completely blew off one of its arms, and the seventh did the same, until both arms and legs were severed. Then he suddenly abandoned the gun for his sword and flashed forward.

"Scutum Glacies!"

With Li Mochen's incantation, an ice shield materialized in front of him, firmly blocking several freezing rays shot by the ice creature.

The next moment, with a flash of sword light, a blue gem-like object inside the ice creature was blasted out of its body. The creature's body instantly lost all power and 'life', crashing onto the ice below.

Li Mochen continued to glide, his right hand quickly tracing runes in the air, activating the sealing power of the 'Ice Bloodstone Pendant' on his chest. The artifact gradually generated a strong suction, pulling at the blue gem floating in midair with no sign of falling.

After about ten seconds of stalemate, the blue gem finally succumbed. A large amount of icy air mixed with three-colored light emanated from it, gradually seeping into the 'Ice Bloodstone Pendant'.