Chapter 116: The Crystal Palace

"The ultimate task for Primary Martial Arts has appeared!"

Ke Bei stared at the flickering golden ancient characters on the system interface, his heart racing. He could hardly believe it was real. As his eyes drifted downward to the rewards, his pulse seemed to stop completely.

"The complete volume of the Vajra Indestructible Body! The complete volume of the Dragon-Elephant Prajna Art! A mysterious gift package!"

Staring fixedly at the glowing golden characters, Ke Bei forgot to breathe. A tumultuous storm raged within him, impossible to calm. His mind went blank for a long time, and it was only when his lungs were starved of oxygen that he finally gasped for air.

"Haha, System, I love you to death!"

Standing by the stream, Ke Bei threw his head back and let out a wild, primal roar. His frenzied laughter echoed through the desolate valley, shattering the silence. Leaves trembled, and ripples danced across the surface of the creek.

After a long while, Ke Bei finally regained his composure. The rewards offered by the system were incredibly tempting, and this was, after all, the ultimate task for Primary Martial Arts. This meant that once he completed it, he would not only receive the rewards he had coveted for so long but would also unlock tasks for Advanced Martial Arts!

Advanced Martial Arts!

The mere thought set his heart ablaze. With Advanced Martial Arts, he would have the capital to stand toe-to-toe with powerhouses at the War God level.

"Three months to master the first layer of the secret technique of the Qitian Tower!"

As the initial excitement faded, Ke Bei grew calm. The task was certainly not simple. Setting aside the staggering rewards, the fact that it was classified as the ultimate Primary Martial Arts task meant it would be no easy feat. The Qitian Tower was among the most supreme of divine artifacts; one could only imagine how profound the technique required to activate it must be.

"No matter how difficult it is, I must master the first layer within three months!" Ke Bei clenched his fists, his eyes flashing with unwavering determination.

He looked up at the vast, empty valley. He had no idea where he was or which direction to take to return to the Jiujiang Base. After a moment of silence, he began to walk slowly along the stream, heading deeper into the valley.

With his current strength, he would be safe as long as he did not encounter a War God. Even if he did, had he not survived the Nether Purple Flame? Ke Bei had confidence in his own strength, and he was curious about this eerily silent valley. Driven by curiosity, he ventured deeper.

As he progressed, his confusion grew. Near the valley entrance, lush, towering ancient trees were everywhere, but as he ventured deeper, the temperature plummeted. After about a kilometer, even with his constitution, he struggled against the biting winds.

"So cold!"

A gust of wind made him shiver, his lips trembling. He stared toward the depths of the valley, his curiosity piqued. He had only walked a kilometer, yet the temperature was already at least twenty degrees below zero. It was no wonder there were no zombies or demonic beasts here.

"Hmph, I must see what makes this place so frigid!"

Ke Bei snorted and channeled the Nine Yang Divine Art from his Dantian, instantly dispelling the cold. Cold was the least of his worries. If the Nine Yang Divine Art failed, he still had the Nether Purple Flame. Having witnessed the power of the flames, he refused to believe there was anywhere in this world too cold for him.

With the Nine Yang Divine Art shielding him, he pressed on. By the second kilometer, the temperature had dropped to around forty degrees below zero. Three kilometers, fifty below. Four kilometers, sixty below.

"Damn it, what kind of place is this?"

Even with his protective art, Ke Bei felt the strain, his body trembling slightly.

"Purple Flame, come out!"

He could no longer rely solely on the Nine Yang Divine Art. With a thought, he channeled his internal energy to his brow, and the Nether Purple Flame surged forth from the golden tower within him. The flames enveloped his body, instantly banishing the frost and replacing it with warmth. Once more feeling untouchable, he activated the Lingbo Micro-steps, his body becoming a blur as he dashed deeper into the valley.

Five kilometers, six kilometers, ten kilometers!

With the Purple Flame protecting him, Ke Bei no longer cared about the temperature. His curiosity regarding what lay at the heart of the valley had reached its peak.

*Swish, swish, swish!*

Leaving a trail of lingering images, Ke Bei sped forward. He felt as if a cat were clawing at his heart, itching with the desire to uncover the secret of the valley.

*Whoosh!*

Pushing his footwork to the limit, he covered thirty kilometers in the blink of an eye, arriving at the deepest part of the valley.

"Huh? What is this?"

A pitch-black cave appeared before him. He could feel waves of pale blue, frigid air surging out from within.

"Should I enter?"

He hesitated. Curiosity warred with caution, but he didn't want to gamble with his life. If not for the Nether Purple Flame, not even a War God could have reached this point.

"I'm going in!"

After a moment, he gritted his teeth. The Purple Flame flared up, shrouding him completely. He took a breath, stared into the abyss that seemed capable of devouring everything, and stepped inside.

Humanity is strange; even knowing the danger, one cannot resist the temptation. Curiosity killed the cat. Yet, a part of him felt that this was fate. He had been wounded by a God King, fallen into a coma, and awakened in this strange valley. And the freezing currents that would have stopped a War God had proven useless against him. It was all too coincidental.

If this wasn't divine providence, who could have orchestrated it all?

"It must be fate. Damn it, if the heavens brought me here, there must be no danger." Ke Bei stepped into the dark, scanning his surroundings cautiously, trying to reassure himself despite the fear lurking deep in his heart.

*Whoosh!*

The pale blue currents surged from the depths, causing his purple flames to flicker violently. Ke Bei broke out in a cold sweat.

"Damn it, I have to see what kind of monster is hiding in here!" Gritting his teeth, he surged forward, his body turning into a streak of light as he sprinted deep into the cave.

*Whoosh!*

With his internal energy fueling his legs, Ke Bei pushed his speed to the absolute limit, covering several kilometers in an instant.

"Eh?"

Suddenly, a silver light appeared in the darkness. Ke Bei stopped abruptly, his eyes widening in surprise.

"A crystal palace?"

He stared at a translucent, crystal-like structure ahead, shimmering with a faint silver luster. The palace had three levels and was exquisitely crafted; the walls and roofs were engraved with mysterious runes. It was small, roughly the size of his dormitory at the Jiujiang Talent Training Camp.

"So this is the culprit!" Ke Bei stared at the open gates, his eyes cold.

Frigid, pale blue currents poured out from the entrance. There was no turning back now. Frowning, he stepped forward, channeled his Purple Flame to its peak, and leaped into the palace.

"The wind... it's gone?"

Stepping inside, he blinked in confusion. The interior was pristine, with mirrors for walls and floors. It was completely empty, save for his own reflection dancing across the crystal floor. He noticed that it was not cold inside at all.

"Strange."

He scanned the empty hall and withdrew the Purple Flame. He looked toward a crystal staircase, hesitated for a moment, then reactivated his flame before placing a cautious foot upon the first step, beginning his ascent.