Chapter 142 Preparing to Leave

Sitting cross-legged at a considerable distance from the Mysterious Ice Stele in an inconspicuous spot, Liu Pan continued to ponder its mysteries.

Having guessed what might lie behind the stele, Liu Pan naturally intended to leave. However, due to the spiritual sense lock of the old man stationed in front of it, leaving was not simply a matter of walking away; he needed to wait for the right opportunity.

Three days after mastering the seventh layer of the Profound Ice Art, Liu Pan deduced the eighth layer from his comprehension of the stele. Yet, after a brief moment of reflection, he merely memorized the energy circulation pathways without beginning to practice it.

No matter how powerful the Profound Ice Art might be, as long as there was a hint of doubt, one needed to maintain a certain distance.

Though Liu Pan deeply yearned for the complete Profound Ice Art from the bottom of his heart, reason told him that once he touched the ninth layer, he might truly never be able to leave.

Raising his eyes, he glanced at the man in black robes at the peak of the Martial Emperor realm who was close to the stele. Just as the thought "it's about time" flashed through Liu Pan's mind, the black-robed man suddenly clutched his head, rolled onto the ground, and began to roar in agony.

Having witnessed this once before and having heard accounts from other cultivators, Liu Pan did not find the scene particularly strange. What did surprise him, however, was the tenacity of this black-robed man.

Through conversations with others over the past few days, Liu Pan had learned that individuals who went mad while comprehending the stele were suffering from what was called the "backlash of the Mysterious Ice Stele." Yet, no one could articulate the exact details.

Compared to the previous cultivator who had lost his mind, the frost condensed on the black-robed man's hair was significantly thicker. Clearly, he was suffering a much heavier backlash. At that moment, a realization suddenly struck Liu Pan, giving him a deeper understanding of the stele's allure.

Perhaps the backlash from the Mysterious Ice Stele did not strike only after reaching a specific level of comprehension, but varied from person to person.

Just as frogs differ in strength, so do human beings. The moment at which the stele's backlash was triggered should differ for each individual. One person might comprehend up to the ninth layer of the Profound Ice Art, while another might only reach the seventh.

Compared to frogs, human intelligence is evidently higher. Liu Pan did not believe that he was the only one capable of seeing that something was amiss with the stele.

Yet, knowing full well that there was a problem with the Mysterious Ice Stele, why did so many cultivators still come here to seek enlightenment?

Aside from the stele's inherent temptation, another reason was perhaps human "blindness" itself.

Boiling a frog in warm water—even a frog of exceptionally high intelligence, surrounded by water that gradually grows hotter, would find it difficult to determine where its own limit lay.

To survive, the safest method was undoubtedly to leap out of the water at the very first sign of danger. However, faced with the temptation of the Mysterious Ice Stele, very few "frogs" would be willing to jump out immediately.

Risk and opportunity always coexist. Among the cultivators striving to comprehend the stele, most probably carried a question mark in their minds: "Where is my limit?" Yet, under the extreme temptation of the stele, a cultivator's judgment of their own limits would unconsciously be pushed back time and time again, until they unknowingly crossed that red line...

It was time to leave. Liu Pan knew this was his chance to depart from the Heavenly Frost Sect.

As for his own limits, Liu Pan could not determine them. Given the unique condition of his own body, he felt he might very well be able to cultivate the complete Profound Ice Art, but at this moment, he still decided to leave.

Liu Pan certainly possessed an immense desire for the Profound Ice Art, but not to the point of blindness. Furthermore, as an author, he could guess most of the tropes inherent to this world.

He had a premonition that whatever lay hidden behind the Mysterious Ice Stele could not possibly be anything good—at least not for cultivators with ice-attribute spiritual roots.

As for why he had only memorized the eighth layer of the Profound Ice Art without practicing it, the truth was rooted in a lack of confidence. The temptation of the stele was simply too strong, and Liu Pan worried that once he began practicing the eighth layer, he would lose control over his desires and attempt to comprehend the ninth.

Although the Profound Ice Art was truly extraordinary and powerful, through his understanding gained over the past few days, Liu Pan was certain that no one had ever comprehended the complete technique from the stele.

Unless driven to desperation, Liu Pan refused to gamble on an uncertain outcome, no matter how high his odds might seem.

This was not solely for his own safety; more importantly, there were genuinely many things he needed to do and figure out. If he fell here, he would feel regret, remorse, and endless resentment.

When all was said and done, this was the Northern Plains. Once plunged into danger, he would have no one and nothing to rely upon. Therefore, looking before leaping was the most correct approach to handling matters.

Before long, the grey-robed old man stationed near the stele stood up, moved cleanly and decisively, and pressed two fingers against the black-robed man's head.

Moments later, the black-robed man quieted down. Just like the previous madman, he stared blankly for a long time, unable to gather his wits, and remained lying on the ground.

"Take him away. He can no longer comprehend the Mysterious Ice Stele." The old man shook his head as he spoke, a trace of pity seemingly crossing his features.

As the old man's words fell, two disciples wearing the attire of the Heavenly Frost Sect stepped forward and helped the black-robed man away. Afterward, the area before the Mysterious Ice Stele returned to tranquility, as if nothing had happened at all.

After a long while, Liu Pan frowned, let out a sudden sigh, and stood up, walking toward the outer edge of the deep pit where the stele was located.

"Senior Brother, where are you going? Are you not going to continue your comprehension?" A purposely lowered voice rang out. The speaker was none other than the middle-aged man Liu Pan had first conversed with when he arrived to study the stele.

"My comprehension was interrupted earlier, and I can't settle my mind right now. I want to go have my lunch now so I can adjust my state of mind and continue this afternoon." Liu Pan shook his head with a helpless smile and casually asked, "Coming along?"

Hearing this, the middle-aged man was momentarily speechless. Even though he had known for several days that Liu Pan held fast to the habit of eating three meals a day, he still found it difficult to get used to.

He felt that young people nowadays truly lacked perseverance. Eating to adjust one's state of mind? That was nothing more than an excuse!

Besides, what impact did it make if a Martial King realm expert went ten days or half a month without eating? None at all!

"I won't be joining you. I can still hold on. Senior Brother, you go ahead," the middle-aged man replied. Despite the torrent of complaints running through his mind, his expression remained entirely unperturbed.

Liu Pan felt no surprise at the middle-aged man's response. In fact, among the disciples who routinely visited the Heavenly Frost Sect's dining hall, he was the only one above the Martial King realm. Truly, he was a bizarre anomaly among the sect's numerous cultivators.

Without exchanging any further idle chatter with the middle-aged man, Liu Pan climbed out of the deep pit housing the Mysterious Ice Stele and headed straight for the Heavenly Frost Sect's dining hall.