Xia Yang San Ren, Qiu Yang San Ren, Yan Feng, and others were naturally overjoyed.
To hear such good news right after arriving felt like a gift from heaven.
However, the few of them could not show their excitement too obviously, as they were only outer sect elders.
Zhang Ergou was now an inner sect disciple and a disciple of Chi Yu. Although the group hated Zhang Ergou to the bone, they put on a façade of sorrow.
"Senior Brother, what were you just saying? Is Zhang Ergou still inside?"
Yan Feng asked his senior brother, his expression as exaggerated as possible. It was less an expression of sympathy for Zhang Ergou and more a confirmation of the news.
Jin Yuan had been in seclusion for too long and naturally didn't know about the animosity between his junior brother and Zhang Ergou.
He assumed Zhang Ergou was well-loved by the outer sect, attracting the attention of so many outer sect elders.
Upon hearing his junior brother's question, Jin Yuan's face turned a shade of liver. He regretted his rash actions in throwing Zhang Ergou into the Ice Cave for penance.
Jin Yuan recounted the entire incident.
When they heard that Zhang Ergou was indeed trapped inside and his fate was unknown, Xia Yang San Ren, Qiu Yang San Ren, Yan Feng, and the others were inwardly ecstatic.
Chun Yang San Ren and Qiao Yun were different. Their gaze towards Jin Yuan changed. Although Jin Yuan was an inner sect elder,
His cultivation was close to the Nascent Soul stage. However, upon hearing that their most proud disciple was trapped in this seemingly collapsing Ice Mountain by Jin Yuan, they were naturally furious.
Chun Yang San Ren and Qiao Yun had other intentions. Liu Cuilan's cultivation had progressed rapidly, quite reminiscent of Zhang Ergou's earlier progress.
Perhaps it was because she was away from Zhang Ergou that Liu Cuilan felt unsettled and cultivated more diligently and seriously. Coupled with her innate Earth-grade spiritual root and excellent cultivation talent,
Once she adapted to her cultivation life, her cultivation speed naturally soared, and she had already broken through the Foundation Establishment stage.
Chun Yang San Ren naturally knew his disciple's thoughts and generously bestowed upon her various treasures and elixirs.
Seeing Liu Cuilan improve day by day, Chun Yang San Ren was genuinely happy.
Today, he suddenly heard that Zhang Ergou was trapped in the Ice Mountain, his life and death unknown. This was terrible! How could he deliver this bad news to his beloved disciple? Thinking of this, Chun Yang San Ren's expression grew worse.
Qiao Yun naturally harbored similar thoughts. He had always intended to arrange a marriage between Zhang Ergou and Lin Yueru.
Furthermore, Zhang Ergou was the most talented alchemy prodigy he had encountered in years. Yet, such a monstrous talent
Was trapped in this Ice Mountain by Jin Yuan. Qiao Yun couldn't possibly feel good about it.
Sensing the displeased gazes of Chun Yang San Ren and Qiao Yun, Jin Yuan felt a wave of awkwardness. Although he didn't know the extent of their relationship with Zhang Ergou, judging by their reactions, they were clearly close.
The outer and inner sect elders outside were in a flurry of discussion due to the tremors caused by the Ice Mountain's upheaval. Inside the formation, however, the scene had changed dramatically.
"收!" (Collect!)
With a shout from Zhang Ergou, the Ice Mountain, which had already risen from the ground, began to shrink. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, it had shrunk to the size of a fist.
Zhang Ergou looked at the fist-sized snow mountain before him, feeling as though he were dreaming.
He reached out to move it, but its weight was beyond what his physical body could withstand.
Seeing the fist-sized snow mountain remain motionless, Zhang Ergou felt a sense of helplessness.
This old man had indeed tricked him. The Ice Mountain had shrunk, but he couldn't move it. What was the point of this?
As if sensing Zhang Ergou's predicament, the Snow Mountain Old Man reappeared before him.
"Little fellow, you're not thinking of moving my本体 (body) with your hands, are you?"
The old man's words made Zhang Ergou feel embarrassed. He had indeed planned to do just that, but his strength was too little.
Seeing Zhang Ergou's silence, the Snow Mountain Old Man naturally guessed his intentions.
He burst into laughter. After being manipulated by Zhang Ergou for so long, seeing him flustered now made the Snow Mountain Old Man extremely happy.
"Old man, what are you laughing at? Did I do something wrong?"
Zhang Ergou glared at him impatiently. This old man was truly a scoundrel, mocking him at a time like this.
"Hahaha, little fellow, let me laugh a bit longer, hahahaha!"
Zhang Ergou clearly heard the Snow Mountain Old Man muttering insults at him, calling him an idiot. However, he was dependent on the Snow Mountain Old Man at the moment and couldn't afford to get angry.
He pretended not to hear the old man's grumbling.
"Silly boy, there's a mantra for lifting the mountain, and a mantra for shrinking my本体. Naturally, there's a mantra for moving my本体 as well."
After laughing heartily for a while, the Snow Mountain Old Man finally stopped and looked at Zhang Ergou, saying,
"You didn't say so earlier!"
Zhang Ergou felt an urge to hit him, but he was no match for the old man and could only give up.
"You didn't ask!" The Snow Mountain Old Man's words left Zhang Ergou speechless.
He felt that this Snow Mountain Old Man was definitely doing this on purpose. Otherwise, why would he only tell him the mantras for controlling the mountain's rising and shrinking,
But not proactively tell him the method for moving it? It was clearly intentional.
Indeed, ever since the Snow Mountain Old Man had revived Zhang Ergou, he hadn't had the upper hand.
Although the Snow Mountain Old Man had been nurtured by heaven and earth for tens of thousands of years, he still had a childish disposition and was extremely competitive.
He was determined to regain his standing with Zhang Ergou. And so, he dug a pit, and Zhang Ergou unknowingly jumped right into it.
After the Snow Mountain Old Man taught Zhang Ergou the method to control and move the Ice Mountain's本体, Zhang Ergou followed his instructions, chanting the mantra.
"Left, right, up, down, west, east!"
Indeed, the mountain's本体 shifted its position according to Zhang Ergou's instructions. Zhang Ergou was overjoyed and no longer dwelled on the fact that the Snow Mountain Old Man had deliberately tricked him.
"收!" (Collect!)
He recited the collection mantra again, and the command came out. The fist-sized snow mountain disappeared in a flash.
It had been collected by Zhang Ergou and stored in his storage ring.
"Haha, I'm rich now!"
Zhang Ergou hadn't expected to have such a great fortune while being punished in the Ice Cave. If Jin Yuan and the others knew about this, they would regret it to death.
Naturally, they couldn't know about this. This was a treasure brought back by the founder of the Misty Sect.
If those old fellows found out, they would skin him alive...
After storing the Ice Mountain's本体, Zhang Ergou finally had some free time and looked outside through the formation.
He was shocked by what he saw.
While it wasn't a sea of people, most of the elders with any standing in the Misty Sect had gathered here...