Chapter 1723 – Undying Polar Ice … … … Some trial challenger began urging others to leave faster. At this time, more and more bone-chilling winds were sweeping through the fifth level. All of the heaven and earth origin energy seemed to have developed a faint tendency of gathering back together. The Undying Polar Ice would soon be reborn! In such an environment, Lin Ming remained as calm and composed as before. He didn’t bother with everyone speaking amongst themselves, but looked to Sheng Mei and asked, “Soul Empress, I want to ask, if the Undying Polar Ice attacks, will your array formation last until the Undying Polar Ice exhausts itself of energy and turns into a polar ice egg?” Lin Ming was clear that Sheng Mei’s attacks belonged to the ice-attribute and the Undying Polar Ice was also an ice-attribute existence. To rely on Sheng Mei to attack the polar ice egg was not a realistic idea. But if she couldn’t attack, that didn’t mean she couldn’t defend. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂 Just like Sheng Mei’s ice attacks couldn’t harm the Undying Polar Ice, the Undying Polar Ice also couldn’t easily wound Sheng Mei. Ice against ice, neither side could do much to the other. Moreover, ice-attribute cultivation methods always had a natural advantage in the defense aspect. For Sheng Mei, defending against the Undying Polar Ice should be much easier than defending against the Undying Inferno. Before, it was using ice to repel fire, but now it was ice to ice, both of the elements mutually promoting each other. Sure enough, Sheng Mei nodded, “If it is just defending against the Undying Polar Ice then I should be able to withstand it until it turns into an egg. But since I have used up a considerable amount of my energy, it will be far more dangerous for you. If there is the slightest mistake then it is possible someone will die…” As Sheng Mei spoke, the temperature had dropped so low that the surrounding martial artists had no choice but to revolve the energy within them to restrain the frost energy in their bodies. They had already learned their lesson from the Undying Inferno; everyone now held an instinctual fear of the Undying Polar Ice! And for Lin Ming to ask such questions at this time, all of them felt anxious. “What are we all doing here? Let’s hurry back to the fourth level.” “That’s right, if the Undying Polar Ice appears then we’re all done for!” Some people ignored Lin Ming and began striding straight back to the fourth level. But after just several steps, Lin Ming’s words made them pause again. Lin Ming calmly looked at Sheng Mei and clearly said, “If the Empress can defend against the Undying Polar Ice’s attacks until it turns into an ice egg, then you can leave the task of shattering that egg to me. I believe I have a certain chance of success…” Lin Ming’s words not only shocked the trial challengers present, but even Sheng Mei. Lin Ming wanted to destroy the ice egg!? The fire phoenix egg was something that not even Soul Empress Sheng Mei had been able to destroy, and now Lin Ming wanted to try it all the same? Was he insane? No one doubted his talent, but he had simply cultivated for far too short a time. Even though everyone here now had an early Holy Lord realm cultivation, it was impossible for Lin Ming to compare with Sheng Mei. There was an essential difference between the Law comprehensions of an Empyrean and a half-step Holy Lord! Moreover, Sheng Mei was an outstanding genius amongst all Empyreans to begin with. In the future she might become a monstrous character, a True Divinity powerhouse! Sheng Mei looked at Lin Ming with surprise. She didn’t think he would come up with such a proposal. “You are confident you can crush open the ice egg?” “I can only say I’ll give it a try…” Lin Ming said, not fully confident. Lin Ming wasn’t arrogant enough to think that he could surpass Sheng Mei even if both were at the Holy Lord realm. Just because Sheng Mei could do things didn’t mean that he could do the same. But, there was a difference. When they fought the Undying Inferno, whether it was in defense or offense, it was a battle mostly driven by Sheng Mei. The pressure on her had been too great. To immediately attack the phoenix egg after having to withstand dozen of high energy impacts, it wasn’t a surprise if she wasn’t able to display her true peak strength. Although she had summoned her Ice Phoenix, the Ice Phoenix was also suppressed to the early Holy Lord realm. Its supportive abilities couldn’t have been considered too heaven-defying. But if Lin Ming were to attack then it would be different. The task of defense could be taken over by Sheng Mei and he would be solely responsible for attacking! Lin Ming cultivated the Fire Laws. Once he released the Heretical God Force, the terrifying heavenly retribution flames he released from the Heretical God Tree would be the nemesis of ice! Not just that, but Lin Ming had the tyrannical power of thunder to boost his flames, as well as even more powerful techniques. “Lin Ming, are you messing with us? To fight with the Undying Polar Ice is to put our lives on the line, and you want us to persist all the way until it turns into an ice egg just so you can give it a try?” Many trial challengers were speechless upon hearing Lin Ming’s words. Many of them were already nearing exhaustion, and if they wanted to continue fighting the Undying Polar Ice they would have to brave great dangers and take great risks. A single misstep and they would die here! Such a great price was all traded for a single chance of attack, and that chance of attack was only to allow Lin Ming a little try. It wasn’t a surprise that they were all worked up over such a thought! “Lin Ming, just from you being able to pass through the Asura level Gate of Laws, you obtaining an 85% completion rate truly isn’t high. If you return like this, you might be unwilling to… but, you are also young and your comprehension of the Laws will rise in the future. It won’t be difficult for you to reach 87% the next time you come, so why do you have to be in such a hurry to risk such perils?” The martial artist who spoke thought that Lin Ming wasn’t satisfied with his current 85% completion rate. After passing through the Asura level Gate of Laws, it wasn’t a surprise that he was unhappy Sheng Mei obtained a higher score. Thus, this was the impetus driving him to propose a ridiculous idea like fighting the Undying Polar Ice. It had to be known that just fighting the Undying Polar Ice and doing great damage to it would earn one a good completion percentage, even if the monster didn’t die. This was the case with Sheng Mei, otherwise her completion percentage should have been lower than Lin Ming’s. Realizing this, many people were uninterested in his proposal. Some even snorted with contempt. To raise his completion percentage by a little, he wanted them all to take such a risk. How could they possibly agree? A trial challenger crossed his arms across his chest and coldly sneered, “You want to give it a try? Heh, let’s be honest here. You’re just unhappy that Soul Empress Sheng Mei was the main pillar for offense and defense, so because you didn’t feel too good about that, you want to try attacking once just so you can fish for more completion percentage? If we were to help you then our completion percentage would be pitifully small. If you are responsible for attacking, then whether or not the ice egg is destroyed your completion percentage will still rise! Let me give you some advice. None of us here are fools so don’t take us for one. It’s impossible for you to use us as your spears!” The trial challenger who spoke before was tactful with his words. But the one speaking now was directly taunting Lin Ming, his words grating to the ears. “I also have no interest in this. I apologize but I’m not in the habit of having all my efforts become someone else’s rewards.” Someone grimly said. These people all began leaving together. If Lin Ming truly could succeed then they could enter the sixth level and leave behind a billion year legend. If this was possible then they were willing to take the risk, no matter how great. But many people simply didn’t believe that Lin Ming possessed the destructive capabilities to break through the ice egg. Even the likes of Sheng Mei had failed. If Lin Ming were to fail then all the risks they took would be converted into completion percentage for someone else. Only a fool would do something so stupid. Lin Ming’s gaze swept over these people as they left, not a single response on his face. If these people left then so be it, he didn’t want them here either! He turned towards Sheng Mei. Her attitude was the most important! Even when facing the ice-attribute Undying Polar Ice, her combat efficiency in the battle would not be much different than his own. Sheng Mei thought for a moment. She asked, “What are your chances of success?” “Maybe around 40-50%...” Lin Ming listed a vague figure. It was impossible to justify such probabilities. “40-50%?” Sheng Mei’s lips slightly curved up, as if she were tempted. Dragonscar saw Sheng Mei’s expression and knew what she was thinking. His heart began to burn with nervousness. “Empress! You…” He knew that Sheng Mei had consumed a tremendous amount of her soul force so it absolutely would not be easy for her to resist the bombardment of the Undying Polar Ice. She might even need to pay a certain price for attempting it. Dragonscar didn’t want to see this! Sheng Mei waved her hand and stopped all of Dragonscar’s following words. Towards this youth that kept creating miracles, she held a bit of curiously as well as a bit of belief that he could continue bringing forth more miracles. “Alright. Then I will manage defense and you will manage offense!” Sheng Mei’s voice was clear and resonant, bringing with it the momentum of endless mountains and rivers. “And all of you?” Sheng Mei turned to look at Suya, Mo Brightmoon, and the others. “Haha, Brother Lin, why are you even asking us this now? We’re already standing on your side.” Fanny Fafa chuckled as he spoke. Thousand Slaughter didn’t speak, only taking out his saber. As for Mo Brightmoon and Suya, their smiling faces already indicated their choice. “Good! Then we have enough people. Everyone else, if you wish to work with us in passing this obstacle then you may stay. If you don’t wish to stay then I won’t see you off!” Lin Ming indifferently said. Many other martial artists were enraged upon hearing this. This damned fellow was too arrogant! Did he think he was invincible or something!? “Good! Very good! You are crazy enough! I can’t wait to see what your end will be like. Let’s go!” The martial artists that taunted Lin Ming sneered one more time and began walking out. But as they began walking, they discovered after a while that there were only eight people in their group, but ten people had stayed back. Of these ten people, six of them were Lin Ming and his group, Sheng Mei and her follower, as well as a black-clothed youth and green-clothed girl. They were the two that Lin Ming had met atop the Divine Seal Altar, Moonpond and Soulsky. Following Sheng Mei, Lin Ming, Xiao Moxian, and Dragonscar, then Moonpond and Soulsky were the strongest ones here! Seeing these two people stay, Lin Ming smiled. “Good. We don’t need the others. It didn’t matter if they stayed behind to begin with.” Out of the original 18 remaining, the 10 of them represented at least 99% of the group’s combat strength. Just Lin Ming and Sheng Mei alone were each worth more than hundreds of those that had left; they were dispensable cannon fodder. Lin Ming’s words enraged the ones leaving. He had actually said that it didn’t matter if they stayed or not! This Lin Ming had never placed them in his eyes to begin with. “Brat, you’ve got guts!” One of the leaving trial challengers wickedly said. But, he only said this to vent his anger. He didn’t dare actually attack Lin Ming because he knew that he would never be able to defeat him. And at this moment, the earth shook once more. The thick frosted ground was torn apart from the vibrations and a massive plume of cold energy shot up into the skies like a phantom, gathering high up in the air! The source of all cold energy in this world seemed to be suspended a thousand feet up high. Suddenly, snow white runes scattered out, exuding mysterious and unpredictable Ice Laws. One could vaguely see small groups of ice energy dissipate out in the air. The threads of milk-white ice energy in the air became extremely wild and savage. Cold energy gathered together, twining into bundles, condensing more and more. It was like a snow white dragon swimming around a mass of spiritual ice energy, crazily revolving. Even the space storms that appeared through the space cracks that the Undying Inferno had pierced through began to freeze over. Even the wild flows of space energy weren’t able to withstand this strange cold energy! Everyone felt their hearts wildly shake. This ice energy was exuding a massive pressure. “The Undying Polar Ice, it finally came out!” Lin Ming breathed in deep, his eyes shining with fighting spirit.