PD -Chapter 140 The Frozen Beast King

The gigantic beast was extraordinarily tall. Its appearance seemed to lower the surrounding temperature even further. I noticed frost beginning to form on the bodies of the armored insects.

Its skin was a translucent pale blue, and the entire creature looked like a majestic lion sculpted from ice.

Tilting its head slightly, it surveyed the scene before it like a king overlooking his domain. Every breath from its nostrils released waves of icy mist, while an eerie blue glow shone from its eyes.

Boom!

The beast stepped forward.

I instinctively retreated a few steps, and the armored insects did the same. The imposing creature looked down upon everything around it, radiating overwhelming authority.

I stared wide-eyed at this unbelievable being. Had I not seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed that such a miraculous creature could truly exist in this world.

Even without anyone telling me, I knew this was the Polar Frozen Beast King Shen Tu had mentioned.

It was the core of the Eight Cold Hells. The bone-chilling cold that permeated this frozen inferno all originated from its power.

In other words, if I could get it out of here, the entire Eight Cold Hells would fall into chaos and would no longer be able to contain the souls imprisoned within.

But looking at this majestic beast before me, how exactly was I supposed to take it out?

I still had no idea.

Yet, although I hadn’t thought of any way to force the beast out, its appearance had already helped me tremendously.

All of the armored insects immediately shifted their attention toward it, raising their mantis-like forelimbs.

Not only that, but I noticed something strange happening among the insects closest to the beast.

The insects were no longer crawling around chaotically and piling upon one another as before. Some began to retreat while others moved forward, slowly arranging themselves into several long formations.

These columns of insects extended all the way to the Frozen Beast King’s feet.

The nearest insects began throwing themselves into the beast’s limbs without regard for their lives. Countless insects followed one after another, forming four enormous chains that bound the beast’s four limbs in place.

My mind buzzed.

I suddenly understood.

These armored insects were not merely a punishment of the deepest layer of the Eight Cold Hells.

They were also the key to restraining the Frozen Beast King!

That meant the Beast King was not willingly remaining here as the core energy source of the entire Eight Cold Hells.

More likely, the Underworld had captured it long ago and imprisoned it here by force, turning it into the core of the frozen prison.

To prevent its escape, they had created these armored insects.

The insects were living chains.

As long as they continued reproducing endlessly in the deepest layer of Hell, the Frozen Beast King would never be able to escape.

Although the Beast King was terrifying and possessed immense power, the ice-element energy within its body clearly had little effect on these insects.

It was obvious that they naturally thrived in cold environments. They had survived beneath this eternal ice for countless years and reproduced in numbers vast enough to become a catastrophe.

That alone was proof that even the Beast King was helpless against them.

In that case…

This might actually be easier than I had imagined.

Hope immediately rose within me.

Compared to dealing with the Beast King itself and somehow forcing it to leave, dealing with these insects—though still difficult—was a challenge I had a much better chance of overcoming.

After all, these insects feared fire.

And fire-based Daoist spells were my specialty.

“Then let’s light a great fire at the very bottom of the Eight Cold Hells.”

I silently made my decision.

“Southern Pole Fire Bell, Supreme Heavenly Guardian! Ten-thousand-zhang inferno, flames that fill the heavens!”

Floating in midair beneath the Beast King’s gaze, I chanted the Southern Pole Fire Bell Incantation while rapidly forming hand seals.

Four talismans shot toward the four insect chains.

The moment the spell was completed—

Boom!

A gigantic bronze bell engulfed in flames appeared above the Beast King’s head.

As my fingers moved, the bell rang with crisp, resonant chimes.

And with every toll, flames erupted throughout the surroundings.

In an instant, the four chains of armored insects were completely engulfed, transforming into four blazing chains of fire.

Beyond them, walls of flame rose layer upon layer, trapping every insect within.

The enormous Frozen Beast King roared amidst the flames.

The armored insects shrieked as they burned.

The countless sounds overlapped, creating an eerie, piercing symphony.

The insects charged forward relentlessly, once again relying on sheer numbers.

Whenever one died, another immediately crawled out from beneath the ice to replace it.

The chains actually began growing thicker.

Even the fragmented bodies of the dead souls joined in, climbing onto the chains and becoming part of the living restraints.

Holding a sword-finger seal, I stood in the air and once more guided the massive Fire Bell with my spiritual power.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The bell rang again.

Below, the flames responded like soldiers receiving orders.

The embers that had nearly been extinguished flared back to life.

My Southern Pole Fire Bell Spell was one of the highest-level fire arts in Daoism.

Once the Fire Bell manifested, it became the rallying horn of all fire within the surrounding world.

As long as the bell remained, the flames would never die.

There were no fire elements in this frozen hell.

But at this moment, I had poured all of my spiritual power into the flames.

I myself had become the fire element.

The blaze roared higher and higher.

After a prolonged struggle, the insects and the souls they controlled could no longer suppress it.

Gaps began appearing in the insect chains.

Sections snapped apart one after another.

The first chain.

The second.

…

Under the uncontrollable inferno and the desperate struggle of the Frozen Beast King, all four chains finally shattered.

Countless armored insects plunged into the sea of fire below, never to emerge again.

The gigantic Frozen Beast King let out a thunderous roar within the flames.

Then it leaped into the air and charged straight toward me.

I was startled.

Just as I was about to retreat, it arrived before me in the blink of an eye.

But it had no intention of attacking.

Its icy breath swirled around me as its glowing blue eyes stared at me for several moments.

Then—

A strand of blue spiritual energy drifted from the center of its forehead.

The energy gathered above its head, forming a tiny human figure.

As the figure gradually became clearer, I finally recognized the face.

It was the child I had rescued on the snowy mountain—the one I feared would be eaten by the other souls.

Bathed in blue light, the frostbite that had once covered his body had completely disappeared.

His skin now glowed with the same blue radiance as the Beast King itself, and he looked far healthier and more spirited than before.

Floating within the blue light, he waved at me.

Then he merged back into the Frozen Beast King’s body.

So that was the truth.

The child had been a manifestation of the Frozen Beast King’s primordial spirit all along.

Perhaps, after being imprisoned here for so long, it had transformed into a child and traveled to the upper levels of Hell in search of a chance to escape.

Or perhaps it simply wanted a brief respite from its confinement.

Whatever the reason, it had been fortunate enough to encounter an intruder like me.

As I was pondering this, the beast suddenly let out another roar.

Its massive body lowered.

It bowed its head and bent its front legs slightly.

The meaning was unmistakable.

It wanted me to climb onto its back.