Immortal Ice Empress: Path to Vengeance

While Mira was making her way through the Realm, so were the others. One person, in particular, had basically jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire.

Seraphina, who seemed to have gone from one highly dangerous encounter to another, was currently on an island surrounded by a giant barrier. Inside that island were all kinds of defensive-based beasts that were almost impossible to kill, regardless of strength, unless one found their weakness.

Fortunately, Seraphina chose the perfect bloodline for this.

*BOOM!*

Seraphina smashed her Qi-infused mace against the shell of an Ironclad Beetle. It retaliated instantly, its massive pincers wrapping around her body, only for her to dodge.

"Tssss~" The sound of something burning echoed through the area. If one looked closely, one would be able to see that the outer shell of the beetle was corroding as if it was doused in a toxic substance.

Noticing something wrong, the insect clicked its mandibles and charged at Seraphina like a wild bull.

A hard, turtle-like endoskeleton formed around Seraphina's arms. She stared at the beetle in disgust before parrying its attack with her shield and repeatedly smashing her mace against its head and shell.

While she was doing that, more and more of the beetle seemed to have melted off, and it wasn't long before its brain splattered all over the ground.

"Ugh. Why did I have to come to this disgusting island?!" Seraphina exclaimed, her face showing nothing but revulsion for this place. "I could've followed the others, but nooo~. I just had to follow my shitty instincts."

However, while she was complaining, she reached down with a sigh and touched the beetle's shell. Immediately, blood, Qi, and its… exoskeleton(?) dissolved into a liquid and was absorbed straight into Seraphina's body, making her want to vomit.

"Ewwww!" The thought of ingesting any part of that beetle almost made Seraphina keel over, but she didn't! She remained steadfast!

"...I should've chosen another bloodline." She muttered, stepping away from the beetle to move on to her next target.

The bloodline that Seraphina had chosen after Mira had healed her was the Corrosive Mercurial Tortoise.

Actually, no, that wasn't her choice. It just seemed to happen that way.

From her knowledge, there was no Corrosive Mercurial Tortoise that existed. What Mira gave her was more like a… demonic concoction that she named Corrosive Mercurial Tortoise. She could've had something a bit more normal, something that could resonate with her Heavenly Silver Tortoise Physique.

In fact, she would've rather had a bloodline that wasn't tortoise related. Maybe a Dragon like Nova, a rhino, or something like an elephant would also provide similar defenses but greater overall strength.

BUT NO~!

Mira wanted her to go down the route of an extreme tank!

Damage? Strength? Other people could do that! However, not everyone could stand there, and tank hits!

What else could she say when Mira was the one providing everything for free? So, reluctantly, she accepted the bloodline.

Fortunately, it seemed Mira wasn't completely heartless and listened to her wishes. She added a corrosion element to the bloodline, making it so, if she wanted, her Qi could contain a corrosive attribute.

That sounded good on paper, but glancing at the misshapen beetle and smelling the burnt shit-like scent that permeated the area, she couldn't help but think that maybe she should've just accepted a normal bloodline.

However, she couldn't… No. She wouldn't! The bloodline was too good!

According to Mira, it was actually a Mystic-Grade Bloodline! Something that was normally out of reach for her. Not even the Elders would have something that powerful!

Not to mention, the best part was that Mira said it was upgradeable. As long as she had the right 'ingredients', a bit more research, and a good understanding of the bloodline, she could actually upgrade it.

'I'm not sure if I should smack Mira in the face or kneel at her feet for providing such a thing…' Seraphina wryly thought, feeling the energy from the beetle coursing through her blood and bones.

Her bloodline and physique seemed to have been enhanced slightly, the latter more than the former.

Stifling a moan, Seraphina sighed and muttered aloud, "I'll figure that out when I return. For now, I might as well make the most out of this place!"

***

Seraphina wasn't the only one feeling such complex emotions. In fact, many people in the Sect were. They just didn't know that the person those feelings were directed at was Mira.

Many of them, especially the Outer Disciples, were given rather… unique… bloodlines. Of course, if they specifically asked for something and even gave her the ingredients, she would do what they wanted.

But the others?

They got whatever she felt like making.

For example, a few of the weirdest ones were the Gelatinous Worm and Spectral Gecko bloodlines. However, they weren't the only ones.

Still, the strength they received was undeniable.

It was because of that extra power that they were able to gain more opportunities in this Realm, so they couldn't be too mad.

This was especially the case for the Core Disciples. They, including Nova, Eden, Everly, and Rayna, were going to put their newfound strength to use and pummel Mira into the ground by the end of this Realm!

The Prime Disciple position will be theirs!

***

Mira, unaware of anyone's thoughts, marched toward the next floating island. There were fewer options than last time, but she just followed her instinct.

The island she walked to, however, was incredibly unique.

The pathway to it was stairs that seemed to be made out of starlight. Every step she took felt soft yet firm as if they were materializing beneath her feet.

The island itself was massive, with all sorts of plants, animals, and treasures littering the ground. In the center was a massive spire that radiated an ancient, powerful aura.

On either side of the island were two giant balls. One was a ball of flames, which looked like a mini sun, and the other was a ball of ice, resembling a moon.

As Mira approached the island, she could feel the heat and cold emanating from the two giant balls on either side. It was an almost paradoxical feeling; the heat from the sun-ball seemed to clash with the chilling sensation from the ice moon, creating an otherworldly atmosphere that was both invigorating and intimidating.

She treaded the starlit stairs, each step lighting up with a faint glow, leaving a trail of twinkling lights behind her. The ambiance felt mystical like she was walking between two dimensions. But Mira kept her attention on the island ahead, as well as her surroundings.

She didn't want to be suddenly knocked off the stairs by something, after all. Who knows if she was able to fly here, and she wasn't particularly interested in testing it out.

Once she stepped onto the island, the air was thick with the essence of both Yin and Yang. Taking a deep breath, she felt rejuvenated, the energies fueling her internal Qi in a balanced and harmonious manner. As someone with Yin-based elemental affinities, this place was like a paradise!

The plants around her were unlike anything she had seen before. Some had leaves that shimmered in golden hues, resembling flames, while others were crystalline, radiating a cold, silvery light. The animals, too, were a blend of fiery and icy nature. Birds with wings of fire darted around while ice-elemental creatures glided through the ground as if skating.

However, that was just on the surface.

Mira could see plants and animals of all types roaming around the island. In fact, the more she looked, the more she saw.

There were lakes, caves, temples, bridges to different smaller islands that revolved around the spire, gardens, and more. It was literally like a little paradise, one that seemed almost custom-made for her.

"Wow!" Elenei exclaimed beside her. "This place is amazing!"

Her figure shot forward to take in more of the energy here, not knowing when she'd get another chance to absorb something so… unique.

Meanwhile, Mira just stood there, a slight frown on her face. 'Amazing? No. More like creepy.'

A tingle ran up her spine, feeling weirded out by the fact that this place seemed perfect for her. Way too perfect.

This Realm was already weird. And now this?

'Ugh.' She shook her head, wanting to push those thoughts to the back of her mind. 'Even if there is something weird at play, as long as I benefit, it doesn't matter.'

Taking a step forward, she figured she might as well check out the surroundings before heading into the spire.

Her first stop? To plunder the loot, of course!

With a smirk, Mira dashed into the nearest garden and began ripping up plants and throwing them into her Infinity Garden as if there were no tomorrow!

She couldn't allow any of those idiots from the island before to obtain ANY opportunities here!

'You don't want me to kill them? Fine.' Mira snorted, still a little annoyed by the Dragon Statue, 'Then, I'll just take everything from them. Hahaha~'