36 Cold Moon Peak

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Third Floor of the Dao Repository Pagoda.

Once again, Sieg was greeted by a humble scene. The air gently wafted the smell of old papers, the bookshelves looked incredibly old but still sturdy, there wasn't any tables or chairs inside this area though. And since Sieg's time is limited, he rushed towards the 5th bookshelf as soon as possible.

This bookshelf has 7 compartments all filled with old and frail looking books who withstood the tests of time. The smell of old paper is stronger in here compared to other places. Sieg reached out for a book and flipped it with outmost care to see it's contents.

'Desolate North Ki Manual' is the name, he tried peering inside to know more details but he immediately placed it back to it's place.

It doesn't suit him.

Since he was previously cultivating the 'Basic Ki Awakening Manual', any of these techniques are allowed for him to train on. That's because 'Basic Ki Awakening Manual' serves as a great primer and many ki manuals originated from this. However, Sieg didn't want to rush, 4 hours is a bit short for him to be totally honest so what he did was he would look into one book and tried skimming through it's contents, if his instinct told him it wasn't suitable for him, then he would place it down.

Time passed and 2 hours was up, Sieg was currently holding two ki manual in his hands. He was also halfway done looking through all of the techniques in front of him. The reason why he was holding two ki manuals is because his instincts told him that these are suitable for him, but he also didn't want to waste the chance he had to look for other techniques as well so he still continued his search, and he went even faster this time.

By the time that he only have 1 hour left, there are 5 books on his hand namely: Moon Scorn Ki Manual, Frostfire Ki Manual, Frosted Abyss Ki Manual, Ice Phoenix Ki Manual and Cold Moon Peak Ki Manual.

All of these techniques suited him but he ultimately have to choose one.

He spent his last remaining time to make his decisions carefully and then with a determined look in his face, he made his way back to the first floor. He approached the attendant and showed him his choice. This time however, the attendant showed a frown in his face.

"Cold Moon Peak? I'd say choose another one, you shouldn't bite more than what you can chew young man…" the attendant sneered upon looking at Sieg's choice.

"I'll be fine Senior." Sieg insisted. He wasn't offended by the attendant's attitude because he knew that he witnessed a lot of people making bad decisions throughout his stay here.

"Whatever then, you don't have anyone to blame anyway if you experience Ki Deviation." The attendant recorded Sieg's choice in to a log and gave him the book, he then continued: "You are not allowed to make any copies of that or anything in between. You are also not allowed to bring this technique outside the sect or even show it to anyone else. If we discovered you did so, then the lightest punishment is expulsion from the sect, understood?"

"Yes!"

"Go then." The attendant no longer paid any attention to Sieg and went back to what he was doing before. Sieg also made his way out of the Dao Repository Pagoda and went inside his cultivation cave.

The size of the cave is bigger than what Sieg expected. The floors were tiled by jade and it was brightly lit even though it's night already. The cave only had a room that is divided into multiple sections, the training area being the biggest. There's also a defensive formation that surrounding it so that it won't easily be destroyed.

Sieg went inside the formation and it automatically activated, he sat in the middle of the training area and opened the Cold Moon Peak Ki Manual.

Since he chose the Freezing Sky Sect, he naturally understood that there would be tons of Ice Element techniques in here. The Ki Manual that he chose is of that element too. It required him form an image of the moon inside his body, the more vivid it gets means that Sieg's understanding towards the technique is also greater, providing him with great strength.

The reason why the attendant attempted to stop Sieg from picking this technique is because it is very dangerous. Moon is one of the divine deities of Ice Element, and since this technique referred to the Cold Moon Peak, this means that the cultivator that wished to learn this technique needed to withstand a ruthless 'Yin Energy' that comes directly from the Moon itself.

The attendant saw many people injured, crippled and even killed themselves trying to learn this technique, and even though the sect has a lot of people in it, his conscience won't let him go if another person died because of this technique again. But Sieg clearly said that's going to be fine so he let him do as he pleases. He won't be blamed since he gave him a warning anyway.

Sieg also didn't know why off all the techniques a available to him, he chose this. The foreword for the technique gave him tons of warnings, however his instincts told him that he would definitely be fine. This was his natural instincts enhanced by the 'Deer Stance' speaking to him so he just complied.

And since Sieg already stepped into the peak of 9th step of Awakening, what he needed to do is to convert his Ki Energy to Yuan Ki, which he would absolutely need to form a 'Foundation Pillar' and officially enter Foundation Establishment Realm.

Cold Moon Peak Ki Manual is an earth-tier ki manual so this technique could accompany him until Core Formation Realm.

After reviewing the contents of the manual, he placed it back to his storage bag and took off his clothes. And placed it along with his things outside the formation. Now that he's all naked, he sat down and started the 're-writing' the 'Basic Ki Awakening Manual' replacing it the Cold Moon Peak Ki Manual.

He actively moved his Ki and sank it all down into his dantian. He started to condensed into a form of a thread and circulated it inside his body according to what the ki manual said. After an hour of doing this. The Ki thread that he made now had a neutral feel in it, Sieg couldn't even tell that it was his. This signified that the re-writing was successful and he just needed to do this again to completely convert his Ki.

Another hour passed and Sieg is already exhausted, but the conversion was successful and that made him glad. He rested and recovered his lost Ki during the process. He could also start to feel that his body is getting cold, this was caused by converting his Ki for something that his new technique required.

After resting, he now steeled his heart. What's going to happen next according to the manual would be a test of courage. He controlled his Ki and form a thread once again, he then formed into an outline of a moon at the very center of his dantian.

As soon as he did so, a wave of cold energy rushed all over him. They passed through formation without meeting any resistance or whatsoever. Their target is simple, and that is to go towards that outline of the moon inside Sieg's dantian. This reaction was strangely similar to when Sieg was chanting the first chapter of Ancient Heart Mantra.

Sieg was terrified, he felt coldness all over his body, it was so cold that it's penetrating his bones. He even felt his blood flow slowing down, if anyone would see him right now, they thought that he is just one of those random statues inside the sect. His skin is covered a thin layer of ice, all hairs on his body is frozen, even his eyelashes. Inside his body, his blood flow was moving at a snail's pace, some of his blood vessels vein and arteries are starting to freeze as well. His thoughts were slowing down and he felt very sleepy.

The cold energies kept rushing at him without any regard on his well being. The image of a small moon inside his body is not even done and yet Sieg is already at death's door.

Sieg is aware to all of this, however he could only grit his teeth and persevere. Because of the sudden rush of the cold energies towards the array, the cultivation cave that he's in was also slowly being covered by a layer of ice.

'This trial is not meant to kill anyone! It is meant to test their resolve to be stronger! I want to be stronger so I won't allow this trial to kill me!'

He shouted this words inside his head, and just like a response, instead of the cold energy rush to weaken, it became stronger. Sieg was now very scared, he could no longer stop his body from being frozen all over. His blood stopped flowing, his heart also stopped beating and his breathing couldn't be heard anymore. He can't feel any part of his body.

The only thing that he could feel now is just coldness, a deep and ruthless cold. His thoughts are still slow and active despite of this. He was still observing the image of the Moon inside his body be filled with cold energy, it was like a deep well since it gobbled immense amount of cold energies yet was still only halfway done.

Sieg kept repeating to himself that he won't die like this and kept on persisting, he was like this for a very long time, and anyone who him might say that he's already dead. His body became a frozen statue already. No pulses, nary any signs of life.

***

Morning came, along with sun shining down at the sect, inside Sieg's room a huge commotion happened.

*Crack* *Crack*

Cracks appeared out of nowhere from the frozen statue of Sieg, it was happening all over the place that countless webs of cracks appeared already. It was also violently vibrating, it seems like someone is struggling to break free inside. It wasn't very long until a loud bang was heard inside Sieg's cave and dusts from the shattered stone statue flew everywhere.

For the first time in about 8 hours, Sieg moved.

He was standing in the middle of the training area wearing nothing. His skin seemed to be a bit fairer than before. His aura could be mistaken as calm when in truth it was just ruthless indifference. If someone peered inside his body, all of his blood vessels, veins and arteries which are previously frozen are now back to it's normal appearance, they were even stronger than before. His heart was pumping with vitality and his blood flow returned it's natural pace.

There was a faint image of a Moon inside his dantian, it was in the size of a pearl, however if Sieg released this, he can freeze a 20 meter area with no problems.

"I made it through..." Sieg felt a little bit emotional, that trial was very scary. He absolutely though that he couldn't make, the urge of falling asleep was too strong that he almost fell for it multiple times. He could also feel that he really died during the process, it was just through a random miracle that his thoughts remained intact throughout the process.

Sieg stepped outside the formation and saw that his whole cave is covered in a thick layer of ice. The clothes and storage bag that he place outside the array was also frozen making his previous effort a waste. He just smile wryly and waved a hand, then the layer of ice dispersed into dust scattering around his whole, he made another gesture and sent these dust outside his cave.

As he picked up his clothes, it shattered immediately. Sieg was a bit dumbfounded and he looked nervously looked at his storage bag. His hands trembling as he gently touched it.

"Please, please, please…" Sieg was begging to every saint, god, mythical beast, and etc. for his storage bag not to be damaged. As his fingers touched it, Sieg was overjoyed and even teared up a bit. "Thank god! That was freaking close!"

Good thing that the storage bag wasn't damaged at all. It wasn't even cold to the touch, so that means that it could withstand extreme temperatures.

Sieg couldn't even imagine what his emotions would be if it weren't the case.