Chapter Nineteen: Cryo Hypostasis

As Xian Yu moved further, he could distinctly sense that the nearby temperature had dropped significantly.

It wasn't just his perception; even the Cryo Crystal Butterfly exhibited a heightened state of activity, a sensation he could clearly feel.

This discovery urged him to unconsciously quicken his pace and head toward the source of the intense cold.

It didn't take long before Xian Yu arrived in a relatively open area where a monster floated in the air, although it wasn't very high above the ground.

Monsters were familiar to Xian Yu, especially those elemental lords, like this one from the Hypostasis series, known as the Cryo Hypostasis.

"No wonder, no wonder the Cryo Crystal Butterfly is so excited. If it's this elemental monster, it explains everything."

Initially, Xian Yu hadn't given much thought to The Cryo Hypostasis and wasn't actively seeking it out. However, now that he'd found it, he had no intention of leaving immediately. The Cryo Crystal Butterfly's heightened excitement indicated that this creature had been of significant assistance to it.

Considering that elemental lord-level monsters were relatively dangerous, Xian Yu didn't act hastily without a well-thought-out plan.

"Firstly, since we both have Cryo elemental attributes, my elemental power won't be as strong as the opponent's. So, using elemental power to attack is not a viable option."

After observing the rock walls in the vicinity, it was clear that a surprise attack would be challenging.

With no other choice, since a sneak attack wasn't feasible, he had to rely on brute force. This provided an excellent opportunity to try out the new skills he had recently acquired.

Monsters at the lord level often had a wide "aggro" range. Unlike in a video game, you couldn't simply provoke them; you had to engage in combat first.

Consequently, when Xian Yu stepped into the valley, he was promptly attacked.

Anticipating this, he swiftly evaded to the side, narrowly avoiding the assault.

The ice pick's attack speed, at least in Xian Yu's estimation, wasn't particularly swift. This observation boosted his confidence.

After dodging the initial attack, Xian Yu closed the distance quickly, drew his long sword, and prepared to launch a tentative attack. While he had defeated this creature in the game, he hadn't paid much attention to its abilities, aside from knowing that it had an ice-breaking ability.

With his spiritual power infused into the sword, Xian Yu found the right moment to strike just as it was about to launch its attack. His thrust had a limited effect, mainly interrupting the creature's assault. After all, this entity was an elemental object, not even a sentient being, but rather an amalgamation of elements. Killing it with a single strike was an unrealistic expectation.

Nonetheless, the portion struck by Xian Yu's attack, the entity named Cryo Hypostasis, didn't seem entirely unscathed. The damage inflicted didn't heal immediately.

"Indeed! My spiritual power is significantly different. Even this elemental creature can't immediately regenerate. It appears that the likelihood of defeating it is still quite high!"

Since the attack proved effective, Xian Yu aimed to press his advantage. Dealing with a monster capable of buffing others required swift action, as letting it linger in battle would be increasingly disadvantageous.

Xian Yu was eager to continue his attack, and The Cryo Hypostasis, despite its limited intelligence, grasped that its opponent's power was peculiar and could harm its elemental form. As a result, it began to draw elemental forces together, forming a thick layer of ice armor on its surface. Simultaneously, it generated a significant cold mist.

Seeing this sudden shift in the battle, Xian Yu promptly understood the opponent's strategy. The Cryo Hypostasis to employ the icy mist to push him back or even freeze him to incapacitation.

Unfortunately, this approach might work against ordinary Vision Wilders, but Xian Yu's spiritual power had a potent defense-breaking effect against this kind of ice armor. He had discovered this when he faced the slime. However, the ice armor of this elemental lord was notably thicker.

Observing the massive block of immobile ice, Xian Yu breathed a sigh of relief. He hadn't expected the Cryo Hypostasis to be so passive, retreating after receiving a blow and creating an abundance of ice mist to freeze and eliminate the enemy. However, this immobility made the target suitable for testing his sword skills.

Xian Yu took a deep breath and calmly recited, "One sword can separate the world."

Soft yet profound words resonated.

Wherever the sword's radiance passed, visible vacuum zones materialized, created by the slash.

Upon witnessing the sword's radiance, The Cryo Hypostasis Cube sensed danger and attempted to dodge, but it was too late. A rift cleaved through its middle.

A crisp "click" echoed.

The Cryo Hypostasis Cube, now cut in half, descended to the ground from a low altitude.

Within moments of its fall, Xian Yu observed the opponent's colossal "body" starting to disintegrate, leaving behind only the core, now split in two.

Following the demise of The cryo Hypostasis cube, the Cryo Crystal Butterfly swiftly flew over. Xian Yu didn't hinder its approach. After all, everything he was currently doing was in service of the crystal butterfly's evolution.

However, the heart core was severed in half by his attack, and he was uncertain if this would affect the process.

Gazing at the Cryo Crystal Butterfly, Xian Yu approached, stowing one half of the core while placing the other atop his head and securing it in place with his strength. Though a chilling sensation washed over him, it was practically impossible to grasp half of the core with the tiny body of the crystal butterfly. He had no choice but to affix it to his head and let the butterfly rest upon it for absorption.

Thankfully, he had a high tolerance for cold, or he wouldn't have dared to attempt such a maneuver.

After this relatively straightforward battle, Xian Yu recognized a significant flaw in his combat style: he struggled to lock onto enemies that moved too quickly.

In this battle, The Cryo Hypostasis hadn't made any movements on its own. Had it been actively avoiding, the battle might have dragged on.

"Since I can now defeat the Cryo Hypostasis, does that mean I can defeat the

Cryo Regisvine?"

The logic seemed sound. In the game, the Hypostasis series and the Elemental Tree were on par, so Xian Yu believed he could also take on the

Cryo Regisvine, which was at the lord level. What made it even more appealing was the fact that the Cryo Regisvine didn't move!

This meant he could engage it in battle while standing still and use "One sword can separate the world" for a methodical and effective kill.

However, there was one complication – finding the Freezing Tree.

Fortunately, The Cryo Hypostasis wasn't the only place with elements like Dragonspine Mountain. There had to be other similar locations. Even if not, areas rich in elements would reappear soon, similar to fixed respawn points in the game.

"The Cryo Regisvine seems to exist in Mondstadt in my memory. I'm not certain about other places. However, this isn't a game, and I can't be sure if there's a Cryo Regisvine in Mondstadt. I'll have to search for it when the time comes."

In reality, there had to be Cryo Regisvine in other locations.

Xian Yu, engrossed in his thoughts, didn't pause. Finding the Cryo Regisvine would be a task for the future. The core of Cryo Hypostasis was sufficient for the Cryo Crystal Butterfly to absorb for a considerable time, so there was no rush to locate the Cryo Regisvine.

He continued on his way.

As he encountered more deep stones among the rocks, Xian Yu felt a sense of astonishment. This indicated he was heading in the right direction.

Regarding the Deep Stone, Xian Yu's conjecture was that it might form due to contamination with dragon's blood to some extent. It was considered a precious ore, yet for some reason, no one seemed to collect it.