Chapter 268: Ice Nether Flowers on the Glacier

Ning Fei continued his ascent.

Rock climbing wasn't inherently dangerous as long as one stayed focused, meticulous, and kept their guard up.

"During a climb, you can't just blindly push upward."

"The most crucial part is finding the right route."

"You have to commit that route to memory."

"Because halfway up, your line of sight becomes restricted. You might not be able to see what's above you, so you have to rely on the path you've already mapped out in your head."

Hearing Ning Fei's explanation, many of the climbing enthusiasts who had just tuned into the stream nodded in agreement.

His insights were entirely professional.

After all, he was scaling a glacier, which was significantly harder than standard rock climbing.

The glacial surface was much slicker. He could only secure his body using his Ice Axes and the spikes on his Mountaineering Boots. A single slip would be incredibly dangerous.

Ning Fei continued his climb.

Watching the live stream, the viewers found themselves holding their breath.

The sheer thrill was suffocating.

Their hearts pounded in their chests.

Fortunately, Ning Fei's movements remained as steady as ever.

Just then, something completely unexpected happened.

As Ning Fei climbed, the sharp cry of an eagle suddenly echoed nearby.

"What was that?"

Even Ning Fei was taken aback.

He pushed a few steps higher, only to discover a small Mountain Cave carved right into the sheer cliff of the glacier!

This glacier was formed by a thick layer of ice that had accumulated over the mountain for countless years.

For a cave to exist at this altitude, it had to be a natural hollow in the mountain itself.

The ice simply hadn't covered this specific spot, making it the perfect nesting place for a bird of prey.

Ning Fei was currently clinging to a steep glacial wall angled at nearly eighty degrees. If he lost his footing and slid, the speed would be no different from a free fall.

Thus, he didn't dare make any rash moves.

However, some things were entirely out of his control.

At that exact moment, an eagle's head with sharp, piercing eyes poked out from the cave.

It was a golden eagle! A fully grown adult, at that!

Every viewer felt a sudden jolt of terror.

This was far too terrifying!

From the moment Ning Fei began scaling the glacier, everyone's hearts had been in their throats, terrified that the slightest slip would spell his end.

But as the saying goes, when luck is bad, even cold water gets stuck in your teeth.

Hanging on this precarious ice wall, he had stumbled right next to a golden eagle's nest, and the faint cries of a chick were coming from inside.

If the eagle decided to attack him here, it would be a near-certain death sentence.

The man and the eagle stared at each other, both startled to varying degrees.

"Phoenix Arrival!"

Ning Fei immediately activated the skill of his Phoenix Jade Pendant.

Thankfully, he had plenty of trump cards up his sleeve and could use the skill to win over the bird's goodwill.

"Just go back and look after your chick,"

Ning Fei said gently from the edge of the cliff, speaking to the golden eagle that was leaning halfway out of its nest.

The eagle gave him a long look before retreating back into the cave.

"Phew!"

Ning Fei let out a heavy breath.

If the raptor had actually launched an attack, he truly would have been in grave danger.

After all, he couldn't fly.

The viewers let out an even bigger collective sigh of relief.

"Did that bird... just go back inside?"

"That was terrifying!"

"Watching Temple Master Ning's stream is way too thrilling!"

"I honestly thought Temple Master Ning was a goner just now."

"What just happened? Temple Master Ning told it to go back, and it actually listened?"

"Must be an immortal manifesting his power."

Ignoring the chatter, Ning Fei resumed his upward climb.

His technique was incredibly professional.

The climbing enthusiasts who had recently joined the stream voiced their heartfelt admiration.

"Another god-tier climber has appeared in the Huaxia climbing community!"

"Quick, send tips! I worship this guy, he's a total badass!"

"Finally, we have someone to show off to the foreigners."

"Yeah, we've always been suppressed by foreign climbers in this sport. But seeing Temple Master Ning free-climbing a glacier hundreds of meters high is enough to prove the strength of Huaxia's climbers."

"Honestly speaking, this single feat has elevated the entire standard of Huaxia's climbing scene."

Amid the flurry of comments, Ning Fei finally reached the peak of the glacial cliff.

He drove his Ice Axes securely into the top, using his upper body strength to pull himself over the edge, slowly inching forward.

Once completely up, he walked a few paces inward before finally relaxing.

"I finally made it."

"It's not far from the summit now!"

Ning Fei took several deep breaths as he spoke to the audience.

"Temple Master Ning is awesome!"

"6666!"

"What an absolute beast!"

Cheers flooded the chat.

By now, the popularity index in Ning Fei's stream had approached nearly thirty million.

It was worth noting that Douniao Live had realized a single stream server couldn't handle the massive influx of viewers, so they had specially opened a secondary channel for him.

Meaning, he was one person broadcasting across two separate rooms simultaneously.

This was a first in the history of live-streaming.

Usually, only global events like League of Legends tournaments required multiple dedicated channels.

It was an official measure to ensure a smooth viewing experience. Once the stream traffic returned to normal levels, the data from the secondary channel would be merged back into his main room.

Ning Fei gazed into the distance. The elevation here was staggering; as far as the eye could see, the surrounding peaks lay sprawling beneath his feet.

"For a climber, this is the most exhilarating moment."

"When you climb to the peak step by step and look down at the mountain you've conquered, the sense of fulfillment is something nothing else in the world can give you."

A profound sense of heroic pride welled up within Ning Fei.

Afterward, he set down his backpack, packed away his Ice Axes and other gear, changed into his warm Daoist Boots, and continued his journey.

At that moment, Little Falcon swooped down from the sky and landed gently on Ning Fei's shoulder.

Glancing over, Ning Fei noticed the bird's body trembling slightly. It was clearly freezing.

"It's been tough on you."

"The altitude here is extreme, so even birds of prey don't usually linger. Plus, it's winter, and the temperatures are dropping."

"Little Falcon has lived in the mountain forests its whole life, so it's never really adapted to this kind of cold."

With that, Ning Fei tucked Little Falcon into his embrace.

His Daoist Robe had a traditional crossover collar, allowing the young bird to snuggle perfectly inside, leaving only its little head peeking out.

Basking in the warmth, Little Falcon contentedly closed its eyes.

"Haha, even the aloof Little Falcon has such an adorable side."

"Well, it is only a six-month-old baby, after all."

The viewers affectionately teased the bird.

Ning Fei pressed forward.

He was now incredibly close to the location marked on his map.

As long as he bypassed the ridge ahead, he would reach the exact coordinates where the Ice Nether Flowers were supposed to be.

Cradling Little Falcon close to his chest, Ning Fei strode forward with quiet anticipation.

Soon, he crested a small slope and peered downward.

Lying just below the slope was a scene so breathtaking it would be forever etched into memory.

The audience was equally stunned by the sight.

Tucked away was a tiny basin, densely blanketed in blooming Ice Nether Flowers that sparkled like shards of blue crystal.

It was like stepping straight into a dream.

The flowers were overwhelmingly beautiful. Clustered together in such vast numbers, it was a feast for the eyes.

"Ice Nether Flowers actually do exist in the Kunlun Snowy Domain!"

Witnessing the sheer scale of the bloom, one viewer couldn't help but gape in awe.