The little creature cloaked in a cape seemed to really enjoy the environment here, letting out a joyful sound.

"Chirp chirp chirp!"

The Ice Sword Spirit also spun in the air, emitting a clear and ringing sword cry.

This type of equipment-like Spirit Beast appeared quite peculiar, as if it had no physical form, with an intermittently visible translucent ice-blue sword-shaped outline, yet it radiated a sharp and chilling oppressive aura.

"Let's move forward; Master is waiting for us ahead."

She glanced at Lin Guang, who was still wearing thin clothing, paused, and then took out two oval stones from the Spatial Spiritual Artifact, handing them to Lin Guang and Chelina.

These were miraculous Tier Three Blue Grade Spiritual Materials known as [Warm Stones].

No need for refining, just holding it in hand could provide warmth to the whole body, specifically prepared by the Ice Sword Daoist School for tourists.

Lin Guang took the stone, intending to give one to Chelina, but she suddenly released Lin Guang's hand after receiving it, then placed the Warm Stone into her palm.

He was slightly taken aback, and saw the girl naturally holding the two stones together, pressed between their palms.

At the next moment, the warm sensation was accompanied by the soft touch of the girl's palm.

"..."

Lin Guang looked at the girl, whose actions were natural and without any hint of embarrassment, feeling slightly dazed, while Chelina merely tilted her head, saying nothing, her gaze still calm.

They advanced through the snow, and saw many students in thin Daoist School uniforms training with Spirit Beasts in the snow, without holding [Warm Stones].

This was because all the students of the Daoist School had ice attribute talents, meaning they naturally had corresponding resistance.

Research showed that living long-term in environments matching one's talents had beneficial effects on the development and application of talent abilities, as well as the Spirit Master's level advancement speed.

As they got closer to the ice peak in the center of the venue, the cold wind became bone-chilling, and eventually no students could be seen around.

Finally, two figures appeared ahead.

One was a burly man, evidently the curator of the [Ice Sword Daoist School], Five-Star Spirit Master Bai Wu.

The other was surprisingly familiar to him, a tall elder sister wearing a black trench coat, the curator Han Lingxi that Lin Guang had personally seen at an exchange competition.

Seeing Lin Guang arrive, Han Lingxi's cold face unexpectedly lit up with a sincere and passionate smile, nodding at him.

"Lin Guang, long time no see."

Lin Guang wasn't surprised. After the exchange competition with First Middle School, Han Lingxi had chatted with Lin Guang for a bit and even exchanged contact information. Combined with gossip Wang Dawei had once told him, he roughly understood the personality of this curator Han.

She wasn't always stoic.

Though she appeared aloof, it was merely an illusion caused by the people around her often being weaker.

When dealing with True Men or promising younger generations, she was always different.

Such as Hua Bo and recently, the emerging star Lin Guang.

"It truly has been a while, how come you...?"

She smiled and shook her head, "I'm not important—do what you are supposed to."

Just as those words fell.

Bai Wu glanced at Chelina, who was dressed in a maid outfit, slightly furrowing his brow, and suddenly looked at Lin Guang.

He did not release a Spirit Beast, nor did his gaze harbor hostility or anything unnecessary, almost without using Spiritual Power.

Yet, just this simple gaze made Lin Guang feel that what stood before him was not a person but an extremely sharp ice sword, causing the temperature around them to drop a few degrees.

Though Lin Guang was unaffected, he was still slightly astonished.

Such intense will and aura.

This Master Bai also hailed from a commoner background, rumored to be constantly aspiring to break through to achieve True Man status, clearly not an empty boast.

Bai Wu didn't trouble Lin Guang, merely glanced and then shifted his attention to Leng Shengnan.

At this moment, Leng Shengnan's expression had already turned quite serious: "Master, I'm ready."

Bai Wu spoke slowly, "Are you sure you want to proceed?"

At this point, Leng Shengnan's two spirit beasts surrounded her, though she said nothing, the familiar aura and gaze akin to Bai Wu answered the question.

This master-apprentice duo had identical spirit beast configurations.

Bai Wu's contracted spirit beast was the [Ice Fairy], and the evolved form of the [Ice Sword Spirit], the [Cold Heaven Sword].

Exactly.

Leng Shengnan naturally followed the route of Master of War because her master Bai Wu was also a Master of War.

The Ice Sword Daoist School had two Mystical Techniques, [Cold Heaven Fluctuating Sword] and [Ice Burst], both Tier Five Purple Grade Techniques.

However, the vast majority of students could only skim the surface of the former with some cutting-type skills of ice element spirit beasts, while the latter required ice attribute fairy-type spirit beasts, making learners fewer.

Fairy-type spirit beasts, being nature's offspring, often possessed the Passive Skill [Rebirth], similar to the [Self-Reproduction] skill of native Plant Spirit Beasts, generally making it difficult for Spirit Masters of the Same Tier to kill them completely. Still, Spirit Masters could regenerate them by expending a certain amount of Spiritual Power and spiritual materials — although recovery still takes time, it's far better than dying.

This seemed like a sustaining ability, but Bai Wu went the opposite direction, developing the Mystical Technique [Ice Burst], a self-destruct skill supposedly only manageable by a few special Magical Beasts, with considerable might.

And the [Cold Heaven Fluctuating Sword] further stood as his famed skill as a Master of War, a powerful sword skill mystical technique for freezing both the opponent's will and physical being simultaneously.

Bai Wu continued, "The [Ice Fairy] has baffled countless researchers and Miracle Masters, and he comprehends nothing of ice attribute spirit beasts—do you truly believe he can grasp the correct path just from scant notes?"

His words carried implications: "Moreover, even if this path is real… don't you recall, it bears substantial risks."

"Why not wait until Tier Three to attempt?"

Lin Guang didn't respond; he simply carried a mentality of giving a casual pull, nor could he explain why he felt so confident.

"Master, the reason is simple."

Leng Shengnan merely shook her head.

"Because I feel if I wait too long, I may lose the courage to do so. Just as I don't want to explore the Celestial Ladder Mountain Secret Realm only after breaking through Tier Three."

"While I'm not assured of success, I'm less assured of... constantly fearing challenges."

"And if I later become fearful, would I regret not attempting while I still had the chance, not taking this step forward then?"

This statement wasn't loud.

Yet everyone present fell silent upon hearing it.

"..."

In the final silence, Bai Wu nodded slightly, lifting his right hand, holding an object.

It was a head-sized block of ice, with a deeply blue whole, and a large spiral horned Blue Grade Spirit Beast [Piercing Frog] frozen inside, posed in a sprung posture, its wide eyes revealing fear.

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