At that moment, their flight stopped as Sophia landed, and Max followed her gaze forward. Before them was a cave mouth carved into the icy mountain. Frost hung from its edges like jagged fangs, and a dense chill spilled out of its depths, proof of the treasure hidden within.
But standing guard before it, coiled in a deceptively relaxed state, was a massive serpent. Its entire body was covered in long, gleaming white scales that shimmered like polished ice under the pale light, and its size alone was intimidating—easily stretching over thirty feet long, with a thickness comparable to the trunk of an ancient tree. Even in its sleep, its presence radiated danger.
"The Ten Thousand Years Frozen Lotus is inside that cave," Sophia said, pointing toward the entrance, her voice calm but serious. "But that snake is the problem. Its strength is at the peak of Legend Rank. If it senses anyone near its lair, it will rush straight back inside, making it impossible to retrieve the lotus."
