Just before Sion's fight began, four people were sitting under a tree. The snow mysteriously did not touch them but was stopped by a golden triangular barrier.
The source was the small bell in the old man's hand.
"This protective bell is really perfect for situations like this. We can sleep peacefully without worrying about beasts attacking us," said one of the young men with a sword at his waist.
"That's why you don't need to worry. Just sleep. In three more days, we'll reach Coldri City. The journey will probably continue smoothly, but when we get there, the mission will really begin. When we arrive, don't let your guard down," the old man said as he sat cross-legged.
"Hmmm, Deacon Fei, will it be—
"SO IT'S YOU WHO'S YELLING AT ME. COME ON, LET'S SEE IF YOU'RE ALL THAT."
The young woman, before completing her sentence, was suddenly interrupted by a shout.
The four instantly stood up, going on alert.
Without any of them saying anything, tacitly, the four ran toward the shout, which was not so far away. In seconds, the four arrived at a distance where they could see the entire situation.
The four saw the bear running toward a…
'Mortal?'
The four thought together, incredulous to see someone without any cultivation in this place. Even on the outskirts of the forest, it was impossible for a mortal to survive the night.
Seeing the bear attacking the young man, everyone prepared to act immediately, but.
Deacon Fei suddenly gave up as he stopped his disciples.
"Deacon Fei, what are you doing? We have to save him!" The girl said, holding her dagger tightly, looking angrily at the deacon.
"There's no need, he's not a mortal," Deacon Fei said as he noticed the blue veins on Sion's body.
In an instant, everyone saw ice crystals being thrown towards the bear.
The three disciples were surprised and couldn't believe it. How could a mortal…
…
..
.
The fight was over in seconds. Deacon Fei, who was still slightly in doubt, confirmed his hunch when he saw Sion's defense and final attack.
The disciples looked at the bear and Sion lying on the ground, having seen something completely meaningless.
After a minute of silence, one of them couldn't take it anymore and asked.
"Deacon Fei, what the hell happened? How did a mortal manage to use a Qi technique and kill a ferocious bear with strength comparable to the end of the Body Refinement Realm?"
"That wasn't a technique. And as I said, he's not a mortal, no, in fact, he's not even human. Come on, I'll explain on the way. I don't know if there are others like him around," Deacon Fei said apprehensively as he continued walking away from Sion's body.
…
..
.
After walking for an hour, the young woman with the dagger asked again, impatiently.
"Who was that? He looked about our age…"
"Mei Li and brothers Ji, you know that there are other races besides us humans, don't you?" Deacon Fei asked.
"Yes, the sect's chief disciple is no longer just a human. I heard that after a lucky opportunity a few years ago, he awakened his lineage, which is from an ancient race, becoming a half-breed." The young Mei replied, remembering the rumors.
"Yes, in addition, there are those of superior races, but they are not present on our continent, that's what I once heard from an elder of the sect," one of the Ji brothers replied.
"You are both correct. The chief disciple of our sect is now a half-breed between a human and an ancient race, but no one knows exactly which one, and his lineage is too impure to be considered another race."
"In addition, there are countless other races, practically all of which do not actually inhabit our continent. But there are still a few, though they all live in isolated and inaccessible places."
"In the southern region of the continent, where the Rhyne kingdom, the kingdom where we and our sect live, is located. There is a race known to the major forces besides us humans, but they are practically a legend to the people. Only cultivators with a certain level of strength know that they really exist."
"After all, they live in the center of the frozen forest, a place in this kingdom… where not even the sect leader, perhaps not even the king of the Rhyne kingdom, could survive for long," Deacon Fei explained slowly as they continued walking.
"Are you saying that that person was…"
"Yes, he was one of them, a Snow Spirit. I don't know why he was here, far from his domain, but it's best not to meddle in the unknown. His race isn't very… well. Friendly towards humans. We don't know if there are others nearby, and I'm not interested in finding out."
After understanding why Deacon Fei had distanced himself from the boy, everyone became pensive.
*****************************
Several hours had passed since Sion fainted.
Without realizing it, even unconscious, his body was working automatically toward his recovery.
The energy of the ice entered his pores and was absorbed throughout his body.
The white tattoos on his skin had long since disappeared, leaving only bright blue veins.
Then his eyes slowly opened.
"How heavy!"
"Tsk, this damn bear fell on top of me," said Sion after looking down and seeing half of his body under the bear's head.
With some effort, Sion managed to get out from under the bear. He looked around and, seeing that he was safe, thought about what had happened.
"I was too impatient. I don't understand anything about this world. If it had been a stronger animal, I would have been screwed! I have to be careful until I have more information about everything."
"But at least I understand something. The power to create ice seems to come from my physique. I don't have much power or control yet, but it will increase somehow in the future. And the power to control the snow came from my race… but what was that I felt just now?"
"Ahhh, I'm completely lost. Well, I have to find someone or some city to understand at least a little bit. Yes, I need information first." After thinking for a while, Sion started walking in a random direction.
Only to return running to the bear's body two minutes later.
"I can't walk around completely naked, can I… I guess this will do for now. But how do I remove its skin?"
Sion stared at the bloody skin of the dead bear for a few seconds. Then he raised one of his hands.
'Think, I don't want an ice crystal. I want something that will help me cut. A knife.'
The energy inside his body quickly concentrated in his hand. In seconds, a translucent ice knife appeared. It was simple, but it looked extremely sharp. Sion realized he was constantly expending energy just to hold the ice knife steadily.
"Well, this will have to do."
Sion then began to cut the large bear. The front of its body was completely red and perforated, so it was useless. From the fur on its back, Sion carefully cut until he removed a large piece.
It was large enough to be like a cloak for him.
He then wrapped the skin around his body.
"Tsk, it stinks, but it's better than walking around naked. Hmmm… I think I should bring some meat with me. In this cold, I don't think it will spoil so quickly, and I'll need food."
After deciding on this, Sion cut off a piece of the bear's meat and wrapped it in the bear's own skin, tying it like a makeshift bag.
"Okay, I'm ready to go."
"Actually, before that."
'Status'
----------------------------------------
[Host Status — Chaotic System]
Name: SionAge: 18
Race: Human, Snow Spirit (Partial)
Physical: Ice Spirit Physique (Adapted)
Titles: Blessed by Snow, ******* ****.
Class: None.
Cultivation: None.
Talents: Adaptive Core (Unique), Universal Will (Unique).
----------------------------------------
[Weapons]
[Skills] (+)
[Techniques]
----------------------------------------
[System Functions]
— Status Panel.
— Inventory. (Locked)
-----------------------------------------
"Ohh, something has really changed." Sion then thought about skills after seeing the flashing sign next to him. At the same moment, the system understood his thoughts and displayed his skills.
[Skills: Awakening of the Glacial Veins.]
"That… probably at that time, those blue veins glowed, and I felt like I could control all the surrounding snow with just a thought. But it doesn't seem that simple. I must be too weak to figure it out."
"System, I can create ice with the energy of my physique, and now I can feel that I can control some snow even without being in that state. Isn't that a skill? Why doesn't it appear in the skills section?"
'Ding!'
[Controlling ice and snow energy are passive skills of the host's physique and race, therefore instinctive.]
[The skill panel only shows skills that require some effort from the host to perform, therefore obtaining help from the system. Skills created by the host will also appear in skills]
"I see. Well, that's fine."
"Then, it's time to go."
After saying that, he walked away quickly, not noticing that a few meters to his left, the footprints of four people pointed in the same direction he had decided to go.