The air inside the system space felt thick with two different yet equally intense types of energy. On one side, a piercing, sharp cold aura radiated from Jing Liu; on the other, waves of wild, stubborn natural energy swirled around Arthur, as if challenging him to conquer it!
Jing Liu's second spirit ring was crystallizing further. Its dense purple light pulsed like a heart, synchronized with his own heartbeat. In his mind, visions of the ice clones began to come to life. He saw them—three, maybe four—with silhouettes different from his own: they looked much sturdier and more shadow-like, made of never-melting ice and ever-shifting darkness. They were extensions of his will, the perfect hunters that would hunt alongside Lumy!
Lumy herself was sitting, enduring the pressure from the spirit ring, her tail erect. Her shadow armor seemed to breathe, absorbing any light that dared approach, making her the most feared silent guardian. She felt her master reaching the peak of concentration and carried out her duty with full awareness.
Meanwhile, Arthur was almost losing himself in the ocean of energy he was trying to comprehend. Sweat poured down his temples, soaking his clothes. The pressure to keep up with Jing Liu's pace, or at least not fall too far behind, burned his soul! The "merging" method he was attempting slowly showed results. He was no longer trying to resist the waves but letting himself be carried by them, feeling every particle of energy without trying to control it.
Suddenly, like a key finally finding its lock, Arthur felt something *click*.
The natural energy that had previously only touched his skin suddenly seeped inward. Just a drop. But it was enough!
Excruciating pain shot through every nerve. It was like trying to swallow an ocean in one gulp—too vast, too powerful, too wild for his still-young body! His White Hunt Aura technique vibrated violently, nearly shattering under the tremendous pressure. Blood trickled from his nose, dripping slowly onto the ground.
But beyond the pain, there was euphoria! A pure, raw, and limitless power had finally touched his spiritual core. He succeeded! He succeeded in drawing a drop of true natural energy!
He didn't immediately absorb more. That would be fatal. Instead, trembling, he focused on *controlling* that single drop, circulating it slowly through his meridians, allowing his body to adapt to this completely new vibrational frequency.
This process was mentally exhausting, even more so than his toughest physical training. But Arthur persevered. His face was pale, but his eyes shone with unyielding determination and excitement.
At the same time, the light from Jing Liu reached its peak.
*Whoosh!*
A powerful gust of icy wind swept through the entire place, instantly snuffing out their small campfire! For a moment, darkness enveloped everything, illuminated only by the purple light from Jing Liu's spirit ring and Arthur's still-struggling white aura.
As Jing Liu's eyes began to open and adjust to the darkness, he saw it.
Beside the still-seated Jing Liu stood a figure.
The figure was made of slightly dark ice, gleaming like crystal, reflecting the purple light of his spirit ring. Its silhouette resembled a warrior, with a cold appearance and a sharp gaze. Yet, there was a shadowy nuance enveloping it, making it look incredibly tough and mysterious, like a ghost made of ice. The first clone did not move, merely standing still, awaiting Jing Liu's command.
Lumy approached, sniffing the clone. She didn't growl; instead, her tail wagged slowly, as if recognizing a new sibling in their pack.
Jing Liu had finally stabilized his spiritual power. His breath was slightly ragged, but his face showed immense satisfaction. He looked at his ice clone, and a small smile appeared on his lips. The clone looked back at him, and for a split second, it was as if a psychic connection had instantly formed.
He then turned to Arthur, and his smile immediately vanished, replaced by worry.
"Arthur!" shouted Jing Liu, seeing Arthur's blood-sweat and deathly pale face.
Arthur opened his eyes. The pain was still there, but he had managed to contain that drop of natural energy. He saw the ice clone beside Jing Liu, and his eyes widened.
"You... succeeded?" he uttered hoarsely.
"You're in worse shape! What did you do?" asked Jing Liu, rising and rushing to Arthur.
"I... finally managed to draw it in. Just a drop. But... it's incredible!" replied Arthur, trying to smile but it looked more like a pained grimace.
"You're crazy. What if... what if you died!" cried Jing Liu, hugging him with a sobbing tone unable to hide his worry.
"Sorry, I won't do it again without preparation," he replied while hugging back.
That night, two future legends had each taken a significant step: Jing Liu with his shadow ice clone, and Arthur with a drop of true natural energy he had managed to tame within his body!
Their journey was still very long, but this night was proof that their determination and understanding of their respective paths of power were beginning to bear fruit. They looked at each other, tired but satisfied, knowing they were not alone on this dangerous journey.
TO BE CONTINUED....