On Leng Xue's seventh winter, the clan prepared rites—the First Hunt.
Every child awakening a year prior joined small group of hunters. Not to kill alone yet, but to face frost wolves prowling woods. Fear, risk, blood—that was their test.
Elders led band across snow-wrapped forest. Wind whistled sharp, shadows endless between pine trunks.
Xue's small body shivered, yet eyes stayed firm. He had done this before—in another life—and nearly died. Now fate circled back.
Hours of trekking later, howls broke silence. Shapes slinked from treeline, eyes glinting. A pack of five frost wolves, lean with hunger.
"Formation!" elders barked. Children grouped tightly. Spears raised trembling. Spirit rings flickered faint.
Wolves lunged. Chaos erupted—children screamed. Spears clattered. Claws sliced fur hides.
One boy tripped. Death sprinted at him.
But haze of cold spread wide—Xue's Frost Veil had erupted. Wolves' paws faltered, slowed mid-lunge. In heartbeat's space, elders hurled spears that pierced beast through neck.
Children gasped, realization dawning—it had been Xue's aura that bought survival.
Battle dragged longer. Xue contributed little offense, yet every stagger, every slowed motion saved lives.
When the final wolf fell bleeding, elders announced proudly: "The First Hunt succeeded."
Children cheered. But whispers spread, eyes darting at silent boy whose frost veil had saved them thrice.
Not genius. Not powerful. But reliable.
"Reliable Leng Xue," they muttered. A name half teasing, half respect.
To Xue, it was everything.
Reflection
That night, under aurora sky, Xue sat quietly by frozen stream.
He remembered his first hunt, as Leng Tian, where he'd been mocked, scorned, even called useless after being wounded. Yet in the end, his trap had saved villagers.
Now history repeated, only with recognition.
He clenched fist. Ancestor Tian was seen as cripple. Leng Xue… will be seen as root. That is difference of bloodline and time.
And unseen by all, the Eternal Ice Spirit Tome glowed faint within his soul:
First Hunt Condition Achieved. Clan Faith Increased. Frost Heritage stability strengthened.
🔥 End of Chapter 57