The shale floor of the Shrek courtyard trembled under Flender's sharp voice. "Enough drills. You lot think yourselves ready? Books and spars won't make monsters. Out there, the spirit beasts roam, merciless. If you survive wilderness mission, you stay. If you flinch, leave."
It wasn't empty talk. That very morning, caravans had begged for Shrek's help: beasts spilling from deeper forest, disrupting regional roads. Flender, miser's mind calculating coin and training in one strike, assigned his students to protect merchant bands and cull the beasts. Their faces turned grim. This was no drill.
When they marched into Suotuo wilderness again, the air felt different. Not just crisp fragrance of pine, but iron thrumming through air—the smell of beasts. Tang San's gaze sharpened, Mubai's fists twitched impatiently, Rongrong's pagoda glowed faint but hands shook.
It didn't take long. A roar shattered quiet—pack of saber‑toothed wolves charging caravan, eyes burning hunger. Huan thrust spear forward blazing, Hongjun ignited plumes of flame, Tang San wove grass net desperately to slow charge. But pack split cunningly, circling wagon edges.
Leng Xue stepped calmly, frost veil unfurling wide. Air plunged cold, several wolves stumbling as paws slid over frozen patches. Claws that might have torn wagon boards shrieked against ice barrier instead. Xue's rings glowed faint—first Frost Veil, second Bind, then, steady like mountain, third lit: Glacial Barrier. A wall curved instantly, protecting merchants behind while beasts slammed teeth futile.
Shouts erupted. Mubai roared with renewed surge, smashing stumbling enemies. Tang San laced vines around chilled prey, locking them down. Oscar scrambled handing sausages, but far calmer with frost guarding his side. Leadership almost shifted midpoint: others attacking, barrier Xue holding anchor.
By end, pack lay scattered bleeding across snow‑flecked soil. Students panted heavily, but caravan safe. Merchants rushed bawling thanks, grasping Xue's hands, babbling that frost wall had saved lives.
Flender's hawk eyes glinted sharply that evening above fire. He didn't praise directly, but muttered audible: "Had our monsters lacked stone wall, merchants dead, mission lost. Frost… passes wilderness." Zhao Wuji chuckled booming glee. "Boy endures like iceberg, never cracks!"
At camp, Tang San sat beside him murmuring quiet. "Without your wall, vines useless. You shield, I bind. We fight as one." Leng Xue only lowered head faintly. "Roots and frost grow side by side." In that moment, partnership moved beyond silent regard, pressing toward true bond forged in blood.