Night fell heavy after Temple fight. Team celebrated narrow miracle, but Leng Xue lay pale under moon. Tang San stayed by his side silently, occasionally passing herbs. At length, he whispered firmly, "You cannot break yourself like this again. A dead wall saves no one."
Xue's lips curled faint smile despite pain. "If frost collapses, all flame devours. I would rather die wall than live nothing."
Tang San's eyes burned with respect—and grief. He leaned close. "Then let me vow. I will entwine with your frost every fight. You need not carry alone. We fight together."
Leng Xue inhaled ragged, then slowly nodded. "Roots entwine. Frost never falls when grass binds cracks."
Elsewhere, Flender gathered instructors. Even he admitted, tone grave, "Our frost boy becomes lynchpin. But if he dies mid‑tournament, Shrek suffers. His creed may kill him. Yet… his existence alone already carved our name deeper than any."
Zhao Wuji slammed cup, booming. "For survival, I will shield him myself next rounds if needed. Boy has monster's will beyond genius."
Outside, spectators still fevered, inns shouting story of frost wall cracking but enduring anyway. For many common folk, he became symbol—not the genius blazing, but the ordinary youth bleeding who never quit. They cheered louder for him than nobles. In alleyways, children etched words: Frost never falls.
Leng Xue, hearing faint echoes even from bed, tears burned eyes. For first time in either life, his creed was not private whisper, not only clan's chant—continent itself now repeated it.
Tome blazed immensity: Continental Heritage Milestone Complete. Frost doctrine leaves legendary imprint. Path secured for future generations.
He lifted weak palm to moon, whisper near death yet smiling: "Even if body ends, my frost endures longer than fire."