Winter returned to Frostpine. Snow fell heavy, blanketing valley in silence.
Leng Xue gathered his clan one last time in front of Frost Wall, now covered with inscriptions upon inscriptions. Generations had carved his words into stone. The creed was eternal.
He stood frail but tall, staff trembling in his hands, and spoke slowly. "My children. Frost does not chase the sun. Frost waits. Frost endures. That is what I have taught you. I was called useless once… and yet here we stand, thousands strong. Remember always—Frost never falls."
The entire clan repeated the words, voices shaking mountains. Frost mist filled the air, glowing faintly with soul power of every descendant.
That night, Leng Xue lay down beside the Frost Wall, Yan and Huan at his side, his grandchildren kneeling silently. He closed eyes, smiling.
"Clan above self. Frost above flame. Roots eternal."
His breath stilled.
And the Eternal Tome opened again in the void:
Second Life Complete.
Legacy: Shrek's victory, Clan's rise, resistance against Spirit Hall, survival through wars.
Evaluation: A Grade.
Reward: Innate Soul Power 5. Martial Spirit evolves to — Everfrost Core.
As his soul drifted onward, Leng Xue carried no regret. He had seen frost turn from mockery into legacy. He had watched disciples live by creed. He had turned his weakness into eternity.
And when next gate opened, he stepped with calm confidence.