Ethan's heart leapt with joy, and he immediately agreed.
Ur's words weren't wrong. Profound Ice Crack did resemble Ice-Make Magic, yet the difference between them was immense.
Although Profound Ice Crack could mold its form freely, the moment it struck a target it would detonate, scattering into countless blades of ice.
It was perfect for ambushes and sneak attacks, but as a common combat technique, it was flawed. Once opponents understood its effect, they would be on guard, and its power would be greatly reduced.
That was why Ur had urged him to learn the basics first before moving on to Ice-Make Magic.
Compared to ordinary spells, Ice-Make was a higher-tier magic. It could mold forms freely, adjust power precisely, and its growth potential was extraordinary.
But such control required a solid foundation. Without knowledge of basic magic, learning Ice-Make was impossible.
The spell recorded in the book Ur had given him was no doubt a test of his talent and ability to learn.
"Cough, cough. Even though I lost to you before," Lyon spoke up suddenly, raising his chin with mock pride, "in the future I'll definitely beat you. Then you'll have to obediently call me senior brother!"
"…Then why aren't you training right now? And also, where are your clothes?" Ethan asked flatly, glancing at Lyon who was standing there in nothing but a pair of underwear.
"Eh? Where did my clothes go?!" Lyon yelped, startled. He immediately dashed off to retrieve them.
Ur's eccentric disciple had a peculiar quirk ever since learning Ice-Make, he had developed the odd habit of stripping off his clothes whenever he got worked up.
Shaking his head, Ethan turned back into the room Ur had arranged for him.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he opened the book she had given him.
Each page was filled with incredibly complex magic circles, annotated with detailed explanations and notes.
Looking at the contents of the book, Ethan's heart pounded with excitement.
So even this can be exchanged into an immortal art…!
Without hesitation, he connected to the system in his mind.
"Ding! Host has released a low-level magic: Ice Shock."
"Beginning immortal art exchange…"
"Ding! Exchange successful. Congratulations to the host for obtaining a low-level immortal art: Ice Seal Ring Charge."
[Ice Seal Ring Charge]: A low-level immortal art. By centering the power within oneself, the user can erupt with a vibrating cold wave in the form of a ring, charging outward and freezing all enemies in its range.
As the new immortal art settled into his body, Ethan immediately felt his magic power swell again, rising noticeably.
Another immortal art under his control Ethan couldn't hide his thrill. He was eager to test its might right away.
But then a memory struck him: his hometown in ruins, destroyed by a careless experiment with immortal magic.
The thought made him pause. If he lost control here and destroyed Ur's house, she might very well kill him herself.
Suppressing the urge, he stood up and left the room quietly.
The night air outside was sharper than the day's, the cold wind biting at his cheeks, though his body protected by immortal physique barely felt its sting.
He walked toward a small grove beside the house, intending to unleash Ice Seal Ring Charge there.
But just as he was preparing, a familiar figure approached through the snow.
Ur, wearing a white coat, stepped into view, her presence calm yet commanding.
"You little brat," she called out, her tone fierce though her eyes betrayed worry. "Why aren't you resting at this hour? What are you sneaking around out here for?"
"I want to try that spell from earlier," Ethan admitted honestly.
Ur blinked in surprise. "You mean… the magic from the book I just gave you?"
Even with her strength and experience, she looked a little bewildered.
Ethan, however, didn't want to hide anything. This was only a basic introductory spell learning it quickly would only help him move on to more advanced techniques from Ur sooner.
As for the difference between his immortal arts and ordinary magic, he had already prepared his excuse.
"It's not exactly that," Ethan said, scratching his head in mock embarrassment. "It just feels like I've already grasped it, but at the same time… something about it feels a little off."
"Use it once and let me see," Ur instructed directly.
At her command, Ethan didn't hesitate.
A wave of power burst from his body, surging outward in a cold, vibrating ring of magic.
Crack crack crack!
The trees around him froze solid in an instant, ice spreading across their trunks and branches like a tidal wave.
Within moments, everything within nearly a hundred meters was encased in glittering frost.
Ethan allowed a small smile to tug at his lips.
The might of this immortal art, Ice Seal Ring Charge, was far greater than the original Ice Shock. Not only was the range wider, but the speed of the freezing effect was instantaneous, leaving no room for escape.
But as he turned toward Ur, expecting her praise, the sight that greeted him left him stunned.
Ur was frozen inside the ice as well.
The realization jolted him back to his senses.
Yet he knew: this was Ur. Freezing others was one thing, but no mere low-level technique would bind her.
Sure enough, before the thought had even settled, the ice encasing her shattered effortlessly, breaking away into shards.
Completely unharmed, Ur stepped calmly out of the frost.
"You come with me," she said, her gaze complicated as it lingered on Ethan. Then, without another word, she turned and walked back toward the house.