It was the fifth day since Ryan left Glacial Arcana Academy.

  "I wonder what Evelyn is doing right now."

  Ryan floated idly in midair, his figure gliding slowly over the vast snowfields below.

  Yet his thoughts drifted back to the academy, and Evelyn's coldly beautiful face surfaced in his mind.

  He recalled how she would blush whenever he teased her, especially her ears, which seemed particularly sensitive, turning faintly pink every time he joked with her.

  A mischievous smile curved Ryan's lips as he muttered to himself that when he returned next time, he would definitely try biting her ear just to see how she would react.

  Thinking of that amusing scene, Ryan could not help but laugh out loud, the sound echoing across the empty snow plains.

  But as his laughter faded, his mood sank once more, and a trace of melancholy welled up in his heart. He had no idea how long it would take before Evelyn truly fell in love with him.

  With her cool and distant temperament, melting the ice in her heart would surely not be easy.

  While absentmindedly recalling all the moments he had spent with Evelyn, Ryan skimmed close to the snow-covered ground, occasionally diving down and using magic to whip up a burst of snow, playing around with unrestrained delight.

  Seen from above, his path twisted and curved, resembling the trail of a fish swimming across the snow.

  At the same time, Evelyn, who was in the midst of magical meditation, suddenly felt a disturbance in her mind, and the magic at her fingertips wavered slightly.

  Subconsciously, she lifted her gaze toward the bed on the other side of the room. It was empty, no longer occupied by that noisy figure she had grown used to.

  An inexplicable irritation rose in her chest, and Evelyn decisively ended her meditation.

  She pushed open the door and stepped into the courtyard, letting the cold snowflakes fall upon her shoulders as she took two deep breaths of icy air.

  Her gaze drifted toward the distance, in the direction Ryan had departed.

  Unfortunately, the distance between them was far too great. All she could see was a sky filled with falling snow, with no sign of that familiar figure.

  As Evelyn stared at the drifting snowflakes, a delicate Clockwork Doll suddenly appeared in her pale and slender hand.

  Looking at the doll, the corners of her lips lifted unconsciously.

  He should already be heading toward his destination according to the task scroll, she thought.

  A sudden idea surfaced in Evelyn's mind. As the Headmistress of the academy, now that she was relearning magic, perhaps she too should go out on a journey to gain practical experience.

  Holding the Clockwork Doll, the thought grew clearer and clearer, yet in the end she gently shook her head and sighed softly. The affairs of the academy were too complicated for her to leave easily.

  Evelyn slowly raised her right hand and extended a slender finger, lightly tapping the little boy's head on the Clockwork Doll twice, as if punishing the troublemaker who had unsettled her mind.

  Only then did she store the Clockwork Doll back into her spiritual domain, turn around, and return to her room. Sitting on the bed, she closed her eyes once more and resumed her focused magical meditation.

  ...

  A small town stood quietly amid the wind and snow.

  Following the map marked on the task scroll, Ryan traveled nonstop and finally arrived at this town near the snow mountains where the Snow Demon was said to dwell.

  He knew that if he wanted to quickly learn the Snow Demon's exact movements, the tavern was the best place to go. It was crowded, chaotic, and information flowed fastest there.

  Ryan's eyes flickered as he swiftly scanned the layout of the town. There were clearly several taverns with wine banners hanging outside.

  Yet as if he had already chosen his target, he headed straight for the most bustling one and pushed the door open to enter.

  "Shopkeeper, I am an apprentice from Glacial Arcana Academy. I have come to ask about a few things," Ryan said as he walked up to the counter.

  Behind the counter, the shopkeeper had been lowering his head while calculating accounts. Hearing the voice, he looked up and glanced at Ryan, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

  In this town, apprentices from Glacial Arcana Academy were not uncommon, but they were all female apprentices. Male apprentices were extremely rare.

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  "You dare lie to me here? That is not a wise choice."

  Disgust churned in the tavern keeper's eyes. Everyone knew that Glacial Arcana Academy only accepted female apprentices.

  This unfamiliar man was actually trying to impersonate someone from the academy. He truly did not know the height of heaven or the depth of earth.

  "You do not believe me?" Ryan said.

  "I do not bel… I believe you! Of course I believe you!"

  The tavern keeper's words broke halfway as Ryan suddenly produced a token. It was shaped like a snowflake.

  His legs went weak at once. The former cold hardness on his face was instantly replaced by a fawning smile, and he no longer dared to doubt Ryan's identity.

  Moreover, the magical aura leaking from Ryan's body was unmistakably the pressure of a Ninth tier Journeyman Mage.

  The customers in the tavern, who had been eating or sipping ale with their heads down, all turned pale under the pressure. Many of them subconsciously shrank their necks.

  Ryan leaned against the counter, resting his hands casually on the smooth oak surface, his legs crossed. With an indifferent air, he said,

  "I am here to ask about something. I heard that a snow demon has appeared recently in the northern mountains and has been causing trouble near the border. Is this true?"

  The tavern keeper's eyes flickered, his lips trembling as he weighed the pros and cons, unwilling to speak for a long while.

  Ryan suddenly slammed his palm onto the counter. Cracks spread instantly across the oak surface, and his shout, wrapped in magical force, echoed through the tavern.

  "What are you hesitating for? Delaying the Glacial Arcana Academy's mission to purge the snow demon will bring punishment!"

  If soft tactics failed, then hard ones would do. When dealing with small people who chased profit and avoided harm, intimidation was always the most effective method.

  "It is not really causing trouble," the tavern keeper said, his voice growing smaller and smaller."At most, it just flattened a small town."

  "What did you say?" Ryan's eyes widened as he leaned closer."At most flattened a small town?"

  What answered Ryan was not an explanation, but a thunderous roar.

  The sound waves were like tangible blades, making the wooden windows of the tavern hum violently. Many fragile wine glasses shattered straight onto the floor.

  Ryan clenched his teeth instinctively, his jaws colliding with a sharp sound.

  But his reaction was swift. The moment the roar erupted, he executed a flash step, his figure appearing outside the tavern in an instant. He turned back and coldly stared at the figure inside.

  "An ignorant brat. With this little magic of yours, you dare come after me?"

  The outer shell of the tavern keeper peeled away like melting wax, revealing a full and graceful figure beneath.

  The rough linen clothes transformed instantly into a light gown of ice crystal gauze, outlining breathtaking curves. Every movement carried a soul stealing allure.

  The woman formed from the snow demon slowly twisted her waist, her fingers brushing her cheek. Enchanting magical light flowed within her pupils as she spoke softly,

  "Well? Do you like the way I look now?"

  As the snow demon's words fell, the entire tavern scene suddenly twisted and transformed, becoming a quiet and sensual place of pleasure.

  There was no one else here, as if it had been deliberately reserved just for Ryan, every corner permeated with an eerie and seductive aura.

  "Pretty, hehe." Ryan's eyes instantly turned hazy. He staggered forward with his hands outstretched, slowly approaching the snow demon, looking exactly like someone who had completely fallen under a charm spell.

  "Come. I will take you to the realm of bliss." The snow demon cast Ryan a soul stealing glance, secretly pleased with herself.

  This man looked refined, and his magic must be pure and rich. After consuming it, her own power might advance another step.

  Ryan drew closer and closer. Before even touching the snow demon, his hands began clumsily gesturing in the air toward her chest, impatient and eager, the haze in his eyes growing deeper.

  He stopped half a meter in front of her, chuckling foolishly, one hand still lightly gesturing at her chest as if measuring its size.

  This was the snow demon's greatest specialty, a powerful charm fueled by dense magical fluctuations that stirred desire deep within the heart. Ordinary people could never resist it.

  "Come a little closer," Ryan panted heavily, his cheeks flushed, his expression abnormally excited.

  Seeing this, the last trace of vigilance in the snow demon's heart vanished. She obediently leaned closer, even bringing her ear near him.

  Someone at the Ninth tier Journeyman Mage level could never break free from her charm magic. Of that she was absolutely certain.

  Suddenly, a clear sound of flesh being pierced rang out, shattering the ambiguous atmosphere.

  The snow demon's vertical pupils widened violently as she stared at Ryan in disbelief. The intense pain surging from her chest froze her entire body.

  Ryan's eyes had already regained their clarity. A smile hung on his face as he leaned close to the snow demon's ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear,"Do you like it?"

  Even more cruelly, the hand plunged into the position of the snow demon's heart slowly stirred within her chest cavity, destroying her heart.

  A scream of extreme agony echoed through the entire illusion. The snow demon's magic instantly spiraled out of control, and the illusion shattered like glass, reverting to the ruined tavern.

  Ryan yanked his hand back. In his palm was a glowing magical core heart that was still beating vigorously.

  At the same time, he was violently blasted away by the shockwave of the snow demon's rampaging magic, smashing heavily into the wooden wall of the tavern.

  "You should die!" The snow demon's magic erupted wildly, her aura instantly climbing to Ninth tier Senior Mage. A terrifying pressure swept outward, shaking the surrounding snow into the air.

  "Damn it! The mission scroll said Fifth tier Senior Mage!" Ryan cursed inwardly as he climbed up, clutching his numb chest.

  He did not dare to linger for even a moment and turned to run. What was absurd was that the snow demon's heart clenched tightly in his hand was still stubbornly beating, radiating pure magical energy.

  "Give it back to me!" The snow demon's shrill and twisted roar came from behind.

  Ryan glanced back and felt his scalp tingle. The snow demon no longer had any trace of her former seductive appearance. Her coarse white hair flew wildly.

  The vertical pupils in her eyes turned blood red. Her mouth split all the way to her ears, revealing rows of sharp fangs like iron nails.

  There was a gaping hole in her chest, black demonic energy pouring out frantically. Her limbs bent low to the ground like a feline magical beast as she chased Ryan at extreme speed, roaring endlessly,"Give it back to me!"

  "Is this some kind of evil ghost? This is exciting!" Far from being afraid, Ryan felt a surge of exhilaration as the magic within his body began to circulate wildly.

  Phantom Step, wind based acceleration spells, and other movement magic stacked together. His figure turned into a blur as his speed soared to the limit.

  Even so, the snow demon continued to pursue relentlessly. The distance between them never widened by much. It was clear that the snow demon herself was beginning to struggle.

  "Come chase me! Faster!" Ryan shouted while sprinting wildly, holding up the beating heart in his hand and mocking the snow demon behind him with extreme provocation.