Yun Che fell silent for a moment, then asked, “What are you planning to do? Is there anything you need me to help with?”

  Wang Hao shook his head with a bitter smile. “You’re only at the third layer of Qi Condensation. You can’t help me. Lü Yunjie has already reached the sixth layer, and he’s skilled in alchemy. The Sect Master values him greatly. I’ve already given up hope.”

  He suddenly grasped Yun Che’s arm, his voice trembling.

  “Yun Che… all these years in the Frost Condensation Sect, you’ve been my only real friend. You’re my brother. I ask only one thing—if one day your cultivation is high enough, kill Lü Yunjie for me. Avenge this hatred!”

  Yun Che looked into his eyes, filled with despair and resentment, and slowly nodded.

  Wang Hao let out a miserable laugh. “While I’m still alive, ask for whatever you need. I still have a few bottles of Condensing Ice Pills. Want them?”

  Yun Che studied him deeply, then swallowed back the request he had intended to make about refining mild-natured medicinal herbs. He wanted to help, but the opponent was a sixth-layer Qi Condensation senior brother—and he himself had no absolute grasp of his true combat strength.

  Though his divine sense was far beyond his realm, and the Subtle Guiding Art had been honed for nearly forty years within the dream realm, he had never truly fought a fellow disciple. The cultivation world had countless techniques—could these alone stand against a sixth-layer cultivator?

  He could not be certain.

  Seeing Yun Che’s silence, Wang Hao brushed the ice crystals from his robe with a bitter smile.

  “You’re more capable than me. Thinking back to our entry test… it feels like a dream. Time passes too fast.”

  With a sigh, he turned and walked away, his figure fading into the snow, carrying an indescribable loneliness.

  “Strength devours weakness. Only power matters… Is this the cultivation world?”

  Standing amid the wind and snow, Yun Che felt a sudden clarity rise within him.

  It was not a surge of cultivation, nor an expansion of divine sense—but a sharp awareness of an invisible rule of heaven and earth:

  on this path, without sufficient strength, even life and death are not yours to decide.

  “To cultivate immortality, one must first possess the mindset of a cultivator,” he murmured.

  “But does that mindset truly mean abandoning everything, bowing only to power?”

  The wind swept past. He exhaled deeply, the white mist dispersing at once.

  Just as he was about to return to the menial quarters, a commotion arose from the guest lodgings. Yun Che extended his divine sense slightly and heard a flamboyant voice shouting:

  “—This Nine Nether Profound Ice Mirror is a secret treasure of the Snow Domain Alliance! Though only a replica, one glance can dim the spiritual light of same-tier artifacts! Whoever takes it must swear a heart-demon oath—absolutely no use during the grand competition three days from now!”

  After a brief hesitation, Yun Che headed toward the guest quarters.

  More than twenty disciples from both factions had gathered. At the center stood a Snow Domain Alliance disciple in his early twenties, square-faced with thick brows, looking righteous and upright. In his hands rested a palm-sized ice-crystal mirror, its rim set with seven tiny blue gems, shimmering brilliantly.

  Nearby, Snow Domain Alliance disciples wore awkward expressions. One coughed lightly.

  “Junior Brother Li Shan speaks truthfully—the Nine Nether Profound Ice Mirror is indeed our alliance’s secret treasure. However… the one in his hands, cough, is somewhat… simplified.”

  Several Frost Condensation Sect disciples whispered among themselves. Soon, the disciple surnamed Zhao stepped forward, spoke briefly with Li Shan, and exchanged a few low-grade spirit stones for the mirror.

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  “Just ordinary Frostlight Crystal with a few strands of Illusion Ice Silk, and you dare call it a secret treasure replica?” A knowledgeable disciple scoffed.

  Li Shan was not offended in the slightest. He grinned.

  “Sharp eyes, Senior Brother! But didn’t someone still buy it? Hang it at home—it even glows at night. Quite practical!”

  Zhao laughed loudly. “I bought it to give to my younger sister for her dressing table. Girls love shiny things.”

  Laughter erupted.

  Li Shan then produced another item—a rough, gray-blue sphere the size of a pigeon egg, faintly emitting a strange aura.

  “This is my exclusive creation—the Filthy Snow Binding Pellet!” he declared proudly.

  “It’s not powerful, but once it explodes, icy grime spreads everywhere. It sticks on contact and stinks for three days straight! Perfect for disrupting an opponent’s mind during sparring!”

  He hurled it toward a distant ice pillar.

  With a dull puff, gray-blue filth splattered across the ice. A pungent stench spread instantly. Several female disciples covered their noses and retreated in disgust.

  “Well?” Li Shan beamed. “This stench is brewed from sludge collected from over ten northern cold pools. Once it sticks, even cleansing techniques can’t remove it! Toss one at a critical moment—your opponent’s mentality will collapse!”

  The crowd exchanged uneasy glances.

  Yun Che’s expression turned strange as his divine sense swept over the pellet. At its core, he detected a faint strand of icy breath—originating from the same source as the Snowcloud Crane’s, though far more impure and tainted.

  The Snow Domain Alliance disciples looked embarrassed, yet none intervened. Observing closely, Yun Che noticed their gazes toward Li Shan carried three parts helplessness and seven parts wariness.

  Li Shan straightened. “Same rule as always—do not use it during the grand competition, or don’t blame me for turning hostile!”

  In truth, he laughed inwardly. The more he said this, the more these competitive types would use it. When icy filth filled the air and stench overwhelmed the field, the elders’ expressions would be priceless. With the elders pleased afterward, rewards would surely follow.

  Thinking this, his eyes lit up as he shouted even louder.

  Yun Che stood quietly in the crowd. Suddenly, the Snowcloud Crane feather in his robe trembled slightly. He slipped away to a secluded corner and took it out.

  Light flowed faintly at the feather’s base—pointing toward Li Shan.

  With a subtle thought, Yun Che guided a strand of divine sense along the feather’s glow toward the Filthy Snow Binding Pellet in Li Shan’s hand.

  In the next instant, he “saw” it—within the pellet’s core, aside from impure icy breath, there was a trace of deeply hidden yin-cold intent. It moved like a living thing, exuding ominous menace.

  “This thing… isn’t just about stench,” Yun Che frowned.

  At that moment, a smiling voice sounded behind him.

  “Junior Brother, interested in my Snow Pellets?”

  Yun Che turned. Li Shan had somehow squeezed out of the crowd and was grinning at him.

  “Just curious,” Yun Che replied calmly.

  Li Shan sized him up, his gaze lingering on the brocade-wrapped item at Yun Che’s shoulder. His smile deepened.

  “That thing on your shoulder… quite distinctive. Care to see some real goods?”

  He pulled out a small jade box. Inside lay three ice-blue, translucent pills, radiating pure cold energy.

  “These are Ice Soul Clearing Heart Pills. Refined from thousand-year-old ice souls of the north. One pill calms the mind, wards off heart demons, and aids ice-path cultivation. Low-grade—but far more solid than those flashy trinkets.”

  Yun Che scanned them with divine sense. The spiritual energy was pure indeed.

  “What’s the price?”

  “One mid-grade spirit stone—or something of equal value,” Li Shan lowered his voice.

  “But I like you. If you trade me that thing on your shoulder—or even just let me take a look—I’ll give you half off.”

  Yun Che shook his head. “It cannot be shown.”

  Li Shan didn’t push. He put the box away and leaned closer.

  “Junior Brother, your aura says third-layer Qi Condensation… But your eyes are clear, your divine sense condensed. You’re not that simple, are you?”

  Yun Che’s heart tightened slightly, but his expression remained unchanged.

  “You jest, Senior Brother.”

  “Heh. I’m not good at much, but I can read people.” Li Shan winked.

  “In three days’ time, if you meet a troublesome opponent… consider my Snow Pellets. Not elegant—but sometimes, winning is all that matters.”

  He patted Yun Che’s shoulder and squeezed back into the crowd, shouting anew.

  Yun Che remained where he stood, thoughtful.

  The wind and snow intensified. The clamor continued behind him. He clenched the crane feather and turned away.

  Midway, the light-points deep within his dantian trembled.

  A fragmented vision surged into his mind—

  Deep within an ice valley, the Snowcloud Crane cried out, blood streaking its crystalline brow. Several shadowy figures surrounded it, artifacts glowing with eerie light.

  The image vanished.

  Yun Che halted, staring toward the Cold Abyss秘境.

  The feather in his palm grew warm.

  “The Snowcloud Crane… is in danger?”

  Cold light flashed in his eyes. His figure shot forward, racing toward the ice valley.

  Wind and snow howled, swallowing his silhouette.

  Far away beneath the eaves of the guest quarters, Li Shan paused his shouting and looked toward where Yun Che vanished. A meaningful smile curved his lips.

  “Interesting…” he murmured, pulling another gray-blue pellet from his sleeve and tossing it lightly in his palm.

  At the pellet’s core, the yin-cold intent pulsed faintly.

  sees the cultivation world.

  Not through battle—but through choices.

  ?? Is Wang Hao’s request an act of brotherhood—or a fuse leading Yun Che into darkness?

  ?? Is Li Shan merely a crafty merchant, or someone hiding deeper schemes?

  ?? If you were Yun Che, how would you choose between winning and principles?

  Every choice discussed helps shape this world further.