ใTarget (Moyin) bloodline purity has increased to 20%. The current phase of training has reached a bottleneck.ใ
As the icy system notification echoed in Shen Luolin’s mind, before he could even consider his next plan, a deep, oppressive roar sounded from the snowstorm outside the cave!
โRoarโโ
The entire mine trembled, shards of rock and icicles rattling down from overhead, while the flames of the campfire were pressed almost flat to the ground by an invisible force.
The air grew viscous and heavy, every breath feeling as if he were inhaling mud laced with ice shards.
Moyin’s heart hammered wildly. A terror welling from the depths of her bloodline made every hair on her body stand on end.
This pressure was more terrifying than any wild beast sheโd ever faced before, even more so than all those icefield wolves combined.
Shen Luolinโs pupils shrank abruptly.
Trouble.
But the level of this trouble was clearly on a different scale from the icefield wolves before.
That roarโฆ It was the true overlord of the northern snowfieldsโthe Frost-Armored Bear King!
A beast like this, with skin thick and flesh tough, immense strength, and a natural armor of condensed frost nearly impervious to blades and arrows.
The icefield wolves that had been driven here earlier were probably fleeing from this very monster.
The Frost-Armored Bear King needed to hibernate, and this Abandoned Mine where the two had hidden was likely its chosen den for the winter.
When it rains, it pours.
Without a momentโs hesitation, Shen Luolin stepped to the campfire, stamping out the dancing flames, plunging the two of them completely into darkness.
In an instant, the cave was pitch black, save for the faint, ghostly snowlight filtering in from the entrance.
He swiftly grabbed the stunned Moyin, who was paralyzed by the sudden change, pulling her behind him. His voice was pressed low, almost whispering directly into her ear:
โHide all your aura. Donโt make a sound. Weโve stumbled into its den.โ
Moyin nodded instinctively, biting down hard, desperately suppressing the dragon flame within her that was stirring with fear.
She peeked half her head out from behind Shen Luolinโs broad back, nervously watching that unfathomable darkness.
Sheโd never seen her Master so tense and on edge before. It only confirmed her fear that this time, they were in real danger.
Outside the mine, an enormous shadow shifted slowly.
First, two points of ghostly blue light flared up, like will-o’-the-wisps burning in the abyss. Then, a massive head clad in thick icy armor poked into the cave.
It was indeed the Frost-Armored Bear King.
It twitched its huge nose, sniffing out the scent of humans and fire in the air. The two ghostly blue lights instantly locked onto the two unwelcome guests within the cave.
โRoarโ!โ
A deafening roar exploded within the mine, the shockwave almost blowing open their skulls.
The next instant, that colossal body surged forward, charging directly at Shen Luolin and Moyin.
Stalagmites and cave walls in its path were pulverized, stones flying everywhere.
Shen Luolinโs pupils narrowed.
A head-on clash was suicide.
He didnโt hesitate, grabbing Moyinโs wrist and spinning around to dash into a narrow side passage.
โStay close!โ
The Bear Kingโs gigantic form slammed into the mouth of the side tunnel, unleashing a thunderous crash. โBoomโโ The entire mine groaned, countless rocks and chunks of ice cascading from above like a storm, nearly burying them alive.
The tunnel was so narrow that only one person could squeeze through at a time. The Frost-Armored Bear Kingโs enormous bulk simply couldnโt fit.
But it clearly had no intention of letting the intruders escape. Its giant paws battered and tore at the entrance, the hard stone walls crumbling like tofu under its claws.
Rubble rolled down, blocking their retreat.
Shen Luolin pressed his back against the icy rock, brows furrowed. He could feel the entire mine structure becoming dangerously unstable under the Bear Kingโs berserk assault.
If this went on, they would either be dragged out and ripped apart by the Bear King or buried alive right here.
Moyin cowered behind Shen Luolin, barely able to breathe.
The pressure from the top of the food chain left her frozen, her teeth chattering.
Within her, the dragon flame boiled uncontrollably in the face of this terror, like a cauldron about to boil over, threatening to burst from her body.
She knew she had to do something.
She didnโt want to be a burden any longer.
Shen Luolin calmly observed the Bear Kingโs rampage. Each time its paw struck, the resulting wind pressure made the stone walls shudder.
He noticed the Bear Kingโs attacks, though wild, always aimed in Moyinโs direction, even ignoring him though he was closer to the entrance.
A thought flashed in his mind as he pushed Moyin further behind him into the tunnel.
Sure enough, the Bear King grew even more frenzied, its massive head trying to force itself deeper into the gap, only to become further stuck, roaring in fury.
It was extremely sensitive and hostile to the aura of dragon flame!
Yet its enormous size, in these cramped conditions, had become its greatest weakness.
A daring plan took shape in Shen Luolinโs mind.
This was their only chance!
He suddenly turned, his gaze sharp, locking onto Moyinโs slightly widened silver eyes, sparkling with fear.
โMoyin!โ he called in a low, firm voice, not loud, but leaving no room for doubt, โListen, donโt be afraid. Use your strongest dragon flame. Aim for its eye! Thatโs its only weak spot!โ
Moyin shuddered all over.
She instinctively looked into Shen Luolinโs eyes.
Those usually calm, distant eyes held no trace of pity or comfort, only a cold, steely trust and uncompromising resolve.
He didnโt say โtry it,โ he gave an order.
He believed she could do it.
This trust was heavier, hotter, than any words of encouragement.
She knew this was a test of life and death, and her only chance to prove herself, to fulfill her oath.
To shrink back was to betray that trustโto become again the helpless girl who could only cry in the firelight.
Moyin took a deep breath, forcibly pushing down the fear surging inside her.
She closed her eyes.
That inferno, the cold corpses of her kinโฆ One bloody scene after another flashed before her eyes.
โYour bloodline is your curse, but also your weapon.โ
Her Masterโs words echoed in her ears.
Anger, unwillingness, fear, the urge to surviveโฆ All her emotions compressed and ignited in this instant, converging into that scorching current inside her.
She snapped her eyes open!
A streak of dazzling golden light flickered in those silver eyes!
The moment Moyin began to charge up, the Frost-Armored Bear King seemed to sense the deadly threat. It struggled more violently, one claw tearing into the rock, reaching into the tunnel!
โNow!โ
Shen Luolin gave a low shout, grabbing a head-sized rock and hurling it with all his strength at the Bear Kingโs claw inside the cave.
The rock shattered on the bearโs paw, but the insignificant provocation managed to enrage the giant beast, its attention drawn for a split second.
And that split second was enough!
โRoarโ!โ
With a suppressed growl, a surge of scorching energy erupted from Moyinโs body.
No more probing, no more practice.
A blast of dragonโs breath, thicker and more concentrated than ever before, nearly molten gold in color, burst from her palm!
The air along its path warped from the heat as it shot through the narrow tunnel, straight for the Bear Kingโs left eye, exposed in its distraction!
โGrrrโ!!!โ
A piercing, distorted wail drowned out all other noise.
The Frost-Armored Bear Kingโs proud icy armor melted and evaporated like thin paper before the golden dragonโs breath.
The searing flames drove straight in, blasting into its eye socket and bursting out the back of its head!
The reek of scorched flesh and blood filled the air.
Under the shock of the fierce energy, the already unstable mine finally began to groan under the strain.
โRumbleโโ
A massive collapse had begun.
At the same time, miles away on the snowfield.
A well-equipped Knight Squad was struggling forward through the storm, escorting supplies.
At the front was Shen Luolinโs lieutenant, Ella.
She wore a suit of silver-white light armor, nearly blending into the surrounding snow. The wind and snow tangled her hair, but she seemed not to notice, her gaze constantly alert, sweeping the area.
Suddenly, she stopped and listened intently.
Amid the wind and snow, she caught a deep, muffled rumble, as if from underground.
Then, in the distance, a Snow Falcon, startled into flight, let out a shrill cry, darting across the sky.
Ellaโs brows knitted slightly.
โCaptain?โ a knight behind her asked. โIs something wrong?โ
Ella didnโt answer immediately. She raised her hand, signaling the squad to halt. From her waist pouch, she took out a strangely shaped Metal Disc and deftly manipulated it.
The pointer on the disc trembled faintly, finally settling in the direction the rumble had come from.
โThat directionโฆ a strong energy reaction.โ Ellaโs voice was cold, devoid of emotion. โAnd signs of intense geological activity.โ
She looked up at the gray, overcast sky, her gaze sharp.
โRelay my order,โ she turned and commanded the knights behind her, โLeave one squad to guard the supplies. The rest, full gear, come with me.โ
โYes!โ