Ice Sword Daoist School.

The indoor arena was laid with special Cold Crystal Stones, radiating a faint icy blue glow. Under the influence of the Spirit Rune Array, a chill wind gusted intermittently, making it almost impossible for anyone to stand for long due to the bone-chilling cold.

A dozen or so boys and girls dressed in uniform white training attire stood in the center of the arena, practicing sword swings under the guidance of a tall senior brother.

The young senior brother stood tall and imposing, his sword movements sharp and fierce. Even though he wielded only a wooden sword, each swing was impressive, accompanied by a biting wind that swept up the snowflakes on the ground.

"Steady your stance! Keep your hands firm, and your intention resolute!"

"If you can't even overcome this bit of hardship, forget about becoming a Combat Spirit Master! You might as well give up early and live a peaceful life!"

"Remember, only those who are unafraid of the wind and snow have the right to become the strong!"

Fine snowflakes drifted down, and the biting cold wind slowed many of the children's movements. Some breathed heavily, their faces pale, eyes revealing an undeniable fear and retreat.

Yet, there were still a few who gritted their teeth, clenching their swords tightly, eyes shining with unwavering determination.

On the balcony of the second floor, a figure stood silently, taking it all in.

It was a tall middle-aged man, his hands clasped behind his back, eyes sharp and profound, like a sword forged of ice and snow.

His hair was cropped short, and his face was as rugged as stone; his brows exuded an unyielding sharpness and coldness. He wore a lightweight training shirt, his body not overly muscular but appearing coordinated and smooth, evidently harboring explosive power.

[Ice Sword Daoist School] Master.

Bai Wu.

He stood there not just to oversee the disciples; from his posture, he seemed to be waiting for someone.

"..."

After a long while, Bai Wu suddenly shifted his gaze.

Amidst a few cries of alarm, a massive bird-type Spirit Beast flapped its wings, and a lithe figure landed agilely on the second-floor terrace.

This was a woman of striking appearance, tall and slender, with an aura of cold aloofness. She wore a black shirt paired with skinny jeans, and aside from that, she only donned a thin black trench coat, seemingly unaffected by the cold.

[Gale Eagle Daoist School] Master, Han Lingxi.

Like Bai Wu, she was also at the Five-Star Peak, able to join the ranks of Spirit Masters who could be called Daoist School Masters.

Han Lingxi glanced at Bai Wu, her chilly visage slightly softening as she gave a slight nod, "I brought the spiritual materials."

The two evidently shared some rapport, Bai Wu didn't mind her coldness at all. Instead, his resolute face showed a hint of solemnity, "Thank you."

Han Lingxi shook her head, "It's nothing, it's a fair trade, and it gives me a chance to take a look at the prodigy that's been the talk of the town lately."

"..."

Bai Wu was silent; he wasn't one for many words, but after a few seconds, he spoke, "You... seem to have a lot of confidence in him?"

This remark seemed somewhat odd, causing a flicker of puzzlement to pass over Han Lingxi's typically aloof face, "If you lack confidence in him, why did you ask me to gather the spiritual materials?"

Bai Wu remained silent.

Three days ago, the words of his niece still echoed in his ears.

[Uncle, Lin Guang said he has the confidence to evolve the Ice Fairy into a Possession-type Spirit Beast.]

[He also told me the specific method... The main material is the "Thousand-Year Ice Toad" and Spiritual Element materials of similar grade, such as Wisdom Fruit or Ice Wisdom Fruit.]

[This method is somewhat similar to the concept you, that Miracle Master, and my father had back then, but it seems much more refined.]

Indeed.

As Han Lingxi pointed out, Bai Wu truly didn't trust Lin Guang very much.

As the master of the Ice Sword Daoist School, he naturally was aware of Lin Guang, a True Disciple whose combat talent even Hua Bo had praised, and who had recently crossed disciplines to attain the status of junior researcher.

But even so, research and combat were still two different matters.

At the most, even if Lin Guang possessed considerable talent in research and was likely to become a senior researcher in the future, that was something that required time and experience to accumulate.

And yet, Lin Guang boldly proposed a plan that even the most aggressive gamblers would view as exceedingly risky.

If it weren't for his most beloved niece, and also his protégé, Leng Shengnan's insistence, even using the exploration of the Celestial Ladder Mountain Secret Realm as leverage... Bai Wu would never have agreed.

At this thought, Bai Wu slowly turned his body, his gaze moving toward the photo frame placed on the table inside the room.

It was a yellowing old photograph, showing two men and a young girl standing at the gate of the under-construction Ice Sword Daoist School.

The man on the left was Bai Wu, tall and upright, arms crossed, expression serious.

The man on the right was a stark contrast to Bai Wu, wearing a pair of silver-framed glasses, clad in a neat long trench coat with meticulously buttoned lapels, and a gentle, urbane smile on his face.

Standing between the two was a five or six-year-old girl, her hair cut short and neat, wearing a white daoist robe with sleeves slightly too long.

Her face was flushed from the cold, yet she stood tall, her expression exuding stubbornness and resilience. She crossed her arms, seemingly making an effort to mimic Bai Wu's posture.

Bai Wu sighed softly.

"Let's go, wait for them in the environment simulation room."

...

Half an hour later.

The outskirts of Hualong District.

A Gale Eagle descended from the sky, carrying a pair of exceptionally attractive young people, a boy and a girl.

With assistance from Chelina, who was dressed in a maid outfit, Lin Guang leapt off the Gale Eagle alongside her, landing smoothly with a soft thud. He then raised his head, looking ahead with a hint of amazement.

What unfolded before their eyes was a massive, elliptical building themed in icy grandeur, with an area the size of dozens of football fields. The dome arched high, inspiring awe from afar.

The exterior walls of the Daoist school were composed of deep blue and white hues, their surfaces seemingly enshrouded in ice. The sunlight scattered upon them, refracting delicate ice crystal glimmers, resembling an icy fortress.

The plaque hanging above the main gate was a piece of crystal-clear ice, showing no signs of melting in the scorching heat of September, which was a Tier Five blue spiritual material known as Unmelting Ice.

The four bold characters [Ice Sword Daoist School] were inscribed, full of imposing manner.

Lin Guang glanced at the wolf-eared girl next to him.

Whether it was due to Chelina's indifference or a deliberate act, Lin Guang's right hand remained tightly clasped by her, without being let go.

"Here we are."

Her orange-red pupils reflected the Daoist school ahead, she responded softly to the statement, "Hm."

This trip for Lin Guang was naturally to assist Leng Shengnan with the evolution of her spirit beast. Chelina accompanied him closely for protection and recovery purposes, without Vishdair insisting on joining them. Instead, Vishdair decided to stay with Lisa in the school's training room for skills training.

Perhaps it was due to achieving success with Lin Guang over lunch that day, which granted her a sense of triumph and reassurance. The Sakaz girl appeared much more composed; even with Chelina alone with Lin Guang, she no longer showed the dangerous gaze that threatened to break Lin Guang's back in the dead of night.

"There you are."

Having waited at the entrance, Leng Shengnan greeted them with a bright smile.

"Come on, let me show you around our Ice Sword Dojo!"

As soon as they entered the dojo, a wave of icy chill greeted them, thoroughly excluding the outside heat.

The floor inside the dojo was paved with specially crafted non-slip Cold Crystal, and every step sent tingling cool sensations through the soles of their shoes.

As they walked through, they saw many young people clad in "Ice Sword Daoist School" white practice uniforms, embroidered with light blue snowflake emblems. Upon Leng Shengnan's passing, these youngsters would pause, slightly bowing and respectfully addressing her as "Senior Sister."

Most of these disciples had been studying at the Daoist school since a young age, receiving systematic training and honing.

Ever since the challenge of "high costs in detecting infants' talent ether attributes" was overcome seventeen years ago, the training of Combat Spirit Masters began to popularize at younger ages, with the Ice Sword Daoist School undoubtedly a leader in this field.

"Here it is."

Leng Shengnan led Lin Guang and Chelina across the disciples' training ground to a heavy silver-white door adorned with intricate ice crystal patterns, emitting a faint chill.

The door opened, revealing a scene of vast icefields, akin to stepping into another world.

Whoosh—

As the temperature plummeted once more, everything in sight was draped in white, with the howling cold winds scattering ice crystals in the air like countless scattered diamonds. The thin sunlight simulated by the dojo's array fell upon the icefield, not increasing visibility, but rather accentuating the whiteness of the world amidst the snowstorm.

The air was filled with an intensely cold aura, every breath lightly stabbing the lungs.

And at the very center of the snowfield, shrouded by snow and wind, stood a looming icy mountain, tens of meters tall.

This was the core facility of the Ice Sword Daoist School—the environment simulation room.

Its function, as the name suggests, is to simulate environments.

It's somewhat similar to a combat arena but much more realistic.

For instance, the volcano terrain at the experimental school, though remarkably lifelike, still deviated about twenty percent from a true volcanic environment due to the school's influence on the ether attribute of the atmosphere.

Yet the environment simulation room, with assistance from high-end equipment and spirit rune arrays, not only replicates most outdoor environments but can also simulate extreme environments rarely seen in the natural world.

Spirit Beasts naturally grow in the wild, and a suitable environment is more conducive to their growth and evolution. Research suggests that Spirit Beasts raised in simulated environments grow faster and control ether better than typical Spirit Beasts, even assisting in evolution.

The simulation of extreme environments, in particular, holds significant utility.

As a Daoist school of great renown in a place like Zhen Sheng City, the Ice Sword Daoist School's environment simulation room had considerable investment, with a massive area and special adaptability for ice element environments, resulting in its current impactful effect.

Leng Shengnan raised her hand, releasing her partners, the Ice Fairy [Xiao Jiu] and the Ice Sword Spirit [General].

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