The transition was instantaneous, unsettling. One moment, the familiar warmth and ambient energy of Song Qing's private chambers; the next, a world sculpted from ice, wind, and biting, soul-deep cold.
They stood on a vast, windswept plain of compacted snow, stretching towards jagged mountains of blue ice that pierced a pale, unforgiving sky. The air was thin, razor-sharp, carrying the desolate howl of the polar wind. Snow devils danced across the frozen expanse. The cold here wasn't just physical; it felt like it seeped into the very spirit, attempting to freeze ambition and warmth alike.
But for Song Qing's chosen expedition team, the Extreme North's legendary chill was… barely noticeable.
Ning Rongrong, bundled in stylish, fur-lined white travelling robes, shivered theatrically for a moment before her torso spirit bone pulsed faintly. A subtle warmth enveloped her, radiating outwards, neutralizing the biting cold instantly.
'Hee hee, stupid cold!' she thought cheerfully, her Nine Treasure Pagoda spirit bone humming comfortably. 'My earth dragon armor laughs at you!'
Zhu Zhuqing, clad in practical, form-fitting black leathers that somehow seemed to absorb the bleak light, stood perfectly still. The Frostfire Mane Lion's right leg bone imparted a constant internal balance, rendering the external temperature irrelevant. She felt neither hot nor cold, just… present.
'This place… desolate. Dangerous,' her pragmatic mind assessed, emerald eyes scanning the horizon for threats.
Song Cai'er, in her deep blue and rose-pink attire, seemed entirely unaffected. The Ultimate Fire simmering within her Golden Dragon core was a constant internal furnace. The external cold felt almost… refreshing against her inner heat. She gripped her Golden Dragon Spear, her sapphire eyes wide with curiosity, taking in the stark, alien landscape.
'So different from the forest… or the Spirit Hall gardens,' she mused, her mental voice filled with wonder. 'Empty… but powerful.'
Qian Renxue, breathtaking even against the bleak backdrop in pale gold travelling robes, simply ignored the temperature. Her Seraphim spirit, a vessel of Ultimate Light and Fire, made her immune to such mundane environmental hazards. Her gaze swept the area, sharp and analytical.
'Extreme North. Unforgiving. But rich in potential resources… and challenges.'
Bibi Dong, regal as ever in deep purple, her Rank 99 cultivation a self-contained shield against the elements, surveyed the scene with detached interest. The cold was less than an insect bite to her. Her focus was, as always, primarily on Song Qing.
And Song Qing himself stood easily, the peak Rank 79 power humming beneath his skin, augmented by Immortal Herbs and potent spirit bones. The Chronos Temporal Tyrant Dragon's resilience added another layer of indifference to the environment. The cold simply didn't register.
"Well," Ning Rongrong chirped, breaking the initial silence, her breath pluming slightly despite her internal warmth. "It's certainly… white. And windy. Where to first, Qing?"
Song Qing scanned the vast emptiness, extending his spiritual senses, augmented by the Dark Soul Emperor's Crown. "We head deeper. Towards the core region. The herb A'Rou needs thrives in areas of extreme Yin energy, often guarded by powerful ice-attribute spirit beasts. And my Eighth Rings… suitable candidates will likely dwell closer to the heart of this domain."
"Lead the way then," Qian Renxue stated calmly, stepping closer to his side, a subtle, possessive gesture.
Bibi Dong moved almost simultaneously to his other side, her presence a silent declaration of proximity.
Rongrong bounced slightly. "Adventure time!"
Zhu Zhuqing gave a curt nod, ready to move.
Cai'er looked at Qing eagerly, spear held ready. "I will protect you, Qing!" she declared earnestly.
Song Qing chuckled softly, patting her shoulder. "I appreciate the sentiment, Cai'er. But for now, focus on honing your own skills. This journey is also training for you, Rongrong, and Zhuqing."
He addressed the three younger women directly. "We will encounter spirit beasts. Anything below eighty thousand years, perhaps even ninety depending on the threat level, is your responsibility. Work together. Coordinate. Cai'er, focus on raw power and breaking defenses. Zhuqing, speed, precision, exploiting openings. Rongrong, support, defense, amplification. Understand?"
"Yes, Qing!" Rongrong and Cai'er chorused eagerly.
Zhuqing nodded silently, her eyes already scanning for movement.
"Renxue, Teacher," Song Qing turned to the two powerful women beside him. "Observe for now. Intervene only if they face something truly overwhelming, or if a hundred-thousand-year beast appears. Let them gain experience."
"Understood, Qing," Renxue agreed smoothly, her gaze analytical as she watched the younger trio.
"Of course, Qing'er," Bibi Dong smiled softly, her eyes lingering on him. 'Let the children play. More time for me to observe my disciple…'
With the plan set, they began their trek deeper into the icy wasteland. Song Qing deliberately set a brisk pace, pushing the younger three to keep up, testing their stamina in the thin air.
They travelled for several hours across the seemingly endless snow plains, the only sound the crunch of their boots on the packed snow and the incessant howl of the wind. The landscape was monotonous yet held a stark, dangerous beauty.
Then, Zhuqing paused, her body tensing almost imperceptibly. "Movement," she stated softly, her voice sharp. "Ahead. Low ridge. Pack."
Following her gaze, Song Qing focused his enhanced perception. 'Frostfang Snow Wolves. Around seventy thousand years each. Pack of eight. Good first test.'
"Alright team," Song Qing called out calmly, stopping the group. "Your first challenge approaches. Eight Frostfang Snow Wolves, approximately seventy thousand years old. Ice attribute, pack hunters, rely on speed and coordinated freezing breath attacks. Rongrong, standard buffs. Zhuqing, initial disruption. Cai'er, follow Zhuqing's lead, focus the alpha."
"Got it!" Rongrong's Nine Treasure Pagoda flashed into existence, spinning brightly above her hand despite the bleak surroundings.
"First Soul Ring: Strength Amplification!"
"Second Soul Ring: Agility Amplification!"
"Third Soul Ring: Soul Power Amplification!"
Three beams of colored light shot out, enveloping Zhuqing and Cai'er, bathing Rongrong herself in the Soul Power boost. They instantly felt stronger, faster, their energy reserves bolstered.
Zhuqing didn't wait.
"Right Leg Bone: Frostfire Dash!"
She blurred forward, leaving behind faint trails of both frost and fire – a bizarre but effective visual distortion against the white snow. Her speed was incredible, closing the distance to the ridge before the wolves even fully crested it.
The wolves, large, powerfully built creatures with fur like rime ice and teeth like frozen daggers, burst over the ridge, spotting the intruders.
Their eyes glowed with cold, predatory light. The alpha, slightly larger with faint blue markings on its muzzle, let out a chilling howl.
AWOOOOOOOO!
Seven other howls answered, and they charged, moving with frightening speed across the snow.
Zhuqing met them head-on. She didn't engage the pack directly. Instead, she weaved through their charge like a phantom.
"First Soul Ring: Phantom Stab Rush!"
Her form flickered, becoming momentarily insubstantial as she dashed past the lead wolves, reappearing behind them. Two sharp, obsidian-like claws formed from abyssal energy extended from her hands. With surgical precision, she raked them across the hind legs of two wolves as she passed, aiming for tendons.
YELP!
Two wolves stumbled, their charge disrupted, momentarily hampered.
"Now, Cai'er!" Rongrong shouted, already preparing her next move.
Song Cai'er didn't hesitate. Ignoring the remaining charging wolves, she followed Qing's instruction, her sapphire eyes locking onto the alpha wolf who was now barking orders to regroup. Her Golden Dragon Spear hummed in her hand.
"First Soul Ring: Golden Dragon's Roar!"
Instead of a physical attack, she unleashed a powerful sonic blast infused with draconic pressure and radiant light directly at the alpha.
ROOOOAR! (But golden and bright!)
The alpha recoiled, visibly stunned, its ears flattened, its coordinated pack command faltering for a crucial second.
Zhuqing used that second. Still weaving with phantom-like agility, she targeted another wolf.
"Third Soul Ring: Abyssal Decapitation!"
Her claws flashed again, imbued with chilling abyssal energy, aiming for the neck of a wolf slowed by Rongrong's earlier agility buff on Zhuqing. The attack wasn't literally a decapitation, but a vicious, disabling strike aimed to sever vital connections. The wolf crumpled with a strangled cry.
Meanwhile, the remaining five wolves, recovering from the initial disruption, unleashed their signature attack. They opened their maws simultaneously, spewing forth cones of biting frost energy, attempting to freeze their opponents solid.
"Fourth Soul Ring: Prismatic Barrier!" Rongrong reacted instantly, slamming her pagoda down metaphorically. A shimmering, multi-hued dome of light expanded rapidly, enveloping herself, Cai'er, and catching Zhuqing just as she evaded another wolf.
CRACKLE! HISS!
The frost breath slammed against the barrier, ice crystals forming rapidly on its surface, but the shield held firm, absorbing the brunt of the freezing assault.
'Good defense, Rongrong!' Song Qing thought approvingly from his observation point.
"My turn!" Cai'er yelled, feeling the barrier protecting her. She channeled her power again, focusing on offense now.
"Third Soul Ring: Scorching Dragon Lance!"
Her spear ignited with golden-white fire, enhanced by her Ultimate Fire. She thrust it through Rongrong's barrier (which allowed allied attacks to pass outward) directly at the wolf closest to them, still trying to pour frost onto the shield.
The lance of divine flame punched through the lingering frost breath, slamming into the wolf's chest.
SIZZLE! WHIIIINE!
The clash of extreme fire and ice was potent. The wolf shrieked, staggering back, thick steam rising from its scorched fur.
Zhuqing used the opening Cai'er created. As the targeted wolf reeled, she dashed in again.
"Second Soul Ring: Thousand Abyssal Claws!"
Her hands became blurs, abyssal claws flashing dozens of times in a split second, shredding the already injured wolf's flank and neck. It collapsed in a heap.
Three down. Five remaining, including the injured alpha and the two initially hampered wolves.
The alpha, recovering from the roar, shook its head and howled again, trying to rally its remaining pack mates for a coordinated rush.
"Don't let them regroup!" Song Qing called out calmly, offering guidance. "Zhuqing, pressure the alpha. Cai'er, wide attack. Rongrong, maintain defense, look for an opening!"
"Fourth Soul Ring: Radiant Amplification!" Rongrong activated her boosting skill, making her next support actions even stronger. "Second Soul Ring: Agility Amplification!" She re-applied the enhanced speed buff to Zhuqing.
Zhuqing blurred again, faster than before, directly challenging the alpha wolf, her claws flashing, forcing it onto the defensive.
Cai'er took a deep breath, understanding the 'wide attack' instruction. She channeled the power of her fifth ring.
"Fifth Soul Ring: Sovereign Golden Burst!"
The explosion of radiant light and concussive force erupted outwards again, slamming into the remaining four pack members who were trying to coordinate. They were thrown back, disoriented, yelping in surprise and pain.
It wasn't lethal, but it shattered their formation completely.
"Finish them!" Rongrong commanded, seizing the moment. "Fourth Soul Ring: Attack Amplification!" She buffed both Cai'er and Zhuqing simultaneously, channeling power through her pagoda.
Zhuqing, fueled by amplified speed and attack power, overwhelmed the disoriented alpha. A flurry of Phantom Stabs and Abyssal Claws found their mark, and the pack leader fell.
Cai'er used her amplified strength and her spear, combined with bursts of Scorching Dragon Lance, to quickly dispatch the remaining scattered and injured wolves. Each thrust was powerful, infused with fire and light, leaving smoking craters in the snow where the beasts fell.
Within moments, the battle was over. Eight seventy-thousand-year Frostfang Snow Wolves lay defeated around them. The younger trio stood panting slightly, adrenaline fading, surveying their handiwork.
"Whoo! We did it!" Rongrong cheered, dispelling her pagoda.
Cai'er beamed, hefting her spear. "That felt… good! Fighting together!"
Zhuqing nodded silently, wiping a non-existent speck of dust from her clawed gauntlet, though her eyes held a spark of satisfaction.
From afar, Song Qing nodded in approval. "Excellent coordination. You identified threats, supported each other, and exploited openings effectively. Room for improvement in speed and efficiency, especially transitioning between offense and defense, but a very promising start."
Qian Renxue offered a rare smile. "Impressive teamwork. Rongrong's support is invaluable, Zhuqing's speed is lethal, and Cai'er's raw power is undeniable."
Bibi Dong looked pleased. "They complement each other well. A formidable unit in the making." Her gaze lingered on Song Qing. 'And guided by a formidable teacher.'
They took a short break, harvesting any useful materials from the wolves (claws, cores if suitable) before continuing deeper into the icy wastes.
The landscape gradually shifted, the flat plains giving way to treacherous ice fields filled with deep crevasses and towering seracs of ancient, blue ice. The wind seemed to bite even harder here, though the group remained unaffected physically.
Their next encounter came near a frozen waterfall, crystalline structures hanging like monstrous chandeliers.
"Spiders," Zhuqing announced curtly, pointing towards glistening threads stretched between ice pillars. "Glacial Crystal Spiders. Six of them. Appear to be around sixty-five thousand years."
These spiders were larger than horses, their bodies made of translucent ice, refracting the pale light. They moved with unnatural speed on eight razor-sharp legs, capable of spitting shards of ice and weaving incredibly strong, freezing webs.
"Same approach," Song Qing directed. "Rongrong, buffs and watch for webs. Zhuqing, break formations, target legs. Cai'er, firepower."
The spiders scuttled forward, spitting volleys of sharp ice crystals.
"Prismatic Barrier!" Rongrong's shield went up instantly, absorbing the initial barrage.
Zhuqing dashed forward, not directly at the spiders, but along the ice walls, using her agility and Frostfire Dash to navigate the complex terrain. She aimed for the anchor points of the glistening webs.
"Thousand Abyssal Claws!" Her claws tore through the thick, icy strands with surprising ease, severing the spiders' prepared traps.
Two spiders reacted, turning to spit freezing webs directly at the blurring phantom.
"Left Leg Bone: Phantom Kick Leap!" Zhuqing kicked off the ice wall, launching herself high into the air in a graceful, spinning arc, abyssal energy trailing from her foot. The webs passed harmlessly beneath her. As she descended, she targeted the leg joints of one of the spiders below her.
Meanwhile, Cai'er faced the remaining four. One tried to encircle her with a rapidly spun web.
"Second Soul Ring: Radiant Dragon Scale Shield!" Her light defense flared, burning away the freezing silk before it could fully envelop her.
She then retaliated, remembering Qing's advice about overcoming specific defenses. Ice… fire… ultimate fire.
"Third Soul Ring: Scorching Dragon Lance!" She didn't just thrust; she swept the blazing spearhead in a wide arc, melting the ice around the spiders' feet, making them slip and scramble for purchase on the suddenly slick surface.
"Good adaptation, Cai'er!" Rongrong shouted encouragement, applying an Attack Amplification buff to her.
Zhuqing landed neatly, immediately engaging another spider, her Phantom Stab Rush finding openings in its icy carapace.
One spider, larger than the others, reared back, its multiple eyes glowing ominously. It gathered immense cold energy.
"Incoming!" Rongrong warned, sensing the power spike. She focused, drawing on the spirit bone in her right arm. "Right Arm Bone: Guardian's Providence!" A concentrated beam of light shot from her hand, striking Cai'er's shield just as the spider unleashed a massive beam of freezing energy.
The Providence shield flared, merging with Cai'er's own Radiant Scales, absorbing a huge portion of the beam's power. Cai'er still felt the impact, but the shield held. A faint pulse of energy seemed to rebound from the Providence shield back towards the spider, making it hiss in annoyance.
'Useful defensive transfer,' Song Qing noted. 'Rongrong's utility grows.'
While the large spider was focused on Cai'er, Zhuqing struck. "Fourth Soul Ring: Abyssal Energy Beam!" A focused beam of darkness shot from her palm, hitting the spider directly in its cluster of eyes. It shrieked, rearing back, momentarily blinded.
Cai'er seized the chance. "Sixth Soul Ring: Golden Dragon Sovereign Judgement!" She unleashed a controlled burst, not the full beam, but a potent pulse of golden judgment energy, slamming into the blinded spider's core.
CRACK!
The icy carapace shattered, and the spider collapsed, twitching.
With their leader down and their traps neutralized, the remaining spiders fell quickly to the combined onslaught of Zhuqing's precise strikes and Cai'er's fiery spear.
The battle ended, leaving behind shards of glittering ice and fading spider essences.
"Much smoother," Qian Renxue commented from the observation point. "Their synergy is improving rapidly."
"Indeed," Bibi Dong agreed, a proud glint in her eyes as she watched Rongrong help Cai'er check her shield for damage. "Under Qing'er's guidance, they learn fast."
They took another break, Rongrong replenishing their stamina with a wave of her pagoda's passive restoration while Zhuqing scouted ahead briefly. Cai'er sat examining her spear, a thoughtful look on her face.
"Qing," she asked hesitantly, looking up at him. "When I fight… it feels powerful. But sometimes… I feel like I'm just hitting things hard. Human fighting feels… faster? More… tricky?"
Song Qing nodded, understanding her query. "You're used to the raw power of your beast form, Cai'er. Human combat, especially among Soul Masters, relies more on technique, prediction, exploiting weaknesses, and conserving energy. Your raw power is an immense advantage, but you need to learn to apply it efficiently."
He gestured to Zhuqing, who had returned silently. "Watch Zhuqing. See how she moves? Minimal effort, maximum effect. Speed isn't just about moving fast; it's about positioning, timing, striking where the enemy is weakest."
He then looked at Rongrong. "And watch Rongrong. Her support isn't random. She anticipates needs, identifies threats, applies the right buff or defense at the crucial moment. Teamwork amplifies individual strength."
Cai'er listened intently, absorbing his words. 'Technique… efficiency… teamwork…'
They pressed onward, venturing into regions where the ice formations became even more bizarre, sculpted by millennia of wind and frost. The sky darkened slightly, taking on a perpetual twilight hue.
Their final challenge for the day came unexpectedly from above.
A screech echoed through the ice canyons – high-pitched, carrying on the wind.
"Above!" Zhuqing reacted instantly, looking up.
Diving out of the swirling snow clouds were half a dozen massive birds of prey. Their feathers were razor-sharp shards of ice, their eyes glowed with cold fury, and gusts of freezing wind buffeted downwards from their powerful wingbeats.
"Frostwind Eagles," Song Qing identified calmly. "Seventy-five thousand years average. Fast aerial attackers. Their wind attacks can disorient and inflict frostbite rapidly. Rongrong, AoE defense, keep them agile! Zhuqing, prioritize grounding them or disrupting their flight! Cai'er, ranged power!"
"Fifth Soul Ring: Pagoda's Embrace!" Rongrong activated one of her new abilities. A wide dome of gentle, shimmering light expanded outwards, not just shielding, but seeming to slightly calm the furious wind within its radius, while simultaneously infusing the allies inside with a sense of resilience and recovering stamina. "Radiant Amplification!" followed by "Agility Amplification!" targeted Zhuqing and Cai'er.
The eagles dove, unleashing slicing arcs of razor-sharp wind and streams of ice shards. The Pagoda's Embrace barrier shimmered, absorbing the impacts, though Rongrong grunted slightly at the combined force.
Zhuqing didn't wait to be targeted. Using her amplified agility and the Phantom Kick Leap from her left leg bone, she launched herself upwards, kicking off an ice spire, aiming for the nearest diving eagle.
"Fourth Soul Ring: Abyssal Energy Beam!" She fired point-blank at its wing joint while airborne. The eagle screeched, its flight path disrupted as dark energy corroded the ice feathers.
Cai'er, meanwhile, tracked another eagle. Instead of the full Judgment beam, she used her spear. "Third Soul Ring: Scorching Dragon Lance!" Not a thrust this time, but she hurled the blazing spear like a javelin! It flew true, propelled by her immense strength, trailing fire and light.
The eagle attempted to dodge, but the spear adjusted its trajectory slightly – Cai'er instinctively using her mental energy to guide it – and impaled its wing, pinning it momentarily to a distant ice wall with a burst of flame.
'Good instincts, both of you!' Bibi Dong thought, impressed.
Two more eagles dove towards Rongrong, likely sensing she was the core of the defense.
"Right Arm Bone: Guardian's Providence!" Rongrong shielded herself directly this time. Simultaneously, she activated her other new fifth ring skill. "Fifth Soul Ring: Elemental Ward - Ice!" A shimmering layer of energy overlaid her Prismatic Barrier, specifically designed to resist ice and cold-based attacks.
The frost attacks slammed into the reinforced barrier, cracking the outer layer but failing to penetrate.
Zhuqing, having crippled one eagle, landed and immediately launched another Abyssal Energy Beam at a third, forcing it to veer off.
Cai'er recalled her spear with a mental command – it flew back to her hand, still blazing – and prepared another attack. She focused, drawing upon her Golden Dragon's perception, trying to anticipate the eagles' swooping patterns.
One eagle managed to get close, diving past the initial defenses, claws extended, aiming for Cai'er.
Cai'er reacted instinctively, not with her spear, but with raw power. "First Soul Ring: Golden Dragon's Roar!" The sonic blast hit the eagle mid-dive, stunning it momentarily.
Zhuqing capitalized instantly. "Fifth Soul Ring: Abyssal Phantom Enhancement!" Her entire form seemed to shimmer, darkening, her speed and agility increasing dramatically for a short period. She blurred past the stunned eagle, her Thousand Abyssal Claws reducing its icy form to fragments in less than a second.
The remaining few eagles, seeing their packmates swiftly dispatched or crippled, screeched in alarm and began to retreat back into the swirling snow clouds.
Cai'er aimed her spear, preparing to fire a Judgment beam after them.
"Let them go," Song Qing advised calmly. "No need to expend the energy. Lesson learned."
The trio regrouped, breathing slightly harder this time. Aerial combat was trickier.
"Well fought," Qian Renxue praised, stepping forward. "You handled the aerial threat effectively."
"Rongrong, your new defensive skills are potent," Song Qing added. "Zhuqing, your disruption and takedown speed is excellent. Cai'er, your ranged attacks and adaptability are improving."
He looked towards the deepening twilight of the core region. "We've made good progress. We'll set up camp soon. Rest. Tomorrow, we venture closer to the true heart of the North. The challenges will increase significantly from here."
The promise of greater danger, and greater rewards, hung in the frigid air.