Victory bred hope. Weak children once too afraid to be mocked now came eagerly to Tian's training ground. From a dozen, numbers swelled past twenty. Even some adults hesitant for years joined at night, shy yet curious.
Tian welcomed all. His Frost Manual grew thicker with refinements from testing against Stonefang. He added notes of battlefield applications:
Frost patches to stagger footing.
Controlled aura bursts to confuse opponents.
Layered breathing for group synergy.
"Even if you have little," he told them, "when used together as snow, you become avalanche."
Villagers took his words seriously. Groups practiced nightly, forming what soon resembled a small militia. And slowly even hunters previously dismissive began to learn.
In just months, Coldwater's weakest had transformed. Though still no match for great clans, within the village hearts burned with newfound pride. People began murmuring: "Leng Tian may one day become our chief."
Yuexin only watched him silently, eyes filled with proud tears. She knew: this man who had once been mocked stood now as the pillar.
🔥 End of Chapter 25