On the second day after breaking through to the fourth level of Qi Refining, Bai Qingxue was practicing her techniques beneath the old plum tree in the courtyard when a sudden knock sounded at the gate.
“Junior Sister Bai, Elder Liu wants you to go to the main hall,” a voice called from outside. It was the senior sister from before.
Bai Qingxue gave a word of acknowledgement, tidied her robes, and headed up the stone steps toward the mountain peak.
Late spring on Xueji Peak was still cold. Lingering snow hung from the withered branches lining the stone steps, and with every gust of mountain wind, fine flecks of snow fell with a rustling sound.
Inside a side chamber of the main hall, Liu Ningshuang sat at a desk, flipping through a register.
She wore frost-white Daoist robes, her expression cold and her aura restrained, making it impossible to gauge the depth of her cultivation.
Seeing Bai Qingxue enter, she closed the book and nodded slightly.
“Disciple Bai Qingxue greets Elder Liu.”
Liu Ningshuang’s gaze lingered on her for a breath. “The fourth level of Qi Refining. Faster than I expected.”
“This disciple was merely lucky.”
“Lucky?” Liu Ningshuang’s tone was flat. “Taking Ice Spirit Grass in the cold pond was no stroke of luck. The chill of that pond is such that if an ordinary disciple entered, their meridians would likely be eroded by the cold within half an hour. That you could achieve a breakthrough there proves your Ice Spirit Physique is indeed compatible with the 《Mystic Frost Heavenly Heart Art》.”
Bai Qingxue did not respond to the comment.
Immediately after, Liu Ningshuang took an object from her sleeve and placed it on the desk.
It was a silk ribbon as thin as a cicada's wing, frost-white throughout and shimmering with a faint silver light, like a strand of congealed moonlight.
“This is the Moonfrost Silk. It is refined from ice silkworm silk and supplemented with moonlight essence; it can block a full-strength strike from a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Your cultivation is still shallow, so take this for self-defense.”
Bai Qingxue looked at the Moonfrost Silk but did not immediately reach for it.
“In response to the elder, this disciple has yet to perform any great service. I do not dare accept such a generous gift.”
“You are a disciple of my Xueji Peak. Having reached the mid-stage of Qi Refining, the peak naturally provides rewards,” Liu Ningshuang said, her tone remaining flat.
“Furthermore, regarding the snow-maned wolf you hunted last time—though the monster core belongs to you, there was already a mission to kill it in the Management Hall. In that sense, it is worth a significant number of contribution points. This Moonfrost Silk can be considered an additional reward from the peak.”
Hearing this, Bai Qingxue sensibly stopped refusing and accepted the Moonfrost Silk with both hands.
The silk was soft to the touch, possessing almost no weight. When Bai Qingxue’s spiritual sense probed inside, she could perceive dense patterns of formations layered upon one another, woven into an invisible barrier.
“Thank you, Elder.”
Liu Ningshuang waved her hand, gesturing for her to sit.
“When you broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refining, your Ice Spirit power should have become capable of congealing into ice crystals. Is there anything you do not understand?”
Bai Qingxue had been intending to ask about this very matter, so she spoke frankly. “This disciple does indeed have one point of confusion. After the Ice Spirit power shifts from erosion to condensation, its power increases, but the consumption of spiritual power also grows significantly. I wish to ask if there is a more efficient way to utilize it.”
Liu Ningshuang glanced at her, appearing quite satisfied with the question.
“The essence of Ice Spirit power is extreme cold. Whether it is erosion or condensation, both are external manifestations of that chill. Your previous erosion involved seeping the chill into an opponent’s body; it consumes little but takes effect slowly. Condensation involves congealing the chill outside the body; it consumes much but takes effect quickly. Neither is superior to the other; the key is where they are applied.”
Bai Qingxue listened intently.
“Against an opponent with lower cultivation than you, condensation is enough to crush them; there is no need to waste effort. Against an opponent with higher cultivation, erosion is the correct path. By having the chill enter the body to dismantle their spiritual power circulation from the inside, the effect is often much better.” As Liu Ningshuang spoke, she tapped a finger, and a wisp of cold escaped from her fingertip, congealing in the air into a strand of ice as fine as a hair.
“Look.”
The ice thread drifted slowly through the air like a living snake.
With a slight movement of Liu Ningshuang’s finger, the ice thread suddenly scattered, transforming into countless tiny ice needles suspended in the air, their tips pointed in different directions.
“The ultimate form of condensation is not to congeal into a block of ice, but to congeal into whatever form you desire.” Liu Ningshuang withdrew her spiritual power, and the ice needles vanished. “What you can achieve now is only rudimentary condensation. Once your cultivation advances further, you can attempt to control the form of the ice crystals.”
Bai Qingxue committed these words to heart and asked further, “Can the power of erosion be actively controlled as well?”
“Naturally,” Liu Ningshuang said. “When you hunted the snow-maned wolf last time, the Ice Spirit power entered its meridians along with your spiritual power as an unconscious diffusion. If you can control it actively, you can concentrate the chill in a specific meridian or acupuncture point, multiplying its effectiveness.”
She stood up, walked over to Bai Qingxue, and reached out to take her wrist.
“I will demonstrate once. Feel it.”
An extremely fine strand of cold then probed from Liu Ningshuang’s fingertip into Bai Qingxue’s meridians. Instead of making her feel uncomfortable, it felt like a gentle guidance.
The chill moved slowly along Bai Qingxue’s meridians, lingered for a moment at a certain acupuncture point, and then dissipated.
“Did you feel it? When the chill is concentrated at a single point versus when it is scattered across an area, the effects are completely different.”
Bai Qingxue nodded. When that chill concentrated, it felt like a needle piercing an acupuncture point—sharp and precise. When it scattered, it felt like a layer of mist—soft and broad.
“Use a needle for erosion, use mist for condensation.” Liu Ningshuang withdrew her hand. “This is the most basic application. Once you reach the late stage of Qi Refining, you can learn more advanced techniques.”
“Thank you, Elder.”
Liu Ningshuang sat back down, picked up the teacup on the desk, and gently blew on the floating leaves.
“Go back. Remember to wear the Moonfrost Silk close to your body; it can save your life at a critical moment.”
“Yes.”
Bai Qingxue bowed and exited the side chamber.
The dusk grew deeper as Bai Qingxue walked down the stone steps alone.
The mountain wind poured down from the peak, making her robes snap and flutter, but Bai Qingxue seemed entirely oblivious. At this moment, Liu Ningshuang’s demonstration from earlier was replaying repeatedly in her mind.
‘Use a needle for erosion, use mist for condensation...’
Returning to her courtyard, Bai Qingxue tied the Moonfrost Silk close to her body.
The texture of the ice silkworm silk was soft and warm, feeling slightly cool against her skin. She then entered the quiet room and sat cross-legged on the stone bed.
After closing her eyes to concentrate for a moment, Bai Qingxue tried to concentrate the chill at her fingertip.
A speck of blue light ignited, and fine ice crystals instantly congealed at her fingertip, sharp as needles. Then, with a shift in her thoughts, the ice crystals immediately scattered, turning into a thin mist that enveloped her palm.
Though it was far from being as refined as Liu Ningshuang’s, it could be considered a decent start.
Bai Qingxue opened her eyes, glanced at the thin mist swirling around her palm, and then withdrew her spiritual power. She closed her eyes once more and continued her cultivation.
...
The main hall on the mountain peak.
True Lord Shuanghua sat quietly before a Go board, the black and white pieces upon it unmoved.
Liu Ningshuang pushed open the door and entered, bowing. “True Lord, the Moonfrost Silk has been given to Bai Qingxue.”
“She accepted it?”
“She did. As you instructed, True Lord, I told her it was a reward from the peak.”
True Lord Shuanghua nodded slightly, her fingers picking up a white piece and placing it gently on the board.
Liu Ningshuang stood quietly to the side without speaking.
And True Lord Shuanghua naturally had no intention of saying more, merely waving her hand.
Seeing this, Liu Ningshuang bowed and exited the main hall.
The hall doors slowly closed behind her, and Xueji Peak in the dusk fell once more into a deep silence...
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