Snow Breathing

Learning Snow Breathing was not going smoothly.

You Su grew up in the Central Yuan Continent, where the four seasons are distinct, the climate is humid, and the air is warm.

Now, in the perpetually snow-covered Northern Ao Continent, the dry and frigid air makes him very uncomfortable.

The clear weather quickly passed, and the sweeping snowstorm once again engulfed the tribe. The howling snow reminded You Su of the first time he encountered that smog demon outside Chuyun City.

You Su couldn't help but wonder: Could the entire North Pole Snowfield have been formed by the breath of a giant beast? Or, like in those ancient creation myths, was this world formed on a colossal creature?

Of course, You Su himself didn't quite believe in such absurd conjectures. But he also somewhat understood why people would have such far-fetched ideas, because there are truly too many inexplicable things in this world.

He couldn't possibly bury his head completely in the snow to breathe like the chieftain. Just breathing heavily in open spaces, the cold air mixed with snow entering his chest, felt like a blade cutting his throat. Even breathing in places with strong winds and snow was so painful, let alone learning that magical Snow Breathing.

But the clan chief simply smiled and said, "You'll get used to it."

You Su was puzzled. This was not something that could be adapted to overnight, especially for someone like him who was from out of town.

The old man didn't rush You Su, but instead found him a fur coat made of animal You Su, which made You Su Layered Wear several layers of clothes, feel much more relaxed.

"Treat breathing as simply as breathing," the old man advised You Su as his final piece of advice.

You Su was somewhat puzzled and secretly annoyed by the clan leader's deliberately mysterious manner. If there was some secret, wouldn't it be simpler to just say it directly?

But the old man's attitude was also clear: he had said all he wanted to say.

Before he can truly learn Snow Breathing, adapting to the environment is the primary task, and no one can help him with that.

The other members of the tribe cast questioning glances at You Su, beginning to doubt whether he truly had the ability to lead them back to the Divine Radiance Stone and wash away their sins.

If they hadn't truly had no other choice, perhaps they wouldn't have chosen him... You Su thought to herself.

But You Su was not discouraged; he was never one to live by the whims of others.

Even now, he's not entirely sure about his current cultivation level, but he's certain that he's definitely not at the Water Condensing Lower Realm.

However, he probably hasn't reached the Feather Transformation Realm yet; he's probably at the Water Condensing Upper Realm.

You Su guessed in his heart, but there were no particularly obvious differences between the lower, middle and upper stages of the Condensation Water Realm. However, You Su was certain that he was much stronger than when he Water Condensing Lower Realm.

Having absorbed so much evil power, these improvements are to be expected...

That night, the surging army of Evil Puppet obeyed his commands. At that moment, he truly felt like an omnipotent god. Little did You Su know that his performance that night had already stirred up a storm across the Five Continents.

No wonder Lord Ash kept warning me not to be greedy for that power; anyone would become addicted and unable to extricate themselves... You Su was still shaken.

He then remembered that he still carried the Xuanji Token, which hadn't vibrated in a long time. Even the most powerful communication Law Treasure couldn't ignore distance limitations; it seemed the Purification Sect's influence hadn't yet extended to this distant Arctic.

Thinking of Lord Ash, You Su also thought of He Kongyue, who was in seclusion. He had promised to take care of He Kongyue's father, but now he was unable to do so.

You Su felt deeply guilty. In fact, he had acted willfully and taken control of his own destiny this time, and he probably owed a lot to many people. He could only make it up to them slowly in the future...

You Su took a deep breath of cold air, a sharp pain shooting through his throat, which snapped him out of his guilt and focused him on the task at hand.

The long daylight vanished, replaced by an eternal, silent night.

You Su really felt that the night in the Arctic was darker than that in the Central Yuan Continent. Of course, this might be his illusion, because in the Central Yuan Continent, there were lights everywhere, and the sky always had a hazy, gray feel, as if it was about to darken.

Here, without the interference of other light sources, the stars and moon shine as brightly as the sea, making the night even darker.

From the moment he climbed ashore from the edge of the glacier, it was the first time You Su had ever seen such natural scenery, even though he had walked alone in the snow for so long.

He wasn't an impatient person, but the twists and turns of fate seemed to have changed him. He desperately wanted to understand the enigmatic destiny behind him, desperately wanted to return to the side of his beloved, but in the end, he seemed to have forgotten the very reason he once longed to regain his sight—

He wanted to see the world for himself.

A dazzling light ripped through the night sky—it was the aurora borealis. Like dancing ribbons, they swayed gracefully against the dark backdrop. Green, purple, and blue intertwined, creating a flowing, breathtakingly beautiful spectacle.

On the ground, the thick snow reflected the aurora borealis, bathing the entire snowfield in a mysterious and beautiful glow. Snowflakes drifted in the air, creating a beautiful contrast with the aurora, while distant mountains appeared and disappeared in the night.

You Su felt much more relaxed. He took a deep breath and tried again, but the result was still unsatisfactory. He coughed violently again, and his breath condensed into white mist in the cold air before quickly dissipating.

"Is the Great God practicing Snow Breathing?"

A sweet, charming voice rang out. You Su turned her head and saw Xiao Lu dressed in a very warm outfit, its two bright eyes staring blankly at her.

"Mm." You Su nodded gently.

Xiao Lu suddenly covered her mouth and laughed, "I thought the Great God knew everything."

It seems the girl witnessed You Su's embarrassing coughing fit.

"To laugh at someone's shortcomings while using one's own strengths is absolutely not the behavior of a gentleman." You Su seemed to also feel that he had lost face, and he lectured the girl.

The girl stopped smiling after hearing this and dared not laugh anymore.

Looking at the frail little girl, You Su felt a pang of pity. He knew that Xiao Lu's life had been bought with the lives of her grandparents, and that Xiao Lu should know that her days were numbered.

Guilt, urgency, and despair—these negative emotions are undoubtedly cruel to a vibrant life. An elderly person in their twilight years can face death with equanimity, but the Xiao Lu, just beginning its journey through this world, is told it is forbidden to go.

To his surprise, the Xiao Lu did not become despondent after running away during the day. She now seemed to have regained her vitality, as if she had forgotten that her death was imminent.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" You Su said softly.

Xiao Lu knew You Su was referring to the aurora borealis on the North Pole Snowfield. The girl smiled slightly, "Yes, it's beautiful!"

Her smile, like the aurora borealis on the snowfield, was pure and beautiful, warming You Su's heart.

"Do you often watch the aurora here alone?" You Su asked.

The Xiao Lu shook its head. "Even here, the aurora is a rare sight; you only get to see it if you're very lucky."

"Looks like we're not having bad luck today."

You Su was much gentler, as if he had shed the ice and snow that covered him and returned to being the boy from the Central Yuan Continent.

That's life; sometimes you're lucky, sometimes you're unlucky. Just take it easy and cherish what you have, and that's enough.

You Su wasn't much older than Xiao Lu, but having experienced a lot, he still acted like an experienced person in front of Xiao Lu, hoping to help the girl resolve some of her inner conflicts.

The Xiao Lu remained silent, nodded, and softly hummed in agreement.

"My parents apologized to me. They regretted agreeing to send me to the Evil Demon ... Actually, I don't know if I should be angry with them, but I know they love me, and I love them too, and that's enough."

Upon hearing this, You Su felt a pang of sympathy; the girl's understanding and strength moved him deeply.

You Su gently patted the girl's head and said softly, "Don't be too sensible, or you'll live a very tiring life."

The Xiao Lu did not respond.

She sat on the snow reflecting the aurora borealis, watching the ever-changing aurora in the sky with You Su.

You Su simply sat down, deciding to calm himself down. Although he seemed to be constantly walking through the ice and snow, his heart had actually been restless.

He and the Xiao Lu sat side by side on the snow, watching the ever-changing aurora in the sky, and the two began to chat. The Xiao Lu told You Su about interesting things in the tribe, such as whose sled was the fastest, whose prey was the biggest, and whose children were the naughtiest. You Su listened attentively, occasionally interjecting a word or two, with a faint smile on his face.

Although Xiao Lu lived in this remote and impoverished tribe, without books or other means of acquiring knowledge, she did not become numb. Instead, she developed a stronger interest in the world, and You Su, an outsider, became the biggest outlet for satisfying her curiosity.

"Great God, where are you from?" Xiao Lu asked curiously.

"I come from a very far place," You Su replied.

He tried to correct the girl's use of the term "Great God," but failed.

"How far?" the Xiao Lu pressed.

"It's farther than you think." You Su smiled, pointing to the brightest stars in the sky. "You'd have to travel tens of thousands of miles in that direction and cross an endless sea to get there."

"That's too far... By the time you get home, won't you be old?"

The Xiao Lu's imagination was limited by her environment; she couldn't fathom exactly how long such a distance was, but she was still awestruck by it.

Looking at the Xiao Lu's innocent and carefree appearance, You Su was filled with emotion. He knew that although the Xiao Lu's life was short, she possessed a hope and optimism that were more precious than many others.

"Won't."

You Su shook his head, deciding to give the girl a beautiful fantasy:

"In a faraway place, time moves very slowly. By the time I get home, perhaps only a day has passed."

He followed the Xiao Lu's words and made up a story about immortality. In the story, people lived in a place where it was spring all year round, where they didn't have to worry about food or the cold, and they could live forever.

The Xiao Lu listened intently, her eyes filled with longing. She exclaimed in amazement every now and then, asking questions about the details of the story. You Su patiently answered her questions, and looking into the Xiao Lu's sparkling eyes, a warmth welled up in his heart. He knew that this story might be one of the few beautiful solaces in the girl's short life.

After telling the story, it was already quite late. The aurora borealis gradually faded, and the night sky returned to its deep black.

The Xiao Lu had actually fallen asleep leaning on You Su's shoulder. The girl's breathing was even, and her long eyelashes cast a faint shadow on her face.

A couple had been waiting behind the two of them for a while. They carried their sleeping daughter away, their eyes filled with gratitude as they looked at You Su.

"Thank you, Immortal Master You Su," the girl's father said softly, carefully picking up the Xiao Lu from You Su's side. The woman then took a thick animal hide from the ice house and gently covered the Xiao Lu with it.

You Su nodded, turned around, and went into his tent.

Before entering, he watched the aurora borealis dissipate and the night deepen, feeling the air in his nostrils no longer so cold. He knew he had probably grasped the basics of Snow Breathing.

The clan chief's earlier statement about breathing being "as simple as breathing" was not meant to be mysterious. Breathing that is too deliberate is not true breathing; true breathing should be something you can't feel.

You Su sat with Xiao Lu in the snow, emptying his mind and feeling the tranquility of the world, which allowed him to capture the true meaning of the Snow Breathing.

The next morning, You Su took the initiative to find the clan leader. The frigid air no longer affected him; he could even feel the subtle energy flow in the air.

No wonder it is said that mastering the Snow Breathing not only allows one to survive in snowstorms, but also to transform the snow into power. The Mystic Qi within these snow gaps is weak, yet as pure as snow itself.

"As simple as breathing." You Su smiled meaningfully, and then began her demonstration.

He took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. The breath he exhaled did not turn into white mist, but quickly dissipated into the air, just like the clan chief's demonstration last night.

The cold air is inhaled and then exhaled without taking away the body's heat, which is why it doesn't turn into mist in the air. This is the next key step in Snow Breathing, and You Su has mastered it without any instruction.

The clan chief looked at You Su, his eyes filled with surprise and joy. He had originally thought that You Su would need more time to master the basics, but he hadn't expected that he would have grasped the knack in just one night.

"That's wonderful, Immortal Master You! You are truly a genius!" the clan chief said excitedly, rubbing his hands together and a long-lost smile appearing on his face.

After mastering the knack, You Su's learning of Snow Breathing became increasingly effortless. His rapid progress astonished his tribesmen, who were amazed by his Celestial Person. They looked at You Su with eyes full of admiration and hope.

The clan chief secretly thought to himself that perhaps he had truly trusted the right person.

This young man not only possesses strength far exceeding his outward appearance, but also extraordinary comprehension and perseverance.

Over the next few days, You Su continued to practice Snow Breathing and learned from the clan chief how to orient oneself in blizzards and how to survive in extremely cold environments. The clan chief generously shared his life's experience with You Su.

The nights grew shorter and shorter until one day, darkness never came again.

The Polar Day has arrived in the Arctic.