Ice Begins to Take Shape

The python gallbladder entered his stomach, and its violent energy instantly exploded inside Fang Yan's body.

This force was far more turbulent than the breakthrough pill's energy. Half of it was water-element energy, cold enough to pierce the bones, while the other half was domineering, ferocious poison-element energy. The two utterly different forces crashed and tore through Fang Yan's meridians, making him tremble all over as cold sweat instantly soaked his clothes.

"Stay steady!"

Fang Yan clenched his teeth, endured the excruciating pain, and circulated the Ice Soul Art with all his strength to guide the energy. Threads of pure ice-element internal force flowed like trickling streams, attempting to wrap around and tame the two wild-horse-like energies.

However, the python gallbladder's energy was simply too immense. The moment the internal force of the Ice Soul Art came into contact with it, it was blasted to pieces. Fine cracks began appearing in Fang Yan's meridians. If this continued, his meridians would likely shatter completely, and his body would explode.

At this critical juncture, the cultivation formula of the Profound Ice Force suddenly flashed through his mind.

"...Use ice as the medium, force as the guide, fuse the cold of all things, condense Profound Ice True Qi..."

A daring thought rose in his heart.

He no longer stubbornly tried to use the Ice Soul Art to resist head-on. Instead, he separated out a thread of feeble internal force and circulated it according to the first layer of the Profound Ice Force. This thread of internal force was like a seed, struggling to take root and sprout amid the raging torrent of energy.

A miracle happened.

When the internal force of the Profound Ice Force began circulating, the frigid water-element energy seemed to have found a home and started gathering toward it of its own accord. The two fused together, forming a new internal force that was more condensed and even more sinisterly cold than the internal force of the Ice Soul Art—Profound Ice True Qi!

The Profound Ice True Qi had only just formed, yet its might was astonishing. Like the sharpest ice blade, it easily sliced through the entanglement of the poison-element energy. At the same time, it was like a gentle vessel, gradually wrapping around and purifying the violent poison-element energy.

Inside Fang Yan's dantian, his original Ice Soul internal force and the newly formed Profound Ice True Qi revolved together. They remained clearly distinct, yet faintly showed a trend of complementing each other. He could clearly feel the total amount of his internal force rapidly increasing, while his meridians were being widened and strengthened under the nourishment of the Profound Ice True Qi.

No one knew how much time had passed. When the final strand of poison-element energy had been thoroughly purified and absorbed by the Profound Ice True Qi, Fang Yan slowly opened his eyes.

A trace of extremely faint ice-blue light flashed deep within his eyes before vanishing. He clenched his fist, and a feeling of power far more majestic and bone-chilling than before surged from within him.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on consuming the Misty Giant Python Gallbladder. Your internal force has increased substantially!]

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully cultivating the first layer of the Profound Ice Force. The nature of your internal force has transformed, generating "Profound Ice True Qi"!]

[Ding! Congratulations, Host, on successfully fusing poison-element energy. You have obtained the passive talent: Miasma Resistance (Beginner)!]

[Current Status: Martial Master Early-stage Peak]

[Qi and Blood: 4.8]

[Internal Force: Profound Ice True Qi (Pure)]

[Cultivation Techniques: Ice Soul Art (Third Layer), Profound Ice Force (First Layer), Great Desolation Prison Heaven Finger (Second Layer)]

[Talent: Miasma Resistance (Beginner)]

"Martial Master Early-stage Peak, 4.8 qi and blood, and I even obtained Miasma Resistance!" Fang Yan was wild with joy.

The gains from consuming the python gallbladder far exceeded his expectations. Not only had his strength greatly increased, bringing him just one step away from the Martial Master Mid-stage, but he had also unexpectedly mastered the Profound Ice Force and obtained a new talent.

He rose to his feet and stretched his limbs. His bones crackled sharply. He could clearly feel that his senses had grown keener—even the faint moisture in the surrounding air could be distinctly perceived.

"Let's try out this new power."

Fang Yan walked to the center of the dormitory, inhaled deeply, circulated the Profound Ice Force, and poured the Profound Ice True Qi into the Ink Ice Spear.

Buzz!

The Ink Ice Spear let out a deep hum, and its shaft was instantly covered by a thick layer of profound ice, radiating an intimidating chill. Fine icicles even condensed at the spearhead.

"Ice Dragon Roar—Profound Ice Version!"

He gave a low shout and thrust out his spear.

Unlike before, the ice dragon phantom that formed this time was no longer a translucent pale blue. Instead, it had become substantial, dark-blue profound ice. The ice dragon roared as it surged out, freezing the air wherever it passed and leaving a deep trail of ice across the ground.

"Its power has increased by at least thirty percent!" Fang Yan nodded in satisfaction.

Just then, someone knocked on the dormitory door.

"Fang Yan, open up! I heard you came back from the Scripture Repository. How was it? Did you choose a good cultivation technique?" Chu Feng's voice came from outside.

Fang Yan put away the Ink Ice Spear and opened the door. Chu Feng entered excitedly, holding a jade bottle in his hand.

"I broke through!" Chu Feng raised the jade bottle. "That Intermediate Qi and Blood Pill really worked. I'm already at the Martial Master Early-stage Peak!"

"Congratulations." Fang Yan smiled. "I had quite a few gains myself."

He briefly recounted what had happened to him in the Scripture Repository, as well as how he had consumed the python gallbladder and broken through.

"What? Not only did you choose the Earth-tier Low Grade Profound Ice Force, you also obtained Miasma Resistance?" Chu Feng's eyes widened, his face full of envy. "Your luck is way too good! By the way, that Li Hao you encountered is one of the special-admission students in our year. He's very strong, so you'd better be careful around him in the future."

"I understand." Fang Yan nodded. He had never taken Li Hao seriously. Strength was the ultimate truth. As long as he was strong enough, other people's provocations were not worth mentioning.

"By the way, the school announced that the year-level Martial Arts Competition will be held next weekend. The top three will receive generous rewards, and they'll also have a chance to represent the school in the National Collegiate Martial Dao League," Chu Feng said. "Shall we sign up together? It'll be just the thing to test our strength."

"Sure." Fang Yan's eyes lit up. "That's exactly what I had in mind."

He had been looking for a chance to gain some real combat experience with his new power, and the year-level Martial Arts Competition was undoubtedly the best stage.

"Then I'll go back and prepare. See you at the arena!" Chu Feng said before leaving excitedly.

Fang Yan closed the door, and his gaze sharpened.

Li Hao, the Martial Arts Competition, the national league...

One challenge after another unfolded before him. He clenched his fists, his heart filled with fighting spirit.

"Martial Master Mid-stage, here I come!"