Frost Wind Dragon Valley

The day of departure was overcast, with leaden clouds pressing low and a damp chill in the air. Grandmaster stood at the academy gates, stuffing the last of the supplies into his backpack—cold-repelling medicine, hemostatic bandages, antidotes, and rations, each item wrapped in oiled paper and labeled with its use and dosage.

"Dragon Valley in the Star Dou Forest is deep within the core region, thirty li further than the Thunder Marsh," Grandmaster unfolded a map. "From here, it takes a day and a half at full speed. But with the three of you, it'll take at least two days."

"The three of us?" Lin Mo looked at Tang San and Xiao Wu.

"This isn't a solo act for you this time," Grandmaster said expressionlessly. "Tang San needs combat experience, and Xiao Wu needs to hone her coordination. Besides, a Frost Wind Dragon is not comparable to a Thunder Dragon Python—true dragons have intelligence and tactics. You going alone would be suicide."

Tang San emerged with his pack slung over his shoulders, several throwing knives at his waist, and his sleeve arrows already loaded. His Blue Silver Grass had gained poison and toughness after absorbing the Mandala Snake's spirit ring, but its control was still insufficient against a true dragon-level opponent.

"I've prepared Ghost Vine seeds," Tang San said. "If we encounter danger, we can use Blue Silver Grass to sprout the Ghost Vines and create temporary traps."

Grandmaster nodded. "Clever. Ghost Vine is five times tougher than Blue Silver Grass and more poisonous. While it's not enough to deal with a Frost Wind Dragon, it's enough to buy time."

Xiao Wu came out last, dressed in neat short attire, her hair tied in a ponytail, looking spirited. "Finally, I get to go on a trip! I was suffocating in the academy!"

"Don't celebrate too early," Grandmaster poured cold water. "The spirit beasts in Dragon Valley are at least thousand-year-olds, and ten-thousand-year-olds are not uncommon. The three of you combined would be mere appetizers against a ten-thousand-year spirit beast."

Xiao Wu stuck out her tongue, but her eyes became serious.

The four set off. Grandmaster led the way, with Lin Mo bringing up the rear. Tang San and Xiao Wu were in the middle, responsible for guarding the flanks. The formation was designed by Grandmaster—in areas dense with spirit beasts, this diamond formation maximized their field of vision.

Leaving Nuoding City, they headed north. The fields along the official road gradually turned into wasteland, then into bushes, and finally into a primeval forest that blotted out the sky.

The Star Dou Forest.

Standing at the forest's edge again, Lin Mo felt completely different. The first time he came, he was a Soul Grand Master at level twenty, struggling against thousand-year spirit beasts. Now he was a Soul Elder at level forty, with three thousand-year spirit rings in hand, and the Chaos Dragon Mastiff had evolved into its three-attribute form. The pressure from this forest had lessened considerably, but the auras from the depths—the auras of ten-thousand-year spirit beasts—still made him instinctively vigilant.

"Enter the forest," Grandmaster waved.

The figures of the four disappeared into the shade of the trees.

The light in the forest was half as dim as outside, the air humid and stuffy, and the ground was covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves that felt soft underfoot. Grandmaster walked at a steady pace, his compass occasionally adjusting their direction.

"Grandmaster, have you been to the Star Dou Forest before?" Xiao Wu asked.

"Many times," Grandmaster replied. "But always in the outer regions. I've only been to the core region once, twenty years ago."

"What happened that time?"

Grandmaster was silent for a moment. "I almost died."

Xiao Wu stopped asking.

After walking for four hours, the sky began to darken. Grandmaster found a wind-sheltered cave for the night. The cave wasn't deep but was large enough to accommodate the four of them. He sprinkled a circle of Beast-Repelling Powder around the entrance—a powder that could mask human scent and was effective against spirit beasts below thousand-year level.

"We'll take turns keeping watch tonight," Grandmaster said. "Lin Mo, you take the first half; Tang San, the second half. Xiao Wu, you rest."

Xiao Wu wanted to say something but was silenced by a look from Grandmaster.

Deep into the night, only the crackling of the campfire could be heard in the cave. Tang San and Xiao Wu were asleep. Grandmaster sat leaning against the cave entrance, holding a notebook and sketching.

Lin Mo sat by the campfire, eyes closed, cultivating. His soul power circulated within his body, and the energies of the three attributes flowed through his meridians, much smoother than before. After reaching 81% fusion, the conflict between Earth Fire and Thunder had decreased by nearly half, and the efficiency of circulation had increased by nearly twenty percent.

"Grandmaster," Lin Mo opened his eyes. "Tell me about the Frost Wind Dragon again."

Grandmaster closed his notebook. "The Frost Wind Dragon is a true dragon with ice and wind attributes. It's eight to ten meters long with a fifteen-meter wingspan. Its scales are ice-blue, perpetually covered in a layer of frost. It has three attack methods—Frost Breath, with a range of thirty meters and a temperature of minus fifty degrees Celsius, capable of instantly freezing ordinary soul masters; Wind Blade, released from its wings, sharp enough to cut through armor; and in close combat, it uses its claws and tail, with strength enough to shatter boulders."

"Weaknesses?"

"Its eyes and abdomen. The scales on the Frost Wind Dragon's abdomen are the thinnest, making it the weakest point in its defense. However, its abdomen is close to the ground, and it rarely exposes it while flying. Its eyes are another weakness, but its reaction speed is extremely fast, making it very difficult to hit them."

Lin Mo pondered. "If we can restrict its flight ability, our chances will be much higher."

"Yes. That's why Tang San's Ghost Vine is important." Grandmaster looked at the sleeping Tang San. "If he can entangle the Frost Wind Dragon's wings with the Ghost Vine, your opportunity will arise."

"But can the Ghost Vine withstand the Frost Wind Dragon's struggles?"

"No," Grandmaster said. "At most three seconds. Within those three seconds, you must inflict a fatal blow."

Three seconds.

Lin Mo took a deep breath. The last time he dealt with the Thunder Dragon Python, he had eight breaths of burst time and took nearly a minute to win. This time, he only had three seconds.

"It's enough," he said.

Grandmaster glanced at him but said nothing.

The next morning, the four continued deeper into the forest.

The further they went into the core region, the harsher the environment became. The trees grew sparser, and frost began to appear on the ground—white frost coated the grass blades, and the earth was frozen hard. The temperature in the air plummeted, and white mist could be seen when they breathed.

"We're almost there," Grandmaster pointed ahead. "Cross the ridge in front, and that's Dragon Valley."

The four climbed to the mountaintop and peered down from behind the rocks—

Dragon Valley was much larger than imagined.

It was a narrow, elongated valley with steep cliffs on both sides and a frozen river at the bottom. In the center of the valley was an open area, littered with enormous bones—the remains of the dragon race's prey. A faint mist hung in the air, carrying the chill of frost.

The Frost Wind Dragon was not in the valley.

"Gone out to hunt," Grandmaster observed for a while. "True dragons have strong territorial instincts. They go out hunting during the day and return in the evening. We have half a day to prepare."

The four descended to the valley floor, and Grandmaster began to lay out the strategy.

"Tang San, plant the Ghost Vine seeds on both sides of the valley entrance. When the Frost Wind Dragon returns, detonate the seeds as it flies over the entrance to entangle its wings. Remember, you only have one chance."

Tang San nodded and began the preparations.

"Xiao Wu, hide behind the rock at the valley entrance. If Tang San's Ghost Vine fails to fully restrain the Frost Wind Dragon, use your Waist Bow to finish it off—aim for the base of its tail. That is its center of balance; injure the tail and it won't be able to fly steadily."

Xiao Wu rubbed her hands together, eager for the fight: "Understood!"

"Lin Mo, you are to lie in ambush beneath the ice at the valley floor." Grandmaster pointed to the ground at the entrance. "There is a thick layer of ice there. I will use a fire-attribute Soul Tool to melt a hole for you to hide in. Once the Frost Wind Dragon is entangled by the Ghost Vine, launch a surprise attack from below and strike straight for its belly."

Lin Mo glanced at the ice—it was at least half a meter thick. Visibility would be extremely low inside, and he would have to rely entirely on soul power perception to locate his target. Furthermore, the temperature beneath the ice was freezing; prolonged concealment would lead to frostbite.

"I can endure it," he said.

Grandmaster said nothing more, taking a red, fist-sized orb from his pack—a fire-attribute Soul Tool that could release high heat when infused with soul power. He placed the orb on the ice and slowly channeled his energy. The ice began to melt, and soon a pit two meters deep and one meter wide appeared.

Lin Mo jumped into the pit, and after Grandmaster drained the melted ice water, he covered the opening with a thin layer of ice as camouflage. The pit was cold and damp, and Lin Mo felt his body temperature dropping rapidly.

"Be patient," Grandmaster said. "It won't return until dusk; you must stay in the ice for at least four hours."

Four hours.

Lin Mo closed his eyes, accelerating the circulation of his soul power to maintain his body temperature. Three types of elemental energy flowed within him: the power of Earth Fire provided heat, while the power of Thunder stimulated his blood circulation, barely allowing him to resist the cold.

Time ticked away, second by second.

The sun sank in the west, and the sky grew dim. A wind picked up in the valley, carrying a bone-chilling cold.

Then, a black dot appeared on the horizon.

The dot grew larger, accompanied by a whistling wind—the Frost Wind Dragon had returned.

Lin Mo watched it through the thin ice. Its ice-blue scales shimmered with a cold light in the sunset, its wingspan blotting out the sky, each flap whipping up a gale. It held the carcass of an Iron-Armored Rhino in its mouth, the beast looking like a mere toy.

The Frost Wind Dragon descended, flying toward the valley entrance.

Now!

Tang San detonated the Ghost Vine seeds. The ground on both sides of the entrance exploded, and dozens of arm-thick vines grew wildly, lashing out like snakes toward the Frost Wind Dragon's wings!

The Frost Wind Dragon reacted with lightning speed. It dropped the Iron-Armored Rhino and beat its wings violently, attempting to break free. But the toughness of the Ghost Vine far exceeded that of ordinary plants; the barbs on the vines pierced the gaps between its scales, binding it tight.

One second.

The Frost Wind Dragon roared, its frost power erupting! The surface of the Ghost Vines instantly froze, turning brittle. With another beat of its wings, the ice crystals shattered, and most of the vines snapped.

Two seconds.

Xiao Wu sprang from behind the rock, her legs clamping onto the base of the Frost Wind Dragon's tail. She unleashed her Waist Bow with full force—crack! The tail joint was wrenched out of place. The Frost Wind Dragon howled in pain, its body tilting, and the rhythm of its wing beats faltered.

Three seconds.

Lin Mo burst through the ice!

Dragon Mastiff Fury activated instantly! All attributes surged by 80%, and a dark golden shockwave exploded, shattering the ice layer into dust. He adjusted his posture in mid-air, and three colors of light ignited on his right claw simultaneously—dark gold, crimson, and blue-violet. At this moment, he forcibly fused the energy of all three attributes!

Dragon Claw: Void Breaker, unleashed at full power!

It was not a light blade, nor five light blades—it was a tri-colored energy sphere, a final strike that condensed the absolute limit of his soul power!

The energy sphere slammed into the weakest scales on the Frost Wind Dragon's belly—BOOM!

The ice-blue scales shattered, flesh and blood flew, and a basin-sized hole was blasted into the dragon's abdomen! Ice-blue blood gushed out like a fountain, exposing its internal organs.

The Frost Wind Dragon let out a dying wail, flipped half a turn in the air, and crashed heavily onto the valley floor. The ice shattered, and mud splattered everywhere. It struggled to take flight, but its wings had lost their strength, leaving it only to thrash on the ground.

Lin Mo landed and dropped to one knee, gasping for air. That last strike had exhausted most of his soul power, and the backlash from forcibly fusing the three attributes caused his meridians to ache as if they were being sliced by knives.

"Finish it!" Grandmaster shouted.

Tang San's Blue Silver Grass surged from the ground, wrapping around the Frost Wind Dragon's neck. Xiao Wu flipped onto the dragon's back, clamped her legs around its head, and exerted force from her waist and abdomen—crack! The sound of the cervical spine snapping was as clear as a dry branch breaking.

The Frost Wind Dragon twitched one last time and went still.

An ice-blue soul ring rose from the corpse, so dense it looked like solidified ice crystals—three thousand five hundred years.

"We did it..." Xiao Wu jumped off the dragon's back, her legs slightly weak.

Tang San exhaled in relief and retracted his Blue Silver Grass.

Lin Mo walked to the soul ring and sat cross-legged. Without hesitation, he guided the soul ring into his body.

The moment the 3,500-year soul ring entered his body, Lin Mo felt as if he were about to freeze solid!

The ice-attribute energy surged into him like a tidal wave, colliding with the powers of Earth Fire and Thunder. The conflict between the three attributes reached its peak—Earth Fire and Frost were natural enemies, and the Thunder only added fuel to the fire. His meridians felt as if they were being carved by three different blades, the pain so intense he nearly fainted.

Three colors flickered across his skin—crimson, ice-blue, and blue-violet—flashing alternately like a broken light. His body temperature swung wildly, one moment steaming with heat, the next coated in frost.

The system notifications flashed frantically:

[Absorbing Frost Wind Dragon soul ring... 3,500 years...]
[Warning! Attribute conflict reaching critical threshold! Body temperature out of control! Meridian damage rate 37%... 42%...]
[Resonance with Dragon God Crystal Fragment detected! Consume 500 Evolution Points to trigger trace absorption of the Dragon God Crystal?]
[Note: Trace absorption will not break the level 50 limit, but can temporarily harmonize attribute conflict.]

"Consume! Consume immediately!"

500 Evolution Points were deducted instantly. The Dragon God Crystal Fragment in his inventory vibrated, releasing a faint wisp of dark golden energy. This energy traveled along Lin Mo's meridians, acting like a thread that strung the three elemental energies together—not fusing them, but forcing them into equilibrium. Bound by this "thread," the three energies no longer clashed, instead flowing along a fixed track.

[Attribute conflict temporarily harmonized, meridian damage halted.]

[Trace amounts of Dragon God Crystal Fragment absorbed (1%/100%)]

[Soul Ring absorption continuing...]

One hour later, the soul ring was completely absorbed.

Lin Mo opened his eyes, and four soul rings rose beneath his feet—purple, purple, purple, purple.

Four thousand-year soul rings!

[Fourth Soul Ring successfully acquired]

[Soul Power Level: 42]

[Martial Soul Evolution progress: 65% → 78%]

[New Soul Skill: Frost Wind Dragon Wings—Condense wings of frost to gain temporary flight (duration: 30 breaths); all attributes increased by 20% during flight]

[Evolution Form: Three-Attribute Form upgrading...]

[Chaos Dragon Mastiff: Three-Attribute Form → Chaos Dragon Mastiff: Four-Attribute Form (Earth Fire + Thunder + Frost)]

[New Passive: Four Symbols Circulation—The four attributes circulate automatically within the body; soul power recovery speed increased by 30%, and all-around attribute resistance improved]

[New Active: Four Symbols Breath—Can switch between releasing Earth Fire, Thunder, Frost, or a mixed breath; the power of the mixed four-attribute breath is increased by 200%, but consumption triples and it causes damage to the meridians]

Lin Mo stood up, feeling the earth-shattering changes within his body.

The energy of the four attributes flowed through his meridians, constrained by the trace power of the Dragon God Crystal. Although they still clashed, they no longer caused severe damage. His soul power recovery speed had clearly increased, and his resistance to the four attributes had strengthened significantly—he now possessed a certain degree of immunity to fire, thunder, and ice attacks.

"Success." Grandmaster walked over and checked his physical condition. "There is damage to your meridians, but it is not severe. You will recover after half a month of rest."

"The trace absorption of the Dragon God Crystal has temporarily suppressed the attribute conflict," Lin Mo said. "But it is only temporary. To solve the problem completely, I must fully absorb the Dragon God Crystal at level fifty."

Grandmaster nodded. "Therefore, your primary task for the next two years is to increase your soul power while searching for rare treasures that can harmonize attributes. You cannot pin all your hopes on the Dragon God Crystal—in case of failure, you need a backup plan."

"What backup plan?"

"The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well," Grandmaster said. "It is a legendary place where countless rare treasures grow. If you can find it, there might be herbs capable of harmonizing your attributes."

The Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well.

Lin Mo's heart skipped a beat. That was the place where Tang San found immortal herbs in the original story, Dugu Bo's medicinal garden. According to the timeline, Dugu Bo should have already claimed it as his own, but he had not yet encountered Tang San.

"Do you know where it is?" Lin Mo asked.

"I do not," Grandmaster shook his head. "I have only heard of it. That place is occupied by a Titled Douluo; it is not something we can touch."

Lin Mo did not ask further. Now was not the time to go to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well—his strength was insufficient, and going there would be suicide. Once he reached level fifty and absorbed the Dragon God Crystal, he would consider this matter.

The four of them packed up the battlefield, preparing for the return journey.

Lin Mo cut off several scales and a claw bone from the Frost Wind Dragon—these items could fetch a high price on the market. He could not handle the soul beast's carcass; the twenty-meter-long dragon corpse would have to be left for other soul beasts in the forest.

"Hurry," Grandmaster urged. "The scent of blood will attract other soul beasts."

The four of them accelerated their departure from Dragon Valley, exiting the core area before dawn.

On the way back, the system popped up a new notification:

[Fourth Soul Ring hunt completed, rewarded with Evolution Points ×300]

[Current Evolution Points: 1240]

[Time remaining for the first stage of Legacy of the Dragon God: 2 years and 7 months]

[Martial Soul Fusion Rate: 78% (Fusion rate temporarily decreased under Four-Attribute Form; requires time to adapt)]

[New temporary task: Adapt to the Four-Attribute Form]

[Requirement: Increase the Four-Attribute fusion rate to over 70% within one month]

[Reward: Evolution Points ×200, Skill Enhancement Stone ×1]

The fusion rate of the Four-Attribute Form was only 78%—lower than the 81% of the Three-Attribute Form. This was because the power of frost had just been added and had not yet formed a stable cycle with the other three attributes. Although the trace power of the Dragon God Crystal had temporarily suppressed the conflict, true fusion would take time.

It was noon on the third day when they returned to Nuoding City.

Grandmaster told Lin Mo to return to the dormitory to rest, while he went to find someone to process the Frost Wind Dragon's scales and claw bone. "These materials can be crafted into defensive gear and weapons, which will be a significant boost to your combat power."

Lin Mo lay on his bed and closed his eyes.

The four soul rings rotated slowly within his body, and the energy of the four attributes flowed through his meridians. He could feel the conflict between them—Earth Fire and Frost were mortal enemies that would explode upon contact; Thunder fanned the flames in between; the Chaos power barely maintained a balance, but it was struggling.

"It takes time," he muttered to himself. "And it takes more real combat."

At the Soto Great Soul Arena in a month's time, he would continue to compete under the identity of "Dragon Mastiff." The Four-Attribute Form needed real combat to be honed, and the soul arena was the best whetstone.

Outside the window, Tang Hao's figure appeared once again.

This time he wasn't carrying a wine bottle; he held a cloth bundle in his hand.

"Catch." He tossed the bundle inside.

Lin Mo caught it and opened it—it was a piece of dark red metal, the size of a fist, with fine patterns on the surface and scorching hot to the touch.

"Thunder-Pattern Steel," Tang Hao said. "Didn't your inner armor break? Use this to have it reforged. It can withstand a full-force blow from a ten-thousand-year soul beast."

Lin Mo gripped the Thunder-Pattern Steel, feeling the heat radiating into his palm. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Tang Hao turned away. "If you want to thank someone, thank Grandmaster. It was he who entrusted me to find these materials."

The man was gone.

Lin Mo looked at the Thunder-Pattern Steel in his hands, remaining silent for a long time.

Grandmaster... that man with the icy exterior did things more thoughtfully than anyone else. When the Thunder-Resistant Inner Armor shattered, he had sought out Tang Hao to help forge a better one with superior materials. While he would say, "Do not pin all your hopes on the Dragon God Crystal," he had already been searching for backup plans in private.

Such a person was worthy of trust.

Lin Mo put the Thunder-Pattern Steel away and closed his eyes.

Starting tomorrow, cultivation would continue.

Two years, level fifty, Dragon God Crystal.

And then—the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, to harmonize his attributes and push toward a higher realm.

Outside the window, the sun sank low, and the clouds on the horizon were scorched a dark red.

In the direction of the Star Dou Forest, thunder rumbled.

That was the direction of Dragon Valley.

Lin Mo turned over and drifted into sleep. In his dream, four colors of energy intertwined within his body, like four small dragons at play. He stood in their midst, holding dark golden chains, binding them together.

The Dragon God Crystal glowed in the palm of his hand.