Returning to Frost Ridge City, the Taste of Home

He paused, then added, "Unless your soul power reaches the Title Douluo level, you cannot use it."

Luo Yun was silent for a moment.

"What about the power of laws?"

Luo Shang was stunned.

The power of laws.

He had almost forgotten about that.

The Law of Destruction and the Law of Life.

These two types of power did not belong to the category of soul power.

Could the rules of Slaughter City restrict laws?

He did not know.

History books had no record of a soul master possessing the power of laws ever entering Slaughter City.

Never.

"I'm not sure," Luo Shang answered truthfully. "It might be prohibited, or it might not."

Luo Yun nodded and remained silent for a long while.

Then he looked up, gazing firmly at his father.

"Father, since the God Trial was issued this way, it wouldn't let me go to my death so easily. It means I have a chance to succeed, and I believe I definitely can!"

Luo Shang looked into those eyes, his throat tightening.

It was hard to imagine these words coming from his six-year-old son.

He walked over, sat down beside Luo Yun, reached out to wrap an arm around his shoulders, and pulled him closer.

"Right."

"You definitely can."

"But there's no rush."

"Slaughter City can be entered at any time. First, perfect your swordsmanship and condition your body."

He paused, his voice dropping a notch.

"And... get used to the smell of blood."

Half a month later.

Frost Ridge City.

The snow had stopped, but the snow on the ground had yet to melt, crunching underfoot with every step.

The gates of Frost Extreme King Mansion stood wide open. The guards at the entrance gripped their weapons in alert as they saw two figures approaching from the distance, but upon recognizing them, they quickly knelt on one knee.

"Your Highness!"

"Young Master!"

Luo Shang nodded without stopping, walking straight inside.

Luo Yun followed behind him, not moving quickly, but every step was steady.

His face had thinned, his chin had become sharper, and his eye sockets were deeper than before, but his spirit was high, and his eyes remained bright.

Hearing the commotion, Shen Yinshuang hurried out from the inner courtyard.

She wore a pale purple cotton dress, her hair tied up casually, and she still held a half-embroidered handkerchief in her hand. Standing under the veranda, she watched the large and small figures walk through the moon gate; she froze for a moment, then covered her mouth and laughed.

After laughing, her eyes turned red.

"You two..." Her voice trembled, but the corners of her mouth remained curved. "Did you go to war or go begging?"

Luo Shang's cloak was torn in several places, his boots were covered in mud, and blue stubble had sprouted on his chin; he looked as if he had just rolled back from a battlefield.

Luo Yun was no better; his clothes were wrinkled, his hair was as messy as a bird's nest, and although his little face had been washed, there were still mud stains on his hands, with dirt under his fingernails.

The dignified Frost Extreme King had actually turned into this state.

Luo Shang curled his lip and tossed the bundle in his hand to a servant. "We didn't bring any attendants on this trip, so we handled everything ourselves along the way."

He said it righteously, as if this were something to be proud of.

Shen Yinshuang suppressed a laugh, walked forward, and crouched down to carefully examine Luo Yun's face. She reached out to touch his cheeks and then his arms, and only after confirming that no parts were missing did she let out a sigh of relief.

"You've thinned," she said. "And you've tanned."

"Mother, I want to eat the food you make," Luo Yun said earnestly.

Shen Yinshuang smiled, her eyes slightly reddened.

"Hot water is already prepared," she said, standing up and wiping the corners of her eyes before turning to Luo Shang. "Go take a bath first, then eat."

"Alright."

The hot spring is in the backyard.

The hot spring at the Frost Extreme King Mansion is natural, with hot water gushing from deep underground, carrying a faint scent of sulfur and steaming year-round.

Luo Shang and Luo Yun stripped off their clothes and stepped into the pool one after the other. The moment the warm spring water rose over their chests, both men let out a long, unreserved sigh of relief.

Luo Yun leaned against the edge of the pool, the water reaching his chin, leaving only his face exposed.

He felt the spring water envelop every pore of his body.

"So comfortable..." he muttered.

Luo Shang sat on the other side of the pool, his head resting against the stone, eyes closed, saying nothing.

After soaking for a while, Luo Yun opened his eyes, watched the white mist drifting over the water, and suddenly spoke.

"Father."

"Hmm."

"When does the training start?"

Luo Shang opened his eyes and glanced at him sideways.

"Tonight."

Luo Yun didn't speak, merely nodding.

He didn't ask what the training would entail, nor where it would take place.

Regardless, it certainly wouldn't be easy.

Luo Shang watched him for a silent moment before closing his eyes again.

There were some things he didn't want his son to experience so soon.

But in this world, things don't refrain from happening just because you don't want them to.

After the bath, they went to the dining hall.

Dinner was sumptuous.

Shen Yinshuang had cooked herself, stewing a pot of pork rib soup, braising a fish, stir-frying a few side dishes, and steaming a basket of buns.

Luo Yun ate two bowls of rice, three buns, and most of a bowl of rib soup, only putting down his chopsticks when he started hiccuping.

Shen Yinshuang watched him eat, feeling both heartache and amusement.

"Eat slowly, no one is going to snatch it from you."

"Mother's cooking is just too delicious," Luo Yun said, his words muffled as he chewed on a bun.

Shen Yinshuang smiled and reached out to wipe the grease from the corner of his mouth, her gaze tender.

Luo Shang sat nearby, sipping his soup unhurriedly, not eating much.

"Xiao Yun, eat a little less."

"I can't! These past few days, eating dry rations and undercooked barbecue nearly made me sick! I have to make up for it all at once!"

Luo Shang shook his head helplessly, sighing inwardly.

I hope you don't throw it all back up later.

After the sky had turned completely dark, Luo Shang stood up.

"Let's go."

Luo Yun put down his chopsticks and followed Luo Shang out of the dining hall.

They passed through long corridors, through moon gates, and through courtyard after courtyard.

The night in Frost Ridge City was very quiet; the wind blew from the north, carrying the dry chill unique to the snowfields.

Luo Yun followed Luo Shang until they reached the deepest part of the mansion.

Luo Shang stopped before an iron door, took a ring of keys from his waist, selected the oldest one, and inserted it into the keyhole.

The lock was an old-fashioned brass one, emitting a dull click as it turned.

The iron door was pushed open with a low, creaking groan.

Behind the door lay a flight of stairs leading downward. On the walls on both sides, torches were mounted every few paces, their orange flames dancing in the passageway and stretching the two men's shadows, making them flicker and shift.

"Father, where is this? Why have I never been here before?"

"You'll know soon enough."

With that, Luo Shang stepped down first.

Luo Yun followed closely behind.

A damp, metallic scent of rust surged up from the depths of the passage.

They walked for an unknown amount of time.

At the end of the stairs stood a much larger iron door.

Two rows of soldiers stood before the gate, clad in the standard armor of Frost Ridge City, long blades at their waists, standing perfectly straight.