During the remaining days of summer break, the backyard of Xiao Mansion in Heaven Dou City became exceptionally lively.
The once-level bluestone paving in the open space at the center of the courtyard was now covered in fine cracks.
The ancient trees around it swayed without wind, their lush branches and leaves rustling beneath the wash of immense natural energy.
Xiao Yan sat before a stone table, his fingers dancing rapidly across the Star Thread strings of the Fuxi Zither.
Heavy, muffled zither notes echoed through the courtyard. Every note drew in the dense natural energy around them, turning it into tangible pressure and cleansing force that repeatedly washed over the petite figure in the center of the clearing.
This was a new melody Xiao Yan had developed in his spare time recently, called the Bone-Forging Marrow-Cleansing Melody.
Unlike the Breaking the Formation: Sea Absorbing Melody he had played by Sea God Lake before, this new piece did not seek to rapidly accumulate Soul Power. Instead, it transformed the natural energy it drew in into countless invisible forging hammers that pierced through flesh and sank into the marrow, continuously strengthening the cultivator's body.
Of course, such marrow-deep tempering came with unimaginable exhaustion and pain.
It placed extremely high demands on the performer's control over Soul Power, while also severely testing the willpower of the person receiving the tempering.
In the center of the clearing, Xiao Xiao bit her lower lip tightly as she held the most basic horse stance.
Her white training clothes had long since been soaked through with sweat, clinging tightly to her body.
Her usually fair and soft little face was flushed bright red. Large beads of sweat slid down her cheeks and struck the cracked bluestone slabs.
"Dong—"
Xiao Yan pressed heavily against the strings with his right hand, drawing the final note to a close.
The heavy energy pressure around them dissipated.
"I can't take it anymore... I've really got nothing left!"
The instant the pressure vanished, Xiao Xiao's legs gave out, and she collapsed onto the ground.
She panted heavily, bracing both hands against the ground behind her without a shred of grace. She could not even muster the strength to lift a finger.
An entire quarter-hour of high-intensity marrow cleansing and bone forging had already reached the limit of what her body and will could currently endure.
Seeing her brother stop playing, Xiao Xiao let out a long breath. She thought that this torturous morning training had finally ended, and that she could finally return to her room for a comfortable hot bath and a few pieces of osmanthus cake handmade by her mother.
Just as she was about to lie down and rest, light footsteps sounded from the corner of the covered corridor.
Qing Wan, dressed in simple and elegant casual clothes, walked into the courtyard.
Looking at her daughter sprawled on the ground, she did not step forward to help her with concern. Instead, she flipped her wrist, and a jade-green radiance gathered in her palm.
The Nine Phoenix Flute, entirely emerald green and carved with nine azure phoenixes, appeared in her hand.
This flute was identical to Xiao Xiao's Martial Soul, but the pressure and luster surrounding it were worlds apart.
"Rest? The tempering has only just finished warming up." Qing Wan raised the jade flute to her lips, then turned to Xiao Yan at the stone table and gave him a look. "Yan'er, continue."
Xiao Xiao's limp body suddenly went rigid. Her mouth hung wide open as she stared at her beloved mother with utter disbelief.
Xiao Yan did not hesitate. A handsome curve rose at the corner of his lips as his hands returned to the strings.
The Soul Power of a peak Rank 89 Soul Douluo erupted in full force. Qing Wan's flute joined the zither melody, and the two instantly reached perfect resonance.
The natural energy above the courtyard boiled once more. An energy pressure several times heavier than before crashed down, striking directly onto Xiao Xiao's shoulders.
"Mm—"
Xiao Xiao let out a muffled groan. The Bone-Forging Marrow-Cleansing Melody, powered by cultivation close to that of a Titled Douluo, was far more than twice as powerful.
Those invisible forging hammers struck her bones, multiplying the soreness and pain.
Of course, Xiao Yan knew his limits. The nourishing effects within the Bone-Forging Marrow-Cleansing Melody were also at work, so it would not truly damage the foundation of her body like Shrek's weighted runs.
Xiao Xiao's eyes reddened with grievance, tears welling within them.
But when she raised her head and saw her brother playing the zither with complete focus at the stone table, then turned to meet her mother's encouraging yet stern gaze, Xiao Xiao forcibly held back her tears.
She gritted her teeth, pushed herself up with both hands, and stood again on trembling legs under that crushing pressure. Once more, she assumed a horse stance and faced the even fiercer marrow cleansing and bone forging.
At the other end of the covered corridor, Xiao Zhan leaned against a red-lacquered wooden pillar with his arms crossed.
Looking at his son playing the zither, his wife playing the flute, and his daughter gritting her teeth under the pressure, his face was full of unconcealed delight.
The whole family was together, striving to become stronger. This was the spirit Xiao Mansion ought to have.
Xiao Mansion in Heaven Dou City was filled with warmth and joy, but in the distant core region of the Extreme North, Huo Yuhao felt that he was about to meet the King of Hell.
Amid the ice and snow, violent winds swept palm-sized flakes through the air, slicing freely across the desolate ice field.
Huo Yuhao curled up inside a low temporary ice shelter he had dug out.
His thick winter clothes could not block the extreme cold of the Extreme North Core Zone. His blood flowed sluggishly, his limbs had long since gone numb, and even each breath carried piercing ice crystals.
His consciousness began to scatter. In his mind, only Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's confident promise before setting out remained.
"Yuhao, hold out in this ice shelter for as long as you can! As long as you can endure it, I'll guarantee that I get you the strongest Second Martial Soul in this world. Then, you can trample that freak Xiao Yan underfoot and become the number one genius of the Douluo Continent!"
Those words had become Huo Yuhao's sole source of strength as he struggled to endure within the dead-silent ice shelter.
But now, a full five minutes had passed since Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had left the shelter with that shed shell.
Beyond Huo Yuhao's nearly frozen field of vision, in the air above the ice shelter.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's enormous spiritual body floated alone amid the snowstorm.
Five minutes ago, it had confidently spread its glittering golden shed shell across the ice field, then released without reservation the vast spiritual aura of a million-year soul beast.
To create the imposing air of a king's return, it clasped its hands behind its back and looked down with disdain.
"Ice Empress, I know you've sensed my presence. I, Tian Meng, have returned for revenge! Do you dare show yourself?"
It roared those opening words with great vigor, then stood in the air with feigned composure.
No matter how the raging winds below tore at it, it remained unmoving, putting on an air of profound mystery.
Thirty seconds passed.
The blizzard continued, and there was not even a ghostly shadow on the empty ice field.
One minute passed.
Cracks began to show in Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's pose of forced calm. It maintained its hands-behind-back stance, but doubt began creeping into its heart.
"Ice Empress, have you become such a coward? You don't even dare meet me?" It raised its voice, trying to provoke her into appearing with that clumsy taunt.
The wind howled mournfully. Only the whistling north wind answered it.
Three minutes passed.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm completely panicked.
It had originally feared alerting Snow Empress, the foremost of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Extreme North, so it had deliberately restricted the range of its spiritual aura.
But now, it could no longer care about that. It desperately drove its spiritual power, wildly expanding its web of perception outward.
With unease, it tried to reassure itself: Ice Empress must have gone to find Snow Empress. As long as I expand my aura, Ice Empress will definitely notice it.
Its spiritual web swept across glaciers, snow valleys, and more than half of the Extreme North Core Zone.
There was nothing.
The five-minute threshold was finally broken.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's spiritual body trembled violently in midair.
Its perfect plan, its god-making scheme tailor-made for Huo Yuhao, had become a complete and utter joke in that moment.
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's knees buckled, and it dropped to its knees in midair.
Facing the empty ice field, it cried out in heart-wrenching despair.
"Ice Empress! Come out! Please, just come out and see me once!"
The freezing wind mercilessly poured into its mouth, scattering its final plea to the winds.
The second-ranked supreme Ferocious Beast of the Extreme North had seemingly evaporated into thin air, leaving this million-year soul beast standing in the snowstorm like a pathetic clown.
"No!!!"
Sky Dream Ice Silkworm raised both hands over its head and let out a despairing wail.
If Xiao Yan had happened to pass through this ice field and seen this scene, he would certainly have summoned the Fuxi Zither and played Yuan Hua's exclusive background music for this million-year soul beast on the spot.
Snowflakes drifted, and the north wind sighed.
Heaven and earth~ were a vast~ expanse of desolation!!!