We All Underestimated the Weight of Time

Of course, Wu Yan did not take everything. He only took two-thirds of it.

What if Hai Bodong returned one day and the Mittel Clan had not made any preparations at all? That would be rather impolite, would it not?

And do not forget, the Mittel Clan controlled a commercial empire. They had to keep some of every kind of resource. If market demand for a certain resource suddenly increased somewhere, they would still want to sell it at a good price!

But even just two-thirds was an extremely abundant haul for Wu Yan.

Not to mention that Wu Yan had taken only the best of the lot.

"Ice Spirit Cold Spring, Cold Marrow Branch, a fifth-tier ice-attributed magic core..."

The Ice Spirit Cold Spring needed no further explanation. Its ability to suppress a Heavenly Flame and protect Xiao Yan while he devoured one had proven its worth. Though the Green Lotus Core Flame was merely a lower-ranked Heavenly Flame, that alone was enough to demonstrate the spring's exceptional quality.

The Cold Marrow Branch was one of the main ingredients for refining the top-grade sixth-tier medicinal pill—the Sect-Breaking Pill. Moreover, because it contained incomparably pure ice-attributed energy, it was an excellent tonic for ice-attributed cultivators. It could improve the quality of their Dou Qi and make their icy Dou Qi even colder.

Compared to the first two, the fifth-tier ice-attributed magic core was not quite as rare. But it was a fifth-tier ice-attributed magic core!

It might not be of much use to others, but the moment Wu Yan saw this fifth-tier ice-attributed magic core, he had already decided how to use it.

"...I'll use you first, Ice Spirit Cold Spring."

Wu Yan opened the cold jade box and looked at the three cold jade bottles inside, each giving off a chill. He swiftly took out one of them.

He sealed the cold jade box again, then poured that bottle of Ice Spirit Cold Spring into the little blue bottle within his soul.

.

.

.

?

A few seconds passed before Wu Yan silently cursed, "What a pig brain I have. The Ice Spirit Cold Spring isn't something on the level of a second-tier magic core. How could it possibly be refined in an instant?"

A quarter of an hour later, a tiny ice-blue droplet appeared in the mouth of Wu Yan, who was in a cultivation state.

Traveling down his throat, the ice-blue droplet directly merged into the sea-urchin-shaped Dou Crystal in his abdomen, which had eight spikes and was much larger than those of ordinary people.

Almost instantly, a chill rising from the depths of his soul swept through Wu Yan's entire body, making him shudder involuntarily.

That night, after finishing his cultivation, Wu Yan stared intensely at the candle before him.

More precisely, it was a burning candle. Interestingly, the thin layer of ice around the candle, along with the chill it emitted, did not extinguish the candle. Instead, it froze even the flame burning at its tip.

It was only an ordinary candle, and the flame was only an ordinary flame. Yet being able to achieve this showed that Wu Yan's ice-attributed Dou Qi had already reached a terrifyingly low temperature.

Low enough to bring plasma-state flames to "absolute zero."

And more importantly, throughout this process, a candle flame was extremely, extremely "fragile."

A somewhat forceful breath could extinguish it, let alone piercing cold air.

To completely freeze the candle flame before it went out, one had to be fast!

At the same time, one needed extremely strong control. If one's command over the cold air was not delicate enough, the flame would go out ahead of time.

With a wave of Wu Yan's hand, the ice around the candle slowly began to melt, and the flame on the candle went out as well.

"..."

After repeating this three times, the candle flame went out each time the seal was released. This made Wu Yan realize that he could not accomplish it: after unsealing a frozen candle flame, he could not ensure that the candle would continue burning normally.

It was too difficult. Ice and fire naturally countered each other.

Being able to achieve the first half was already remarkable enough.

"With my control over cold air, I shouldn't lose control, even while controlling the ice as it melts."

Wu Yan sat before the candle, his eyes fixed tightly upon its burning flame.

For several days in a row, Wu Yan remained stuck on this problem.

He realized this could not continue. If he kept agonizing over it alone, he would never find the answer.

So Wu Yan decided to set the problem aside for now. He planned to relax and clear his head.

Taking his little follower with him, Wu Yan went strolling through the outer district.

After spending the whole day playing with Wu Yan, Ya Fei recalled their conversation from several days ago. Feeling conflicted, she finally could not help but ask:

"Brother Yan, when are you leaving?"

"Half a month from now. By then, Canaan Academy's recruitment team will have entered the empire."

Wu Yan glanced at Ya Fei, whose face plainly said, "I have something on my mind." After thinking for a moment, he asked, "Is something wrong?"

"...Nothing. I was just asking." Ya Fei hesitated, her expression changing several times, but in the end, the young girl still failed to speak the thoughts in her heart.

Wu Yan nodded slightly and let the matter pass.

He was not someone who pried into everything. Since she did not want to say it, he would not press her further.

Speaking of Canaan Academy, Wu Yan suddenly remembered that he was so many years older than Xiao Yan. Among the students of this period, there probably would not be anyone he knew, right?

Even Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing, who were older than Xiao Yan, would not enter Canaan Academy until several years later.

"Of the students I know, Zi Yan is probably the only one in the academy right now, isn't she? No, not necessarily. Zi Yan might not have been picked up and brought back to the academy by Su Qian yet..."

"That's fine too. Without any so-called acquaintances, I can focus more fully on cultivation."

Wu Yan thought to himself that going at this time was also a good thing. At the very least, Falling Heart Flame would not cause any disturbances, nor would the academy be attacked by those people from the Black-Corner Region. He would be able to cultivate in peace.

Before sunset, Wu Yan and Ya Fei parted ways.

As she watched that tall, upright figure from behind, a thought suddenly arose in the young girl's heart:

If she did not say what was in her heart now, she would never have another chance.

Clenching her fists, the girl bravely called out.

"Brother Yan!"

"Hmm?"

Wu Yan stopped and turned around, his questioning gaze landing on the girl running toward him.

When she stopped before him, her breathing was slightly hurried, though it was impossible to tell whether it was from exhaustion or nervousness.

"Brother Yan, I... I want to say... I... I like you!"

"Mm, thank you for liking me." Wu Yan nodded calmly.

Such an indifferent response was like a bucket of cold water thrown over Ya Fei's burning heart.

But things had come this far, and the girl's courage made her choose to go all in!

"I... I want to keep following Brother Yan, just like I do now. As long as you do not chase me away, I'll stay by your side forever!"

"..."

It was the first time someone had chosen him with such determination, and Wu Yan did not quite know how to react.

"Thank you, Ya Fei. But I'm sorry, I can't make you any promises. Because I don't know what kind of person I will become."

"When we were young, we all underestimated the weight of time. Treating someone as you did in the beginning is a very difficult thing."