"Crack"...
The chill drifting from the thick glass vat actually froze into a thick layer of ice crystals on the outside of the vat, even freezing Merlin's fingers along with it.
"Guardian Monument!"
Merlin was startled. Only then did he remember that the Centuries-Old Cold Marrow was no ordinary thing. Once released, it could freeze anything.
Merlin's fingers had merely been touched by a wisp of chill, yet they were already nearly immobile, completely numb.
Once the Guardian Monument was cast and shielded Merlin's entire body, the chill still continued to spread outward, swiftly freezing the Guardian Monument as well. It was even more formidable than Merlin's Greater Freezing Spell. An ordinary Guardian Monument Spell could not withstand even the slightest trace of the Centuries-Old Cold Marrow's freezing chill.
Realizing this, Merlin hurriedly sealed the glass vat completely, finally stopping the chill from spreading further. He then cast Berserk Flame and scorched it fiercely for quite some time before gradually melting the ice crystals.
However, one section of Merlin's left finger had suffered frostbite and would need a period of careful recovery before it healed.
"What terrifying chill. Centuries-Old Cold Marrow—this is genuine Centuries-Old Cold Marrow!"
Merlin murmured softly. Just a tiny trace of the Centuries-Old Cold Marrow's chill was already so horrifying, yet he had to use it to cultivate the Extreme Ice Finger. The very thought was unbelievable.
However, before cultivating the Extreme Ice Finger, he first needed to make some preparations.
Merlin first used a sharp spike to slowly carve several peculiar symbols into the fingers of his right hand. They looked like irregular hexagonal markings, entirely punctured into his skin with the spike, as conspicuous as tattoos.
After carving this strange symbol, he still had to attach Mental Power to it according to the Extreme Ice