In the Far North, the cold wind howls like a knife.
Toji stood on the snowfield, his black cloak fluttering in the fierce wind.
On his left and right sides, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, both wrapped in thick fur coats, were shivering.
The silver-haired girl's nose and earlobes were red from the cold, but she still stubbornly held her little face up.
"T-Teacher..." Xiao Hongchen's teeth chattered, "It's so cold, really cold! We've come so far, can we rest now?"
"Brother, you're so weak." Meng Hongchen couldn't help but chuckle.
"I'm not even tired yet, and you've already said you need to rest so many times."
"Dream, ever since you broke through... I feel that my physical strength is getting worse and worse than yours," Xiao Hongchen said breathlessly.
"It's all because of you, teacher... you've taught you so well. So, teacher, when can I cultivate with Meng?"
"I'll teach you when your attitude improves." Toji smiled faintly.
Xiao Hongchen immediately said:
"Teacher, I'm being very nice right now... but my legs are completely numb, so when can we rest?"
"Okay, then, let's rest."
Toji Xiao Hongchen had reached his limit, he had no choice but to find a place to rest.
A biting wind howled past, whipping up snowflakes and making the Xiao Hongchen tremble.
Thank you, teacher.
Toji was quite satisfied with Xiao Hongchen's increasingly polite attitude.
He drew his Blade of Life's Watch and dug a spacious cave beneath the thick snow.
"Come in." Toji shook the snow off his shoulders and bent down to crawl into the cave first.
Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen followed closely behind. The tip of the silver-haired girl's nose was already red from the cold, and the white breath she exhaled formed a thin layer of frost on her eyelashes.
The cave was unexpectedly warm. Toji took out a crimson crystal from his Storage Soul Tool, and with a gentle squeeze, the crystal immediately ignited with orange-red flames.
Under the firelight, one could see that the cave walls had been deliberately forged by his Bloodline Power, forming smooth, arc-shaped reflective surfaces that evenly distributed heat to every corner.
"What... what kind of Soul Tool is this? How did you do that?" Xiao Hongchen asked curiously, leaning closer and immediately feeling a warm sensation.
"It's just a simple Soul Tool, nothing more." Toji casually embedded the crystal into the cave ceiling, and the firelight instantly intensified. "That'll be enough to keep us warm."
Meng Hongchen sat quietly in the corner, rubbing her frozen fingers.
She watched as Toji took out another folding metal rack, which unfolded into an exquisite barbecue grill.
When the marbled steak appeared on the grill, the entire cave was instantly filled with a rich aroma.
"Teacher, why are you carrying food with you?" Xiao Hongchen asked, her eyes wide. "Judging by the quality, it seems to be quite good."
"Because I love to eat."
Toji grinned, the knife flashing between his fingers as he sliced the pork chop into even, thin slices.
The oil dripped onto the fire crystal, making a sizzling sound, and the rising smoke carried a refreshing fragrance that was invigorating.
Meng Hongchen unconsciously swallowed. Ever since she started practicing with Toji, her appetite had become much larger than that of an ordinary person.
The first perfectly grilled steak had a golden sheen of oil and slightly curled edges.
Toji gently lifted it with the knife and suddenly handed it to Meng Hongchen: "Try it."
The pieces of meat trembled on the fork tips, releasing an enticing steam.
Meng Hongchen was stunned. She saw the firelight dancing on Toji's sharply defined profile, and his eyes seemed unusually gentle at that moment.
"I..." The girl had barely opened her mouth when her stomach rumbled loudly.
Her ears turned bright red with embarrassment, but she still carefully accepted the roasted meat.
The moment the meat touches your mouth, the delicious juices explode on your tongue, and a warm current immediately flows from your stomach to every part of your body.
"Is it good?" Toji, resting his chin on his hand as he looked at her.
Meng Hongchen nodded vigorously, not even bothering to wipe the oil stains from the corners of her mouth.
She didn't notice her brother's resentful gaze, nor did she realize that Toji had quietly pushed the second batch of roasted meat all over her side.
When Xiao Hongchen finally couldn't help but protest, Toji slowly tossed him a piece of roasted meat.
After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Toji stood up:
"I'm going out to look for a suitable Soul Beast for Meng Hongchen. You two stay here and don't wander around."
"Also, if you two are free, help me put everything away. Also... with my presence, no Soul Beast will wander in, so this is the safest place."
"Yes, teacher," Meng Hongchen replied obediently.
Xiao Hongchen couldn't help but say, "Teacher, teacher, I can..."
"Alright, I understand." Toji raised her hand to interrupt him, looking at Meng Hongchen, "Why don't you teach your brother? That way you can solidify your knowledge."
"Oh yeah! Dream, teach me quickly!" Xiao Hongchen jumped up excitedly.
Toji glanced at him, and Xiao Hongchen, obediently sat back down.
He nodded in satisfaction, then turned and left.
I'm leaving.
After Toji, Meng Hongchen began to instruct Xiao Hongchen on cultivation techniques.
Before long, under Meng Hongchen's guidance, Xiao Hongchen embarked on the righteous path.
Just as Meng Hongchen was fully focused on helping Xiao Hongchen adjust her Soul Power circulation.
Suddenly, the thick ice curtain at the cave entrance was violently torn open, and a biting wind mixed with snowflakes howled in.
Meng Hongchen looked up abruptly, thinking that Soul Beast had broken in, but when she looked around, she saw Toji tall figure coming towards her against the light.
He carried a crystal-clear Soul Beast on his right shoulder. It was a Vermilion-Eyed Ice Toad, its snow-white panel covered with wounds and its blood-red eyes half-closed in despair.
"Then," Toji casually tossed it, and the Vermilion-Eyed Ice Toad slammed heavily in front of Meng Hongchen.
"Quickly finish him off! This Soul Beast is perfect for you, it matches your Martial Soul perfectly. I was just lucky to run into it while I was out for a stroll." Toji couldn't help but laugh as she said this.
He didn't know if it was because he had been spending so much time by Di Qiu'er's side, but his luck was getting better and better.
Upon hearing this, Meng Hongchen did not hesitate at all. Her Soul Power surged in her palm, and she pulled out a short-bladed Soul Tool, which she precisely pierced into Vermilion-Eyed Ice Toad's throat.
The Soul Beast convulsed violently a few times, then finally lay still completely.
Surprisingly, the rising Soul Ring was not the expected yellow, but a deep purple!
" Thousand-Year Soul Beast?!" Xiao Hongchen exclaimed in shock.
Normally, the limit for the Second Soul Ring is around seven hundred years.
He Toji nudged the ice toad's corpse with his foot:
"It's been about a thousand years, Meng. The cultivation technique I taught you has an amplifying effect on strengthening the physical body. A normal Soul Master can get their Second Soul Ring after killing for more than five hundred years, but with your current physical condition, absorbing a Soul Ring of a thousand years is more than enough."