Gu Feng was intently flipping a sizzling bear leg in his hands when he was drawn by Li Xiang's suppressed murmurs.
He looked up, a casual smile playing on his lips, and waved the aromatic bear leg, saying, "Oh, awake? Want some?"
Li Xiang's eyes were red as he wiped his face with his hand, taking the bear leg. His voice was unconsciously choked with emotion, "Thank you."
At this moment, he understood that the person who saved him did so out of pure kindness.
After all, he was now a cripple.
Gu Feng's gaze was sharp, firmly fixed on Li Xiang, his eyes conveying unmistakable seriousness, "No need for thanks. I just want to ask you one thing, do you want revenge?"
Hearing this, Li Xiang instantly clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, almost spitting out the words through gritted teeth, "Yes! Of course, I do! I dream of it!"
"I can give you this opportunity, but you have to prove to me that you are worthy. Dare to try?"
Gu Feng slightly narrowed his eyes, a flash of sharpness within them.
With a "thud," Li Xiang's knees heavily hit the ground, raising a bit of dust, his back straight, head slightly bowed, speaking with utmost solemnity, "I don't know what you see in me, but as long as I can get revenge, I, Li Xiang, am willing to go through fire and water for you in this lifetime!"
Looking at the kneeling Li Xiang, Gu Feng nodded in satisfaction, a hint of appreciation in his eyes, "Good, that's exactly what I wanted to hear."
"I will give you a letter of recommendation. Follow the address on it, and once you're there, someone will arrange your food, clothing, and shelter. All you need to do is focus on your recovery training."
Upon hearing this, Li Xiang was overjoyed, nodding repeatedly, "Yes! Thank you for your cultivation, sir. May I know your name?"
"My name is Gu Feng, you can call me Young Master Feng."
"Yes! Young Master Feng!"
The internal injuries caused by absorbing the Soul Ring, though tricky, were not unsolvable.
As long as sufficient resources were invested in recuperation, short-term cultivation wouldn't be greatly affected, though the growth ceiling of a Soul Master would be lowered, possibly making it difficult to break through a critical realm in one's lifetime.
Gu Feng's gaze was profound, firmly fixed on Li Xiang, speaking word by word, "Three years, I give you three years. As long as within these three years, you can prove your potential to me, I will grant you an opportunity, one that could completely change your life!"
After saying this, he took out a piece of white paper from his Soul Guidance Ring, wrote a few words on it, and casually tossed it to Li Xiang.
Li Xiang took the paper and saw eight bold characters written on it: "Seven Treasure City, Glazed Martial Hall!"
Seven Treasure City, wasn't that the territory of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?
This was the second greatest sect in the world!
To think that the noble person he encountered was from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
Recalling the despair and helplessness from before, and looking at the hope now laid out before him, Li Xiang felt as if he were dreaming.
With a "thud," Li Xiang heavily knelt on the ground again, this time his eyes filled with determination, his voice slightly trembling with excitement, "Your subordinate, Li Xiang, is willing to go through fire and water for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School for generations! Alive, I am a person of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School; dead, I am a ghost of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School!"
"Alright, get up. Tell me, what is your Martial Soul? Later, I'll find you another Soul Beast."
"My Martial Soul is..."
"What! Good heavens! Flender really has no eye for talent!"
...
Three days later.
Gu Feng, dressed in plain clothes, reappeared in the Far North.
Thanks to the enhancement of the Icefire Alchemy Body, Gu Feng no longer feared the cold this time. Following the route from his memory, he easily reached the place where he had previously met the Ice and Snow Emperors.
Just as Gu Feng climbed onto a prominent peak and was about to call out, a faint disturbance emanated from the Soul Guidance Ring on his hand.
"Old Yi, what's wrong?"
"Shh—" Electrolux's soul form suddenly appeared before Gu Feng, signaling him to lower his head and remain silent.
At that moment, a deafening "rumbling" sound erupted, like rolling thunder echoing between heaven and earth, lingering for a long time.
Gu Feng's heart tightened, and he dared not even breathe, lying still in place.
After a long while, the rumbling gradually subsided.
Gu Feng cautiously raised his head, his gaze searching into the distance.
There, he saw a colossal snow-white figure, towering between heaven and earth, taking heavy steps forward. Roughly estimated, it was at least thirty meters tall. Wherever it went, snowflakes scattered, and the earth trembled.
The Titan Snow Demon King?
Watching the retreating figure, Electrolux said with lingering fear, "Little Fengzi, it seems our plan needs to change. Perhaps we should have you absorb the Autumn Water Penetrating Dew earlier."
"Your spiritual power is still too weak. I originally wanted you to absorb the Autumn Water Penetrating Dew when you reached the seventh Soul Ring, as it might directly help you open your spiritual sea."
"But now, to increase your chances of bearing a higher-year Soul Ring later, let's start directly. I'll protect you."
After a moment of thought, Gu Feng nodded, "Alright, let's do as you say."
He also understood that, after all, he didn't possess a spiritual-type Martial Soul, and his spiritual power was indeed too weak. Unfortunately, he didn't have the good fortune of Huo Yuhao, nor did a great insect come to him.
Then, Gu Feng took out the Autumn Water Penetrating Dew from his Soul Guidance Ring and directly dripped it into his eyes. He felt a cool sensation rush to his brain, and immediately sat down cross-legged to begin refining it.
At first, Gu Feng only felt the cool sensation spreading in his mind, like countless tiny ice threads weaving through every corner of his brain's nerves.
Gradually, these ice threads intertwined, forming an invisible net that tightly enveloped his spiritual power.
As the refinement deepened, Gu Feng's consciousness seemed to break free from his physical body, entering a dark void.
In this void, he could clearly sense the existence of his spiritual power, like a faint flame flickering in the darkness.
However, the power of the Autumn Water Penetrating Dew continued to take effect, the cool energy continuously pouring in, causing the flame to gradually grow stronger.
Suddenly, golden lights flashed across the void, these lights like sharp blades, slowly tearing apart the darkness.
Under the illumination of these lights, Gu Feng's spiritual power rapidly expanded. He could feel his perception range continuously growing, and the once blurry world now became incredibly clear.
Gu Feng could even "see" the tiny creatures hidden beneath the surrounding ice and snow, their every movement escaping his perception.
After an unknown period of time, Gu Feng slowly opened his eyes, which now gleamed with an unprecedented radiance.
"Is this the power of the Autumn Water Penetrating Dew?"
"The Immortal Herb truly lives up to its name."
Gu Feng could feel that his spiritual power had grown to a magnitude far beyond what he had previously imagined, likely approaching the level of a Soul King.
Moreover, the medicinal energy was subtly and continuously enhancing his spiritual power.
"Old Yi, can we now contact the Ice Empress and the Snow Empress?"
(End of Chapter)