"Are you all right?" Lu Ying asked softly, walking toward Su Yang. Her eyes fell on his hand—torn, bruised, and still faintly bleeding from the brutal battle with the Ice Golem. Without waiting for a response, she sat down beside him, her expression filled with concern.
Su Yang slowly opened his eyes and offered a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. The healing pill is still working. If I rest a little more, the injury will fully heal. Looks like my cultivation is also restoring gradually."
He took a breath and added, "You should rest too. We both need to recover our energy. Once we're ready, we'll move on to the next test."
Relieved by his calm demeanor, Lu Ying exhaled and nodded, settling quietly next to him. The air between them was still, save for the faint hum of lingering energy and the distant crackle of frost melting from the battlefield.
As Su Yang closed his eyes, a familiar chime rang in his ears, and a glowing blue screen appeared before him:
---
[Ding! Mountain-Splitting Punch has leveled up.]
[Ding! Sword Qi Mastery has improved.]
---
Su Yang's eyes flicked open, and he immediately opened his status window to check the changes:
---
[Name: Su Yang]
[Cultivation Level: —]
[Sword Qi Mastery: 6%]
[Mountain-Splitting Punch: Intermediate Stage]
[Passive Ability: Nature Heals – Active]
---
"Both my techniques improved," Su Yang muttered with a trace of satisfaction. "My sword qi is more stable now—I can sustain it longer, and it cuts cleaner. The punch has more force behind it too."
He flexed his hand and noticed the skin rapidly repairing itself. "Looks like Nature Heals is already kicking in. My wounds are almost gone. I just need to change my…" He paused, then looked down.
"…My clothes." Su Yang groaned. His robe was completely torn—blood-stained, frayed at the edges, and clinging to him like rags. "Great. I look like a wandering beggar again… and I don't even have a spare set."
Before he could say anything else, Lu Ying's voice cut through his thoughts. "I've recovered my energy. Can we go to the next test?"
Su Yang nodded and pushed himself to his feet, shaking off the last bit of stiffness from his muscles. "Yeah. Let's go."
Together, the two walked deeper into the cavern. The next chamber had no gate—it stood open, as if expecting them. Inside, the room was dim but peaceful, with a faint blue light illuminating the space.
At the center of the room floated a crystal, softly glowing, suspended in mid-air. The crystal pulsed like a heartbeat, its surface smooth and perfectly shaped, yet its presence exuded overwhelming power.
Lu Ying's eyes widened. "What is this crystal? And where is the legacy my mother told me about?"
Su Yang didn't answer immediately. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and activated his appraisal technique, scanning the mysterious object.
---
[Name: Legacy Blood Crystal]
[Remark: This crystal was created by Ice Master Lu Wei to pass down her legacy.]
Conditions for Activation:
1. Possess the Legacy Ring
2. Have the Extreme Ice Body physique
Instructions:
– The bearer of the ring must touch the crystal after meeting the above requirements.
---
After reading the text, Su Yang turned to Lu Ying with a serious expression.
"This… is the real test. This crystal is called the Legacy Blood Crystal. It was created by your mother—or, rather, the Ice Master Lu Wei—to pass on her power. But only those who have both the Legacy Ring and the Extreme Ice Body can awaken it."
Lu Ying's hand instinctively moved to the ring on her finger, her expression a mix of awe and nervousness.
"So... I really was chosen by her," she whispered.
Su Yang gave a small
nod. "It's up to you now. This crystal won't respond to me—it's waiting for you."