Note: Every comprehension of the elements here is of my own and has nothing to do with general knowledge to some extent. If you have any opinions, feel free to share them in the comments for open discussion.
What's the frost intent down to me? In the end, it boils down to the ice element. It's meant to freeze, cold to the extreme.
What's the flame intent to me? In the end, it cools down to nothingness. It's meant to burn, scorched to the extreme.
Everyone knows, when ice meets fire, it melts. If fire meets ice, it burns.
Ice in its simplest form is water. Yet when fire meets water, it douses fire.
The flame melts the ice, the water douses the flame. Is it even possible to merge them together?
But, I know it's possible, that woman could do it and so can I. Ace told himself as the image of the woman replayed in his mind. The woman who showed him the vast potential of the sword and the constituent elements of the cultivation world.
Ace closed his eyes, memories of that night surged into his mind. The heated battle with the man was ended by coldness, wasn't it? If it wasn't for the freezing chill, which froze that savage old man at the last moment, Ace was sure that he would have perished back there and then.
That man set the town ablaze, only to be defeated under frost which he could have neutralized easily. Why? Because the elements have unlimited strength that can be derived from them.
What if...I don't merge them together? But make them one entity…this wild thought came across Ace's mind for only a split second, but his eyes lit up at this exact moment.
*Home of the Divine Birds, The Phoenixes*
Back in the divine realm, on the continent ruled by phoenixes, the cry from within the ancient tower struck the heart of each phoenix alive.
No one had to speak, they had one thought in unison. The next phoenix inheritor has been chosen.
*Swoosh*
All of the phoenixes dashed towards the ancient tower, tearing through space leaving behind trails of flames.
It was the holy land of flames, the entire realm was ruled by the divine birds. But this land itself belongs to the phoenixes.
As for their sudden cry, it had to do with something which has not happened for a million years. The young inheritor has been chosen by the fallen queen.
All of the phoenixes had one thing in common, there were crimson feathers imprinted on their forehead. These feathers represented their strength and among all, there were three who had seven feathers. These three phoenixes were the temporary leaders of the flock.
Yet among them, one of the phoenixes had an extremely faint marking of an eighth feather, its strength surpassed those equal to it, it was the leader among the three.
Soon, thousands of phoenixes gathered together at the ancient tower, they remained below the altar which only one phoenix could stand beside.
That phoenix, was the temporary leader appointed by the queen if any mishap happened to her.
"Everyone present, take on your human form!"
It was a tradition passed down since the first phoenix, since then, 74 generations have passed by and the young inheritor this time, was supposed to be the one in the prophecy.
As the phoenixes took on their human form, it was a spectacular sight one could never forget.
All of them were first-class beauties that could cause a war between kingdoms just by making an appearance. Their beauty was able to captivate any living being regardless of its gender.
Their bodies were wrapped in red robes which were unable to cover up their body, it only made them more alluring even though it was nothing extraordinary to them.
"I'm sure that all of us present are here to know the same thing. Who is this person who caught the eye of our fallen queen when she was already a legend herself among the 74 leaders?"
The temporary leader known as Shia was the one speaking. Her beauty was more than enough to make the other phoenixes look ordinary, yet her appearance wasn't even close to their fallen queen. The only person she has respected for a long time.
Those phoenixes in the human form below nodded their head, it was a taboo to speak until they saw the young inheritor, that was the second rule.
Turning ahead to face the altar, it soon took on the form of a rectangular mirror.
"O great phoenix, please lend us the last of your strength to search for this young inheritor who would lead us to glory and greater heights…"
After a few minutes, images started to show in the mirror.
It was a young man who even though slightly handsome, was nothing much. His cultivation wasn't even at the official realms recognised by the phoenixes and there was nothing extraordinary about him.
Yet, that wasn't the true reason for their doubt and worry. It's because the person chosen was a man.
In the lineage of phoenixes, never had a male appeared in the Phoenix race. That wasn't a rule, but just the truth that phoenixes are only female.
As for reproducing, it was a complicated process… (Please fill in your own imagination)
"This…"
Even Shia wasn't able to keep her calm this time, since when was her queen someone foolish? She has followed the queen she chose in conquests and battles, winning the zephyrs, the rocs, the ice phoenixes…
Don't tell me, this youth has something unique about him who caught the queen's attention?
"Shia, did our queen make a mistake?"
"Shia, how could our leader be someone who's a man?"
"Shia, are you sure that he's qualified as a man?"
Shia wanted to flare up against her own species, but she couldn't. She was perplexed as well, were they really going to follow a man? The ancient rules have always described men as a filthy being corrupted by greed, selfishness, lust…
"I trust our queen. If she chose him, there must be a reason. For this, I'll seek him myself and get the answer."
"Shia, don't worry, you can count on us to protect our land while you're away." One of the other two leaders spoke as those below nodded in unison.
Their faces had complicated feelings, even though they trusted their fallen queen, did she just make a foolish mistake or was this intended?
*Slash*
When Ace opened his eyes again and slashed forward, the sword wave was cold as it pierced through the wall, exploding with a single thought of his.
It seems like this would work for now...Ace heaved a sigh of relief as his last resort.
He might not have found a way to fully merge them yet, but at least he was able to infuse both elemental intents into his sword while bringing their strength. Now he just needed to find a way to infuse both elemental intents into his sword.
For this intent, he called it the Pyro Frost intent.
Now then...I need to return to the sect now before Charlotte regains her consciousness!
At the thought of Charlotte, Ace wanted to rush back to the sect immediately, but he had made a promise to save the men.
Clenching his teeth, he quickly located them, freed them, found the father and son with the pendent, showed them the way and rushed off.
It was only a few minutes, but a few more moments of agony for him at the moment.
Yet, Charlotte had already woken up…
"Ace...Ace?"
Charlotte mumbled in a daze, but soon bolted right up as painful memories flooded into her mind. Especially Ace's smile before transporting her away!
"No! I have to find him!" Without giving regard to her current appearance, Charlotte bolted out of the room and went to look for Clarissa and Arith who were currently cultivating.
"Arith! Clarissa!"
Ending their cultivation abruptly, they left their dwelling only to be surprised by Charlotte in a fluster.
Approaching Charlotte, Arith asked, "What happened?"
"Ace...Ace transported me away while he stayed behind to deal with a being capable of killing Martial Masters as though they were ants!" Charlotte cried out as she then left the sect, rushing towards the cave again as Arith and Clarissa hesitated for a moment, but still followed.
At this moment, right when Charlotte was about to rush out of the sect, however, she stopped.
Standing before her, was the man she was anxious to locate and save.
The man who sacrificed his chance to escape easily to protect her life.