Mystical Beast of Illusions' conjecture:
"With my worldly understanding, a killing intent is a concentrated state of one's aura when one attempts to kill. It spreads out from one's body and, instead of the regular aura of a cultivator, aura of ill-will is sensed.
"However, I cannot perceive any slipping out from you. The only thing I'm observing is just raw, unblemished true essence... so how can it feel so powerful? Unless... you're also gifted with a unique true essence able to transform itself to lethal poison with just a will of your thoughts!"
Immediately after those words were said, as if on queue, Black Frost exclaimed, "You... you're a poison master?!"
With the prior explanation from MBI, I wasn't too surprised at this declaration. At just a thought, I could make my true essence lethal... and as it is that true essence is invincible and intangible, it has no cure as well!
MBI quickly sent a short information to me: "Usage of poisons are the idiosyncrasies of poison masters! This is also one of the most unorthodox professions of the nine professions of the Phantom Dynasty. Like thaumaturgy, it is diabolic and very hazardous even to its professionals! Poison masters are feared for their usage of poisons to protect themselves!"
I took a mental note, then turned my attention back to the terrified Black Frost. It was perplexed to the bones. It added, "What sort of poison can have effect on a Spirit realm cultivator? It is said that only... only... you... you can't be a 9-star poison master, can you?!"
I could feel my true essence advancing towards its heart, slowly; Black Frost could, as well. It immediately unleashed its full might and transformed back to the humongous glacier-dragon. Seeing that this did not deter the "poison" from flowing, its eyes widened, and fear gripped it's chest like never before.
It immediately dashed for me and...
"Please save me, I'm sorry for being too naive... I'll do anything... take me in as your tamed beast. Please! Just anything, but don't kill me. Give me the antidote of the poison!"
It rubbed its head against my leg and pleaded, not daring to look me in the eyes. I watched on in disbelief, then shook my head.
On second thoughts...
It was a good idea, after all! Imagine having a dragon as one's savage beast! It's a fricking divine beast from the Dragon tribe! After all, it didn't really harm me, neither did it the others. So why should I keep on petrifying it?
Nodding slowly, I said in nonchalance, carrying the aura of an expert, "Although you'll be useless to me, taking you in as my tamed beast would do you a great favour."
After saying those words, I placed my hands behind me, then raised my head up to the moon, letting the wind flip through my gown and hair.
Understanding what had to be done before further explanations, Black Frost immediately sent forth its blood essence into my glabella. Immediately the blood slipped in, I began to feel its thoughts. Now at ease, I gave out a sigh. Even if it finds out that I was all phoney in the future, there's nothing it could do to me. Its blood essence was now in my glabella, meaning its life was in my grasp. With just a thought, I could send it to death.
The contract between a savage beast and its master was the same as a life-and-death contract. It was like selling one's existence to another. That was the reason beast tamers were much revered amongst the nine professions of the Phantom Dynasty.
"Good," I muttered.
Hearing my words of approval, Black Frost sighed then quickly begged, "Young Mistress... the poison!"
I nodded. Then just to put up an act, I raised up both hands and began to slowly convert the "lethal poison" into a warm, nourishing energy (true essence). This warm energy began to heal all of Black Frost's internal injuries of the past, even strengthening it the more.
I thought for a second, "It seems my true essence not only has an indefinite nature, it also has the ability to heal injuries at a speed visible to the eyes!"
Black Frost also seemed to have noticed this.
"The blockages in my meridians... they're fixed!"
It then turned it's gaze from its internal developments and looked at me. Its expression was no longer that of dreaded fear, but of deep respect.
It lowered its head and said in an awed voice, "Paying respect to Young Mistress. Thank you for pardoning my impudence and also solving my internal problems!"
I waved my arm to signify that it was nothing... and really, that was nothing. All I had to do was to execute a thought.
After the familiarities, it couldn't withhold its curiosity then asked, "That problem with my meridian... hundreds of 5-star Physicians have been unable to solve it... so how did you..."
I glared at it in confusion.
MBI explained, "Physician is also one of the nine professions of the Phantom Dynasty."
I quickly made a mental note: beast tamers, thaumaturgists, poison masters, physicians; that's four I've learnt of so far.
Meanwhile, looking at my expression, Black Frost interpreted it for unwillingness to speak. It quickly apologised: "Pardon me... for my presumptuousness."
Unbothered to clear its misconception, I asked rather, "Where's the princess?"
"This..." Black Frost didn't see that coming. It frowned slightly, but on realising it was now my tamed beast, it quickly added, "I'll take you to her immediately!"
It lowered its wings for me to hop in, and I hopped in without a second thought. Just then, I heard, "What about us?"
It was from the others who were frozen in place. I looked at them and flashed them a warm smile, before ordering the dragon to release them. Immediately, the ice around their body melted.
They rose and flexed their joints, before all bowing to me in complete reverence and fear.
"You should all wait here to recuperate, I'll be following Black Frost to get the princess," I told them.
They had looks of hesitation in their faces, but on second thoughts, decided to concede.
'Whoosh!'
Black Frost soared into the night sky as far as those below could see, and over the horizon. I sat delicately, admiring the speed that a dragon possesses. Not just any dragon, a Spirit realm one! It covered lots of distances by just the blink of an eye.
Black Frost seemed to be very sensitive to one's reactions.
It froze me firmly to its back, before twirling in the sky to impress me. The ride was awesomazing! It felt so blissful, with the wind dashing through my hair, skin and whole being. I closed my eyes and savoured the moment.
* * *
Black Frost was infatuated with the princess of Vinia, Ava was what she was called. Of course she couldn't return the feeling, because unlike other boys, Black Frost's true nature was a glacier-dragon.
In the past, it had once infiltrated the royal palace, however, due to the surplus in experts there in the palace, it was discovered very quickly, and sent out of the palace with a life-threath as the penalty if the act repeated once more.
However, it didn't give up there. To vent its anger, it began to thwart the works of the royal Beast Hunters for two good weeks. Still, it was hunted down by a feint; knowing that Black Frost would surely appear when they camped, the Beast Hunters pretended to be asleep and caught it by surprise. It was the reason they couldn't repeat the act on it again, it was already expecting it.
It was able to infiltrate the palace a second time, and when the experts were gathered for the royal meetings, it snuck into the princess' room and kidnapped her, taking her — successfully — to its cave. This cave was many, many miles away, up north, in the coldest part of the Ancient Reality continent.
Sadly for Black Frost, it just had to meet me. I destroyed all its hope of ever being with the princess, plus, if it knew that it would forever be with me thereafter, I don't reckon it'd still be this gleeful. Just imagine how it'd feel when it finds out that the master of its graceful Spirit realm self is only a mere Transcendent Mortal realm pinnacle stage cultivator!
After the passing of so many hours, and the sun had begun to rise, we finally arrived at our destination. It was several cities from where we'd travelled from. This city was in the middle of a mountain range, just like where I came for my test (in the Acorn Valley, Arerat City). However, the difference was that, it was all winter-ridden. It seemed like the arms of summer could never dominate this region. It was exactly the image I got from staring into Black Frost's eyes for the first time.
There were many caves with many animals within, I could sense. After much twists and turns, my beast finally descended before a large cave.