Under weak moonlight, the river sparkled; however, the air was cold and dark. Shen Yue proudly stood on the frozen river as her silver hair waved like a ghostly flag. The temperature fell even lower when she raised her hands and pieces of sharp ice floated around her like a storm about to break.
"Run as much as you want, boy," Shen Yue mocked, her voice cold. "You can't hide forever."
Bai Cheng crouched behind a tree, his breath showing in the chilly air. His heart raced as he held his staff tightly.
"Okay, Bai Cheng, think. She's in control of the river and the cold. If I can't be stronger than her, I'll be smarter than her."
With a quick breath out, he ran out from his hiding place.
Shen Yue saw him right away. "There you are!" she shouted, throwing ice projectiles at him.
Bai Cheng used Shadow Step, making his body look like a blur as he moved quickly across the icy ground. Each step created faint images that looked like ghosts, making it hard for Shen Yue to aim. Ice shards fell, breaking on the ground, but none hit him.
"Too slow!" Bai Cheng teased, his voice bouncing back as he showed up for a moment behind her, then disappeared into the mist.
Shen Yue growled in anger. She stomped her foot on the frozen ground, making an ice wave that spread everywhere. Bai Cheng jumped into the air, but when he landed, his foot slipped on the smooth ice she had created.
"Damn it!" he shouted, sliding and almost falling.
Shen Yue smirked. "What's the matter? Ice got your tongue?"
Chilling Aura
Her hands glowed faintly blue as she activated a new technique. "Let's see how agile you are now!"
A visible wave of cold energy rippled outward from her, the air turning dense and frigid. Bai Cheng felt it instantly—his limbs grew heavier, his movements sluggish.
"Chilling Aura," Shen Yue said with a mocking tone. "You'll freeze before you can even hit me."
Bai Cheng tightened his fists, breathing quickly. His body felt heavy, and every step was hard because of the cold.
"I have to keep moving," he said quietly, stamping his feet to stay warm. "If I stop, I'm finished."
He scanned his surroundings, eyes darting to the icicles hanging from nearby trees. A grin spread across his face.
"Alright, Ice Queen," he said, leaping toward a low-hanging branch. "Let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine."
With a sharp kick, he dislodged a cluster of icicles, sending them crashing toward Shen Yue.
She waved her hand and created a shield of frost to stop the falling pieces. "Pathetic!" she yelled.
But Bai Cheng was not finished. He ran behind another tree, knocking down more icicles, using the ground to help him.
"You're just freezing what's around you," he shouted, his voice full of teasing. "I'm just recycling!"
As Shen Yue sent out more ice shards, Bai Cheng avoided them, but he was getting tired. His breathing was heavy, and he was moving more slowly.
"Are you done yet?" Shen Yue asked, sounding pleased.
Bai Cheng held his side, limping obviously. "You got me…" he breathed, moving unsteadily forward.
Shen Yue lifted an eyebrow and stepped closer carefully. "Are you finally accepting what's happening? Good choice, boy. Maybe I'll freeze you fast."
Bai Cheng smiled weakly. "Yeah, well… not so fast!"
He swung his staff low, trying to knock her legs out from under her.
But before it hit, Shen Yue smirked and snapped her fingers. Ice quickly covered the staff, freezing it solid. It broke into Bai Cheng's hands with a loud crack.
"Oops," she said teasingly. "Did I break your toy?"
Bai Cheng swore quietly, stepping back.
Shen Yue's eyes gleamed as she raised her hand again. A spiral of frost swirled around Bai Cheng's legs, locking him in place.
"Frozen Bind," she said with satisfaction. "Let's see you wiggle your way out of this."
Bai Cheng gritted his teeth, his legs encased in thick ice. Every time he tried to move, the frost climbed higher, numbing his muscles.
"Great. Just great," he muttered. "This is fine. Fine."
Shen Yue laughed coldly. "You're done, boy. Do you have any last words before I freeze you?"
"Yeah," Bai Cheng said with clenched teeth, his mind racing. "Your breath smells like fish."
Shen Yue's smirk faded. "What did you say?"
"You've been standing in a river for hours," Bai Cheng kept going, smiling even though he was in trouble. "Don't tell me you can't smell it."
The Ice Clone Formation
Her face twisted with anger. "No more games!"
She thrust her arms outward, and glowing runes appeared on the river's surface. The water rippled as icy mist coalesced into humanoid shapes. One by one, ice clones of Shen Yue emerged, each identical to the original.
Bai Cheng's eyes widened. "Oh, come on!"
The clones surrounded him, their movements synchronized. Shen Yue's voice echoed from all directions. "You're out of tricks, boy. Let's see you escape this!"
The mist was getting thick and the clones closing in when Bai Cheng's heart began racing. Trapped, immobilized, and outnumbered, he needed to think fast this icy nightmare would be his last.