The Icefang Bear rarely strayed far from the Frostdew Essence it guarded, curling around the flower in its slumber as if it were part of its surrounding. But on occasion it would wander, perhaps to hunt or patrol its territory, though usually just once a month. Xuan didn't know when the next time would be for its trip outside, and he didn't want to waste precious cultivation progress by lingering around.
So, he made his choice.
Crouching low, Xuan slipped into the cave, the faint light of his lantern barely pushing back the heavy darkness. The air inside was thick and cold, carrying the sharp tang of frost and the unmistakable musk of the beast.
If it's asleep, maybe I can sneak past, he thought, hope flickering in his mind. Take the flower and get out before it notices.
His heart pounded as his gaze adjusted to the dimness. This was the most dangerous thing he had done of his own volition.
As the air grew colder and colder, the far end of the cave came into view, and there it was—a small flower, barely the size of a hand. Its crystalline petals pulsed faintly, as if breathing in harmony with the chilled air as it emanated a pale blue glow. It was the Frostdew Essence.
It's really there. Xuan breathed a sigh of relief.
But there was a problem. Curled around it, massive and unmoving, was the Icefang Bear.
The beast's white-and-grey fur glistened faintly, its massive body coiled protectively around the flower. Its slow, rumbling breaths echoed off the walls like the growl of an untamed storm. There was no way Xuan could retrieve the flower without disturbing it.
Damn it…
His mind raced, weighing his options. A fight was inevitable after all. He was glad, he spend some time practicing the last few days. But still, the cave's confined space posed a significant risk. One wrong move, and the Frostdew Essence could be crushed in the chaos. If that happened, the entire trip, all his effort, would have been for nothing
I'll lure it out.
Xuan scanned the ground and spotted a small, jagged stone. He picked it up, taking a few quiet steps backward to put some distance between himself and the beast. Taking a deep breath, he reared back and hurled the rock with all his might.
*Crack!*
The stone struck the cave wall just beside the bear's head. I suck at aiming. Xuan smiled wrily.
Physical strength aside, he hadn't really had any practice with throwing things. But still, the stone served it's purpose.
Hearing the sound, the Icefang Bear's eyes snapped open, glowing faintly in the dim light, and its massive head swung toward the source of the sound. It let out a low as it rose to its feet.
Xuan turned and sprinted out of the cave, followed quickly by the large animals steps.
Outside, Xuan skidded to a stop, spinning around just as the Icefang Bear emerged. It was even larger than it had seemed in the cave, standing nearly twice his height on its hind legs. Its icy-blue eyes locked onto him, and its white-and-grey fur bristled as it let out another deafening roar.
Focus.
Xuan dropped into a fighting stance, dagger held firmly in his hand. This time, there was no hesitation. The days he had spent practicing had sharpened his movements.
As soon as the bear saw the kid that had interrupted it's sleep stop, it charged at him.
But Xuan was ready for it. He quickly darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the bear's swipe as its claws gouged deep furrows into the earth where he had stood. He moved quickly, circling the beast, searching for an opening. The bear turned, its movements slower than his but far more deliberate.
It swiped again, and this time Xuan ducked low, stabbing the dagger into its leg as he rolled past. The blade sliced into its hide, but the bear barely flinched. Xuan sprang back, narrowly dodging its retaliatory strike.
It's tough. I can't take a hit from it, Xuan realized. His physical strength might match the beast's, but his endurance couldn't compare. One mistake, and it would be over.
The fight dragged on. Xuan moved constantly, dodging and striking where he could, but each attack left little more than shallow cuts. The bear's stamina seemed endless, while his own began to waver. His arms ached, his breaths grew ragged, and the weight of exhaustion crept into his limbs.
But the bear wasn't amused either. It was just a puny human and he still hadn't managed to tear him up. With a guttural roar, it threw its head back in frustration, its jaws parting wide as its bellow echoed through the trees.
Xuan's eyes widened—this was his chance.
Summoning every ounce of focus, he burst forward with a sudden, explosive speed. The world blurred for an instant, his body moving faster than the bear could react. Before it could lower its head, Xuan closed the distance and with a jump drove his dagger deep into the beast's throat.
The bear's roar turned to a sickened gurgle as the blade found its mark, blood spilling in thick rivulets across its white-streaked fur. Xuan's chest heaved as relief washed over him, his grip loosening on the dagger's hilt. He stepped back, a faint smile tugging at his lips as his body finally allowed itself to relax.
But the bear wasn't done. With a final, desperate lunge, its massive paw lashed out in its death throes. Xuan's instincts screamed at him, and he jerked backward just in time to avoid a fatal blow—but not fast enough to escape completely.
The bear's claws raked across his chest, tearing through his robe and biting into his skin. Pain exploded in sharp, burning waves as blood splattered the ground. Xuan staggered back, clutching his chest, his breath hitching as he steadied himself.
The bear let out one last shuddering breath, before slumping heavily to the forest floor. Silence followed, broken only by Xuan's ragged panting.
For a moment, he simply stood there, the throbbing pain anchoring him to the moment. He glanced down at the claw mark across his chest, crimson staining the torn fabric of his robe. A grim smile flickered across his face.
"I did it," he muttered under his breath, his voice hoarse. He'd gotten careless at the end, but right now, he didn't even care. For the first time in what felt like forever, it felt like something went right.
The sharp sting in his chest was far removed from the gnawing ache of his thoughts that haunted him day and night. This pain was real, physical—it burned, it throbbed, but in a strange way, it was comforting. It dulled the mental torment, pushing aside the weight of his regrets, his fears, and his loneliness.
For just a moment, the ache inside him quieted, replaced by the strangely sweet pain in his chest.
Xuan's breathing slowed as he steadied himself, his fingers brushing over the bloodied claw mark, realizing that it was just a flesh wound. Then, pulling himself upright, he stepped toward the fallen bear, his hand tightening around the hilt of the dagger still lodged in its throat. With a firm pull, he retrieved it, the blade slick with crimson.
He glanced at the dagger, its weight solid in his hand. That last burst of speed had been the deciding factor—a trump card he'd kept close. Extreme Speed. That was what he'd named it. It was the divine ability he'd unlocked in his desperate attempt to save Mei.
Afterwards Xuan again activated it in anger during his fight with Li Feng. Back then he caused quite serious injuries to him due to not being able to control the ability properly.
In the following days, Xuan had spent some time testing and refining the abilites use, pushing himself to understand its limits. Through countless experiments—timing himself, measuring the strain on his body—he'd gained a rough understanding. At his current level, Extreme Speed allowed him to double his speed, but only for three seconds. And those three seconds came at a cost.
The ability put immense strain on his body. If he actually used the ability for all three seconds, he would be drained to the point of collapse. Also he could only use it once a week. Any more, and his body would simply fail him. Yet, for all its flaws, it was powerful—enough to give him the edge he had needed to win this fight.
From the notes in the {Wings and Waves Body Scripture} Xuan had learned that divine abilities like Extreme Speed were not static. They could evolve, their power and duration increasing as the practitioner advanced further along the path of Body Cultivation.
But that was a future matter. For now, Xuan wasn't able to continue practicing the next steps of that manual. The materials it required were far beyond his current means. That was why he was working on the {Frozen Gale Codex}, following the Qi Control Path to grow stronger.
He exhaled sharply, brushing the lingering thoughts aside as he turned his attention toward the cave entrance and sheathed his dagger.
His eyes fell on the lantern he had hastily thrown away earlier to free his hand for the dagger. He walked over and picked it up, relief flooding through him as its soft glow remained steady. "Lucky," he muttered under his breath.
With the lantern's light illuminating his path, Xuan moved forward.
Deeper into the cave, the faint glimmer of blue light caught his attention. Xuan's breath slowed as he approached, the sight of the Frostdew Essence Flower drawing his focus entirely.
At the center of the cave, the flower stood in serene beauty. Its crystalline petals shimmered softly, bathed in an ethereal glow that pulsed faintly, as if alive.
Xuan knelt down, his heart steadying as he reached out.