(A/n- It seems I was too influenced from 'To be Hero X' that I just keep sending side character stories. Anyway, that was all I need to show for now, more will be added and I will try to cover it in 1 chapter. And from this chapter it will continue the main character's storyline. And in case you forgot main character name its Xiao Qingxue, even I forgot my main character name. Tee~Hee~)
The morning sun cast long shadows across the pristine training grounds of Tianshui Academy, where the crisp air carried the faint scent of morning dew and the promise of intense combat. Ancient stone pillars surrounded the expansive courtyard, their surfaces worn smooth by countless years of witnessing the academy's most promising students hone their skills. The training ground itself was a masterpiece of architectural design, with intricate frost patterns carved into the marble floors that seemed to pulse with residual ice energy from previous sessions.
At the center of this magnificent arena stood a figure that commanded attention even in stillness—Qingxue, whose hair flowed like liquid midnight touched with azure highlights, each strand catching the light in a way that seemed almost supernatural. Her ice-blue eyes, sharp as winter's first blade, surveyed the circle of eager challengers surrounding her with the calculating gaze of a predator assessing prey.
The assembled students represented the academy's most ambitious soul masters, each one burning with the desire to prove themselves worthy of joining the elite junior team. Their faces showed a mixture of determination and barely concealed nervousness as they prepared to face the legendary elite team member of Tianshui Academy.
Qingxue positioned herself in the traditional combat stance, her left fist pressed firmly against her right palm in a gesture that spoke of both respect and readiness. The simple movement caused the temperature around her to drop several degrees, frost beginning to form on the ground beneath her feet in delicate, crystalline patterns.
"Ice Make: Bloom!" she declared, her voice carrying across the courtyard with crystalline clarity that seemed to make the very air itself shiver.
The transformation was breathtaking. The very atmosphere around her seemed to shimmer and freeze as her soul power surged outward in visible waves of glacial energy. From the ground beneath her feet, magnificent vines of pure ice began to sprout and grow with impossible speed, each one adorned with delicate flowers that sparkled like diamonds in the morning light. The ice constructs moved with fluid grace, their beauty masking the deadly precision with which they sought out their targets.
The vines twisted and writhed through the air like living serpents, their crystalline surfaces refracting the sunlight into thousands of tiny rainbows. Several of the approaching attackers found themselves caught in the embrace of these frozen tendrils, their expressions shifting from confidence to surprise as they realized the elegant trap they had walked into. The ice flowers bloomed against their skin, not causing harm but effectively immobilizing them with bonds stronger than steel.
But not all were so easily captured. Some agile students managed to dodge the initial assault, their movements quick and determined as they pressed forward with their own attacks. Stream soul skill attack flew toward Qingxue's position, each one aimed with the precision that came from months of training.
"Ice Make: Lotus Shield!" she called out, her hands moving in fluid gestures that seemed to paint the very air with frost.
A massive lotus flower of pure ice materialized before her, its petals layered in intricate patterns that would have been beautiful in any other context. Each petal was perfectly formed, with delicate veins of deeper blue running through the translucent surface. The shield absorbed the incoming attacks with a resonant chime, each impact sending ripples of cold energy through the air like disturbed water. The fire techniques hissed and steamed as they met the frozen barrier, creating clouds of vapor that added an ethereal quality to the battle.
But even as her defense held strong, Qingxue could sense more attackers repositioning themselves for a coordinated assault. Their footsteps echoed against the stone as they sought advantageous positions, their breathing visible in the increasingly frigid air.
"Ice Make: Blossom Dance!" she announced, her voice carrying a note of artistic pride.
The courtyard erupted into a winter wonderland as thousands of ice petals filled the air, each one sharp enough to cut and beautiful enough to mesmerize. The swirling storm of frozen flowers created a vortex of deadly beauty, forcing the remaining attackers to retreat as they struggled to find safe ground amidst the crystalline tempest. The petals moved in complex patterns, some spinning lazily while others darted with hummingbird-like precision.
The sound was like wind chimes in a hurricane, a symphony of tinkling ice that masked the more sinister purpose of the technique. Students dove for cover behind the stone pillars, their academy robes whipping around them as they sought refuge from the glacial storm. The more skilled fighters attempted to weave between the petals, their movements resembling an intricate dance as they tried to maintain their offensive positions.
When the ice petals finally settled, carpeting the ground in a layer of sparkling fragments, only two figures remained standing in the designated combat zone—a testament to their exceptional skill and determination.
Baixue stood with her silver-white hair gleaming like moonlight, her defensive posture still maintained despite the conclusion of the test. Her martial soul, the Heavenly Ice Fox, had manifested partially during the battle, creating shimmering tails of ice that had protected her from the worst of the petal storm. Beside her, Bing'er's ice-blue hair was tied back in a practical ponytail, her breathing steady despite the intensity of the encounter. Her own ice-based abilities had created a small sanctuary of calm amidst the chaos.
"As expected of Baixue and Bing'er," Qingxue announced, genuine approval evident in her voice as she surveyed the two survivors. "You both managed to survive the entire wave of attacks."
From the side of the training ground, where she had been observing with studied casualness, Shui Yue'er pushed herself away from a marble pillar. Her water-blue hair caught the morning light as she moved, and her eyes sparkled with mischief that barely concealed her embarrassment at being called out.
"And Yue'er, what was that showing off about? You could have easily avoided every attack if you had focused on evasion instead of theatrics."
Yue'er's cheeks flushed pink, though whether from embarrassment or the cold air was difficult to determine. "Ahh, sorry Captain. I just wanted to show the newcomers what we're made of."
Indeed, Yue'er had spent much of the battle performing elaborate maneuvers across ice structures she had created from the attacks themselves, her movements flowing like water as she danced between danger and safety. While undeniably impressive, it had been more performance than practical combat technique.
"And Xue Wu despite being auxiliary soul master, you managed to hold longer than average attack soul master. It seems training are paying off well."
The gathered students who had participated in the monthly evaluation began to disperse, some nursing minor injuries from the ice techniques, others discussing the finer points of what they had witnessed. This test had become something of a spectacle at Tianshui Academy, drawing not only potential team members but also curious onlookers eager to witness the skills of the elite junior team.
Over the past year, these monthly evaluations had served a dual purpose. They allowed potential candidates to demonstrate their abilities while providing motivation for the broader student body to witness the gap between their current skills and the level required for the elite team. Unfortunately, despite the increased overall skill level at the academy, no new permanent team members had been identified. The few students who showed promise were assigned to support roles, but none possessed the unique combination of talent, temperament, and tactical understanding required for the primary team.
As the crowd thinned, Qingxue found herself reflecting on the current state of her abilities. The past year of intensive training had revealed both strengths and concerning weaknesses in her combat repertoire. Without her self-created soul skills and acquired techniques like the Ice Make series, her natural abilities fell into problematic categories: devastating attacks that consumed enormous amounts of soul power, or auxiliary skills that supported but didn't directly engage threats.
Her domain abilities, while incredibly powerful, were so draining that they could only be used as absolute last resorts. This lack of sustainable combat options had become increasingly apparent during extended training sessions, where she found herself forced to rely heavily on technique and strategy rather than raw power.
The sound of approaching footsteps interrupted her contemplation. Dean Shui Caihong walked across the training ground, her presence immediately commanding respect from the few remaining students. The dean's recent breakthrough to level 90 had been a source of great pride for the academy, achieved through the cultivation techniques and soul core formation secrets that Qingxue had shared.
"Qingxue," the dean called out, her voice carrying both authority and warmth. "It seems your training is going well."
"Good morning dean. How did the hunt progress?" Qingxue asked, though she could already sense from the dean's expression that the news was mixed. As, they returned yesterday night and were resting, Qingxue didn't have time to ask about it.
"Unfortunately, we didn't encounter any soul beasts suitable for my advancement. However, we discovered something rather extraordinary." The dean's eyes took on a distant quality as she recalled the memory. "We found the corpse of a 30,000-year-old Green Roc Eagle—a magnificent specimen—but it had been killed in the most unusual manner I've ever witnessed."
Qingxue's attention sharpened considerably. A soul beast of that age and power didn't die easily, and the circumstances of its death could provide valuable intelligence about the forest's current dangers.
"The creature's head was riddled with perfectly circular holes, and its body was covered in claw marks that seemed to have been made with surgical precision," the dean continued. "Scattered around the corpse were dozens of emerald feathers, each one gleaming with an inner light. Most intriguingly, we caught a glimpse of something emerald-colored fleeing the scene—something that moved so quickly we could barely track it."
The description sent a thrill of recognition through Qingxue's mind. "Dean, those feathers—were they about the length of your forearm, shot through with veins of deeper green?"
"Exactly. They pulsed with wind-attributed energy, and touching them gave the distinct impression of incredible speed and agility."
Saying all these Dean checked everyone progress and left the ground. Meanwhile Qingxue was in little excited state.
"That sounds like an Emerald Demon Bird," Qingxue said, her voice carrying a mixture of excitement and determination. "They're known as the nemesis of both birds and dragons, possessing ultimate wind element abilities."
The implications were staggering. An Emerald Demon Bird that had engaged and killed a Green Roc Eagle would be incredibly powerful, but the evidence suggested it had paid a significant price for its victory. The scattered feathers indicated substantial damage, and the fact that it had fled rather than claiming its prize suggested it was wounded and weakened.
For someone seeking to acquire an ultimate element soul ring, a wounded Emerald Demon Bird represented an opportunity that might not come again for decades. The ultimate wind element would provide the perfect balance to her ice-based abilities, creating a combination that few soul masters could match.
"The hunt will be dangerous," Qingxue mused aloud, her mind already working through the tactical considerations. "But a wounded target is far more manageable than one at full strength."
The next day, Qingxue appeared in the dean office requesting for the leave to hunt soul ring.
"Dean, I have broken through level 40 a while ago. I am planning to hunt a suitable soul ring myself, so I have leave by myself."
Dean Shui Caihong nodded approvingly. "I'll approve your leave request, but If you need any help just contact us. And if you encounter anything beyond your capabilities, retreat immediately." Dean just added some words despite thinking that Qingxue have someone to help her hunt soul beast.
"Understood, Dean. I'll be cautious, but I won't let this opportunity slip away."
As Qingxue was gonna leave the academy, a white haired figure pooped in front of her.
"Sister Qingxue, Can I go with you?"
"Not this time Baixue. I can't take you with me this time, as I have to hunt a soul beast. And even if it sound little cruel, you are too weak to hold me back in hunting soul beast."
Hearing my word she became too sad, my word stung her harder then I thought.
"But, I am still waiting for you to be stronger. There might be a time when I have to rely on you." Saying that I gave a pat on her head.
"Take care. And also tell other that I will be leaving for some period."
Saying my goodbye I left toward Suotou city, as it is the city nearest to Star Dou forest.