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Northern Continent – Icewind Village
Snow fell gently from the sky, blanketing the jagged mountain ridges and frozen plains in a quiet white stillness. Beneath an icy pine tree, a young man sat cross-legged, his breath visible in the frigid air. Though the cold pierced bone, he remained still—eyes closed, shirt thin, hands trembling slightly as he meditated.
His name was Xue Yun, a fifteen-year-old orphan raised by the village elder after his parents perished in a beast tide. While others in the village herded snow elk or gathered frost herbs to survive, Yun clung to the only inheritance left behind by his father:
> A tattered manual with three words written in ancient frost script: Eternal Frost Scripture.
But no one believed in it. Not the villagers. Not the outer disciples of the nearby sect. Not even the Elder anymore.
Only Yun did.
He gritted his teeth as a sudden wave of icy pain shot through his veins. Again. The same backlash. Every time he tried to circulate the so-called "frost essence" the manual described, his body resisted, veins froze, and his blood nearly turned solid.
Still, he didn't stop.
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Far in the village square, a commotion erupted. Snow was kicked up as a large flying beast descended, its wings stirring the wind.
A dozen armored riders dismounted. The one leading them was a proud youth in black robes embroidered with crimson clouds—a sign of Frostcloud Sect, the local power that controlled this region.
"Where is the brat?" the youth barked, voice cold and arrogant. "The one who dared take our Frost Jade Ore."
Villagers cowered. A few pointed toward the frozen tree.
Soon, the black-robed youth stood in front of Xue Yun, sneering.
"So it's you, trash," he spat. "You think just because your father was once an outer disciple, you're qualified to touch sect property?"
Xue Yun slowly opened his eyes. His gaze was calm. Cold.
"I didn't steal it," he said. "It fell during the beast tide. I found it buried under the snow."
"You found what belongs to our sect? That's still stealing!" The youth raised his hand. Frost spiritual energy gathered.
Behind him, a beautiful girl with silver hair and blue robes frowned slightly. She looked at Yun, eyes sharp with curiosity and something else... concern?
She said nothing.
The youth's palm surged forward. "Die!"
But the instant his frost attack struck—
A pulse erupted from Yun's body. The cold spiritual energy vanished, swallowed entirely by a terrifying chill from deep within him.
The black-robed youth staggered back, face pale.
"You—what did you just—?!"
Yun slowly stood up, his breath now completely stable.
The Eternal Frost Scripture had awakened.