The ice sheet held another Qilin, its frozen silhouette stark against the pale expanse. That alone was enough to make everyone's hearts sink. It meant someone else was undergoing a trial there, and it was definitely not one of their own. That left only one possibility: their target had to be nearby. Ethan.
But where the hell was he?
Their attention shifted almost at once, drawn by something that did not fit. That lake was different from theirs. From its edge, a narrow stream stretched out nearly a hundred meters, a thin silver ribbon cutting through the ice. Stranger still, the stream had not frozen.
"Could it be…"
No one finished the thought out loud. Every gaze followed the stream, and the same suspicion formed in all of their minds at the same time. They exchanged quick glances, then rose together and surged forward, charging straight toward the unfrozen water.
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