Chapter 15: Memories of the Past – The Ice Scorpion Clan Confrontation, Part 3
Crawling out from beneath the snow and spitting blood, the Spirit Master immediately activated his seventh spiritual ability. An ice sword, three meters long, materialized in his hands as he lunged at me with a thunderous battle cry.
Without a hint of hesitation, I met him head-on. This time, I didn't reinforce my scales with spiritual power—only my internal organs. To me, this was thrilling… a test of my body's limits. As he charged with full force, our clash came in less than two seconds.
Well then… the initial test was complete. True, his strike forced me back ten meters, but a surge of satisfaction welled inside me. My defense had withstood a full-power blow from a ninetieth-rank Battle Spirit Master. The impact carved grooves a few centimeters deep across my scales, yet I had only just reached the ten-thousand-year mark. I still had vast room to grow and evolve.
I saw him pause briefly, seemingly stunned by the result, before quickly regaining composure. This time, he activated his second, third, fifth… all the way up to his ninth spirit pearls. In an instant, his massive sword extended to a full twenty meters.
Now, he could strike from twenty meters away, and a blow like that—if it hit without my scales reinforced by spiritual power—could indeed pierce my defenses.
After the second clash, I was pushed back twenty meters. Yet this time, the strike left only faint scratches across my scales. Still, the Battle Spirit Master paid me no mind. Instead, he surged toward the smallest cluster of scorpions in the area, his intent clear.
I immediately understood his intentions and began activating my abilities, channeling my control over ice. In an instant, massive ice walls—each several meters wide and twenty meters high—sprang up before him.
He shattered the first six walls with ease, but by the ninth, his momentum faltered, forcing him to stop.
Seizing the opportunity, I struck directly, slashing his side with my claws and sending him flying ten meters back. With every blow, as I tested the limits of my growing strength, my passion for battle surged even higher.
The Spirit Master quickly realized that eliminating me would not be simple. With a deafening war cry, he unleashed his eighth spiritual ability, forcing me onto the highest state of alert. I instantly reinforced my defenses to their absolute limit.
The last time he had struck with his Battle Spirit, he had retreated upon realizing he couldn't break through my defenses. Now, this was the first time he had used his eighth ability against me—right at the moment I was on the verge of defeating a titled Battle Spirit Master for the very first time.
Suddenly, something strange happened—I lost control over my movements, though my consciousness remained fully intact. A single second passed, and everything returned to normal… yet the Spirit Master had vanished, leaving only a clear set of footprints behind.
It was the Time-Freezing Technique, temporarily immobilizing the opponent—but consuming immense energy. In his current state, he couldn't even unleash fifty percent of his true power.
"He went in that direction!"
I was about to give chase when suddenly a young girl's voice echoed behind me, followed by a mental message that made me whirl around instantly.
After my breakthrough to the ten-thousand-year level, it had become nearly impossible for anyone to approach me unnoticed—let alone from behind.
Yet before my eyes stood a small Ice Scorpion, tiny compared to me. But judging by what she had just said… and with the decapitated corpse of the Spirit Master lying on the island, there was no doubt about who now stood before me.
"Greetings to the Ice Empress," I said respectfully. After all, she had surpassed two hundred thousand years—showing her anything less than reverence would be unthinkable. Besides, I was still far from her level.
As the rest of the Ice Scorpions surged past us, launching their attacks, the Ice Empress remained still, her gaze fixed on me in silence, making a faint tension coil in my chest.
"You are extremely talented for your level," the Ice Empress said at last, a hint of surprise in her voice.
Since she couldn't determine my true age, she was likely judging me purely by my combat strength—as a ten-thousand-year-old spirit beast.
At that moment, my mother's voice rose behind me.
"Well, little one… He's growing at an incredible rate, and there are no opponents left in our territory, except for me."
A young female voice floated from the sky, delicate and melodic, each note lingering faintly between her words. A second later, my mother appeared, her scales marred by small scratches. Without so much as a glance in my direction, she tossed a blood-stained bracelet toward me.
Over the years, countless Battle Spirit Masters had visited our land. I had handled the weaker ones myself, while the stronger ones were dealt with by my mother. She had also noticed my keen interest in collecting spirit tools and understanding their spatial attributes.
Recognizing my focus, my mother began storing spirit tools on my behalf. Over time, I had amassed more than fifty items.
It may sound like a lot, but in total, they occupied no more than seven hundred cubic meters. At first glance, it seemed massive—after all, the corpses of seven animals I kept as snacks alone took up over a hundred cubic meters. Not to mention the assorted medicinal herbs I didn't even know how to use, plus maps, books, and gold coins. In reality, less than half of the space remained empty.
At that moment, the majestic and serene voice of the Ice Scorpion Empress rang out:
"Selina Drakon, you've finally achieved your breakthrough. Congratulations."
The Ice Empress began conversing with my mother, while I turned to inspect the corpse of the defeated Spirit Master. I had no reason to intervene, nor the slightest interest in doing so.
From my mother's stories, I knew she was familiar with the Ice Empress—not as a friend, of course, but through a relationship of mutual understanding. It was clear that whatever they were discussing was far removed from me.
As I approached the corpse of the second Spirit Master, I began inspecting and organizing the spatial spirit tools left behind by the first. Their capacity reached thirty cubic meters, containing gold coins, herbs, clothing, food, and a variety of other useful items.
Though most of it held little personal value, it would serve as treasures for my human servant. Still, it was the medicinal herbs that caught my attention the most, for they could be used by spirit beasts.
At the end of my inspection, I discovered several books. Judging by the illustrations of herbs and spirit beasts within, they might prove useful.
The second Spirit Master's belongings, however, were even more valuable to me. His store contained only medicinal herbs, regional maps, and a spirit tool—a ring with a capacity of twenty-five cubic meters.
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