Lan Jingyun carefully observed the injured snow fox as he carried it into the ice cave. The creature remained alert but no longer tried to escape his arms.
"I'll treat your wound," Jingyun whispered, his voice as gentle as falling snow.
He gently laid the fox on an icy stone that resembled a bed.
Bright red blood contrasted starkly with its clean white fur, flowing from a wound on its side—marks left by the sharp claws of an ice wolf.
Jingyun glanced around the cave, searching for medicinal plants that usually grew in ice crevices. His sharp eyes caught a pale blue glimmer—Ice Heart Grass, a rare plant that only thrived in extremely cold environments.
He had seen this plant in his previous life, but never expected to find it here.
As he moved to pick it up, the snow fox let out a soft sound, as if warning him. Jingyun paused and turned to the creature. Their icy blue eyes met.
"You know something about this plant?" he asked, more to himself.
The fox tilted its head slightly, as if nodding. The gesture was too humanlike for an ordinary animal. Jingyun gave a slight smile—his suspicion was correct. This was no ordinary snow fox.
Moving slowly and carefully, he approached the Ice Heart Grass. The plant glowed softly in the dark, and its leaves were as cold as ice to the touch. He plucked a few strands and crushed them into a paste using a smooth ice stone.
"This might sting a little," he warned the fox before applying the cold paste to the wound.
The snow fox hissed softly as the medicine touched its wound, but it didn't move away. Its eyes remained focused on Jingyun, full of intelligence and… something else. Something familiar.
He had received a look like that before. But the feeling it gave was different.
Once he finished treating the wound, the snow fox suddenly stood. Though still limping, it walked toward the cave's entrance. Jingyun almost stopped it, but something held him back.
"Where are you going?" he asked softly.
The snow fox paused for a moment, looked back at him, then disappeared into the snowstorm outside.
Jingyun waited in silence, watching the cave's entrance. He could still feel the creature's presence out there, still close.
Not long after, the fox returned. Clutched in its mouth was something glowing faintly gold—an ice flower Jingyun had never seen before. Its three translucent petals sparkled like crystal, and at its center pulsed a golden core, faintly beating like a heart.
"Golden Heart Ice Lotus," Jingyun whispered in awe. He had read about this legendary plant in his previous life, but had never seen it in person.
This plant was said to enhance cultivation without side effects, but it was extremely rare and only grew in the coldest places.
The snow fox placed the flower in front of Jingyun, then stepped back with a strange sense of reverence for a beast. Jingyun carefully picked up the flower, sensing the pure energy flowing from it.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. "But why?"
The fox only stared at him with those deep blue eyes, then walked closer and curled up beside him. There was trust in that gesture—something that warmed Jingyun's chest, even as the air around them remained frozen.
That night, as the snowstorm howled outside, Jingyun sat cross-legged in the cave, the Golden Heart Ice Lotus in his hand. Beside him, the snow fox slept soundly, its wound already healing thanks to the Ice Heart Grass.
Lan Jingyun stored the Golden Heart Ice Lotus inside a box he formed from pure ice. This box would not melt, as it was created by Lan Jingyun himself, born of spiritual ice.
But the peace did not last long.
The next day, just as Lan Jingyun decided to journey beyond the Extreme North, a roar shattered the cold air. Jingyun froze in place, instincts sharp. The snow fox beside him tensed, its fur standing on end.
Through the falling snow, a massive shadow emerged. An ice bear—far larger than any Jingyun had seen before.
Its white, pupil-less eyes radiated primitive savagery, and every step it took made the ground tremble.
"Back," Jingyun whispered to the snow fox, who obediently jumped behind him.
The ice bear swung its massive claw, sending a wave of sharp ice barreling toward them. Jingyun reacted instinctively, summoning the Ice Temple. The sacred structure appeared before them, forming a thick ice wall.
CRACK!
The bear's strike slammed into their shield with brutal force. Cracks spread across the ice surface like a spiderweb. Jingyun clenched his teeth, channeling more energy into the Ice Temple.
But the bear was too strong. With one final blow, the ice wall shattered into pieces. Shards of ice scattered through the air like thousands of tiny knives.
Jingyun wasted no time. In a smooth motion, he raised his hand, manipulating the flying shards. Cold air gathered around him, forming a gleaming ice sword.
"I don't want to hurt you," he said to the bear, though he knew the beast wouldn't understand.
The ice bear roared in reply and swung its claw again. This time, Jingyun moved faster. He dodged to the side, his ice sword spinning with precision. The blade danced in the air, slicing the bear's ice attack into harmless fragments.
But the bear didn't stop. It attacked again and again, each strike stronger than the last. Jingyun continued to dodge and parry, but he knew he couldn't keep this up forever. His small body had its limits.
"This is bad," he whispered, more to himself.
He focused his energy, allowing the Ice Temple to resonate with the surrounding environment. The air grew colder, and the ice beneath them began to tremble. The ice bear paused for a moment, sensing the shift.
With a swift motion, Jingyun drove his ice sword into the ground. Cold energy rippled outward, causing the ice beneath the bear's feet to melt, then instantly freeze again—trapping its legs.
The ice bear roared in rage, struggling to break free. But the ice that held it wasn't ordinary—it was reinforced by the Ice Temple's power, nearly as strong as steel.
"I won't kill you," Jingyun said firmly, "but I also can't let you attack us."