Shelley watched as Thorne dispersed all the water figures and switched to practicing Water Arrow, a flicker of annoyance rising in her chest.
"A lake with quite a temper."
But in the next moment, she was drawn in by the immense power of Thorne's Water Arrow skill.
Thorne was using the system-granted skill, far more potent than the water arrows he conjured himself. He'd been studying the differences between his own creations and the system's skill.
At Level 5, Water Arrow was no longer just an arrow. When it struck an obstacle, it exploded, unleashing tremendous destructive force.
Moreover, while Thorne's self-formed water arrows took time to create, the system skill was instantaneous, giving no chance for defense—the most significant difference.
From what he'd observed, whether mages or elves, attacks required preparation, some spells needing lengthy incantations. Thorne's skills skipped that process entirely.
"With your Mortal Tier strength, how can you cast magic skills instantly? Even if your body is water, it shouldn't be possible," Shelley finally asked, curiosity overwhelming her.
Thorne ignored her, lost in his own world.
"Could you have grasped the Law of Water? Impossible. No one in this world could master a law."
"Laws?" Thorne's heart stirred. Could the system's skills be tapping into the Law of Water?
"I don't know how you're doing it, but you must have your secrets. Just be careful—this world isn't a kind place. If those people find out you've touched laws, even if you were ten times stronger, you'd still be done for."
Thorne seized on the key point in her words and asked, "This world of yours? You're not from here? You came from another world?"
Shelley realized her mistake and clammed up.
Seeing this, Thorne knew further questions were pointless. He'd suspected her extraordinary origins, but not that she was from another world. From his past-life novel-reading experience, such people were chaos magnets—trouble followed them everywhere. Best to steer clear.
The power of laws felt distant, but with relentless training to refine his water control, Thorne believed he could improve greatly.
Under the elves' pressure, he trained tirelessly. Needing neither food nor drink, he barely felt time passing.
A week had passed with Shelley lying by Thorne's lake shore. She hadn't moved, occasionally trading a few words with him but refusing to divulge anything more about her origins.
Yet in cultivation, Shelley—worthy of her otherworldly roots—had remarkable insight. Though not adept at water magic, she could pinpoint Thorne's flaws from a lofty perspective, offering valuable advice.
"Forming water into a human is premature for you. Once you reach Saint Tier and can split your soul from your body, you could try crafting water clone avatars. I've seen a Saint Tier mage create a clone from millennial black ice, infusing it with a soul fragment. The clone ended up tougher than the original."
"Ice? Why didn't I think of that?"
"If my water arrows became ice arrows, wouldn't their power surge?"
Turning water to ice wasn't a novel concept, but Thorne, fixated on his lake identity and water mastery, had overlooked that ice was just another form of water.
Though Shelley's casual remark jolted him into realizing this simple, practical method, freezing water posed a challenge. Still, as a lake, Thorne was confident he could figure it out.
He dove into relentless practice again. Shelley had thought Thorne, despite his exceptional talent, lacked comprehension. Yet he'd gleaned a new attack method from her offhand comment. What unnerved her more was his relentless dedication.
From forming a small ice chunk, to a single arrow, then dozens, then hundreds—finally, this scene unfolded in the desert:
A calm lake surface erupted as a large section of water shot skyward, forming water arrows. As they sped toward the shore, they rapidly froze into ice arrows.
A flurry of "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh" left the ground scarred with craters. The ice arrows stood embedded, neither shattering nor melting.
Thorne felt a thrill. Three days of grueling practice had birthed a move over three times stronger than before.
Shelley's eyes sparkled with amazement. She'd only mentioned it in passing. Freezing water sounded simple but involved advanced water element manipulation—something she'd never seen a Mortal Tier being achieve.
"Ding. Detected host independently comprehending water-to-ice transformation ahead of schedule. Rewarding host 3000 energy points and unlocking skill: Ice Cage early."
Thorne checked the system panel:
Host: Thorne
Identity: Lake
Level: Lv5
Energy: 28,000
Skills: Spring Breeze Rain Lv5, Water Bind Lv5, Water Arrow Lv5, Water's Deterrence Lv5, Blessing (power tied to host level and follower loyalty), Ice Cage Lv1
This was a windfall. Mastering a new attack method earned system rewards—proof it was flexible. Hunting wasn't the only way to gain energy; achievements worked too.
A sly thought struck Thorne.
"Use the skill Ice Cage."
A sturdy ice prison abruptly encased Shelley.
Today, he'd test whether she was healed and feigning weakness for some scheme, or still injured.
In less than ten seconds, the Ice Cage shattered with a "bang."
Shelley sneered, "Not bad. It could trap a Transcendent Tier Level 3 or 4 for a while, but it's nothing to me."
Though she spoke dismissively, inwardly she was stunned.
She'd broken it quickly for pride's sake, using a Transcendent Tier Level 8 magic scroll, yet it still took nearly ten seconds. That meant the cage could hold a Level 8 for ten seconds—enough time for plenty more moves.
"Has he not only mastered freezing water but also the Law of Ice? No, there's no trace of law power."