The sky in the Extreme North was always gray, its cold piercing to the bone—at least, that was what an ordinary person would feel. But for Lan Jingyun, the cold felt like a blanket.
It seemed to be the effect of being born here. The soul energy of the Extreme North likely played a major role in his birth process.
After all, where else could he have come from, without a conventional birth?
Lan Jingyun stood at the edge of a frozen river, gazing at the ice that reflected his image. His small body, once stiff and unfamiliar, was now slowly adapting to this extreme environment.
He had learned that this biting cold did not affect him the same way it did other living beings.
However, hunger was still an issue. In his previous world, as a cultivator, he was used to surviving long periods without food. But this small body had its limits.
Carefully, he lowered his little body onto the ice, using a claw he had created from cold energy to break through the thick surface.
Cold water immediately gushed out, and he quickly dipped his hand in, catching a sluggish fish beneath the ice.
"Maybe this is enough to last for today," he murmured, his voice nearly drowned out by the wind.
He lit a small fire using flint stones he had found a few days ago.
His snow-covered hands carefully prepared the fish. Although he had the power to absorb soul energy from his surroundings, he chose not to.
Lan Jingyun still didn't understand this world. He feared unintentionally killing nearby creatures.
His past life had taught him to respect all forms of life, and that principle remained with him in this new world.
As he slowly ate, his gaze drifted toward the towering ice mountains in the distance.
This world was so different, yet the cold reminded him of his final battle. He couldn't help but let out a small, ironic smile.
"Who would have thought I'd start over... in a place like this," he thought.
***
Lan Jingyun sat cross-legged on the cold ice, closing his eyes and calming his mind.
His breath flowed slowly, blending with the chill that seemed to be a part of him.
He tried to find harmony with the energy of this new world, but quickly realized there was no "qi" like he was used to.
Instead, there was something else—an unfamiliar energy, yet vibrant and abundant.
"Soul power," he thought, realizing this world had a different system of power, based on what he had overheard from the group of humans the day before.
He began trying to draw that energy into his body. At first, it was difficult—the energy felt different, wild, and unwilling to yield. But with the calm earned from years of experience as a cultivator, Lan Jingyun slowly began to control it.
Yet something strange happened. The energy he drew began forming patterns, merging within his body as if following a pre-etched path. He felt something locked inside him—something that had just awakened.
Suddenly, the world around him seemed to freeze for a moment. The cold air thickened, and before his eyes, a soft blue circle of light appeared on the icy ground. The light expanded, forming intricate patterns, as if creating a stage for something important.
From the circle of light, pillars of ice slowly formed, building a small structure that resembled an ancient temple. The pillars radiated a sacred and peaceful aura, while mysterious carvings on the roof glowed with a soft, pale blue energy.
Lan Jingyun opened his eyes, stunned by the sight.
"What is this?" he murmured, but the answer quickly came to him. "Martial soul."
Yes, this was what he had seen from the group of humans yesterday. Although in a different form, Lan Jingyun was certain that what stood before him was his own martial soul.
As the energy from the temple fused with his body, he felt himself becoming more in tune with this world.
His perception sharpened, allowing him to sense everything around him—every falling snowflake, every gust of wind, and even creatures hidden within the shadows.
He quickly realized he was being watched.
His sharp eyes glanced into the distance, where several spirit beasts peeked from behind icy trees.
They seemed hesitant—not approaching, but not retreating either. The peaceful aura of Lan Jingyun's martial soul seemed to intrigue them, though some remained cautious.
Even so, the feeling of being watched that Jingyun experienced didn't come from them.
It felt sticky, embedded within him, making Jingyun feel both uneasy and strangely secure.
A truly odd sensation.
Pushing the thought aside, Lan Jingyun chose to focus on what was in front of him. He reached out his hand, trying to touch the temple. As his fingers brushed one of the pillars, a soft cold energy flowed into his body.
***
Night in the Extreme North was barely different from day. The sky remained gloomy, only darker, and the wind howled sharper than before.
Lan Jingyun walked across the compacted snow, his footprints quickly erased by the fast-moving wind.
In the distance, he heard a long howl—echoing through the frozen air. His ears caught the direction of the sound, and instinctively, he moved toward it.
In the middle of a dense ice forest, he found the source of the cry. A snow fox—a small creature with snow-white fur and bright blue eyes—was cornered by a pack of ice wolves.
The wolves were much larger than the snow fox, with thick fur and sharp fangs that gleamed under the moonlight. They growled lowly, slowly closing in on their prey.
Lan Jingyun observed carefully from behind a large ice chunk. His sharp eyes scanned the situation. Although the snow fox appeared small and weak, Jingyun sensed considerable soul energy from its body.
"That creature… it's strong, but injured," he thought.
Without hesitation, he stepped out of hiding. His small body might not seem threatening, but he knew how to use the environment to his advantage.
With his small hands, he summoned the ice around him, forming a short sword of pure ice.
The wolves immediately noticed his presence. One of them leapt toward him, but Jingyun remained calm. He swung his ice sword with precision, striking the wolf's head with the hilt and sending it tumbling into the snow.
The rest paused briefly, confused by the sudden presence of this small figure.
The snow fox, previously cornered, took the chance to leap onto the back of one of the wolves and bit hard into its neck.
The wolf howled and fell, making the others hesitate to continue the hunt.
"Leave," said Jingyun, his voice low but firm, cold energy flowing from his body.
The wolves finally retreated, disappearing into the shadows of the ice forest. Jingyun lowered his sword, letting it melt back into snow.
The snow fox remained where it was, staring at Jingyun cautiously.
"You don't need to be afraid," he said, crouching down to appear smaller. "I won't hurt you."
The creature hesitated for a moment, but eventually approached.
Jingyun pulled out a piece of dried fish from his pocket and placed it on the snow. The snow fox cautiously sniffed the food before finally eating it.
"I'm alone too," he whispered. "Maybe we can help each other."
As he said that, he felt a strange breeze brush against his ear.
The snow fox looked up, locking eyes with Jingyun. Slowly, it stepped closer and curled up near his feet, as if accepting the little boy's offer of friendship.
Jingyun gave a small smile. He gently stroked the creature's soft fur—with its silent approval, of course.
Looking closely, their appearances were almost identical. Snow-white hair and fur, streaked with icy blue in Jingyun's hair and deep ice-blue eyes.