Chapter 16 Winter is Coming, The Three-Year Promise and the Snowy Road
The day they left was a rare, bright, sunny day. Winters in the Northern Territory are always long and gloomy, but today the sun shone exceptionally brightly, casting dazzling golden light on the pristine snowfield, as if even the heavens were bidding farewell to the two young men about to embark on a long journey. At the entrance of Emperor Soul Village, the village was filled with villagers who had come to see them off. Everyone held their own local specialties—some held eggs, some held cured meat—and tried to stuff them into Ye Shaotian's arms.
The old village chief stood at the front, leaning on his cane. Although he tried his best to hide it, Ye Feng could still see the reluctance in his slightly trembling hands. This old man, who was usually extremely stingy and could argue with merchants for half a day over a few copper soul coins, took out a heavy money bag from his pocket and stuffed it into Ye Feng's hand.
"Xiao Feng, Shao Tian, don't embarrass our village when you get to the big city. If you run out of money, just write back. Grandpa Village Chief's savings for your funeral will last you a while." The village chief said with a smile, deep concern hidden in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. "Remember, when you're out in the world, patience is key, but if anyone dares to mess with us, we'll fight them back! We, the people of Emperor Soul Village, don't cause trouble, but we're not afraid of trouble either!"
"Grandpa Village Chief, please stop cursing yourself." Ye Shaotian's eyes were red, he sniffed and held back his tears. "You still need to save money to marry Widow Wang from the next village. I heard she's been interested in you lately."
"You brat! You're asking for a beating!" The village chief laughed and raised his cane, pretending to hit him, but hesitated and didn't bring it down. In the end, he just lightly patted Ye Shaotian's butt. "When you get there, eat less. Look how fat you've gotten."
Grandma stood at the front of the crowd. Unlike the other women, she didn't wipe away tears; she simply looked quietly at her two grandsons, who had grown considerably taller. In her hands were two tightly sewn bundles—cotton-padded clothes and dry rations she had hastily made overnight.
"Grandma, are you really not coming to Winter City with us?" Ye Feng asked again, his voice choked with emotion. He knew that although his grandmother said she didn't want to move, she was actually trying to keep the Snow Demon Sect in check. As long as the "Soul Shattering Dragon Mother" was still in Emperor Soul Village, the Snow Demon Sect wouldn't dare to launch a full-scale attack, because they were afraid that this reckless Soul Douluo would destroy their stronghold.
Grandma shook her head, reached out her rough hands to straighten Ye Feng's collar, and said softly, "Grandma is old and can't leave this place where she was born and raised. Besides, if the village chief and I leave, who will guard Emperor Soul Village? The villagers here need us. Go ahead and explore with peace of mind. Just know that this will always be your home. Come back when you're tired."
"Grandma, take care." Ye Feng took a deep breath, knelt heavily on the snow, and kowtowed three times to his grandmother. Ye Shaotian also knelt down, his kowtows making a loud thud.
"Go on! Don't look back!" Grandma waved her hand, turned around, and stopped looking at them.
The carriage wheels rolled forward, leaving two deep ruts in the snow. Ye Feng sat on the carriage shaft, looking back as the small, thin figure standing in the wind grew smaller and smaller until it disappeared into the vast white snowfield. He clenched his fists, silently vowing: I'll come back. When I return, I will have enough power to protect everything, so that no one will dare to threaten our home again.
After several days of arduous travel, the outline of Winterfell finally appeared on the horizon.
Winter City, the capital of the Northern Province of the Heaven Dou Empire, is also the largest military fortress and trade center in the entire northern part of the empire. It is more than ten times more prosperous and magnificent than Northern City. The towering city walls, constructed entirely of obsidian, reach a height of fifty meters and are engraved with complex defensive soul-guiding arrays, emitting a faint blue light, powerful enough to withstand the impact of ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts. The city streets are wide enough to accommodate eight carriages abreast, bustling with activity and filled with the sounds of people. Everywhere one can see soul masters dressed in various styles of martial arts attire, some carrying greatswords, others leading soul beasts, exuding an aura of iron will and martial prowess.
Ye Feng and Ye Shao alighted from the carriage and looked at the magnificent city before them, feeling a sense of awe.
"Goodness, this city wall must be at least fifty meters high!" Ye Shaotian looked up, his neck aching. "Climbing up this would be exhausting. It's way more impressive than our Northern Border City!"
"Let's go, let's go to the academy to register first." Ye Feng took out a map and confirmed the direction.
The Winter Intermediate Soul Master Academy is located in the eastern part of the city, occupying an entire block, like a city within a city. As the best intermediate academy in the Northern Territory, its admission requirements are extremely high, accepting only the most talented. When the two arrived at the academy gate, they found a long queue already formed, a sea of people, and an exceptionally noisy scene.
"So many people?" Ye Shaotian exclaimed in surprise.
"Today is the last day to register, so of course there are a lot of people," Ye Feng said, leading Ye Shaotian to the end of the line.
Just as the two were waiting idly, a shrill voice came from behind them.
"Get out of the way! A good dog doesn't block the road! Don't you have eyes?"
Accompanied by the rapid sound of hooves, a luxuriously decorated carriage, inlaid with gold trim, came hurtling in. Pulling it were two centuries-old horned horses, their bodies covered in scales, exuding a menacing aura. The students in line scattered in fear, lest they be trampled.
Ye Feng frowned and pulled Ye Shaotian aside, but a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.
The carriage stopped at the academy gate. The curtain was lifted, and a young man dressed in luxurious fur stepped out. The boy was about twelve or thirteen years old, extremely robust, a head taller than his peers, with bronze skin and clearly defined muscles. Although he was handsome, his eyes revealed an arrogant disdain for everyone. He was toying with two large iron balls in his hands, making a clicking sound.
"It's someone from the Huyan family!" someone whispered in the crowd. "Huyan Li! A collateral descendant of the Elephant Armor Sect. It's said that his martial soul is a variant of the Diamond Mammoth, with astonishing defensive power. He's a well-known little tyrant among the younger generation in Winter City!"
"The Elephant Armor Sect? One of the Lower Four Sects?" Ye Feng's heart stirred. He hadn't expected to encounter someone from one of the Lower Four Sects in Winter City. The Elephant Armor Sect was renowned for its defense, claiming that no one of its level could break through its defenses.
Ignoring the awe-inspiring gazes around him, Huyan Li swaggered towards the gate. Just as the guards were about to stop him, he flashed a golden token and coldly snorted, "Special admission, exempt from examination."
The guards immediately and respectfully allowed them to pass.
"Tch, what's so great about him? He just has a good dad, and he thinks he's right to cut in line." Ye Shaotian muttered under his breath. He couldn't stand guys like this who bully others because of their power.
To everyone's surprise, Hu Yanli, with his extremely sharp ears, suddenly turned his head, his gaze shooting towards Ye Shaotian like lightning, and his voice booming like a bell: "Fatty, what did you say?"
Ye Shaotian shrank back, but still forced himself to stand tall: "I said you cut in line, so what? There are so many people queuing here, why did you just go in?"
"Huh?" Hu Yanli seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. He walked up to Ye Shaotian and looked down at him. "Sophistication? In this world, strength is the most important thing. You want to skip the test? Fine, take one of my punches. If you don't die, you pass."
Without a word, Hu Yanli disregarded the academy rules and threw a punch. Although this punch didn't use soul power, the terrifying physical strength generated a wind pressure that caused the surrounding people's expressions to change drastically, and the air itself seemed to explode.
"How can you be so unreasonable!" Ye Shaotian roared, and was about to draw his sword to defend himself.
A slender, fair hand suddenly reached out and steadily caught Hu Yanli's fist, which was as big as a sandbag.
"Smack!"
A crisp, clear sound of impact.
Ye Feng stood in front of Ye Shaotian, catching Hu Yanli's fist with one hand. His body remained completely still, not even sinking into the snow beneath his feet. His expression was calm as still water, as if he had caught not a heavy punch, but a falling leaf.
"Huh?" Hu Yanli's pupils suddenly contracted. Although he only used 30% of his strength in this punch, it was still something that an ordinary Great Soul Master would not dare to take head-on. How could this silver-haired boy, who looked even younger and had a slender build than him, take it so easily? Moreover, he felt that the other party's palm was like a piece of tough cowhide, completely dissolving his power.
"Cutting in line is one thing, but hitting someone is another. Is this the kind of upbringing the Elephant Armor Sect has?" Ye Feng looked at him calmly, his palm exerting a slight force, and the "force deflection" and "force borrowing" techniques he had comprehended from the Thousand Chance Umbrella were instantly activated.
A spiraling force traveled through Ye Feng's palm, causing Hu Yanli's expression to change. He felt as if his fist had been clamped by an iron clamp, and a piercing pain shot through him, as if his bones were about to dislocate. He groaned and jerked his hand back, losing his balance and staggering back two steps before regaining his footing.
"Interesting." Hu Yanli shook his numb hand, his eyes becoming serious, a bloodthirsty glint flashing in them. "Kid, what's your name? You can take one of my punches without falling down, so you deserve to let me know your name."
"Ye Feng," Ye Feng replied calmly.
"Ye Feng? Never heard of him." Hu Yanli sneered. "But your strength and skills are not bad. I hope you can survive the entrance exam. We'll see you inside. I won't be using only 30% of my strength then."
After saying that, he gave Ye Feng a deep look, turned around and walked into the academy, leaving a group of dumbfounded freshmen around him.
"Boss, this guy is really strong. I felt the wind blowing in my face just now." Ye Shaotian touched his face with some lingering fear.
"The Elephant Armor Sect is renowned for its defense and strength, truly remarkable. His martial spirit is of high quality, and his physical talent is extraordinary." Ye Feng looked at Hu Yanli's back, a hint of fighting spirit flashing in his eyes. "It seems that this Winter Academy is indeed full of hidden talents, much stronger than the opponents we encountered in Northern Border City."
After a long wait, the two finally passed the basic test and received their admission tickets. However, when they entered the academy, they found that instead of the teaching buildings and playground they had imagined, there was a huge, enclosed arena.
The arena was circular, surrounded by towering stands where academy professors and senior students sat, watching the scene below as if it were a monkey show. Hundreds of freshmen who had passed the preliminary tests were gathered here, the atmosphere oppressive and tense.
On the high platform, a tall, well-dressed, middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses stood up. He was the dean of the Winter's Intermediate Soul Master Academy, the "old friend" Mingyue had mentioned, Feng Rusong. He appeared gentle and refined, but his eyes revealed an undeniable authority.
"Welcome to the Winter Intermediate Soul Master Academy." Feng Rusong's voice resounded throughout the venue through the amplified soul tool, clearly penetrating everyone's ears. "I know you are all geniuses, the pride of heaven, in your respective primary academies. But here, you now have only one identity—scrap iron awaiting selection."
"Winter Academy doesn't need hothouse flowers; we need wolves that can survive on the far northern ice plains. So, this year's entrance exam rules are simple—a free-for-all."
"There are five hundred people in this arena now. The last two hundred standing will be accepted. The rest will be eliminated."
"Rules: Except for killing, any means are permitted. Poison, hidden weapons, alliances, and betrayals are all allowed. On this field, the only truth is to stand still. Now, the timer begins!"
The words had barely left his lips when the entire arena erupted in uproar. Five hundred to two hundred? An elimination rate of over half? And a free-for-all? This was too cruel! But before the freshmen could finish their complaints, the battle had already broken out. Someone struck first, blasting those around them who hadn't even reacted yet out of the arena.
"boom!"
The scene instantly descended into chaos, with the light of soul skills flying everywhere, and screams and roars rising and falling.
"Boss, what do we do?" Ye Shaotian looked at the chaotic crowd around him and nervously gripped the hilt of his sword.
Ye Feng laughed. A chaotic free-for-all? Isn't this just like the "100-player dungeon" or "wild boss battle" in "Glory"? He was all too familiar with this kind of chaotic scene, and even felt a sense of familiarity with it.
Ye Feng drew the Thousand Chance Umbrella from behind his back, but the umbrella did not open; instead, it remained in the shape of a long staff.
"What to do? Clear the area, of course." Ye Feng's eyes gleamed with confidence. "Shao Tian, stick close to me. Today, we'll teach this Winter Academy a lesson on what—cooperation—is."
"Okay!" Ye Shaotian replied excitedly.
The two stood back to back in the center of the chaos.
"Do not laugh, the sound of the night rain is disturbing, log in!"
With a low shout from Ye Feng, the Thousand Chance Umbrella swept out horizontally.
"First Soul Skill - Round Dance Stick!"
A freshman who attempted a sneak attack was precisely hooked by Ye Feng's spear form, and then flung away by a tremendous force, knocking down a group of people like a bowling ball.
In the stands of the Winter Academy, Feng Rusong adjusted his glasses, holding Mingyue's letter in his hand, his gaze precisely fixed on Ye Feng in the audience. The letter contained only one sentence: "This kid is here for the All-Continent Elite Tournament championship three years from now. Don't let him go to waste."
Feng Rusong watched Ye Feng move through the crowd as if it were nothing, wielding the Thousand Chance Umbrella with unparalleled skill, and a playful smile appeared on his lips: "The champion? Mingyue, you've really given me a lot of trouble. But... since you're that woman's successor, perhaps you really can create a miracle. Three years later... the ice and snow of this northern border will eventually sweep across the entire continent."