Chapter 18 The Core Class's Baptism of Ice, Teacher Qin Cang's Show of Force and the Mechanical Rhythm of the Thousand-Machine Umbrella
The morning in Winterfell did not become warmer with the appearance of the sun; instead, the reflection of the snow enveloped the entire city in an almost frigid, silvery-white glow.
Ye Feng stood on the terrace of the core class's private villa, gazing at the distant city wall that resembled a black dragon lying across the snow-covered plain. He exhaled a long, stale breath. White mist quickly condensed in the air, only to be swept away by the biting wind. He looked down at the Thousand Chance Umbrella in his hand; the ice-blue patterns on the handle shimmered with a faint glow in the morning light—a phenomenon resulting from the fusion with the Tears of the Ice God, as if the umbrella itself had gained its own breath.
"Boss, this bed is a trap! I almost got stuck in it and couldn't get out." Ye Shaotian said, rubbing his sleepy eyes as he walked out of the room. He was wearing the academy's standard black outfit, with an exquisitely embroidered six-petaled snowflake on the collar, the symbol of the Winter Academy's core class.
Despite his complaints, Ye Shaotian's rosy complexion and the undisguised energy in his eyes clearly showed that the spiritually rich environment he had experienced the previous night had greatly benefited him. For a Soul Master in a critical period of physical development, the enhancement brought about by a simulated cultivation environment was comprehensive.
After a quick wash and a special nutritious meal provided by the academy in the villa, the two walked along a quiet, tree-lined path toward the core class's exclusive training hall—"Linfeng Hall".
Along the way, many students from regular classes cast envious or even jealous glances at him. The aftershocks of yesterday's chaotic battle were still lingering, and those freshmen who had been eliminated by Ye Feng like trash only dared to whisper among themselves from afar.
Ye Feng ignored this, his steps steady and rhythmic, his mind already simulating various training scenarios he might encounter today. He knew that since it was called the core class, the teachers here would definitely not be as gentle as those in the junior academy.
Stepping into the Rising Wind Pavilion, an aura even colder and more oppressive than outside immediately hits you. The floor here is entirely paved with single pieces of deep-sea ice wood, a material that is not only harder than iron but also spontaneously gathers ice-attribute soul power from the air. The enormous pavilion currently houses only a dozen or so people. Besides the few seeded players who performed exceptionally well yesterday, the most eye-catching figure is naturally Hu Yanli, seated beneath a stone pillar in the center of the arena.
He had changed into a tight-fitting training suit, and the calm aura of his Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul was oppressive even while he was sitting still. Seeing Ye Feng and the other person enter, Hu Yanli merely snorted coldly, closing his eyes and remaining silent, but the slight trembling of his muscles betrayed his inner turmoil.
Standing before the crowd was a gaunt old man with a face ashen and iron-like. He wore a dark gray robe, his hands clasped behind his back, and he stood there like an ancient sword plunged into an icy plain, exuding a chilling sharpness.
As Ye Feng and Ye Shaotian's footsteps echoed in the hall, the old man's gaze shot over like lightning. In that instant, Ye Feng felt an extremely powerful mental pressure rushing into his mind, as if it wanted to see right through his soul.
"You're three seconds late." The old man's voice was hoarse and cold, devoid of any warmth. "My name is Qin Cang, and I'm your main tutor for the next three years. In my classes, levels, backgrounds, and talents are all nonsense. I only care about results. If you can't keep up with my pace, you can get out of Winterfall Hall right now and go to the regular class to be your geniuses."
Teacher Qin Cang did not release his soul rings, but the faint fluctuations of soul power told Ye Feng that he was definitely a Soul Emperor with a soul power level of over sixty, or even higher.
Qin Cang's words caused the dozen or so prodigies present to change their expressions. Even a proud and arrogant scion of a wealthy family like Hu Yanli couldn't help but clench his fists, but dared not lash out.
In the Northern Territory, Qin Cang's name is a taboo. He is known for his extremely cruel, even perverse, teaching methods, but every Soul Master trained by him is among the best of their level. There are even rumors that several Ironblood leaders in the current Northern Territory military were trained under Qin Cang's beatings.
"Today's lesson is very simple." Qin Cang waved his hand, and the ground in the center of the hall suddenly cracked open, revealing ice pillars carved with strange runes that slowly rose up. Each ice pillar had a crystal ball shimmering with a faint light suspended on it. "Subtle control of soul power. This determines the length of your endurance in actual combat, as well as the accuracy of your soul skill release."
I don't care what method you use, within one hour, use your soul power to keep the crystal ball suspended one foot above the ice pillar. If it's one inch higher, the crystal ball will shatter; if it's one inch lower, the ice pillar will explode. The loser will go outside and squat naked in the snow pit for two hours.
The requirement didn't sound difficult, but everyone present was a newcomer who had just obtained their first spirit ring, with shallow spirit power reserves and mostly rudimentary control.
To maintain consistent and absolute output for an entire hour is not only a test of soul power, but also a double torment of willpower and mental strength. Ye Feng walked to an ice pillar, looking at the crystal-clear sphere, secretly admiring the ingenuity of this training method. It was practically identical to the logic of practicing micro-management and timing skill cooldowns in "Glory."
Ye Shaotian approached the crystal ball and tentatively channeled a wisp of his soul power into it. The crystal ball suddenly shot upwards half a foot, startling him so much that he quickly withdrew his hand. The ball then slammed heavily against the ice pillar, producing a crisp impact sound.
Qin Cang's cold gaze swept over him, and Ye Shaotian shrank back, no longer daring to be careless. He began to hold his breath and concentrate, adjusting the frequency of his soul power output little by little. On the other side, Hu Yanli seemed to be struggling even more. The Diamond Mammoth Martial Soul was originally known for its fierceness, and asking him to do this kind of delicate work was like asking an elephant to embroider. He was so anxious that cold sweat poured down his forehead.
Ye Feng didn't rush to attack. He closed his eyes, sensing the heavy, icy pressure in the surrounding air. He discovered that the runes on these ice pillars were actually miniature soul-guiding arrays, constantly absorbing and repelling external soul power, causing interference.
This is why the crystal ball fluctuated violently. He took a deep breath, and the Ice God's Tear within his body slowly circulated, a cool and supple soul force flowing from his fingertips to the crystal ball.
Driven by Ye Feng's will, the Thousand Manifestations Umbrella opened halfway behind him on its own. Ye Feng wasn't using his martial soul to fight, but rather using the complex soul power circuitry within the Thousand Manifestations Umbrella as a "filter."
He first channeled his soul power into the ribs of the Thousand Manifestations Umbrella, filtering and smoothing it through the intricate mechanical devices before releasing it from the tip. This method was extremely ingenious and skillful. To Qin Cang's astonishment, the crystal ball in front of Ye Feng seemed to be steadily held up by an invisible hand, hovering perfectly a foot away from the ice pillar, as stable as Mount Tai.
"Soul resonance?" A strange light flashed in Qin Cang's eyes. He had seen countless strange souls, but this was the first one that could use its soul as a part of its body to regulate its own soul power frequency.
This shows that Ye Feng's compatibility with this umbrella has reached an outrageous level. In the world of Soul Masters, this level is usually called "unity of man and weapon," a threshold that only established Title Douluo can glimpse, yet it has appeared in a child who is only six years old.
Time ticked by, and the atmosphere inside the Rinfeng Pavilion grew increasingly tense. The only sounds in the oppressive air were the rapid breathing of the students and the occasional crisp crack of a crystal ball striking an ice pillar. Every so often, a sharp "snap" would rang out, accompanied by the shattering of a crystal ball. Qin Cang, expressionless, reached out and tossed the eliminated students out of the pavilion like chickens. In just half an hour, half of the fourteen core students had been eliminated. Of the remaining few, only Hu Yanli was gritting his teeth and persevering; the others' soul power fluctuations had become extremely unstable.
Ye Shaotian's face turned deathly pale, his already round face contorted with rage from clenching his teeth. His Frost Sword Martial Soul inherently possessed certain control characteristics, but faced with this pure micro-management training, his habitually explosive soul power output mode was finding it extremely difficult. Ye Feng glanced at Ye Shaotian out of the corner of his eye but didn't offer any advice, because this level of understanding had to be grasped personally. In the arena of Glory, teammates can cover you, but they can't control the mouse for you.
Just as the hour was about to expire, the crystal ball in front of Huyan Li suddenly trembled violently. The Diamond Mammoth Soul Power within him, due to its excessive tension, rebounded. Seeing that the crystal ball was about to crash into the ice pillar and explode, a ruthless glint flashed in Huyan Li's eyes. He forcibly severed the connection of his remaining Soul Power, using a short burst of Soul Power to stabilize the ball. Although this violated the initial principle of "stable output," he had still accomplished his mission. Qin Cang glanced at Huyan Li, snorted coldly, but did not send him away.
Finally, when Qin Cang announced the end of the training, only four people remained on the field. Ye Feng remained as steady as a mountain; Ye Shaotian broke through his limit at the last moment and barely maintained the crystal ball's levitation; Hu Yanli was covered in sweat but still stood; and there was also a short-haired girl whose martial soul was the extremely rare Shadow Cat. Although her soul power fluctuated greatly, she also held on until the end.
"Don't think that staying means victory." Qin Cang walked up to Ye Feng, looking at the Thousand Chance Umbrella that exuded a mysterious aura, his tone still stern, "Ye Feng, although your method is brilliant, this reliance on martial spirit is a double-edged sword."
"A Soul Master's foundation is always their body. If one day you lose your Martial Soul, or your Soul Power is depleted, how will you cope?" Ye Feng paused for a moment, then nodded solemnly. He knew Qin Cang's assessment hit the nail on the head. In "Glory," even the best equipment is only an aid; the player's awareness and on-the-spot judgment are the core.
"For the next two hours, we'll be doing cross-country running with heavy loads to the northern outskirts of the Northern Border City's icy plains." Qin Cang's next words made the four people, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, tense up again. "No soul power needed. Wear your training clothes, each of you carrying fifty pounds of weight. The destination is 'Soul-Severing Slope,' thirty miles away. Whoever arrives last will have their dinner canceled. Ye Feng, you'll double the weight." Qin Cang's gaze towards Ye Feng held a special "concern."
As the four dragged their weary bodies into the northern suburban ice plains, the biting wind had become a howling demon. Even without using soul power to ward off the cold, the piercing chill seeped into their very bones. Ye Feng carried twice the weight of the others—a full hundred pounds. The heavy ironwood crates dug into his shoulders, leaving deep craters in the thick snow with every step. While even a beast soul master as physically strong as Hu Yanli could maintain his speed, Ye Shaotian and the short-haired girl were already panting heavily.
Ye Feng walked at the front of the group, his Thousand Manifestations Umbrella slung across his back instead of being folded up. He didn't see it as punishment, but rather as a deep development of his physical capabilities. During the thirty-mile run, he began to try to regulate his breathing rate without using his soul power, optimizing his physical output. This tedious and painful training was quantified in his mind into precise numerical values.
"Boss... I really... can't go on..." After running ten miles, Ye Shaotian was moving his legs almost mechanically. His eyebrows and eyelashes were covered with white frost.
"Don't stop." Ye Feng's voice was a little hoarse, but it was filled with an undeniable firmness. "Imagine the soul power in your body is a flowing river. Even if you don't actively activate it, let it nourish your damaged muscles. Treat this pain as a kind of resonance." Ye Feng did not stop to help him up, because he knew that in the Winter Academy, the strong did not need sympathy, they only needed companions.
Hu Yanli walked beside Ye Feng, watching the boy who was a head shorter than him yet carried a hundred-pound burden with steady steps. His arrogance was gradually being replaced by admiration. The Elephant Armor Sect revered strength, and this kind of power, transcending soul force and relying purely on physical strength and willpower, was what earned their respect. Hu Yanli snorted coldly and quickened his pace. He didn't want to lose to someone smaller than himself, even in physical training.
As the sun slanted across the western horizon, casting its last crimson rays, four staggering figures finally reached the summit of Broken Soul Slope. Qin Cang was already waiting there, sitting on a boulder, a steaming jug of strong liquor in his hand. Looking at the four students, their faces flushed and radiating heat, his perpetually icy expression softened slightly, revealing a smile more painful than a grimace.
"An hour and a half, you're still somewhat human." Qin Cang took a sip of wine and tossed the wine pot to Ye Feng. "Have a sip to warm yourself up. The four of you can go back to the villa tonight and don't need to stay in the snow pit."
Ye Feng took the wine jug. The spicy liquor went down his throat, like a flame exploding in his chest, bringing feeling back to his almost numb limbs. He handed the jug to Ye Shaotian, then glanced at Hu Yanli, who was equally exhausted beside him. At this moment, the hostility from yesterday's arena seemed to have melted away considerably in the face of extreme physical pain and shared challenges.
"Ye Feng, your martial soul... is very heavy." Qin Cang suddenly spoke, his gaze falling on the Thousand Chance Umbrella. "It's not just the smell of metal. When you break through level 20, I will take you to the true forbidden land of the Northern Territory. There are opportunities for you there, and there may also be your graves. Now, go back to sleep. We'll assemble on the training ground at 3 a.m. tomorrow."
On the way back to the villa, Ye Feng walked unusually slowly. He could feel his meridians throbbing slightly, but the pain was mixed with a sense of exhilaration, like emerging from a cocoon. As his soul power circulated automatically within his body, he noticed that the width of his meridians seemed to have expanded slightly, and the energy emanating from the Tears of the Ice God flowed more smoothly into his soul power pool.
This day's training was merely a microcosm of life in the core class of the Frostwinter Academy. Here, there were no fancy theoretical classes, only the most primitive and brutal honing. Ye Feng looked up at the star-studded, cold and aloof night sky. He knew that this was just an insignificant starting point on the road to the Elite Competition three years later. The shadow of the Snow Demon Sect, the competition from the Hu Yan family, and those top geniuses who had yet to appear all awaited them under this cold starry sky.
"Boss, do you think Teacher Qin Cang has taken a liking to you?" Ye Shaotian, having drunk some alcohol, became bolder. "The way he looks at you is like a grandma looking at the pig we're going to slaughter for the New Year, full of anticipation."
"Stop being so glib and get back to your cultivation." Ye Feng smiled, deftly twirling the Thousand Manifestations Umbrella in his hand. The mechanical structure at the handle clicked crisply, the sound particularly clear in the quiet night, as if telling of some kind of yearning about to awaken.
The championship three years from now? Ye Feng gripped the umbrella handle tightly. On that highest stage, he would not only recreate the divine power of the Thousand Chance Umbrella, but also let the entire Douluo Continent know that once the ice and snow of the North boil, it would be enough to overturn the entire world.