NOVPUB"Achoo!"
Shan Yifeng sneezed again, his nose reddening slightly.
The Tyrant Bear, half-asleep and grumbling, instinctively tightened his grip on White Fur's warm tail, snuggling deeper like a child clutching a blanket.
Shan Yifeng rubbed his nose. "How am I catching a cold? This makes no sense at all."
White Fur tilted her head thoughtfully. "It truly doesn't. Let me examine your condition."
With gentle elegance, she lifted him up using one of her tails, her eight others curling protectively around Little Aoki like a throne of silk and snow.
Her golden eyes narrowed as she peered deeper, as though gazing into the hidden patterns of his soul.
Liu Mei leapt gracefully from White Fur's head and landed atop one of the snow golems like a queen descending from her throne.
Her robes fluttered with the motion, and snowflakes sparkled around her like stardust.
"I should get rid of this golems," she whispered with a smirk.
She raised a single hand—crack!—ice erupted from her palm, coiling like a serpent, wrapping around the snow golem's body.
With a snap of her fingers, the ice contracted.
Pop!
One golem shattered into a thousand glittering shards, twinkling like diamonds before softly hitting the ground.
"Next."
She twirled mid-air, jumping to another golem's shoulder. This one dared to raise a stone fist, but she simply snorted.
"Oh please."
She tapped its chest with her toe.
Whoooosh! A freezing wind burst forth, crawling over its body like hungry frost.
Within seconds, it stood completely encased in solid, crystal-clear ice.
Then—
BAM! She elbowed it. The entire statue toppled and exploded like glass under pressure.
"Two down."
The third golem tried to flee.
Yes, flee. Even constructs knew when they had met their match.
But Liu Mei flicked her wrist, forming a tiny snowflake. She blew on it.
The snowflake zipped through the air like a dart, touched the golem's leg—
CRACK!
Instant frost webbed upward with violent grace.
Before the poor golem could take another step, its entire body was frozen mid-run, one leg still raised.
Liu Mei flew behind it and kicked it square in the back.
Shatter!
"Three."
The fourth and fifth stood side by side, trembling as if praying their stone hearts could spare them.
Liu Mei smiled sweetly.
"You two look so close. Let's freeze you together."
She clapped her hands. The ground beneath them split open slightly and a glacier rose with terrifying speed, swallowing both golems in a single upward motion.
They were frozen in a pose like long-lost lovers embracing their doom.
As shards of frozen golem rained like glass confetti, Liu Mei landed gracefully expecting gasps, perhaps applause.
But no one was really watching, not even a glance.
White Fur was busy, her focus entirely on Shan Yifeng, who was sneezing again like a cursed squirrel.
"Hmm..." White Fur murmured, her tone slow and knowing.
"The answer is actually quite simple. Your body is in a state of weakness due to the premature awakening of your hidden physique."
Shan Yifeng's eyes widened, tension creeping into his voice. "My physique? I have a hidden physique? Am I okay?"
White Fur gave a soft, almost amused hum.
"There is nothing to fear, child. This is not a curse, but a boon. Your path forward will be difficult, yes, but it is also an easy one. The awakening was rushed, but luckily for you, it's not broken. Once you adjust it to your soul, you will grow stronger, very quickly."
She lowered him gently, letting the warmth of her tail soothe his weary limbs.
"All you need now is rest, patience, and a little trust in the destiny unfolding within you."
Liu Mei turned around just as Shan Yifeng and Aoki were being tucked in by White Fur's tails again, completely missing the epic show she'd just put on.
She pouted.
"No applause? Hmph."
Suddenly the ground cracked beneath them with a sharp, echoing snap.
"Master, hold on tight," White Fur warned, her voice calm but firm.
In a swift motion, her silken tails coiled protectively around Little Aoki and Shan Yifeng, sheltering them like a cocoon of warmth and snowlight.
Liu Mei leapt onto White Fur's back without hesitation, perching gracefully as the stone walls around them began to crumble and fall.
"Wow, it's really falling apart," Liu Mei remarked casually, as if commenting on the weather.
Shan Yifeng, still snugly wrapped by White Fur's tails, shifted slightly. His voice carried the tiniest trace of envy.
"Liu Mei… why are all your soul beasts so furry?"
Liu Mei glanced over her shoulder with a smirk. "Your big bad wolf is furry too."
"Huh? Since when did you name my wolf?" he replied, confused.
"Because you didn't," Liu Mei said matter-of-factly. "Now quit whining and look below."
Shan Yifeng glanced down—and bam! His eyes widened as he caught sight of a sprawling sea glittering beneath them like liquid sapphire.
"What a crazy *sig*—wait! Isn't that Master?!"
Liu Mei's ears twitched. Instantly alert.
"White Fur! Get us to Master!"
The fox didn't need another word. Her body turned sharply, wings of frost forming as she dove toward the ocean surface—but—
Thud!
They slammed into an invisible barrier.
The thud echoed like a slap to their pride.
"We're stuck here," Shan muttered, slumping slightly.
Liu Mei's head snapped toward him. "Wow. Thanks for that groundbreaking analysis, Junior Brother. Real helpful. And to think I was going to have you inscribe a formation on my dagger."
"I am a Level Three Formation Master now," he shot back, lips tugging into a smirk. "Even if it's not for you, I can earn plenty on my own."
"You're Level Three?!"
"Can we please find somewhere safe first?" White fur cut in, "My energy's draining fast."
"Aah, fine, fine!" Liu Mei huffed. "Junior Brother, I'll hear the rest of your story later. White Fur—fly!"
White Fur surged forward once more, cutting through the falling snow and swirling debris, her tails trailing like ribbons of moonlight.
Liu Mei's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
