“【Deductible Martial Art 『Mystic Ice Force』 Detected. Begin Deduction?】”
“Yes!”
In the next breath, intelligence points plummeted like flowing water.
Inside the wing room, time seemed to freeze completely at this moment.
The bleak autumn wind outside the window, the distant crowing of roosters in deep alleys, and even the clucking of the Blue-Spire Chickens in the courtyard were all stripped away from his ears.
A pale-golden phantom emerged out of thin air within his sea of consciousness, sitting cross-legged on a block of black ice that had remained unmelted for ten thousand years.
All around him, wind and snow howled across an boundless ice field. The sleeves of the phantom's robes fluttered wildly, as if it had stood there since time immemorial.
【You sit quietly on the ice field for five years, drawing cold qi into your body. Your meridians are eroded by cold poison day and night. Enduring the agonizing pain, you repeatedly merge the cold qi with your blood qi, finally condensing a wisp of 『Mystic Ice Force』. Once this force enters a body, it can delay the circulation of an ordinary person's blood qi. The technique has entered Minor Accomplishment.】
【In the tenth year, you travel the far northern ice field, comprehending the true intent of profound ice amidst the wind and snow. Your meridians are reshaped after years of freezing. When you strike, your qi force is incomparably cold, carrying a body-piercing ice fiend energy. Anyone struck by it feels as if they have fallen into an ice cave. Your 『Mystic Ice Force』 has reached Great Accomplishment.】
【In the twenty-first year, all the qi force in your body is converted into ice force. Not only can it be attached to weapons, fists, and feet, but it can also condense water into ice and turn qi into frost. Your 『Mystic Ice Force』 is cultivated to Great Perfection. At the same time, the qi force in your nine acupoints overflows. You refine force into qi, opening your dantian, and your cultivation steps into the Huajin Rank!】
【In the thirtieth year, you watch the glaciers thaw and the spring waters flow east, finally comprehending the true essence of 'water benefits all things without contention, while ice freezes a thousand miles to extinguish life.' You faintly sense that once your cultivation breaks through to the Great Perfection of the Huajin Rank, you can condense a seed of 'mystic ice'. If this seed is formed, the Gangjin Rank will be within reach!】
Buzz!
In his sea of consciousness, the phantom suddenly opened its eyes and pointed a finger, pouring an ice-blue stream of qi, condensed to the absolute limit, into Shen Xiuhan's body!
“Ugh!”
Shen Xiuhan let out a muffled groan, the veins on his temples bulging.
The cold current was like ten thousand steel needles, traveling along the meridians and acupoints in his body.
Everywhere it passed, even his blood slowed to a crawl and became sluggish, like flowing water in winter being frozen solid.
It took a full cup of tea's time before the bone-chilling mystic ice qi force was compressed and tamed, dormant within the four great acupoints of his body like four sleeping ice flood dragons.
“Phew...”
Shen Xiuhan exhaled deeply and slowly opened his eyes.
Outside the window.
The sunlight remained the same, and the sound of cicadas returned to his ears, as if the thirty years of vicissitudes were but a fleeting instant.
Lowering his gaze, he raised his right hand and flicked his finger toward the wooden table in front of him.
“Crack.”
A visible white frost burst forth from his fingertip, landing on the table.
In the next breath, the table was silently covered with a layer of deep blue thin ice, cold mist rising from it!
“Good!”
A brilliant light flashed in Shen Xiuhan's eyes, and he couldn't help but praise,
“What a marvelous 『Mystic Ice Force』!”
With this technique, if he suddenly unleashed it during a fight, the cold force would penetrate the opponent's body and delay their blood qi. Caught off guard, the opponent would surely suffer a major setback!
Just then, a series of hurried and cheerful footsteps echoed from the courtyard.
“Bwother!”
The door was pushed open, and the little troublemaker rushed in.
Shen Momo ran to the wooden daybed holding two bowls. She handed one to Shen Xiuhan, tilting her head up, her large eyes shining brightly:
“Bwother, hurry up and drink the sweet water!”
Shen Xiuhan took the wooden bowl. Looking at the thick, mutton-fat jade-white liquid inside, he deliberately feigned a stern face and scolded,
“Did Mother buy this for you? I told you before to eat less sugar. You go to my master's place every day to steal candy. If you keep eating like this, your teeth will rot!”
“I didn't steal!”
Shen Momo, precocious and utterly fearless, put one hand on her hip and defended herself with her head held high, full of righteous confidence:
“Auntie Mei specifically left that for me before she went into seclusion! I ate it fair and square!”
“Besides, the sweet water is apricot almond syrup that Uncle Geng carried over to sell. Mother gave her permission, so I can drink it too!”
Hearing this, Shen Xiuhan shook his head helplessly.
What else could he do with his own little sister but spoil her?
The “Uncle Geng” the little girl spoke of was none other than Geng Weizhi.
Ever since Liang Xiuhe became an assistant cook at the eatery and could receive a stable monthly income, Geng Weizhi no longer did the filthy work of carrying night soil.
It was now the height of summer, and the sun was scorching.
So, he made some apricot almond syrup and carried it on a shoulder pole, wandering through the streets and alleys to sell it.
The recipe for apricot almond syrup was no secret.
One would take sweet almonds, scald them in boiling water to remove the thin skins, grind them finely into a paste, pour in rice juice, and simmer it over a gentle fire.
Once the syrup in the pot thickened like mutton-fat jade, it could be scooped out and served with thick honey or cherry preserves.
Finally, it would be chilled in an ice well to produce a refreshing, soul-soothing cold drink.
Since it was midsummer and happened to coincide with the three-day ban on fire for the Cold Food Festival, many residents of the Inner City relied on such cold drinks to beat the heat and relieve their thirst.
Wealthy households would even open their ice cellars to retrieve ice, making all kinds of sweet waters and frozen drinks in various ways to soothe their parched lips and dry throats.
Unfortunately, expensive setups like ice wells were mostly affordable only to the great clans of the Inner City.
Ordinary commoners at the bottom could not afford to rent them at all. Even if they wanted to buy a bowl of iced apricot almond syrup, they had to carefully weigh the copper coins in their pockets.
Therefore, Geng Weizhi only sold the sweet syrup without ice.
Although it lacked the icy, refreshing flavor, it was cheap and of good quality, making it highly popular among the common people.
Shen Xiuhan looked at the milky, thick syrup in the bowl, and a thought struck him.
Placing his finger pad against the edge of the porcelain bowl, he carefully released a wisp of 『Mystic Ice Force』 from his fingertip. Like a thin mist or light smoke, it silently seeped into the bowl.
Whoosh!
White vapor swirled at the mouth of the bowl.
In an instant, wisps of cold mist began to rise from the apricot almond syrup, and a layer of fine condensation formed on the outside of the bowl, making it icy to the touch.
Shen Xiuhan leaned down and took a sip, and his eyes immediately lit up!
Chilled by the 『Mystic Ice Force』, the texture of the apricot almond syrup had undergone a complete transformation.
A subtle fragrance of almonds bloomed between his lips and teeth. It was sweet but not cloying, refreshing and throat-soothing. The icy sensation penetrated straight from the tip of his tongue to his lungs, dispelling most of the summer heat.
It was delicious!
“Here, let's swap!”
Shen Xiuhan handed his bowl to Shen Momo and nudged his chin toward her.
A look of wariness and suspicion immediately appeared on the little girl's face.
She thought Shen Xiuhan was eyeing her portion. Hesitantly, she pulled her bowl closer to her chest and bargained in a childish voice,
“Bwother... do you want to drink Momo's? Mother said adults aren't allowed to snatch children's food. If you absolutely must drink it... you can only have a tiny, tiny bit, okay?”
As she spoke, she solemnly held out her chubby, fair little hand, pinching her short thumb and index finger together to leave a tiny gap, making a pinching gesture that would make certain people absolutely furious.
Shen Xiuhan was amused by her protective, adorable display. He reached out and lightly flicked her forehead.
“You little glutton, who's trying to snatch yours? Your big brother wants you to taste what's in my bowl.”
Rubbing her forehead, the little girl stepped forward half-believingly, her pink lips tentatively taking a tiny sip.
Whoosh!
In the next breath, her eyes, which looked like dark grapes, instantly widened into perfect circles.
An unprecedented icy-sweet flavor exploded on her tongue, rushing straight to her head.
“Wow!!”
Shen Momo stared blankly for a moment, an uncontrollable joy washing over her small face. She hopped excitedly in place twice, her crisp, childish voice echoing loudly in the wing room:
“So cool! So delicious! Bwother's water can do magic tricks!”
Shen Xiuhan burst into hearty laughter.
Before long, Madam Zheng and Liang Xiuhe, who were sweating profusely from working in the kitchen, were drawn out by the cheerful laughter.
Shen Xiuhan repeated the trick, the cold qi pulsing from his fingertips.
He transformed both of their bowls of apricot almond syrup into icy, heat-relieving treats.
No one would have ever imagined that a supreme divine ability of Diaohai Pavilion was currently being used by Shen Xiuhan to make cold drinks for his family.
Before long, the small courtyard was filled with the women's amazed praise and the little girl's giggling.
The setting sun of early summer cast its light over the courtyard walls, perfectly warming this tender, affectionate moment.
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