Lin Zhiyue stood in front of the core of spiritual energy, already prepared in her heart.
She had read at least eighty to a hundred cultivation novels in her previous life. In those inheritance secret realms, powerful figures would always leave behind a wisp of divine sense projection. Without exception, these projections would test the younger generation's character and aspirations. They would either ask, “Why do you seek the Dao?” or set up illusionary trials. Only those who passed were qualified to inherit their legacy.
She quietly drafted a response in her mind, preparing to answer calmly when the projection appeared.
The ice-blue core of spiritual energy slowly condensed, gradually taking the shape of a translucent human projection.
The projection was slender with a gentle face, wearing a light blue, ancient-style long robe, with an ice crystal flower pinned in her hair bun.
She did not look like some awe-inspiring, powerful figure who dominated an entire region. Instead, she resembled a quiet lady of a wealthy house sitting by the window reading a book, her eyes and brows filled with softness and warmth.
The projection opened her eyes, her gaze landing on Lin Zhiyue. They stared at each other through the translucent spiritual energy for a moment.
Then she spoke, her voice very soft, carrying a hint of awkwardness and constraint as if she hadn't spoken to anyone in a very long time: “You... you have the Ice and Wind Dual-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root? Your dharma robe... It seems she chose you, so I can rest easy.”
Lin Zhiyue nodded. Keeping her face expressionless, she bowed formally. “Junior Lin Zhiyue, a disciple of Tiance Palace, stumbled into Senior's cave dwelling by accident. I did not mean to intrude. If Senior is willing to grant me your guidance, this junior will be endlessly grateful.”
Fairy Bingling's projection tilted her head slightly, as if sizing her up, or perhaps hesitating over something.
She remained silent for a long while. Just as Lin Zhiyue began to wonder if she was preparing some sort of test, the projection finally spoke again. However, the question she asked was completely different from what Lin Zhiyue had expected: “Are you... willing to accept my inheritance?”
Lin Zhiyue blinked. That was it? Just like that? No testing of her aspirations, no checking of her character, no illusionary trials, and no asking why she sought the Dao?
She waited a moment, and after confirming the projection had no follow-up questions, she hurriedly replied, “This junior is willing.”
Fairy Bingling's projection seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, the tension between her brows visibly relaxing.
She nodded and softly said, “That is good.” Then, she raised her hand and gently gestured toward the core of spiritual energy. The light-blue spiritual light surged toward Lin Zhiyue like flowing water, wrapping around her entire body and gently, steadily seeping into her meridians.
The entire process was quiet and smooth, without any violent spiritual energy clashes.
Standing to the side, Cen Xi'er watched Lin Zhiyue, whose body was enveloped in the light-blue spiritual energy, her expression serene and calm. She then looked at the projection standing quietly nearby, waiting for the inheritance to end. A subtle expression appeared on Cen Xi'er's face—she looked as if she wanted to laugh but felt she should remain serious.
When the flow of spiritual energy finally subsided and Lin Zhiyue opened her eyes, the Ice-attribute spiritual energy in her dantian was noticeably richer than before. A layer of warm, ice-blue luster had also appeared on the surface of her Golden Core.
Fairy Bingling's projection had faded significantly, her form on the verge of dispersing. She looked at Lin Zhiyue, her lips curving up slightly. “Alright... it is yours now. Use it well.”
With that, the projection dispersed, turning into tiny specks of light that sank into the ground.
The core of spiritual energy in the center of the cave dwelling also dissipated. The light in the entire space dimmed, leaving only a few ice crystals on the stone walls still emitting a faint, cold glow.
Lin Zhiyue stood in place to feel the changes in her body. Turning her head to look at Cen Xi'er, her voice still carried a trace of lightheadedness. “Second Senior Sister... is accepting an inheritance always this simple for you all?”
Cen Xi'er walked over and patted her shoulder, her lips curving. “How could that be? Perhaps you just caught the senior's eye. Congratulations. Since the senior chose you, she wouldn't give you anything bad.”
Lin Zhiyue nodded and looked back at where the projection had dispersed, feeling a sense of wonder in her heart.
Lin Zhiyue stayed in the cave dwelling for another fifteen minutes, sitting cross-legged to carefully sort through the information that had flooded into her divine sense.
《Thousand Mountains Cold Prism Sword Art》 had five forms in total, progressing step-by-step, with power ranging from single-target to full area-of-effect coverage.
The first form, “Ten Thousand Prisms of Ice Rain,” was a basic frost prism scatter, suitable for controlling the pace of the battlefield.
The second form, “Blizzard Sword Tide,” was a multi-target attack, the sword momentum sweeping like a tempest.
The third form, “Ice Peak Shattered Snow,” was a heavy, defensive-breaking attack.
The fourth form, “Cold Mist Thousand Blades,” featured concealment and rapid consecutive strikes.
The fifth form, “Frost Falling on Thousand Mountains,” was a domain-type ultimate move. Once unleashed, everything within a hundred-zhang radius would be plunged into a frost and snow sword domain.
Every form was highly compatible with her Ice and Wind Dual-attribute Heavenly Spiritual Root, as if tailored specifically for her.
Aside from the sword art, the inheritance also included a Ten-Thousand-Year Cold Ruins Moon Glaze Flower, as well as over a dozen types of high-grade spiritual plants and materials.
After cataloging all these items, Lin Zhiyue stood up, about to leave the cave dwelling with Cen Xi'er, when the words Fairy Bingling had spoken earlier suddenly flashed through her mind—
“It seems she chose you—”
She looked down at the Ode to the Frozen Frost she was wearing.
She asked, “System, tell me the truth. Is the Ode to the Frozen Frost connected to Fairy Bingling in some way?”
The system remained silent for a moment before a line of text popped up:
【The complete Ode to the Frozen Frost set was originally crafted by Fairy Bingling herself and accompanied her throughout her entire life.
She sealed this dharma robe within a rift in space-time before her fall. It was later captured by the system, added to the card pool, and eventually obtained by the host.
Fairy Bingling's projection sensed the aura of the Ode to the Frozen Frost, which is why she granted the inheritance directly without setting up any further tests.】
Lin Zhiyue stood in place. She had always thought this was just an ordinary spiritual outfit produced by the system, never expecting it to have such a complete history behind it—
She gently smoothed the hem of the Ode to the Frozen Frost, an indescribable feeling rising in her heart.
This was no longer just an ordinary dharma robe. It was something that had been worn through long, passing years, its warmth woven inch by inch into the threads, before finally making its way into her hands.
“Let's go.” She looked up at Cen Xi'er, her voice slightly softer than before.
The two of them walked out of the stone door of the cave dwelling and returned to the bottom of the shaft.
The opening in the ice overhead remained tightly shut, but when Lin Zhiyue reached out to touch the icy surface, the ice automatically split open to form a passage, gently allowing them to return to the ice field.
The greyish-white light of the sky fell upon them once more, piercing and bright, as the ice field stretched out endlessly beneath their feet.
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