Chapter 177: Through Pain and Resolve

It was truly cold.

So cold that he felt his entire body had turned into ice, unable to move at all.

Waves of cold seeped into his heart, and even his mind became stiff, leaving him unable to think.

It was unbearably painful.

Bai He felt an urge to cry, yet he could not shed any tears.

In a hazy state, he once again saw the sword spirit of Sky Cutting Sword.

She looked at him and her expression still as serious as ever. "Do you regret it?"

If he had known it would hurt this much, then when his Master first told him about it, Bai He definitely would not have agreed without hesitation.

He might have taken some time to seriously consider it.

But now that things had reached this point, even if he regretted it, it was already too late.

However, upon careful thought, even if he had known about this situation back then, he would most likely still have agreed.

If one wanted to succeed, how could it ever be that easy?

Without experiencing some hardship, how could it be possible?

Moreover, compared to ordinary cultivators, Bai He was already extremely fortunate.

He had no right to complain about fate.

"However, it is quite strange. The toughness of your body is actually increasing. I really do not know what Yi Xing did to you in the past to make you become like this..." The sword spirit seemed to be searching for a suitable word to describe Bai He. She suddenly thought of one and spoke, "A monster. That is right, a monster."

A monster?

Bai He could not argue right now.

Otherwise, he would definitely make the woman in front of him change her words.

He was not a monster.

What was so good about being a monster?

If anything, this woman who looked human but was actually a sword spirit was the real monster.

The pain did not lessen at all.

No one knew how much time had passed before Bai He was suddenly startled awake.

He widened his eyes and let out a long breath.

Countless flakes of snow fell off his body.

His hair and clothes were covered in it.

"Congratulations. From the first step alone, you do meet my requirements."

The Cryo Sovereign no longer looked as sharp as before.

There seemed to be a hint of softness added to his demeanor.

He was still dressed in blue white clothes and his gaze was calm.

"What are you thinking about? I feel like you look a bit dazed."

Bai He felt a little embarrassed. "I was thinking that if I came here and you asked me to take you as my master, I might end up in a difficult position."

"Why?"

"Because I already has a master and cannot have another one."

The Cryo Sovereign raised an eyebrow, but he did not seem angry about this at all. "I do not take disciples."

"Why?"

"You will understand after you inherit all of my power."

There was something deeper hidden in the Cryo Sovereign’s words, so Bai He did not continue asking.

The Cryo Sovereign walked up to Bai He. "Tonight, you may stay here and rest, or you may leave and go see the two people who came with you. However, tomorrow morning, I expect to see you here."

"Many thanks to Senior."

Bai He did not linger any longer and quickly left the place for the time being.

He just did not know where Ye Shiyuan and Xu Feng were or whether it would be easy to find them.

As soon as Bai He left, he saw them.

They were right at the entrance and had not gone anywhere.

The moment Ye Shiyuan saw him, he immediately stood up.

The joy in his voice could not be concealed. "Master."

Right after that, Xu Feng was naturally both surprised and delighted. "Master, you are back. That is great. I was afraid you would not be able to return..."

Bai He had already grown used to Xu Feng’s way of speaking without thinking.

He cleared his throat lightly. "I have accepted the power of profound ice. Today’s task is complete. I came out to let you know I’m is safe."

Ye Shiyuan did not care whether Bai He had truly inherited the power of profound ice.

He only knew that seeing him standing safely in front of him was enough.

Although Xu Feng had been constantly talking, and he himself had remained calm and analytical, the worry in his heart had not decreased in the slightest.

"Master, here."

Ye Shiyuan handed Bai He a snow peach.

He had been carrying it with him.

Now that he saw Bai He, he did not know what to say.

Watching him eat something he gave him made him feel happy.

After taking a bite, Bai He walked over and sat by the fire. "You have no idea. I originally thought it would not be that frightening, just some cold or something... but in that short period of time, I was almost frozen to death."

"Even Master felt cold?"

If even Bai He felt cold, then it was clear just how freezing that place truly was.

Bai He took another bite. "However, my body is strong, so I can still endure it."

There was a smile on Bai He’s face, without any sign of discomfort.

Even though he was complaining, it still made others feel no pressure at all.

After putting his worries aside, Xu Feng rested for a while and then went off to cultivate.

Ye Shiyuan, however, did not follow him.

He had originally been sitting some distance away from Bai He, but after Xu Feng left, he deliberately moved closer. "Master, although it is a bit difficult, as long as you endure it, you will definitely gain great benefits."

"Shiyuan, when you went through your trials back then, it must not have been easy either, especially during the time you stayed in the Demon Cave. Did you ever think about giving up?"