Chapter 732 - 349: Breath of Snow, Part 2

"Is the Great God learning the breath of snow?"

A charming voice sounded, You Su turned his head, and it was surprisingly a sturdy little deer, its two bright eyes staring blankly at him.

"Yes." You Su nodded gently.

The little deer suddenly covered its mouth and laughed, "I thought the Great God could do everything."

It seems the girl had witnessed You Su’s embarrassing coughing from his earlier failure.

"Mocking others for their shortcomings is not the conduct of a gentleman." You Su, feeling he lost face, educated the girl.

The girl heard and restrained her smile, not daring to laugh anymore.

Looking at the thin little girl, You Su felt a bit of sympathy. He knew the little deer’s life was exchanged for her grandparents’, and the little deer probably knew she didn’t have much time left.

Feelings of guilt, urgency, and despair, these negative emotions are undoubtedly cruel to a vibrant life. Elderly folks in their twilight years can face death calmly, but the little deer was just preparing to explore the world, only to be told she was forbidden.

However, to his surprise, after running away earlier, the little deer did not remain depressed. She seemed to have regained her vitality, as if forgetting her impending death.

"Beautiful, isn’t it?" You Su said softly.

The little deer knew You Su was referring to the aurora of the Arctic Snowfield, and she smiled slightly, "Yes, very beautiful!"

Her smile, as pure and beautiful as the aurora on the snowfield, warmed You Su’s heart.

"Do you often watch the auroras alone here?" You Su asked.

The little deer shook her head, "Even here, auroras aren’t common, only to be chanced upon with luck."

"Then it seems we have good luck today."

Warmth returned to You Su, seeming to shed the snow he wore, reverting to the boy from Zhongyuan Continent.

"Humans are like this, sometimes lucky, sometimes not. Take things lightly and cherish what you have, and that’s enough."

Though he was not much older than the little deer, his experiences made him present himself as a mentor, hoping to help the girl unravel some of her knots.

The little deer silently nodded, gently uttering ’Hmm.’

"Dad and Mom apologized to me; they regret agreeing to send me to the evil spirits... Actually, I don’t know if I should be angry with them, but I know they love me, and I love them, which is enough."

Upon hearing this, a tightness gripped You Su’s heart. The girl’s thoughtfulness and strength moved him.

You Su patted the girl’s head gently and said, "Don’t be too sensible; it makes life exhausting."

The little deer didn’t respond.

She sat on the aurora-reflecting snow with You Su, watching the changing auroras in the sky.

You Su also sat down, deciding to quiet his heart. Though he seemed to walk through ice and snow, his heart had always been restless.

Sitting side by side with the little deer, they watched the changing auroras, starting to chat casually. The little deer spoke of her tribe’s amusing tales, such as whose sled ran fastest, whose game was biggest, whose children were naughtiest. You Su listened intently, occasionally adding a few words, his face bearing a gentle smile.

The little deer, despite living in this remote tribe with no access to books or other knowledge, didn’t become numb. Instead, she became more fascinated by the world, and You Su, the outsider, became her largest outlet for curiosity.

"Great God, where do you come from?" the little deer asked curiously.

"I come from a very faraway place," You Su answered.

He wished to correct the girl’s title of ’Great God,’ but failed.

"How far?" the little deer pressed further.

"Farther than you imagine," You Su smiled, pointing at the brightest stars, "You’d have to walk tens of thousands of miles in that direction, and cross a boundless sea to reach it."

"That’s way too far... wouldn’t you be old when you get home?"

The little deer’s imagination was limited by her surroundings; she couldn’t fathom such distance, yet felt astounded.

You Su watched the little deer’s innocent demeanor, filled with sentiment. He knew her life was short, but she possessed hope and optimism more precious than many others.

"No."

You Su shook his head, deciding to gift the girl a beautiful fantasy:

"In a faraway place, time flows slowly; when I get home, perhaps only a day has passed."

Following the little deer’s words, he concocted a story of immortality, where people lived in a spring-like place without worry of food and cold, and achieved eternal life.

Enthralled by the story, the little deer emitted exclamations and probed for details. You Su patiently answered, seeing her eyes sparkle, his heart filled with warmth. He knew the story might be one of the few comforting tales in the girl’s short life.

After finishing the story, it was unknowingly late, the auroras slowly faded, and the night sky returned to deep blackness.

The little deer unexpectedly fell asleep leaning on You Su’s shoulder. Her breathing was steady, long eyelashes casting faint shadows on her face.

A couple waited behind them early on, taking their sleeping daughter away, looking at You Su with gratitude:

"Thank you, Immortal Master You Su." The girl’s father gently said, carefully lifting the little deer. The mother fetched a thick animal skin from the igloo, gently covering the little deer.

You Su nodded, turned, and entered his tent.

Before entering, he looked at the vanishing auroras and darkness, feeling the now less chilly air, knowing he might have grasped the introductory method of the snow breath.

The Clan Leader’s previous words ’as simple as breathing’ were not mere mystification. Overly deliberate breathing isn’t called breathing; true breathing should be imperceptible.

Sitting with the little deer on the snow, emptying his mind and sensing the tranquility between heaven and earth, helped him capture the essence of the snow breath.

The next morning, You Su sought out the Clan Leader. The biting air no longer affected him, and he could even sense the subtle energy flow in the air.

No wonder it’s said mastering the snow breath not only lets one survive in storms but even transform snow and wind into power. The Profound Qi in the snow crevices is weak but as pure as the snow.

"As simple as breathing." You Su smiled meaningfully before beginning his demonstration.

He took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled, the air he exhaled didn’t form a mist but swiftly dispersed, just like the Clan Leader’s demonstration last night.

The cold air inhaled then exhaled without taking away the body’s heat, thus it doesn’t form mist in the air. This is the next key step in mastering snow breath, which You Su surprisingly grasped naturally.

The Clan Leader watched You Su, eyes full of surprise and delight. He initially thought You Su would take much longer to grasp the basics. Unexpectedly, he mastered it overnight.

"Wonderful, Immortal Master You! You truly are gifted!" The Clan Leader exclaimed excitedly, rubbing his hands, showing a long-lost smile.

Having grasped the knack, You Su’s study of snow breath progressed swiftly, astonishing the tribe members greatly, seen as a prodigy. They looked at You Su, eyes full of admiration and hope.

The Clan Leader quietly believed choosing You Su was right.

This young man not only possessed far more than surface-level strength but also exceptional insight and perseverance.

In the following days, You Su continued to practice snow breath and learn from the Clan Leader how to navigate blizzards and survive extreme cold. The Clan Leader imparted all his lifetime’s experience to You Su.

The nights grew increasingly short, until one day, the darkness never returned.

The Arctic’s midnight sun arrived.