Chapter 369: The Frost-Blooded King

Beep. Beep. The ship’s intercom buzzed. "My Lord, we are entering Vaelor’s atmosphere. We are descending toward the Kingdom of Dawn."

Kael stood up, his eyes flashing silver.

THUD.

The ship turned invisible as they landed on a frozen cliff overlooking a sprawling, snow-buried city.

Below him was a frozen, brutal landscape of ice and snow loomed.

The city of Snowfall, the capital of the Kingdom of Dawn.

The heavy snow of the Kingdom of Dawn groaned beneath Kael’s boots as he stepped out of the spatial ship, the biting winds tearing at his dark robes.

Snowfall was a massive fortress city carved directly into the heart of a mountain of black ice. Geothermal runes pulsed deep beneath the earth, radiating a fierce, orange heat that kept the city from freezing solid, while the sky above was illuminated by captured auroras trapped in crystalline domes. The buildings were blocky, brutalist structures forged from enchanted ice and the fused bones of massive frost beasts. CRUNCH. CRUNCH. The snow beneath their boots was thick and packed hard.

Swish.

A female Shadow Hound stepped forward from the shadow of the landing platform. She was dressed in thick, fur-lined leathers, and she quickly draped a heavy, frost-wyrm coat over Kael’s shoulders, bowing her head in deep reverence.

"My Lord!" she said, her voice muffled but respectful. "Forgive the cold. The temperature drops to lethal levels at night."

Kael didn’t shrug the coat off, but he barely felt the cold. His Late Tier 5 Void Body Refinement made the freezing temperatures feel like a mild breeze. However, he glanced back at his five Pillar Knights. Garrick, Selene, Caelum, Ferris, and Soren were strong, but even they were visibly shivering, their breath puffing out in thick white clouds.

"Get some coats for my knights as well," Kael ordered smoothly.

"Thank you, My Lord," the five knights said in unison, their voices laced with genuine relief as the Shadow Hound quickly signaled for additional garments.

They entered the massive, black-ice residence that the Shadow Hounds had secured for them. The interior was surprisingly lavish, heated by thick geothermal pipes and lined with plush, exotic furs. Getting a residence of this size in the capital’s upper district would have cost over a million credits, but to Kael, whose Starfall City generated immense wealth, it was pocket change. The mansion was already fully staffed with silent, efficient servants and guards.

A few moments later, Kael sat on a large, high-backed throne of carved ice in the main hall. His five Pillar Knights stood at attention behind him.

Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.

Four figures dropped from the ceiling, landing silently on one knee before the throne. They were the Shadow Hounds assigned to Vaelor. They wore dark, form-fitting leathers, and their faces were completely hidden behind bone-white masks carved to resemble snarling hounds. A crimson sash was tied around their waists, marking their rank.

The lead Hound, a broad-shouldered man with a deep voice, spoke first. "My Lord, since our deployment a month ago, we have infiltrated the city’s underbelly. Disguised as slaves and merchants, we have mapped the city’s defenses, the military hierarchy, and the King’s daily routine."

Kael rested his chin on his fist. "Continue."

A second Hound, a woman with sharp, observant eyes visible through the mask, took over. "We have also gathered extensive intelligence on their culture. The Kingdom of Dawn is a warrior society that respects only absolute strength. They believe in ’Survival of the Fittest.’ To them, magic is a crutch for the weak. Physical strength, bloodline abilities related to Ice and Frost, and brutal close-quarters combat are the only true paths to power. The entire military is heavily focused on body cultivation."

Kael leaned back, resting his chin on his hand. Body cultivators.

A third Hound stepped forward. "The ruler is King Bjorn ’The Frost-Blooded’ Dawn. The common people and even his own generals believe he is an Early Origin Realm cultivator. However, our deep reconnaissance has revealed the truth. King Bjorn’s mana cultivation is still just at the Peak Spirit Soul realm. What makes him truly formidable is his Early Tier 6 Body Cultivation."

Crack. Kael’s fingers tapped against the ice armrest.

The five Pillar Knights stirred, their expressions darkening.

"He’s a massive barbarian king," the Hound continued, "wielding a greataxe carved from the tusk of a genuine Frost Dragon. He is arrogant, battle-hungry, and believes no one below the Origin Realm can even scratch him. His aura manipulation is on a completely different level based on the combat reports we intercepted. He recently achieved Early Tier 6, and his physical vitality is monstrous."

A fourth Hound added, "He also commands five formidable generals. Their body cultivations range from Late to Peak Tier 5, and their mana cultivations are between Mid and Late Spirit Soul. They command the five divisions of the Frost Legion."

Behind Kael, the five Pillar Knights exchanged grim glances.

Body cultivators are a nightmare to deal with, Selene thought, her brow furrowing. Their vitality is insane. They have ridiculous regeneration and can heal from minor injuries in seconds. Given enough time, they can even recover from lethal wounds. If this King is a Tier 6 body cultivator, standard attacks won’t even tickle him.

The atmosphere in the hall grew heavy and tense. The knights turned their eyes to their young Lord, expecting to see a frown or a look of deep concern.

Instead, Kael chuckled.

Heh.

Kael lifted his head, his silver-flecked eyes gleaming with a predatory, chaotic light.

"What better way to rattle the kingdom," Kael murmured, his voice dripping with malice, "than to throw it into absolute chaos."

He stood up from the throne, the heavy frost-wyrm coat falling from his shoulders.

"If the King is the pillar of their strength, then we simply need to break the pillar. And I know exactly how to do it." Kael smirked, cracking his neck with a sickening Crack. "Bring me the maps of the Generals’ territories. If we cannot kill the King immediately, we will bleed his kingdom from the edges."