Chapter 11: The Frostfruit

“So early? Leaving the base already?” Fang Wen glanced at Wei Zi, his eyes briefly resting on her backpack as he casually remarked.

“Yes!” Wei Zi gave a faint smile, lowering her head, uncertain of what to say. Despite being a future highly sought-after battlefield medic, she carried a burden. Ten years as a mercenary hadn’t made her smooth in social dealings. After all, in her previous life, she was disfigured—she never faced others directly. Even speaking to someone could invite scorn and ridicule. She habitually lowered her gaze when talking, not wanting anyone to see the terrible scars on her face.

Fang Wen noticed her bowed head, the elegant curve of her pale neck, and the translucent glow of her earlobes in the sunlight. He didn’t see a lack of confidence but rather an innocence, a shyness that was unexpected given her fierce demeanor yesterday. This girl still carried the charm of youth. He wondered what could have driven her to venture into the wild.

“If you get injured, come find me. Free of charge. I made a good sum off that spoiled brat yesterday!” Fang Wen said naturally, feeling a fondness for Wei Zi.

Hearing this, a genuine smile spread on Wei Zi’s lips, her eyes sparkling as she squinted slightly. She chuckled softly, “So I get to bask in that brat’s glory? Well, thank you all the same!”

After a brief exchange, Wei Zi finally left the base.

Stepping into the wilderness, Wei Zi felt as if she had broken free from a cage. Everything was familiar—the roar of beasts, the chirping of insects, even the scent of the air.

“First, I need to find that cave!” Wei Zi activated the small communicator in her hand. It was rather primitive, with a scanning range of only a hundred meters and many restrictions in the wild.

However, the ice caves on the outskirts of the imperial capital were rare—only two or three in total. Finding the right one wouldn’t be difficult. Since she was deeply invested in restoring her appearance, she had carefully noted the location beforehand and wasn’t worried about getting lost.

Two hours later, Wei Zi finally discovered the ice vine bearing the Frostskin Fruits in a secluded part of the ice cave.

“As expected, five Frostskin Fruits!” Wei Zi’s heart swelled with excitement. These were treasures she had once only dreamed of, now so easily within reach.

“I’ll absorb four myself and sell the last one. The money should more than cover my expenses for the month,” Wei Zi muttered, carefully plucking the Frostskin Fruits one by one. They were cool to the touch and emitted a refreshing fragrance.

“I can’t absorb them here,” she said, inspecting the cave carefully. Consuming such precious mystical fruits required a safe place, preferably one rich in ice energy to better comprehend the runes and enhance their effects.

***

Wei Zi explored deeper into the frozen cave and eventually found a cold pool nestled within.

“This is perfect!” she nodded in satisfaction. The location was naturally blessed and unusually hidden—unlikely to be disturbed. The biting cold atmosphere was ideal for absorbing the Frostskin Fruits.

She shed her combat suit, leaving only her undergarments, and stepped into the icy pool. The water was freezing but had not yet turned to ice. Wei Zi regulated her core energy to lower her body temperature, making the chill bearable.

Leaning against the pool’s edge, she placed her clothes nearby. The five Frostskin Fruits were within easy reach, ready to be consumed at any moment.

“Let’s see what you can do!” Wei Zi settled cross-legged and unleashed her core energy, swallowing a Frostskin Fruit in one gulp.

The fruit was sweet and refreshing but not overpowering. Unlike some mystical fruits, this one could be used by other cultivators, though those with ice affinity could extract runes from it and record them onto their core. With enough talent, they might even decipher new mystical arts.

Wei Zi knew her talent was strong even before her rebirth; her mystical arts had reached the S-rank. But after being forced by Xing Haotian, her core was corrupted by fire and poison, and her talent plummeted to D-rank. After ten years of effort, she had only reached C-rank.

Her hatred for Xing Haotian was profound.

This time, she vowed to defy fate and fiercely protect her talent.

The fruit’s effects swiftly transformed into a cool energy flow within her. A small ice rune floated around her core. Wei Zi triggered her core to comprehend the rune’s meaning. Perhaps because she had dealt with these runes before, she grasped their significance quickly and began recording them onto her core. The core spun, runes danced, and symbols appeared, filling the once blank core.

As the fruit’s power surged, Wei Zi’s body temperature dropped steadily until she felt the true bite of cold.

For someone who had just awakened their core, the rare Frostskin Fruit’s potency was overwhelming.

Gradually, frost began to form on Wei Zi’s exposed skin, spreading into the icy spring and freezing its surface.

***

Wei Zi’s life force became faint, her body seemingly encased in ice. Her consciousness immersed in the runes released by the Frostskin Fruit. The runes were intricate, some she had never seen even in her previous life. They had to be memorized and inscribed carefully, representing the unique mystical arts composed of these fruit’s runes.

Despite this, her situation was perilous. If she failed to comprehend the arts swiftly, the fruit’s power could freeze her to death.

The energy from the fruit coursed through her, and gray stains appeared on her skin before solidifying into ice layers and being expelled. Just a little more and she would emerge even more radiant and crystal-clear than before.

Unbeknownst to Wei Zi, only a thousand meters away, a low-profile black-gold war chariot came to a halt. The entire vehicle was a treasured artifact, powerful and shimmering with mystical runes in a flash.

If Wei Zi were here, she would recognize it instantly—it belonged to General Xing Haotian of the Huatianguo Kingdom.

After receiving his medal yesterday, today he found himself involuntarily arranged for a matchmaking meeting. Xing Haotian felt utterly bored, but the woman’s father was the Minister of Finance, who could influence military funding for the next half-year.

Yet, looking at this high-and-mighty woman, he found the situation absurd. Was this matchmaking some great honor bestowed upon him?

“General Xing, I don’t mind marrying you. But because of your health condition, I can’t be intimate with you. So, I won’t interfere in your private life. That way, everyone saves face!” Li Meiyu said with lofty pride, lifting her chin as if bestowing a favor.

“Oh? Your private life? What about it? Fooling around with other men? Throwing wild parties? Doing drugs together?” Xing Haotian sneered. Just because he wasn’t in the capital didn’t mean he was unaware of its affairs. The Minister of Finance’s daughter had a notorious reputation and was essentially unmarriageable. And yet, she dared to act high and mighty before him.

But it made sense—who from a respectable family would be sent into a hell like his?

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Thanks to the reader Mr. |╰→Xuan for the generous support. Much appreciated!