Volume Three: Rising Fame Chapter Forty-Four: The Mantis Stalking the Cicada

The night passed without incident.

As the first sliver of white light touched the horizon, Li Yu set off with Can Yishuang, venturing into the snow-capped mountains.

Thick snow lay in drifts. There was a distinct boundary: within the forest, the temperature was merely chilly, but the moment one stepped out, it was a world of ice and snow.

"How truly magical!"

Li Yu could not tell if this was due to the topography or some other cause, but standing on that "demarcation line," he saw verdant, vibrant life on one side and vast, snow-covered desolation on the other—a sight he had never witnessed before.

The contrast was striking.

"Such a familiar place," Can Yishuang murmured.

A thought crossed Li Yu’s mind. Yesterday, the faint scent of ginseng that had clung to her had completely faded into her body. It was highly likely that her surname was derived from her true form, and as for the name "Yishuang"—meaning "relying on frost"—perhaps she had grown up in a cold place... such as here?

"Was this where you underwent your first transformation?" Li Yu asked, looking at the young girl's delicate face.

"I cannot remember..." Can Yishuang reflected for a long time before shaking her head. "It was too long ago!"

The lifespan of a spirit treasure was, for the most part, near-infinite. According to historical records, there had never been a spirit treasure that died of old age. Some clans had once attempted to raise captured spirit treasures, but even after decades of continuous resource investment, they saw no progress. This had taught humanity that cultivating spirit treasures was an impractical endeavor.

Most spirit treasures lingered in areas rich with spiritual energy, their time measured in millennia. Li Yu could not be sure if Can Yishuang truly originated from this place.

"Beneath that cute,萌-like exterior lies an inhabitant who has likely lived for tens of thousands of years," Li Yu mused, marveling at the wonders of creation.

People often joked that if you kept a pet turtle, it might outlive you. In Li Yu’s view, it would be far better to keep a spirit treasure; if you raised it well, it could outlive your entire family line!

The two moved at a steady pace, traversing three mountain peaks by midday. Only then did they pause to rest.

"Would you like to eat something?" Li Yu pulled out the lunch he had prepared, consisting of spiritual plants and exotic beast meat he had found within the secret realm.

Can Yishuang shook her head.

Unlike Li Yu, who showed signs of fatigue from the long trek, she appeared full of vigor, looking as if she could run another hundred kilometers without needing a single bite.

Li Yu swallowed a few mouthfuls. "Spirit treasures truly are a species blessed by the heavens!"

He had been observing her throughout the journey. Can Yishuang had not used a sliver of spiritual power; she seemed to be running like an ordinary person. Yet, he was a fifth-grade cultivator; even without flying, his running speed exceeded that of a racing car!

And yet, Can Yishuang kept pace with him without the slightest difficulty.

During their movement, she hadn't consumed any energy at all. Not to mention that spirit treasures possessed unique "traits"—if she were to use something like earth-shifting, her speed would be even faster!

"Do you not need to eat?" Li Yu asked, curious. "What is it that you consume?"

"This."

Can Yishuang extended a finger and pointed into the void.

Li Yu was stunned. What was this? Was she eating the northwest wind?

Seeing Li Yu’s confusion, she thought for a moment, parted her soft, pink lips, and took a deep breath.

Li Yu: ...

She really was eating the wind!

But soon, Li Yu realized what was happening, and his expression turned to one of utter shock.

With that simple breath, Can Yishuang was actually inhaling spiritual energy; the spiritual power of heaven and earth was converging, flowing directly into her mouth. The amount she inhaled in that single breath was enough for him to cultivate for a month.

"You really are cultivating just by eating!"

Li Yu clicked his tongue in wonder, feeling as though the spiritual plant in his mouth had lost all flavor. He ate only to restore the spiritual power he had expended, and it was entirely tasteless. To suffer through such a meal only to gain less than a single breath of a spirit treasure... to match her intake, he would have to eat a ton of these plants.

The thought made Li Yu’s face darken.

"Could you teach me how to do that?" Li Yu asked with a friendly smile, his eyes burning with interest.

"Sure, it’s very simple!"

Can Yishuang nodded and repeated the "breathing" motion. "Look, it’s just like this!"

"..." Li Yu tried to mimic her, but as he inhaled, the sub-zero air rushed into his lungs, and he began to cough from overexerting himself.

After a few more futile attempts, he gave up. Just as a driver might not understand the complex mechanics of an engine, Can Yishuang was the same; her innate talent allowed her to absorb vast amounts of energy naturally, but if asked to explain, she simply knew the "what" but not the "why."

Their conversation was essentially:

"How do you do it?"

"Just like this!" (Inhaling motion)

"What do you mean, 'just like this'?"

"Exactly like this!" (Inhaling motion)

...

After fussing for a while, Li Yu brushed the snow from his backside and gazed into the distance.

"Let’s keep moving."

Though he did not know the whereabouts of the White Fox clan, Li Yu guessed they would be in the heart of this icy domain. After all, the White Fox clan was not weak; if there was a leader, it was likely a fifth-grade entity. Such strength was enough to establish a foothold and rule a territory within the secret realm.

Can Yishuang nodded and followed him.

With the faint, flickering cover of Li Yu’s lightning-based spiritual energy, she only needed to get through this period to fully master her body, ensuring she wouldn't leak her core aura and expose herself.

The two moved quickly, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Long after they had left, a figure appeared near the spot where they had rested.

"This is definitely the direction," the young man said, touching the indentation in the snow where Li Yu had sat. "They chose to travel on foot, and since the wind and snow are still light, if we track them now, we still have a chance."

"They?" Ying Yongge asked, sounding puzzled.

"Judging by the tracks, there is another person—barefoot, with small, dainty footprints. It must be a girl," the young man, Shan Zhizhuan, noted.

He was the very man Li Yu had knocked unconscious when he had leapt into the treetops. Upon waking, he had immediately sought out the Ninth Prince to report Li Yu’s tracks. It was because of this that Ying Yongge had abandoned his pursuit of Qing Yuan to target Li Yu instead.

"It must be that Qing Xiumin from the Qing clan..." Ying Yongge pondered for a moment. "It seems the intelligence was correct. They are searching for the Snow Fox Spirit Vine; otherwise, they wouldn't have ventured this far. Since Qing Yuan is at odds with them, this is our opportunity!"

"Zhizhuan, take the lead. Let’s catch up!"

The Shan clan had lived in the mountains for generations and were masters of tracking and hunting. Because the Shan clan supported him, Ying Yongge trusted him deeply.

"As you wish, Your Highness!"

...

...

After they departed, a young man slowly emerged. He was wrapped in black cloth, and beneath the brim of his hood, a faint smile played on his lips.

He watched the group disappear into the distance.

The youth lingered for a moment before setting off, trailing far behind the group. He seemed to have some concerns, keeping a constant, cautious distance.

"Ginseng aura... I have finally found you!"

His voice was low and hoarse, lost in the whistling wind.

...

Unaware of the events unfolding behind them, Li Yu pulled Can Yishuang down into the snow.

Ahead of them, in the valley, several flashes of snowy-white figures darted past.