Volume One: Youth Enters the World Chapter Seventy-Five: The Snow Mountain

Several more days passed. After twenty days of arduous travel, Fang Tian was gradually drawing close to the Snowy Mountains, now only a day’s journey from Winter’s End according to his map. He pressed onward, and as he neared the mountains, the air grew thick with a piercing cold. Snowflakes began to drift down from the sky, settling on the ground, and the chill became so biting that Fang Tian had to circulate his spiritual energy to withstand it, even though his cultivation method was aligned with the element of cold.

He remembered Lin Shuang telling him that Winter’s End straddled the entrance to the Snowy Mountains; anyone wishing to enter had to pass through the city, for the rest of the range was encircled by sheer, cloud-piercing cliffs. Unless one could fly, there was no way to climb into the mountains.

Beyond the Blood Ice Grass and other spiritual treasures, the Snowy Mountains were also rich in ice crystal ore veins. The Cold Feather Sword in Fang Tian’s hand was forged mainly from this very ore. Thus, the Zhao Dynasty had built a city here to mine these crystals, which became an indispensable item in their trade with the surrounding islands—a vital economic lifeline that ensured the dynasty’s enduring prosperity. While the islands themselves possessed some spiritual crystal veins, they were few and far between. The bounty of the ice crystal mines was the true foundation of the dynasty’s wealth.

Yet they dared only mine at the periphery, for fierce beasts dwelled in the heart of the mountains. Lin Shuang had told him that even the current emperor could not linger long in those depths; the beasts within were far more terrifying than one could imagine. Fortunately, these monsters never ventured beyond the Snowy Mountains. If they took even a single step outside, they would dissolve into icy water and vanish. This phenomenon remained a mystery, as if the beasts were sealed within by some ancient power—the endless snowy range their eternal prison.

Fang Tian found all this endlessly fascinating. His curiosity only deepened upon hearing such tales; he was determined to explore the Snowy Mountains for himself.

After half a day’s journey, Fang Tian finally approached the snow-covered city of Winter’s End. He saw guards ahead checking those who sought entry, comparing each to a portrait in their hands. At once, Fang Tian understood: word of him had already reached this place; the authorities had acted swiftly. But he was not worried—he had already changed his appearance, making it nearly impossible for them to recognize him.

He stepped forward, and a guard stopped him. “What’s your name? Where are you from?” The guard held up the portrait, scrutinizing Fang Tian, then shook his head, seeing no resemblance.

“My name is Fang Shi, from Bluestone City,” he replied.

Fang Tian had invented this name on the spot, drawing on a place from his map. Naturally, giving his true name would have been reckless—it would have summoned a horde of pursuers upon him at once.

The guard examined him again. “What brings you to Winter’s End?”

“I’ve long heard of the city’s exquisite snowscapes. Curiosity brought me here to see them for myself,” Fang Tian answered with a gentle smile.

The guard snorted. “What’s so special about the snow? All it does is force us to freeze out here checking travelers. Who knows what those in charge are thinking?”

“You gentlemen truly have a hard job,” Fang Tian replied amicably.

“Fine, go on in.”

“Thank you.”

Fang Tian paid the spirit crystal required for entry and joined the crowd entering the city. The guards could never have guessed that the very fugitive they sought had slipped right beneath their noses.

Once inside, Fang Tian again found a place to stay, just as he had in previous towns, and began to plot how best to enter the Snowy Mountains. According to Lin Shuang, the entrance was heavily guarded, and ordinary folk couldn’t pass through; only those involved in the mining operations were permitted. He would need a plausible identity.

First, he visited an apothecary to buy healing herbs, then an outfitter for equipment suitable for climbing the icy peaks. With preparations complete, he stored his supplies in his sword’s spatial compartment. After two days of careful observation, he set out for the city’s mountain gate. In this time, he had thoroughly scouted the entrance and memorized the miners’ shift times. His plan was to blend in with the workers when the guards’ attention lapsed. The past two days had been spent learning their routines to facilitate his infiltration.

As he moved toward the city’s rear, the buildings grew sparse and the surroundings open—no doubt to make the area easier to supervise. Fang Tian stopped at the spot he had chosen, checked the time, and waited. Soon, a group of miners appeared, emerging one by one from the west, carrying their mining tools as they headed for the gate.

Seizing the moment, Fang Tian picked up a stone and tossed it onto a nearby brazier. The clatter immediately drew the guards’ attention. In that instant, Fang Tian vanished from his spot, using his speed to slip in behind the group. The guards checked the brazier and glanced around, but saw nothing amiss. They returned to their posts, unaware that Fang Tian had already merged with the miners. It was no surprise—the guards had grown lax, for who would willingly come to such a remote place? Fang Tian had banked on this complacency.

As the heavy gates slowly opened, a blast of frigid wind swept out, nearly knocking the miners off their feet. Fang Tian, at the rear, mimed their shivering, careful not to draw suspicion.

The group shuffled inside, and the gates closed behind them. At last, Fang Tian had entered the Snowy Mountains.

He followed the miners deeper into the passageway, arriving at the site where ice crystal ore was extracted. Under the watchful eyes of the guards, the miners began their work. Fang Tian took up his tools and joined in, feigning effort. Hours passed, but no opportunity presented itself. At length, he turned to the man beside him. “Brother, when do we eat? I’m starving.”

The man looked him over. “Is this your first day? You don’t even know the meal schedule?”

“That’s right, brother. If my family weren’t so poor, I’d never come here.”

“Ah, I see you’re just like me.” The man sighed. “My family fell on hard times, too. I have a bit of spiritual power, but it’s not enough to make a difference, so I came here to earn some hard coin.”

Though the work was grueling, Fang Tian knew that only those with at least fifth-level Spirit Channeling could mine ice crystal ore; otherwise, the cold would be unbearable. The pay, at least, was generous.

“Brother, what’s that place blocked off by the huge ice stones? There don’t seem to be any other paths around here.” Fang Tian pointed to the massive barrier.

“That? That’s the entrance to the mountain’s depths. They say fierce beasts roam inside, so they sealed it off to keep the mining safe.”

“I see. Well, that means we’re safe after all.” Fang Tian put on a look of sudden understanding.

Just then, a nearby guard scowled and barked, “What are you two whispering about? If you don’t get back to work, you’ll go hungry later.”

“Yes, yes, we’ll be quiet.” Fang Tian’s companion quickly signaled him to stop talking and bent back to his task.

Seeing he could ask no more, Fang Tian let the matter drop, but he memorized the ice-blocked passage for later. If a chance arose, he would slip through unnoticed.

Time flew by, and soon it was mealtime. The miners set aside their tools and lined up for food from the guards. Fang Tian joined the queue, received his portion, and ate. He watched the guards out of the corner of his eye but saw no chance for action—he would have to wait for nightfall. After finishing his meal, he returned to work with the others until evening. As night came, the day shift packed up and exited, swapping places with the night crew. Seizing the moment during the shift change, Fang Tian slipped into a shadowy corner. Once the crowd had thinned and the guards had not checked the mine for stragglers, he revealed himself, hurried to the giant ice stones, took out his climbing tools, and leapt over the barrier in a few swift bounds.

He was, after all, an extra person; even if the guards found the headcount off, they would not pursue it, since the roll was only called before work began. This, too, Fang Tian had confirmed in advance.

Beyond the ice barrier, darkness reigned. Fang Tian circulated his spiritual power to enhance his vision in the pitch-black night and crept forward. It was late, and he could do no more than seek a place to shelter until morning. After some time, the narrow path widened, and in the distance, he spotted what looked like a cave.

He inspected it closely and found it just large enough for one person—a perfect refuge for the night. Fang Tian went inside, careful not to light a fire lest he attract unknown dangers. Lin Shuang had told him that the outer reaches were relatively safe; fierce beasts rarely came here, though neither would treasures such as Ice Spirit Grass be found. Only shards of ice crystal glimmered faintly in the darkness.

He cleared away the snow and sat cross-legged on the ground, curious whether the spiritual energy here could be absorbed. He gathered the ambient power, letting the chilling aura suffuse his body. After a while, he opened his eyes and sighed; though the energy here was pure, it was insufficient to break through his current level. Resigned, he set aside his cultivation for now. Not feeling sleepy, he took out his book of spirit arrays and inscriptions, intending to study. He only knew a handful of the arrays described within; this was a chance to see if he could learn more.