Chapter 11

9:40 AM, Xindanxi Seawave Airport.

A fashionable young couple walked into the airport, their eyes darting around as if they were looking for someone.

"Hey! Over there!" Sun Xingyu, with her arm around Li Ziyi, pointed in a direction.

When she saw Yang Chunxi nodding at them from a distance, Sun Xingyu couldn't help but wave and call out, "Hello, Teacher~"

The lively demeanor of the young girl drew the attention of the people around her.

Sun Xingyu quickly shut her mouth but couldn't help sticking out her tongue and pulled Li Ziyi towards the teacher.

Seeing the two kids approaching quickly, Yang Chunxi couldn't help but smile, smoothed her long hair over her shoulder, and turned to Rong Taotao, saying, "Let's go, everyone's here."

"Ah." Rong Taotao, who had been idly tapping her feet, stood up with her backpack.

The backpack didn't contain books but living essentials, and most importantly, sweaters, cotton pants, and down jackets.

At this moment, Rong Taotao had just awakened, with many soul slots but not much soul power, which was insufficient to keep her warm.

Moreover, Rong Taotao had yet to practice the soul technique "Snow Realm Heart," so she lacked the ability to survive in low-temperature and cold environments and had to rely on clothing for warmth.

As Sun Xingyu and Li Ziyi approached, Yang Chunxi curiously asked, "You two came alone? Your parents didn't see you off?"

"Hehe." Sun Xingyu laughed, "Dad is busy, and Mom said she can't handle farewells. After dinner last night, she didn't see us this morning. We packed our things ourselves."

Yang Chunxi smiled and shook her head. She knew the situation with the Sun family and didn't press further, leading the three kids to the soul warrior dedicated boarding gate.

...

By noon, the group of four arrived at the outskirts of Aihui City.

Although it was mid-July, Rong Taotao couldn't help but shiver as they stepped out of the airport.

In the airport restroom, Rong Taotao and the others had already changed into winter clothes, but even so, the cold air still gave them a unique experience.

Sun Xingyu and Li Ziyi, wearing matching down jackets, were indeed too sweet...

They wore white down jackets, but Sun Xingyu had a red woolen hat, making her look even cuter and more playful.

The closer they got to the Xingling region, the colder it became.

The reason was the snow vortex blooming above the river at the border between Huaxia and the Russian Federation.

Under Yang Chunxi's lead, the trio got into a taxi and headed north, arriving at the contact point of Songjiang Soul Warrior University in the northernmost part of Aihui City.

This contact point had an interesting name: Songhun Post.

The three kids were like curious babies, following Yang Chunxi into a large office compound. The imposing architecture even made Rong Taotao think of a grand courthouse.

"Hey, hey!" Sun Xingyu whispered excitedly, nudging Li Ziyi and nodding towards the northeast.

Li Ziyi followed her gaze and was also impressed.

On one side of the office building stood a tall, majestic horse, completely white without a single blemish, with a circle of cold air radiating from its body, sprinkling frost.

How cool is that!

Indeed, seeing it in person was completely different from looking at pictures online!

"Snow Night Spirit is the standard mount for Huaxia Snow Realm Warriors!" Sun Xingyu's beautiful eyes sparkled as she murmured.

Although the Snow Night Spirit is only a second-tier, excellent-grade soul beast, due to its intelligence, gentle nature, and ability to bond with its owner, it has been designated as the "soul beast" for the Northern Huaxia Army.

In other words, when you see a Snow Night Spirit, the first thing you think of is the Northern "Snow Flame Army."

Snow, as in snow and wind.

Flame, as in burning.

Sun Xingyu looked at the Snow Night Spirit with envy, while Li Ziyi quietly gazed at her profile.

After a while, Li Ziyi softly said, "If you like it, we can choose the Snow Night Spirit as our soul beast."

The soul beasts designated by the state for the Northern Army are certainly well-screened and rigorously tested, making them perfect as soul beasts.

"If you want, after entering Songjiang Soul Warrior University, the school can provide you with high-quality Snow Night Spirits," Yang Chunxi said, having finished her discussion with the contact point staff.

"High-quality Snow Night Spirits?" Sun Xingyu blinked and looked at Yang Chunxi.

"Yes, although all Snow Night Spirits are excellent-grade, their physical development varies. Just like humans, some are strong and robust, while others are relatively slender, leading to differences in their physical attributes."

Yang Chunxi continued, "Songjiang Soul Warrior University has specialized instructors for selecting soul beasts. Choosing through the school will ensure you get the best one."

As she spoke, several staff members led four snow-white horses over.

Yang Chunxi took the reins of one Snow Night Spirit, mounted it, and looked down at the three kids, saying, "Your studies are usually busy, and you don't have much opportunity to ride horses. Today, this will test your learning and adaptability."

To Yang Chunxi's surprise, Sun Xingyu and Li Ziyi easily mounted the horses without any fear or discomfort.

Yang Chunxi was clearly taken aback but then remembered that they practiced the "Sun Family Spear" and that Sun Xingyu's parents were soul warriors, so she didn't say anything more.

As for Rong Taotao...

He looked up at the massive creature in front of him, feeling a bit overwhelmed.

At this moment, his mind had only two words:

So big!

So white!

The Snow Night Spirit's back was at least two meters from the ground, and with its long neck and head, it was truly imposing!

The cold aura radiated from its body, mixed with frost, making Rong Taotao feel even colder.

"Rrr..." Sensing that a small person was observing it, the Snow Night Spirit lowered its head and nudged Rong Taotao's chest.

"Um..." Rong Taotao hadn't expected such a large creature to be so gentle. He instinctively reached out and hugged the cold head, stroking the white mane.

My goodness,

Did you take a bath in chocolate? So smooth!?

The more Rong Taotao stroked, the more comfortable he felt. The next moment, some strange information appeared in his mind.

"Discovered Soul Beast: Snow Realm Snow Night Spirit (Excellent Grade, Potential: 3 Stars).

Soul Bead Skills:

1. Snow Dash: Use soul power to envelop the feet, stomp the ground forcefully, and dash forward a short distance. (Common Grade)

2. Snow Step: Use soul power to envelop the feet, allowing free movement in snowy environments. (Excellent Grade)

Do you want to absorb it as your soul beast?"

Rong Taotao: ???

The staff member was worried, thinking the child was daydreaming while continuously petting the Snow Night Spirit, as if trying to pet it bald.

However, the Snow Night Spirit seemed to be enjoying it, its large, deep blue eyes closing in contentment, and its head rubbing against Rong Taotao's chest.

Its adorable appearance was completely at odds with its size...

Rong Taotao, of course, chose not to absorb it. This was the school's property, not a wild creature.

The Snow Night Spirits at the Songhun Post were like "guide dogs" in human society, specifically for young people like Rong Taotao who were not prepared.

These Snow Night Spirits were trained by the school with a lot of time and effort and were not allowed to be taken away privately.

Under the guidance of the staff, Rong Taotao, recalling the information that suddenly appeared in his mind, stepped into the stirrup and finally mounted the horse.

The moment he mounted, Rong Taotao couldn't help but shiver again.

Phew...

Surrounded by frost, Rong Taotao exhaled a puff of white mist, shifting his body uncomfortably.

Hmm, a bit cold in the butt...

"Although you just awakened your soul slots yesterday, you still have some soul power in your body," Yang Chunxi said. "Try to mobilize your soul power to envelop your body; it will help keep you warm."

Yang Chunxi made it sound easy, and Rong Taotao almost believed her!

Yang Chunxi's level of soul power, of course, had a warming effect, like being wrapped in eight layers of blankets in the icy cold.

But the other three's soul power... was like wrapping themselves in a layer of newspaper. What good was that? They mainly relied on their down jackets.

"Let's go." Yang Chunxi lightly kicked her horse's flank, and the other three's horses, with their high intelligence, followed her without any command.

Leaving the school post, the horses' speed increased significantly, and Rong Taotao was trying to adapt to the Snow Night Spirit's movements.

Yes, Rong Taotao didn't need to control the horse, direct it, or adjust its speed. The Snow Night Spirit handled everything, and Rong Taotao just needed to adapt to the large soul beast beneath him.

"The further north we go, the closer we get to the sky vortex, and the more soul power there is. You can try to absorb soul power," Yang Chunxi said, leading the group.

"You don't have soul beasts yet, so the absorption will be slow. Distribute your soul power to cover your body, and try to conserve it. There will be few rest stops along the way."

The cold wind whistled past Rong Taotao's ears, and he covered his mouth and nose, tucking his hands into his down jacket sleeves.

"Teacher Yang! How long will we be riding?" Sun Xingyu shouted.

"Rest for one hour, ride for about eight hours," Yang Chunxi replied.

"Eight hours..." Although Sun Xingyu had mentally prepared, the thought of riding for eight hours made her a bit nervous.

Yang Chunxi: "Don't worry, the Snow Night Spirit will share its soul power to keep you warm at appropriate times."

Rong Taotao, covering his mouth and nose, shouted, "Can it help me now!?"

Yang Chunxi looked back and playfully rolled her eyes at Rong Taotao, saying, "The next post is 240 kilometers away, and the university is 470 kilometers away. We'll rest and change mounts at the next post in four hours."

Rong Taotao: "Snow Night Spirit's speed is 60 km/h, with an average range of 4 hours?"

An average speed of 60 km/h wasn't just running on flat ground.

The further north they went, the more mountains and forests there were, along with year-round snow and harsh cold conditions.

The Snow Night Spirit maintaining such a speed was truly godlike, far surpassing any earthly horse.

It was likely due to the excellent-grade soul skill "Snow Step."

"If it wanted to, it could run all day. But they are our partners, and we can't treat them that way," Yang Chunxi said, turning her head. "During the journey, you can try to practice the soul technique 'Snow Realm Heart.'

The further north we go, the more the soul power is infused with the aura of the Snow Realm. Use this special soul power to permeate your body and feel the power of the wind and snow."

"I feel it!" Rong Taotao's sudden exclamation startled the others.

So fast?

Rong Taotao covered his mouth, his face red from the cold, and shouted, "I'm already permeated by the wind and snow, I'm already frozen through!"

Yang Chunxi looked at Rong Taotao with a playful smile, saying, "Good, keep it up for four more hours to solidify it."

Rong Taotao: "..."

This... is so harsh!?

Rong Taotao looked at Yang Chunxi ahead, her long black hair fluttering in the wind as the Snow Night Spirit ran, like a beautiful melody.

Fine, you're beautiful, so you're right!