Chapter 115: Great Fortune Aids My Cultivation

Chapter 115: Chapter 115: Great Fortune Aids My Cultivation

The Ice and Snow Queen left after a final remark.

Leaving Wang Xi standing alone in the great hall.

’Is this a time-limited mission?’

he thought.

Wang Xi could sense that Isabella hadn’t held much hope from the start, which was why she had deliberately set a condition that she considered nearly impossible to fulfill.

She was trying to deter him.

Obviously, an ordinary person wouldn’t even be able to glimpse the Magic Text in the Ice Mirror, much less cultivate the Secret Technique...

’But I managed to get a chance, didn’t I?’

Wang Xi wasn’t discouraged. In fact, a smile touched his lips.

Deter me?

Not a chance!

Full of confidence, he walked to the man-sized oval Ice Mirror and observed it closely, trying to find the Magic Text hidden within.

However, gazing into the shiny surface, he only found a handsome guy. Other than that, he discovered nothing.

Wang Xi poked it here and peered at it there, circling the Ice Mirror several times. He could even see the snowflake-shaped Ice Elements drifting by the mirror’s edge, but he just couldn’t find the so-called Magic Text.

Ultimately, he came to two conclusions:

One, it was a handsome mirror.

Two, he couldn’t find it.

"..."

Wang Xi felt he had underestimated the difficulty of the mission. It made sense. The fact that the Ice and Snow Queen had given him a ten-day deadline spoke volumes.

He gave up on the awkward search and turned to Kaos for help.

He activated his scan and looked again.

A description immediately appeared in his vision—

[Magic Ice Mirror: A mirror personally created by the Ice and Snow Queen and condensed from Ice Magic. It can reveal the movement trajectories of Magic Elements and can also defend against and neutralize most Elemental Magic attacks... A Magic Rune Secret Technique appears to be hidden within the mirror, unknown to the outside world.]

[You have discovered the Magic Rune Secret Technique!]

[Do you wish to accept "Isabella’s" tutelage and capture this ability?]

Wang Xi raised an eyebrow with a soft hum of surprise.

This capture was different from the previous methods of defeating or killing; this one stemmed from being taught.

A third way to capture a Card!

’Yes.’

he responded in his mind.

Immediately, the Ice Mirror glowed with a deep blue light, which converged into an orb and flew straight between his eyebrows.

’A Deep Blue Card?!’

Wang Xi was stunned.

Was this to be expected of the Ice and Snow Queen?

The Magic Rune Secret Technique she had casually hidden in the Ice Mirror was actually a Deep Blue Quality Extraordinary Ability!

’Kaos, extract.’

Wang Xi gave the command without hesitation.

[100 Energy consumed (3065 remaining)]

BUZZ—

"My mother, the Queen, always said that snow was winter’s blessing. But why would a blessing crawl across her face and choke her throat... Watching the white mist of my breath become an Ice Coffin, the snowflake in my palm a tombstone, I finally understood that what they called a gift was just another name for a curse."

"At the end of meditation, there is no epiphany, only a winter that never ends... For every soul frozen to death, someone should remember the temperature of their fading."

Isabella’s detached whisper echoed in Wang Xi’s mind.

[Frost Winter Meditation Technique (Technique Card)]

[Quality: Deep Blue One Star (Upgradeable)]

[The Queen awakened her Magic Talent at a young age, but it came with the indelible Ice Heart Curse. Unable to control her rampaging Magic Power, the resulting Ice Magic killed her beloved mother and those around her... Her heart gradually grew cold, yet a sliver of remaining reason told her she had to master this power, or it would spell disaster.]

[Upon use, you will master the Meditation Technique. Through continuous practice, you can absorb Magic Power and increase your maximum Magic Power capacity, indirectly strengthening your Ice Element Affinity and significantly boosting the effectiveness of your Ice Magic. Each use of this Card consumes a large amount of stamina and mental energy. (This technique has extremely high requirements for Magic Affinity and Ice Element Affinity. Failure to meet these conditions will have adverse effects.)]

A Meditation Technique that lets you cultivate Magic Power!

It’s finally here!

This was his fourth Technique Card, after the Body Refining Technique, Breathing Technique, and Nine Rhymes Play!

Wang Xi’s heart soared with excitement.

The back of this Universal Card was adorned with a crystalline, deep-blue pattern, while the front depicted a half-body portrait of Isabella—standing in a heavy snowfall with her eyes closed, beautiful beyond description.

’The requirements are pretty demanding, though.’

Wang Xi remarked, holding the Universal Card.

It was the first time he’d ever seen a Card with such a long description, a testament to its power.

Like "Self-Immolation," it was also a Deep Blue Card with an extremely high barrier to entry.

The description gave Wang Xi a glimpse into the Ice and Snow Queen’s past. Isabella and Lillian shared a similar history: both had awakened a terrifying Magic Talent in childhood but were unable to control the power, which ultimately led to tragedy.

’This Meditation Technique seems to have been tailor-made by Isabella for herself... No wonder she said she wasn’t good at teaching.’

Wang Xi thought.

Unless a student had the same natural talent and constitution as her, they would find it impossible to even get started.

But that wasn’t a problem for Wang Xi.

’Good thing I had an ace up my sleeve!’

He chuckled and issued a command to Kaos:

’Open Legendary Treasure Chest.’

In his mind, a narrow rift spat out the large, sparkling Treasure Chest.

The lid flew open with a CLANG.

[Please choose one of the following three rewards:]

[1. Magic Stone (5000g)]

[2. Universal Card (γ Combat-Type Doll·Guard, Sword in the Stone, Affinity for the Fifth Element)]

[3. Fashion Card (Will alter the appearance and effects of a Universal Card to some extent)]

To show even a sliver of hesitation would have been disrespectful to the Ice and Snow Queen, so he directly chose "Affinity for the Fifth Element" from the second option.

It wasn’t that the other rewards were bad; they just lacked appeal compared to the prospect of studying under Isabella.

BUZZ—

A dazzling deep green light erupted from the Treasure Chest.

It immediately transformed into an orb of light and flew out.

A Universal Card suddenly appeared before Wang Xi.

He raised his hand to catch it.

[Affinity for the Fifth Element (Skill Card)]

[Quality: Deep Green One Star (Upgradeable)]

[The four basic elements—earth, fire, wind, and water—drift freely in the air. They are the cornerstones of Elemental Magic. However, an unknown Fifth Element also exists in this world, perceivable only by those with extraordinary gifts.]

[Upon use, you will gain a special Elemental Affinity. It will adapt and form based on your own circumstances; the final outcome is unknown.]

’This is it!’

Wang Xi immediately activated "Affinity for the Fifth Element."

A deep green light flashed, and he felt himself enter a strange state. It was as if an unknown power was gestating within his body, needing time to mature.

He took a deep breath.

Then, he activated the "Frost Winter Meditation Technique."

Wang Xi immediately felt a profound Cultivation Method appear in his mind. He followed its guidance, kneeling in a specific posture—knees on the ground, hands placed on his thighs with palms facing up.

He lowered his head slightly and closed his eyes.

"Freeze stray thoughts as you would seal away sin. Only pure, bitter cold and the pain of memory can temper the soul, leading to redemption through the scouring of Magic Power."

He seemed to faintly hear Isabella’s voice from the depths of his mind. This was the core principle of the "Frost Winter Meditation Technique."

After entering a meditative trance, all sound and light disappeared. Wang Xi’s consciousness sank into darkness.

An unknown amount of time passed.

He felt as if the surrounding temperature was dropping.

It grew colder and colder.

He thought he heard the sound of wind by his ears.

It grew more and more violent.

As time passed, Wang Xi’s body began to tremble uncontrollably. This bone-chilling cold didn’t come from the outside... but from within his own heart.

His body gradually grew stiff.

The cold wind whipped sharp Ice Crystals against him, scraping across his face with a raw, stinging pain.

’Phase one: visualize the blizzard.’

The thought flashed through Wang Xi’s mind.

He endured the bitter cold and entered the next phase—

’Phase two: encase old pain in ice.’

He had to visualize his most painful memory, using it to stimulate his soul’s instincts and resonate with the surrounding Ice Elements, compelling them to spontaneously carry Magic Power and pour into his body.

As for Wang Xi’s most painful memory...

The screech of tires, the blare of a horn, his vision turning upside down, and the agonizing pain and despair of being crushed upon impact.

BANG—

Wang Xi felt that bone-deep phantom pain once again.

His eyes squeezed shut, his face contorted in agony as his body trembled violently.

In the silent castle hall, a cold wind suddenly stirred, sweeping up vast amounts of Ice Elements and Magic Power and funneling them into the young man’s body.

BANG—

Another wave of the memory crashed over him.

Wang Xi let out a muffled groan, his face twisting into a grimace.

BANG!

BANG! BANG! BANG!!

He experienced his "lucky break" over and over again.

But without realizing it, he had entered the third and final phase...

Deep within his heart, a seed slowly began to form.

... 𝘧𝓇ℯℴ𝓂

...

What Wang Xi didn’t know was that a tall, noble figure had, at some unknown point, appeared on the stairs. She was now watching him with a complicated gaze.

"So, he has his own bone-deep, painful memories, too?"

Isabella murmured.

She couldn’t help but feel a pang of kinship, a sense of shared suffering.

In her sight, the young man who originally had no Ice Element Affinity had, in the middle of his meditation, suddenly developed the same unique talent she possessed.

As was the nature of the Ice Heart Curse, massive amounts of Magic Power and Ice Elements flooded the young man’s body, causing his silhouette to radiate cold and be shrouded in icy mist.

It was as if...

as if the Ice Mirror between them was reflecting another version of herself.

"Incredible."

the Ice and Snow Queen exclaimed softly.

She had originally thought that the young man wouldn’t be able to find the Meditation Technique hidden in the mirror, and even if he did, he wouldn’t be able to practice it.

Yet she never imagined that in the short time it took her to go upstairs for a nap, he had already successfully begun, officially mastered Magic Power... and even acquired Ice Element Affinity from scratch.

It was simply inconceivable.

Isabella lingered for another moment before turning to ascend the stairs. At the last moment, she seemed to press a hand to her forehead as if nursing a headache, a thoughtful look in her eyes.

In any case, the facts were the facts.

And she would not go back on her word.

The problem was, she had absolutely no experience teaching...

How vexing.

With a sigh, her elegant figure disappeared up the Ice Crystal staircase.

By the time Wang Xi finished his meditation, night had fallen.

Moonlight filtered through the hall’s dome, and coupled with the faint blue light radiating from the crystal walls, the surroundings were not dark.

His first meditation had taken five hours.

The moment Wang Xi opened his eyes, he felt a blissful comfort wash over his entire body, as if he were floating on air.

He was shocked.

He didn’t understand.

How could meditation feel this good?

This was unreasonable!

Although he had experienced his "lucky break" countless times during the meditation, the pleasure at the end far outweighed the pain, making it utterly addictive.

Wang Xi felt like he was doomed.

Yes, he had lost his mind.

He was addicted to meditation.