Above the mage

Chapter 273 [North Wind]

Grant and Catherine were stunned.

Want justice?

What do you want?

Catherine's strength far surpasses that of God, and she is even the saintess of the Snowfield Guardians, the oldest sect in the North. She was framed and imprisoned, and had no way to seek justice. She could only swallow this injustice in silence.

Sunafa, as the War Mother, wanted to punish Donald, but was also constrained by the situation within her tribe and dared not act rashly.

How can Gao De, an outsider, seek justice?

They couldn't imagine it.

Gaode Maps has already provided the answer, without needing them to imagine it.

"What if I could pull out that sword of pure ice?"

He looked at the Zhenbing Sword on the high platform and asked a question.

"Pull out the Sword of True Ice? If you can pull out the Sword of True Ice, as promised by our tribe, you will become the most honored guest of the True Ice Tribe, honored enough to receive the respect of the War Mother."

Grant hadn't quite caught up in the moment, but answered as if it were muscle memory.

"Wait...you don't mean to?" At this moment, Elder Grant suddenly realized the reason why God asked such a question.

"At least after I pull it out, I'll have the right to sit at the table and discuss things, right?" he muttered to himself.

Anyone who can pull out the Zhenbing Sword from the high platform can become a guest of honor of the Zhenbing tribe.

This identity should be more important than being considered "one of our own," right?

More than just sitting at the table to discuss matters, you will become the new king of the Zhenbing tribe!

Knowing the whole story, Elder Grant subconsciously refuted God's muttered words in his mind.

Of course, he did not express his thoughts.

"The Ice Sword Challenge has been going on for four months. Many people have tried to wield it, but none have even managed to budge it in the slightest. Not to mention challengers, even within our tribe, only the War Mother can wield this sword," Grant said earnestly.

"Even Donald cannot wield the Sword of Perfect Ice."

He didn't utter a single word questioning Gaode, but every word he said told him that it was an impossible thing.

True Ice weapons have always been exclusive to Iceborn.

This Zhenbing Sword is a heirloom of the Zhenbing tribe, passed down for countless years. It is formed from pure Zhenbing ice, and the extreme cold it possesses has reached an incredibly terrifying level.

Even in the history of the Zhenbing tribe, only the War Mothers of each generation have been able to wield this Zhenbing Sword, because they have the blood of Boreas flowing in their veins.

Catherine's expression also became strange.

She never expected that Gaode would have such an idea.

Most importantly, this Blade of Ice has been standing there for so long, and God has been in Phoenix for some time now, yet he has never made a single move.

Now, after encountering the Donald incident, his sudden expression of wanting to challenge the Ice Sword seems absurd and hasty, making it impossible to have any expectations.

Therefore, their first reaction was to secretly shake their heads.

"Donald's inability to do it doesn't prove anything." Having made his decision, Gao De didn't hesitate any longer.

He has always been a straightforward person.

In the square, a dozen or so ice crystal pillars stand tall, forming a circle.

Each ice crystal pillar reflected a faint crystalline light under the sunlight.

Right in the center is the high platform where the Sword of Perfect Ice stands.

Gao De strode forward and walked towards the high platform.

The pillars of ice crystals are also carved with strange patterns and numerous designs.

Those patterns are likely ancient symbols of the Zhenbing tribe, possessing special meaning and strange power.

As for the patterns, they record the history of the Zhenbing tribe.

From the initial birth of the Zhenbing tribe to its continuous migrations and prosperity, and even the establishment of Phoenix.

Each pattern embodies the wisdom and courage of our ancestors.

However, in Gao De's eyes now, there was only that Pure Ice Sword, which was made of the purest Pure Ice and was completely transparent but had a faint blue glow.

His steps were quick and decisive, without any hesitation or pause.

So in the blink of an eye, Gaode had already arrived in front of the platform.

Beside the high platform stood two Zhenbing tribe guards dressed in fine iron armor.

"What is it?" The two Zhenbing tribe guards turned serious as they saw Gao De approaching and asked in proper Ace language.

"I'll participate in the Ice Sword Challenge," Gao De said calmly.

"Go ahead." Hearing Gao De say this, the two guards calmly stepped aside to make way for him.

Although the popularity of the Ice Sword Challenge has declined significantly, there will always be people who haven't tried it yet who will give it a shot.

They've all gotten used to it.

Gaode ascended the high platform.

On the high platform, there is a rectangular crystal rock that is entirely black.

The crystal-clear, pure ice sword was stuck diagonally inside, gleaming brightly.

Tiny ice crystals drifted around the sword.

This is because the constant release of cold air from the Blade of Perfect Ice freezes the moisture in the air.

Looking at the ice sword imbued with so much meaning, Gao De took a deep breath.

Once the arrow is released, there's no turning back; some things, once done, have unavoidable consequences.

But he really doesn't want to think about it too much now.

From the moment he began delivering messages for Baruch, he was forced into a huge vortex, powerless to resist or struggle.

"Let's start making changes from here," Gao De told himself.

So he stretched out his hands, approached the Blade of Perfect Ice, slowly closed them, and gripped the hilt tightly.

The instant his palm made direct contact with the Blade of True Ice, an extreme, indescribable cold, like a tidal wave bursting from the hilt of the Blade of True Ice, suddenly erupted.

A chill ran through Gao De's palm, along his blood, and spread throughout his body at an alarming speed.

This cold is unlike ordinary cold; it is an extreme chill that penetrates to the bone marrow and strikes the soul, seemingly capable of freezing consciousness, solidifying the air, and forcing all who face it to submit.

Gao De could clearly feel that every inch of his skin and every cell became dull and numb under the impact of the surging extreme cold.

Even his breathing became much slower as a result.

In an instant, a thin layer of white frost had formed on his skin.

His eyebrows and eyelashes were also covered with ice crystals, making him seem as if he were wrapped in a very thin layer of ice.

It looks alarming, but in terms of physical experience, it's not to the point that Gaode (the map service provider) finds it completely unbearable.

Before he arrived in Phoenix, he had already evolved the [Intermediate Ice Protection Body] using the Forbidden Ice Needle.

Although the extreme cold released by the Sword of Perfect Ice was far beyond what the five forbidden ice needles could match.

In contrast, the forbidden ice needles penetrated deep into his body, while he merely held the True Ice Sword in his hand, thus reducing the level of contact.

The [Adaptive] ability, which had stalled after evolving into the Intermediate Ice Body, began to pulsate once more under the stimulation of the True Ice Sword:

By withstanding the extreme cold, your cold resistance increases by 200.2%–200.3%.

Enduring extreme cold increases pain tolerance by 94.7%–94.8%.

While suffering from extreme cold, your body's recovery ability is increased by 57.4%–57.6%.

The two Zhenbing tribe guards standing beside the platform both had a knowing look in their eyes when they saw Gao De covered in a layer of frost.

They have been standing guard by the platform for a long time, witnessing the "failure" of many challengers.

To say they "returned defeated" is an understatement.

Because all challengers look the same.

First they were full of fighting spirit, but after they grasped the sword, the extreme cold of the True Ice Sword quickly taught them a lesson, almost freezing them into ice sculptures.

As expected, the next scene should be this outsider challenger showing a pained expression, and then shaking off his hand as if he had touched a hot potato.

But the next moment, the "as expected" look in the eyes of the two guards vanished abruptly, their pupils dilating as if they had seen something horrifying.

Catherine and Grant stood in front of the square, watching as God walked step by step toward the platform, and as he reached out and grasped the hilt of the True Ice Sword.

Then, an expression of disbelief appeared on their faces.

"Huh? Is it snowing again?"

The square was surrounded by stalls, so it was always very lively.

Just then, pure white snowflakes began to fall gently, landing on the shoulders and hair of the pedestrians.

In the North, snow is such a normal thing that most people don't think much of it.

It wasn't until a small group of people, while strolling around the stalls, noticed the scene unfolding on the platform in the center of the room.

With just one glance, these people fell silent, speechless with astonishment.

Their unusual behavior attracted the attention of others, who subconsciously followed their gaze to the platform and then also fell into a daze.

Like a plague, it spread rapidly. In just a moment, the previously noisy square suddenly fell silent.

All eyes were fixed on the high platform.

On the high platform.

Under the watchful eyes of the two True Ice Guardians, God did not let go of the "hot" True Ice Sword, but instead held the hilt tightly as if he had lost consciousness.

His fingers were trembling slightly, both from the extreme cold and from the fact that he was using all his strength.

The Blade of True Ice is firmly fixed in the black crystal rock, and it takes a lot of effort to pull it out.

The harder you grip the Blazing Sword, the tighter you will hold it, and the more the chill will penetrate to your very bones.

But Gaode didn't let go, and even his breathing gradually became steady.

Finally, the Blazing Sword, which was embedded diagonally in the black crystal rock, suddenly moved.

Moreover, this is just a harbinger, not a coincidence.

The two hands gripping the sword hilt never let go.

The Sword of True Ice was rising little by little from the black crystal rock as Gao De exerted force with his palm.

Extreme cold still exists, but it is not an insurmountable obstacle.

"It moved." The two Zhenbing Guardians murmured in disbelief, almost unable to believe their eyes.

It did move.

The Sword of True Ice is being drawn.

The black crystalline rock served as both the base for fixing the Blazing Ice Sword and a barrier to partially insulate it from its chill.

As the Sword of Perfect Ice detached from the black crystal, a cold wind instantly swept across the entire plaza, and snowflakes began to fall.

As the Sword of True Ice slowly broke free from the black crystal's restraints, the surrounding plaza fell into complete silence.

Little by little, inch by inch, the Sword of Perfect Ice rose steadily, about to break free from the shackles of the crystal rock and reveal its full form.

With each rise of the blade, a subtle yet clear cracking sound of black crystalline rock was heard.

Everyone is witnessing this miracle.

"Holy Maiden... Am I seeing things?" Grant stammered, his lips trembling slightly.

"Your challenge of the Sword in the Ice will finally fall into the hands of an outsider." Caitlin, unaware of the immense significance behind the Sword in the Ice, was somewhat calmer, but still deeply shocked. Her gaze was fixed on God, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

Not only them, but everyone in the square was equally shocked and staring intently at that moment.

Under the intense gaze of everyone, Gaode was completely oblivious to the outside world.

His eyes were fixed only on the Absolute Ice Sword in his hand.

By withstanding the extreme cold, your cold resistance increases by 210.1%–210.3%.

Enduring extreme cold increases pain tolerance by 97.7%–97.8%.

While suffering from extreme cold, your body's recovery ability is increased by 67.4%–67.6%.

The "adaptive" information continues to jump around, and the damage caused by the extreme cold continues.

But Gaode has long been used to this kind of pain.

The extreme cold intensified as the sword rose, and the air in the square seemed to freeze.

All sounds were frozen in time, creating an eerie silence so profound that even Gao De's breathing became clearly audible.

"sword"

"rise!"

Finally, Gao De pulled hard, and the Zhenbing Sword was completely pulled out of the black crystal rock with an unstoppable force!

At that very moment, with a loud bang, the black crystalline rock shattered completely, just like a piece of exquisite jade.

Gao De released his left hand, held the sword high in his right hand, and the blade drew a beautiful arc in the air, emitting a dazzling azure light.

At the same time, a short message had already flowed from the Sword of Perfect Ice into Gao De's mind.

【North Wind】(Zhenbing Magic Weapon):

Additional effects: Level 7 Fortitude, Level 4 Freeze Damage, Level 5 Cold.

This sword can unleash a pure ice sword aura, the power and attack range of which vary depending on the mana consumed.

This sword is too powerful; wielding it requires a massive amount of mana.

The power of this Pure Ice Magic Weapon is closely related to Pure Ice. It can maintain its immortality and power by absorbing the power of Pure Ice; it can also melt Pure Ice into the sword body to continuously enhance the sword's power.

[North wind].

This is the true name of the Sword of Perfect Ice.

A very simple name.

It is not only a tool for the Ice Sword Challenge, but also an extremely powerful extraordinary item, the True Ice Magic Weapon.

Gao De finally snapped out of his daze, shifting his gaze from [North Wind] to the astonished faces on the seemingly frozen square.

No one could speak at this moment. Everyone stared blankly at the "North Wind" that Gaode had raised high, constantly asking themselves, "Is this real?"

Grant was also speechless.

He wanted to say something, but his throat was so dry that he couldn't say anything.

An unnatural flush had risen to his face, and the veins in his neck were bulging, beating in unison with his rapidly pounding heart.

call--

Grant was breathing heavily and abnormally, as if he didn't have enough oxygen.

At that moment, Gao De's gaze swept across Grant's face.

Then a chill ran through his body.

Because the gaze Grant was giving him at that moment was so intense that it gave Gao De goosebumps.

(End of this chapter)