Chapter 011: Fair, Handsome, and Tender

That being said, anyone capable of destroying the stone gate would certainly qualify to pass the talent test. It was precisely because of this beautiful misunderstanding that Lin Zhan was accepted as a registered disciple, albeit only as an outer-sect registered disciple. Only those like Tan Qingxuan, who might one day be acknowledged as disciples by any of the Five Peaks, could become official disciples. Official disciples were those who had truly set foot on the path of self-cultivation and body refinement, and their sole purpose was to train with relentless dedication.

Lin Zhan felt quietly happy for Tan Qingxuan; the sacrifices made by most of the Tan family had at last allowed her to pass the talent test, which was the greatest consolation they could hope for.

"Sister Qingxuan, I look forward to seeing you again. I hope you still remember me then."

Due to the mountain-guarding formation, the spiritual energy within the Blazing Ice Mountain region was dozens of times more abundant than outside. In such an environment, the emblem in Lin Zhan's hand continually absorbed the plentiful spiritual energy, and the dragon-shaped current of energy growing ever more powerful as it coursed through his body.

This brought Lin Zhan immense benefits—a sensation akin to having no pain in his back, no soreness in his legs, and being able to climb five flights of stairs without losing his breath. His body became incomparably light and agile, he never tired from work, and it felt as if his strength was inexhaustible.

One of the most remarkable effects was that he no longer needed to sleep at night.

Their sleeping quarters was a large room with eleven beds joined in a row. Lin Zhan slept in the eleventh spot, with an empty bed separating him from the others, so he had a small personal space of his own. Since he no longer needed sleep and couldn't wander off, he used this time to carefully sense the movement of the little dragon of spiritual energy inside his body, gradually exploring the path to complete bodily comfort.

Even so, after three short months, he still couldn't control the spirit dragon at will; he remained in a passive state, simply accepting its benefits.

However, when it came to channeling the emblem's patterns and infusing other people's tools with sharpness, Lin Zhan was becoming more and more adept. His training in this skill began the day he was assigned to chop wood.

At that time, it was the second month of his five-year punishment in the Miscellaneous Hall.

"Eleven, your strength is too feeble. How about you handle moving the wood, and my brother and I will do the chopping?" said Number Seven, the elder of the one-eyed twins and someone who always got along well with Lin Zhan.

Number Eight, who was missing his right eye, agreed.

It should be known that the firewood they chopped in the Miscellaneous Hall was icewood that had grown for over a hundred years—dense and tough, and it served as the basic logistical material for the Alchemy Hall.

Splitting even a single piece of icewood required at least three hundred pounds of force. If Lin Zhan hadn't had his strength increased by spiritual energy, he wouldn't have been able to do such work.

The "sharpness" he bestowed was applied to the axes of Seven and Eight.

Both of them had only one eye each, and when splitting the icewood, Lin Zhan noticed that at the very moment their axes struck the wood, both would involuntarily close their eyes for a split second.

Once, when Seven left to relieve himself, Lin Zhan decided to experiment with Eight.

In that brief moment when Eight closed his eyes, Lin Zhan focused his mind and quietly clenched his right fist. Suddenly, a three-inch-long, fiery red glow shot out from the axe in Eight's hand—dazzling and unmistakable.

Having not used this “furnace skill”—which benefited others more than himself—for a long time, Lin Zhan's timing was off, and the first try was immediately discovered by Eight.

Startled, Eight threw down his axe in fright, shouting, "Heavens... did I just see a ghost?"

Feigning innocence, Lin Zhan asked, "What’s wrong, Brother Eight?"

"My axe just flashed with a red light! Didn’t you see it?" Eight picked up his axe and inspected it over and over.

"No, maybe you were just seeing things," Lin Zhan replied, secretly amused.

"Oh, maybe you're right."

Once Eight returned to chopping, Lin Zhan resumed his experiments. Over the next few tries, he avoided Eight's notice and became more skilled.

When Seven returned, Lin Zhan could only activate the furnace skill by clenching his fist when both were chopping at the same time. In a single day, he could practice dozens, even hundreds of times.

A three-inch blade of sharpness required little energy, but if extended to seven inches, it consumed much more. Based on his current reserves, Lin Zhan calculated that he could unleash a seven-inch blade about three times, and a three-inch one at least thirty times.

When his energy reserves were depleted, as long as he rested and let the emblem absorb more spiritual energy from the surroundings, he could continue.

Lin Zhan understood that this was because he had no formal energy-cultivation method, so he was stuck with this inefficient cycle. Without the spiritual stones he'd acquired at the stone gate, he wouldn’t have managed so smoothly.

Clearly, he needed to accumulate more contribution points to exchange for a basic cultivation method at the Snow Underworld Hall.

Though called an outer-sect registered disciple, he would have to wait half a year before he could earn contribution points. For now, he could only work diligently.

The first three months could be described as the most carefree time in Lin Zhan’s life. To survive, and to live a full and contented life, was the best outcome he could hope for.

Yet this seemingly stable existence was shattered by the arrival of Number Ten.

One day, as Lin Zhan was moving icewood with Seven and Eight, Huo Yi appeared, bringing someone with him.

Just as when Lin Zhan had first arrived, Huo Yi called out, "Eleven, come here. Take Number Ten to the Registry Room to collect his clothing."

Number Ten!

The number that had always lingered in Lin Zhan’s mind had finally materialized. He dashed over at once.

"Greetings, Steward Huo!" He bowed to Huo Yi, then scrutinized the newcomer behind him.

"So fair! So handsome! So fresh-faced!" Three exclamations flashed in Lin Zhan's mind.

Although Number Ten was half a head shorter than Lin Zhan, he was undoubtedly the fairest, most delicate, and most strikingly handsome man Lin Zhan had seen in this icy world.

Dressed in the white robe of an inner-sect disciple, Number Ten exuded a natural elegance. With thick brows, bright eyes, a high-bridged nose, and features as refined as carved jade, he wore a perpetual gentle smile and was also sneaking glances at Lin Zhan.

Huo Yi quickly left after handing the newcomer over.

Number Ten grinned oddly, then strode toward the Registry Room as if he were more familiar with the place than Lin Zhan himself.

Lin Zhan made a funny face at Seven and Eight, then chased after him.

Having arrived three months earlier, Lin Zhan naturally felt responsible for showing the new arrival the ropes and was determined to uphold the fine tradition of Daisy Hall’s Team C in looking after new comrades.

On the way to the Registry Room, when there was no one around, Number Ten stopped in his tracks, turned to face Lin Zhan, and rolled up his sleeves with a mischievous glint in his eye. "So, you’re Eleven? Come, let’s have a match. Whoever loses becomes the other’s little brother from now on!"