Chapter 275: [North Wind]

Grant and Catherine are stunned.

Want justice? How to get it? Catherine's strength is far higher than Gao De's, and she is even the Saintess of the Snowfield Guardians, the oldest sect in the Northern Realm. She was framed and imprisoned, but she couldn't get justice and had to swallow this dumb loss.

Su Naifa is the War Mother, and she has the heart to punish Tang Nade, but she is also forced by the situation in the tribe and is cautious.

As an outsider, how can Gao De get justice? They cannot imagine.

Gao De doesn't need them to imagine; he has already given the answer.

"What if I can pull out that Enduring Zhenbing Sword?"

He looks at the Enduring Zhenbing Sword on the high platform and asks.

"Pull out the Enduring Zhenbing Sword? If you can pull out the Enduring Zhenbing Sword, according to the tribe's prior promise, you will become the most honorable guest of the Enduring Zhenbing Tribe, honorable enough to be respected by the War Mother."

Grant hasn't come back to his senses yet and makes an answer like muscle memory.

"Wait... you don't mean?" At this time, Elder Grant suddenly reacts to the reason why Gao De asked this.

"At least after pulling it out, I will have the qualification to sit at the table and discuss matters, right?" He whispers to himself.

As long as you can pull out the Enduring Zhenbing Sword on the high platform, you can become a guest of the Enduring Zhenbing Tribe.

This status should be heavier than the so-called "one of our own," right?

More than just sitting at the table to discuss matters, you will be the new king of the Enduring Zhenbing Tribe! Elder Grant, who knows all the inside information, subconsciously refuted Gao De's self-talk in his heart.

Of course, he didn't say his psychological activities out loud.

"The Ice Sword Challenge has been going on for four months. During this time, there is no lack of people who have tried, but even those who can shake it slightly do not exist... Let alone challengers, even within our tribe, only the War Mother can manipulate this sword..." Grant said seriously.

"Even Tang Nade cannot wield the Enduring Zhenbing Sword."

He didn't question Gao De in a single word, but every word was telling him that this is an impossible thing.

Enduring Zhenbing weapons have always been exclusive weapons for the Ice-born.

And this Enduring Zhenbing Sword is the inheritance treasure of the Enduring Zhenbing Tribe, passed down for I don't know how many years, formed by pure Enduring Zhenbing, and the extreme cold of the Enduring Zhenbing it carries has reached a terrifying level.

Even in the history of the Enduring Zhenbing Tribe, only the successive War Mothers could master and use this Enduring Zhenbing Sword, and this is because they have the bloodline of Boreas flowing in their bodies.

Catherine's expression also becomes strange.

She actually didn't expect Gao De to come up with such an idea.

The most important thing is that this Enduring Zhenbing Sword has been standing there for so long, and Gao De has been in Phoenix for a while, and he has never made any move.

Until now, when he encountered the matter of Tang Nade, he suddenly expressed his intention to challenge the Ice Sword. It looks a bit absurd and temporary, making people unable to have expectations.

Therefore, the first reaction of both of them was to shake their heads secretly.

"Tang Nade can't do it, that doesn't mean anything." Since he has made a decision, Gao De no longer hesitates.

He has always been a straightforward person.

On the square, dozens of ice crystal pillars stand tall, forming a circle.

Every ice crystal pillar reflects a faint crystal light in the sun.

In the center is the high platform where the Enduring Zhenbing Sword stands.

Gao De takes steps and walks toward the high platform.

On the body of the ice crystal pillar, strange patterns and many pictures are carved.

Those patterns should be the ancient symbols of the Enduring Zhenbing Tribe, possessing some special meaning and possessing strange power.

As for the pictures, they record the tribe history of the Enduring Zhenbing Tribe.

From the initial birth of the Enduring Zhenbing Tribe to constant migration and prosperity, and even the establishment of Phoenix.

Each picture carries the wisdom and courage of the ancestors.

But now in Gao De's eyes, there is only that Enduring Zhenbing Sword made of the purest Enduring Zhenbing, transparent but with a faint azure light.

His footsteps are fast, without hesitation, without a moment's pause.

So in the blink of an eye, Gao De has already arrived in front of the high platform.

Beside the high platform, there are also two Enduring Zhenbing Tribe guards wearing fine iron armor.

"What's the matter?" The two Enduring Zhenbing Tribe guards see Gao De approaching, their expressions become serious, and they ask in standard Aisi language.

"Participate in the Ice Sword Challenge." Gao De says calmly.

"Go ahead." Hearing Gao De say this, the two guards very indifferently gave way to him.

Although the heat of the Ice Sword Challenge has dropped a lot, there are always people who haven't tried it who will come to try it.

They are also used to it.

Gao De boarded the high platform.

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

The crystal-clear Enduring Zhenbing Sword is slanted in it, shining brightly.

Around the sword body, small ice crystals are floating.

This is because the cold air released by the Enduring Zhenbing Sword at all times freezes the moisture in the air.

Looking at this ice sword injected with many meanings, Gao De takes a deep breath.

There is no turning back once the bow is drawn; if some things are done, the subsequent impact is inevitable.

But he really doesn't want to consider too much now.

Since sending a letter for Baruk, he has been forced into a huge vortex, unable to help himself, without any room for resistance and struggle.

"Let's start changing from here." Gao De said to himself.

So, he stretched out his hands, approached the Enduring Zhenbing Sword, slowly closed them, and tightly grasped the hilt.

That is, at the moment his palm made direct contact with the Enduring Zhenbing Sword, a burst of extreme, indescribable cold, like a breached tide, suddenly erupted from the hilt of the Enduring Zhenbing Sword.

The coldness followed Gao De's palm, along the blood, and surged through his whole body at an astonishing speed.

This coldness is different from ordinary cold; it is an extreme cold that penetrates the bone marrow and strikes the soul, which seems to be able to freeze consciousness, solidify the air, and make everyone who faces it surrender.

Gao De can clearly feel that every inch of his skin, every cell, under the impact of this surging Enduring Zhenbing extreme cold, becomes dull and numb.

Even his breathing has become much slower because of this.

In an instant, a thin layer of white frost has condensed on his skin.

His eyebrows and eyelashes are also covered by ice crystals, and his whole person seems to be wrapped in a layer of extremely thin ice.

It looks scary, but in fact, in terms of body feeling, it has not reached the point where Gao De cannot bear it at all.

Because before coming to Phoenix, he had already evolved 【Intermediate Ice Blessing Body】 with the help of the forbidden Ice Needle.

Although the extreme cold released by the Enduring Zhenbing Sword is far from what those five forbidden Ice Needles can compare to.

But relatively speaking, the forbidden Ice Needle went deep into his body, while he only held the Enduring Zhenbing Sword, and the degree of contact dropped a level.

The 【Adaptability】 that had stagnated after evolving the Intermediate Ice Blessing Body, under the stimulation of the Enduring Zhenbing Sword, began to jump again: Enduring the cold of Enduring Zhenbing, your cold resistance increased by 200.2%—200.3%. Enduring the pain of extreme cold, your ability to endure pain increased by 94.7%—94.8%. Suffering from extreme cold injury, your body injury recovery ability increased by 57.4%—57.6%. The two Enduring Zhenbing Tribe guards beside the high platform, seeing Gao De covered in a layer of frost, all showed expressions of "as expected" in their eyes. They have been standing guard beside the high platform for a long time during this period and have witnessed the "return in defeat" of many challengers. Saying "return in defeat" is actually praising them. Because all the challengers are like this. First, they are full of fighting spirit, and then after holding the sword, the extreme cold of the Enduring Zhenbing Sword will quickly teach them a lesson, almost being frozen into ice sculptures directly. If nothing goes wrong, the next scene should be this outsider challenger showing a painful expression, and then throwing his hand away like touching a hot potato. But the next moment, the "as expected" in the eyes of the two guards suddenly disappeared, their pupils expanded sharply, as if they had seen some terrifying picture. Catherine and Grant were standing in front of the square, they watched Gao De walk to the high platform step by step, watched him stretch out his hand, and grasped the hilt of the Enduring Zhenbing Sword. Then, both of them showed incredible expressions.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 276 =====

Because all challengers look exactly like this.

First, they are full of high spirits, but after gripping the sword, the extreme cold of the Enduring Zhenbing Sword quickly teaches them a lesson, nearly freezing them into ice sculptures on the spot.

If things go as expected, the next scene should be this outsider challenger showing a pained expression and then flinging his hand away as if touching a hot potato.

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

Catherine and Grant were standing in front of the plaza, watching with their own eyes as Gao De walked step by step toward the high platform, watching him reach out his hand and grip the hilt of the Enduring Zhenbing Sword.

Then, an expression of utter disbelief appeared on both of their faces.

"Huh? Is it snowing again?"

The area around this plaza was originally full of small stalls, so it had always been very lively.

Just at this moment, snowflakes, white as snow, drifted down slowly, landing on the shoulders and hair of the pedestrians.

In the northern realm, snowing is a perfectly normal occurrence, so most people didn't think much of it.

It wasn't until a small group of people, wandering in front of the stalls with shifting gazes, naturally swept their eyes over the central high platform and discovered the scene unfolding upon it.

With just one glance, these people fell silent, dumbfounded.

Their anomaly drew the attention of others, who subconsciously followed their gaze to the high platform, and then they too entered a state of being struck dumb.

Like a plague, it spread rapidly; in just a moment, the noisy clamor of the bustling plaza suddenly ceased.

Everyone's gaze was fixed firmly upon the high platform.

On the high platform.

Under the gaze of the two Enduring Zhenbing guards, Gao De did not fling away the "scalding" Enduring Zhenbing Sword, but instead kept a tight grip on the hilt as if he had lost all sensation.

His fingers were trembling slightly, both from the stimulation of the extreme cold and because he was exerting his full strength.

The Enduring Zhenbing Sword was fixed firmly within the black rock layer; to pull it out required a great deal of effort.

And the harder you pull, the tighter you grip the Enduring Zhenbing Sword, and the chill penetrates even deeper into your marrow.

Yet Gao De simply did not let go, and his breathing even gradually steadied.

Finally, the Enduring Zhenbing Sword, inserted diagonally into the black rock layer, suddenly moved.

And this was merely a precursor, not an accident.

The two palms gripping the hilt never let go.

As Gao De exerted force with his palms, the Enduring Zhenbing Sword began to rise bit by bit from the black rock layer.

The extreme cold still existed, but it was not an insurmountable obstacle.

"It moved..." the two Enduring Zhenbing guards muttered, lost and soul-stricken, hardly able to believe their eyes.

It had indeed moved.

The Enduring Zhenbing Sword was being pulled out.

That black rock layer was both the base fixing the Enduring Zhenbing Sword and a barrier insulating some of the sword's chill.

As the Enduring Zhenbing Sword detached from the black rock layer, a cold wind instantly swept across the entire plaza, and snowflakes began to fall abruptly.

Watching the Enduring Zhenbing Sword slowly breaking free from the shackles of the black rock layer, the area around the plaza had fallen into a state of absolute silence.

Bit by bit, inch by inch, the Enduring Zhenbing Sword rose at a steady pace, about to break free from the rock layer's restraint and reveal its full appearance.

Every inch the blade rose was accompanied by a faint yet clear cracking sound from the black rock layer.

Everyone was witnessing this miracle together.

"Saintess... am I seeing things?" Grant's lips were trembling, his speech no longer fluid.

"Your Sword-in-the-Ice challenge is finally going to end at the hands of an outsider." Catherine did not know the immense significance behind the Sword-in-the-Ice and was slightly calmer, but she still felt shocked, her gaze fixed on Gao De, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

It wasn't just them; the gazes of everyone in the plaza were equally shocked and equally transfixed at this moment.

Gao De, watched intently by everyone, could no longer feel any information from the outside world.

In his eyes, there was only this Enduring Zhenbing Sword in his hands.

Enduring the cold of Zhenbing, your cold resistance increases by 210.1%—210.3%. Enduring the pain of extreme cold, your pain tolerance increases by 97.7%—97.8%. Currently suffering from extreme cold injury, your body's injury recovery ability increases by 67.4%—67.6%. The 【Adaptive】 information was still flickering constantly, and the damage brought by the pain of extreme cold was also continuing.

But Gao De had long since grown accustomed to this kind of pain.

The aura of extreme cold grew more intense as the sword blade rose, and the air in the plaza seemed to solidify.

All sounds were also solidified at this moment, appearing exceptionally quiet, to the point where even the sound of Gao De's breathing became clearly audible.

"Sword."

"Rise!"

Finally, with a forceful pull from Gao De, the Enduring Zhenbing Sword, with an unstoppable momentum, completely detached from the black rock layer and was pulled out entirely!

At this very instant, with a bang, the black rock layer shattered completely like a delicate piece of jade.

Gao De released his left hand, held the sword with his right, and raised it high; the blade traced a graceful arc in the air, emitting a dazzling azure light.

At the same time, a string of brief information flowed from the Enduring Zhenbing Sword into Gao De's mind.

【North Wind】 (Enduring Zhenbing Magic Weapon): Attached effects: Level 7 Durability, Level 4 Freezing Damage, Level 5 Cold.

Driving this sword can emit Enduring Zhenbing Sword Qi; its power and attack range change with the consumption of mana.

The power of this sword is too strong; driving it requires consuming a massive amount of mana.

The power of this Enduring Zhenbing Magic Weapon is closely linked to Zhenbing; it can maintain its own immortality and power by absorbing Zhenbing energy; it can melt Zhenbing into the sword body to continuously enhance its power.

【North Wind】.

This was the true name of the Enduring Zhenbing Sword.

A very simple name.

It was not only a prop for the Sword-in-the-Ice challenge but also an extremely powerful supernatural item—an Enduring Zhenbing Magic Weapon.

Gao De finally came back to his senses, moved his gaze away from 【North Wind】, and looked at the dumbfounded faces in the plaza, which seemed to have been solidified.

No one could speak at this moment; everyone stared blankly at 【North Wind】 held high by Gao De, constantly asking themselves, is this real? Grant was likewise unable to speak.

He wanted to say something, but his throat was parched, leaving him unable to utter a word.

An abnormal flush had already spread across his face, and the veins on his neck were bulging, pulsing in rhythm with his rapidly beating heart.

Whoosh—

Grant was breathing heavily in an abnormal way, as if he were running out of oxygen.

At this moment, Gao De's gaze happened to sweep across Grant's face.

He then felt a chill all over his body.

Because the look Grant was giving him at this moment was truly so fervent that it gave Gao De goosebumps.

(End of chapter)