Snow fell in slow, silent sheets outside the manor windows.
The battle was over.
The bandits had either fled into the forest or died beneath the blades of the Phoenix Flame Guards. Their bodies were already being dragged into the courtyard below, while the villagers gathered outside with fearful but hopeful eyes.
Inside the room, only two people remained.
Me.
And Xue Ning.
She stood by the broken window, silver-white hair cascading over her shoulders like moonlight on fresh snow. Even after everything she had been through, there was still a calm dignity in the way she carried herself.
I looked at her hand, still lightly resting in mine.
Cold.
Far colder than it should have been.
Not ordinary cold.
Spiritual cold.
The system interface flashed again.
[Special Talent Detected]
Bloodline: Frost Spirit Bloodline
Status: Dormant
Awakening chance: possible under spiritual stimulation
Interesting.
Very interesting.
I let go of her hand slowly.
"Lady Xue."
She looked up.
"Yes, Your Highness?"
I smiled faintly.
"You're not just a governor's daughter, are you?"
For the first time, surprise flickered in her icy blue eyes.
"What do you mean?"
I stepped closer.
"The spiritual qi around you is unstable."
I looked directly into her eyes.
"You're cultivating."
Silence.
Then she gave a bitter smile.
"So you noticed."
Good.
She was honest.
That would make this easier.
Xue Ning turned toward the snow-covered window.
"My mother came from the Frost Moon Sect in the northern mountains."
Ah.
That explained it.
A sect bloodline.
Excellent.
"She died when I was young," Xue Ning continued softly, "but before she passed, she told me I carried the Frost Spirit Bloodline."
Her voice grew quieter.
"Unfortunately, it never awakened."
Her hands clenched lightly.
"My father spent years searching for spiritual herbs and masters, but no one could help."
I nodded slowly.
In my previous life, I had been a CEO.
Not a cultivator.
But I understood systems.
People.
Triggers.
Processes.
And from the way the system phrased it, this was likely a blocked activation condition.
I opened the system privately.
[Bloodline Analysis]
Cause of dormancy:
insufficient spiritual qi, emotional suppression, cold environment without proper circulation
Suggested methods:
qi stimulation, spirit herb, emotional shock, life-threatening awakening
Perfect.
I smiled.
This wasn't much different from solving a corporate bottleneck.
A problem.
A process.
A solution.
I turned to Xue Ning.
"Trust me."
She blinked.
"What?"
I stepped closer and gently took her wrist.
Her pulse was weak.
But beneath it—
There was a spiritual flow.
Locked.
Twisted.
Like frozen water trapped behind stone.
I let my newly formed Qi Gathering Realm spiritual energy flow into her meridians.
The moment my qi touched hers—
Her body trembled.
Cold.
A wave of frost spread across the room.
The broken window frame instantly froze solid.
Outside, snow began swirling harder.
Her eyes widened.
"It's…"
Then suddenly—
pain.
Her face turned pale.
I tightened my grip.
"Stay with me."
Her breathing became uneven.
Blue-white light began glowing beneath her skin.
Good.
The bloodline was responding.
But it needed a stronger trigger.
Then I heard shouting from downstairs.
A villager rushed into the room.
"Your Highness!"
His face was pale with panic.
"More bandits!"
Damn.
Perfect timing.
I stepped to the window.
At least twenty mounted raiders were approaching the village from the northern road.
Reinforcements.
Probably from the same group.
My eyes narrowed.
Good.
Very good.
I looked back at Xue Ning.
Her body was shaking now, frost spreading across the floor beneath her feet.
Fear.
Stress.
Pain.
Exactly the kind of emotional shock the system mentioned.
I looked into her eyes.
"Listen to me carefully."
Her lips trembled.
"Yes…"
"The village is under attack again."
Her eyes widened.
"Father…"
I nodded.
"If you want to protect your people…"
I stepped closer.
"…then awaken."
For a moment, everything went still.
Then—
The room exploded in frost.
BOOM.
A wave of icy qi burst outward.
The walls froze.
The glass shattered.
The entire second floor was instantly covered in ice.
I stepped back, eyes widening.
Her silver hair began floating in the air.
Blue-white runes glowed across her skin.
The temperature dropped so sharply that even I felt the bite.
Below us, I could hear villagers screaming in shock.
The system flashed brightly.
[Bloodline Awakening Successful]
Frost Spirit Bloodline: Activated
Realm: Body Tempering 9
Excellent.
Absolutely excellent.
Xue Ning slowly opened her eyes.
They were no longer the soft blue from before.
Now they glowed like frozen stars.
Cold.
Beautiful.
Dangerous.
She looked at her own hands in disbelief.
"I…"
A layer of frost danced around her fingertips.
"I can feel it."
I smiled.
"Good."
Then the village gates shattered.
The bandits had arrived.
Xue Ning turned toward the window.
For a moment, fear crossed her face.
Then it vanished.
Replaced by determination.
"No."
Her voice was cold.
"They will not touch this village again."
She stepped to the shattered window and raised one elegant hand.
The snow outside began to swirl violently.
The bandits below slowed their horses, confused.
Then—
A blizzard descended.
Ice spears formed in the sky.
At least fifty.
The bandits looked up.
Too late.
The spears fell.
Screams filled the village square.
Horses collapsed.
Men were pinned to the frozen ground.
In a single attack, more than half the raiders were dead.
I stared.
Impressive.
Very impressive.
Feng Yuehuang suddenly appeared beside me in a flash of flame.
Her golden eyes rested on Xue Ning.
Then on the frozen battlefield below.
A faint smile touched her lips.
"So."
Her voice was calm.
"Another beauty joins your side."
I smiled.
"Jealous?"
She gave me a cold look.
"Hardly."
But the slight narrowing of her eyes said otherwise.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The system flashed again.
[Special Ally Bond Established]
Xue Ning Loyalty: 35
Potential recruit: high
Perfect.
The village was saved.
The bloodline had awakened.
And now—
Another powerful ally had appeared.
The Fifth Prince's territory was growing.
One village.
One outpost.
One loyal heart at a time.