One-Eyed Monster

Snowflakes drifted down.

At first, they were just a few scattered specks, imperceptible save for a slight coolness upon the face.

Slowly, the snowflakes grew more numerous, accumulating on people’s heads without melting, instantly turning their hair white.

Then, the swirling snowflakes became like goose down, drifting lightly, blanketing not only eyebrows but also the ground, trees, and stones in a vast expanse of white...

These falling snowflakes were a sign, heralding one thing: the heart of winter had arrived. People could now retreat indoors and toss logs into their fireplaces.

Indeed, it meant that deep winter had quietly descended.

The deep winter on Guru Mountain was incredibly cold. Dawn Peak was somewhat better, but Grey Eagle Peak was simply frozen solid; likely no one could endure such bitter cold.

Grand Master Guzan hadn’t expected this year’s deep winter to arrive so quickly. Fortunately, the young members of the Sol Family knew the Teleportation Spell. If Simon and the others had been forced to travel to Moonflow Stream on such a snowy day, they would certainly have been frostbitten by the deep winter’s frigid onslaught.

Stan Sol recited the secret incantation for the spell, one hand resting on the wing of the Great Mentor’s Exchange Beast avatar while the other drew sigils on the ground, much like an alchemist writing out an Alchemy Equation.

Snowflakes fell, blanketing the ground in white. The circle of Stan Sol’s Teleportation Spell gradually shifted from a yellow glow to a blue one.

”I didn’t expect it to be a real...” Simon’s words trailed off as he felt himself begin to float upwards.

In a moment, everyone on Grey Eagle Peak, along with the blue circle of light, had vanished, leaving only their footprints, which were rapidly being covered by the white snow.

The deep winter weather was no obstacle for Stan Sol’s Teleportation Spell. Grand Master Guzan waited quietly in the Stone House at Moonflow Stream for the arrivals from Grey Eagle Peak.

The winter snowflakes danced and swelled, as if a painter’s brush had instantly swept a layer of white across the entire mountain. Beneath the night sky, this expanse of white was strikingly brilliant.

Lord Guzan recalled his arrival at the mountain. Back then, unlucky Treasure Hunters dreaming of riches would get trapped on Dawn Peak by the deep winter’s cold. The frigid currents would devour them as they awaited death, stranded on the peak. The Great Mentor was a compassionate man; he couldn’t bear to watch these vibrant lives be extinguished by the deep winter’s chill. So, he had broken his own World Setting Technique, using his Exchange Beast to bring warmth to those poor souls. The hidden caves on Dawn Peak provided shelter from the cold for those wretches. Sometimes, when there was no other choice, the Great Mentor would even arrange for Dastan and Kuren to secretly rescue these unfortunates.

The Great Mentor’s kindness had saved these luckless individuals, allowing them to descend the mountain and recount the horrors of Guru Mountain’s deep winter.

Grand Master Guzan reined in his thoughts. I’ve been reminiscing too much lately, he reflected. It seems my time is truly drawing near, a final resurgence before the end.

Stan Sol’s Teleportation Spell didn’t take long. In the brief moment the Great Mentor’s mind had wandered, they arrived at the Stone House’s doorstep.

Just as before, the group seemed to be encased in a giant bubble. Now, one by one, they stepped out of it, emerging into the new location.

”Is this Moonflow Stream?” Estev looked around. Although snow covered the swamp behind Moonflow Stream, jets of geothermal fire still erupted rhythmically from the swampy ground, creating quite a spectacle.

”To be precise, this is the White Swamp. Moonflow Stream is on the other side,” Jemma said quietly. Returning here brought him a profound sense of relief.

”Here, you can also hear Moonflow Stream’s song under the moonlight.” Simon paused, as if listening intently to its melody.

”Not even the cold of deep winter can silence Moonflow Stream’s song. This is the most magical place on Guru Mountain,” Yuga added, following closely behind Simon, his voice filled with admiration for Moonflow Stream.

”Is the Great Mentor truly here?” Milo, unlike the others, was in no mood to appreciate Moonflow Stream under the moonlight. My only thought is to see the Great Mentor.

Milo and the other alchemists were understandably agitated. Their entire journey had been to find the Great Mentor. Now that he was so close, their hearts surged with emotion, making it impossible to remain calm.

”Great Mentor!” Even the normally taciturn Brad couldn’t help but cry out. The winter cold had no effect on them; their hearts burned with an excitement that dispelled the chill.

Grand Master Guzan emerged from the Stone House. Seeing everyone with their heads dusted white with snow, he couldn’t help but sigh again, ”Guru Mountain hasn’t been this lively in a long time.”

It was the first time in many years that so many outsiders had entered Moonflow Stream on Guru Mountain.

With the arrival of deep winter, Guru Mountain seemed to face a new challenge, as if an unseen, smokeless battle was about to begin.

”Great Mentor!” Upon seeing Guzan, Milo and the other alchemists grew even more restless with anticipation. Yet, in that moment, they found themselves momentarily speechless.

”Everyone, let’s go inside and talk. It’s snowing out, and deep winter weather is rather cold, especially now that it’s night,” Grand Master Guzan said calmly. Though his Stone House wasn’t large, it was spacious enough to accommodate them all.

Qi Liu and Bunan, unable to bear the winter cold any longer, darted into the house like wisps of smoke, not pausing to consider if their haste might annoy the others. It was simply too cold; they would rather face threats, scoldings, or even beatings than freeze to death.

”Great Mentor, where are the others?” Simon suddenly realized the Great Mentor was alone and felt a pang of confusion, wondering where Xiso, Kevin, and the rest had gone.

”I’ve assigned them other tasks,” the Great Mentor said lightly, then walked into the house with everyone.

”You’ve all felt it; deep winter has arrived. We don’t know how long this snowy weather will last. And during this cold period, Guru Mountain is far from peaceful.”

Estev observed the people around him. Each wore a different expression: some expectant, some guilty, some cautious, some fearful...

”Dark Forces seem to be rising. This is a very bad omen. During my years on Guru Mountain, I’ve sensed changes in the world of professions through these Treasure Hunters.”

”To prevent the expansion of the Dark Forces, we must protect this mountain’s secret,” Estev quickly added. In his view, this hardly needed discussion; the enemy had already infiltrated the mountain’s heart, leaving little time for debate.

”We will guard the legacy. But before that, I was inspired by a young friend, and it gave me pause for thought. We may fail in this endeavor of guarding it. I’ve gathered you all here because I want to hear your thoughts on what we should do if we fail.”

The Great Mentor’s words startled everyone present.

Is this being overly cautious, or is it a sign of fear before the battle has even begun?

Simon and the others exchanged uneasy glances, unsure how to answer the Great Mentor’s question.