Chapter 119: The Ice-Sculpted Beauty

Approaching this snowman, I could not help but be startled. The figure before me was, quite unexpectedly, a young woman—or more precisely, a young female martial artist.

At the same time, Chu Feng felt an intense chill radiating from her, far stronger than the ambient cold of the surroundings. She appeared to be only a year or two younger than himself. Her hair was coiled atop her head, blanketed by thick snow, and her willow-leaf eyebrows were crusted with crystalline frost, as were her nose and lips, all veiled in a shroud of white. She sat in a meditative posture, frozen solid like an ice sculpture.

Chu Feng noticed that the snow covering her was different from the rest. While the surrounding snow was deep and powdery, the ice upon her body seemed as solid as stone, as if frozen through. In fact, the ground for a yard around her had also frozen into a thick, solid layer of ice.

"It seems she didn't choose this spot because it was icy," Chu Feng mused, grasping the situation. "Her internal cold energy is so potent that it has leaked out, freezing the surrounding air and turning the snow into ice." He felt a pang of pity; the poor woman was clearly suffering, and the externalized cold only added to her misery. He shook his head, noting that she showed no signs of life, encased in layers of ice and snow—she had likely been dead for a long time, so it hardly mattered whether she suffered more or less.

After a brief sigh, Chu Feng prepared to move on without disturbing the "statue." Typically, martial artists in the wilderness might search a corpse for valuables, but he had no such intention. However, after walking only a few steps, a thought struck him: perhaps she wasn't truly dead? Perhaps a glimmer of life remained?

"Since I don't know the way anyway, I might as well check if she's truly gone or just clinging to life. If she’s still breathing, I could save her and have a companion for the road."

With that, he returned to her side. Because she was sitting cross-legged, he crouched down to observe her face-to-face. Despite the layer of ice, he could see her refined features and snow-white skin. She was clearly a beauty, and her white, feathered cloak—made from the fur of rare, exotic beasts—suggested she was of high status, not some common wanderer.

"My lady, to determine if you still have a chance, I must take liberties," he said, reaching out to touch her neck and then her abdomen. Given his current cultivation, he would normally rely on his senses, but the thick ice blocked all traces of life. He had to use his hands, moving them across her body to get an accurate reading. Had an outsider seen this, they surely would have mistaken his actions for something lewd.

"Hmm? A glimmer of life?"

After a long moment, his heart leapt. It was very likely she was still alive. To save her, he would need to shatter the ice encasing her. Just as he raised his hand to strike, he was shocked: the woman had opened her eyes and was glaring at him. Her gaze was like a pool of frigid water, brimming with intense cold and obvious fury.

*Crack!*

The half-inch layer of ice on her face shattered, the fragments falling away. Chu Feng was stunned. Before him was a face both cold and stunning—as frosty as winter, yet as vibrant as a peach blossom. Her exquisite features and frigid aura were like a brilliant, lush flower pressed against the surface of an eternal glacier.

"Impudent rascal! How dare you lay your hands on me? Kneel at once!"

As soon as her face was free, she snapped the command. Chu Feng’s gaze fell upon her lips—vibrant red against snow-white teeth, a striking focal point that made her look all the more coldly beautiful.

"Rascal!" Seeing his gaze linger on her lips, her rage intensified, though she was still unable to move.

"My apologies!" Recovering, Chu Feng felt deeply ashamed for his lapse in composure. He had seen beauties like Mu Qiaoxue before, but never one so chillingly exquisite. He stepped back and bowed his fists. "Please, lady, calm your anger! I am a traveler of these snow plains. Seeing your state, I merely wished to check if you still had breath. I intended only to help, not to offend. I beg your forgiveness."

"Hmph! Fine words," the woman retorted. "Who are you, and why are you here?"

"I am a traveler of the snow plains, lost and having stumbled upon this place by chance," Chu Feng explained gently. "And who might you be, to have ended up in such a state?" He kept his identity vague; it was a common rule among travelers to remain cautious when meeting strangers.

She ignored his question, her cold eyes fixed on him, scrutinizing his face. For some reason, under her stare, Chu Feng felt a sudden, inexplicable sense of insecurity. Her gaze felt like a sharp blade pressed against his pupils, forcing him to lower his guard and his momentum. He was startled; she appeared to be at the seventh level of the Body Tempering stage, yet her presence was so overwhelming it made him, a sixth-level practitioner with the spirit of a war python, feel inferior. She stood out as a formidable existence, one not to be underestimated.

"A sixth-level Body Tempering martial artist, and yet you’ve managed to make it this far. Not bad," she remarked suddenly.

"You flatter me," Chu Feng replied, bowing again. "Lady, though you are encased in ice, your aura is formidable, and I am sure you have the means to break free. I shall not interfere further. Take care, I shall take my leave."

He turned to go. In truth, he didn't know if she could break free, but he knew she wouldn't die. More importantly, her crushing, frigid presence made him feel uncomfortable, and he had no desire to linger.

"Stop!" Her cold voice rang out behind him, carrying a clear tone of command.

Chu Feng turned back. "Yes? Do you have further instructions, my lady?"

"Where are you going?" she demanded.

"I am headed to the Wu-Han Snow Clan," he replied, deciding to be honest. "Or rather, the women's faction of the clan."

"Do you know the path or the direction?"

"My lady, you called me back—what is it you wish to say?" Chu Feng asked, sensing her intent.

"Judging by the direction you were heading, you haven't the slightest idea where the Wu-Han Snow Clan is. I propose a trade," she said.

"What sort of trade? I am listening," Chu Feng nodded.