Once bitten, twice shy.
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The master–student bonds in the High Sanctum of Archmagi left Linda with scars too deep to ever really believe in finding a true mentor again.
If she had to go through with it, so be it.
She wouldn’t put up a fight.
But whether she truly accepted it deep down. Well, only Linda knew the answer to that.
The Frost–Crowned Highlands is the coldest spot in all of the Celestial Peaks.
Up north, near the First Unity Coven, the mountains turned blindingly white in winter. At the summit, ancient ice gripped the rocks for a thousand years, never once thawing.
Snowdrifts that hadn’t melted in ten thousand years blanketed the heights.
Even just approaching, the chill stabbed into her lungs with every breath, making it almost unbearable.
She had to use her mana just to keep from freezing.
As Linda climbed up from the base, she quickly realized her mana was draining way too fast. ‘Could anyone really live up here?‘ she wondered.
By the time she hit the halfway mark, all five of her Gilded Core were spinning like crazy, burning through the Gilded Core Surge just to keep her from turning into an icicle.
She was on high alert now. No way she was letting her guard down.
No way someone in the Mana–Stoking Phase could handle this place.
Ever since she joined, Linda had never let anyone catch on to the fact that she had five additional Gilded Core. To anyone observing, she was just at Mana–Stoking Phase.
But now Linda’s gaze toward the mountaintop grew deeper and more determined.
With the Gilded Core shielding her, the cold was much more bearable. But as she drew closer to the summit, her mana was burning away at a rate that left her stunned.
When Linda finally reached the summit, she spotted Mack on a stone platform, who seemed to have merged with the winds and snow themselves.
Her first thought was, ‘Is he even alive?‘
Snow had piled up on his shoulders, and it seemed he hadn’t moved in ages. His whole body was completely
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buried in the drifts.
If Linda didn’t have such sharp eyesight, she might have missed him..
She couldn’t sense a hint of life from him.
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Come to think of it, the last time she saw him emerge from Null Space, he’d seemed just as cold and lifeless, like an ice sculpture.
“Not gonna die,” Mack said.
The voice suddenly rang out at the summit. Linda’s gaze snapped to him, and she saw his lashes flutter as he opened his eyes, then calmly looked her over.
“Not bad. Four hours to ascend the summit. That puts you third in the First Unity Coven,” he began.
Linda just stood there, at a loss for words.
On the other side, Kermit and Laurence exchanged a look, both thinking, ‘Really, Mack? must you show off like this.’
“Who’s first?” Linda asked.
Mack shook the snow off his left shoulder. “Me.”
“And second?” Linda pressed.
He reached out with his right hand and brushed the snow off his right shoulder. “Me again.”
Linda grinned. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No joke,” Mack said, his dark eyes locking onto her, a faint, almost mocking smile playing at his lips. “First time, two hours. Second time, just ninety minutes. All at the same level.”
Linda stared at him, her smile slowly fading.
He meant people at his level, not someone like her, still in the Mana–Stoking Phase.
He was well aware of her real situation.
“Lesson’s over for today. When you can ascend here in under two hours, then I’ll teach you more,” Mack said.
With that, he settled back into his old pose, didn’t even bother with the snow this time, just closed his eyes and sit in stillness once more.
On the summit, it felt like Linda was the only one left.
The only thing coming off Mack was pure mockery.
She gritted her teeth. Without saying a word, she turned and marched down the mountain.
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Chapter 23
Back in her room, she didn’t even eat and just crashed into bed. By morning, she was already gearing up for another climb.
Three and a half hours later, she finally made it to the summit.
This time, Mack didn’t even open his eyes, and he was deep in a sealed state, completely shut off from the world. Linda knew he wouldn’t even acknowledge her until she hit his target.
She scratched a symbol onto another stone platform, then made her way back down the mountain.
Linda spent ten days climbing up and down the mountain, day after day, She’d shaved her time from four hours to three, and now she was at a little over two hours.
But she still hadn’t hit Mack’s two–hour goal.
Even Rafael was getting fed up.
“Why are you still putting up with this? What’s the point of having a mentor who just makes you climb mountains like an idiot?” he said, sitting down beside her, food tray in hand.
Linda just stared at him, not saying a word.
Rafael’s face grew serious. “Still haven’t given up on ditching this place, you know.”
Linda just replied, “Oh.”
Then she sneaked a glance at Craig.
Rafael glanced over and saw Craig staring right at them.
Rafael was speechless.
He grinned. “Rafael, still dreaming of escaping? Finish up and let’s go see Laurence.”
His face fell. “Oh, no. Come on.”
“Yep, you have to,” Craig said, still grinning.
Linda tuned out their back–and–forth, finished her meal, and headed back to her room to meditate.
Even though those ten days of trekking up and down the mountain were a grind, Linda couldn’t deny the payoff. Her mana was getting sharper and more potent with every climb.
And her body was toughening up too.
Ever since her Gilded Core had been ripped out, she’d been frail and shivered through every winter, surviving only on sheer grit.
But after these ten days, Linda realized the cold didn’t faze her anymore.
Ordinary chill was nothing compared to the icy hell of the Frost–Crowned Highlands.
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Eventually, the cold just stopped bothering her.
Once Linda had her breathing and mana perfectly aligned, she realized it was still early, so she got started on drawing seals.
For the past ten days, she’d only been using the Mystic Exchange for refinement, but taking advantage of the time dilation there burned through Luster Shards like crazy.
Even though she’d made fourteen thousand Luster Shards selling seals before, she’d spent most of it on a new place. Now she was down to just two thousand, and that was only from selling some Mystic Silver–Leaf and Fortifying Bolus at her stall these past few days.
If she wanted to set up a Mana–Focusing Circle in her Mystic Exchange room, those Luster Shards wouldn’t last long.
Time to rack up some Luster Shards.
Linda zeroed in, grabbed her brush, and whipped out three talismans in no time. She flexed her fingers, shaking off the stiffness.
‘Looks like I’m speeding up compared to last time, she thought to herself.
Once she finished the seals, Linda etched two Bulwark Rune–Stones, one went straight up for sale.
She kept just one seal for herself.
As for the price, it wasn’t exactly cheap.
But before Linda could even make it back to her room, a familiar voice drawled at her stall, “Hey, these seals aren’t the same as last time, are they?”
Recognizing that cocky tone, Linda explained, “This time, it’s a Misfortune–Deflecting Seal.”
“Peace and protection, misfortune deflection. What’s the difference?” the guy scoffed.
“There is a difference,” Linda replied, her voice flat. “If you’re healthy, the peace talisman is for you. But if you’re hurt or sick, this one can cut your pain in half.”
“One cuts the pain in half? So if I buy two, am I good as new?” the guy joked, eyebrow raised.
‘What kind of logic is that?‘ Linda thought, unimpressed.
She paused, then clarified, “You can only use one talisman at a time. Stacking them won’t help.”
“Pretty weak, if you ask me,” the guy snorted.
Linda just gave him a blank look.
She was just about to roll up her sleeves and argue with him, but then she heard the jingle of coins dropping into her pouch. ‘Fine, as long as he’s paying, I’ll let it go, Linda thought, letting it slide.
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“What are these Bulwark Rune–Stones for?” the guy asked.
“Defense,” Linda replied.
“Oh, don’t need that,” he said, waving it off.
Once everyone had cleared out, Linda headed back to her Pocket Manor to meditate. While she was settling in for her seclusion, someone came by and snatched up both Bulwark Rune–Stones from her stall.
“Bulwark Rune–Stones, huh? Just what Marietta needs,” Toney chuckled to himself.
He tucked the Bulwark Rune–Stones away and strolled out of the Mystic Exchange.
While Linda was busy refining over at the Mystic Exchange, Azure Spire in the High Sanctum of Archmagi was dead quiet, like all the life had been sucked right out of it.
AD
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
