The spirit deer ignored the ice turtle entirely. It walked straight up to Li Guanglong, stopped, turned its head, and fixed its pale-blue eyes on him. Then it gave a shake of its head, as though gesturing for him to follow.
“This deer… could it be saving me?” Li
Guanglong was stunned, torn between doubt and astonishment.
It made little sense, yet with the ice turtle
looming menacingly nearby, he had no choice. Gathering his men, he followed
where the deer led.
The turtle stared after their retreating figures,
hesitated a moment, then turned back and sank beneath the murky waters,
vanishing into the depths.
The deer led Li Guanglong, Wan Zhong, and the
others across the desolate snowfields, pausing now and then, until they reached
the mouth of a concealed cavern.
The entrance was sealed by thick layers of ice.
The spirit deer exhaled a misty breath, and the ice melted instantly, revealing
the cave beyond.
Inside, the air was warm as spring, a world
apart from the frozen wilderness outside. The walls glittered with embedded
glowing crystals, illuminating the cavern in soft light.
The deer walked deeper in and halted before a
massive crystal. Within it was sealed a blossom like the Ice Soul Flower they
had seen in the lake, yet this one was far more vivid --- its petals faintly
glimmered with golden light.
The deer turned its head toward Li Guanglong,
as if telling him to claim it.
Confusion churned in his heart. Why would this
creature, so hostile before, now choose to aid them?
But he had no luxury to ponder. Stepping
forward, he carefully plucked the flower from its crystal casing.
The Ice Soul Flower was icy to the touch, yet
carried a current of warmth that spread swiftly through his body. The frostbite
on his arm began to mend at once.
“My thanks, sacred deer.” Li Guanglong clasped
his hands in a respectful bow.
The deer gave him a final glance, then turned
and strode from the cave, vanishing back into the snowfield as though it had
never been there.
Li Guanglong gazed at the flower in his palm,
exhaling in relief.
At last, after all their ordeals, they had
secured a true spirit medicine. Yet he could not help but wonder --- where was
the legendary celestial elixir said to lie on this island?
He placed the flower carefully into a brocade
case close to his chest. The silken lining at once absorbed its glow, suffused
with a faint blue aura as though even the fabric had drawn in spiritual
essence.
Wan Zhong leaned against the cave wall, color
finally returning faintly to his pale face. Pressing his hand against his chest
wound, he whispered hoarsely, “Your Highness, this Ice Soul Flower’s energy… it
is even stronger than the old texts described. If we can bring it back to the
capital, it may cure His Majesty’s stubborn illness.”
Li Guanglong nodded, his eyes sweeping the cavern.
The glowing crystals were set into the walls at
regular intervals, lighting the space as bright as day. Soft moss carpeted the
ground, warm beneath the boots.
Compared to the frozen wasteland outside, this
was like stepping into another world.
He ventured further, following the faint sound
of running water, until he came upon a spring bubbling from the rocks. Steam
drifted upward, condensing into droplets in the air.
“A hot spring, here of all places,” Wan Zhong
said in surprise, dipping his hand in. “Just right for cleaning wounds --- and
easing the frostbite among the men.”
Li Guanglong’s mind raced. At once he resolved
to move their camp into this cavern.
Outside lay ice beasts and monstrous threats.
Here, they had warmth, shelter, and healing. It was the perfect refuge.
The two returned outside and summoned the
survivors.
Of the original fifty men, barely thirty
remained. Most bore wounds, their armor still crusted with shards of ice.
When they heard of the warm cavern and the
spring that could ease their suffering, hope kindled anew in their eyes.
Leaning on one another, they followed Li Guanglong into the shelter.
No sooner had they entered than a soldier
suddenly pointed to the wall and exclaimed, “Your Highness --- look at these
carvings!”
The others turned. On the stone walls were
ancient murals, weathered by time yet still discernible.
Figures in feathered robes stood atop clouds.
Enormous beasts roamed across the ice fields. On the deepest wall was the
unmistakable image of the spirit deer itself, snowflakes at its hooves
transforming into vines that coiled around a blooming Ice Soul Flower.
“These murals… must be records left by those
before us.” Li Guanglong brushed his hand across the cold rock, deep in
thought. “It seems the Ice Soul Flower and the spirit deer have dwelled on
Penglai Island since ages long past.”
He was still pondering the meaning when urgent
footsteps echoed from outside.
A guard rushed in, breathless and pale. “Your
Highness! Trouble! Another band is approaching the cave!”
Li Guanglong’s face darkened. He gripped his
sword. “Who are they?”
“I don’t know, but they’re tall --- armed, and
by the looks of it, they come with ill intent!” the soldier replied.
“Prepare for battle!”
Without hesitation, Li Guanglong rallied his men, setting them in ambush, ready to receive these uninvited guests. - Ton
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