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 wild...