"You... I-I give up," Han Xue conceded, rising shakily to his feet, his eyes reflecting a mixture of respect and disbelief.
Mira simply nodded, her expression unreadable. She glanced around at the other disciples, her gaze lingering on their awestruck faces. "Is there anyone else?" she asked, indifferent to the whole thing. This was the expected outcome, after all.
The disciples exchanged glances, but none stepped forward. The realization that they were no match for Mira had settled in, which was a bitter pill to swallow for the proud cultivators of the Frozen Sangfroid Temple.
The silence among the disciples was palpable, their eyes fixed on Mira with a mixture of awe and respect. The Temple Master stepped forward, his expression serene yet holding a depth of wisdom. "Mira, you've surpassed all our expectations here today, including mine. Although it goes against my teachings here, the world we live in really isn't so kind. So, I thank you for showing them the true face of the world. However, I have one final challenge for you."
Mira turned to face him, a spark of interest in her eyes. "Oh? I'm listening."
The Temple Master gestured towards an elderly woman standing a distance away. She was slender, with silver hair that cascaded down her back, and her eyes shone with an intense, icy blue light. "This is Elder Shui, a practitioner in the Mortal Shedding Realm. Your challenge is to defeat her using only your brute strength."
Mira's eyes narrowed, assessing the elder. "And if I win?"
"If you win," the Temple Master continued, "I will personally show you one of our Temple's secret techniques. However, should you lose, you will serve our Sect for an additional 200 years."
A murmur of excitement rippled through the disciples. Mira weighed her options, then nodded decisively. "Agreed. Let's do this."
The group, including Mira, the Temple Master, and Elder Shui, flew far from the temple, leaving the disciples and her companions behind.
They landed on a vast glacier, its surface smooth and reflecting the pale light of the sun. The cold air was biting, but Mira remained indifferent, somewhat surprising them.
'This is a glacier that's been around for millions of years, maybe even more. Even for someone like Elder Shui, the cold still affects her as it doesn't just feel cool but freezes one's meridians, Qi, and blood by standing on or near it. Yet, she's standing there, unaffected.' The Temple Master thought, realizing that he might've been a bit too hasty with his judgment of Mira being a power-hungry demon.
'Did I miss something, or are my eyes wrong?' He wondered, not bothered but still perplexed by the situation. He examined her a bit more intently this time as the sight in front of him changed.
Around Mira was a large gathering of Ice Qi coming from the glacier. He saw it try to invade him and Elder Shui, but when it came to Mira, it treated her as if she was its long-lost partner.
'...I suppose that's why she seemed frustrated when I started preaching. More than anything, her Dao, which I can only believe is related to ice, is quite profound and well-understood for someone at her level.' He thought, intrigued by what other things Mira could be hiding.
However, he understood that keeping her around longer may do more harm than good.
'Looks like Elder Shui isn't going to win either. Still, getting a chance to help the leading genius of the outer continents fight against the tyranny from the center… I can live with that. I'm too old to deal with this kind of stuff, anyways.' He smiled before giving the Elder a look, to which she immediately nodded and appeared on the other side of the glacier.
Elder Shui took her position on the glacier, her posture relaxed yet ready for combat. Mira faced her, but this time, she wasn't so indifferent about it.
'That woman might primarily use ice techniques, but she's still in the 2nd Stage of the Mortal Shedding Realm, and I'm only allowed to use my physical body.' Mira thought as she took up a stance, her tails finally coming to life.
"Begin!" the Temple Master announced.
Without a moment's hesitation, Elder Shui initiated the duel with one of the Sect's signature techniques. "Frost Phoenix's Cry!" she exclaimed. A massive, ethereal phoenix, made entirely of ice, emerged from her palms, its wings spread wide as it let out a chilling cry, sending a wave of cold toward Mira.
Mira braced herself, feeling the icy energy engulf her. She dashed forward, her movements swift and precise, evading the phoenix's icy talons. The Elder was fast, but Mira was faster.
Elder Shui, seeing her attack miss, quickly followed up with another technique. "Glacier's Grasp!" Ice erupted from the ground, attempting to trap Mira in a cage of frost.
Mira jumped, flipping over the rising ice, and landed gracefully. She charged towards Elder Shui, her fists ready. As she neared, she launched a flurry of punches, each one backed with immense power.
Elder Shui parried with her own ice-enforced arms, the sound of their collision echoing across the glacier. The Elder was powerful, her experience evident in every move she made.
The battle was intense, with Mira's brute strength clashing against Elder Shui's refined techniques. The ice around them was shattered and reformed with each exchange, the glacier itself a witness to their formidable powers.
Mira, realizing she needed to end the duel quickly, gathered her strength for a final, decisive blow. With a roar, she launched a powerful punch aimed directly at Elder Shui's chest.
Elder Shui's eyes widened in surprise, but it was too late. The punch connected, and with a sound like thunder, Elder Shui was sent flying back, skidding across the ice.
However, she counter-attacked immediately.
"Frost Vortex!" Elder Shui called out, her hands moving in intricate patterns. A swirling blizzard erupted around them, the ice crystals sharp as blades. Mira spun around, her tails whipping through the air, shattering the ice shards that came too close.
The Elder, seizing the moment, lunged forward, her palms glowing with ice "Glacial Palm Strike!"
She hit Mira squarely in the chest, sending her skidding back. Mira grunted, feeling the cold seep into her bones. She shook it off, her vitality quickly healing the minor frostbite.
The two combatants clashed again, their movements a blur. Mira's punches and kicks were powerful and precise, but Elder Shui was like the wind, elusive and ever-changing. The Elder managed to land several more strikes, each leaving a mark on Mira's skin, only for them to heal moments later.
As the battle raged, the glacier beneath them cracked and groaned but stood strong, showing its resiliency.
Mira realized that she needed to end the fight soon. Despite her healing abilities, the continuous barrage of attacks was beginning to take its toll. She doubted she'd lose, but not being able to use Qi was a huge hindrance.
'She can just launch attack after attack at me from a distance without me being able to get close or fight back. If I won purely because this was a battle of attrition, it wouldn't be much of a win.' Mira thought as she prepared for her next move.
Gathering her strength, Mira focused, her eyes narrowing as she observed Elder Shui's movements. "Be careful, woman. If you die, don't blame me," she declared, her voice resolute.
Elder Shui smiled, the respect in her eyes evident. "Try me."
The Elder launched another attack, "Blizzard's Wrath!" A fierce snowstorm erupted, the wind howling as it whipped around Mira, the cold biting into her skin.
Mira steadied herself, her tails lashing behind her, breaking through the blizzard. She sprinted forward, closing the gap between her and Elder Shui. Her every step caused the glacier to tremble, her presence overwhelming.
Elder Shui prepared to counter, but Mira's speed was astonishing. She ducked under Elder Shui's arm, delivering a swift uppercut. The Elder blocked, but the force sent her reeling back.
Mira didn't relent. She followed up with a barrage of punches, each one more forceful than the last. Elder Shui parried and dodged, but Mira's relentless assault was wearing her down.
"You're strong... But not invincible," Mira grunted, throwing another punch.
Elder Shui, breathing heavily, countered with a defensive technique. "Ice Mirror Shield!" A wall of reflective ice sprung up, absorbing Mira's punches.
Mira paused, analyzing the situation. She realized brute force alone wouldn't break through. She needed to be strategic.
With a feint to the left, Mira drew Elder Shui's attention. Then, with a burst of speed, she circled to the right, striking the shield at its weakest point. The ice shattered under her fist, sending shards flying.
Elder Shui was now exposed and braced herself for Mira's next move.
BOOM!
A fist smashed into her face, sending her flying before she crashed into the ice, embedding herself within it. Mira hurriedly dashed over, ready to prepare another strike, but the Temple Master flashed in and stopped her.
"You win, Mira. Let's stop here."
