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Su Wen glanced at the bronze-coloured token, its surface neatly engraved with five interlocking rings.
Mercenary Token
Name: Su Wen
Realm: Peak Foundation Establishment
Rank: Bronze D-Rank Mercenary
Standing at the foot of the volcanic mountain, Su Wen looked at his wife walking beside him. Her face was turned away from him, her expression frosty. She was clearly annoyed and refused to even look his way.
"Wife, at least tell me what I've done to deserve this cold shoulder," Su Wen said carefully, testing the waters.
Du Yue stared at him for a tense second before letting out a sharp huff and snapping her head away again.
Su Wen's eye twitched.
Attempting a peace offering, he reached for her hand, his fingers brushing against her small, pale hand, but she immediately pulled it away.
With a helpless sigh, he took out a bright red carrot cake filled with fresh cream and nuts. He gently waved it in front of her, letting the rich, sweet aroma drift towards her.
Du Yue's nose twitched.
She spun around, her eyes locking on the cake. Her eyes flickered with desire and hesitation as she fought an internal battle.
Su Wen watched in amusement as her cravings gradually got the better of her.
Unable to resist any longer, she reached out for the cake.
But Su Wen merely raised an eyebrow, smoothly pulling the cake back out of her reach.
Du Yue's eyes narrowed into slits as she met his smug grin.
"Husband, are you saving that cake for that little rabbit? In that case, why don't you just go back and feed her with your own hands?"
"Rabbit? Why on earth would I feed a rabbit?" Su Wen looked at her as though she had lost her mind.
Then, it clicked. 'Is she talking about that bunny-eared receptionist? Though my wife does look incredibly cute when she pouts like this.'
"Wife, I made this carrot cake specifically for you. Why would I save it for anyone else?" Su Wen said, pitching his voice to sound deeply aggrieved. "But now you won't even look at me or speak to me. I'm starting to wonder if my beautiful wife even loves me anymore."
"Why should I?" Du Yue countered, crossing her arms defensively. "You certainly seemed to be smiling a lot when you were chatting with her at the counter. "Not only did you manage to win her over, but she even handed you a Bronze Rank token on a silver platter, while I'm still stuck with a basic transparent one... even though you're weaker than me. Hmph!"
She turned her back to him once more.
Su Wen blinked, genuinely startled. "I won her over?"
He tried to recall their interaction but couldn't think of anything unusual.
Deciding it was best to drop the logic and focus on soothing his wife, he took a step closer.
"I only bake cakes for my one and only beautiful wife," he declared righteously. "And the only reason I got the Bronze Rank token is because I claimed the bounty on that scumbag, Golden Teeth."
Du Yue snorted again, though it lacked much of its earlier bite.
Seeing this, Su Wen immediately pressed his advantage. He held the cake out in front of her face again, fanning the sweet scent toward her as if trying to entice a stubborn stray cat.
"Wife, all that anger must have worn you out. Have some cake and replenish your energy."
Du Yue's expression softened.
Putting on a show of deep reluctance, acting as though she were doing him a massive favour by accepting it... she finally took the cake from his hands and took a dainty bite.
She turned away from him again, but this time it was to slowly savour the rich sweetness of the cream and the spiced carrot cake. Within moments, she finished the entire slice, delicately licking a stray bit of cream from her lips.
Su Wen smiled warmly, completely seeing through her little act.
Even so, Du Yue still refused to look back at him. She stood there quietly, waiting to be spoiled just a little bit further, or perhaps, simply hoping for a second slice.
Amused and back on good terms, the couple resumed their trek, climbing toward the snow-capped summit where the true entrance to the Ice Volcano Dungeon awaited them.
After a lengthy climb, Su Wen and Du Yue finally arrived at the summit of the mountain.
From their position, they could see white smoke drifting from the volcano on the opposite side.
Standing before them were six massive stone pillars, three on each side, framing the entrance to a cave encased in ice.
Although thick snow covered most of the mountain, the ground around the pillars remained completely bare.
Above the frozen entrance hung a weathered stone plaque, deeply etched with the words:Ice Volcano Dungeon. The characters themselves seemed to radiate a bone-chilling, eerie aura.
As Su Wen and Du Yue stepped into the barren area before the entrance, both paused.
A strange sensation washed over them.
It felt as though they had crossed an invisible boundary, stepping completely out of their own world. A sudden emptiness washed over them as their connection to the familiar laws of Heaven and Earth grew faint.
At the same time, a faint malevolent qi lingered in the air.
It wasn't strong enough to affect them directly, but its presence was unpleasant and impossible to ignore.
Su Wen frowned slightly.
"This place feels different from the outside world."
The pair exchanged a glance before entering the dungeon.
The first floor resembled a long frozen cave.
The tunnel stretched several metres ahead before disappearing into darkness. The deeper they looked, the poorer the visibility became.
Although the temperature was lower than outside, there was surprisingly little snow.
Instead, the floor, walls, and ceiling were coated in smooth layers of ice. Small cracks occasionally appeared along the walls, where hardy plants somehow managed to grow.
Su Wen carefully examined his surroundings.
"This dungeon feels like a separate realm of its own."
Du Yue tested the ground beneath her boots and nodded.
"It's slippery."
She adjusted her footing before continuing forward.
"According to the guild's pamphlet, there are six floors in total," Su Wen said, keeping his eyes on the dark tunnels ahead. "Each one has a different environment, and the monsters get progressively nastier. We'll need to stay sharp."
Du Yue nodded coolly.
The two continued deeper into the cave.
Along the way, they spotted several Frost Grasses growing from cracks in the ice-covered walls. However, the herbs were only Grade One and held little value for cultivators of their level.
Neither of them stopped to collect them.
Screech!
A sharp cry echoed through the tunnel.
Su Wen and Du Yue immediately halted.
The sound had come from somewhere ahead.
Due to the dungeon's interference, their spiritual perception could only extend a short distance, making it difficult to determine what lay deeper within the cave.
For a moment, silence returned.
Then the cries multiplied.
Screech! Screech! Screech!
The sounds grew closer and soon, dozens of small red lights appeared in the darkness.
At first, there were only a few.
Then more appeared.
The crimson lights slowly approached, revealing themselves to be pairs of glowing eyes.
Su Wen's expression became serious, and with a flick of his wrist, a sword appeared in his hand.
Moments later, the creatures emerged from the darkness.
They resembled large white rats with unusually long fangs and glowing red eyes. Wisps of malevolent qi drifted around their bodies, giving them an unsettling appearance.
"Red-Eyed Rats," Su Wen muttered.
There were eight of them in total and each possessed Peak Qi Refinement cultivation.
The creatures rushed forward in a frenzy, their high-pitched cries echoing throughout the cave.
For first-time dungeon explorers, the sight was certainly enough to make their blood run cold.
Su Wen felt a momentary surge of intimidation, but his superior cultivation quickly overrode his fear. Steadying his breath, he gripped his hilt and unleashed a pre-emptive strike before the swarm could close the distance.
A faint hum echoed from the blade.
Grade 3 Sword Intent burst forth and a white sword light swept through the tunnel.
Before the rats could reach them, the violent force shattered their momentum, sending the entire pack tumbling across the icy floor in a single, decisive strike.
The cave soon became quiet once more.
Su Wen blinked.
Although the rats were numerous, his cultivation was far superior to them.
"I'll admit, they caught me by surprise."
He lowered his sword and released a breath, glancing at the scattered remains.
"So these are dungeon monsters."
A thoughtful look appeared on his face. 'I wonder why they're corrupted with such malevolent qi.'
Su Wen and Du Yue continued their exploration of the dungeon.
The first floor was a maze of icy tunnels stretching for several kilometres. The deeper they ventured, the colder the surroundings became.
Along the way, Su Wen encountered numerous Red-Eyed Rats.
The creatures charged at him without the slightest concern for their own survival. Corrupted by the dungeon's malevolent qi, they seemed to have lost all sense of self-preservation. Their only remaining instinct was to slaughter and destroy anything they perceived as an intruder.
Fortunately, such monsters posed little threat to Su Wen.
With a few casual swings of his sword, he cleared every encounter that came his way.
Eventually, the winding tunnels converged at the end of the first floor.
There, an icy staircase spiralled downwards into the darkness.
Without hesitation, they descended to the second level.
The environment changed immediately.
Unlike the narrow tunnels above, the second floor resembled a vast frozen canyon.
Towering cliffs rose on both sides, while fierce icy winds swept through the ravine with a constant howl.
The temperature dropped noticeably.
Su Wen felt a faint tingling sensation across his skin, though it wasn't enough to make him uncomfortable. Thanks to his Yang-oriented body cultivation, his resistance to harsh environments was far greater than before.
Du Yue, meanwhile, appeared completely unaffected. It was as though the biting cold didn't exist.
As they stepped deeper into the canyon, the winds grew stronger.
More Red-Eyed Rats appeared, noticeably stronger than those on the first floor and now equivalent to Early Grade 2.
Even so, they failed to slow Su Wen down and one after another, they were swiftly dealt with.
As the exploration continued, new monsters began appearing.
Ice Horn Rabbits bounded across the frozen terrain.
Frost Dart Lizards lurked amongst the rocks.
Occasionally, packs of Ice Fang Wolves emerged from hidden paths within the canyon walls.
However, the creature that interested Su Wen the most was a humanoid monster with pale azure skin and sharp features.
An Ice Goblin.
"Kekeke!"
The goblin let out a strange cackle as it emerged from behind a cluster of frost-covered rocks.
Unlike the beasts they had encountered so far, there was a trace of malicious intelligence in its crimson eyes. Its clawed fingers gripped a crude sickle forged entirely from ice, and wisps of malevolent qi coiled around its lean frame.
The moment it noticed the pair, a violent gleam flashed through its crimson eyes.
Without the slightest hesitation, it lunged forward.
Su Wen looked genuinely surprised.
"So this is a goblin?" He tilted his head slightly. "Aren't they supposed to be green? Still ugly as hell, though."
The goblin shrieked and swung its sickle.
A white flash swept through the air.
Before the creature could even complete its attack, Su Wen's sword pierced straight through its throat.
The goblin froze.
Dark blood trickled down the blade as a look of confusion appeared on its face. Moments later, its body collapsed onto the frozen ground.
"Huh." Su Wen withdrew his sword. "They're not very impressive either. Their cultivation level is still low."
Knowing that the dungeon would automatically dispose of slain monsters, the pair ignored the body and continued onwards.
Eventually, Su Wen sheathed his sword and turned towards Du Yue.
"Wifey, I don't think the monsters on these first two floors are much of a challenge for me. Why don't we head deeper to the third level?"
"Mmm..." Du Yue murmured, tilting her head in contemplation. "Husband, although they are weak, they aren't entirely useless to you."
She paused for a moment before continuing. "I know you haven't participated in many real battles, let alone genuine life-or-death struggles. You can use these monsters to hone your danger instincts."
Su Wen looked intrigued. "But Wifey, with my soul cultivation, my senses are already extremely sharp. Are you sure my instincts are lacking?"
Du Yue didn't answer right away. She simply looked at him, her gaze incredibly calm.
Suddenly, a phantom chill grazed the back of Su Wen's neck. His hairs stood on end. He spun around, only to freeze... a razor-sharp needle of condensed ice hovered a millimetre from his throat, motionless.
"This...!" A cold sweat immediately formed on his back.
He hadn't sensed it at all.
He slowly looked back at Du Yue. Her expression remained serene, but her eyes had completely changed.
The gentle, affectionate gaze of his wife was gone, replaced by the gaze of a lofty sovereign who looked down upon all beneath her.
The contrast was startling.
"With your body cultivation enhancing your physical senses, and your soul cultivation strengthening your spiritual perception, you should be capable of detecting most dangers," Du Yue explained.
The ice needle slowly revolved in the air beside her.
"But killing intent can be concealed."
"So can attacks."
"Just because you don't sense danger doesn't mean danger isn't there."
Su Wen silently listened.
Du Yue continued.
"An experienced opponent won't announce their intentions. They won't give you time to react."
"The moment you realise they're attacking may be the moment it's already too late."
The icy needle vanished.
"The best way to avoid that is to continuously refine your senses, strengthen your spiritual perception, and temper your instincts through experience."
She looked directly into his eyes.
"When your perception fails, your instincts must warn you."
"By the time your mind notices something is wrong, your body should already be moving."
Su Wen swallowed hard, staring at the empty air where the needle had just been. Before he could formulate a protest, Du Yue reached into her storage ring and produced a strip of thick, midnight-black cloth.
Su Wen stared at the cloth.
"Wife... why do you have that ready?"
"Preparation is important."
"...You've been planning this?"
Now, he staggered along at the front, a black blindfold covering his eyes and his spiritual perception completely sealed. Deprived of both sight and spiritual sense, he could only rely on his remaining senses as he stumbled across the icy ground.
Meanwhile, Du Yue followed leisurely a few steps behind.
"Wife..." Su Wen said cautiously. "Are you sure this will help me sharpen my danger instincts? "What if one of those rats bites me? Or an Ice Goblin sneaks up and chops me with its sickle?"
He turned in her direction despite being unable to see her.
"I feel like this training method is a little too dangerous."
Du Yue remained unmoved.
"Husband, that's precisely the point."
Her calm voice drifted from behind him.
"While you're in darkness, you'll be forced to remain alert at all times. I won't defend you, and I won't warn you when something attacks."
Su Wen's steps immediately became more cautious.
"Wife, are you sure you don't want to reconsider that?"
"No."
Du Yue's answer came without the slightest hesitation.
"I'll guide you in the right direction, but everything else is up to you."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"The only way to develop danger instincts is to face danger itself. When your eyes and spiritual perception are unavailable, your mind will naturally begin relying on subtler signs."
"The movement of air."
"The sound of footsteps."
"The feeling of being watched."
"The faintest disturbance in your surroundings."
"Your instincts can't grow if they're never tested."
Su Wen could only sigh.
Although he understood her reasoning, walking through a monster-infested dungeon while blindfolded was hardly reassuring.
Even so, he trusted his wife.
Taking a deep breath, he steadied his nerves and continued forward.
With his sight and spiritual perception sealed, every scrape of ice beneath his feet sounded unusually loud.
Every gust of icy wind felt suspicious and every distant screech made him tense.
For the first time since entering the dungeon, Su Wen concentrated entirely on his surroundings, ready to react to even the slightest sign of danger.