章 21: Not Even Close
編集者: EndlessFantasy Translation
She'd been doted on by her fellow disciples back at Lavender Mountain too, but when it came to diligence and attention to detail, she couldn't think of anyone who even came close to Luo Qinghan.
Moreover, he was still just a little boy.
Because of this, Zhe Huo decided that once she was up there, she'd finish the job quickly. Then, she'd request an advance on the reward so she could buy something for Qinghan—surely the grandmaster wouldn't mind.
It was the first time that Zhe Huo had ever been in such a hurry to get back from a quest. Maybe it was the knowledge that there was a young child anxiously awaiting her safe return. The thought burned like a flame in her heart, a feeling like having someone dear.
If it was at all possible, she'd like to keep looking after that boy forever, such a charming little thing he was.
She looked out across the snowy expanse of Frostsoul Peak, nothing but endless rocks and ice, marching away in jagged crags. The shrill wind raked at her ears like a squall of knives. Zhe Huo rubbed her red, raw ears, and put on the winter cap.
Based on what she'd read, ice demons preferred to hide amongst the snowy rocks, ambushing unsuspecting travellers from behind, and freezing them solid right where they stood. Then they'd draw upon the frigid winds to tear out every last shred of life essence from the victim, ultimately casting the lifeless husk down the mountainside.
The grandmaster had written upon the scroll that a shop in Tiancheng, which specialized in demons, just so happened to be running low on exactly this sort of demon, for use in brewing potions. This meant that the ice demon could be worth a pretty penny.
It also meant that she wouldn't be the only one hunting ice demons up here. However, only a short way up the mountain, she encountered a group of people, dressed as travellers and fleeing down the mountain in a panic. One of them was still a youth.
Squinting, Zhe Huo flicked her whip behind her, easily catching the young man and dragging him over. Genuinely curious, she inquired, "What happened?"
Frightened out of his wits, he babbled in terror, "Run for your life, miss! That ice demon consumes the souls of the living!"
Zhe Huo rubbed her nose, and glanced him up and down. Just a nobody out of nowhere, no hint of any training on him, and yet he'd dared to venture up this way. Throwing his life away for petty gain—although she couldn't deny that was a rather apt description of her own profession.
Her lip curling, she released him, and motioned for him to get going.
By his expression, he clearly thought she was mad. He turned away and continued down the mountain.
It was a little odd: A handsome prize like an ice demon, and there were no other demon hunters competing for it? What a disappointment! And yet it was cause for some delight—hunting demons was a demanding pursuit, and only the strongest prospered. Several times she'd been defeated not by a demon, but by a rival hunter. This was a fine opportunity, here. That ice demon was as good as hers.
Because she'd read up ahead of time, and had even received some tips from Wu Shan, it didn't take her long to find what she was looking for, perched against what appeared to be a natural rock face. She remembered Wu Shan telling her that ice demons radiated a terrible chill about themselves. Of course, it would be a tall order to measure the temperature of every clump of snow on this mountain—but she had a magical relic with her!
What a marvelous item this was, the Frost Needle that Wu Shan had provided her, which allowed her to quickly pinpoint the exact location of the ice demon. Next, she applied a special oil to the point of her whip-blade, leapt high into the air, and spun as she lashed out across the rock face. With a thud, a massive block of ice split open abruptly, spraying fragments everywhere. Leaning back in the air, Zhe Huo cannily warded off the incoming shards.
-- 贈り物
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