My Arts Evolve When Perfected

BAM—

Bing’s powerful body was sent flying by Jiang Qiu’s charge. He fell to the ground, his back skidding six paces with a harsh scraping sound.

Jiang Qiu, however, stood within the circle and slowly lowered the arms he had crossed before his chest. The Ice Armor covering them looked as if it were forged from blue steel, wisps of cold air drifting upward and shrouding him in a light mist.

That collision had surely shattered Bing’s sternum.

It wasn’t a major problem, though. The injury was treatable.

Certain herbal concoctions in the Northern Boundary could efficiently treat symptoms like bone fractures, and could even, to some extent, regenerate shattered bones.

Given the South Mountain Tribe’s resources, it would doubtless be no issue for them.

Everyone followed Jiang Qiu’s gaze to Bing, dumbfounded. Not a single person in the crowd whispered or murmured. Even an old man with a lame leg was frozen in place, stammering, "He’s... thirteen?"

"Young Master!"

A sudden, alarmed shout rang out. Mang, the leader of the South Mountain Tribe’s delegation, strode to Bing’s side, intending to help him up. But Bing, gritting his teeth, was already staggering to his feet. Pea-sized beads of sweat rolled down the contours of his face as his bloodshot eyes fixed on Jiang Qiu. "You’re strong. Very strong. Incredibly strong!"

He repeated it three times in one breath, his voice resonating from the depths of his being!

Aside from the Chosen One, Qiang, this was the first time in his life he had encountered such a powerful opponent among his peers. Only by facing him directly could one truly know what it was they were up against when that boy charged!

’Perhaps because this was just a normal challenge, Hill held back. Otherwise, if he hadn’t used a charge and had simply thrown a punch, the penetrating force would have been even greater! In that case, even my Copper Skin Realm body wouldn’t have been able to take it!’

"Mm, you’re not bad yourself."

Jiang Qiu’s brow twitched slightly. He hadn’t expected Bing to be able to stand back up, though it looked like his arms would be useless for a while.

"Chosen One Hill!"

The lame old man in the crowd was the first to cry out, and soon, a wave of responses rose up: "Heaven bless the North Snow!"

"Chosen One Hill!"

"Heaven bless the North Snow!"

Amidst the wave after wave of cheers, the envoys from the other tribes were all shocked. An inexplicable passion surged in their chests, and gradually, some of them began to join the chant.

They had watched with their own eyes as the Young Master of the South Mountain Tribe was sent flying in a single exchange, while Hill remained completely unharmed. In fact, the partial Ice Armor seemed to have grown even colder.

This was the power of a Chosen One!

The youths from the tribes, who had grown up hearing legends of the Chosen Ones, were seeing one fight for the first time. Only now did they finally understand why a Chosen One was a Chosen One—they were the hope for their entire tribe’s rise to power!

Before coming to North Snow, they had merely thought that Chosen Ones were just geniuses with better Talent. They figured that if they could surpass them in Realm, they might have a chance to win.

But judging by the Cultivation progress of Jiang Qiu, who could so easily send the South Mountain Tribe’s number one genius flying at just thirteen years old, how could they possibly hope to surpass a Chosen One?

It was simply beyond comprehension!

"A Chosen One is a Chosen One for a reason," Bing said as he retreated back to the South Mountain Tribe’s delegation with Mang’s support. He gazed from afar at Jiang Qiu, whose name was being cheered by the crowd, a complex, mournful look in his eyes. "Are all Chosen Ones this powerful?"

"Perhaps it’s because Hill’s Bloodline Talent is also related to strength."

Mang said comfortingly.

This wasn’t his first time witnessing the power of a Chosen One. In fact, his own tribe’s Qiang had occasionally demonstrated his strength, easily lifting the carcass of a mature male Snow Patterned Deer with one hand.

But the visual impact of that couldn’t compare to Hill’s charge just now. One had to remember that Bing’s Talent was the strongest in the South Mountain Tribe. He was a Warrior who had already entered the Copper Skin Realm, and his own strength was far greater than that of a mature male Snow Patterned Deer.

Perhaps even their own tribe’s Qiang couldn’t defeat Bing so easily. That calm and confident demeanor indicated a high level of mastery over his power.

Hill’s Talent was likely unparalleled, even among the Chosen Ones...

"Maybe," Bing said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He turned to look at the other young men from the tribes behind him and, seeing that most were accompanied by young women from the North Snow Tribe, added, "Uncle Mang, I don’t want to choose a bride anymore."

"What?" Mang’s pupils widened as he exclaimed, "Young Master, you can’t reject the North Snow Tribe just because you lost a challenge! That girl named Flower has a good background. Her lineage branched off from the North Snow Tribe’s main line, and she has some connection to the current Leader. Her bloodline isn’t bad..."

"No, that’s not what I mean." Bing shook his head, his eyes serious. "I’m still young. I can spend more time tempering myself instead of wasting it on siring heirs.

The Chosen Ones have transcendent Talent, yet none of them want to marry. It’s because they want to become even stronger.

They’re doing it to win the War of the Chosen. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

My Talent is far inferior to theirs. For the future of the tribe, I should spend even more time hunting and training."

After a pause, Bing glanced back at Jiang Qiu and took a deep breath. "Uncle Mang, when we get back, I will tell Father that the North Snow Tribe is worthy of our support. Their Chosen One, Hill, is surely a cut above the rest, even among other Chosen Ones. He’s stronger than our Qiang."

"..."

Mang swallowed hard, staring at his young master’s earnest expression and sighing inwardly.

The Young Master, Bing, had never taken the matter of producing heirs seriously to begin with. He had only come because, according to the customs of the South Mountain Tribe, it was time for him to find a female companion after coming of age, and also because it was a chance to challenge a Chosen One.

And now, after this challenge, he’d been beaten into caring even less about it.

The Chosen Ones didn’t want to procreate because their hearts were never in it; they all poured their entire beings into preparing for the War of the Chosen.

But Bing was the Young Master of the South Mountain Tribe. For him not to concern himself with producing heirs... this was...

Mang shook his head and also glanced at Jiang Qiu from afar, a hint of awe in his eyes.

Hill’s Talent was definitely top-tier among the Chosen Ones. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have provoked such a reaction from Bing, who had never been like this, not even when facing Qiang.

Still, the purpose of this trip had been achieved.

The North Snow Tribe’s potential was immense, comparable to that of the West Ice Tribe’s golden-haired Chosen One, Jin. He would have something to report to his elder brother when he returned.

"Go tell that girl from the North Snow Tribe, the one called Flower, that she doesn’t need to come with us to South Mountain."

At his command, a Warrior from the South Mountain Tribe accepted the order and ran off. Meanwhile, in a carriage near the beast pens, Flower clutched a fur coat sewn from fire-fox pelts, her head buried in the fluffy crimson fur of her scarf.

To be chosen by the Young Master of the South Mountain Tribe—it was what every young woman at this coming-of-age ceremony desired. Even her own mother would have been overjoyed at such a match.

But ever since that man named Mang had led her into this luxurious carriage of the South Mountain Tribe, her chest had felt tight.

Tears welled in the corners of her eyes.

’Hill...’