The troops cheerfully marched towards the Ku Kang Camp.

As the rules of war dictates, supplies must arrive before the army reaches. Saint Empire soldiers were trained to procure food on any terrain they are in, but in this frozen wasteland, there were nothing but shrubs and dried roots.

At this time, the Frosthral barbarians thought that it is a good time to show how far behind their new comrades are. At least their lineage isfilled with nomadic ancestors.

In moments, they dug up snow that were indistinguishable from its surroundings, but every time there were frozen vegetables or lair of small animals underneath.

Without exception, the food that found were all spirit plants or animals, there are hardly any normal living thing that could survive in this harsh cold.

Thanks to the ingredients filled with Heavenly Energies, the Saint Empire cultivators managed to survive the cold, though they still had to supplement with Ki recovering pills.

As days passed, the temperature dropped steeply, until the soldiers started shivering constantly.

As cultivators, their footwork is far from common. They could outpace a regular horse without slowing down for a week, so for them to head north a few days they have already gone quite a considerable distance.

In this weather, the barbarians who are locals, are wholly unaffected. Of course, many Snowdrifts guild members who had cultivated in the External Arts are also able to shrug off the cold.

In fact, they seemed even less uncomfortable than those burly warriors.

The barbarians couldn’t help but noticed this and many started asking.

“Why is it that you lot with your beanpole bodies ain’t looking cold?”

“Hey, why is it that your Saint Empire friends are turning blue, but you’re wearing a singlet in this weather?”

Even the soldiers under Esley command were speechless. They had been shaking like leaves while marching.

If not for the snow around them, people would’ve thought they are doing a new type of dance, leaf-walk.

“H… how… how… are… you you guys just ada da da da da da da da da da da… adapting to this cooooollddddd!?”

“He’s right… You don’t just ada da da da da da da da adapt to thi thi thi this ... weather. Gosh I bit bit bit myself.”

Facing either the barbarians or the Saint Empire soldiers, the Snowdrifts guild members only smiled wryly.

As more and more started becoming curious, someone finally sighed and replied.

“This kind of coldness is frankly nothing after going through that.”

Quickly, another person from the Snowdrifts agreed, “That is really inhumane. I have nightmares about that every single day. In fact, I haven’t slept for a week.”

“Hah… just a week? I haven’t slept for a month, you weakling.”

“…..”

“Better than being a coward like you. Just go to sleep already. Maybe you’ll be so deeply asleep that you won’t dream anything this time?”

“Ahhh… Don’t even think about it. It’s impossible. I’ve once stopped sleeping for two months and still got nightmares. That time, I was so tired that I couldn’t wake up no matter what. Can you imagine going through that over and over and over…?”

Even for cultivators a month-long without rest is too much but whatever the Snowdrifts guild members had gone through must’ve been terrifying enough to make them compete about how long they hadn’t slept.

Of course, everyone’s curiosity is peaked.

“Just what is ‘that’?”

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“Does it help strengthen us against the cold?”

“It’s a fur.. furr.. furururur …. No No No No No! I’m not saying its name! Don’t make me!”

“No, it’s a sto…stof….. Stooowwww…. AHHH It’s too frightening to say out.”

“Just call it that!”

Esley, wrapped in a thick fur coat, quickly came over to the Snowdrifts with his Great Generals following closely.

The Snowdrifts are marching right in the middle of the Astroire Army that is made up of cultivators sent by different allying factions and the newly recruited barbarians.

They formed a smaller group and walked besides the two hundred thousand Saint Empire troops.

Although the Snowdrifts only numbered around five hundred, they are the most eye-catching of the lot. Mostly, because of their youth, and also the large Dark Hall banner they are flying.

The black flag, while looking ominous to their enemies, made allies feel undeniably assured.

When Esley arrive, it wasn’t surprising that he also wanted to know if they had any methods to stave off the cold.

If there really is an easy way to do so, it will greatly aid them in their siege.

It wasn’t the first time that Saint Empire had attacked the Ku Kang Camp, and in the past before the Great Khan had appeared it was way easier, but they had never succeeded. Mostly, it was the bad weather combined with the length of a siege that deterred every attempt.

If the Snowdrifts had a way to resolve this, then their confidence to win will double.

“Lord Kairos. As you can see, my soldiers are hardly at their prime. It concerns me that we are heading towards an enemy stronghold in this condition. Even without being burdened down by the snow, the reputation of the Ku Kang Camp’s invulnerability is already daunting enough.”

“Lord Esley. There is no fort that is invulnerable. The Dark Hall sent us to prove this, and we shall utterly smash through their so-called impregnatable stronghold.”

Both commanders spoke without lowering their voices so that everyone can see their confidence of seizing victory.

Of course, after portraying assurance, Kairos still had to answer his question. Esley is still curiously waiting after hearing the dramatic reaction the Snowdrifts are having. With his cultivation level, he can easily pick up all the conversation around.

Kairos shook his head and laughed softly, “It’s due to a special cultivation method we had been adopting. We train in an environment with excessive ambient elements to hone our resistance and improve our affinity.”

The way the Snowdrifts protect themselves from the cold was disappointing for Esley to hear.

To develop resistance to cold by running around in a blizzard, swimming in the ocean, eating lots of ice creams, and all kinds of strange methods were common for Cultivators.

Those ways, although reliable, are slow and unsuited to be applied to their army when they are already at the enemy’s gates.

But, when Kairos saw that flash of disappointment across Esley’s face, he hesitated for a moment and then visibly made a decision.

“Lord Esley, the more we travel northward, the colder it will be. Although traditional methods to build up resistance are slow, I do have a faster way. It wouldn’t help strengthen the soldiers by much, but it is enough to at least make this weather more tolerable.”

Esley immediately brightened up.

Although he is the commander in charge of the frontlines, he readily defer to the young leader of the Snowdrifts when it comes to innovative approaches.

Esley is a prodigy when it comes to taming and raising powerful creatures, but Kairos is someone who invents the future.

A good leader understands where his talent lies, and when a team member proves more capable in a certain area, he will be a fool to dismiss it out of ego.

Brilliant but humble; the two are more similar than they realise.

Kairos quickly devised the method to help the frontline soldiers crank up their frost resistance. Less than a week away from their target they are at risk setting up camp, but he assured Esley that it wouldn’t take long.

The Snowdrifts went pale when they were told to set things up, but after hearing it’s for the other soldiers, they happily worked.

A few even had obviously gloating faces when they snuck glances over.

Soon, large pits that could fit over fifty people were dug throughout the snow fields. Each were deep enough to be below the thick layer of ice.

When the first one was done, Kairos went in and quickly covered the interior with runes and then he beckoned over the first group of victims… ahem… trainees.

After a while, all the two hundred thousand soldiers and their commanders – including Esley, were stuffed into different pits.

The Snowdrifts and the barbarians were also pulled in – for good measure, as Esley and the rest claimed.

Kairos laughed, and then chose one to jump in. Before he did, he made sure to drag all of his brothers in with him.

One for all, all for one… they said.

Very soon, everyone had a place in their pits and the runes were activated by spirit stones.

As soon as the mechanisms were turned on, the people within were thoroughly frozen.

And then, baked.

Then frozen, again.

It is rumoured that till this day, uncountable years later, the wind still echoes their chattering teeth.

…..

A couple of days later, the frontline troops marched once more.

They do feel less bothered about the cold; not even one of them were shivering.

But right now, if anyone mentions the words ‘furnace’, ‘stove’ or ‘freezer’ to them, they will furiously jump upon the person, and then stuff him into one of Kairos’ elemental furnaces.

Of course, the spirit stones needed to turn it on will be forked out by their victim, just like how Kairos made them pay for their own experience.

They aren’t immune to the weather, of course, but by Esley’s estimation, their siege can well extend another three months with the same amount of resources. No only so, they were previously at least a fifth slower inhibited by the cold, but now it is reduced to a tenth.

While they have reasons to rejoice, for the Snowdrifts they only have less than a month to complete their mission.

Well, technically…

It’s not that anyone had their Soul Slips if they failed.