Three days passed quickly during the continuous sparring between the two of them.

  Finally, a light circle appeared at the teleportation point. The reopening of the teleportation device signified that the Apostle Association had begun to intervene. Meanwhile, the restrictions around the dueling arena disappeared.

  Anyone who stepped into this light circle could be immediately teleported back to the Apostle Association in the Free Capital. And if no one was teleported back within a few minutes, the association would send people over to terminate any possible battles.

  "Aren't you going back?" When Chen Yue explained that he wouldn't return immediately, Ling Zhu'er's small face was immediately filled with astonishment.

  "Yes." Shaking his head, Chen Yue said in a low voice, "If Instructor Vinia comes back, tell her not to worry. I will definitely return within five months."

  "Ah, I understand. You're afraid that Executive Vinia will blame you for killing Wolf." Ling Zhu'er nodded her little head understandingly. After all, Wolf was also a disciple under Vinia's wing. A life-and-death battle between the two was definitely something Vinia didn't want to see.

  Chen Yue smiled wryly but didn't refute. Perhaps this could be considered a reason too.

  He stuffed two apostle badges into Ling Zhu'er's small hands: "These two badges, one of them is mine. With it, you can be teleported back."

  The Apostle Association wouldn't tolerate badges being left outside. Anyway, Wolf's badge had to be taken back no matter what.

  Looking at the two badges with a somewhat trembling gaze, Ling Zhu'er held them as if they were precious treasures.

  However, there was confusion in her eyes. Obviously, she was puzzled as to why Chen Yue didn't take his own badge with him. After all, even with just Wolf's badge, the teleportation device would still teleport her back.

  "I don't need this badge anymore. When I return from the Ace Mountains, I will wear a higher-level badge." Chen Yue didn't say this out loud. Letting Ling Zhu'er take the badge back was also a vow to himself.

  He wouldn't return until he broke through to the second order.

  "Go ahead. From today on, you are truly my follower. You can use a part of the points under my name. You have this qualification." At the last moment when Ling Zhu'er stepped into the light circle, this was what she heard.

  A dazzling look immediately lit up in her eyes. At this moment, Ling Zhu'er's heart was filled with mixed feelings. Of course, she was more excited. She had proved with her own efforts that she deserved the identity of a follower.

  ...

  After leaving that unknown forest, Chen Yue set off alone on the road to the Ace Mountains. The low temperature and harsh living environment there had made Chen Yue mentally prepared long ago. This was definitely going to be a journey of ascetic practice, both physically and mentally.

  There was no flying beast, no mount. He just walked on the mountain road on his own two legs. Since he had let Ling Zhu'er take the apostle badge back, Chen Yue had already made up his mind not to rely on his identity.

  Moreover, low-level apostles of the first and second orders who appeared alone in places far away from the base camp could hardly guarantee their safety. Although apostles were noble, there were more people who were envious. Naturally, they wouldn't dare to do anything within the radiation range of the Apostle Association. However, in such desolate places, they might lose their senses due to greed. Therefore, abandoning the identity of an apostle at this time was also a wise choice.

  Along the way, Chen Yue tried to choose remote mountain roads as much as possible. After more than ten days, his clothes were torn by the thorns and branches on the roadside and were also torn in the battles with some magical beasts. They were already in tatters. Whoever saw Chen Yue now wouldn't associate him with a noble apostle.

  The closer he got to the Ace Mountains, the colder the weather became. The temperature had long been below zero degrees. Everyone living here was wrapped up thickly. Like Chen Yue, who was only wearing a thin robe that was also torn in many places, he was definitely an oddity among oddities.

  However, Chen Yue didn't show any sign of retreating. Since he had already defined this trip as ascetic practice, he had already been mentally prepared to endure hardships. Moreover, the cultivation and transformation of the "Health Cultivation Art" had already transformed his body to an extraordinary level. The current low temperature couldn't make him feel cold at all.

  Half a month later, he arrived at the Ace Mountains. Looking at this world of ice and snow, a smile finally appeared at the corner of Chen Yue's mouth.

  The Ace Mountains stretched for hundreds of miles and were rarely visited by people. The temperature here was unbearable for ordinary people. Except for some adventurers, even professional fighters who specialized in body cultivation like fighters seldom came here for no reason.

  After walking on the snow-capped mountains for a few days and having left the edge of the Ace Mountains, Chen Yue estimated that it wouldn't be easy for anyone to find him even if they wanted to. So he stopped.

  The temperature here was already terrifyingly low. Even Chen Yue, who had gone through the first transformation, had a feeling that he couldn't resist it. Fortunately, the "Health Cultivation Art" was truly miraculous. Not only did it have a miraculous effect on changing the physique and tapping the potential, but its restorative power was also astonishing.

  Whenever he felt unbearably cold, Chen Yue would practice the 15 postures he had mastered once. Immediately, he would feel a warm current flowing through his body, nourishing every cell of his body. And he wouldn't have to worry about the cold problem in the next hour.

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  In such an extreme environment, it also greatly stimulated the potential of his body. While constantly practicing the "Health Cultivation Art", Chen Yue also felt that his control over his body was getting stronger and stronger, and it was easier for him to make more difficult postures. Chen Yue estimated that if he stayed here for a year or so, he might be able to break through to the second level.

  After finding a natural ice cave as a temporary shelter, Chen Yue released the Ice Rabbit.

  In order to avoid exposing his identity, Chen Yue had always kept the Ice Rabbit in the subspace. After not seeing it for half a month, the Ice Rabbit immediately rubbed affectionately against Chen Yue's trouser legs as soon as it came out, just like a spoiled child.

  This was also a manifestation of a high enough compatibility. In the past, it wouldn't have paid any attention to you at all.

  After being affectionate for a while, the Ice Rabbit noticed that the environment had changed. When it saw the endless world of ice and snow in front of it, excitement immediately appeared in its red eyes.

  It didn't hesitate to condense ice crystals. In the world of ice and snow, the condensation speed was astonishingly fast. In just a few seconds, a row of seven fist-sized ice crystals were condensed in the air. Both the number and the size were far beyond those in the dueling arena.

  Smiling, it bit the largest ice crystal among them. Instead of enjoying it immediately, the Ice Rabbit hopped in front of Chen Yue and placed the ice crystal in front of him.

  "Is it for me?" A strange look appeared on Chen Yue's face.

  The Ice Rabbit nodded vigorously.

  Under its expectant gaze, Chen Yue could only pick up the ice crystal with a wry smile. However, as soon as the ice crystal was in his hand, Chen Yue's face changed.

  A layer of frost instantly appeared on his palm. The temperature of this ice crystal was terrifyingly low, and even he couldn't bear it. He punched the wall of the cave with his backhand. The ice wall as hard as iron was punched open with a small hole, and Chen Yue hurriedly threw the ice crystal into it.

  Looking at the Ice Rabbit that was eating happily like eating candies, Chen Yue showed a bitter smile at the corner of his mouth. Could this thing be eaten...

  Seeing that its mouth was full of ice chips, Chen Yue suddenly felt hungry...

  Since he had cultivated to the 15th posture, Chen Yue's appetite had increased a lot. This made him wonder very much that if he cultivated to the perfect state of the 108th posture, would he have to eat a dragon every day.

  ...

  After the Ice Rabbit had finished enjoying itself, Chen Yue took it out to hunt magical beasts.

  The Ace Mountains were rarely visited by people, so there were quite a number of magical beasts. However, it wasn't easy to find ones that met the requirements. First of all, powerful magical beasts were naturally out of the question. If you provoked them, you would have to consider who would be the food. So he could only look for some low-level magical beasts. Secondly, they had to be big in size. Those that were too small wouldn't be enough to eat, and it would be troublesome to kill several of them to fill his stomach. Thirdly, those with bad-tasting skin and meat were not wanted. It was best to choose magical beasts with delicious meat...

  Fortunately, it didn't take long for them to encounter an Ice Bear. As a third-level magical beast with a large size, it completely met Chen Yue's requirements.

  The classification of the levels of magical beasts was similar to that of human professionals. The Ice Bear was a melee type and couldn't use magic, so it was relatively easy to kill.

  However, this Ice Bear that came out to look for food obviously didn't think so. When it saw this human, its eyes immediately lit up. Well, the Ice Rabbit was too small in size and was ignored by it.

  It let out a low growl from its mouth, raised its bear paw as big as a palm-leaf fan, and slapped it down towards Chen Yue's head.

  Chen Yue didn't dodge. Instead, he turned his palm over and met it without flinching. Although his arm was not even one-fifth as thick as the Ice Bear's, it gave people a feeling that he was not at all at a disadvantage in terms of momentum.

  "Boom." The two disproportionate palms collided, and with a loud noise, the snow and ice on the ground were sent flying everywhere. In the chaotic snowflakes, the Ice Bear stood up on its two feet in a very funny way, staggered back seven or eight steps, and then sat down on the ground with a plop. Its eyes as big as copper bells almost popped out.

  Chen Yue was also pushed deep into the snow by this huge force, but seeing that he pulled his legs out without caring at all, one could tell that he wasn't hurt.

  This result was not surprising. After Chen Yue's physique had been changed by the "Health Cultivation Art", his physical strength had increased to the point where he could lift thousands of catties. With such a casual slap from this Ice Bear, how could it not suffer a loss.

  The Ice Bear was a magical beast after all and had already possessed primary wisdom. The confrontation just now made it realize that this human in front of it was not to be trifled with, and it had the intention of retreating with fierce eyes.

  "Hmm, the taste of bear paws should be good." Looking at the fat bear paws of the Ice Bear, Chen Yue seemed to be thinking about something.

  If the Ice Bear could understand human language, it would probably immediately give up the idea of leaving and rush up to fight for its life.

  In this way, Chen Yue kept approaching, while the Ice Bear kept retreating, carefully maintaining the distance between them. Suddenly, the Ice Bear, whose attention was all on Chen Yue, felt the temperature around it drop sharply. Immediately afterwards, a bone-chilling cold air hit its buttocks in an instant.

  It was indeed a summoned beast. Even though the Ice Bear had extremely high ice resistance, it still felt that the place where it was hit was freezing cold and instantly lost all sensation.

  "Roar." The Ice Bear that was suddenly attacked let out a huge roar, turned around angrily, and found the culprit - a snow-white rabbit.

  "Uh." With its pitiful intelligence, it couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.

  The ground suddenly trembled slightly. Chen Yue seized this rare opportunity, strode forward, and punched the Ice Bear's head with all his strength.

  The huge force directly knocked it down to the ground. Its head was dizzy and it struggled for a while but couldn't get up. After all, a magical beast was a magical beast. If it were a human, even a fourth-level fighter, if he was hit head-on by Chen Yue without any precautions, he would probably hardly survive. However, it hadn't received a fatal injury yet.

  However, Chen Yue and the Ice Rabbit obviously wouldn't give it a chance. A series of heavy punches combined with the Ice Rabbit's ice breath, and the Ice Bear reluctantly gave up its body after struggling for only dozens of seconds.

  The dinner was successfully solved. Immediately, Chen Yue dragged the Ice Bear back to the ice cave and had a hearty meal without mentioning it.

  The next day, it was another new round of hunting.

  Day by day passed. In this world of ice and snow where few people set foot, Chen Yue seemed to have returned to the primitive era. All he knew all day long was to go out hunting and exercise his body. It seemed that he had completely forgotten everything. The beautiful Ace Mountains were like a paradise, making it easy for people to forget the noise of the earthly world.

  In this vast world, anyone would feel their own insignificance. The ethereal world had enabled Chen Yue's spirit to be purified as never before and become unprecedentedly concentrated.