Chapter 56: Terror!


    The onlookers in the Old Treehouse were stunned by Han Ming’s casual display of strength. With just a flick of his arm, he had sent a grown man flying. How much strength did that require? And the man he had thrown wasn’t an ordinary person either. If Han Ming had used both hands, it might have been understandable, but to do it with such ease was beyond the capabilities of most people.


    Reid, who had been standing close by, was even more shocked. He had witnessed Han Ming’s action up close and was deeply shaken. At the same time, he felt relieved that he hadn’t offended this quiet young man.


    The would-be deputy leader, after rolling on the ground outside, scrambled to his feet and charged back into the tavern, furious and ready to retaliate.


    But Reid quickly stepped in to stop him. His face shifted through a range of emotions, as if he were making a difficult decision.


    After a moment, Reid finally gritted his teeth and whispered, "I’ve seen that beast."


    Han Ming’s eyes widened, and he stared intently at Reid. "Are you serious?"


    Reid nodded, glancing around to indicate that they should speak outside. The tavern was too crowded for such a sensitive conversation.


    Han Ming agreed, paid the bill, and followed Reid and his group out of the Old Treehouse.


    The Flying Eagle Mercenary Group, despite its grand name, now consisted of only a dozen or so members. They walked to the outskirts of Blackstone City before stopping.


    Han Ming wasn’t worried about any tricks. With their level of strength, he had no reason to be cautious.


    Reid hesitated, looking around to ensure they were alone before speaking in a low voice. "Two days ago, my team and I managed to take down a second-tier magical beast, but we lost nearly half our members in the process. On our way back, we saw something... unusual."


    Han Ming nodded, urging Reid to continue.


    Reid’s expression shifted between fear, confusion, and excitement as he spoke. "We couldn’t see the thing itself. It was either invisible or... underground. All we saw was the trail of ice it left behind. Even a wide river froze instantly as it passed. A first-tier magical beast that happened to be nearby turned into an ice sculpture just from being close to it."


    Reid’s voice trembled as he continued. "I’ve never heard of anything like this. No magical beast I know of has such terrifying power. We were at least ten meters away, but even at that distance, in the heat of midday, our breath turned to frost."


    "Invisible? Transparent?" Han Ming was equally shocked. He understood why the mercenaries were so terrified.


    Under normal circumstances, even a powerful ice-elemental magical beast would leave nothing more than a trail of frost. How could it freeze everything in its path? If that were true, it could turn an entire mountain into an iceberg just by circling it. Even a high-level mage would struggle to achieve such a feat, let alone a beast that was merely passing by.


    If Han Ming hadn’t seen the icy trail himself, he would have dismissed Reid’s story as nonsense. Freezing a river? Impossible! Rivers flow constantly; they can’t just be frozen on a whim.


    But Reid’s account matched what Han Ming had witnessed.


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    Reid hesitated, then added with a shudder, "I sent one of my men to investigate. But as soon as he got within ten meters, he started to freeze. By the time he tried to run, it was too late. He turned into an ice sculpture. When we finally managed to thaw him, he was already dead. Every inch of his body had crystallized from the extreme cold. His flesh shattered like glass at the slightest touch. Even the man who tried to thaw him with fire died the next day, trembling uncontrollably until his last breath."


    Han Ming’s heart sank. If Reid’s story was true, then capturing this creature would be impossible. But at the same time, Han Ming was certain that this beast must possess an extreme cold core. If such a creature didn’t have one, then nothing did.


    "Where did you see it?" Han Ming asked, his voice steady despite his unease.


    Reid pointed westward. "About half a day’s journey from here. The creature moves slowly, so if we hurry, we might catch up by tomorrow noon."


    "But if it leaves a five-meter-wide trail of ice, wouldn’t it be easy to track? Why are so many people still searching for it?" Han Ming asked, puzzled.


    Reid thought for a moment. "The ice trail isn’t constant. It appears and disappears. And from what I’ve seen, the creature moves slowly. I suspect it might be severely injured, though that’s just a guess. Something that powerful shouldn’t be easy to harm."


    Han Ming wasn’t sure if Reid’s theory was correct, but he had no other leads.


    "Alright, I’ll join you. Your information is valuable. I won’t ask for any additional payment. If we encounter any magical beasts along the way, I’ll handle them. But we must move in a straight line. If I find out you’re leading me in circles to hunt beasts, don’t blame me for what happens next."


    Reid nodded eagerly. "Of course, of course. And if we find its lair..."


    Han Ming understood what Reid was implying. "The information is yours to sell."


    Reid and his men were overjoyed. Without hesitation, they set off westward, bypassing the city entirely.


    Along the way, they encountered two magical beasts—one first-tier and one second-tier. Han Ming dealt with them easily. Only third-tier beasts posed a real threat to him now.


    Reid’s men happily collected the crystals, pelts, claws, and teeth from the beasts, storing them away.


    Reid hesitated, then offered Han Ming the small wood-elemental crystal from the first-tier beast.


    Seeing Reid’s reluctant expression, Han Ming couldn’t help but chuckle. He declined the offer, and Reid thanked him profusely. The group continued their journey.


    That night, they rested briefly before pressing on. By noon the next day, they reached a massive waterfall.


    Han Ming didn’t need Reid to explain. He could see for himself that they were close to the creature.


    The enormous waterfall was completely frozen, transformed into a colossal glacier.


    "This..." Everyone was stunned, their jaws dropping in disbelief.


    "Quick! It must be nearby. We need to hurry before it hides its presence again," Reid urged, glancing at Han Ming for confirmation.


    Han Ming nodded, and the group picked up their pace, heading westward.


    At this point, no one was interested in hunting lesser beasts. They avoided them unless attacked, focusing solely on finding the mysterious creature. Reid and his men knew the value of the beast far exceeded that of ordinary magical beasts. Reid wasn’t worried about Han Ming stealing the information. He assumed Han Ming was just a young, overconfident fool who would likely get himself killed trying to capture the creature.


    As night fell, the group arrived at a towering ancient tree.


    The tree was completely encased in ice, and the surrounding area within a ten-meter radius was frozen solid. There were no other signs of the creature’s presence.


    Clearly, the beast was nearby. At the base of the tree was a large hollow, now transformed into an icy cave.


    Reid’s men couldn’t contain their excitement, cheering loudly.


    "Shut up!"


    "Quiet, you idiots!"


    Han Ming and Reid both shouted at the same time, their voices sharp. If they alerted the creature, they would be in serious trouble.


    The men quickly fell silent, realizing their mistake.


    "You, go check if the thing is in the cave," Reid ordered one of his men.


    The man hesitated, clearly remembering what had happened to his comrade who had gotten too close.


    "Just take a look from a distance. Don’t get too close," Reid added.


    The man reluctantly obeyed, inching forward step by step.


    Han Ming, however, felt a surge of disdain for Reid. Sending his own men into danger while staying safely behind spoke volumes about his character.


    As the man crept forward, the others watched nervously, their fists clenched. No one noticed Han Ming quietly retreating, slipping behind a large tree several dozen meters away.


    Han Ming focused his water elemental senses, but suddenly, he detected movement far behind him.