"What is that?"
The white figure flew high and far in the sky, disappearing into the clouds in a flash. Gauss didn’t even have time to see it clearly before it vanished.
However, the Red Dragon Dragon Beast Hephaestus couldn’t fly in the snow mountains, and this creature could fly so high without fearing the cold, indicating its formidable strength.
"Forget it, let’s keep moving."
The enemies active in these snow mountains, aside from elemental species related to ice and snow, are generally not too weak.
If the wilderness outside Gray Rock Town is considered a novice area, then this place is at least an intermediate zone, possibly even higher.
Undoubtedly, this place is home to many powerful creatures.
Gauss naturally wouldn’t actively seek challenges.
On the contrary, he needed to strategically avoid enemies that might pose a threat based on the information gathered beforehand.
This steep snowfield wasn’t a suitable battlefield for Gauss and the others.
Instead of risking an unknown avalanche while fighting, it was better to conserve energy and detour.
Gauss looked at the water sword in his hand.
This holy water originated from the Lake God, containing a trace of divine power.
Perhaps sensing the presence of a kindred spirit, this divine power became increasingly excited.
"Whoo whoo whoo—"
As they ventured deeper into the mountains, the wind and snow grew stronger.
Just walking consumed considerable physical strength.
"There seems to be a tree over there."
Aaliyah, having sensed the presence of life through the wind and snow, reminded them.
"Let’s go take a look."
"Be careful."
Despite the blinding wind and snow, Gauss trusted Aaliyah’s judgment.
As expected, as they approached the direction Aaliyah indicated, there was a tree covered in glistening white snow standing at the foot of the cliff.
Gauss did not get too close but sent Ying to scout the surroundings.
After confirming no demons were nearby, at least for the moment, the group proceeded forward.
This was a fruit tree growing in extreme cold, with branches bearing glistening snow-blue fruits.
They looked like ice balls.
Gauss swallowed.
He sensed the aura of magic power.
Clearly, these fruits were precious magic items, about 30 in number.
Without delay, the excited group harvested these fruits growing amidst the wind and snow, then handed them to Aaliyah to infuse with life force and store in the appropriate preservation boxes.
Gauss then turned his gaze to the tree itself.
"Is there a way to transplant this ice-vein tree?"
If it could regularly bear magic fruits, the tree itself would be invaluable.
Aaliyah stepped forward, placing her hand on the trunk.
After sensing for a moment, she shook her head.
"This tree has become one with the surrounding geology. If it’s transplanted without care, away from the rich cold magic here, it may wither away quickly."
Gauss nodded, feeling slightly regretful but not surprised by the answer.
"What a pity."
Gauss recognized the species of this tree. It only grows at specific cold magical nodes, and its value is almost entirely in the ice-vein fruits on its branches. These fruits are invaluable to casters studying cold magic, inspiring insight and temporarily enhancing affinity with cold magic.
Long-term consumption can even alter one’s constitution.
Of course, long-term here means at least over a decade, making these twenty to thirty fruits just a drop in the ocean.
As for pricing, each fruit runs for at least 25 gold coins, depending on maturity and quality.
However, Gauss suspected the quality of this ice-vein tree wasn’t very high because the temperature here wasn’t extremely severe, indicating the geological vein below might just be a branch.
But perhaps because of this, it hadn’t attracted powerful demons to guard it, leaving it accessible to Gauss and his companions.
Gauss marked a location on the map, noting the ice-vein tree, and then urged his companions to leave.
Two days in the snow mountains passed in a flash.
"Cough, cough—"
Everyone was now covered in snow, their foreheads and eyebrows dyed white.
The path through the snow mountains was more difficult than Gauss had expected.
Gauss and the others often had to detour in the mountains due to terrain, hazards, and strong enemies.
The only consolation was that they rarely encountered much danger along the way.
Aside from a few blind snow demons, large bat-like creatures that attacked Gauss and the others, which Gauss easily dispatched.
Other battles were mostly avoided by Gauss to prevent any unexpected incidents.
"We’re almost there!"
Gauss and his companions stood on a relatively open icefield, gazing up at the immense structure that seemed to connect heaven and earth before them.
It was an extraordinarily massive, towering snow mountain, Isthem Peak.
The surrounding snow peaks seemed to exist solely to protect it.
It stood there like a white monument, with frosty clouds coiling around it like silver serpents.
Isthem Peak’s silhouette was exceptionally distinct against the sky, exuding an air of majesty, eternity, and sanctity, like the abode of gods from a story.
"So beautiful..."
Aaliyah marveled.
The breathtaking scenery seemed to make the cold all around more bearable.
Gauss, meanwhile, was observing the open ice plain leading to the snow mountain.
If the road ahead was narrow and winding and free of many demons, then this open ice plain was undoubtedly an ideal spot for ice and snow demons to breed.