"It can grant you the protection of snow and ice," Colin explained. "Basically, think of it as a Talent in the realm of snow and ice. For example, any Frost Magic you cast will be enhanced, and you won't get lost in blizzards."
Colin raised an eyebrow, looking at the Ice Spring Essence in his hand, and he unconsciously asked, "Don't you need it?"
But he quickly realized his question was silly. Considering Shelley's demonstrated Talent for snow and ice, she clearly did not need this so-called Ice Spring Essence.
After sensing it briefly with his spiritual power, Colin didn't hesitate and swallowed the Ice Spring Essence.
The white sphere went down his throat, giving a sensation not as cold as its appearance suggested, just a slight coolness, like drinking a glass of cold water.
As the white sphere dissolved in his throat, a soothing coolness slowly spread to his limbs.
Colin's eyebrows began to frost over, and his already fair skin took on an even colder, frosty hue.
Shelley quietly waited by his side, staring at the nearby frost pond that had merged with the surrounding ground; she couldn't help but sigh again.
These divine beings brought not only endless wars but also limitless corruption.
About five minutes later, Colin slowly opened his eyes.
"How do you feel?" Shelley asked.
"Not bad," Colin slowly nodded, his gaze catching a piece of Golden Paper he had just summoned.
He quickly skimmed through it.
Moments later, he found new black characters in the Talent section—
"Talent: Frost (0/100)."
"Thank you."
Putting away the Golden Paper, Colin turned to thank Shelley.
Perhaps for Shelley, it was just a casual act, but the Talent from the Ice Spring Essence wasn't as trivial as she had mentioned.
Right now, Colin's most direct sensation was that the cold air around him seemed less chilling, and the surrounding snow and ice felt oddly more familiar.
Colin even felt that he could now casually perform small tricks like creating Ice Cones and Ice Balls with his spiritual power, and they would probably be quite powerful.
It made sense, after all—how could the frost pond continuously nurturing those ice sprites be anything ordinary?
Keep in mind that the ice sprite he later encountered was comparable in strength to a Second Rank Advanced Wizard.
"No need to thank me," Shelley said with a slight curve of her lips.
Colin thought for a moment, then took several glowing blue crystals from his Storage Ring.
"Perhaps you might find these useful."
These were Blue Cold Crystals he had taken from a mine while he was stationed in Ancient North Village, originally intending to study them back in Neustadt City.
Unlike in the Ancient North Stronghold, where the Blue Cold Crystals stored in the warehouse had a strictly counted quantity and were generally not allowed to be taken,
it was different in Ancient North Village.
Nearly every household in the village kept some Blue Cold Crystals for lighting.
So when Hunter, the village head, asked him if he wanted to take a few back for research, he simply went with the flow and accepted.
After all, the Blue Cold Crystals that led the Nine Major Schools of Neustadt City to expend such great effort to establish a stronghold here must be something special.
Shelley looked at the Blue Cold Crystals in his hand, her snowy eyebrows slightly furrowed. She took the Blue Cold Crystals, examining them carefully, and asked with a puzzled tone:
"What are these, and what are they used for?"
Colin shook his head: "I don't know either; I only know they are called Blue Cold Crystals."
"But... I'm surprised even you don't know what these are. Didn't you say there's nothing in this snowy land you don't know about?"
Colin teased with a smile.
However, he also felt a bit puzzled, so he continued:
"These Blue Cold Crystals were mined from a vein next to Ancient North Village, which I mentioned earlier."
Shelley's brows suddenly relaxed, and she tossed the Blue Cold Crystal back to Colin, saying,
"I think I understand now, these are just some useless minerals."
Colin caught the Blue Cold Crystal, slightly startled, and said,
"Useless... but the Nine Major Schools have specifically set up a base not far from Ancient North Village for this, and there are always Wizards stationed there."
"Not very useful, perhaps it could serve as material for some Frost Magic research. Of course, only for those below First Rank. If ranked, these Blue Cold Crystals could only be considered Zeroth Rank materials."
Shelley shook her head, she looked at Colin, paused for a moment, and with a slightly mocking tone said,
"As for why the Nine Major Schools have established a base here, it's less about these Blue Cold Crystals and more about Ancient North Village."
Watching the confused Colin, Shelley walked towards the cave's entrance while calmly stating,
"Do you know the only way to improve the concentration of Tainted babbling in an area?"
Colin furrowed his brows and shook his head.
He knew of Tainted babbling but had never deeply understood it. Could such a pervasive thing in the world actually be improved by external force?
"Human habitation, mass human habitation," Shelley simply said,
"The best thing to mitigate Tainted babbling is the Light of the Soul of humans. Laughter, communication... the breath of life and the establishment of order can significantly suppress Tainted babbling."
"That's why the cities of the Nine Major Schools are all built in the centers of human kingdoms," she added.
Colin's brows gradually knitted together, he paused and then said, "Are you saying that the purpose of Ancient North Village being here is to weaken the Tainted babbling of the Extreme North?"
He had thought the villagers of Ancient North Village were indigenous natives born in the Extreme North, but according to Shelley, these people might have relocated later.
"But there are just a few thousand people in Ancient North Village..." Colin continued.
"There are many such villages," Shelley interrupted Colin, her gaze distant and her pale blue eyes seemingly reflective, "The Extreme North is vast, and Ancient North Village is just one of them."
"But what about the Blue Cold Crystals? The Nine Major Schools have always been purchasing these things."
Shelley looked at him once, not directly answering, but said,
"In the past, there were no humans in the Extreme North, whether it was Ancient North Village or other villages, they were all forced to move here later."
"The environment here is harsh, there's hardly any vegetation, and even cooking is very difficult. Even Wizards find it tough to live here, and ordinary people who live here usually die in their thirties, being in their forties is considered a long life.
If not for external forces compelling them, no one would choose to settle here."
Shelley spoke with certainty, as if she had witnessed it herself:
"Apart from Blue Cold Crystal, I also know of a similar mineral called 'white stone'... They are found next to these human villages, they are the pillars these people rely on to survive and the cages that trap them to stay."
"I think you should understand their significance."
Colin fell silent, slowly realizing in his mind.
The external forces Shelley spoke of, although not explicitly stated, when considering the Nine Major Schools' purposefully established base...
This so-called external force obviously implied Wizards.
Perhaps even specifically the Wizards of the Nine Major Schools.
Were these villages, like Ancient North Village, actually created by Wizards?
Could the purpose be to reduce the Tainted babbling here?
Colin shook his head, he couldn't be certain, but at least a part of it was for that reason.
As for the Blue Cold Crystal—if merely relocating people from one place to another was not enough to make them settle permanently, let alone thrive,
The Wizards who initiated this must have understood this, hence the existence of things like Blue Cold Crystal...
With these resources for them to rely on for survival and trade, even if the villagers wanted to leave, they would likely have to weigh the pros and cons.
After all, in this dangerous world, ordinary people often don't have many choices; managing to survive is already challenging enough.