Douluo Continent: I can overdraft the future in advance

After the pack of wolves retreated, Master Fang didn't rush to leave. He crouched down, used a short knife to dissect the carcass of the thousand-year-old alpha wolf, and began trying to take some materials. The alpha wolf's spirit ring was a thousand-year-old spirit ring, which Luo Yun couldn't absorb at the moment. Master Fang shook his head and only took a few wolf teeth.

The two continued north. The further they went, the lower the temperature became, and the thicker the ice on the ground grew. Luo Yun wrapped his coat tighter, while Master Fang walked ahead, glancing back at him every now and then.

An hour later, a frozen glacier appeared ahead. The river was wide, the ice thick, and it shimmered with an eerie blue light. Master Fang stopped and pointed to the hillside on the north side of the glacier.

"We've arrived at the north slope. The ice crystal grass you mentioned grows in places like this."

Luo Yun nodded and followed him along the edge of the glacier. Master Fang walked slowly, his eyes scanning the ice walls and crevices on both sides of the riverbank. Luo Yun was also searching, but he didn't know exactly what the Ice Crystal Grass looked like, only the image predicted by the system—half a foot tall, ice-blue, with slender leaves and ice spikes along the edges.

"Wait a minute." Master Fang suddenly stopped and squatted down.

Luo Yun leaned closer and followed his gaze. Beneath a protruding rock, several icy blue grasses clung tightly to the cracks in the stone, their leaves long and slender, their edges covered with fine ice spikes, shimmering in the sunlight. It was exactly the same scene the system had predicted.

"Ice Crystal Grass," Master Fang said in a low voice.

Luo Yun's heart began to race. The nine-hundred-year-old Ice Crystal Grass, the second soul ring predicted by the system, was right before his eyes.

Just as Master Fang was about to move forward, he suddenly frowned and reached out to stop him.

"Wait a minute." He pointed to the roots of the Ice Crystal Grass.

Upon closer inspection, Luo Yun discovered that the ice crystal grasses were growing in a crack in a rock. Below the crack, there seemed to be a cavity, and he could vaguely see something reflecting light inside. Master Fang took out a small soul-guided lamp from his pocket and shone it into the crack.

"Ice Marrow." Master Fang's voice changed.

Luo Yun leaned closer to look. Below the crack was a hole the size of a fist, at the bottom of which was a small pool of transparent liquid, shimmering with a faint blue light under the lamp. The liquid was viscous and crystalline, like melted ice or solidified water.

"Ice Marrow, a rare treasure of heaven and earth." Master Fang's voice was very low, but Luo Yun could hear the excitement in his tone. "This kind of thing is extremely rare and has miraculous effects on the cultivation of ice-attribute soul masters."

He glanced at the few ice crystal grass plants, then at the ice marrow in the cave, and said in a low voice, "Let's deal with the ice crystal grass first. We'll talk about the ice marrow after we get the soul ring."

Luo Yun nodded. Master Fang told him to step back a few paces, then drew his short sword, infused it with his soul power, and the short sword transformed into a long sword. He timed his move perfectly, ready to strike.

A sharp cry came from overhead, piercing my eardrums.

Master Fang's expression changed drastically. He looked up abruptly, and Luo Yun followed suit—a huge, ice-blue raptor was circling above them, its wingspan reaching four meters. Its ice-blue feathers gleamed coldly in the sunlight, and its golden eyes were fixed on the soul ring on the ground.

"Ice Falcon!" Master Fang's voice trembled for the first time. "It might be a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast! Retreat!"

Before Luo Yun could react, Master Fang had already grabbed him by the back of his collar and dragged him back several meters. The ice falcon swooped down, circled once above the ice crystal grass, then raised its head, its golden eyes fixed on them.

It is protecting this territory.

Master Fang's face was ashen. He pulled two things from his pocket—a palm-sized silver disc and a fist-sized black sphere. He stuffed the silver disc into Luo Yun's hand, and held the black sphere tightly in his own hand.

"A level five soul-guided shield." Master Fang pointed to the silver disc. "It can be activated by injecting soul power and can withstand attacks from ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts. This is my last resort for survival; I never thought I'd need it in this lifetime."

He then raised the black sphere again.

"A level four soul-guided cannon." Master Fang's voice was calm, but Luo Yun could hear the determination in his tone. "It can injure a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast with a single strike, but it can only be used once. After using it, my soul power will be exhausted."

The ice falcon circled overhead once more, letting out a sharp cry, seemingly warning them to leave.

"Master Fang—" Luo Yun wanted to say something, but Master Fang interrupted him.

"Listen to me." Master Fang's eyes were fixed on the ice falcon in the sky. "I'll lure it away in a bit. The ice crystal grass isn't very strong, you can handle it. Be quick, there's still time. Set up the protective shield, don't worry about me, just focus on absorbing."

"And what about you?"

Master Fang didn't answer. He gripped the black sphere even tighter.

The ice falcon swooped down.

Master Fang shoved Luo Yun aside and rolled in another direction. The ice falcon's sharp talons grazed his shoulder, tearing his clothes and leaving three deep claw marks on the ice.

"Run!" Master Fang roared.

Luo Yun didn't have time to think and instinctively ran towards the direction of the Ice Crystal Grass.

But he hadn't run ten steps when an immense pressure descended from above. The aura of a ten-thousand-year-old soul beast was something a ten-year-old second-ring soul master like him couldn't withstand. The pressure was like a mountain, squeezing in from all directions, squeezing out all the air from his chest, making his legs weak, his knees buckle, and he collapsed to his knees on the ice.

He tried to stand up, but his body wouldn't obey him. His vision began to darken, and his ears rang. The last thing he saw was Master Fang standing in front of him, a silver level-five soul-guiding shield opening up and repelling the Ice Falcon's second dive attack.

Then, I knew nothing more.

---

I don't know how much time has passed.

Luo Yun was awakened by the sound of the explosion; the shockwave sent ice shards flying onto his face, stinging painfully.

Luo Yun gritted his teeth and slowly sat up, supporting himself on the ground. The scene before him completely stunned him.

Master Fang stood twenty meters away, covered in blood, his exposed arms covered in claw marks, some so deep you could see the bone. He gripped the level four soul-guided cannon in his right hand, the muzzle still smoking.

The ice falcon circled overhead, much slower than before. A large patch of feathers was missing from one of its wings, revealing the blood-red flesh beneath. It flew erratically, clearly severely injured. Yet it continued to attack, each dive a desperate display of ferocity.

Master Fang's silver round shield shattered into several pieces, scattered at his feet. The level five soul-guided shield was now broken.

"Master Fang!" Luo Yun called out.

Master Fang didn't turn around. His attention was entirely on the Ice Falcon, and with his left hand he took out the last soul tool from his pocket—a palm-sized disc covered with densely packed magic array patterns.

The ice falcon swooped down once more. Master Fang raised the disc, channeling his soul power into it, and the disc's surface shone with a dazzling white light.

"boom--"

The explosion was deafening. The instant the white light burst forth, Luo Yun was forced to close his eyes. The shockwave whipped up ice shards and fragments that rained down on him like a storm, and he instinctively raised his arms to protect his face.

When he opened his eyes again, the ice falcon flew crookedly into the sky, letting out a sharp cry filled with anger and resentment. One of its claws had been blown off, leaving only a bloody stump. It circled above Luo Yun's head once, its golden eyes filled with hatred, but finally turned and flew away, disappearing behind the distant ice peaks.