CHAPTER 1329: CHAPTER 1330: TEST OF STRENGTH

"Don’t you need warm clothing?"

Seeing Feng Yuan rush toward the mountain in just a short-sleeved shirt, Qi Chen grabbed him and asked curiously. Agunas swished its tail and said:

"I’m afraid it won’t be that easy to climb the mountain right now."

It had already noticed that this snowy mountain wasn’t accessible to just anyone—or rather, Dantia had surrounded the area with fences. Judging by the situation, it seemed they were charging an entrance fee?

"Are you all trying to climb the mountain? Where are the adults?"

At that moment, a passing local scrutinized Qi Chen and the group with a puzzled expression and asked. Judging by the person’s attire, they appeared to be a local. Qi Chen responded:

"We’re here on a graduation trip. Is there a problem?"

"Students, are you? Then I’m afraid climbing the mountain might not be allowed at this time of year. To prevent accidents, those without sufficient strength aren’t permitted to go up. See that over there? That’s the checkpoint. If you want to climb, you’ll have to pass through there first."

"For your own safety, it’s best not to sneak up the mountain—it’s far too dangerous."

Glancing at Feng Yuan, the local remarked with a hint of caution. Given Feng Yuan’s impulsive demeanor, sneaking up the mountain might very well lead to unexpected calamities.

"I didn’t bring warm clothing. Is there any place nearby where I can buy it?"

Yang Hongzhi asked the local. While Spirit Beasts might not mind the frigid temperatures of the snowy mountain, the same couldn’t be said for humans. Feng Yuan might be fine, but Qi Chen and Dou Yanlan were not strong enough to endure the cold without proper insulation—they’d likely be frozen stiff shortly after ascending the mountain.

"Warm clothing? There are a few shops over there. But I wouldn’t recommend buying anything just yet. You should head to the checkpoint first, get a climbing permit, and then purchase gear once you’re sure you can ascend."

The local sized up the group while explaining. People who impulsively decided to climb snowy mountains weren’t uncommon; however, if they spent money on gear only to be denied entry, it could cause unnecessary trouble.

Of course, if they didn’t listen, the local wouldn’t bother to intervene further—he wasn’t the type to meddle excessively. He considered his advice helpful enough and walked away.

Watching him leave, Feng Yuan scratched his head and said:

"Why don’t we head to the checkpoint first?"

"I feel like obtaining a climbing permit won’t be a problem, but it’s certainly the safer approach."

Nodding in agreement, Yang Hongzhi spoke. Based on his straightforward information, bringing Feng Yuan and the others up the mountain shouldn’t pose many issues. While his own strength was average, he had Najia by his side.

Not to mention Feng Yuan’s collection of Divine Beasts. With their presence, the group didn’t need to worry about much—at most, they’d encounter a snowstorm or avalanche, but such natural threats were manageable with adequate strength. After all, this snowy mountain was still within the range of human activity.

"Then let’s go!"

At the checkpoint, the stationed Timok soldiers were gathered, chatting idly. Not many people ventured to the snowy mountain at this time of year. When they saw Feng Yuan and his group enter, the soldiers froze for a moment.

They had been stationed there long enough to roughly gauge the strength of incoming people. However, upon seeing Yang Hongzhi among them, they refrained from commenting. Yang Hongzhi’s appearance suggested he was nearing graduation from the academy—and there were individuals in this group whose strength was considerable. Ultimately, it was hard to judge whether they were sufficiently capable of climbing the mountain.

"You intend to enter Honite Snow Mountain? Please come over here; we need to test your strength for your own safety."

One soldier stood and gestured toward the side, opening a door that let a sharp gust of wind blow through. Beyond the door lay a small courtyard blanketed in ice and snow, resembling a space they used for daily training.

Veronia twirled her ornamented parasol and said:

"Strength testing, is it? Let me handle it."

She stepped forward gracefully and waved her hand. Golden Crystal Roses sprouted from the void, spreading outward in all directions. An eerie energy enveloped the entire area, even blocking the cold wind from penetrating the courtyard.

"What do you think?"

With a dangerous smile, Veronia looked at the soldier. Stunned, the soldier hastily agreed that they could enter the mountain and offered to prepare their permits.

The soldiers lurking behind the door to watch the commotion were equally startled. They had initially assumed the academy students were simply bringing high schoolers around for a little sightseeing. Who would have thought that the woman in ornate attire was the strongest among them? But what kind of Beast did she command? The group’s curiosity was piqued, as Veronia hadn’t summoned any visible beast.

Of course, it was entirely possible her Beast was lurking nearby to provide protection. That wouldn’t be unusual—just like Xiao Hui, who was a large Beast. If it weren’t for Feng Yuan traveling alongside Yang Hongzhi, the latter would have summoned either Xiao Hei or Xiao Hui. The energy transmission of Beast Taming Contracts did not necessarily have distance limitations; as long as the Beast wasn’t too far away, it wasn’t an issue.

Having no Beast beside oneself, however, was undeniably risky—nobody could predict when danger might strike.

"Why are you being so proactive?"

Agunas glanced at Veronia curiously and asked. Smirking cryptically, she replied:

"Don’t you think it’s fun?"

Swishing its tail, Agunas chose not to engage, though it appreciated the convenience Veronia’s actions had brought. Before long, the group’s permits were ready—apart from a quick check of their passports, nothing else was required. Ultimately, the rules were merely in place to prevent underqualified Beastmasters from inadvertently wandering into dangerous areas.

Leaving the checkpoint, Feng Yuan’s group proceeded toward the street selling mountaineering equipment. Dou Yanlan scanned the available information and said:

"There aren’t many useful materials on Honite Snow Mountain. Among them, Pure Ice Crystals are suitable for nearly all Spirit Beasts, but their effects are mediocre."

"Pure Ice Crystals? I remember those are mainly used to purify Spirit Beasts’ power a bit, right? They’re not particularly applicable to most Beasts."

Examining Xiao Ji and the others, Feng Yuan commented. Not to mention Xiao Ji, even Ah Mu and Cotton had long been fed similar-effect potions, rendering Pure Ice Crystals ineffective. As for Big Cat, Feng Yuan wasn’t sure. But for Little Ice Cream, it was clear the creature hadn’t been exposed to them before.

Given that, only Little Ice Cream might benefit from Pure Ice Crystals. As for Kong Qing? No way—during its evolution experiments, it had already consumed a plethora of potions. If the crystal still proved effective, Feng Yuan would find it absurd.

"True, but most other Spiritual Medicine and Materials here target Water Attribute ice-type Spirit Beasts, which are even less useful for us."

"Wait, it’s the season for Ice Crystal Flowers to bloom."

Dou Yanlan suddenly paused as she realized something and said. Hearing this, Feng Yuan perked up and asked:

"Ice Crystal Flowers? I’ve heard they’re quite beautiful. Do you know where they grow?"

"Near the summit, above the clouds. But they don’t seem to have much medicinal value."

Glancing uncertainly at Feng Yuan, Dou Yanlan spoke. With her knowledge, she had never heard of any recipes involving Ice Crystal Flowers as ingredients.

Feng Yuan waved dismissively and said:

"Of course not! Those flowers are purely for appreciation. But isn’t beauty enough? We’re here to travel—naturally, we should seek out interesting sights!"

"That’s true. So, shall we head to the summit?"

Looking at Feng Yuan, Dou Yanlan asked. Holding Xiao Ji in his arms, Feng Yuan replied:

"Of course! But we’ll need to buy some gear first."

He was unbothered by the cold—if it became unbearable, he could turn into a Little Husky and perch atop Big Cat. But Qi Chen and the others couldn’t rely on such tricks—proper warm clothing and equipment were essential.

"Wait, did you all bring the Wolf God’s Robe?"

Feng Yuan suddenly remembered and asked the group. Dou Yanlan paused briefly before responding:

"I did, though I almost forgot about it."

She hadn’t even considered that the Wolf God’s Robe could be used as an insulated garment. After all, she typically wouldn’t wear it—not because of discomfort, but because it often felt out of place. Wearing the robe to school or in public always invited strange looks.

"I think I brought mine. Is the Wolf God’s Robe enough?"

Qi Chen, understanding Feng Yuan’s point, asked hesitantly. Nodding confidently, Feng Yuan replied:

"For this mountain? It’s more than enough. That way, we’ll only need to purchase climbing gear."