The northern lands were frozen for a thousand miles, blanketed in endless snow, a vast expanse of white. In Asgard, amidst the boundless mountains, birds and beasts were now a rare sight. Most wealthy families huddled indoors, warming themselves by charcoal fires. However, at the foot of the mountains east of Misty Veil Peaks, a group of boys in thin black garments relentlessly swung their long sabers in the bitter cold.

  From a high platform, a middle-aged martial artist watched the disciples training in the drill ground with an eagle-sharp gaze.

  Leo, dressed in a grey fur-lined jacket with a hatchet tucked into his belt, watched the Thunder Blade Sect disciples practicing their saber techniques with envy.

  "Get moving, stop dawdling! If you don't chop enough firewood today, there'll be no dinner for you!"

  A man of similar middle-aged appearance, also clad in a thick grey jacket, feigned severity as he barked the order from behind.

  "What did you say? Say that again!" A young man, a good head taller than Leo, strode through the outer hall entrance. Hearing the man's words, he rebuked him coldly.

  "Brother Felix!"

  Hearing the voice, Leo's face lit up with joy. The newcomer was Felix, also from Goat Village. Felix was the pride of Goat Village, selected as an outer disciple of the Thunder Blade Sect at a young age due to his exceptional talent. In less than a year, he had become an inner disciple.

  Back in Goat Village, Leo had been closest to Felix. Last year, the village suffered a drought, and Leo's family had welcomed a new baby brother and sister. Their meager farmland couldn't support everyone. Felix had brought him to the Thunder Blade Sect. However, lacking any martial talent, Leo became a menial laborer within the sect, performing chores like fetching water, cooking, and going into the mountains to chop wood. It was hard work, but at least it allowed him to survive in these impoverished, chaotic times.

  "Oh, it's an inner disciple senior brother! M-my apologies! I didn't know Leo was acquainted with you, senior brother. Please forgive my offense, senior brother, Leo!" Ludwig, the overseer who usually threw his weight around among the laborers, paled and hurriedly bowed in apology to both Felix and Leo. He was merely an overseer for the laborers, not even a permanent position. He couldn't afford to offend even a high-ranking outer disciple, let alone an inner disciple.

  "Brother Felix, Overseer Ludwig was just worried I wouldn't finish chopping enough wood in time. He meant no harm. Please don't blame him, Brother Felix."

  Leo spoke up in Ludwig's defense. Having been in the laborer quarters for a while, though he possessed no martial skills, he had become much more adept at navigating human relationships than Felix. It was one thing for Felix to offend Ludwig, but Leo would have to work under Ludwig's supervision long-term. If Ludwig were replaced, the next overseer might be even more malicious and demanding, making life difficult.

  "Fine. Since Leo speaks for you, I'll let it go today. But if I see you bullying Leo again, you'll regret it. Now scram!" Felix glared fiercely at Ludwig.

  "Yes, yes! I wouldn't dare, not ever again!" Ludwig nodded repeatedly, thoroughly flustered, and fled as if escaping.

  "The Discipline Hall keeps me too busy. I only managed to get two days off now because I've advanced the Gale-Splitting Saber Technique to the third layer and my master finally allowed me some rest. That's why it took me this long to visit you," Felix explained apologetically to Leo after chasing Ludwig away.

  "That's wonderful! The more skilled you become, Brother Felix, the less anyone in the laborer quarters dares to bully me," Leo said, genuinely happy.

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  "They wouldn't dare! Anyone who bullies Leo will have me beating them to their knees begging for mercy!" Felix declared with immense bravado.

  As they spoke, a pair of youths also dressed in white martial attire and a particularly pretty young girl waved from not far ahead, calling out, "Brother Felix, what are you still doing there? Hurry up, we're going to town!"

  Seeing others waiting for Felix, Leo said, "Brother Felix, your friends are waiting. You should go. I need to start chopping wood to finish today's task."

  "I have time today. I'll help you chop wood," Felix refused, shaking his head.

  "No need. I do this every day, and it doesn't take too long. You rarely get two days off, Brother Felix. Don't waste them on chores like chopping wood," Leo insisted, pushing at Felix. However, after years of martial training, Felix was strong and sturdy, not someone Leo could budge.

  "Alright then, I'll go ahead. I'll bring back some good treats for you," Felix conceded, his youthful nature tempted by the thought of visiting the bustling town after his usual arduous training.

  "Okay, thank you, Brother Felix!"

  Leo waved, then turned and trudged through the deep snow, step by step, toward the back mountains. Looking back, he watched Felix walking away, laughing and chatting with his junior sect brother and sister. The smile on Leo's face faded, replaced by a deep loneliness. This was the difference between a martial artist and a laborer—they existed in two completely separate worlds.

  Perhaps it was fate. He lacked the talent for martial arts; no matter how hard he tried, he remained just a laborer. Better to focus on how to chop more wood to meet the quota.

  Payday was in a few days. Thinking of the two small silver beans he had saved, a hint of a smile returned to his face. He regularly sent some money back home, but he was also saving for himself. Once he had enough, he planned to go to the city and learn a trade to make a living. Carpentry, blacksmithing—anything would do. The Thunder Blade Sect was fine, but a laborer would always be a servant. Even if he couldn't become a martial artist, he didn't want to remain a lowly servant forever, always at the mercy of others' moods.

  Clutching the two silver beans in his pocket felt like holding his dreams. The usually difficult snowy path didn't seem so hard to walk anymore. The sect's back mountains were a vast, primeval forest, with rolling ridges stretching as far as the eye could see.

  Entering the woods, Leo didn't immediately start chopping wood. Instead, he retrieved a mended fishing net from a hidden crevice and set it up between several trees. He then took out a small pouch of grain from his pocket and scattered it on the snow beneath the net.

  Satisfied, he clapped his hands clean, drew his hatchet, and walked a short distance. Among the densely wooded hills, he found a somewhat dry and decaying tree and began swinging his hatchet.

  Thwack!

  Thwack!

  The sharp hatchet fell again and again on the not-too-thick trunk. Snow occasionally showered down from the tree, and Leo would brush the flakes from his shoulders before resuming his chopping.

  After over two hundred swings, the trunk finally crashed down, spraying his face with remnant snow.

  Despite the severe cold, the repeated exertion had raised a faint warmth on his body. Nearly two hours later, Leo finished loading the chopped wood into his carrying basket. He estimated it was time to check the trap he had set.

  His ability to support his family and save some money recently relied not only on frugality but also on catching small game in the mountains. While he couldn't hunt large predators, snaring pheasants or wild birds was enough to bring him joy.

  Cluck-cluck!

  The distant sound of a pheasant's call and frantic flapping made Leo's heart leap with joy. From the noise, it sounded like more than one! A bountiful harvest today. Energized by the prospect, Leo quickened his pace, moving more lightly than usual through the snow.

  However, a low growl instantly froze the smile on his face and made every hair on his body stand on end.

  Leo gripped the handle of his hatchet with both hands, his eyes scanning every gap between the trees while he backed against the trunk of a large tree for cover.

  Soon, a grey wolf the size of a calf emerged slowly from the woods. Its eyes gleamed with ferocity, baring sharp canine teeth as it growled and advanced step by step towards Leo.

  With the wolf's appearance, Leo's joy over the captured pheasants vanished, replaced solely by gut-wrenching tension and fear. Even an experienced hunter like his father would be in grave danger encountering such a giant wolf in the mountains. And he was just a boy barely over ten years old.

  Leo bitterly regretted not asking Felix to come along earlier. If Brother Felix, a trained martial artist, were here, they might stand a chance against this wolf. Now, all he could do was brandish his hatchet and shout, trying to intimidate the solitary predator.

  No—not solitary. From the right side of the woods, another, slightly smaller grey wolf appeared. Despair washed over Leo. One wolf already meant escape was nearly impossible. A second one sealed his fate—utterly hopeless!