When Meng Hao woke up, he found himself staring at someone's back.

It was a beautiful silhouette. Graceful curves accentuated beautiful shoulders. A supple waist descended into perfect roundness.

She wore a light pink blouse that Meng Hao almost didn't notice when he looked at her.

Her hair was long and beautiful, and she emanated a delicate, youthful aroma. Suddenly, the overcast sky seemed to brighten a bit for Meng Hao.

It wasn't that Meng Hao didn't enjoy looking at beauty. However, as a Cultivator, the first thing he did when he opened his eyes was not gaze upon the beautiful figure in front of him; instead, he sent out his Spiritual Sense to check whether or not his belongings had been touched after he passed out.

He was surrounded by ruins. However, he could tell that he was still in Holy Snow City. Although, the city itself now consisted only of broken and shattered buildings. There was something strange about everything. A silver light covered the ground, clearly some kind of spell. However, this spell was clearly not complete; it was obviously just beginning to form.

Everything was quiet. The only thing that could be heard was the crackling which came from the bonfires in the area.

Off in the distance, he could see two of the four Grand Elders sitting there cross-legged. In addition, there were a little over a hundred Cultivators, all of them meditating, clearly exhausted.

Almost all of these people were members of the Frigid Snow Clan. There were only a few that didn't belong to the Clan. Meng Hao remembered glancing toward the ground before passing out and seeing about three hundred people.

The other two Frigid Snow Clan Grand Elders were concentrating on the spell, and were conversing in low tones. Their expressions were anxious, and they occasionally glanced up to look at the sky.

The moment Meng Hao woke up, the four Grand Elders looked over at him. This, in turn, attracted the attention of the other surrounding Cultivators. Soon, everyone had opened their eyes and was looking at Meng Hao. The beautiful figure in front of him was, of course, Hanxue Shan, who opened her eyes from meditation to turn and look at Meng Hao.

Happiness flickered within her gaze, as well as something else, the infatuation of a young girl, and adoration.

Meng Hao took a deep breath and then slowly sat up. Hanxue Shan approached and then supported him with her arm. He felt weak, but his Cultivation base was intact. He couldn't make himself refuse her assistance.

He could see the haggard expression on her face. It was filled with suffering because of the destruction of her city, the decline of her Clan, confusion regarding the future, helplessness, and concern for him.

All of that would not vanish just because Meng Hao woke up.

First Elder stood and then approached Meng Hao. He looked Meng Hao over, then clasped hands and bowed deeply. "Many thanks for your actions, Grandmaster Meng. The Frigid Snow Clan will never forget your kindness."

Second Elder, the old woman, and Fourth Elder were all injured. However, they too clasped hands and bowed deeply to Meng Hao.

It wasn't just them. All of the surrounding Cultivators rose to their feet and then bowed to Meng Hao.

Everything that had happened before Meng Hao passed out had been deeply imprinted onto their hearts. Without Meng Hao, they would be dead, transformed into a sea of blood.

Meng Hao had single-handedly saved everyone present here, and the Frigid Snow Clan itself.

Their bows to him were filled with complete and utter sincerity.

He nodded but didn't say anything. It was appropriate to accept their bows but would have been somewhat pugnacious to comment. After a moment passed, Meng Hao slowly asked, "How many days was I unconscious?"

"Seven days." The person who answered his question was not one of the surrounding Cultivators. The voice came from behind him. It was ancient, and caused looks of veneration to appear on the faces of all the surrounding Cultivators.

Meng Hao's mind suddenly trembled. He turned to see an old man approaching from within the ruins, accompanied by a dozen or so Frigid Snow Clan members. He was wizened, as if he had just crawled out from the grave. His clothing was simple, and his Cultivation base was not high. However, as he approaching, it felt as if a tempest were swirling around the area.

"Senior…." said Meng Hao, feeling shocked. At a glance, he could tell that this was the sixth generation Frigid Snow Clan Patriarch, Spirit Severing Cultivator Hanxue Bao. For this man to suddenly appear was quite a shock. Logically speaking, he should have perished.

He approached Meng Hao, and, seeing the serious look on his face, explained: "I've dispersed all my skills, and given up on trying to break through. I'm no longer of Spirit Severing. When you absorbed my legacy, I let go of the life force of the Thorn Rampart in exchange for ten years of longevity. In ten years, I will perish." The surrounding Cultivators, including the four Grand Elders, concealed the pain in their expressions, showing only respect.

"You did a good job," said Hanxue Bao, sitting down in front of Meng Hao. An affable smile covered his face. "I think perhaps there is only one person on South Heaven in the entire Core Formation stage that could possibly accept all six legacies of our Clan. Obviously, that person is you."

Meng Hao's heart filled with gratitude. As of now, he understood that this man truly had no aspirations of possessing him. Meng Hao really had stumbled onto an incredible bit of good fortune.

He was about to speak when Hanxue Bao shook his head, cutting him off. Gazing at Meng Hao sincerely, he said, "If you join our Frigid Snow Clan, under my authority, you will be given Hanxue Shan as your beloved."

Meng Hao gaped. Off to the side, Hanxue Shan's face went red, and she bowed her head to cover up her embarrassment.

"Don't worry, I won't interfere with your love life. She can be one of many beloved. Become a member of the Frigid Snow Clan, and you will be the Patriarch of this generation!" Hanxue Bao's eyes glowed with an air of solemnity.

"I will make it worth it for you to join, by offering you three blessings.

"I've dispersed my skills, and am no longer of the Spirit Severing stage. However, I have a lifetime of enlightenment. With my aid, you will have an eighty percent chance of reaching the Spirit Severing stage within five hundred years! That is the first blessing I will give you!

"The blood of the Frigid Snow Clan contains another secret Grand Dragoneer technique. It's more powerful than any other magic you have ever acquired. By passing it on to you, all living creatures will be powerless to do anything but sleep in front of you. That is the second blessing!

"Third, although the Frigid Snow Clan is currently in decline, our Dao Reserve is still here. We cannot remain in this location, so we will travel to the Southern Domain. Long ago, I was friends with Grandmaster Pill Demon from the Violet Fate Sect. We will move our Clan into the Violet Fate Sect.

"Come with us from the Black Lands to the Southern Domain. My reputation can earn the patronage of Grandmaster Pill Demon. You have proved that your Dao of alchemy is strong. If I request it, Grandmaster Pill Demon will surely give me face and accept you as an apprentice."

Hanxue Bao's voice echoed into Meng Hao's ears. He sat there thinking, smiling to himself wryly. Other than the Spirit Severing enlightenment, nothing that had been offered him was very appealing. The secret Dragoneer technique was surely powerful, but Meng Hao already possessed three great secret techniques. As for being Grandmaster Pill Demon's apprentice, well it wasn't that the idea of it was inherently unappealing. However, Meng Hao, even though he'd long since left the Violet Fate Sect, still considered Grandmaster Pill Demon to be his Master.

He had kowtowed three times to become an apprentice, and that first kowtow lasted for a lifetime.