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Yet now, Icy Gale had voluntarily devoured Beamon's crystal core. Given its keen sense of danger, it wouldn't have endangered itself. Judging from its current reaction, though peculiar, it certainly didn't resemble a self-destructive death. Could this be the legendary evolution?

In thought, I recalled Han Yu's "Treatise on Horses" — "... A thousand-mile horse might eat a bushel of grain in one meal. If not well-fed, it lacks strength and cannot display its excellence. How can it be expected to run a thousand miles? ... Ah, is there truly no such horse? Or do people simply not understand horses?"

Could it be that I've really found a thousand-mile horse (or wolf)? Then doesn't that make me the blind master who starved my "horse," preventing it from showcasing its "excellence," just like "... degraded by the hands of a common groom..." as described in the ancient text? (A little classical allusion; feel free to ignore.)

Fortunately, I realized my grave mistake without causing irreparable damage. I could gradually make amends in the future.

I rearranged the Grand Yin Magic Array to safeguard Icy Gale's safe evolution. Then, I began skinning, boning, and filleting the corpse of the Ice Mountain Beamon. Though Beamon meat was rough, it was still related to bears, and those two Beamon paws were exquisitely delicious, a rare treat.

In the Alliance, consuming Beamon paws was a capital offense. On one hand, Beamons were crucial strategic weapons. On the other, the bear clan feared that if people developed a taste for Beamon paws, they might turn their attention to the bear clan, given how difficult it was to find or kill Beamons. Nevertheless, a few pairs of Beamon paws still fetched astronomical prices on the black market each year.

"Hehe, a delicacy! Eat one pair, sell one pair. I'll have one, and Icy Gale will have the other. Yippee!"

Chapter 5: Fierce Wolves Howl in All Directions

The wait for Icy Gale's evolution took ten days. During this time, I revised my martial arts based on my newfound insights and combat experiences, deciding on my future path.

In my past life, to decipher the Nine Yin Manual, my wife and I also delved into Taoist classics, seeking breakthroughs. However, after careful study, I had to admit that Huang Chang, that old fellow, was even more perverse than my master.

Although the Nine Yin Manual is known as a Daoist martial arts text, Master Huang Chang, in his eccentric wisdom, didn't limit himself to one school of thought. He cited from various sources, incorporating ideas from Daoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and the many schools of ancient philosophy, even delving into the oldest witchcraft and divination texts. The depth and obscurity of each reference were matched only by the complexity of the text. He dedicated himself later to deciphering the magic arts of the demonic sects and other factions, without ever learning conventional martial arts. His interpretations were thus even more perplexing.

If the complete Nine Yin Manual existed, one could simply follow its instructions step by step. However, to unravel Master Huang Chang's thought process and derive the secrets within, one would need an encyclopedic knowledge that encompassed his vast intellect. Even with the combined genius of my master and his wife, such a task seems impossible.

(Just like theoretical physics: giving a formula to solve a problem might be challenging but doable for a college student. But deducing the formula from the problem itself, even for a genius with all the resources, is akin to tackling a Nobel Prize-level challenge. Of course, Chen Xuanfeng is unaware of this analogy.)

Yet, through my recent epiphany between life and death, I gained a different understanding of Master Huang Chang's Nine Yin Manual – hatred and transcendence.

A great scholar versed in the cosmos, he had initially aimed to author works for posterity. Tragically, after being ordered to march against the martial world, his family was slaughtered, leaving him consumed with grief and vengeful fury. The lower half of the Nine Yin Manual contains 14 devastating techniques, excluding the Yi Jin Jing. All of them, from White Bone Claw to Heart Shattering Palm and Soul Transference Technique, were fueled by Huang Chang's boundless hatred. Every move was a deadly strike, leaving no room for mercy, even in Great Evil Conquering Fist or Sunset Heavenly Bow, both directed against the "demonic" and symbolizing his resentment. My wife and I initially grasped the essence of Nine Yin White Bone Claw and Heart Shattering Palm from these connections.

However, we overlooked another aspect: Huang Chang was deeply influenced by both Buddhism and Daoism, and his inner strength originated from insights derived from Daoist scriptures. No matter how intense his hatred, his character inherently leaned towards transcending emotions. Thus, the essence of his martial arts was a detachment from sentiment, where the moves could be ruthless, but the spirit remained pure. Eventually, he laid down his enmity and unified the techniques and inner energy when composing the Nine Yin Manual. Our earlier approach, focusing solely on the aggressive nature of the moves without the complementary mindset, would only lead us to mediocrity.

Now, with newfound insight and inner strength, I can forge a new path, unencumbered by past limitations. Having mastered White Bone Claw and Heart Shattering Palm, there's no need to learn more hand-to-hand combat skills, as I've spent decades honing these. The next priority is agility and movement techniques. Although Peach Blossom Island's techniques are commendable, they're insufficient to rival the leopard clan. During these ten days, I've devoted myself to the unique agility technique from the Nine Yin Manual, called "Yellow Springs Phantom."

When employing "Yellow Springs Phantom," one moves like lightning, utilizing the Nine Yin Energy to create astonishing transformations, as if multiplying oneself and vanishing abruptly. Had I not comprehended the true essence of Nine Yin before, I would have merely developed a ghostly agility. Fortunately, I now understand the proper direction, ensuring I won't fall short. (Unknown to Chen Xuanfeng, over a hundred years after his previous life, another inheritor of Nine Yin, Zhou Zhiruo, also pursued a similarly eerie mastery for swift progress.)

With the Nine Yin Energy, the synergy with Nine Yin Martial Arts is seamless, making practice effortless compared to the arduous trial-and-error of my past life. In just ten days, my Yellow Springs Phantom technique has made remarkable progress. In the future, not only will the leopard clan be left behind, but even the eagle clan in the skies will have a formidable adversary.

After ten days of gestation, the enormous ice cocoon formed by the Ice Wind Evolution finally showed signs of movement.

At first, it was only a subtle tremor, almost imperceptible. But as time passed, a vast coldness erupted from within the cocoon, causing it to crack layer by layer like a lotus in bloom. When the white mist dissipated, a horse-sized, majestic and ferocious white magical beast stood atop the shattered ice, roaring triumphantly.