Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Chapter 496: Ice belle hibernating

Lucas’ gaze shifted slightly, his expression tightening just a fraction as he asked, "The ice belle... where is she," his tone calm, though there was a clear intent behind the question.

Lira exhaled softly before answering, her arms folding lightly as she said, "Still in hibernation," her voice carrying a mix of awe and concern, as though even she did not fully understand what was happening.

Nyx tilted her head slightly, adding, "It hasn’t changed since it started. If anything... it’s gotten stronger," her eyes narrowing faintly as she spoke.

Selene glanced toward the far end of the encampment before looking back at Lucas. "You should see it yourself," she said quietly.

Lucas gave a small nod. "Take me."

Without wasting another moment, Lira turned and began to lead the way, the others following closely behind as they moved deeper into the quieter section of the camp. Tom and Patrick also followed them. The further they went, the more noticeable the change became, not in noise, but in atmosphere, because even before they reached the tent, the atmosphere got colder.

Each breath carried a faint chill that did not belong to the natural climate of the region.

Tom, walking behind, let out a low whistle under his breath. "I can already feel it," he muttered, rubbing his arms slightly as if to push back the creeping cold.

Patrick’s eyes narrowed as he observed the ground. "It’s spreading," he said quietly, noticing the faint frost beginning to form along the edges of nearby surfaces.

They stopped a short distance away.

Lucas’ eyes lifted.

And for a brief moment, even he paused.

The tent stood before them, but it was no longer just a tent, it had been completely overtaken, transformed into something else entirely. A thick layer of hardened ice encased the outer fabric, sealing it in place as though it had been frozen over by an unrelenting force, the surface shimmering faintly under the light, cold mist curling along its edges.

It was unnatural.

Beautiful.

And dangerous.

Lira gestured toward it. "That’s her," she said softly.

Lucas stepped forward, his gaze fixed, his senses sharpening as he approached, but the moment he reached for the entrance, he felt the resistance immediately. The flap of the tent was no longer flexible, no longer something that could simply be pushed aside. It had been frozen solid, reinforced by layers of dense ice that clung to it like armor.

He placed his hand against it.

Cold surged instantly against his skin, biting, not painfully, but with a force that made it clear this was no ordinary frost.

Tom frowned slightly behind him. "You’re going to have to break that," he said.

Lucas did not respond.

Instead, his fingers pressed slightly harder, his strength applying just enough force to crack through the surface, and with a controlled motion, he pushed through, the ice fracturing with a sharp sound as the entrance gave way.

The cold intensified the moment the barrier broke.

A wave of it rolled outward, forcing even Patrick to take a half step back as he muttered, "That’s not normal."

Lucas stepped inside.

The moment he crossed the threshold, the world shifted completely.

Everything.

The ground, the walls, the very air itself, had been consumed by ice. Thick layers coated every surface, not thin frost, but solid, unyielding formations that turned the interior into something closer to a frozen chamber than a living space. The light that filtered in reflected endlessly off the surfaces, casting faint glimmers that danced across the walls like frozen echoes.

At the center of it all...

She was there.

Encased.

A cocoon of ice surrounded her completely, smooth and flawless, like something carefully crafted rather than naturally formed, yet the power radiating from it made it clear this was no mere accident. The structure pulsed faintly, almost imperceptibly, as though it held something alive within, something gathering, something evolving.

Lucas stood still, his gaze fixed on her.

Even he could feel it.

The energy.

The cold.

The presence.

Behind him, the others slowly stepped in, their movements cautious, their expressions shifting into something closer to awe.

Lira’s voice was quieter now. "It started small," she said, her eyes locked on the cocoon. "But then it kept growing... and it never stopped."

Nyx added softly, "It’s not just ice. There’s something else in it. Something deeper."

Selene remained silent, her gaze steady, though there was a hint of concern beneath it.

Lucas did not speak.

He simply stood there, staring at the cocoon of ice, his mind already turning, already questioning, because whatever this was...

It was far beyond anything ordinary.

Lira folded her arms lightly, her eyes still fixed on the cocoon as she spoke, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and lingering concern. "So this isn’t something we should be worried about, right, because the way it started... it didn’t feel normal at all."

Lucas remained facing the cocoon, his gaze steady as he replied, his tone calm but firm enough to ground them. "It’s not normal in the usual sense, but it’s not dangerous either, at least not to her. What you’re seeing is a forced hibernation state, something that only happens when a cultivator is pushed beyond what their current body can sustain."

Tom shifted his stance near the entrance, glancing between Lucas and the cocoon before speaking with a faint frown. "You’re saying her body just decided to freeze itself like this instead of breaking apart," his voice edged with disbelief.

Lucas nodded slightly. "Exactly that. The duel with Ken pushed her to her absolute limit, and instead of collapsing, her cultivation triggered this as a response. It’s her body protecting itself while rebuilding at the same time."

Nyx tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly as she observed the cocoon more closely. "That explains the control I felt from it," she said quietly. "There’s no chaos in that energy. It’s too stable to be a breakdown."

Selene stepped a little closer, though she kept a safe distance, her voice softer but intent. "So this is a breakthrough," she said, then paused briefly before adding, "or something beyond that."

Lucas turned his head slightly toward her. "It’s beyond that," he said without hesitation. "A normal breakthrough builds on what you already have. This reshapes everything. It refines her entire foundation."

Lira’s brows drew together slightly as she processed that, her voice lowering just a bit. "Then when she wakes up... she won’t be the same," she said.

Lucas looked back at the cocoon. "No, she won’t," he replied. "She’ll be stronger, more stable, and far more dangerous than she was before."

Tom let out a low breath, shaking his head slightly. "All that from one fight," he muttered, then glanced at Lucas. "That Ken guy really pushed her that far."

Lucas’ expression did not change. "He did more than push her," he said. "He forced her to reach a point she couldn’t step back from."

Nyx’s lips curved faintly, her tone thoughtful. "So this isn’t just recovery. It’s evolution," she said.

Lucas gave a small nod. "That’s the right word for it."

Selene’s gaze lingered on the cocoon, her voice quieter now, though steady. "How long will it take," she asked, her eyes not leaving the ice.

Lucas shook his head slightly. "There’s no fixed time for something like this," he said. "It depends on how much her body needs to rebuild and how deep the transformation goes."

Lira exhaled softly, her arms tightening slightly around herself. "And if we try to wake her up," she asked, already knowing the answer.

Lucas’ voice came immediately, firm and unyielding. "You don’t," he said. "If you interfere, you risk ruining the process or killing her."

That was enough to settle it.

Tom raised both hands slightly. "Alright, no touching the ice princess," he said, half serious, half joking, though he kept his distance regardless.

Patrick, who had been silent until then, finally spoke, his tone calm but sharp. "So we wait," he said. "And when she comes out of that, we get someone entirely different."

Lucas’ gaze remained fixed ahead. "Not entirely different," he corrected. "Just... completed."

Nyx gave a quiet hum of agreement. "That might be even more dangerous," she said.

Lira looked at the cocoon again, this time with less worry and more anticipation, her voice softer now. "Then I guess the next time she fights..." she trailed off slightly.

Tom smirked faintly. "Whoever it is, they’re in trouble," he said.

Selene did not smile, but there was a calm certainty in her voice as she added, "She’ll be ready."

Lucas said nothing after that.

He simply stood there, eyes locked on the cocoon, already knowing that when it finally broke...Everything would change.

Lucas finally turned away from the cocoon, his expression calm but resolved as he addressed them, his voice steady and carrying quiet authority. "She’s close," he said, his eyes briefly returning to the ice before shifting to the others. "The energy is stabilizing, and the pressure inside is building toward release. That means the hibernation is nearing its end."

Lira’s gaze sharpened slightly, a hint of anticipation replacing her earlier concern as she asked, "You’re sure," her tone soft but hopeful.

Lucas nodded once. "Very sure. It won’t take long now, maybe two days or three days, maybe less, but it’s close enough that we can’t afford to miss it."