The exaggerated, roaring sound continued to blast in their ears, mingled with the almost ceaseless wind carrying shards of rock. Had it been anyone else, they would have been cut to ribbons by these fragments, but the person sitting there completely ignored the small stones, each possessing formidable killing power.

Ye Wen sat casually atop a large boulder, resting his right elbow on his knee, his palm supporting his chin as he gazed into the distance. The screams coming from beside him lacked even the interest to make him turn his head. Only when Alesha inquired, "My Lord... time's up!" did he nod, then stand and walk toward the site of the explosion.

In the massive crater lay a powerfully built man, covered head to toe in bloody scratch marks. His wretched appearance instantly evoked pity, but Ye Wen was long past being surprised by such scenes. He merely glanced over at the small cat crouching nearby, squinting its eyes while meticulously licking its paw.

"How was it?"

The small cat ignored him, continuing to groom its paw, then took a brief moment to nibble the top of its round little head, even adopting a posture of exasperation—as if lamenting the youth before it: Why are you so disappointing?

Nicholas, now lying stiffly on the ground, couldn't utter a single coherent word. After several months, he had thoroughly learned that crossing these two unbelievably powerful beings—whose classification remained ambiguous—led to nothing good. It was best to just accept whatever they dictated, holding his breath; any attempt to argue would only result in a far more gruesome outcome.

With a casual flow of his Xue Qiong Cang True Qi, Ye Wen began the familiar process of healing the raw, bloody gashes covering Nicholas’s body. This practiced ease indicated that he had been performing similar tasks almost constantly during this period.

However, more than his growing mastery over the Xue Qiong Cang True Qi, Ye Wen was preoccupied with a troubling question: After several months of training by himself and Garfield, why did Nicholas still show no sign of igniting his Cosmos? Could it be that he had misjudged him initially?

Withdrawing the Xue Qiong Cang True Qi, all of Nicholas’s external wounds vanished. The remaining issue was the sheer fatigue of his stamina and energy, which Ye Wen couldn't fix; that required slow, personal rest.

Since his injuries were gone, Nicholas could now stand up and move freely. Sitting on the ground, he cast a fearful glance at the cat beside him, then rose and bowed respectfully toward it: "Thank you for your guidance, My Lord!" This had become habit, not out of genuine deference to the comically overpowered little creature, but because he had unexpectedly discovered that performing this bow resulted in slightly gentler treatment during the next day’s training. If he failed to do so, he invariably endured several extra harsh beatings.

Grit his teeth for three days, Nicholas finally decided: I won't sink to the level of this beast, and offering a bow costs nothing! It was an unusually wise resolution.

Garfield, apparently addicted to the role of teacher, thoroughly enjoyed the feeling, even tilting his head back with an air of smug satisfaction as he grandly accepted the bow.

Watching this display made Ye Wen both amused and speechless. Yet, he didn't find Nicholas bowing to Garfield improper. In the Eastern Immortal Realm, there were plenty of Immortals who achieved enlightenment while inhabiting animal forms; thus, Eastern Immortals carried far fewer prejudices regarding species.

In the East, the concept of The Capable First was thoroughly implemented! Since the little cat Garfield was vastly stronger than Nicholas, what was wrong with him acting as a teacher? A teacher accepting a bow from a student was hardly an issue.

Furthermore, calculating carefully, Garfield was hardly young. Compared to Nicholas, who wasn't yet sixteen, the cat could easily be his grandfather. From the perspective of respecting one's elders, there was nothing amiss either.

In short, an act that looked bizarre in this land was perfectly logical in Ye Wen’s eyes; it was just that the scene itself was slightly comical.

He glanced up at the gloomy sky. The biting northern wind didn't particularly bother Ye Wen, but he had to consider the situation of the two youths beside him.

"Looks like it’s going to snow!" Ever since leaving the Sanctuary, the group had meandered west for months—so long that even Ye Wen had lost track of time. It wasn't until they encountered snow a few days ago that he realized how long they had been traveling.

But there was still no clue regarding the whereabouts of Athena's reincarnation. Besides encountering a few waves of nobles intent on enslaving him or turning him into a gladiator, Ye Wen had met almost no one.

Always traversing the wilderness, the small group hadn't come across many villages. Ye Wen now wondered if Athena’s instruction to head west was deliberately misleading.

Simultaneously, his dedicated efforts to train Nicholas over these months yielded limited progress. Aside from pushing the young man’s physique closer to its absolute limit, his Cosmos training remained stagnant. Ye Wen had explained the concept of the Cosmos to both youths over a month ago, yet Nicholas’s comprehension lagged behind even Alesha's!

What truly surprised Ye Wen was how rapidly the small, slender Alesha progressed after studying the Cosmos. If she maintained this pace, Alesha might become a Gold Saint before Nicholas did.

Then, the thought struck Ye Wen, causing him to pause: Wait... there aren't any female Gold Saints in the original canon, are there?

He recalled repeatedly, but in the original works or related supplementary materials, no female Gold Saint ever appeared. Perhaps the only instances existed in fan fiction. Ye Wen suddenly found the challenge of training a female Gold Saint quite intriguing.

He even entertained the idea of training twelve male Gold Saints and twelve female Gold Saints, so that in a major battle, twenty-four warriors could charge forward, allowing for multiple iterations of that three-person synchronized ultimate technique.

But at present, they couldn't even gather twelve Gold Saints, let alone twelve of each gender. So, he shelved that thought for a later date. For now, he needed to consider which Gold Cloth would be most suitable for Alesha if her strength continued to grow.

Once the subsequent development route was set, Ye Wen could better guide Alesha in selecting her cultivation techniques. Different techniques could cause the resulting attribute of her Cosmos to manifest slightly differently. For example, the Cosmos of the Aquarius Gold Saint gave the impression of freezing everything, whereas the Taurus Cloth he wore imparted an oppressive sense that anything blocking his path would be utterly destroyed.

After several days of observation and questioning, Ye Wen finally confirmed that Alesha was best suited for ice-element techniques. This meant that if she could maintain her progress, she would likely become the Gold Saint of Aquarius—and potentially the very first female Gold Saint.

"Even if she can't be Aquarius, she can choose another Cloth!" He hadn't fabricated the Cygnus Cloth, but for Hephaestus, crafting a Bronze Cloth was infinitely easier than a Gold Cloth. Provided they ignored the Cygnus Cloth's potential for evolution, a piece could be rushed out in a very short time.

Alternatively, the Crystal Saint from the animated series was an option, even though that character didn't exist in the original manga! As a last resort, Ye Wen could always bring out the warriors from the Norse mythology arc—those individuals also favored using freezing energies. Any one of their armors would suffice for Alesha.

In any case, he wasn't worried about arranging a path for Alesha. Subsequently, he began teaching her several techniques associated with the Ice Saints. How much of the power she could comprehend and ultimately unleash depended entirely on herself.

Nicholas's feelings toward Alesha were deeply complex—she was clearly less naturally gifted than he was, yet she had grasped the Cosmos ahead of him and now stood a chance to become a noble Gold Saint before him. While happy for her, he also felt a growing impatience to achieve success himself.

Ye Wen, observing everything, didn't overtly admonish the young man. He continued to let Garfield handle his rigorous training sessions as usual, while intentionally and casually offering guidance to Alesha on the side.

As a result, by the time the second snowfall arrived, the atmosphere within their small contingent had become increasingly strained.

"Sir, are we camping here tonight?" They were in a small grove where massive trees, requiring two or three people to circle, provided natural barriers. This spot was also well-suited for avoiding the sparse, drifting snowflakes and the nearly ankle-deep accumulation on the ground.

The equipment worn by Ye Wen and the others hadn't changed much, save for an additional thick cloak draped over their bodies, concealing them entirely.

This attire posed no issue for Ye Wen. Alesha, having mastered the Cosmos, especially its ice disciplines, no longer feared the cold. Only Nicholas looked unwell, though the proud young noble insisted he was fine. Unfortunately, his pale complexion and the lips beginning to turn purplish betrayed him completely.

Choosing a spot sheltered from the wind, Alesha and Garfield, the girl and the cat, went off separately to search for firewood and game to eat. Ye Wen and Nicholas sat opposite each other, leaning their backs against the colossal tree trunks.

Once Alesha was gone, Ye Wen suddenly spoke, "Following me has been an opportunity, but it also risks your life! If you feel you cannot endure it any longer, you may tell me, and I will let you leave!" Nicholas clenched his jaw, ultimately remaining silent. He genuinely contemplated giving up. During this period, he even began to doubt whether he could truly become a Saint.

Ye Wen, it seemed, had grown disappointed with his performance over the last few days, offering almost no guidance, while the previously underestimated Alesha demonstrated astonishing talent. Her command over the freezing energy even drew praise from Ye Wen’s own lips. Moreover, that incredibly powerful cat, disproportionate to its size, often nodded approvingly at Alesha.

Everything seemed to be veering off the trajectory Nicholas had envisioned. He had secretly pictured himself following the powerful Taurus Lord, enduring a difficult but not insurmountable journey, successfully locating the Goddess’s reincarnation, and mastering that incredible power to become a strong and revered Gold Saint.

He imagined Alesha, perhaps with the help of himself and the Taurus Lord, becoming a Saint, or perhaps realizing the truth, abandoning her dream of knighthood, and focusing solely on staying by his side, quietly awaiting his return whenever he left home.

This was all his hope, and initially, things seemed to follow his script. But everything derailed several months ago when the Taurus Lord formally began teaching the Cosmos.

Alesha had grasped the Cosmos, while he couldn't even touch the threshold!

Alesha was growing stronger—even the Taurus Lord praised her, suggesting she might become a formidable Gold Saint—an honor that should have been his alone.

Alesha now commanded power that surpassed human limits; the frost energy she casually unleashed could freeze anything solid. Yet, he couldn't even get a glimpse of this god-like ability.

"How could this happen?" Ye Wen didn't know why. Perhaps it was simply that Heaven was fair: Alesha worked hard, and thus received her reward?

In truth, Ye Wen didn't believe that; life was full of unfairness. Sometimes, one person’s innate talent could render decades of another’s effort a joke.

By talent alone, Nicholas was certainly strong enough. Therefore, the only explanation was that, concerning the Cosmos, Alesha’s talent was even more abnormal?

But Alesha's frail body was a fact. If she couldn't change that reality, her ultimate achievement would remain limited. After all, the Cosmos relied on the physical body to manifest its power; if the vessel wasn't strong enough, the output would inevitably be constrained.

Fortunately, Alesha’s body was still developing. Perhaps it would improve after this phase? It was hard to judge; only time would tell.

As for Nicholas...

"Your heart can no longer remain calm! If it stays this way, you will never comprehend the Cosmos!"

This was Ye Wen’s final lesson. If Nicholas could cross this hurdle, a clear path lay before him, with no further obstacles to his growth. If he failed, he had no chance of becoming a Saint—either remaining a low-level grunt in the Sanctuary or returning home to live out his remaining years in peace.

Having spoken, Ye Wen ceased his chatter, sitting quietly and feeling for Athena's location through the Taurus Cloth.

This time, he did sense something, but what surprised him was that the power resembling Athena's seemed locked onto the young man opposite him. A warm, encompassing, compassionate divine power, akin to a Cosmos, nearly enveloped Nicholas.

Ye Wen opened his eyes just as the young man opposite him, completely unaware of the phenomenon, sat there blankly. Then, his slightly clouded eyes gradually brightened, followed by a streak of golden light descending from the horizon. Upon reaching its zenith, the light suddenly shifted course and plunged straight down, landing before Nicholas.

"Is this... the Gold Cloth of Leo?" Nicholas stood up, tossing the cloak draped over him aside, and reached out to touch the golden lion's head facing him: "Thank you, Goddess, for your guidance. I understand what it means to be a qualified Gold Saint! I cast aside jealousy and selfishness, dedicating everything I have to you!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, the golden lion erupted in dazzling light, which then dissolved into golden rays that enveloped Nicholas. Ye Wen, watching the spectacle, was utterly dumbfounded.

A crisp laugh echoed in his mind. Ye Wen immediately recognized the detestable woman using that divine art to communicate with him.

"You’ve swayed another pure youth!" How could Ye Wen not grasp what Athena had done? She had simply appeared at Nicholas's moment of greatest doubt, playing the role of savior, delivering a lecture and offering solace. Consequently, the fifteen-year-old Nicholas was utterly duped by the Goddess, immediately swearing his loyalty.

Having secured the young man’s allegiance, Athena was efficient: she helped him ignite his Cosmos and delivered the Gold Cloth into his hands.

"He is an outstanding young man and will become a superb Saint. I merely offered a small assist," Athena insisted.

Ye Wen shook his head. "What you've done ruins his future. His strength will never improve beyond this point..." He lamented inwardly: This young man, whom he had selected as a potential threat to Olympus, had been destroyed by Athena. Nicholas, whose Cosmos was ignited purely through the Goddess’s intervention, possessed the immediate strength of a Gold Saint but could never advance further!

At that moment, he even suspected Athena had sensed something, which motivated her to intervene directly and cause this outcome. After all, Athena did not want an uncontrollable piece appearing in this time-consuming game that might threaten the Olympian gods.

Athena’s voice remained melodious: "A piece only needs to show its worth when required. As for the future... they need not consider it!" These few sentences sealed Nicholas’s fate. Athena then added, "Also, you must have found my location by now, haven't you? Hurry over, I'm growing bored waiting!"