The wind from the Holy Mountain, carrying a chill, swept through the Twelve Palaces, as Hyoga hurried along the gravel path towards the Aquarius Palace.
His golden hair was soaked with sweat, and his Cygnus bronze cloth was still stained with the lingering blood from the battle in the Scorpio Palace; each breath he took was a rapid gasp.
Hyoga knew that Saori's life was ebbing away, and his companions were already engaged in fierce battle in the Capricorn Palace; he absolutely could not fall behind.
At the same time, inside the Capricorn Palace, Seiya, Shiryu, Shun, and Ikki stood at the entrance of the palace, gazing at the tall figure in the center.
The Gold Saint Shura stood silently in the hall, his dark green short hair standing upright like burning flames, and the Capricorn Gold Cloth shimmered with a cold metallic luster under the eerie green light of the palace lamps.
The Holy Sword in his hand exuded a chilling sharpness.
Shura's gaze swept across the faces of the four, his brow gradually furrowing, a hint of frustration in his expression.
The Gold Saints in the previous palaces all had the chance to personally guide Li Yu's beloved disciple, Hyoga, but when it was his turn, that boy was nowhere to be seen!
"Damn it… where did that brat Hyoga go?"
He grumbled to himself, and after waiting for a moment with no one appearing, he finally waved his hand, losing interest, and his gaze locked onto Shiryu, who had kept his eyes closed the entire time.
"You, the boy who keeps his eyes closed, do you look down on me? You stay here; the rest of you go to the Aquarius Palace."
Shun quickly stepped forward, wanting to explain that Shiryu's closed eyes were due to blindness, not disrespect, but Shiryu stopped him with a hand.
Although Shiryu could not see, he still stood with a straight spine, his green Cosmo flowing around him.
"You all go, leave this to me! Time is running out, there's no time to waste on explanations!"
His voice was firm, his body trembling slightly; the Gold Saint opposite him felt like a drawn sword, and even before the battle began, he could feel his skin faintly aching.
But he knew that Saori's life was nearing its limit, and his companions had to reach the Summit of Holy Mountain as quickly as possible.
"Please, everyone! I may stop here; I entrust Saori to you all!"
Seiya and the other two exchanged glances; though filled with worry, they knew they couldn't hesitate now, and turned to rush towards the Aquarius Palace.
Before they even stepped into the Aquarius Palace, a bone-chilling cold swept over them like a tide, and a layer of white frost instantly crystallized on their bronze cloths, even their breaths turning into white mist.
"This chill…"
Seiya clenched his fists abruptly, his eyes wide with shock.
"Could it be that Lord Li Yu has rushed back to guard the palace? What can we do now? There's no more time!"
Ikki gritted his teeth, his Phoenix Cloth glowing with a faint red light.
"My Cloth has the power of flame; if it truly is him guarding the Aquarius Palace, then only I can try!"
Just as he was about to step into the Aquarius Palace, Hyoga's urgent shout suddenly came from behind him.
"Ikki, wait! This palace is a trial my master left for me!"
Hyoga arrived beside his companions, breathing heavily, clenching his fists, and looking at the Aquarius Palace, which continuously exuded a chilling aura.
Just a moment ago, Li Yu's voice had suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Hyoga, do you want to comprehend Absolute Zero? Come to the Aquarius Palace; I'll be waiting for you there!"
Hyoga calmed himself slightly and slowly stepped into the Aquarius Palace; this was his first time entering the palace guarded by his master.
He curiously surveyed the scene inside: the dome was inscribed with a dazzling Aquarius constellation map, with faint icy mist swirling between the stars.
The surrounding walls were covered with the esoteric techniques of the Aquarius Palace, from basic Ice Cone techniques to advanced control of cold air, containing the efforts of generations of Aquarius Saints.
But for some reason, a strange black aura permeated the palace, adding a touch of oppression to the cold air!
In the depths of the palace, a Saint wearing the aquarius gold cloth and a white cape stood silently with his back to him.
His black hair moved on its own in the air, and the golden plates of his Cloth shimmered with a cold blue light in the chill.
Hyoga keenly sensed that his master's Cosmo was far weaker than when it had erupted before.
"Master, is that you? Why is your Cosmo so…"
He spoke hesitantly, his feet unconsciously shuffling forward.
A low cough came from the Gold Saint opposite, his voice a little hoarse.
"I'm fine, Hyoga. I was just poisoned in the battle with the mysterious Saint of the Ophiuchus Palace. It's alright, I've already sealed the flow of the toxin with my ice abilities."
"Master, are you alright?"
Hyoga rushed forward, his eyes full of concern.
"Why don't you rest first? I'm not that anxious to master Absolute Zero…"
Li Yu did not turn around; his ice-blue Cosmo suddenly ignited around him, and a wall of ice rose from the ground, blocking Hyoga's path forward, his tone instantly turning cold.
"There's no time! Hyoga, the Pope is the mastermind behind all of this; you must comprehend Absolute Zero to have a chance to defeat him, obtain Athena's Aegis, and save Saori!"
He paused, his voice carrying an undeniable authority.
"Are you ready? As I've taught you, raise your hands above your head, with the determination to kill me, and unleash your greatest ultimate technique upon me!"
Hyoga was stunned, his hands frozen at his sides.
"But Master, you are severely injured; how can I attack you now?"
The black aura in the palace grew thicker, the light of the palace lamps gradually dimmed, almost obscuring the figure opposite. Li Yu's voice was as cold as ice.
"You are still so weak! If you continue like this, when will you ever comprehend Absolute Zero?"
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly turned around and waved his hand, shooting out several ice cones, which gleamed coldly as they flew straight towards Hyoga's face.
Upon seeing this familiar technique, Hyoga's doubts instantly vanished.
It was a method his master often used to punish him during their sparring sessions; Hyoga originally had numerous scars on his chest from ice cones, but when he woke up just now, he found these scars had disappeared.
Hyoga didn't think much of it, assuming it was the result of his body's self-repair after breaking through to the Seventh Sense.
He quickly threw a punch, his ice-blue Cosmo condensing in his palm, unleashing a wave of freezing air.
"Diamond Dust!"
After awakening the Seventh Sense, Hyoga had become much stronger and was no longer unable to parry Li Yu.
The ice cones shattered in the air, turning into a shower of ice shards.
"Master, I have already awakened the Seventh Sense! Give me more time, and I will definitely be able to comprehend Absolute Zero and unleash Aurora Execution!"
Hyoga immediately told his master about his progress, deeply yearning for his master's verbal affirmation.
As the disciple of the strongest Saint in the world, he had always felt immense pressure; he wanted to gain his master's approval, and also wanted to break free from his master's influence and forge his own path.
But until now, he had never seen a glimmer of hope; whenever he made a breakthrough, his master would always display even more invincible and formidable combat power.
Master, give me some time; I will definitely inherit your legacy!
Hyoga looked at Li Yu, filled with hope.
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