The black mist in the Aquarius Palace grew thicker, compressing the palace lanterns' light into a faint halo, and even the Aquarius constellation map on the dome lost its brilliance, leaving only a cold outline.
Li Yu's cold snort pierced through the mist, carrying an undeniable resolve. His hands slowly rose above his head, and ice-blue freezing air surged out like a tide, condensing behind him into a vague yet majestic goddess's phantom.
The goddess raised her Aquarius, and as the cold air poured from its mouth, the temperature of the entire palace plummeted. The ice layer on the ground thickened at a visible rate, and even the air condensed into tiny ice crystals, suspended in mid-air.
"If you cannot comprehend Absolute Zero with this attack, then die!"
Li Yu's voice, wrapped in cold air, struck Hyoga's ears.
Hyoga's heart tightened, his blue pupils filled with shock.
Past teaching scenes flashed through his mind; his master had never used his ultimate technique on him. Even when he slacked off during training or was slow to grasp moves, at most, his master would only shoot ice cones into his body as punishment, painful but not fatal!
But today, his master was going to use the strongest ice-type ultimate technique on him, a scene of life-and-death struggle!
He finally understood his master's determination. If he hesitated any longer, he would not only delay the last chance to save Saori but also betray his master's painstaking efforts.
"I understand!"
Hyoga took a deep breath, raised his hands above his head, and his ice-blue Cosmo burned fiercely in his palms. The Cygnus bas-relief on his Cloth glowed with dazzling light.
"Aurora Execution!"
Boom!
Two of the greatest ice-type ultimate techniques collided in the center of the palace. The cold shockwave violently threw Hyoga back. He crashed heavily against the wall, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, and several fine cracks appeared on the chest plate of his Cygnus Cloth.
Li Yu's voice came from the black mist, his eyes bloodshot, his voice utterly devoid of warmth.
"Hyoga, you still haven't comprehended Absolute Zero? You disappoint me greatly!"
Hyoga climbed up from the ground, his heart chilling at the strong killing intent emanating from his master.
He had never seen his master so angry. His master had always been cold and calm; he had never witnessed his master's rage.
Hyoga wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and raised his hands again, his Cosmo even more powerful than before.
"I understand, Master! Again!"
"Very good!"
Li Yu's voice carried a hint of approval.
"To unleash a true Aurora Execution, you must stop all atomic motion, reaching Absolute Zero! Let me see your growth!"
Another violent collision, and Hyoga was thrown back again, his bones feeling as if they were falling apart.
This kind of duel repeated several times until he collapsed to the ground, unable even to lift his hands, only gasping for breath as he watched his master walk towards him step by step.
"It seems I'm still too lenient with you."
His master raised a hand and pressed it into the void, and an ice mirror appeared out of thin air.
The mirror reflected the scene at the bottom of the sea: a serene-faced young woman lying in a sunken ship, surrounded by roses. It was Natasha, Hyoga's mother, who rested eternally at the bottom of the Siberian sea.
Hyoga's eyes widened suddenly, his blue pupils filled with horror. He struggled to get up, his voice hoarse.
"No, Master... don't! Give me another chance, I will definitely comprehend it!"
"Your mother's existence is your greatest weakness, preventing your heart from becoming as cold as ice!"
His master's voice was utterly devoid of emotion.
"Hyoga, it's time for you to grow up!"
He suddenly threw a punch, and a white cold current broke through the dome of the Aquarius Palace, shooting like lightning straight towards the bottom of the Siberian sea!
"Stop!"
Hyoga screamed hysterically, tears mixed with blood sliding from the corners of his eyes, but he could only watch helplessly as the cold current disappeared into the sky, without even a shred of strength to stop it.
The next second, a violent tremor came from the ice mirror. The cold current precisely struck the sunken ship, and Natasha's remains, along with the shattered wreckage, slowly slid towards the endless deep sea.
Hyoga's body trembled violently, and his blue Cosmo instantly became chillingly cold, even more so than the frigid air of the Aquarius Palace.
He lowered his head, his hair covering his face, and only his hoarse murmur could be heard.
"Ma... Master..."
This time, without Li Yu's urging, Hyoga slowly raised his hands, bringing them above his head.
In his blue eyes, there was no hesitation, only resolute determination. The ice-blue Cosmo condensed in his palms.
His technique this time was purer and more intense than any before.
Opposite Hyoga, Li Yu also raised his hands, and two goddess phantoms slowly emerged within the Aquarius Palace!
Almost simultaneously, two voices cried out.
"Aurora Execution!"
Boom!
Two powerful freezing airs, both having reached Absolute Zero, violently collided, forming a stalemate!
Everything within the Aquarius Palace rapidly froze. Countless tiny ice cones appeared out of thin air on the ground, and the sky above the Sanctuary became gloomy!
The intense Cosmo confrontation caused everyone in the Sanctuary to involuntarily look towards the Aquarius Palace.
Seiya and his two companions' eyes flashed with astonishment. This level of Cosmo burst clearly exceeded the scope of teaching; it had reached the point of a life-and-death struggle.
Li Yu's Cosmo was much weaker than when he fought the Ophiuchus Palace Saint earlier. Could it be that he was injured in his battle with the Ophiuchus Saint and was already at his limit?
What exactly happened between Hyoga and his master Li Yu? Why were they fighting to this extent?
At the foot of the Holy Mountain, Saori Kido, in her sleep, her long eyelashes trembled slightly, and golden ripples emanated from her body.
The next second, Hyoga's Cosmo inexplicably amplified several times!
His Aurora Execution, as if divinely aided, completely forced back Li Yu's ultimate technique!
Hyoga's eyes were red. In his mind, a voice whispered.
"Kill him. He has tormented you all this time, and now he has plunged your mother into a ten-thousand-mile deep-sea trench, making it impossible to ever see her again!"
"Kill him! Kill him while he's weak, and the shadow of the strongest Saint in the world that hangs over you will vanish into thin air!"
"He's the one who caused all the Gold Saints to be hostile towards you. How much suffering have you endured at his hands over the years?"
"Kill him, and the aquarius gold cloth will be yours!"
"Ah!"
Hyoga roared, unleashing his Cosmo with all his might!
His Aurora Execution was about to strike the man in the Gold Cloth.
But at that very moment, countless scenes suddenly flashed through his mind.
He was frozen in an ice coffin, and just as he thought he would die in the icy wilderness, the ice coffin suddenly disintegrated on its own... He trained until he fainted, was carried by warm hands, and when he woke up, he was lying on an ice bed, covered by a white cloak... Every time his master left, he always felt that his master's back was so reassuring.
When he felt tired and wanted to give up, that man's firm voice echoed in his mind.
"Stand up, Hyoga. As a Saint of the Ice lineage, your will must be as firm as ice. Stand up and continue training!"
"You are still so weak. If you can't comprehend Absolute Zero, I will completely destroy your mother's sunken ship!"
But just now, Hyoga saw clearly that although the sunken ship was damaged, his mother's remains were completely unharmed!
Complex emotions intertwined in Hyoga's heart, angels and demons whispering in his ear simultaneously.
On one side was Li Yu, who had taught him for years, like a master and a father.
On the other side was the temptation to defeat the strongest Saint of the time and obtain the Gold Cloth.
Countless complicated thoughts intertwined and cycled in Hyoga's heart.
Finally, Hyoga suddenly closed his eyes, roaring as he directed all his freezing air into the empty space.
A thick, ice-blue freezing air shot straight into the sky, piercing through the heavy dark clouds!
Boom!
Heavy snow began to fall from the sky!
Inside the Aquarius Palace, the two exhausted individuals both fell to the ground. Before completely fainting, Hyoga murmured to himself.
"Ma... Master..."
Li Yu watched all of this from outside the Aquarius Palace. He snorted coldly. In the original historical trajectory, Camus's death was suspicious.
Even if it was to teach a disciple to master Absolute Zero, there was no need to sacrifice his own life!
It turned out that the goddess had intervened at a crucial moment.
However, Hyoga's final choice greatly pleased him. This brat, at least, did not become a master-killing maniac.
It also indirectly proved that Athena's plan was not flawless; at least Camus did not die.
Next, whether the Bronze Five could successfully pass the trials, Li Yu would no longer interfere in any way. He only needed to observe the situation.
Li Yu entered the Aquarius Palace, dispelled the barrier formed by the Hades Ring, and settled Camus and Hyoga.
In his mind, a faint voice suddenly echoed.
"Master Li Yu, please tell me, what should I do?"
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