A single dragon signifies that the person is a prince of a different surname, while two dragons represent a prince of the Zhao family. Three dragons indicate a Zhao clan prince, someone closely related by blood to the current ruler, usually referring to cousins or brothers. Four dragons are truly extraordinary, signifying an absolute blood brother to the reigning Emperor.

If the dragon’s head is topped with an iron hat, it means the person is an “Iron-Cap Prince,” whose descendants can inherit the title for generations.

With this deduction, the person’s identity becomes clear. But it is definitely not Robert Foster, the King of Qingzhou, because Robert Foster’s appearance exists in the original owner’s memories of this body.

“Sigh, let me pay my respects first.” Charles Bennett said, respectfully dropping to both knees, performing three bows and nine kowtows. William Bennett followed behind his father, ready to bow as well, but was stopped by Charles Bennett.

“Dad, didn’t you teach me from a young age to know proper etiquette, understand the rules, and observe the correct rituals?” William Bennett said earnestly.

“There’s a time for you to bow. One at a time.” Charles Bennett replied.

Chapter 010: Heavenly Cold Water

“Dad, he must be the ancestor of the Gai family, the Iron-Cap Prince of Qingzhou at the peak of the Tianwu Realm, ‘Steven Foster’, right?” After standing up, William Bennett asked.

“That’s right, it’s him. A generation’s Iron-Cap Prince, with unparalleled martial arts, who shook the court and the world. Yet, he ended up dying like this—this is a tragedy for our Zhao Kingdom.” Charles Bennett nodded, his face full of sorrow.

“What about my foster father?” William Bennett asked.

“He went to look for the old prince, but disappeared. The old prince, gravely injured, found his way to our home and died here.” Charles Bennett sighed, his gaze burning as if about to spit fire. He glanced at William Bennett, his expression especially solemn, and said, “Go bathe in that stone vat in the corner before you pay your respects to the old prince. After all, he is your foster father’s ancestor.”

William Bennett was puzzled—why did his father not bathe before paying respects, but he himself had to? As if he was unclean. Still, that was just his thought; William Bennett didn’t believe his father would think that way.

Was there some deeper meaning to this? William Bennett grew even more curious.

He walked to the corner of the stone chamber and found a stone water vat standing there, more than half a person tall and about a meter wide. The vat was exquisitely carved, adorned with totems of fierce beasts. Inside, more than half the vat was filled with crystal-clear, pure water.

William Bennett looked at his father, who nodded at him, then sat cross-legged and began to meditate.

William Bennett took off his robe and reached into the water. Instantly, with a swish, he jerked his hand back. Shocked, he asked, “Dad, this water is freezing! What’s going on?”

“Heavenly Cold Water—do you think it’s cold or not?” Charles Bennett replied.

“Heavenly Cold Water? Isn’t that the legendary holy water formed from heavenly ice? It’s an extremely cold substance—just a single drop in a pond can freeze a pool several meters across. This whole vat—if poured into a lake, it could freeze the whole thing! They say a drop as thick as a thumb can be traded for ten medium blood crystal coins, and it’s priceless even then. And yet, this whole vat? Plus, how is such frigid water not frozen solid?” William Bennett was astonished.

“Blood crystal coins? How could they compare to this? As for why it’s not frozen, it’s because of this vat. Enough talk—get in. If you can’t handle it, you’re not my son.” Charles Bennett snorted coldly.

William Bennett began to circulate his blood and channel his energy using the “Reverse and Forward Qi Flow.” He didn’t know what this strange method was called, but it was definitely different from the Ye family’s “Greenwood Technique.”

After warming up, William Bennett slowly sat down in the vat.

Ah…

Even though he was prepared, William Bennett still cried out from the cold.

Oh…

As his whole body submerged, William Bennett couldn’t stop complaining, as if he’d suddenly fallen into a pool of ten-thousand-year-old ice. The cold pierced straight to his heart, as if even his soul was about to freeze. William Bennett did his best to circulate the “Reverse and Forward Qi Flow,” but it was still unbearably cold.

Soon, William Bennett felt his whole body going numb, almost turning into a human-shaped ice block. If he stayed any longer, he’d be frozen stiff for sure. But then he remembered his father’s words. The old man was now meditating with his eyes closed, ignoring everything.

William Bennett, being stubborn, could only grit his teeth and endure, desperately vibrating his blood to absorb the cold energy from the Heavenly Cold Water. His idea was to absorb and refine some of it into blood energy, at least to lessen the chill.

The icy energy seeped from his skin to his flesh, then into his organs, and finally into his bone marrow and brain…

It swept through him, unstoppable.

In the end, even his heart was frozen.

Damn it, after all the trouble of transmigrating, am I really going to freeze to death like this?

No, I can’t die!

If I get to live again, I have to live brilliantly!

William Bennett struggled desperately in his heart, but his consciousness was fading, about to lose all sensation. Just as William Bennett was helplessly resisting, on the verge of death, suddenly there was a crack from his stomach.

Did his stomach just freeze and burst?

William Bennett thought miserably, deciding to take a look inside. What he saw left him dumbfounded. His stomach had indeed burst open, but after the explosion, a tiny speck of black dust had formed.