MTL - Global University Entrance Examination - Chapter 164 spring

Power runs in blood - and blood always demands payment.Aya rules the North Kingdom with an ancient power that could end her bloodline forever. When Killan, the Southern King, seeks alliance through marriage, politics turn dangerous and desire becomes a liability.What begins as political maneuvering soon becomes something far more volatile. Drawn together by necessity, respect, and a growing attraction neither expected, Aya and Killan must navigate court intrigue, ancient rivalries, and the heavy cost of duty. As old wounds resurface and war looms on every border, the choices they make will determine not only the fate of their kingdoms—but the price of their hearts.Echoes of Ice and Iron is a story of power and inheritance, of love tested by obligation, and of sacrifices demanded by crowns forged in blood and history.

How does it feel to lose your parents at the tender age of four?Imagine the trauma, the psychological scars. Now, take it a step further—what if they died right in front of you?That was Kael’s reality. As a young boy, he watched his parents perish while desperately protecting a golden coin.At the time, Kael had no idea of its significance. He only knew that their deaths were tied to it.Fleeing from his father’s murderers, he was forced to survive on the unforgiving streets, learning to fight, steal, and endure.Twelve years later, he had transformed into one of the deadliest assassins the world had ever known.He had no official title. No known employer. No traceable identity. Just a calling card.They called him The Coin Flipper.Not because he left his mark, but because after every kill—just as the body hit the ground, as the last breath escaped—he would flip a coin.No one knew why. Some believed it was mockery, a cruel reminder that fate had turned against them. Others thought it was ritual.But what they didn’t know was that each coin held power—literal currency of the Core System embedded in Kael’s soul.Every kill earned him millions. Digital fortunes funneled into off-grid accounts with each confirmed target. Blood turned into bounty, pain into profit.And one thing was certain: if you saw the glint of a coin spinning through the air, death had already found you.

Ye Yang, the son of the Ye Family in Eight Desolate City, was once regarded as a genius. He could awaken his Dantian at the age of three and reach the third level of Qi Condensation at the age of five. But after a few years, He was seen as a person without talent because his cultivation was still stagnant at the age of 16. One day, He was framed and kept in a coma after he was rescued.

Ye Yang was originally an instructor in a special troop. He was 21 years old and sacrificed his life to protect an unknown broken sword which was found on Everest. When he woke up, he became Ye Yang from the Eight Desolate City, unexpectedly obtained the recognition of the broken sword and learned the mysterious cultivation method “God Slaughtering Technique”. He then embarked on a path of cultivating through slaughter.

When he was reborn, he swore, “I won’t let those who offended me off.” He wanted to reach the peak step by step, and also carried the mission to uncover the secret behind the Nine Heavens Mysterious Sword.

- Description from Novelupdates

Talent, appearance, power.