Chapter 192: South and North

Columns of smoke billowed towards the sky.

Siming gripped the hilt of the sword, slowly withdrawing it from her body. The blade, filtered through blood, was a vivid red. The tremors of her heart, just half an inch away, resonated against the iron blade, transferring through the sword to her hand.

Her palms were also trembling.

The massive tree behind her, destroyed by spiritual power, was slowly collapsing. She gradually crouched down, leaning against the shattered stump. Gazing at the bloodstains on her sword, she gasped for breath, her chest heaving. Her white upper garment was nearly soaked crimson, resembling a vast, blooming peony. Blood also seeped from her vermilion lips, painting them entirely red with a single press.

In the past, she had witnessed the deaths of many beautiful women in the human world. She had always believed that death inherently possessed a breathtaking beauty.

Now, as fresh blood poured out, her fair skin approached the color of porcelain, while her more enchanting features turned a deeper crimson, like newly formed buds. This beauty was blossoming within her, as if each petal was about to open at any moment, drawing her into the realm of the underworld.

Siming struggled to raise her hand and pressed it against her wound.

At the wound, time accelerated, rapidly stemming the blood and forming a scab, which then peeled away, leaving her skin soft as new.

However, this also consumed too much of her strength.

The woman who was once always gentle and smiling was gone. Covered in wounds, she now resembled a vengeful female ghost crawling out of a viscous pool of blood, filled with resentment.

She coughed incessantly, stumbling back towards the forest.

At that moment, all she wanted was to find a secluded cave to stabilize her injuries. She couldn't care less if the capital city was turned upside down.

Her blood-soaked white dress now clung to her slender, well-proportioned thighs, filling her with disgust. The blood felt like an indelible stain, like scattered fading petals or dirty snow in a corner.

As she walked through the forest, slowly recovering her breath, a sudden chill ran through her. She heard voices in conversation nearby.

“Are we really not going with them on this journey to the snow plains? Our names won't be in the historical records then.”

“This snow plain has no end in sight, and those snow tigers and giant elephants are simply no match for us… Nothing is more important than our lives. Moreover, Duanjie City is in trouble now; we must go back.”

“What exactly are those monsters on the snow plains? Why are they so powerful?”

“Yes, they are so powerful… That’s why I’m also worried that the snow plain is still not the end. The deeper we go, the stronger the monsters will be, and by then, it will be too late to run.”

“So when will it all end?”

“Legend says a hero emerges from Duanjie City every hundred years. Another century has passed. I hope this hero can lead us out.”

“Hmm… By the way, senior brother, do you smell something bloody?”

“Bloody smell…”

The brother and sister also noticed something unusual in the forest. They looked around and saw broken trees scattered about.

“It looks like there was a fight.”

“There are bloodstains here. Could it be some kind of monster?”

“Over there!” the junior sister suddenly exclaimed, pointing in a direction where a corner of white clothing was visible.

Siming knew she had been discovered.

The injuries that had been suppressed all night flared up at once. Her body felt as if nailed down, making movement difficult. Even by manipulating time, it was difficult to heal all her wounds instantly.

In the past, these disciples of Duanjie City wouldn't have even caught her eye; she could effortlessly decide their lives and deaths.

But now, she could only temporarily avoid confrontation and take a detour, which added to her humiliation.

“Ning Changjiu…” Siming gritted her teeth and uttered his name. The boy's face flashed in her mind, and she wished she could tear him to shreds. “Next time, you definitely won't escape…”

Footsteps approached from behind.

“What kind of monster are you?!” the male disciple shouted.

Siming gave him a cold glance. After a moment of hesitation, she chose to flee immediately.

The male disciple vaguely caught a glimpse of her face. Though it was only a fleeting look, it left him utterly spellbound.

He had never seen such an exquisite and beautiful face. Even the goddesses described with the most extravagant words in books could not compare.

Someone so beautiful must be a demon in disguise!

This further strengthened his resolve to slay demons. He took a wooden tube from his waist, pulled hard, and a firework shot high into the sky, bursting into streaks of light. It was a signal.

Siming also noticed the fireworks blooming in the night sky, and she secretly cursed her bad luck.

It wouldn't be long before the surrounding disciples gathered.

Even though Siming was severely injured, she still didn't care about their cultivation levels; it was just becoming very troublesome.

Thus began a hunt. She, who was the strongest hunter in Duanjie City, was now being surrounded and pursued by some utterly insignificant young royals. This filled her with extreme shame and rage; she wished she could just draw her sword and kill them all. But continuing to fight now was not a wise choice. She had to return to the Star Spirit Palace, where she would be safe from the pursuit of Ye Chu and Chong Sui.

The light between heaven and earth grew brighter.

She disliked daylight.

The smoke from the distant beacon fires, like towering black swords, filled her heart with dread.

She was unsure if returning to the city in her current state would lead to direct defeat at Chong Sui's hands.

Hmph… What does the overwhelming chaos in the imperial city have to do with me?

So, in that misty canyon, she stopped and found a dry cave to crawl into. She killed the unicorn-like beast that originally inhabited it, cut off its horn, tore open its flesh, and swallowed its demon core raw. Afterward, she simply set up a barrier at the cave's entrance. Then, she weakly leaned against the stone wall, which was covered in slender flowers. The ground was piled with dry grass and the bones of snakes, insects, and wild beasts.

This was the first time she had rested in such an environment.

She had always been extremely fond of cleanliness, a fondness bordering on obsession, much like the spotless Star Spirit Palace and her own unblemished body.

But at that moment, exhaustion overwhelmed her. Her swan-like neck rested on the hard, jagged stones, and she soon fell asleep.

In her sleep, she saw Ning Changjiu again.

She dreamed that the white-robed young man ascended the throne of the divine kingdom. Beneath the throne lay countless piles of white bones, while she herself knelt lowly at the foot of a bone staircase, her knees touching the ground. Her unbound silver hair cascaded down like water, and her bare, snow-white feet bore heavy shackles. Her slender legs were covered in fine red whip marks. She knelt quietly, bowing her head in submission to the figure on the throne. Shadowy figures seemed to stir around her, watching her and murmuring what sounded like mockery.

Her smooth forehead touched the ground, and then she suddenly awoke from her dream.

Siming opened her eyes.

The unicorn's corpse was still piled in the corner, and the barrier at the cave entrance showed no signs of being disturbed.

She recalled her previous dream, unsure what it portended. If it was a revelation of the future, she wished she could die at that moment.

But a dream was just a dream; it could never come true.

Siming had recovered much of her spiritual power, and her injuries were mostly healed. She took off her blood-stained dress, revealing the thin lining beneath. She went to a dark spring, thoroughly soaked her white dress, and vigorously washed it many times until her knuckles turned white. Only then did she dry it with spiritual energy and put it back on.

It was now nearly noon, and outside was bright.

Only after she had taken care of everything did she finally walk towards Duanjie City.

Her wounds were healed, her skin was new, and her face had returned to its usual indifference. The bloodstains in her silver hair were washed away, and it fell softly. She had once again become the supreme divine official, overseeing the lives of countless people. In her view, everything that happened last night was merely the tempering of the Heavenly Dao upon herself.

She didn't want to look back, simply walking slowly forward. She knew that one day, she would settle scores with Ning Changjiu again, and by then, she would not lose.

On the ice plain, the Bloodfeather Lord, like an unfolded plank of wood, slid rapidly across the snow, leaving a long trail of snow waves.

The cold snow rubbing against its belly at high speed surprisingly created a burning sensation. It felt as if its few remaining feathers were about to be scorched away.

Yet, gliding while lying down was also effortless, so it kept comforting itself, saying that this body wasn't its own anyway, and it was so ugly, so it might as well get a new one if it got damaged…

The Bloodfeather Lord glided with them through the snow, rushing up a high slope. Below it was an extremely long incline, and the Bloodfeather Lord charged down, filled with both fear and excitement.

Snowflakes splattered.

One bird and two people slid down the steep incline, like fish gliding on water.

Shao Xiaoli held Ning Changjiu, leaning slightly forward and grasping the feathers at the back of the Bloodfeather Lord's neck. The cold wind filled her skirt, and its sharp whistling swept past her ears.

The world was all snow, white in every direction.

Shao Xiaoli was terrified, yet an inexplicable sense of exhilaration emerged within her. Perhaps this was what it felt like for the chivalrous couples in storybooks to freely roam the world on their swords.

As she thought this, she glanced at Ning Changjiu beside her and realized he had completely fallen unconscious. She immediately reined in her absurd thoughts and quickly used her sleeve to wipe his face. “Where are we going now?!” Shao Xiaoli opened her mouth and shouted with all her might, but the strong headwind swallowed most of her voice.

The Bloodfeather Lord also opened its beak and shouted, “I don’t know either; this isn’t something I can control!”

The Bloodfeather Lord indeed wasn't exerting any strength; it was simply sliding down the extremely long snow slope, going faster and faster.

Shao Xiaoli worried, “What if we hit something later on…?”

The Bloodfeather Lord, filled with sorrow, said, “Then I’ll die alone, and you two will die together.”

Shao Xiaoli held Ning Changjiu, hunching low on the bird's back, and said nothing more. During this time, she also saw some native beasts of the snow plains.

However, their speed was too fast; the beasts merely flashed past in their peripheral vision. A few snow rabbits foraging on the ice plain, caught by the airflow they created, were sent reeling, collapsing to the ground and twitching.

At the end of the slope was another gently rising incline.

They rushed up the high slope again, tumbling forward.

“Ah!” the Bloodfeather Lord shrieked, no longer able to stabilize itself, and tumbled forward at an angle.

The young man and woman on its back were also thrown high into the air.

In mid-air, Shao Xiaoli suddenly grabbed Ning Changjiu’s arm, swung him forcefully, and hoisted him onto her back. With great courage and determination, she fell onto the snow with him, silently encouraging herself. She thought that her chest was quite resilient and could cushion the impact, so her elder brother wouldn't get hurt any further.

However, they ultimately did not fall onto the ice.

Just as they were about to land, a huge white net suddenly sprang out of the snow, violently ensnaring them. Shao Xiaoli cried out in surprise as she and Ning Changjiu, still embracing, were pulled up by the white net.

“Big brother, big brother, we caught a bald chicken! It seems like a new species; I haven’t seen one like it before,” Shao Xiaoli heard someone shout.

“Hmm, we can take it back for research…”

“Huh? What’s that? Is it an injured leopard?”

“No, wait, it looks like two people!”

“People? How is that possible? How could there be people on the snow plains? Are they people who sneaked out of the tribe?”

“Doesn’t look like it… Their clothing isn’t like ours here.”

“Could it be…” The two exchanged glances, seeing shock in each other’s eyes.

“Could it be people from the Heavenly Kingdom?”

They thought to themselves.

“You puny mortals, quickly release this Heavenly Lord! You’re the bald chicken! I am a divine messenger who roams the sky, the future Divine Lord’s pigeon…” The Bloodfeather Lord flapped its wings in the white net. Its chest, bald from long friction, was black like chicken breast, emitting a burnt smell.

The two people, draped in white beast skins and hiding in the shadows, watched it in terror and swallowed hard.

“A chicken that can talk… They must be people from the Heavenly Kingdom! Let’s quickly take them back and tell the chieftain about this.”

As they spoke, another white net was cut.

Shao Xiaoli bit her damaged sword, unleashing a sword qi that cut through the net. She landed lightly, still carrying Ning Changjiu on her back. The red cloth tied to her hair split, and strands of dark hair fell by her cheeks, clinging to her bloodless face.

The two people in snow-white beast skins looked up, both stunned.

The young girl before them seemed to be surrounded by a faint scent of blood. The edge of her red dress was tattered, like grass chewed by insects, and her fair arms were covered in bloodstains.

Even so, the moment she bit her sword and raised her head, she still possessed a beauty they had never witnessed.

Even the chieftain's daughter, widely considered the most beautiful in the tribe, was worlds apart compared to the girl before them.

The young man on her back also had disheveled hair, and his delicate features made them initially mistake him for her sister.

“Who are you people?” Shao Xiaoli asked cautiously.

Shao Xiaoli had imagined the scene on the other side of the snow plains many times, but now that she truly saw it, she found everything to be vastly different from what she had envisioned.

At the end of the snow plains, there was no snow, but an extremely desertified wasteland.

The vast snow plains narrowed here, and before them lay a huge, misty rift valley, incredibly deep. A narrow mountain path rose from the grayish-white mist, like a bridge built by gods and demons in chaos, extending straight ahead to an unknown destination.

On either side of that sole mountain path were endless, unfathomably deep valleys. Beneath them, grayish-white colors undulated ceaselessly, like the intertwined and surging backs of fish.

If Ning Changjiu were to wake up at this moment, he would recognize that what was surging below was identical to the temporal fluid in the abyss from that time.

“How deep is it down there?” Shao Xiaoli asked, carrying Ning Changjiu and following behind them, her gaze drawn to the depths of the rift wall.

One of the men explained, “You can’t go down there at all. We once tried lowering stones with ropes, but they never reached the bottom; both the stones and ropes were completely corroded away.”

Shao Xiaoli, carrying her elder brother, walked more steadily, fearing that a single misstep would send them plummeting to their demise.

Shao Xiaoli's feet moved steadily along the stone path. She suddenly understood why her elder brother had made her practice basic skills so diligently.

If it had been her old self, she probably would have lost her footing and fallen into the canyon from fright…

Her elder brother was indeed worthy of his title, truly far-sighted.

They walked through the deep rift valley and then, in a valley filled with scattered rocks like bamboo shoots, saw a tribe enclosed by mud walls.

Shao Xiaoli felt as if she had arrived at the poorest refugee street in Duanjie City; in fact, the houses here were even more dilapidated and crude. She wondered how the people here had managed to survive for hundreds of years.

Shao Xiaoli had a belly full of questions.

She wanted to know where these people came from, how long they had existed, and what lay hidden further beyond this place.

But nothing was more important than her elder brother.

She followed them to a dilapidated thatched hut, then fetched water and began treating Ning Changjiu’s injuries.

The Bloodfeather Lord spread its wings and lay on the ground, utterly exhausted, unable to exert any strength.

“Little girl, I’ve done a great deed today. When Master Ning wakes up, you must tell him the truth,” the Bloodfeather Lord said weakly.

Shao Xiaoli solemnly promised, “Although Elder Brother said you weren’t a good bird before, this time you’ve atoned for your sins with a meritorious deed. Next time, I’ll definitely find you the most magnificent demon-sparrow outside Duanjie City.”

The Bloodfeather Lord praised, “Little girl, you truly are loyal!”

Shao Xiaoli brought hot water, washed a somewhat coarse towel, and said, “I need to wipe down Elder Brother. You go outside.”

“Huh?” The Bloodfeather Lord was startled and said, “Men and women should not touch each other; shouldn't you be the one to leave?”

Shao Xiaoli grabbed its wings, like carrying a large white goose, and tossed it outside the door, saying, “You go scout out the situation here first. I’ll call you when I’m done.”

“Done? Done with what? What exactly are you planning to do to Ning Changjiu?!” the Bloodfeather Lord demanded.

The door closed.

The Bloodfeather Lord sighed, thinking that Master Ning truly had bad luck with women; not a single one among them was easy to deal with.

But thankfully, the most ferocious Siming wouldn't pursue them anymore.

That woman was truly useless, apart from her face and figure…

Ah, well, they had survived the ordeal; it might be good to go out and explore.

The Bloodfeather Lord flapped its bandaged wings and flew up, looking down at the scattered houses of the tribe. Finally, on a hilltop, it spotted a two-story wooden dome-shaped house. While that house couldn't compare to the palaces of Duanjie City, it stood out among the series of crooked, ramshackle mud houses, managing to convey a sense of grandeur.

The Bloodfeather Lord flapped its wings and silently landed on the thatched roof. It used its claws to part some weeds and looked down, discovering a large round table in the center of the house. Around the table sat seven or eight rugged-looking men, dressed in beast-skin coats, discussing matters. Their ornaments were carved from beast bones and teeth, and their faces and skin bore the marks of weathered injuries.

The Bloodfeather Lord pricked up its ears; their conversation was quite clearly audible.

“Everyone knows what A-Jing just said, right?”

“Yes. We’ve been carrying out the snow plain reclamation plan all these years. A-Jing and his group went the furthest. We didn’t expect that before reaching the end of the journey, they would bring back two living people.”

“Are those… people from the other side?”

“Yes, the legend was indeed true. There’s a country hidden on the other side of the snow plains, where they live in abundance and enjoy a much better life than us.”

“So, that means they know the path to the Heavenly Kingdom? Could this be the result of our prayers finally succeeding all these years?”

“No, don’t think so simply. Have you forgotten the ancestor’s teachings? Our true country is always in the north, not that country in the south. Even if we find them, they won’t accept us. The ancestor also said that if people come from the Southern Heavenly Kingdom, they must be treated as enemies, and there must be no room for complacency.”

“But A-Jing said they seemed to be a brother and sister or a young couple who just stumbled in…”

“Over these years, we have migrated here from that Lake of No Life, crossing one or two ice plains and a desert, finally settling down. We carved out a life from harsh lands and waters, and we absolutely cannot afford to be careless. In my opinion, we should first capture them. Other matters, we can slowly interrogate.”

“Hmm, that young girl is richly dressed; she might even be an important person from the Heavenly Kingdom. We can use her as a bargaining chip to get something.”

The Bloodfeather Lord listened, stamping its feet in indignation, thinking: ‘We three are guests in your shabby place, which should be an honor for you, but I didn’t expect you mountain villagers to be plotting mischief behind our backs.’

The Bloodfeather Lord, accustomed to being a villain, felt a surge of righteousness.

Then it thought again, ‘This is another chance for me to perform a great deed! Maybe I can make that little girl happy, and she'll directly dissolve our contract. Then I'll truly be free as a bird.’

But… how should it be done?

The Bloodfeather Lord's mind started working.

While unconscious, Ning Changjiu also had a dream.

He dreamed of a vast sky kingdom, with a staircase of white bones descending from the vast nothingness. He walked up it, and behind him, figures flickered like swaying tree shadows.

At the end of the bone staircase was a huge throne, and upon it sat a headless giant wearing a magnificent imperial crown. The giant's hands rested on the armrests of the throne, and there was a wound through its chest, a wound unlike that made by a sword or blade.

Ning Changjiu watched him in silence, without sorrow or fear.

He didn't know how long passed before he heard a girl's shouts in his ears, a call so distant it seemed to come from another world.

When he awoke, he found himself lying on a straw mat, the fresh scent of straw still lingering in his nostrils. Above his line of sight was an earthen wall, whose four sides were also piled with some imperfectly fired bricks and tiles. Each side was supported by pillars, their unpainted surfaces already bearing dark mold stains.

In the simple house, Shao Xiaoli sat on a small stool beside him.

“Elder Brother, you’re awake!”

Seeing Ning Changjiu open his eyes, Shao Xiaoli finally let out a sigh of relief.

Ning Changjiu got up, looking at his clean, loose white clothes, and asked, “Siming didn’t chase us, did she?”

Shao Xiaoli feigned anger and said, “At a time like this, how can you still be thinking about other women?”

“…” Ning Changjiu looked at the faint red mark still lingering on her delicate cheek, sighed, and said, “We will go back one day, and I will avenge you.”

Shao Xiaoli also covered her face, turning her head slightly away.

“Elder Brother, let’s hide far away, the farther the better. By the time we go back, that woman’s injuries will probably be healed, and we still won’t be a match for her,” Shao Xiaoli said. “Although this place is a bit dilapidated, it’s fine for living. How about we build a bigger house here to live in?”

Ning Changjiu fell into a brief silence. He smiled weakly and asked, “Don’t you want to see the outside world?”

Shao Xiaoli said, “Elder Brother, you’ve indeed always wanted to go out.”

Ning Changjiu said, “There are still people waiting for me outside, and I have many things unfinished.”

Shao Xiaoli cautiously asked, “Is it a woman?”

Ning Changjiu’s eyelids drooped slightly, making it clear without words.

Shao Xiaoli let out a sigh of disappointment, cupping her chin, and asked, “The one who can make Elder Brother so preoccupied must be a very beautiful older sister, right?”

Ning Changjiu nodded and said, “Yes.”

Shao Xiaoli’s heart sank, feeling as if her path forward was cut off. She adjusted her skirt and said indignantly, “What does that older sister look like, Elder Brother? Tell me.”

Ning Changjiu asked, “Which one do you want to hear about?”

Shao Xiaoli’s eyes widened. She clutched her chest, choked, and coughed. She looked up, her eyes misty with tears, and said, “Elder Brother, I never realized, in all my days, that someone like you could also…”

Ning Changjiu smiled faintly and said, “They are all very kind people, just like you.”

Shao Xiaoli said, slightly embarrassed, “I’m just showing gratitude.”

Ning Changjiu propped himself up from the bed, took the sash hanging nearby, and tied it around his waist.

Shao Xiaoli’s eyes lit up, and she immediately said, “Elder Brother, I’ve already seen your body. Your purity is gone, so you can’t just abandon me casually from now on, okay?”

Ning Changjiu chuckled, “You’re kinder when you don’t speak.”

Ning Changjiu stepped down from the straw-covered earthen bed. His injuries still faintly ached, and the Sword Scripture Spirit and Golden Crow within him had fallen into a deep slumber, leaving him feeling empty.

One night, three months ago, Ning Changjiu had once crossed the snow plains and arrived here.

However, after traversing the only stone path through the rift canyon, he had merely taken a distant glance, understood that there was no legendary exit beyond the ice plain, and then left.

Shao Xiaoli followed behind him and asked, “Elder Brother, where are we going next? Little Li has done her best; now it’s your turn to protect me, okay?”

Ning Changjiu said, “Let’s rest for a few days first. We’ll talk about what comes next later.”

Shao Xiaoli nodded, murmuring to herself, “I wonder if my old house will still be there when we return to Duanjie City. That’s my mother’s legacy to me.”

“If it’s not there, we’ll live in the royal palace,” Ning Changjiu said with a smile, then suddenly asked, “By the way, where’s the Bloodfeather Lord? Where did it go?”

As he spoke, a loud commotion suddenly came from outside.

Ning Changjiu frowned, instinctively pressing the spot where his sword usually hung at his waist. Unfortunately, the immortal sword Minglan was utterly shattered, with only its hilt remaining.

The door opened, and several sturdy men ran in, surrounding them at once.

Shao Xiaoli was very nervous and had already begun silently reciting sword arts incantations.

But before she could draw her sword, the men quickly knelt down. The leader raised his arms and shouted, “Greetings, Divine King and Divine Queen!”

The others followed suit, their voices resounding like clashing swords.

Divine King and Divine Queen?

Ning Changjiu frowned upon hearing this, while Shao Xiaoli felt lightheaded, thinking to herself, 'These foreigners are really enthusiastic!'

“What exactly is going on?” Ning Changjiu asked.

After some questioning, Ning Changjiu learned that several strange things had happened in the tribe since their arrival.

First, a strange bird flew across the sky and dropped an egg, which shattered on the ground. Inside was a note that read: “The Divine King arrives, all things flourish.”

In the village’s fish market, someone also found a note inside a fish’s belly, on which was written: “The Divine Queen descends, all life thrives.”

And many people in the village heard whispers from dark corners, with imp-like creatures murmuring that the Divine King and Queen had arrived, and they should no longer do evil and should quickly flee.

Even when the chieftain picked up a water cup during a meeting, he saw the words “Divine Descent” carved at the bottom of the pot.

This instantly made them take the arrival of the young man and woman seriously. The previous discussion about imprisoning them naturally ceased, and the two men who had found them were also rewarded with much meat and weapons.

Ning Changjiu knew these were all tricks played by the Bloodfeather Lord.

This demon-sparrow wasn't very intelligent, but it was full of clever little tricks.

Although this village was poor, it had an abundance of meat due to its proximity to the snow plains, including thick-furred tigers and leopards, and even a young elephant.

For the people of Duanjie City, who lived far from the snow plains and rarely had a meat meal, this was undoubtedly a delicacy.

They presented their gifts, devoutly worshipping the Divine King and Queen. Soon after, the Bloodfeather Lord descended from the sky, wearing a crown made of wild pheasant feathers, and flew onto a nearby large tree.

The others also knelt before the demon-sparrow, shouting, “Greetings, King of Light!”

This, of course, was also a note the Bloodfeather Lord had written for itself. “King of Light” was a title it had racked its brains to come up with.

Shao Xiaoli looked at the Bloodfeather Lord’s head, adorned with a colorful jade hair ornament, and its bandaged wings, remaining silent for a long time.

Fortunately, everyone else believed the Bloodfeather Lord’s words implicitly. The main reason was that books left by their ancestors hundreds of years ago contained records of the Bi Fang divine bird, and the Bloodfeather Lord’s current appearance was quite similar to it.

Under the Bloodfeather Lord’s deception and trickery, no major trouble ultimately arose.

They moved to a cleaner place and were also asked to give a discourse to the villagers the next morning.

Ning Changjiu, being well-versed in literature, was not unfamiliar with such things, so he agreed.

This was their first night outside the snow plains.

Shao Xiaoli made a large pot of meat stew and devoured it with unprecedented relish. She looked at the still dark sky, thinking it would be great if this place could be combined with Duanjie City. Duanjie City had enough timber and exquisite craftsmanship to build beautiful houses but lacked food, while this place had an abundance of meat.

Of course, what she wanted most was to accompany her elder brother and see the outside world. She heard that at night, if you looked up, you could see the sky filled with twinkling, beautiful gems.