The next morning, outside the Qu family's other house, several tall Arrow Horses were snorting and stomping on the ground without stopping, their skin steaming with hot air in the air.

These Arrow Horses were carefully raised horse demons for various sects, twice the size of ordinary horses and with astonishing endurance. When they ran, their long manes were like fire, and they were several times faster than the wind. They practically left no trace in the snow and were as fast as lightning.

The Arrow Horses of the Taiheng Sect were particularly strong, without a single strand of stray hair.

Unfortunately, there was no horse-drawn carriage with soft cushions and a small stove from Sect Leader Shi's dream, let alone any snacks for the journey.

Four coffin-like devices were suspended behind the horses. They were shuttle-shaped and firmly fixed to the horses' bodies, each just enough to accommodate one person.

The smile on Sect Leader Shi's face gradually disappeared, and his face turned blue. "Miss Shi, what is this?"

Shi Zhongyu said, "This is the 'Protective Shuttle'. My Sect's Arrow Horses are extremely fast, but the carriage can be a hindrance. The wind on the road is like a turbulent stream, and without protection, it's easy to suffocate. I can use my sect's treasure to protect myself, but unfortunately, you all will have to lie down for a while."

Shi Jingzhi: "..."

The good news were that the horses were fast. The bad news were that they would be transformed into four cocoons behind the horse's butt. They wouldn't even be able to see the horse's tail, let alone enjoy the scenery of the northern lands.

Seeing Shi Jingzhi's stiff expression, Shi Zhongyu added, "My Sect's Arrow Horses never rest, and I will personally drive them. Don't worry, I will use my inner strength to assist them, and we will arrive in the northern lands in just a day and a half."

Yin Ci saw the four airtight Protective Shuttles and slowly furrowed his brow. The shuttles had a ventilation mechanism, so they wouldn't suffocate, but...

The craftsmanship of Taiheng Sect was truly remarkable, perhaps considering that their field of vision would be limited anyway, the artisan didn't even leave a gap for light to pass through.

Yin Ci's eyelids twitched, but he remained silent.

After a while, he turned around and said, "In that case, I'll go make some sweet soup, it's easy to eat on the road."

Watching Yin Ci's back, Shi Jingzhi's shock and grievance had nowhere to go and quickly faded away. He looked at Shi Zhongyu and quickly regained his usual smoothness, "One and a half days? That's great, thank you Miss Shi."

He pondered for a moment and added, "I see that this Protective Shuttle is heavy, it may slow down the speed of the Arrow Horse. I don't have much luggage, four Protective Shuttles are too many, three are enough."

Shi Zhongyu was stunned, "This..."

The Protective Shuttle had enough space for a person's luggage, and each was able to squeeze in two people. But it was still cramped and few people were willing to be so intimate with someone else.

"Three is enough," Shi Jingzhi chuckled. "To be honest, I have some ailments that require the care of others. I can't stay alone for so long."

After speaking, he even spat out a small amount of blood.

Yan Qing and Su Si: "..."

Sect Leader Shi's skill in lying was truly impressive. If they didn't know the truth, they would have believed him.

Unfortunately, the two young men were too thin-skinned to try to stick to each other like Sect Leader Shi. Moreover, Yan Qing had to hold the Compassion Stone Sword the whole way to allow the horses to pull the shuttle. If Su Si really stuck with him, they might not even make it halfway before Su Si was beaten to death by the Compassion Stone Sword.

No, it was absolutely impossible.

The two of them quickly slipped into their respective Protective Shuttles, afraid that Sect Leader Shi would again prioritise efficiency and try to save the weight of yet another shuttle.

When Yin Ci finished making the sweet soup and came back, he saw that four shuttles had become three, and a look of surprise flashed across his face. He didn't say anything, just distributed the sweet soup and quietly entered his Protective Shuttle.

After closing the shuttle, a faint sound of breaking through the air came from outside. Then the thick darkness swarmed from all directions, just as Yin Ci had predicted.

Shi Jingzhi and he lay back to back, their backs rising and falling with their breaths. Their long hair intertwined and mingled together, warmed by the body temperature on their backs.

The presence of the other person was so obvious that the darkness in front of them seemed to thin out a bit.

Shi Jingzhi didn't explain why he reduced the number of Protective Shuttles. He just relaxed his body and made a steady, relaxed breathing sound.

To be honest, if Shi Jingzhi hadn't voluntarily reduced the number of Protective Shuttles, Yin Ci wouldn't have spoken up. He had long forgotten what it felt like to show weakness, and now that he was mentally stable, he could grit his teeth and endure it without difficulty.

Yin Ci had thought that this would be a day and a half of torture. Who would have thought that Shi Jingzhi would lie down beside him and turn the torture into a rest during their journey.

Yes, the Heart Demon Formation had made him blind, and he always made sure that Shi Jingzhi was by his side when he woke up early. He had exposed many subtle flaws, so it was not surprising that he was discovered to be "afraid of the dark."

Yin Ci closed his eyes slightly and appreciated his cheap master's sharpness for the hundredth time.

If Shi Jingzhi were a little more foolish, he would be easier to deal with. Who would have thought that this person was a genius at getting close to people's hearts? He only taught Shi Jingzhi a little bit about "human nature," and he quickly grasped how to be more clever in treating people.

The oppressive feeling was transformed into a soothing warmth, but its intensity remained unchanged.

Yin Ci couldn't help it. Even if he exerted his three hundred years of power, he couldn't suppress Shi Jingzhi's lively and vibrant aura, which was stained with the dust of the mortal world.

Yin Ci couldn't help but suspect that this guy was born to counter him. He had trained his heart to be as hard as iron, with only a little softness left, which this person took advantage of and made him reveal a little bit of human emotion.

If even Yin Ci was like this, other ordinary mortals with normal lifespans would be even moreso.

Shi Jingzhi was originally good at reading people, and now he was like a fish in water. If he wanted to, given enough time, he could almost win the favor of anyone.

At this thought, a notion pierced Yin Ci's mind like an ice pick, shattering all of his warm and fuzzy thoughts.

...From what he had observed of Shi Jingzhi's behavior, he did not understand the concept of "genuine relationships" between people. In order to become like this, Shi Jingzhi must not have had anyone around him for too long.

Not to mention blood relatives, even servants or mentors couldn't stay beside him. He was like a stone thrown into a raging river, unable to be touched by the light dust of attachment.

Anyone who could do such things must have known from the beginning what they needed to guard against and what Shi Jingzhi was. If they were cautious enough to impose prohibitions on a three-year-old child, why would they spare Shi Jingzhi's life? And why would they let him run around freely now?

Yin Ci did not believe that this was simply an act of "kindness."

It was clear that Shi Jingzhi had some understanding of his own background and was hesitant. He didn't impose his past on Yin Ci, but instead let him choose to "go to him" on his own.

Unfortunately, his cheap master master thought he had come up with a tricky question, but he could only give one answer.

He hoped that this trip to break the prohibition would allow him to catch this person's fox's tail.

Yin Ci turned over and got closer. Shi Jingzhi's body temperature was already high, and he pressed his nose against his black hair, squinting his eyes, enjoying the warmth.

Shi Jingzhi noticed Yin Ci's small movements and smiled, "So it turns out that Ah Ci is so afraid of the cold."

Yin Ci admitted openly, "Yes."

He was pushing his luck, getting even closer. The darkness enveloped his eyes, blending past and present into one. Yin Ci almost reached out his arms to embrace the source of warmth in front of him, but he touched the waist of a grown man and quickly withdrew his hand.

Back when the little mute was small enough to be held by Yin Ci with ease, he loved to sleep on Yin Ci's chest, drooling and wrinkling his clothes. The child's body temperature was high, and Yin Ci held him like a soft sun. The warmth was comforting, and Yin Ci allowed the little rascal to ruin his clothes.

Now, Shi Jingzhi was bigger than him. Fortunately, he hadn't grown into a burly man with a tiger's back and a bear's waist. Yin Ci could still wrap his arms around his waist.

Unfortunately, the little mute from back then had grown up, and the two of them were now squeezed into this narrow space, their movements a bit frivolous.

Yin Ci withdrew his arms and changed the subject: "Speaking of 'fear', I've been wanting to ask for a long time, why is Master so afraid of ghosts?"

In his memory, whether it was the little mute or Shi Jingzhi, both had always been very brave. Even when facing gods and Buddhas, they exuded an aura of fearlessness that said, "What can you do to me?"

But this cheap master, who was usually smooth and adaptable in his dealings with people, inexplicably feared ghosts, which left Yin Ci puzzled.

Shi Jingzhi stiffened for a moment.

"It's not that I'm very afraid," he said seriously. "Encountering unprecedented abnormal events, it's okay to be a little scared. It's because I cherish my life, so I should pay more attention to these, ahem, details."

Yin Ci couldn't help but smile as he stared at the back of Shi Jingzhi's head.

"And I always feel like I should be afraid," murmured Shi Jingzhi, "It's a bit strange when you say it like that...logically I shouldn't be..."

His relaxed tone suddenly disappeared, causing Yin Ci's heart to skip a beat.

Shi Jingzhi's steady breathing became rapid, and his body began to tremble slightly.

"Shizun?"

"Mm." Shi Jingzhi replied weakly, "It's nothing, I'll just...sleep for a bit."

Yin Ci mercilessly grabbed his wrist and sure enough, Shi Jingzhi's heart was beating irregularly and he had a thin layer of sweat on his body. It didn't look like his usual illness, but more like a reaction to the prohibition.

"What's going on?"

"It's just a headache. It won't kill me, I know my limits." Shi Jingzhi said weakly, "Once we get to Mi Mountain Sect, everything will be fine. Ah Ci, let's just sleep and conserve our energy."

They were just lying down peacefully, why did it suddenly act up?

But Shi Jingzhi clearly didn't want to talk about it, so Yin Ci had to move his body and embrace him. He covered Shi Jingzhi's cold neck with his palm and massaged the acupoints on his head with the other hand.

Shi Jingzhi let out a painful yet relieved breath and buried his face in Yin Ci's chest.

The pain of the prohibition was like tearing open a not-yet-healed wound. Shi Jingzhi felt like thousands of needles were poking his brain, almost stopping it from functioning.

Abbot Fangjue was truly a great master of their generation, to suggest immediately for him to go to the Mi Mountain Sect. If he had insisted on finding the Shi Rou, who knows how much he more he will suffer because of it.

Since the Greedy Butterflies, the attacks from the prohibition had become unpredictable. A single word or scent could trigger excruciating pain before he even realized its connection to the past.

Unfortunately, humans have a tendency to be perverse. The more they know they shouldn't think about something, the more they can't help but think about it.

Yin Ci's fingers were warm and strong, and he massaged the acupoints accurately. Shi Jingzhi finally had a moment to catch his breath, burying his nose in Yin Ci's clothes and taking a careful sniff.

Yin Ci's scent was somewhat bitter, but not medicinal. He smelled like soil from a grave, mixed with the scent of blood that had been soaked for too long. The two scents combined into a gloomy fragrance that made people instinctively want to stay away.

However, Shi Jingzhi felt extremely comforted by this scent, to the point where his eyes were starting to become sore.

His headache worsened.

On one hand, he had a severe headache, and on the other hand, his meridians were throbbing as usual from his illness. The two sensations overlapped, finally giving him the appearance of a dying person. Shi Jingzhi tightly closed his eyes, trying to gather the scattered fragments of memories in his mind.

His pain completely alarmed Yin Ci, who firmly held him down without hesitation: "Clear your mind, focus! Don't dwell on it anymore."

But he wanted to remember.

Although it was painful, Shi Jingzhi felt like his fingertips had already touched something. He was used to pain and didn't want to stop.

This was probably self-harm, but without any wounds, even if Yin Ci got angry, he wouldn't be too upset. Shi Jingzhi thought drowsily, continuing to smell Yin Ci's scent while digging deeper in his mind.

Yes, why was he so afraid of ghosts?

In a daze, the fiery red maple forest appeared again. Just as Shi Jingzhi was about to delve deeper, he was startled by the touch on his waist.

Yin Ci freed one hand and hugged his waist tightly.

The phantom of those memories dissipated, and the headache eased a bit. Shi Jingzhi didn't know what expression to show when Yin Ci held his hand.

They had hugged each other before, but every hug had a reason.

Whether it was for protection, acting, or a desperate need for physical comfort.

But now?

Now, neither of them needed physical protection or acting, and there was no danger lurking. Yin Ci's breathing quickened, obviously angry. His hands that hugged Shi Jingzhi were also tight, and Shi Jingzhi didn't dare to use his inner strength to break free.

Being close to another person was indeed warm, he thought drowsily.

This time, he couldn't concentrate, and a strange emotion made his hair stand on end and his neck tingle.

"Behave yourself. When we get to the Mi Mountain Sect, you can think whatever you want," said Yin Ci in a low voice. "What, you think just because it's a headache, I can't tell how serious it is? Are you going to continue digging into your memories?"

"Not digging, not digging, I won't do it again next time," replied Shi Jingzhi, still feeling the pain in his head.

Suddenly, who knew what this tight warmth encroached on in his mind, the prohibition flared up again, causing Shi Jingzhi to cry out before he could even close his mouth.

Yin Ci: "..."

Shi Jingzhi: "..." He was wronged, he was really wronged.

Yin Ci sneered and let go of the hand that was wrapped around Shi Jingzhi's waist. He didn't care about the proper conduct between a master and disciple, and instead pressed half his body on Shi Jingzhi, exuding a cold aura from the top down. "Looks like your 'next time' came pretty quickly, huh, Shizun?"

His long hair flowed down like a stream, the tips of his hair forming a small pile on Shi Jingzhi's chest. The cool strands brushed through the air, intensifying the already strong aura of Yin Ci's coldness.

The prohibition stirred once again, and for a moment, Shi Jingzhi couldn't tell if this person was trying to save him or incite him.

But there was a benefit to this closeness - the darkness amplified his sense of touch, making the weight and breath of the person all the more vivid. Shi Jingzhi had never been this close to anyone before, and his mind was half-frozen, unable to stir up the prohibition any further.

"I'm wondering, since you didn't keep your promise, how should I punish you?"

Yin Ci was so close, his voice low and soft, as if pressing on his acupoint.

Shi Jingzhi held his breath and tensed up, feeling like a helpless piece of wood. His disciple's imposing manner made him feel that this was not just about "not having a specially made breakfast." He waited anxiously for a while, but instead of the expected explanation, he heard a trembling voice from Yin Ci.

...This person was trying not to laugh.

"Ah Ci, are you playing a trick on me?" Shi Jingzhi was still a bit dazed.

"At least Shizun is completely distracted now." Yin Ci replied.

Shi Jingzhi was annoyed, but he had to admit that this person's methods were effective and he had nothing to say.

"Go to sleep." Yin Ci moved away from him and resumed the position of holding Shi Jingzhi.

This time, the two faced each other and the prohibition did not cause any more trouble. With this inexplicable sense of peace, Shi Jingzhi slowly closed his eyes.

He didn't know how long had passed when the Protective Shuttle suddenly came to an abrupt stop.

He was tightly held in Yin Ci's embrace, his head and neck unharmed from the impact. The shuttle opened, and the light of day spilled in, mixing with the cold wind and snow, causing him to shiver.

The cold wind blew away his wandering thoughts, and the two of them left the shuttle, stepping into the soft snow.

Although there was a hint of spring in the Central Plains, the northern lands were still plagued by endless cold winds. The Arrow Horses snorted discontentedly, leaving hot pits in the snow. The snow on the ground was thick, resembling the barren Ku Mountain from over a month ago.

The sky was covered in dark clouds, and fine snowflakes drifted down. In the distance, the mountains stretched on endlessly, and all was silent.

"Mi Mountain Sect has set up a demon-warding formation nearby, and the Arrow Horses refuse to move forward," said Shi Zhongyu, wrapping herself in a thick cloak.

After a day and night of travel, even with her powerful protection, her nose and ears were still red from the cold, and there was a hint of weariness in her eyes.

"Once we cross that small mountain, we'll be in the territory of the Mi Mountain Sect," said Shi Zhongyu.

Yan Qing was curious, "The entire area over there belongs to them? I've seen the map, and it's almost the size of a small country."

Shi Zhongyu's attitude towards Yan Qing remained friendly, "Yes, that's right. This is the northernmost part of Dayun, to the west is Qituo Country, and to the east is Naluojiu. The area beyond the mountains used to be a small country called Mi Lan."

Shi Jingzhi continued the explanation, "Over two hundred years ago, there was turmoil within Mi Lan, and Dayun took advantage of the situation to conquer it. The Empress of Mi Lan was skilled in formations, and her followers were obsessed with formation spells. After the fall of Mi Lan, these people drifted away from their homeland, and that's how the Mi Mountain Sect was formed."

As his attention shifted, his headache disappeared without a trace, and he felt refreshed once again.

Su Si held the trembling Lord Bai tightly and asked, "Shouldn't the Mi Mountain Sect hate Dayun to the bone? Why do they still have dealings with the Central Plains martial arts world?"

"The last Empress of Mi Lan was originally from Dayun," Shi Zhongyu's expression was complicated.

"She was originally a princess of Dayun, but was married off to Mi Lan at the age of 18. After ten years of bloodshed, she climbed to the pinnacle of power. She was a woman who could topple a country with her beauty and had incredible strategic skills... but she was also cruel and ruthless."

"She brought the entire Mi Lan to its peak, and then pushed it down from a high place, causing the whole country to be in turmoil. At that time, the emperor seized the opportunity and conquered Mi Lan in one fell swoop. The Empress of Mi Lan jumped off a glacier and died at the age of 27."

Yin Ci had indeed heard of this matter. Even if Dayun did not take action, Qituo and Naluojiu would not let go of this fat piece of meat when Mi Lan was in turmoil.

The Mi Lan royal family was completely wiped out by Empress Xu Luo, and their bloodline was cut off. Their people were also left with only half a breath, becoming scattered and unable to produce any solid hatred.

The last glory of the Mi Lan country could only be seen in the formation spells of the Mi Mountain Sect.

"Alright, I'll go back and give these two boys a lesson later. But for now, let's focus on the task at hand."

Shi Jingzhi changed the subject and opened the letter from Abbot Juefei.

"After crossing this mountain, we still have to walk for a long time before we can reach Chen Qianfan's, Senior Chen's, residence."

Shi Zhongyu pursed her lips and exhaled a large cloud of white vapor.

"You guys go ahead, I'll catch up in half a day. Just pretend that I tailed you, and you weren't aware of it."

She didn't move, her expression somewhat bitter.

Shi Jingzhi raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had already felt this way before when they were at the Qu family's home - although they were cooperating, Shi Zhongyu always kept a certain distance from them.

Even when she saw the two "new faces" in the Ku Mountain Sect, she didn't show any interest.

She had helped them and sold them favors, but in the past, Shi Jingzhi would never have wanted to get involved with the murky waters of Taiheng. However, the timing of this Taiheng matter was suspicious, and coupled with Shi Zhongyu's unwillingness to abandon a dying man, as someone in the same boat, he appreciated her actions.

Shi Jingzhi couldn't help but stop in his tracks, and just as he was about to hesitate, Yin Ci gently pushed him forward.

With his support, Shi Jingzhi's hesitation dissipated. "Time waits for no one, and the situation with Sect Leader Qi is critical. Half a day is precious. Miss Shi, if you have any difficulties, feel free to speak up and let us listen."

Shi Zhongyu's expression was complicated, and she seemed hesitant. "It's nothing, my request is a bit excessive, and I'm afraid it might offend the people of Mi Mountain Sect. We all came with our own requests, and I don't want to implicate Sect Leader Shi."

Shi Jingzhi didn't back down.

"I've heard of Taiheng's righteousness for a long time, but this time you seem to be obstructing me at every turn. If it's just to save some gold and silver, it's really a bit cold-hearted. Now you say you might clash with the Mi Mountain Sect... Miss Shi, what's the matter with Senior Qi Xundao's illness?"

Shi Zhongyu silently hugged the Green Maiden Sword, as if only that cold, lifeless object could give her a little peace of mind.

She stood there quietly for a while, but Shi Jingzhi's persistence never wavered. Finally, she sighed and spoke again.

"After we retrieved the treasure map, a few days later, Sect Leader Qi suddenly had a high fever and fell into a deep sleep. My sect has many famous doctors, but the symptoms were too few, and no one could diagnose the reason. The jianghu was in turmoil, and the news of the sect leader's serious illness would undoubtedly have a significant impact. That's why our sect kept the news a secret."

"Don't be fooled by what Duanyun said. At first, everyone tried their best. But the sect leader's condition deteriorated rapidly, and he soon had to rely on medicine to sustain his life. At first, no one objected. But after more than half a month passed..."

Shi Zhongyu's face was bitter, and she hesitated to speak, eventually changing the subject.

"Taiheng is facing many challenges this autumn, and Sect Leader Qi's meridians have already deteriorated, making it difficult to return to his past strength. Even if he recovers from this illness, he can no longer be the Sect Leader of Taiheng."

Shi Jingzhi understood.

Money doesn't grow on trees for Taiheng. Besides the funding for the imperial court, it also has fertile fields, dense forests, and shops and agencies. These businesses all require financial support to continue running, and it's not easy to move all their finances for the sake of one person.

Right now, Sect Leader Qi was either hanging on to life with medicinal soup and slowly dying in a coma, or being saved with difficulty, living as a disabled person for a few more years. Regardless of the situation, Taiheng needs to invest a lot of manpower, material resources, and money.

There are no filial sons by the bedside of a patient with long-term illness. It's already difficult for such a large sect to be united, so will Taiheng really go all out to save a disabled person for the sake of a simple "righteous" word?

"Some people wanted to give up, but I am leading another group of people who wanted to do our best. The internal conflicts within Taiheng are getting worse and worse. The elders only sent Duanyun to talk to me when things got out of hand. Actually, I understand Duanyun's considerations. I just...just feel that Taiheng shouldn't be like this."

Shi Zhongyu gently stroked the Green Maiden Sword, lowering her gaze and speaking in a softer tone.

"For decades, Sect Leader Qi has exhausted all his efforts for Taiheng, and his kindness towards us is as heavy as a mountain. If he is truly beyond saving, I will not force it. But there is still hope, and yet we have decided to give up on our own. Any other sect can give up, but Taiheng should not be like this."

Yin Ci swept a glance around and indeed, even within the Ku Mountain Sect, opinions on this matter were not unified.

Yan Qing looked at Shi Zhongyu, nodding in agreement with deep emotion. Meanwhile, Su Si widened his eyes, as if he had just seen a stubborn donkey turn into a spirit, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Shi Zhongyu did not mention too much about the internal affairs of the sect, but Yin Ci could probably imagine it. If the majority of the sect gave up, she would likely be labeled with the accusations of "disturbing the sect", "being too soft-hearted", and "not understanding the situation", with a dozen of such labels already on her head.

No wonder Shi Zhongyu was so irritable when they met a few days ago. To withstand that kind of pressure, one's backbone must be unusually strong.

Seeing that no one responded for a long time, Shi Zhongyu put away her sword and her expression calmed down.

"This is the situation. I want to ask the Mi Mountain Sect to save a hopeless person. The people of the Mi Mountain Sect are proud and may think that I am making trouble for no reason."

Shi Jingzhi laughed loudly, "Miss Shi worries too much. Chen Qianfan's Buddhist name is 'Jueguo' and he used to be a monk at the Jianchen Temple. Others may not, but the high-ranking monks of the Jianchen Temple will not get angry about saving lives."

Shi Zhongyu's expression changed several times, finally settling on "relief".

She clasped her fists at Shi Jingzhi, "Sect Leader Shi actually didn't need to help in this matter. Today's care will be remembered by me, Shi Zhongyu."

The road ahead was relatively smooth sailing.

Fortunately, the Mi Mountain Sect was built on the ruins of the Mi Lan country, with vast land and few people. Apart from the demon-warding formation, there were no messy formations, nor were there any chaotic demons in sight.

The only danger was probably the broken walls buried under the snow. Under the thick snow shell, who knows how much unknown things were hidden. As long as one was not careful, tripping and falling was a small matter, and one might even come face to face with a frozen corpse from two hundred years ago.

Sect Leader Shi was absent-minded and stumbled just a few steps in, almost coming into intimate contact with a person's head buried within the snow.

That head had gone through who knows what, with its entire face swollen and twisted, its features all out of place, and a frozen eyeball popping out of its socket.

Poor Shi Jingzhi was preoccupied with important matters and suddenly encountered this. Half of his soul was instantly blown away, and the prohibition also fell completely silent.

When he came to his senses, he found himself lying on top of Yin Ci, who was patiently trying to push him off.

Shi Zhongyu had witnessed this scene before in the Ghost Tomb and now averted her gaze, pretending not to have seen anything.

After this battle, Shi Jingzhi completely abandoned the idea of conserving his energy. He took a deep breath and suddenly his qinggong level skyrocketed. Like walking on thin ice, he completely mastered the technique of stepping on snow without any guidance.

Fortunately, there were no other mishaps. Following Juefei's instructions, the group arrived at their destination before sunset.

Surprisingly, Chen Qianfan's residence had no trace of immortal or Buddhist energy.

He chose a ruined Mi Lan shop and transformed it into a living space. The house was big, but the exterior was patched up in a strange and mismatched way. There were still scorch marks on the building, and many holes were stuffed with demon skin. The surroundings were an endless expanse of snow, and the lonely atmosphere surged up and enveloped everyone's feet.

An old woman was the first to notice them.

She seemed to have some Mi Lan blood in her, with white curly hair and a high nose bridge, but her eyebrows, eyes, and skin color were all typical of the Central Plains. Although her dwelling was peculiar, her clothes were very clean, and even the worn-out parts were embroidered with delicate flowers.

"Hey there," she rubbed her hands together and spoke in non-standard Yun Dynasty speech, "Are you here to see Master Chen?"

Shi Jingzhi removed his Nuo mask and politely bowed, "May I ask who you are?"

"Good boy, just call me Granny Wei."

Everyone appreciates beauty, and as soon as Granny Wei saw them, she smiled and all the wrinkles on her face gathered together.

"Master Chen has gone out, but please come in and have a seat. I have made some hot soup. It's not easy for you to come all this way... Oh, is this a gift? You are too kind to bring something all the way here. I can cook it for you tonight..."

She immediately noticed Lord Bai in Su Si's arms. Lord Bai tensed up, then exerted all his effort to dig into Su Si's coat to escape.

"The gift is here," Yan Qing saved the day by handing over the prepared gift.

Considering that Mi Mountain Sect was located in a remote area, it was inconvenient for merchants to come and go. Before leaving, Qu Duanyun prepared some small, practical items that were not too valuable.

"You are too kind. I don't understand these matters. You'd better wait for Master Chen to come back and discuss with him."

With a smile on her face, Granny Wei led the group inside, chattering away as she took each step.

The house was a converted shop, and the front hall was incredibly spacious.

The left half of the hall was completely covered in gray-black slates. The slate was about three fingers thick and stood on the ground, covered in symbols that were incomprehensible. Many slates surrounded a table, which was piled high with precarious scrolls and various unnameable tools.

In the gaps between the slates and the table were buckets filled with the corpses of demon beasts. The air was icy cold, and the room was far from warm. The corpses of the demon beasts emitted a faint smell of decay, mixed with the frigid air, creating a repulsive odor that kept people at bay.

The right half of the front hall was immaculate, everything in its place. The stone floor was free of any dust, and a warm fire burned in the stove. A beautiful embroidered tablecloth covered the table, and even the vase had small flowers tied from dried branches.

Granny Wei served them soup one by one. "Master Chen is conducting research and goes out to catch demons every evening. He is very punctual and will be back before dinner. You can wait here with peace of mind. He doesn't talk much, but he has a good heart and won't make things difficult for you..."

Yan Qing couldn't bear to have the old lady wait on them and was the first to stand up. But the table was lighter than they expected, and Yan Qing's movement caused it to shake, splashing soup onto the old lady's gloves.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. Let me help you clean up. You..."

Yan Qing started to apologize but couldn't finish his sentence.

With a smile, Granny Wei took off her gloves, revealing a hand covered in intricate, blood-red patterns.

The layers of magic circles were so complex that even Yin Ci couldn't make sense of them at first glance.

Granny Wei didn't seem to think much of it, though. She behaved like it was perfectly normal, changing into a new pair of gloves and said, "You can just sit here. I'm quite strong and need to move around to keep my blood flowing, as Master Chen always says."

No one dared to move this time.

Yan Qing obediently sat back down in his chair, placing his hands on his thighs.

Granny Wei served herself a bowl of soup and drank it slowly. "Don't worry about Master Chen. Just drink up. It's cold here, and you'll catch a chill if you don't."

Yin Ci was the first to pick up the soup and take a sip. The taste was very mild and there were no strange ingredients. However, there was not even a hint of salt, perhaps due to a different style of cooking used here.

With Abbot Juefei protecting them and Yin Ci bravely tasting the soup first, the others drank the hot soup without really tasting it, continuing to wait nervously.

Finally, as the sun set, the doors opened.

Chen Qianfan returned with a large basket full of bloody demon corpses on his back, a bountiful harvest.