Once I enter the pass, great Confucian scholars will surely debate the classics for me.

Chapter 119 Childhood Sweetheart Needs Arrangement, Traveling in the Cold Winter City

The following morning, the gates of Gancaobao were wide open, and caravans came and went in an endless stream.

Zhou Qingfeng and his group left the castle in a line, and under the banner of Shunfeng Escort Agency, continued their westward advance.

It was the dead of winter, in the wilderness.

The frigid wind, carrying fine snowflakes, danced in the air.

The wheels crunched over the snow, making a crunching sound that mingled with the sound of horses' hooves treading on the snow.

The carriage was surrounded by thirty-six bodyguards from the Zhou family, all dressed in heavy cotton robes, who cleverly blended into the role of bodyguards. They were alert and had sharp eyes, constantly looking around to guard against any possible threats.

Ye Tingxiu and Lan Yue sat in the carriage; they hadn't seen each other for a long time.

For a moment, it seemed like there were a thousand words to say, yet no one knew where to begin.

The car was quiet and cozy. Ye Tingxiu sat by the window, his gaze lingering through the half-drawn curtains as he watched the snow-covered scenery rushing past outside. His mind was filled with a myriad of thoughts and emotions.

Lan Yue sat quietly opposite him, her lowered eyelids occasionally lifting to secretly glance at Ye Tingxiu's profile, a barely perceptible smile on her lips, as if admiring a long-lost painting.

After a long while, Ye Tingxiu withdrew his gaze, turned to look at Lan Yue, and showed concern and guilt. After all, he knew that he had not been able to stay by her side for various reasons: "Yue'er, how have you been these past two years?"

Upon hearing this, Lan Yue smiled slightly: "It's quite good. I've never lacked food or clothing. I married a general, who has status and position. My life is quite decent."

Lan Yue only reports good news and not bad news. Even if she was in hell for the past two years, she didn't want to talk about how miserable and desperate she was, because she was not a woman who needed sympathy or pity.

She didn't want Ye Tingxiu to feel sad and guilty because of her tragic past, or to seek revenge for her with hatred in his heart. Nor did she want to morally blackmail Ye Tingxiu into marrying her and taking care of her for the rest of his life.

She knew she was no longer good enough for Ye Tingxiu and never thought of rekindling their relationship. As a doctor, she knew her time was running out and she only wanted to enjoy every moment with Ye Tingxiu in her final days.

"If you're doing well, why would that damned general want to kill you?" Ye Tingxiu felt relieved, but then a wave of doubt washed over him.

Lan Yue covered her mouth and chuckled softly: "Because of you."

Ye Tingxiu's face turned bright red: "Is it my fault? Then I'll leave?"

Lan Yue smiled radiantly and gently flicked Ye Tingxiu's brow with her slender finger: "Silly boy, I was just teasing you. How could I blame you? If I blamed you, I wouldn't have gone with you."

Ye Tingxiu scratched the back of his head, grinning foolishly, "Hehehehe..."

"Knock knock knock." A knocking sound came from the carriage window. Ye Tingxiu lifted the curtain and saw Zhou Qingfeng riding a galloping horse glancing at him. Ye Tingxiu immediately understood and turned to Lan Yue, saying, "Yue'er, I'll be right back."

Lan Yue nodded with a smile, watching Ye Tingxiu leave the carriage.

Ye Tingxiu stepped out of the carriage, mounted a fast horse, and chased after Zhou Qingfeng: "Why did you call me?"

Zhou Qingfeng held the reins and said calmly, "Last night, the three of us caught the plague demon together. You 'caught' a woman and brought her back. This morning, you insisted on taking her with you to avoid any complications. I didn't ask any questions, but that doesn't mean I don't care."

"You know our mission is very important, and countless people want to scheme against us. You need to tell me who this woman is, what her identity is, and what her background is, so I can have a clear understanding of the situation."

Ye Tingxiu glanced back at the carriage, a smile on his face, and slowly recounted his relationship with Lan Yue, explaining in detail what had happened the night before.

However, Ye Tingxiu was a bit hypocritical. When talking to Lan Yue, he would break the three-word silencing spell despite the pain and speak freely. But when talking to Zhou Qingfeng, he would only utter three words at a time.

Fortunately, Zhou Qingfeng patiently listened and understood.

They were initially worried that abducting the wife of the garrison general Xing Cishu would cause unnecessary trouble.

However, it is said that Lan Yue and Ye Tingxiu cleaned up the mess by burning down the villa and faking their deaths to escape. Lan Yue even used a maid to impersonate her own corpse, proving that Lan Yue is still a woman with some brains.

Even if Xing Cishu discovers the flaw, it will take time.

The time spent was enough for Lan Yue and Ye Tingxiu to travel far away and disappear without a trace.

Xiao Hongyun, riding his horse beside him, chuckled and patted Ye Tingxiu on the shoulder: "Not bad, Lao Ye, you've got guts. You broke into the garrison general's mansion at night and ran off with his wife. For that alone, I admire you."

Ye Tingxiu glanced at him sideways, too lazy to pay him any attention.

Zhou Qingfeng said, "Old Ye, when the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer. It's not surprising that we've encountered any accidents along the way. We are all cultivators, and we can protect ourselves if we encounter dangers on the road. But she is just a mortal, you know what I mean."

Upon hearing this, Ye Tingxiu asked, "Teach me how to do it."

Zhou Qingfeng glanced back at the carriage, just as Lan Yue lifted the curtain and peeked out.

Zhou Qingfeng met her gaze and gave her a polite, slight smile.

Zhou Qingfeng patted Ye Tingxiu's arm: "When we pass through Winter City ahead, make sure she is well taken care of. We will bring her back to the Sword Tower after we return with the treasure."

Ye Tingxiu nodded slightly: "Okay, you're smart, I'll listen to you."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "Go back. Look at your little lover, looking at you with such longing and affection."

Upon hearing this, Ye Tingxiu blushed and turned back to the carriage.

Xiao Hongyun said with a hint of jealousy, "Tsk, we're out here braving the wind and snow, while he's all lovey-dovey with a girl in the carriage. I just can't help but feel a little resentful. Why don't we go and join in the fun?"

Zhou Qingfeng said calmly, "Why all the drama? Do you have someone like that, someone else's childhood sweetheart?"

Xiao Hongyun shrugged: "No, that's why I'm so envious and jealous."

The two chatted idly, but their eyes were scanning their surroundings warily.

Now that we are in the wild, we not only have to face the harsh natural environment, but also have to be constantly on guard against the demons and monsters lurking behind the wind and snow.

During the day, we trudged through the vast, white wilderness.

After traveling sixty li a day, they had already left the territory under the jurisdiction of Gancaobao on the border. Of course, traveling sixty li a day was not the limit of a cultivator's speed, but the speed of travel under the premise of ensuring safety.

If you're not afraid of death, you can just charge forward headfirst. Even if you're suddenly ambushed and killed by demons, don't be surprised. After all, the wild is the domain of demons and monsters, not humans.

As darkness fell, Zhou Qingfeng desperately needed a safe place to rest. Fortunately, the team had ventured deep into the frigid winter territory, where there were more people than at the border, and they successfully discovered a livestock farm with high walls and thick gates.

The people at the livestock farm didn't seem too surprised by the sudden arrival of the caravan, as if they were already used to such uninvited guests in the dead of winter.

After paying a small amount of money and explaining to the manager of the livestock farm that they needed lodging, the manager quickly arranged accommodation for Zhou Qingfeng and his group. The night passed peacefully, and they continued their journey the next day.

They traveled for six hundred miles in this manner, encountering more than twenty attacks from demons along the way. Each attack was repelled and killed by the thirty-six secret guards of the Zhou family who accompanied them. Ten days later, they arrived at Winter City.

The group lined up to enter the city, showing their travel permits. These permits were essential; otherwise, let alone crossing borders, it would be impossible to even find a place to stay between villages.

With his hands behind his back, Zhou Qingfeng looked up at the magnificent ice city in front of him with a nonchalant air: "Is this Winter City? It looks pretty, but it's a little inferior to Sword Tower. It lacks the domineering aura of 'I am the only one who matters'."

Sword Tower City is 660 feet high and 33 feet thick. The city gates and walls are forged from dragon bones and phoenix bones of the Fiend level, making it as solid as a rock and indestructible, almost impossible to breach from the outside.

Furthermore, the Tower of Swords also features the landmark building 'The Tower of Bones'.

The White Bone Foundation Tower stands 1,080 feet tall, with each level containing a world. Its red and white structure pierces the sky like a sword, making it the tallest building in the Sword Tower. In terms of grandeur and imposing presence, it is undoubtedly the most magnificent in the world.

Upon hearing this, the old cripple chuckled and said, "Kid, don't look down on Winter City. Although Winter City can't compare to the towering and magnificent Sword Tower, it still has some prestige, as it can occupy eight hundred miles of territory."

"Look at that city gate; it was meticulously crafted from ten-thousand-year-old ice of the Fiend level."

"These ices have been tempered by frost for thousands of years, absorbing the yin and coldest energy between heaven and earth, forming a special ice body that is extremely hard, crystal clear like jade, and contains astonishing cold energy inside."

"Even a demon-level cultivator cannot extract a piece of this ice with swords and axes. Only the Winter City Lord's personal weapon refiner has the secret method to collect this demon-level ten-thousand-year-old ice and refine it into ice brick magic artifacts."

“Each ice brick artifact is meticulously crafted, with a smooth, mirror-like surface and an internal defensive array. Furthermore, the ice bricks are seamlessly connected, making the entire city wall a unified and impenetrable whole.”

"Therefore, this ice-cast giant city is not only extremely beautiful and dazzling, but also has a powerful defensive capability. Its hardness is enough to withstand the impact of the Fiend-level siege weapon. Even a 10,000-strong Fiend-eating army cannot break through this city."

Zhou Qingfeng raised an eyebrow: "Mr. Liao seems to be very familiar with Winter City. He speaks as if he knows it like the back of his hand. Could it be that he has been to Winter City before?"

The old cripple leaned on his cane and nodded slightly: "Half a year has passed, and the past is too painful to recall. Speaking of which, I still have an old friend here, someone I had a complicated relationship with. I hope I won't run into her this time I'm revisiting this place."

Zhou Qingfeng didn't press the matter. Everyone has a past they'd rather forget. Since the other person had already mentioned it, it was sensible to keep asking if they wouldn't talk about it, lest you just annoy them.

After paying the city entry tax of 800 francs and having their travel documents inspected, the group entered the city smoothly.

The city presents a vibrant, bustling, and lively scene of daily life.

Despite the howling winds and snow outside, the city's vibrancy and energy remained undiminished.

The city's trading center was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of people. Vendors from all walks of life loudly hawked their wares, offering a dazzling array of goods, from warm clothing, refined ores, and rare medicinal herbs to delicious hot food and warm wine.

Pedestrians, dressed in heavy fur clothing, wearing fluffy gloves and hats, and wrapped in scarves, moved between the stalls, bargaining enthusiastically, their laughter, conversations, and shouts mingling together.

Caravans laden with luxury goods such as silk, spices, and handicrafts traversed snow and ice, enduring hardships to reach this place, in exchange for precious resources unique to Winter City, such as millennia-old ice, ice ore, and polar herbs.

The sounds of camel bells, horses' hooves, and wheels crushing through ice and snow filled the air.

To maintain the safety and order of this bustling city, the soldiers clad in ice armor performed their duties diligently, standing like moving ice sculptures around the city gates, squares, important streets, and markets.

These ice-armored soldiers wore specially made ice armor, carried spears or swords inlaid with ice crystals, and had sharp eyes, vigilantly watching their surroundings, ready to deal with any threat at any time.

Their presence brought a strong sense of security to merchants and ordinary people, ensuring that transactions within the city could proceed in an orderly manner. Under the strict protection of the ice-armored soldiers, the daily order of Winter City remained well-maintained.

The streets are clean, and although they are covered in ice and snow, regular cleaning is carried out by designated personnel to ensure that pedestrians can pass through without obstruction.

"How prosperous!" Xiao Hongyun, lacking experience, exclaimed repeatedly, "I never imagined that such a harsh place, shrouded in snow all year round, would have such a prosperous and magnificent city. The city lord here must be very good at currying favor."

Zhou Qingfeng said, "Let's find an inn to stay in for the time being and rest for three days. We need to conserve our energy after traveling for so many days."

"Jin Wei, Lao Xiao, take some men to purchase necessary supplies later. We'll have to hike across Despair Slope after that."

“Master Chen, you come along and see if we need to prepare anything special.”

Jin Wei and Master Chen exchanged a glance, then bowed and clasped their hands in greeting: "Yes, Young Master Lu."

Xiao Hongyun said with a smile, "Since we're purchasing supplies, I'll take this opportunity to tour Winter City. Mr. Liao, would you like to come along? We're using public funds, so why not?"

The old cripple stroked his beard and chuckled, "I won't go. My legs aren't good. I'll just wait for you at the inn."

The group quickly found a place called Warm Inn to stay and rest.

Jin Wei led his men to purchase the necessary supplies for hiking over Despair Slope.

"What's up?" Zhou Qingfeng had just entered the room, taken off his hat and scarf, and was about to take a hot shower when he turned around and saw Ye Tingxiu leading Lan Yue into the room.

Ye Tingxiu said, "Old Zhou, I'd like to take Yue'er out for a stroll."

Lan Yue smiled slightly: "Young Master Zhou, I'm sorry to have troubled you. Could you lend me Xiao Yezi for three days, as a three-day break for him? Is that alright?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Qingfeng hung up the scarf and said with a smile, "Miss Lanyue, what are you saying? I'm not a shrew. It's rare for Old Ye to reunite with you, why would I do something so unromantic?"

"Old Ye, I'm ordering you, as the treasure-hunting envoy, to spend the next three days with Miss Lan Yue. I'll cover all expenses. Don't mess around, kid. If Miss Lan Yue tells me anything, I won't let you off the hook."

Ye Tingxiu scratched the back of his head and grinned sheepishly: "No, no."

"Go ahead and have fun. Don't worry about anything else," Zhou Qingfeng said with a smile, patting Ye Tingxiu on the shoulder.

Lan Yue smiled and said, "Thank you, Young Master Zhou."

Zhou Qingfeng pretended to be angry: "Miss Lanyue, why call me Young Master? Old Ye and I are good friends and brothers. You can call me Old Zhou when there are no outsiders, or Fourth Brother is also fine."

Lan Yue blinked and smiled slightly: "Okay, thank you, Si Lang."

Ye Tingxiu is simple-minded but physically strong, and he has a great talent for cultivation. Treat him with sincerity, and he will repay you with sincerity. Such a person cannot be bound by interests alone.

You must seize every opportunity to win him over, strengthen your relationship with him, and solidify your friendship. That way, no matter what kind of enemy you face in the future, Ye Tingxiu will stand firmly by your side, given his character.

It should be noted that Ye Tingxiu represents more than just himself. His master is Shadow Blade, Night Owl, who also has friends, a master, and relatives. In the shadows, he is a force to be reckoned with.

If this force can be completely drawn into Zhou's allied camp.

That would undoubtedly further enhance the Zhou family's overall strength.

The prosperity and strength of a family requires friends and allies. In addition to deep friendships, there must also be interests to act as a lubricant, so that the Zhou family can last for thousands of years and remain immortal for ten thousand years.

To achieve great things, one must have profound plans and far-sightedness; how can one lack foresight?

Watching the two chat and laugh as they walked away together, Zhou Qingfeng smiled, changed into his pajamas, and went to soak in the hot spring pool unique to Winter City. After traveling in the wilderness for more than ten days, it would be a lie to say he wasn't tired.

As soon as Zhou Qingfeng stepped into the hot spring pool and sat down, he turned his head and said, "Hey? Mr. Liao, you're here too."

……

P.S.: Please give me some tips. I've been a bit inconsistent with the amount I give out lately. Yesterday I got 150, but today I only got half of that. I'm relying on your tips to make a living.