Chapter 362: The Extremely Cold Day and Hot Pot
Ten days later.
Northwest, Ice Desert Wilderness.
The Ice Desert Wilderness is located west of the Yaochi Tianshan Mountain Range in the north, a desolate icy land devoid of life, with fierce winds blowing all year round. Blizzards often raise visibility to terrifyingly low levels.
The wind and snow here have become so fierce that even cultivators need to use their spiritual power for protection. Weaker cultivators might not even withstand this extreme cold.
In this human forbidden zone, at this moment, amid a giant stone covered in snow, there’s a hollowed-out space.
All the essentials are present: warm torches, a pot for boiling, seasonings, and various ingredients. A man and a woman sit around the campfire enjoying hot pot, soaking in the warmth amid this extreme cold.
“…It’s really cold, isn’t it?”
Shi Qingyan rubbed her hands, edging her bowl closer to the campfire, mumbling, “Can anyone actually live in a place like this?”
“We’re not looking for humans, after all.”
Young Master Sang picked up a piece of hot lamb, happily dipped it in sauce, and stuffed it into his mouth. “They’re the abandoned disciples of the Demon Clan, not welcomed by either humans or demons, so of course, they have to hide in a place without anyone or anything.”
“But their lives must be pretty miserable, living in this freezing place. I bet even biting into a blood tooth would freeze off a few of those. Unlike us, who can take a break and enjoy hot pot.”
“You’re something else, how did you think to bring all this stuff?” Shi Qingyan teased. “You didn’t plan to eat hot pot in this freezing weather, did you?”
Not really.
Actually, after arriving here, Young Master Sang just couldn’t take the cold anymore and couldn’t resist swapping some points with Nian Nian in the system shop for hot pot ingredients. After all, sometimes it’s nice to indulge a little.
It turns out that this hot pot really pulled the two of them back from the brink of madness after almost losing it while searching for someone on the icy plains.
There’s nothing happier than having a hot pot on a cold day.
If there is, it’s having beef balls in the pot.
“Seriously.” Shi Qingyan popped a meatball into her mouth and mumbled, “If it weren’t for this hot pot, I would have gone crazy. This place is just a white wasteland, and we can’t even see the shadow of a blood demon. In the end, we just ate snow.”
“But this warm meatball really takes me to paradise. Mmm~ the rich soup bursting in my mouth is amazing!”
Seizing the moment Shi Qingyan was blissfully enjoying her food, Young Master Sang secretly added a few more meatballs to his bowl.
“Ah! So sneaky! You’ve already eaten ten! Leave some for me!”
“Okay, okay, here.”
“…Feed me.”
“How come you still want to be fed at your age? Think you’re a little kid?”
“I’m just Daddy’s good girl, okay?” Shi Qingyan suddenly put on a cutesy tone and mischievously blinked, “Daddy~ feed me~”
Young Master Sang got goosebumps all over and hurriedly shoved a meatball in her mouth to shut her up.
Every time he hears Shi Qingyan talk about her past experience of turning into a little girl and calling him ‘Daddy,’ it feels like a shameful old scar being ripped open.
Yet Shi Qingyan seems completely unashamed, often teasing him about it.
This leads to Young Master Sang feeling quite a mess whenever he’s with her.
…Sigh.
Where did that aloof, proud Senior Sister Shi go?
How did she end up as a woman who plays with hearts?
Shi Qingyan, being a good girl, stopped teasing Young Master Sang after getting her meatball and instead enjoyed him feeding her while smiling pleasantly.
…
Outside, it seems another blizzard is picking up.
All is white and formless, nothing to be seen.
“It seems we won’t be going anywhere for a while,” Young Master Sang sighed and called Nian Nian to buy some bedding, preparing to spend the night in this stone cave.
Shi Qingyan sat by the cave entrance, resting her head on her hands, gazing listlessly outside.
On this trip, she wore a fluffy white mink coat, pure and flawless, looking like a fluffy snow fox that made one want to hug and pet her fur.
At this moment, Shi Qingyan was gently breathing on her hands, her nose pink from the cold, her already fair face now rosy, appearing extra cute and lively.
Young Master Sang found himself momentarily entranced.
“What’s wrong?” When he came to his senses, Shi Qingyan was looking at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Did my daughter’s cuteness amaze you?”
“…Can we skip this part?”
“Seriously, though,” Shi Qingyan turned her gaze back outside, feeling bored. “This ice plain is bigger than I imagined. How do we find a blood demon?”
Young Master Sang didn’t know either.
Li Shanyan had only left him with a vague indication of the Ice Desert Wilderness; he probably couldn’t pinpoint the exact location himself.
Young Master Sang thought about simply using some points to buy the blood demon’s specific location from Nian Nian.
However, this time, Nian Nian didn’t seem willing to play along and mysteriously said something vague:
“The blood demon is here and not here. You can find it, but also can’t.”
“So, even if you ask me, I can’t tell you the exact location.”
To that, Young Master Sang’s assessment was: Riddler, get out of Gotham.
“If you want to skyrocket the prices, just say so! You little merchant, why beat around the bush?”
“Who’s a merchant? Huh? Who are you calling a merchant?” Nian Nian took a deep breath, glaring wide-eyed. “Who’s a merchant!”
“Just said I can’t tell you means I really can’t tell you, you dumb host! You should figure it out yourself!”
Young Master Sang didn’t understand why this little merchant was so strong-willed this time.
But since Nian Nian wasn’t keen, he could only fend for himself.
At the cave entrance, Shi Qingyan was still lost in thoughts, gazing at the heavy snowfall, as if murmuring, “Living all year round in such a cold place… must be hard.”
“Who knows?” Young Master Sang sat down beside her, “They’re demons, can’t use human concepts to gauge them. Maybe the blood demon just loves this pitch-black, cold place.”
“But loneliness… that’s the same for any race, right?”
Young Master Sang turned his head, sensing something, to see Shi Qingyan hugging her knees, obediently resting her head on them.
Her beautiful eyes lost in thought.
“Me? Ever since I was young, I was trained as a dark guard by the Water Moon Sect. Always alone, I’ve grown used to it.”
“But actually… if I had to say, deep down, I’m quite afraid of being lonely.” Shi Qingyan murmured.
“Sometimes at night, I sit outside my room and look at the stars, always thinking, will there be a star that comes a little closer to me in the future?”
“Do you have one now?” Young Master Sang nonchalantly grabbed some snow from the cave entrance and popped it into his mouth.
Shi Qingyan quietly glanced at him.
Then smiled silently.
“…Who knows? Hehe.”
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