After passing through Cloud Marsh Province, they entered another trade route across the snowfields: the Poplar Trade Route, the only road connecting Volcanic Oasis to the Poplar Desert.
The Ice Snow Great Wall stretched endlessly.
They soon arrived at a Cold Spring Point and made camp there for the night. Naturally, Russell did not need to handle the trivial work of setting up camp.
As he stroked Red-eyed Rat King Jerry's head and watched Katie busily prepare dinner, he asked idly, "Katie, have you and Jerry fully adjusted to each other yet? Why haven't you tried forming a contract?"
"My lord, I am still preparing," Katie replied seriously.
"Preparing what?"
"Preparing to open my heart and accept Jerry," Katie said. "My lord, I know this may sound foolish, but I must fully prepare both body and mind. Only then can I improve the chances of successfully contracting with Jerry, even our future cultivation efficiency."
"Hmm, it seems you've thought this through very thoroughly." Russell nodded, agreeing with Katie's approach without forcing the issue.
His contract with Unicorn Polly had been a mutual choice, so their cultivation naturally advanced by leaps and bounds.
But Jerry had acknowledged him as its master, not Katie. Thus, after Katie contracted with Jerry, there would naturally be a barrier between them. Only with sufficient preparation could the contract with Jerry produce better results.
"Jerry, do you like Katie?" Russell asked Jerry.
The Red-eyed Rat King blinked its tiny red eyes and squeaked twice toward Katie's busy figure, indicating that it did.
"From now on, treat her as your master."
"Squeak?"
"I hope that after you contract with Katie, you'll have greater prospects for growth, instead of being bound by the idea of having acknowledged me as your master and losing the chance to advance to