Di Shu City, Candied Hawthorn (Tuesday, Please Follow-up Reading!!!)

The nights in small cities were generally nowhere near as lively and prosperous as those in massive cities like Star Luo City. This small city was called Di Shu City. It was considered one of the larger cities near the Extreme North Land, with an estimated population of several hundred thousand. A Heaven Dou Empire army was stationed both within the city and in camps outside it, forming a line of defense against Beast Tides that could break out at any time.

The three walked through the somewhat deserted streets. Most shops on either side had already closed, with only a few still lit up. However, one small area of the city remained brilliantly illuminated, and that was precisely where they were headed.

The Ice Snow Two Emperors were both peerless beauties, drawing countless gazes along the way. Fortunately, those people had enough self-awareness to merely sneak glances without making any other moves. Otherwise, Shu Yan truly could not guarantee they would keep their lives.

What made him slightly uncomfortable was that quite a few men were looking at him with the same sort of gaze they used for the Ice Snow Two Emperors. It was like after the dorm lights had gone out in his previous life, when a roommate secretly climbed onto your bed in the darkness, their eyes gleaming with infatuation as they whispered word by word into your ear:

"Bro, sis, you smell so good..."

Just imagining it made Shu Yan break out in goosebumps. Good heavens, that counted as a different kind of top-tier horror, didn't it...?

Snow Empress said nothing, but Ice Empress was clearly uncomfortable with those gazes. Open disgust flashed through her eyes, and a trace of her aura leaked out. Instantly, everyone nearby who had been secretly watching them seemed to have encountered some ferocious beast, freezing stiffly in place.

Only then did Ice Empress give a cold snort, take Snow Empress's hand, and continue forward.

Walking through a human city again after so long, Shu Yan could not help feeling emotional.

He had spent more than eight months in the Extreme North Land. Now that he had emerged again, it felt as though he had been cut off from the world for a lifetime before being reborn.

Upon reaching the central district, the surroundings became noticeably livelier. Ice Empress was drawn to the various human foods sold at the roadside stalls and looked eagerly at Shu Yan. Shu Yan found it rather amusing. This scorpion of his was actually quite nice—if only her twisted sense of humor could be excluded.

Snow Empress watched as Shu Yan followed Ice Empress from stall to stall and smiled silently. She did not find it boring at all. Instead, she found it full of novelty and amusement...

Compared to the cold emptiness of the Extreme North Land, this place had its own unique charm...

After accompanying Ice Empress in her carefree spree, Shu Yan's wallet was still terrifyingly full.

Back in Star Luo City, Xu Jiujiu had practically kept him outright. Every month, she regularly gave him hundreds of thousands of Gold Soul Coins to buy whatever he liked to decorate the Princess Mansion. Yet he had always preferred simple decorations, and he lacked no cultivation resources himself, so those Gold Soul Coins had only accumulated. The Soul Tools Ice Empress had delivered last time alone had contained over ten million Gold Soul Coins in total.

Simply put: he had plenty of money!

Snow Empress followed behind the two of them, but she was not particularly interested in these human foods. However, just as they were about to leave the street, she suddenly stopped beside a corner.

When Shu Yan noticed that Snow Empress had not followed, he turned and followed her gaze. Under the dim yellow streetlight at the corner sat a kind-faced elderly grandmother on a dried-yellow reclining chair. Beside her, two little boys of around three or four were playing. There was nothing special on the stall before them, only a small cart. Its molds held quite a few skewers of Candied Hawthorn, each hawthorn plump and round beneath a glistening coating of syrup.

Seeing Snow Empress lost in thought, Shu Yan shook his head with a smile and stepped forward, asking softly, "Grandma, how much is the Candied Hawthorn?"

At his words, the old woman slowly opened her eyes, a smile appearing on her face as she replied, "Two Copper Soul Coins a skewer. Sweet and sour, guaranteed."

Shu Yan smiled, took out six Gold Soul Coins, and set them on the cart's tabletop. Then he took three skewers.

"It's getting late, Grandma. You should head back and rest soon. Your two grandsons look like they're already tired and sleepy."

The old woman chuckled and nodded. Her gaze toward the two children was gentle and affectionate. It was hard for such a scene not to stir one's longing for that bit of beauty in life.

Shu Yan pushed the six Gold Soul Coins farther inward, waved his hand, and left the little stall in the corner with the three skewers of Candied Hawthorn.

When he reached Snow Empress, she suddenly came back to herself. Looking at the Candied Hawthorn Shu Yan held out before her, Snow Empress hesitated briefly before reaching out and accepting it.

Ice Empress ran back from afar with some dissatisfaction, but the moment she spotted the two skewers of Candied Hawthorn in Shu Yan's hand, her eyes immediately lit up. She pounced forward and snatched them from him.

Shu Yan did not find this unusual. However, when he turned and saw Snow Empress's somewhat clumsy manner, he could not help laughing aloud.

Snow Empress shot Shu Yan a sidelong glance. He hurriedly reined in his expression, stepped forward, and gently tore open the thin layer of oil paper wrapped around her Candied Hawthorn.

"Remember not to swallow it whole. The hawthorns have pits inside..."

Shu Yan did not forget to add one final reminder.

Snow Empress rolled her beautiful eyes at him and said somewhat helplessly, "I'm not stupid..."

"Yes, yes. You're the smartest."

Shu Yan replied casually and said nothing more.

Snow Empress raised an eyebrow at Shu Yan's back. Something felt off, but after thinking it over, she could not find anything strange. She simply set the matter aside for the time being.

As the sugar-coated Candied Hawthorn entered her mouth, Snow Empress's eyes brightened slightly. She loved this food, sweet and refreshing with a hint of tartness, and her mood seemed to improve along with it.

Ice Empress's eating manners beside her were nothing like Snow Empress's elegance and composure. Yet with her beauty, those who coveted Ice Empress's looks did not consider it a flaw at all. Instead, they found it another kind of "cuteness."

Their lodging for the night was simple enough. Shu Yan was not short on money, so naturally, he chose the best hotel in the city and booked its two finest rooms. Of course, Ice Empress had only gotten this by begging Snow Empress. As he watched the door close, Ice Empress gave him a provocative, smug look. Shu Yan merely smiled silently without speaking. If Snow Empress could really let her have her way, then what would the previous hundreds of thousands of years have meant?

All that could be said was that Ice Empress was too easily satisfied. As long as Snow Empress softened her heart even a little, Ice Empress would gain endless motivation.

Perhaps because he was about to return to Star Luo City, Shu Yan felt both excitement and a deep sense of guilt. Xu Jiujiu's face kept flashing before his eyes, disturbing him so much that he could not cultivate in peace. In the end, he simply lay down on the soft bed and stared blankly into space. Amid his chaotic thoughts, Shu Yan gradually fell asleep. Yet his brows remained faintly furrowed, as though even in his dreams, he could not escape the burden of his tangled thoughts...

The night was still as water, and the cool wind entered with the darkness. A different kind of longing traveled south, finally arriving at Star Luo City, which carried a hint of mystery beneath the night. Under the same stars, two people separated by thousands of miles found their thoughts astonishingly aligned...

P.S. It's Tuesday's PK today. Please make sure to read to the end and give the author some Follow-up Reading! (Kneeling in thanks!)

P.S. Invest, family! If that still isn't enough, I'll let you bend my brother over. (Dog head)