After adding more firewood, he wrapped his coat tighter and leaned against the wheel.
The cold wind still howled without end.
Within the Sandworm Oil Lamp's range of light, snowflakes spun endlessly through the air.
Further north lay Snow Owl City.
Another day and a half passed.
During that day and a half, the official road suddenly became lively.
Caravans passed one after another—some coming from the opposite direction, some traveling alongside them—as did mounted guards and traveling merchants.
When they crossed the final cliff pass, Lu Yuan saw Snow Owl City.
Encircled by mountains, a ring of snow-capped peaks enclosed a great city at its center.
The enormous city lay across a mountainside plateau. Its buildings were all pointed-roofed stone houses, stacked upward layer by layer along the slope until, at the highest point, they met the snow line along the ridge.
The city walls followed the contours of the mountain, a dull gray ring that seemed to have grown straight from the stone.
On the side of the Outer City near the mountain road, forge chimneys stood one beside another, constantly belching white smoke.
Along the river by the city, waterwheels turned one after another. Snowmelt flowed down in winding streams from high above, crashing against the paddles and driving the wheels without pause.
Merchant caravans entered and left in an endless stream, passing straight through the city along the roads running through the mountain clefts.
Lu Yuan watched for a long while before he understood.
There were only a few roads through the north, and every one of them had to pass through the middle of this city. There was simply no way to bypass it on the northern route.
No wonder the number of people had suddenly increased.
This was probably where Blue Knight's claim that