Yang Qing and Dai Sheng sat in the same carriage, slowly making their way toward Yan Pass.
Ahead, amid the misty snow, the towering North Mountain range loomed faintly.
It stood like a silent giant, gazing down upon all living beings.
The carriage proceeded at an unhurried pace, its wheels crunching softly through the snow.
Apart from that, not another sound could be heard.
Yet Dai Sheng, who had remained at Yang Qing's side throughout, felt a faint unease.
His hand drifted to the edge of the curtain from time to time. Several times, he had almost lifted it a little, only to draw his hand back at the last moment.
Earlier, he had watched with his own eyes as the person standing beside them transformed, in just a few deft movements, from an utterly unremarkable stranger into someone he knew well, before disguising himself as someone else again.
Dai Sheng understood that this was an elaborate dragon-gate formation Yang Qing had laid out to help him deal with Wu Tianyong.
But it was a dangerous undertaking. One misstep, and someone could see through it on the spot.
Yang Qing, however, had merely reassured him with perfect composure, "This will certainly go smoothly. All we need to do is wait for good news!"
Still, Dai Sheng could not set his mind at ease.
When he cautiously reached for the heavy curtain once more, Yang Qing, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them and asked, "How is the snowstorm outside?"
"I haven't looked yet, my lord. Allow me to take a look first."
At Yang Qing's instruction, the string that had remained taut in Dai Sheng's heart finally slackened a little.
He let out a soft breath, lifted one corner of the curtain, and poked his head