Was someone undergoing a heavenly tribulation?

"I swear it's not edited! That's the original!" the young man said urgently. "I came to the Northern Frontier specifically to take photos. Why would I fake something like this?"

Chen Siyao's eyes lit up, and she turned to call out, "Bro! Come look!"

Chen Hao walked over with the wolf cub in his arms, followed by Cai Jingwen.

The young man showed them the photo again. Chen Hao studied it, one eyebrow rising slightly.

The wolf cub suddenly lifted its head and let out a low whimper toward the direction shown in the photo.

"What's wrong with it?" Cai Jingwen asked.

Chen Hao didn't answer. He simply looked toward the distant snowy mountains, in the very direction the wolf cub had just gazed.

"What's over there?" he asked the young man.

The young man shook his head. "No idea. It's deep in the mountains. Ordinary tourists can't get in there. You'd need a professional mountaineering team."

Chen Hao fell silent for a moment, then said evenly, "Let's go. We should keep moving."

"Bro?" Chen Siyao looked taken aback. "Aren't we going to check it out?"

"It's too far away. We can't get in." Chen Hao turned and headed for the car.

The others had no choice but to follow.

Once they were in the car, Yang Wanqing was still muttering, "What exactly was that golden light? Could it have been a UFO?"

"Maybe a cultivator was undergoing a heavenly tribulation!" Chen Siyao joked.

Cai Jingwen asked softly, "Chen Hao, what do you think it was?"

Chen Hao glanced at the rearview mirror and said evenly, "I don't know, but the wolf cub's reaction wasn't normal. Something in that direction might be drawing it."

"Then are we going?" Cai Jingwen asked.

"If it's on our way, we can take a look." Chen Hao paused. "But ordinary people can't get into that place. We'll have to see."

Li Li huddled in the back seat and murmured, "Golden light or whatever, just don't let us run into danger again..."

In the livestream chat:

[I am Ying Zheng: Golden light falling into the mountains! That's definitely an extraordinary phenomenon!]

[East gate snowblower: I saw something similar in Chancheng once. Turned out to be light reflecting off rocks stirred up by a landslide.]

[Speed is invincible: Can't you have a little imagination, commenter above?]

[Metaphysics Expert: I did a divination. A treasure is emerging over there!]

[Yaoyao's little red riding hood: Big bro will definitely go! Follow him and you'll find amazing adventures!]

The car drove on, crossing the grasslands and entering a valley. The slopes on either side grew steeper as the road wound upward, lined with dense spruce forests. Now and then, they spotted streams cascading down through the mountains, their waters burbling.

"Guozigou Bridge is just ahead," Chen Hao said. "Once we cross it, we'll be on the other side of Sayram Lake."

"Didn't we just see Sayram Lake?" Yang Wanqing asked.

"That was the east entrance. This is the south entrance, so the view's different," Chen Siyao explained. "Bro, where are we staying tonight?"

"There's a yurt camp up ahead. We can stay there."

The car drove onto Guozigou Bridge, which spanned a gorge between sheer mountain cliffs, with a deep ravine below. Through the windows, they could see Sayram Lake in the distance, its ripples gleaming gold in the sunset.

"It's so beautiful..." Cai Jingwen sighed softly.

Chen Hao glanced at her. The lingering sunlight fell across her face, bathing her profile in a gentle glow. She was gazing intently out the window, her eyes clear and a faint smile on her lips.

He looked away and continued driving.

They arrived at the yurt camp. A dozen or so white yurts were scattered across the grass, backed by snowy mountains and facing the lake—a spectacular setting. The camp owner was a friendly middle-aged Kazakh man who greeted them in halting Mandarin.

"Six guests? Two yurts? No problem! Best location. You can see the stars at night!"

Everyone got out of the car. Li Li finally breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed her shoulders. "I'm exhausted. At last, we can rest."

Chen Siyao tugged at Cai Jingwen. "Jingwen, let's share a yurt!"

Yang Wanqing raised her hand. "What about me?"

"You can stay with Li Li," Chen Siyao said, laying everything out clearly. "My brother gets one to himself."

"Why?" Yang Wanqing protested.

"You'll be livestreaming with me tonight, and you'll disturb my brother's sleep," Chen Siyao said confidently. "Besides, Li Li needs some company too. Right, Li Li?"

Li Li nodded. "Yes. I'm a little scared to stay alone."

Yang Wanqing could only accept it.

After sorting out their accommodations, they went to the restaurant for dinner. The camp served authentic Kazakh food: hand-eaten lamb, milk tea, naan, baked meat buns, and fermented mare's milk.

"This fermented mare's milk is good!" Yang Wanqing said after a sip. "Sweet and tangy. It's a bit like yogurt."

"It hits hard later. Don't drink too much," Chen Hao warned.

The wolf cub lay on Chen Hao's lap, sniffing at the food on the table, its little nose twitching. Chen Hao tore off a small strip of lamb and held it to its mouth. The little creature swallowed it in one bite, licked its lips, and looked at him pleadingly.

"It can eat meat when it's this little?" Cai Jingwen asked.

"Wolves are carnivores. They can eat meat once they're weaned." Chen Hao tore off another strip.

Li Li looked at the wolf cub, hesitated, and asked quietly, "Mr... Mr. Chen, this wolf cub really won't bite people?"

"Not unless you attack it first." Chen Hao glanced at her. "Would you like to pet it?"

Li Li instinctively pulled her hand back, but the sight of the fluffy little cub tempted her. She steeled herself and slowly reached out.

The wolf cub watched her hand, sniffed, then stuck out its soft pink tongue and licked her fingers.

Li Li froze, then her eyes reddened.

"It... it licked me..."

"It likes you." Chen Siyao smiled. "The little cub is smart. It knows who's a good person."

Tears suddenly rolled down Li Li's face.

Cai Jingwen quickly put an arm around her. "Lili? What's wrong?"

Wiping her tears, Li Li choked out, "Nothing... it's just... it's been so long since anyone, human or animal, was this kind to me... My husband... no, that bastard, insults me every day. He says there's something wrong with everything I do. I'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be liked..."

Everyone fell silent.

The livestream chat went quiet for a moment too, then erupted:

[Strawberry cake: That scumbag deserves to die!]

[Yaoyao's little red riding hood: Don't cry, Li Li! We all like you!]

[Mortal emperor: Scumbags come in every gender. If you meet one, stay away. He isn't worth your tears.]

[Someone: This poor woman. Sounds like she's been psychologically manipulated.]

[Xiao Ke: Stay strong, Li Li! You came to the Northern Frontier to heal!]

Yang Wanqing aimed the camera at Li Li. "Lili, everyone in the livestream is cheering you on!"

Li Li looked at the screen full of encouragement. Her tears flowed even harder, but the corners of her mouth slowly lifted.

"Thank you... thank you all..."

Cai Jingwen gently patted her back, but her gaze drifted to Chen Hao.

This man wasn't merely powerful himself. He also made the people around him feel warmth and safety. His sister trusted him unconditionally, his friends admired him deeply, and even a wolf had been willing to entrust its most precious child to him.

After dinner, everyone returned to their respective yurts to rest.

Chen Hao sat in his yurt, with the wolf cub already asleep beside him. He closed his eyes to rest, but quietly spread his spiritual sense over the entire camp.

It was a habit of his. Wherever he was, he always made sure his surroundings were safe.

Suddenly, his spiritual sense detected something unusual.

In the distance, in the direction of those snowy mountains, there was a faint but extraordinarily pure fluctuation of energy.