Walking alone could never be particularly fast, but Yi Shuyuan made good time as he traveled with Stoneborn.
The rhythm of his steps matched the flow of spiritual energy within him, setting his movement technique into motion almost without his noticing. Often, it felt as though the earth itself shrank beneath his feet.
Even Stoneborn gradually noticed this and began to adapt.
Sometimes they walked slowly, sometimes quickly, following nothing more than Yi Shuyuan's instincts-or even Stoneborn's.
Beside a woodland in Three Signs County, Su Prefecture, Yi Shuyuan led Stoneborn step by step out of the snow-covered trees. The trail of large and small footprints behind them seemed to be the only marks upon the snow.
Suddenly, footsteps sounded in the woods. Stoneborn looked back and saw that several wolves had run over nearby.
"Goodbye-"
A happy smile spread across Stoneborn's face as he waved farewell to the animals in the woods. Clearly, they had interacted earlier.
Yi Shuyuan said nothing. He merely glanced back before leading Stoneborn away.
They followed a fairly level road until afternoon. After asking a nearby villager for directions, master and disciple arrived near a temple.
Whenever they reached a new place, Yi Shuyuan would ask about the Buddhist temples nearby. He could look for suitable Buddhist disciples while also settling the matter of lodging.
Stoneborn breathed onto his hands and rubbed them a few times. Warmth immediately welled up in his chilly little hands, driving away the cold.
"Master, are we staying in a temple again?"
Yi Shuyuan nodded and looked into the distance. The mountain wore a mantle of silver, snow covered the temple roofs, and the surrounding roads and fields lay bare and bleak. It truly felt like a lone temple on a wintry mountain.
In particular, a faint Buddhist radiance flickered