He asked no questions, and she gave no reply. She simply turned and went to her room to pack. Ten minutes later, Ma Linya reached out and clasped Zeng Mu's hand. Only then did she ask, "Is it because you don't want trouble afterward, or is there another reason?"
Faced with that probing question, Zeng Mu answered simply, "Both."
Ma Linya seemed relieved by his answer. She released his hand and looked at Abyss beside them. "Let's go. I've never ridden a Thousand-Mile Horse before."
The two mounted and set off, leaving Sand City behind and heading west. To reach their destination, they would have to cross Teri Sasi Territory, enter Temple Capital Territory, and travel halfway across it to reach the city at its center, Temple Capital-the capital of the Holy Temple.
Zeng Mu checked the map again, confirming that this would be a long journey. From Sand City, situated at the Three Great Territories' Convergence, to Temple Capital, the distance exceeded twenty-five hundred li.
An ordinary horse would need at least ten to fifteen days to cover that distance. For Abyss, however, traveling five hundred li a day was no trouble at all. Taking their combined weight into account, Zeng Mu decided that three hundred and sixty li a day would be enough. That would keep Abyss from becoming too tired while getting them there just before the seven-day deadline. Of course, they could not afford delays along the way; they would need to spend at least eight hours a day in the saddle.
That posed no difficulty for him. Even twenty-four hours on horseback would not tire him out. But Abyss needed rest, and, more importantly, Ma Linya's body could not withstand that much strain, so he settled on that daily distance and schedule.
The heavy snow