After walking several miles, they emerged into an open expanse. Although the sky was still rather gloomy, the light was much brighter than before.
A desolate landscape greeted their eyes: dark-brown gravel, a sparse scattering of plants, and gusts of cold wind that howled past, lifting clouds of fine sand into the air. It was an uninhabited desert!
Looking back, they saw that the place they had just left really was a deep valley surrounded by mountains on three sides. Thick banks of dark clouds hung low over it. No wonder the light inside had been so dim. Those clouds had covered the entire valley like a lid, allowing very little light through.
Just then, a strong gust swept past. Xiao Yu felt little discomfort.
Yanli and Mei Ning were another matter. As soon as the cold wind struck them, they wrapped their arms around themselves, their entire bodies shaking from the chill. Yuan Yao fared slightly better, but her teeth were still chattering.
Without drawing attention to it, Xiao Yu stepped in front of Yuan Yao and Mei Ning to shield them. He could not look after Yanli as well, so he had her shelter behind the other two women.
This at least offered them some protection against the cold wind.
Seeing this, the lean man, Du Jing, slapped his forehead and said:
"Brother Xiao, there's something else I forgot to tell you. Cold winds sweep through the Netherworld all year round. They vary in strength, too. What we're feeling now is only an ordinary wind. When a truly fierce gale blows, the cold cuts right through your heart! You three over there, lend your fur coats to our sisters-in-law so they can keep warm."
As he finished, he pointed at three of the sturdier men in the group.