The night stretched boundlessly. A half-moon hung at the edge of the sky, while the vast white snowfield reflected a faint glow. Across the silent wilderness, a bullet-like black speck suddenly appeared in the distance and shot toward the snow-covered mountains.
The black speck occasionally swept past branches reaching into the night sky, seeming to tread across the thick snow without touching the ground. The branches swayed slightly, yet no snow fell; where it passed, only the faintest tracks remained. Clearly, this was an exceptionally profound lightness skill.
It turned out to be a night traveler dressed in black.
The black-clad figure moved with incredible speed. Before long, he had reached the foot of the mountains. He paused briefly below the range, then sprang toward the slopes. His speed was scarcely any slower than it had been on the plains.
Before long, he arrived at a level stretch of ground. After giving it a quick look, he ran toward a dark shape on the shaded side. As he drew near, the black mass gradually took form. Was it not the Mountain God Temple where Zhang Xiaohua had spent the night?!
At that moment, the man in black suddenly stopped and let out a soft "Eh?" He took something from his robes before slowly approaching the door. Poking his head inside, he stared at Zhang Xiaohua, who lay sleeping beside a nearly extinguished bonfire. After listening for a moment, he finally stepped inside with heavier footsteps. By the faint firelight, the black dagger in his hand gave off a chilling aura.
Seeing the half-grown boy lying by the bonfire, the man in black relaxed slightly. Yet he still gripped his dagger tightly. After taking several steps into the hall, he picked up a small stone from the ground and flicked it