In the small courtyard built of stones, a two-story wooden house stood quietly. After a few flashes of light through the windows, the room was lit up.
The second floor of the wooden house.
"You can stay here tonight, but try not to go out at night," Shu Lingyu said, pointing to the innermost room.
Tang Ya pushed open the door, and what came into view was a small window, covered with some thin cardboard, which barely blocked out the blizzard outside and also blocked most of the light, making the room somewhat dim.
The room was very simple, and you could see everything at a glance. A small bed, only about a meter wide, was placed by the door. Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan could squeeze in and lie down. Besides the bed, there was only Little Fire with a thick layer of black ash on the walls, including a pile of white ashes, indicating that it hadn't been lit for a long time.
"Thank you so much. We're very lucky to have a place to sleep tonight," Jiang Nannan said with a gentle smile.
Shu Lingyu nodded and continued, "The firewood is behind the yard; you can get it yourself. I don't have any extra bedding here. Oh, and I should remind you again, don't go out at night. If you freeze to death outside in the snow, no one will even know."
"Why shouldn't we go out?" Tang Ya asked, puzzled.
"The snow is heavy, it's dangerous," Shu Lingyu replied coldly.
As soon as she finished speaking, Shu Lingyu turned to leave, only to run into Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao spoke first, "I've put that tiger downstairs for you."
"I understand. You all get some rest. Remember to leave first thing tomorrow morning," Shu Lingyu nodded.
After Shu Lingyu finished speaking, she walked past Huo Yuhao and headed downstairs, the wooden planks of the stairs immediately creaking.
The sounds from the stairs gradually subsided after Shu Lingyu went downstairs.
Seeing that there were no outsiders around, Tang Ya glanced at the small bed in the room and said with a mischievous smile, "Oh dear, Lord Shadow, this bed is a bit small. Why don't we sleep together?"
As Tang Ya spoke, she grabbed Huo Yuhao's arm and tried to drag him into the room to sit on the bed.
"I have something to do..." Huo Yuhao refused, having somehow broken free from Tang Ya, and headed downstairs.
Crunch! Crunch!
The dilapidated wooden staircase creaked again, and unidentified footsteps hurried upstairs.
Tang Ya immediately returned to normal and stood quietly behind Huo Yuhao.
"Brother Huo Ying, Sister Tang Xi, Sister Jiang Si, please have some hot tea! It will warm you up and make the night less cold."
Shu Lingxue's little face was red from the cold, and her small hands were holding a tray with three cups of hot tea steaming away.
"Thank you, little sister."
After thanking her, the three accepted the hot tea from Shu Lingxue and slowly took a sip.
Seeing the three of them drink it, Shu Lingxue was very happy and said to them, "Brother and sister, don't wander around at night. If you need anything, you can come downstairs to find me and my sister. You all get some rest."
Shu Lingxue flashed a cute smile, then ran downstairs.
After all the noise had completely stopped, I went into the room and looked around outside.
Within the town, only a few people walked along the streets, and there was no sound of people talking. The empty town gave off an unsettling feeling.
As night approached, people on the street were all in a hurry and didn't linger for long.
A purple glint flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes, and his Spiritual Detection Sharing was activated instantly, bringing the entire situation of the town into the minds of him, Tang Ya, and Jiang Nannan.
Downstairs in the wooden house, Shu Lingyu sat on a small stool with a basin of hot water beside her and a whetstone in her hand, constantly sharpening her knives.
She had already hung the Snow Flame Tiger up with a rope, and Shu Lingyu was going to dismember it in a moment.
Beside a campfire, red flames burned, and on top of the fire was a large iron pot, where water began to boil.
Shu Lingxue sat to the side, watching the situation in the pot. She threw a few more pieces of firewood into the fire. Stimulated by the firewood, the fire burned fiercely, sometimes even bursting open and shooting out sparks.
The two sisters were busy preparing the hundred-pound Snow Flame Tiger.
Further out, the blizzard had subsided, and in the distance, the bookstore owner yawned, blew out his candle, and was closing up shop, planning to go home early.
"Drink!"
"You can't hold your liquor!... hiccup"
The liveliest place was the tavern in the town. Eight or nine men were crammed into the small tavern, drinking and bragging, occasionally letting out a burp.
The tavern owner was smiling as he poured drinks for the men, and seemed perfectly normal.
If there was anything strange about it, it was that opposite the men sat a figure in a black robe, his back hunched, sitting quietly.
Beneath the black robe, an aged hand emerged, trembling as it held a wine glass and slowly sipped its wine, appearing somewhat out of place.
Compared to the quiet streets, the Jiujiu crowd in the tavern seemed even more eerie.
With their Spiritual Power withdrawn, the map of the entire town was imprinted in Tang Ya and the other person's minds.
Huo Yuhao said in a low voice, "Go... the blood and the answer lie here..."
"Yes."
They both spoke at the same time, a hint of excitement in their hearts.
Ten days have passed since I left Shrek Academy. Is it finally time to make a move? Could it be that this place is also being influenced by Deity?
With these questions in mind, the Soul Power within the two of them slowly coalesced.
The black Slime robes instantly enveloped them, and with a 'whoosh,' Tang Ya and Jiang Nannan vanished from the room.
Huo Yuhao watched the two disappear, stretched, listened to the howling wind outside, wiped the sweat from his brow, and instantly felt relaxed.
"Call!"
Huo Yuhao exhaled a thick cloud of white breath, thinking to himself, "Hopefully they can find clues about the Far North. Logically, those who live near the north should know something."
"Boss, I'm so sorry! When I came out of the Far North, I didn't remember the route, so I could only rely on my senses to find my way." Sky Dream Ice Silkworm hid fearfully in Huo Yuhao's mind.
Although the Far North is definitely in the far north, as long as you keep heading north, you will definitely be able to reach it.
However, by the eighth day, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's senses of the north began to become intermittent, and coupled with the hasty departure, Huo Yuhao had not brought a compass or anything like that.
Adding to the impact of the blizzard, Huo Yuhao could only rely on his Spiritual Detection to move forward. With everything around him a vast expanse of white, he was genuinely quite lost.
"Boss, I'm so sorry!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm flew out of the Sea of Consciousness and knelt down in front of Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao didn't look at him. He casually raised his right leg and kicked lightly. Only a white light and shadow remained in place. Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's body flew out through the paper window like a white shooting star.
"Don't worry, boss! I'll definitely find my way..."
The voice of Sky Dream Ice Silkworm faded from Huo Yuhao's mind until it was no longer audible. Feeling somewhat bored, Huo Yuhao walked downstairs.
On the quiet street, outside the courtyard, a dark figure hunched over, peering intently at the small wooden house with its lights on.
After observing for about five minutes, the dark figure cautiously left.