Delivering Wine to Ice Valley

When the Nan Feng reached the Far North, the snowdrifts at the entrance to the Ice Valley were three feet higher than before.

He traveled north from Heaven Dou City, and it grew colder and colder with each step. By the time he reached the Far North edge, he was covered in a layer of ice, which crumbled with every step.

Shifang followed behind him, shivering from the cold, his breath steaming in the air, and he could barely speak.

"Brother Nan, why is this place even colder than last time? Didn't you seal the crack?"

"Sealing the cracks doesn't mean it's no longer cold."

Nan Feng walked forward on the ice, his footsteps making a sound. Treasure-Appraising Spirit Light spread out and glanced ahead.

" In the Far North, when the rift wasn't sealed, Abyss chill emanated from it. Now that the rift is sealed, less chill is emanating, but the extreme cold of the Far North remains. This is called returning to normalcy."

Shifang tucked his hands into his sleeves, and the fish grill on his back swayed with every step he took.

"Is this the normal temperature? What must it be like when it's abnormal?"

"If you stand here when things aren't going well, you'll freeze into a solid block of ice in the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea." Nan Feng didn't even turn her head. "So you'd better hurry up."

The two crossed the snowfield surrounding the Ice Valley and saw two figures standing at the entrance of the Ice Valley in the distance.

The one in the lead wore a thick, emerald-green cotton robe, his short hair blowing wildly in the wind. He was carrying a wine jar in his arms, with two more at his feet.

The woman behind him had long, silver-white hair and wore a moon-white cloak. She held a cup of hot tea in her hand. The steam rising from the tea condensed into a small cloud of white mist in the cold wind.

When Ice Empress saw Nan Feng approaching, he handed him the wine jar he was carrying.

"You finished the wine you brought last time. Bring more this time."

Nan Feng took the wine jar and weighed it in his hand; it was empty.

"Are you returning my jar?"

"Why would I return the jar to you?" Ice Empress glared at him. "I'm telling you, once this jar is empty, you're responsible for filling it up."

Shifang chuckled from behind. Ice Empress turned to look at him, Shifang immediately put the fish grill on the ground, squatted down, and pretended to check if the grill had cracked from the cold.

Nan Feng picked up the empty jar and looked at it.

"You seem to have a knack for ordering me around."

Ice Empress snorted and turned to walk into the Ice Valley.

"You owe me. You sealed off the rift in my Far North, but you also drank all my wine. These two things need to be settled separately."

"I thank you for the crack, but you still need to repay the debt for the alcohol."

Snow Empress said something from the side.

"Ice Empress, you drank it all yourself."

Ice Empress paused, turned around, and glared at her.

"Snow Empress, whose side are you on?!"

Snow Empress smiled, holding her teacup, but didn't reply. Nan Feng followed behind, carrying an empty jar, while Shifang brought up the rear, muttering, "So even the two Venerables of the Far North argue."

Snow Empress heard this, turned around and smiled at him. Shifang immediately shut up.

It's warmer inside the Ice Valley than outside.

Ice Empress somehow found a bunch of warm stones and laid them in the igloo, so that the soles of your feet wouldn't freeze when you stepped on them.

In the middle of the igloo was an ice furnace, burning with ice flames unique to the Far North. The blue and white flames clung to the furnace walls, illuminating the entire igloo.

Nan Feng placed the empty jar on the table and took out three jars of spirit wine from the Tower Spirit Space. Two jars were brought from Heaven Dou City, and one jar was the Huo Wu Blazing Sun Special Brew that Huowu had asked someone to bring.

Ice Empress's eyes lit up when she saw the Blazing Sun Special Brew, and she reached out to take it. Nan Feng held the jar high, preventing her from receiving it.

"Let's make it clear first, these three jars are to replenish our supplies in the Far North."

He placed the jar on the table.

"One for you, one for me, one for Snow Empress a type of Chinese liquor), and we'll save the last two jars. Don't let one of you secretly drink them all again."

Ice Empress pursed their lips.

Who drank it secretly?

Snow Empress arranged the three ice glasses beside him, poured in the wine, and said something.

"She finished that jar of spirit wine in just three days last time, and I couldn't stop her."

Ice Empress blushed.

"Snow Empress!"

Nan Feng chuckled, broke the clay seal on the Blazing Sun Special Brew, and filled the three cups.

Ice Empress picked up the glass, smelled it, and their eyes lit up.

"This liquor is strong." He tilted his head back and gulped down half a glass.

Snow Empress held the cup and sipped it slowly. After a couple of sips, she put it down and took out a few pieces of frozen meat from under the stove, placing them on the edge of the stove to roast.

Shifang set up his fish grill outside the igloo and cleaned the fish he had brought, then placed it on the grill.

A drop of fish oil fell onto the ice flame, and the flame leaped up. A warm aroma, a blend of wine and grilled fish, filled the entire igloo.

By the time they drank their third cup, Ice Empress's face had turned red.

She leaned on Snow Empress's shoulder, clutching the wine bowl, and suddenly fell silent.

Nan Feng was discussing the cooking time for grilled fish with Shifang when he turned around and saw Ice Empress's expression, and paused for a moment.

Ice Empress held his sake bowl, his eyes fixed on the blue and white flames in the ice furnace, and only spoke after a while.

"How long will it take you to come to the Far North next time...?"

Nan Feng put down his wine glass and thought for a moment.

I don't know. But I will definitely come.

Ice Empress didn't look up.

"You always say that."

"Because I've come every single time." Nan Feng picked up his glass and took a sip. "From my first trip to the Far North until now, when have I ever said I'd come and then not actually did?"

Ice Empress was silent for a moment, then put down his sake bowl and leaned against Snow Empress's shoulder again.

"No one used to come to this Far North. It's just snow, ice, and wind all year round."

"The Snow Empress and I are guarding this place, not even sure what we're guarding. Anyway, there's nowhere else to go."

"Then you came, bringing wine, Immortal Power, and news from the outside world. Later, Rift Town was established, and the Soul Beast returned."

She paused.

"The Far North is warmer than before, there are more Soul Beast, and more trouble. Next time you come, you might even see a newly moved Soul Beast."

Snow Empress sat beside her, and only added a sentence after Ice Empress finished speaking.

What she really meant was, "Next time you come, stay a few more days."

Ice Empress raised its head.

"Snow Empress!"

Snow Empress picked up her teacup, took a sip, and her expression remained the same as usual.

Did I misspoke?

Ice Empress opened their mouths, but after a long pause, managed to utter a single sentence.

You're right.

Nan Feng smiled, holding his wine glass. Shifang, behind the grill, was trying so hard to suppress his laughter that his shoulders were shaking. He was glared at by Ice Empress and immediately looked down to flip the fish.

Nan Feng raised his glass to the Far North sky outside the igloo, his voice not loud.

"Respect the Far North."

Ice Empress picked up his sake bowl and gave a mumbled reply.

"Respect the Far North."

Snow Empress raised her teacup.

"Respect to the Immortal Master."

The three of them drank the wine.

Shifang took two of the best-grilled fish from the grill and handed them over. Ice Empress took one, took a bite, chewed it a couple of times, and her eyes lit up again.

"Shifang's skill is impressive, even better than last time."

Shifang chuckled.

"Of course, I've been practicing every day lately."

Nan Feng ate his grilled fish, he suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, I heard some news in Heaven Dou City. There's been some activity in the Dark Vein north of the Star Dou Great Forest lately, and Bi Ji is keeping an eye on them."

"Although the northern rift in the Far North has been sealed, the Dark Vein extends from the Star Dou Great Forest all the way to the Far North underground. If the Abyss Sect tampers with the Dark Vein, the Far North may also be affected."

"I need to make a trip to the Star Dou Great Forest next."

Ice Empress threw the fish bones into the ice furnace and frowned.

"Are those Abyss Sect members still up to no good?"

Some have quieted down, but others are still jumping around.

Nan Feng finished eating the grilled fish and wiped her hands with the damp cloth that Snow Empress handed her.

"The information we uncovered at Yue Guan confirms that their Soul Pearl have been verified. They've collected a batch of beads and plan to use them in the Far North rift."

"Although I sealed the main rift, they can still use the Dark Vein tributaries."

Ice Empress and Snow Empress exchanged a glance. Ice Empress sat up straight.

"I'll keep an eye on things in the Far North with Snow Empress. If any tributaries of the Dark Vein emerge, we can suppress them for a while. But you need to go and come back quickly."

"If the Abyss Sect makes a big fuss, I'll have Shifang send you a message."

Nan Feng nodded.

"Okay. I'll leave tomorrow."

Ice Empress was taken aback.

"Tomorrow? You just arrived..."

"Time waits for no one."

Nan Feng stood up and patted the hem of her clothes.

"I'm here to deliver the wine. Once the wine is delivered and things are settled, I'll leave first thing tomorrow morning."

Ice Empress held the sake bowl in silence for a while, then finally let out a hum.

"Alright then. Next time you come, bring two extra jars of wine."

"Bring."

Snow Empress flipped the meat roasting on the ice stove over and added a sentence.

"It's cold, drive carefully."

Nan Feng nodded at her.

That night, the three of them drank in the ice house until midnight.

Ice Empress, having drunk too much, fell asleep leaning on Snow Empress's shoulder. Snow Empress sat with one hand on Ice Empress's shoulder and the other holding a cup of tea that had gone cold.

Nan Feng helped her carry Ice Empress to the ice bed in the inner room, and Snow Empress covered Ice Empress with a blanket.

As they came out, Snow Empress said something to Nan Feng.

She may not say it, but she's always happy when you come.

The Nan Feng fanned the flames in the ice stove.

"I know."

Snow Empress sat down beside the ice furnace and remained silent for a while.

"We're here in the Far North. Once you've finished your business out there, remember to come back."

Nan Feng glanced at her. Snow Empress's face remained the same as usual when she spoke, but her voice was a little lower than usual.

"Come back," Nan Feng said.

The next morning, Nan Feng led Shifang out of the Ice Valley.

Ice Empress stood wrapped in a blanket at the entrance of the igloo, watching him go. His hair was disheveled, his eyes were half-open, and he muttered, "Don't freeze to death on the way."

Snow Empress stood beside her and waved to Nan Feng.

As Nan Feng walked out of the Ice Valley, he glanced back. The two figures at the entrance of the Ice Valley grew smaller and smaller in the snow mist.

He turned around. The old hairband woven by Xiao Wu and the fairy vine hairband woven by Bibi Dong on his left wrist swayed in the Far North wind.

Old Huai uttered a sentence from inside the tower.

Did you understand what that girl from Ice Empress said at the end?

Which sentence?

"Just that line, 'Next time you come, bring two more jars of wine.'"

Old Huai clicked his tongue.

"What this girl is thinking is, 'It's more important for you to come a couple more times than for you to bring a couple more jars of wine.'"

Nan Feng chuckled but didn't reply.

Shifang caught up from behind, carrying the grill rack for grilling fish.

"Brother Nan, Bi Ji is waiting for us in the Star Dou Great Forest. Should we go straight there or go back to Heaven Dou City first?"

"Let's go straight there." Nan Feng quickened his pace. "The matter of the Dark Vein is more urgent than returning to the city."