Snow blanketed the vast expanse, turning the World into a landscape of white jade.
The bird Spirit Beast that had served as their mount had already departed, leaving the two humans and one bear to brave the wind and snow, struggling to move an inch in the Extreme North.
Xiong Jun stood at the very front, releasing a spirit power shield to envelop the two, while Jiang Mian held Zhu Zhuqing’s hand, continuously pouring spirit power into her.
Zhu Zhuqing was only a Spirit Grandmaster, and resisting the fierce winds and snow of the Extreme North was indeed quite difficult. Although Jiang Mian was also somewhat preoccupied, how could a man admit he couldn't do it?
“We really came at an inconvenient time,” Xiong Jun said, like an unmoving Buddha. This small wind and snow were mere trifles in his eyes. “We actually ran into Blizzard weather.”
“Small… small problem,” Jiang Mian stammered, his teeth chattering. As soon as he opened his mouth, the wind and snow drilled into his body. Zhu Zhuqing’s face was turning purple, making her look even more alluring.
“The Extreme North is desolate year-round, and the Spirit Beasts here are generally not young,” Xiong Jun said, raising a hand and sweeping it. Several dark golden blades shot into the sky.
The thick clouds were directly cut open, and the long-awaited sunlight spilled onto the earth. Snowflakes drifted down, no longer as fierce as before.
“If you had this ability, why didn’t you use it earlier?” Jiang Mian complained, kicking Xiong Jun’s calf.
“I was afraid of alarming the Spirit Beasts here,” Xiong Jun said, taking one hand each and continuously injecting spirit power into their bodies.
Zhu Zhuqing and Jiang Mian felt their blood boiling, and the biting cold within them was swept away. This vast spirit power, like a bursting dam on the Yellow River, was much more effective than Jiang Mian’s meager output.
“I remember the Snow Empress also has a lifespan of 690,000 years. She should also be trying to overcome her heavenly tribulation,” Jiang Mian said, looking at the empty snowy ground before them. “Unless absolutely necessary, I don’t think she will show herself.”
“I have a premonition that my heavenly tribulation will descend within these two days,” Xiong Jun asked. “Coming to the Extreme North this time was also to give you two little fellows some experience. How do you plan to proceed?”
“We’ll play it by ear,” Jiang Mian said, running a hand through his hair. “The Extreme North is very close to Zhuqing’s Star Luo Empire. Although it’s usually desolate, I imagine there will be some caravans or hunters passing through to hunt Spirit Beasts.”
“You want to blend into their team?” Zhu Zhuqing asked, surprised. “What use are they?”
“A small hermitage is in the wilderness, a great hermitage is in the city,” Jiang Mian said with a mysterious smile. “If we want to gain experience here, we really need to hide among them.”
“I have no objections,” Zhu Zhuqing nodded, indicating her approval of Jiang Mian’s idea. Xiong Jun had even fewer objections, as long as it didn’t delay his tribulation.
“What?!” Inside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin looked at the heavily injured and dying Bone Douluo and the despairing Ning Rongrong. He slumped weakly into a chair. “Uncle Jian, we’ve kicked a steel plate.”
“This kid’s fortune is so outrageous?” Chen Xin sighed, his mood unable to calm for a long time. “He’s only been gone for a few years, and even Old Bone isn’t his opponent anymore?”
“Leaving such an enemy, our future days won’t be easy,” Ning Fengzhi said, rubbing his forehead, a headache plaguing him.
Sword Douluo pondered for a moment, then comforted him, “At least Rongrong and Old Bone came back alive. Jiang Mian’s Helping Hand might only help him this one time. We can divert the disaster.”
“How do you plan to do it?” A glint flashed in Ning Fengzhi’s eyes. He leaned close to Sword Douluo’s mouth, his expression shifting unpredictably.
“Can we really do this?” Ning Fengzhi asked hesitantly after listening.
“We can try,” Sword Douluo nodded, raising his hand and pressing it on Ning Fengzhi’s shoulder. “I’ll be the bad guy. Then, whatever happens won’t implicate the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.”
“Alright, then let’s try it,” Ning Fengzhi jabbed his cane firmly into the ground, making up his mind.
What Chen Xin had just suggested about diverting the disaster was to use Spirit Hall to get rid of Jiang Mian.
In terms of power in the World today, the Clear Sky Sect of the Upper Three Sects was reclusive. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Lan Dian Ba Wang Long Sect combined still couldn’t match the profound foundation of Spirit Hall.
As for how to lead Spirit Hall to Jiang Mian, Ning Fengzhi already had an idea…
“Achoo!”
Jiang Mian sneezed twice without warning. He didn’t think much of it, smiling as he approached the caravan in front of him, which was transporting goods with Spirit Beasts.
“Hello, friends. We are Spirit Masters who came here to hunt Spirit Beasts, and we’ve lost our way in the heavy snow. May we travel with you?”
Jiang Mian cupped his fists, bowing to the caravan’s leading shopkeeper, and asked politely.
“Spirit Masters?” The leading shopkeeper pulled his mount to a stop, looking at Jiang Mian with a puzzled expression. “Just the three of you?”
“That’s right,” Jiang Mian nodded. The leading shopkeeper scrutinized the three of them one by one. When he saw Zhu Zhuqing, his expression suddenly changed, but he quickly concealed it.
“Alright, our caravan happens to be short on escorts. If you don’t mind, you can come with us,” the leading shopkeeper nodded and said. “Where are you planning to go?”
“We’ve already absorbed our spirit rings. We currently have no plans. Which way is your caravan going?” Jiang Mian asked.
“We plan to go to the Star Luo Empire,” the leading shopkeeper said, pointing to the due west with his horsewhip. “We just transported goods and then met you. It’s fate.”
“Star Luo Empire?” Jiang Mian subconsciously looked at Zhu Zhuqing, and seeing that she had no reaction, he readily agreed.
After all, the three of them had nothing they needed to do right now. It was better to blend into such a caravan. After all, when it came to well-informed industries in the World, caravans were definitely high on the list.
“You all noticed that powerful entity dispersing the Blizzard just now, right?” The shopkeeper said, pointing to the sky with a serious expression. “We need to stay clear of it. If we encounter that entity, we’ll all lose our lives.”
Jiang Mian scratched his head and gave an awkward smile.
“Someone, bring some warm clothes for our three friends and lead over two Jianwang Camels!” The shopkeeper shouted loudly, helping Jiang Mian and the others get their supplies complete.
“The caravan still needs me to lead, so I won’t chat with you. If you need anything, just ask,” the shopkeeper said with a hearty laugh, riding his camel to the front of the caravan.
“Jianwang Camel. I heard this kind of Spirit Beast can go ten days and ten nights without eating or drinking,” Zhu Zhuqing exclaimed. “This caravan actually has nearly thirty Jianwang Camels. How big of a merchant house must it be to afford such a huge expense?”
“How much does this camel cost?” Jiang Mian asked curiously.
“One Jianwang Camel, ten thousand gold coins.”
“My goodness!” Jiang Mian’s eyes suddenly widened. This wasn’t a caravan; this was clearly walking gold!
After the shopkeeper gave his orders, two young men quickly brought the warm clothes and camels to Jiang Mian. Although they were burly, their eyes were very clear.
“Thank you, two young brothers,” Jiang Mian said, cupping his fists in thanks. Without ceremony, he and Zhu Zhuqing put on the warm clothes. After the two of them rode on one camel together, Jiang Mian then used the warm clothing originally prepared for Xiong Jun to cover Zhu Zhuqing, so she would be even warmer.
“So I’m just superfluous, huh?” Xiong Jun chuckled angrily. “Jiang Mian, forgetting friends for beauty!”
“You don’t need it anyway,” Jiang Mian pouted and laughed heartily. “Xiong Jun, you’re not jealous, are you?”
“Get lost.” Xiong Jun flipped onto a Jianwang Camel and quickly rode to the other side of the caravan. He didn’t want to bother with Jiang Mian, who abandoned friends for beauty.
“Zhuqing, are you still cold?”
Zhu Zhuqing’s cold back pressed against Jiang Mian’s chest. Their current distance was almost nonexistent. Zhu Zhuqing’s face was slightly red, and she quietly snuggled deeper into Jiang Mian’s embrace.
Jiang Mian smiled faintly, gently wrapping his arms around Zhu Zhuqing’s slender waist from behind. The Jianwang Camel could find its own way without human guidance, which fully provided Jiang Mian with an opportunity.
How could Zhu Zhuqing refuse? She silently held Jiang Mian’s hand, her eyes filled with tenderness.
“Careful! Spirit Beasts attacking ahead!”
A sudden alarm interrupted the affectionate couple. Jiang Mian looked ahead with annoyance, discovering hundreds of Spirit Beast wolves suddenly appearing at the foot of a nearby mountain.
“Snow Wolves,” Xiong Jun immediately came to Jiang Mian’s side to protect him. “These Spirit Beasts usually appear in packs, led by a alpha wolf for hunting.”
“That must be the alpha wolf,” Jiang Mian said, looking at the giant wolf surrounded by the pack. Its snowy white fur almost blended into nature, with only a pair of blood-red eyes standing out eerily.
“Do I need to make a move?” Xiong Jun had no interest in such small ants. Without even a hundred-thousand-year cultivation, were they worthy of his attention?
“Don’t rush, let’s wait and see,” Jiang Mian shook his head and said. “It’s a good chance to see their caravan’s strength.”
No sooner had he spoken than the pack of Snow Wolves swarmed towards the caravan like wasps returning to their nest. Several defense-type Spirit Masters around the caravan acted together, creating an iron-clad defensive formation around the caravan.
“Three Spirit Kings, two Spirit Emperors,” Jiang Mian looked around, assessing the caravan’s strength. “The leader is a level 70 Spirit Saint.”
“No wonder the shopkeeper is so calm,” Jiang Mian couldn’t help but sigh. “With this kind of strength, it’s enough to establish a Spirit Master academy.”
The Snow Wolves howled, constantly tearing at the defensive formation, but to no avail. The entire formation was impregnable, completely unfazed by the attacks of these Snow Wolves, whose highest cultivation was only a few thousand years.
“Are they just letting them attack?” Zhu Zhuqing keenly noticed that at the very front of the caravan, the man beside the shopkeeper was stirring.
“It seems the main act is that man,” Jiang Mian narrowed his eyes. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to help the caravan, but the shopkeeper’s expression had been abnormal when he looked at Zhu Zhuqing earlier.
Jiang Mian was an incredibly meticulous person; even the slightest disturbance could catch his attention. What’s more, he hadn’t trusted that shopkeeper from the beginning.
The reason he agreed to travel with the shopkeeper was, firstly, to gain experience while keeping a low profile, and secondly, because Xiong Jun was by Jiang Mian’s side. Could a caravan really have a Level 99 Limit Douluo?
Currently, there were only three Level 99 Limit Douluo on the entire continent!
Boom!
The man who had been accumulating power finally made his move. His spirit ring configuration of two yellow, two purple, and three black displayed his strength. A phantom bat appeared behind him.
In an instant, the dozen or so Snow Wolves closest to the caravan were sucked dry, their flesh gone, leaving only their wolf skins and skeletons scattered on the ground.
“What a cruel method,” Jiang Mian frowned slightly. He secretly observed Xiong Jun’s expression, afraid that Xiong Jun would fly into a rage because of humans indiscriminately killing Spirit Beasts.
Xiong Jun’s expression was normal, making it impossible to discern his thoughts.
Seeing that the situation was not right, the alpha wolf in the distance suddenly let out a long howl. The surrounding wolf pack howled in response, their momentum surging.
“The alpha wolf has boosted the strength of the pack,” Xiong Jun said faintly. “I didn’t expect such a method.”
“Is the alpha wolf not going to move yet?” Jiang Mian asked, surprised.
“No rush, the kings usually make the final appearance,” Xiong Jun chuckled, looking at the shopkeeper. “You don’t really think a shopkeeper who constantly travels in the Extreme North is an easy target, do you?”
“He’s been hiding his cultivation!”
The wolf pack temporarily gained a buff, and the originally impregnable defensive formation finally began to shake. The Spirit Saint presiding over the formation had blood at the corner of his mouth, clearly struggling to hold on.
After all, as Jiang Mian looked up, the attackers of the defensive formation were no longer just Snow Wolves of a few thousand years. There were also three Snow Wolves over ten thousand years old, and one had even reached the thirty-thousand-year level.
Let alone a Spirit Saint, even a Spirit Douluo would lose a layer of skin under the incessant tearing of so many wolves.
Xiong Jun remained calm, even slowly closing his eyes, like an old monk in meditation, his aura retracted.
No one knew what he wanted to do. Several Snow Wolves had gathered around Jiang Mian and Zhu Zhuqing, but they didn’t attack the defensive formation. Instead, they tucked their tails between their legs, staring at Xiong Jun with terrified expressions.
The alpha wolf in the distance finally couldn’t sit still.
Its body moved like a rainbow, and it slammed a paw onto the defensive shield.
Bang!
The defensive shield made a sound like shattering glass. The entire formation was shattered by the alpha wolf’s single slap. The Snow Wolves opened their bloodthirsty mouths and began to mercilessly tear at the humans.
“Let’s go save them,” Jiang Mian said, unable to bear it. He instructed, “Xiong Jun, protect Zhuqing well.”
Xiong Jun remained unmoved, still resting with his eyes closed. The few Snow Wolves gathered around him dared not make a move, some even prostrated themselves on the ground, submitting.
A five-hundred-thousand-year-old beast, one of the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts, how could they challenge or shake him?
Jiang Mian kicked away a Snow Wolf that was tearing at a merchant, saving him. But a wail came from afar; a poor merchant was grabbed by five Snow Wolves by his limbs and torn into pieces alive.
Jiang Mian used Tearing Sky Claw to repel those Snow Wolves, but exposed his own back.
A Snow Wolf seized the opportunity and pounced fiercely at Jiang Mian.
“First Spirit Ability, Hell Rush Stab!”
Fortunately, Zhu Zhuqing came to the rescue. She moved like a phantom, kicking the Snow Wolf in the eyeball, sending it flying.
Zhu Zhuqing and Jiang Mian understood each other perfectly. They stood back to back, vigilantly watching the fierce Snow Wolves around them.
Xiong Jun was unmoved. The purpose of coming to the Extreme North was to train the two of them. Would it still be training if he made a move? It would just be an instant kill.
After the alpha wolf destroyed the defensive formation, it was already engaged in battle with the Spirit Saint with the bat Spirit and the shopkeeper.
The two humans and one wolf fought fiercely, snow flying everywhere.
Jiang Mian released Hellfire, forming a circle around himself and Zhu Zhuqing. The Snow Wolves were already restrained by the fierce flames and dared not approach for a while.
Finally, a Snow Wolf that looked to be of considerable age broke through the Hellfire and pounced fiercely at Zhu Zhuqing.
Jiang Mian took Zhu Zhuqing’s hand, using the momentum to swing her. Zhu Zhuqing kicked the Snow Wolf in mid-air, directly sending it flying into the Hellfire to be incinerated.
Jiang Mian then embraced Zhu Zhuqing, helping her stabilize her stance.
“Xiong Jun, make your move!” Jiang Mian shouted loudly. He really didn’t want any more casualties.
Xiong Jun slowly opened his eyes. In an instant, the surrounding air seemed to freeze, and everyone felt an irresistible pressure.
Even the alpha wolf, which was battling the Bat Spirit Saint and the shopkeeper, despite being close to sixty thousand years of cultivation, did not hesitate for a moment. It unleashed unprecedented killing power, sending the two flying before turning and fleeing with its wolf pack without looking back.
“This, what kind of terrifying existence is this?!” The shopkeeper and the Bat Spirit Saint looked at each other, wondering just how unfathomable these three people they had invited in truly were.
Could it be that they were the helpers invited by that person, specifically to disrupt our plan?
The shopkeeper couldn’t help but recall Zhu Zhuqing’s delicate and cold face. He couldn’t figure out when he had exposed himself…
Before he could figure it out, the distant mountaintop suddenly began to move slowly, accompanied by a sound that echoed through the heavens, reaching everyone’s ears.
Spirit Masters of lower levels immediately bled from their seven orifices upon hearing the sound. Xiong Jun sat cross-legged in mid-air, releasing spirit power to protect Jiang Mian and Zhu Zhuqing.
“What Spirit Beast dares to cause trouble here?!”