In the Dragon Rising Pool, the turtle described how the dragon pearl could grant a person the powerful cultivation path and vitality of the dragon race. Now Yun Ya was also set on obtaining the Blood Tree’s pollen. These two things he pursued both enhanced vitality, so… just how desperately did he desire life force?

Similar efforts must have been numerous, certainly not limited to just these two instances.

Generally speaking, one only seeks to supplement what they lack.

Yun Ya continued: “By my calculations, its flowering season should last for several years. From now on, you must collect the Blood Tree’s pollen and dew every morning to use for brewing wine.”

This certainly sounded like a task for a maid, so she quickly agreed. Needless to say, this was a lucrative assignment. Her mind worked rapidly, pondering how she might benefit from this situation.

A treasure that even Yun Ya coveted—how could it not have benefits for her as well?

Why hadn’t Yun Ya seized the Blood Tree before? She had considered this question too. Perhaps firstly, he needed the right opportunity, as even the Spider King wasn’t easy to deal with, not to mention the Fire Spirit beneath the underground palace. Secondly, after obtaining the dragon pearl, his body had improved and his cultivation had advanced, giving him the extra strength to execute this plan.

This meant that what he had swallowed must have been a genuine dragon pearl, which indeed provided him with powerful assistance.

Hmm, they had both eaten the same fish balls, so why was there such a vast difference in effects? He gained vitality while what she swallowed concealed a curse.

By now, the ash clouds had begun to spread outward. For the next seven or eight days, thousands of li in all directions would be shrouded in darkness and gloom. Fortunately, the two of them rode the deer toward the edge of the forest. In at most two days, they would leave the White Elephant Mountain Range territory.

She sighed as she gazed at the distant phenomenon.

She wondered where Princess Hanyue was at this moment. Master Ti should have safely escorted her away from the White Elephant Mountain Range by now. But the wedding procession and the entire dowry had been destroyed in the Cliff Mountain underground palace. Princess Hanyue’s wedding would likely be quite undignified this time, so how would Prince Jin react when he received the news?

The Spider King’s lair had been destroyed, but she didn’t believe it had died in the volcano. So where would this great demon, filled with rage, go from here?

The stag ran farther and farther, and the volcano and ash clouds in the sky disappeared from her view.

Fortunately, although Cliff Mountain’s eruption was violent, it occurred in an uninhabited area with no residents nearby.

Away from Cliff Mountain, the snowy White Elephant Mountain Range returned to tranquility.

The forest halted at the edge of a stream, beyond which lay a vast plain. Feng Miaojun shaded her eyes with her hand to gaze into the distance and couldn’t help but exclaim joyfully: “There are people!”

There seemed to be several houses on the distant horizon, with wisps of cooking smoke rising upward.

It was almost mealtime.

After growing tired of the monotonous black-and-white world, signs of human activity appeared so colorful.

Yun Ya suddenly asked: “Will you continue to appear with this face in the future?”

“Huh?” She touched her face—it was tender and smooth, what was wrong with it?

“If people learn that I’ve taken you as my maid, then…”

Before he could finish, Feng Miaojun understood: she was a witness. As long as she stayed by Yun Ya’s side, Jin Kingdom could use her to testify against the Wei Kingdom’s Imperial Advisor.

“I have a shape-shifting parasite!” She quickly summoned the parasite and changed her appearance. She became a girl of about sixteen or seventeen years, with ordinary features.

Yun Ya stroked his chin, expressing dissatisfaction: “Would I keep someone of this caliber by my side?”

“…” He was truly picky. Feng Miaojun didn’t dare glare at him and could only hide behind her sleeve to change her face again.

This time she had an oval face with large eyes. Though not as stunningly beautiful as her true appearance, with her twin hanging buns, she looked delicate and charming. As her dark eyes moved, they revealed a certain cleverness.

Yun Ya held her chin, looking her over from left to right, and reluctantly said: “Barely acceptable.”

She couldn’t hold back anymore and rolled her eyes.

The stag had accompanied them for two days, and for some reason, it hadn’t properly eaten even the lichens in the snow, becoming noticeably thinner. Considering its hard work, Feng Miaojun didn’t turn it into dried provisions but instead patted its rump and set it free when they approached the small town.

Seeing it gallop away without looking back, Feng Miaojun sighed: “Males are truly heartless.”

Yun Ya gave her a sidelong glance: “You wanted to make it into jerky, so it could accompany you forever, right?”

She blinked her eyes with an innocent face: “How could that be?”

The town wasn’t large, with at most one or two thousand people, but it had all the necessary facilities. Feng Miaojun and Yun Ya blended in without much effort. The first thing they did was find a restaurant to enjoy a proper meal!

“How about this one?” She fawningly pointed toward the largest restaurant in town, prepared for her purse to bleed.

As they were passing a small alley, Yun Ya shook his head and pointed into it: “Let’s go there.”

In this medium-sized alley was a noodle shop without even a sign. Its so-called storefront consisted of two open courtyard doors. Seven or eight people sat on small stools outside, indicating that the inside was already full. They held large bowls, slurping loudly with great enjoyment.

The two only knew it was a noodle shop because a worker took a couple of bites, then raised his head and shouted, with his mouth full: “More soup, and add a copper’s worth of dried tofu!”

After quite some time, when he called out for the third time, a fat man emerged from inside, carrying a large copper kettle and pouring soup into his bowl. The copper kettle was three times larger than a normal iron kettle, requiring considerable arm strength to lift.

It was already past noon, yet there were still so many diners—clearly business was booming.

To think that the dignified Imperial Advisor would be willing to eat at such a place. Feng Miaojun shrugged and walked over first. Dining at a fancy restaurant might be prestigious, but places frequented by locals would certainly have good flavor.

Inside was a small courtyard with eight small wooden tables, all occupied. Feng Miaojun randomly approached one table and tossed out half a tael of silver fragments: “I’m buying your seat.”

The customer grabbed the silver and ran off without even finishing his last few sips of soup.

The owner was the fat man. The shop was too small to hire help, so the couple had to do everything themselves. He swept the bowls and chopsticks into a wooden bucket while gruffly asking: “What will you have? Free refills after the first bowl.”

Looking around, Feng Miaojun immediately understood his business and smiled: “Give me a bowl of tofu flower noodles with pickled bamboo shoots, and meat cubes, and add spice.”

“Sweet tofu flower with brown sugar and honey beans,” ordered Yun Ya.

“Honey beans?” The fat man walked away without looking up, leaving two vegetable leaves on the table. “Don’t have those.” Upon reaching the kitchen door, he saw his wife staring at the handsome newcomer with dazed eyes, greatly displeased. “What are you looking at? Nothing to do?”

With Yun Ya sitting there, he stood out like a phoenix among chickens, drawing many glances. When did such noble people ever huddle in a place like this to eat? Feng Miaojun took out her handkerchief and carefully wiped the table in front of Yun Ya. “It smells so good.”

It was now late autumn, and even though they had left the White Elephant Mountain Range, the north wind still made travelers on the road hunch their shoulders. So-called happiness is perhaps nothing more than having a steaming bowl of noodle soup to eat in cold weather. If one could add a couple of measures of wine, well… that would be perfect.