The Journey

Two days later,

At the east gate of the Su residence.

On the long, dark gray stone street still covered in untouched snow, cold winds howled as the gloomy skies revealed not a ray of sunlight.

A long procession of carriages was arranged in formation before the east gate, flanked on both sides by Su residence’s profound armored guards.

"Young miss, be careful not to let the cold winds blow on you."

Wearing a fox fur coat and a bun hairstyle, Su Qiluo held onto Yun Shan's hand with one hand while cradling Du Ke with the other. When they stepped out of the east gate, Du Ke couldn't help but shiver involuntarily.

His earlier doubts were now dispelled.

Although the Su residence was always warm and comfortable like spring within, once they stepped out, it was the middle of winter outside, with howling, frigid winds.

Seeing the frozen ice fragments that had melted from the remaining snow only to freeze over again, Du Ke couldn't help but purse his lips – wasn't this too cold?

Little Shi, on the other hand, was rather excited. Well-fed and well-rested, he did not fear the howling cold winds one bit.

After all, he was a husky, bred for generations to live in snow and ice.

"Auntie Yun, it's so cold outside!"

With Yun Shan's help, Su Qiluo entered the carriage. After Su Qiluo went in, Yun Shan followed her and knelt by the door.

"It's currently the height of winter, less than ten days until the new year. Of course it's cold outside."

Su Qiluo lifted the carriage window curtain, and the cold winds instantly blew in through the gaps, causing her to close it again.

"That's because there is a formation called the Eight Scenes of Spring within the Su residence protecting the entire premises, keeping it perpetually spring-like. Naturally the winter weather from outside cannot affect the interior."

Yun Shan patiently explained while lighting up the carriage's brazier. She took a copper fork and tended to the burning coals within, making them burn brighter.

After doing all that, Yun Shan covered the brazier again and said to Su Qiluo, "Young miss, do you still remember Yunzhou where your mother's side of the family is from?"

"Mother's family?"

Su Qiluo shook her head. "I don't remember anything. I only know my mother was buried there."

"That makes sense. After all, you were very little when you visited Yunzhou, so it's normal you have no memories of it. You just have to remember Yunzhou is where your mother's clan resides."

"This time, we are going to visit your grandfather."

"Maternal grandfather?"

"That's right."

Yun Shan nodded with a smile. It was at this moment that Du Ke crawled out from Su Qiluo's embrace and went to lie down at the edge of the carriage bed, letting his tail hang over the side for Little Shi to bat at playfully.

"It is time to depart!"

Suddenly, a powerful voice called out from outside the carriage, followed by the whinnying of horses.

The carriage jolted and began slowly moving forward, pulled by the vigorous horses.

As the carriage started moving along, Du Ke aptly jumped onto the window ledge from his spot at the edge of the bed.

"General!"

Seeing Du Ke's actions, Su Qiluo quickly called out to him. Du Ke gave Su Qiluo a reassuring look before pushing aside the curtain covering the window and leaping out.

Once outside, Du Ke landed directly on top of the carriage roof. Sitting atop it, he gazed forward to see the profound armored knights leading the procession had already exited this long street from the Su residence entrance.

As they drew nearer and nearer to the end of the street, Du Ke simply laid himself down, calm as can be, intent on seeing more of the outside world.

Ever since transmigrating over, he had been confined within the Su residence's gardens and never left before.

Although Du Ke had yet to fully explore the entirety of the Su residence, that didn't diminish his curiosity about the wider world.

The gaze of the meditative cat was split into two – one half his normal vision, the other gazing into the void space where his Black Cauldron resided.

"Extreme elixir at the Skin and Flesh Realm, Blood Qi elixir, all kinds of books..." Du Ke glanced inside the Black Cauldron's space and couldn't help but chuckle.

The Black Cauldron's space was now stuffed full with all manner of items. Aside from pills necessary for cultivation, there were also piles of books.

Du Ke finally understood he could use the Black Cauldron's space for storage.

Over the past two days, he had Su Qiluo prepare many things for him to store inside.

All would prove useful for him.

As for daily necessities and such, the convoy could provide them, and there would be people preparing them once they reached Yunzhou too.

What Du Ke prepared were items he needed urgently for the moment.

Just the Extreme elixirs at the Skin and Flesh Realm alone, he stocked up nine.

The ever-useful Blood Qi elixirs, specially catered toward cats, numbered three hundred – enough to last him an extended period.

He also prepared two hundred Tempering Bone elixirs for the second stage of the Skin and Flesh Realm.

In addition, there were also piles of books and secret manuals.

"I'll first consolidate my cultivation on the journey, then make a breakthrough at the limits of the Skin and Flesh Realm once we reach Yunzhou and cultivate the Water and Fire Immortal Raiment. Next will be steadily progressing through the Tempering Bone Realm."

"The Immortal Warrior Treatise says normal humans have two hundred and six bones. For the Root Mirror Bone to fully mature requires tempering them all."

"Arms, torso, spine, skull – every last bone needs to be tempered before the Root Mirror Bone can complete."

"However, I'm a cat with two hundred and thirty bones, so my tempering difficulty is much higher compared to humans."

"Which means I have to make the most of my time!"

As Du Ke silently went over his plans within and withdrew his consciousness from the Black Cauldron's space back into reality, the carriage procession had already completely exited the long street and entered the main road within the city.

Turning the corner, Du Ke suddenly saw a massive sea of people up ahead.

The crowds of residents all bundled up in thick clothing were packed along both sides of the road. Within everyone's fearful gazes toward the Su family convoy, nothing else could be discerned.

As the convoy slowly passed by, all peddling shouts instantly vanished from the streets.

Not only did everyone scarcely dare to breathe loudly, they also instinctively bowed their heads, not daring to look around casually.

A cry rang out from not too far away, but was quickly silenced. Glancing over, Du Ke saw a woman desperately covering her bawling child's mouth and nose before hurrying into a nearby shop with the child in tow.

The moment the child cried out, not only did Du Ke look over, some of the Su family's armored guards also glanced in that direction.

Although it was just a brief wail, it was still enough to put many people on edge.

"As expected, the Su family's everyday prestige inspires great fear!"

Du Ke sighed inwardly and promptly leapt down from the carriage roof.

Such a lifeless street filled solely with terror wherever the eye could see held no appeal.

Slipping back into the carriage, Du Ke was unaware that at a second floor riverside pavilion in a restaurant not too far away, someone else also sighed in similar sentiment.

"So this is what they call an immortal noble clan?"

A youth dressed no differently from an ordinary scholar tapped his folded fan repeatedly against his palm.

"Truly a commanding air from all sides."

"Within this Qingzhou, the Su family might as well be gods. Even imperial kinsmen normally wouldn't travel with such pomp!"

Next to the scholar sat a middle-aged man with the bearing of a merchant. He downed the wine from his cup in one gulp and mildly stated, "Among the twenty eight provinces of the Long Life Celestial Dynasty, the thirteen most prominent clans lists the Suzhou Su family in the top three. That shows how profound their heritage is."

" Humph, they're still nothing but a lineage of immortal cultivators."

A sickly, gaunt man coldly sneered. Hearing this, the scholar raised his fan and rapped the sickly man on the head with it.

"Ah, Brother Wen, I detect an overwhelming sour note in your words!"

"Post-Heaven, Pre-Heaven, Immortal Cultivators – forget how difficult it is to become an immortal cultivator, even reversing Post-Heaven back to Pre-Heaven is nigh impossible. To the likes of you and I, the Su family sees us as nothing but common mortals!"

"So what if we're common mortals?" The sickly man sneered again and again. "Enough ants can bite an elephant to death!"

"They may be immortal cultivators, but they're not exempt from death!"

"Death may come, but difficultly so!" The scholar sighed and stood up from the table to approach the window, leaning on the ledge overlooking below.

"One can only wonder when we'll get to witness the sight of white banners raised atop the city gates."