Goldwing’s eyes gleamed with curiosity. He’d never heard Macy Mei—Violet Thunder Fox—mention this place before. Had it only appeared in the last century? The thought made him itch to know more.
“It’s at the very northern summit. There’s snow all year round and the cold is brutal—so much that even I feel chilled, despite my physique. Big Bro, if you’re going, be careful not to get hurt by the cold,” Macy warned, her voice serious.
Evan Chu’s excitement faded in an instant. If even a ninth-rank beast felt cold there, wouldn’t he freeze solid? The disappointment hit hard.
Goldwing scratched his beak, thinking back. “Boss, I’ve been there before. The only thing that stands out is the cold—the wind at the peak bites like coldfire. I never went too deep myself.”
Jenny Sima knew that once Evan Chu made up his mind, no danger could stop him. She couldn’t help but worry in secret.
“Evan, if it’s that dangerous, shouldn’t we just skip it? There’s no need to risk everything—we should focus on collecting magic crystals and getting out of here,” Jenny pleaded.
Evan wrestled with the decision. Places like this always hid something good—just like that Thousand-Year Fire Lotus he’d found before. But what kind of treasure could be waiting here?
“Evan, you should check it out. Who knows, you might stumble on a real surprise. I can’t say for sure what’s there, but I have a feeling it’s something important for you,” Luna’s voice echoed in his mind.
“Could it be a Spirit Pearl?” Evan’s first thought leapt to the key item for his Ninefold Stellar Transformation.
“No. Spirit Pearls never appear in places with massive snowfields. My guess is it’s Iceflame Crystal—and I’m not sure if you’ll be able to get it,” Luna replied.
Iceflame Crystal was the one thing Evan Chu never stopped searching for—the only hope of lifting the Vermilion Bird Mark from Roxanne Lin’s face. No matter how risky, he had to try.
Resolved, Evan said, “No matter how dangerous it is, I have to go. There’s something in there I need.”
Everyone in Evan’s group knew how mysterious he was—and how precious anything he sought must be. Still, they couldn’t help but worry about him heading into danger.
“Goldwing, how long do you think it’ll take us to reach that place?” Evan asked.
“Probably more than a day. Beastfall Forest is massive—this whole interface is at least ten times larger than the region I knew before,” Goldwing replied.
Evan nodded. It made sense—he’d barely run into Sea Dragon Academy or Heavenly Dragon Academy students at all. The place was just too huge and scattered. Meeting Jenny and Zack had been pure luck.
“Let’s fly for two more hours, then stop to rest for the night and head straight to the summit tomorrow,” Evan decided.
Goldwing’s speed was terrifying—in two hours he could cover at least a thousand kilometers. Yet reaching the northern peak would still take a whole day. Beastfall Forest was truly enormous.
Wind howled past their ears. Jenny Sima leaned against Evan, lost in thought—sometimes frowning, sometimes smiling—leaving Evan completely baffled.
“Jenny, what’s on your mind?” Evan asked.
Jenny hesitated. “I’m just wondering if we’ll even be able to enter such a harsh place… And what’s inside that makes you so determined to go? I’m really curious, Evan—how many secrets do you have? The more I’m with you, the less I understand you.”
Sometimes, dealing with this younger man, she honestly had no idea what to do.
“We’ll talk when we get there. It’s hard to explain right now,” Evan said, dodging the question.
Soon Goldwing swooped down from above and landed in a mountain valley. Shifting into his human form, he said, “Boss, there’s a cave up ahead. Let’s spend the night there. You and the missus haven’t had any alone time in ages—this cave is perfect for you two.”
Goldwing’s words left Evan speechless. Had the old bird picked up bad habits from hanging around Macy Mei, that little fox? Surely not… right?
Jenny’s cheeks flushed bright red as she laughed, “You dirty bird! Keep it up and I’ll pluck every last feather off you!”
Goldwing instantly broke out in a cold sweat. Jenny Sima really did have a fierce side—way too scary. He even glanced down at his own lower half; those feathers were not to be trifled with!
Macy Mei burst out laughing. “Old Bird, I think your feathers are doomed. Heh!”
Jenny realized she’d said something a bit too crude and huffed, “Whatever! Evan, let’s go!”
The cave wasn’t far. Evan saw it was a natural hollow, just about the size of a small room. The ceiling was high, and though the space was tight, it was perfect for sheltering overnight.
Goldwing announced, “Macy sensed a spirit herb about two hundred miles away—almost ripe. We’re going to fetch it and will be back before dawn. You two should get some rest!” With a flash of gold, he shifted back to his vulture form, Macy hopped on, and they shot off into the night.
Evan and Jenny both knew exactly what Goldwing and Macy were up to—giving them some private space. Back at the teleportation gate, their emotions had almost burst into flame.
With Goldwing’s speed, a two-hundred-mile round trip would be nothing. They didn’t need all night for a single herb—their real intention was obvious.
Seeing that it was still early, Evan said, “Wait here for a minute, Jenny. I’ll go gather some dry branches and grass—night temperatures drop fast, and we’ll need the warmth.”
Jenny smiled, “I’ll help too. It’s hardly hard work, and I’m not about to let you do it alone. I’ve got nothing better to do.”
Soon they’d piled up a mountain of dry wood and grass. Evan spread it inside the cave, found a flat spot, and even lay down to test the softness. Satisfied, he stepped back outside.
“Getting hungry? I’ll hunt a few wild beasts for a barbecue—I promise my grilling skills are top-notch.” Evan grinned, but in his heart, he couldn’t help remembering the time he’d grilled with Rhea Yang, teasing her the whole way.
Jenny eyed him suspiciously. “What’s with that smirk, Evan? Are you plotting something?”
“No, no, I was just thinking how long it’s been since I ate in peace. This barbecue’s going to be amazing.” Evan dodged. Women could be so jealous—if he mentioned grilling with Rhea, Jenny would probably get mad.
Good times always fly by. Soon the moon was high, and Jenny nestled in Evan’s arms at the cave entrance, gazing at the stars. “Evan, if the stars are so far away, how can we absorb their stellar force?” she asked softly.
“I have no idea,” Evan chuckled, “but I do know there’s one thing about to happen.”
“What’s that?”
Instead of answering, Evan scooped Jenny up in his arms and grinned, “What’s about to happen… is that I’m going to ‘eat’ you.”
PS: My computer’s off for repairs this afternoon, but updates won’t slow down! Even if I’m stuck on a laptop, I’ll keep writing. Lost my drafts, feeling miserable! Please support and send some encouragement!