The nights in this small city lacked the bustle and splendor of a metropolis like Star Luo City. This city was called Dìshū City one of the larger settlements near the extreme north, with an estimated population of several hundred thousand. A garrison of Heavenly Soul Empire troops was stationed both inside the city and in the surrounding military camps as a defense against the ever-looming threat of beast tides.
The three of them walked along the somewhat chilly streets. Most shops had already closed for the night, with only a few still lit. However, a small area in the heart of the city remained bright and lively—that was their destination.
The two Empresses of Ice and Snow were breathtaking beauties, drawing countless gazes as they walked. Fortunately, most passersby had enough self-awareness to merely sneak glances without doing anything more. Otherwise, Shuyan couldn't guarantee their lives would be safe.
What unsettled him slightly, however, was that several men were also giving him the same look they gave the Ice and Snow Empresses. It was reminiscent of his past life, when the dorm lights were turned off at night and a roommate would silently climb into his bed. Their eyes would shimmer with obsession as they whispered by his ear:
"Hey… you smell really good…"
Just imagining it gave Shuyan goosebumps. Good grief, wasn't that a whole new level of horror?
While the Snow Empress remained indifferent, the Ice Empress was visibly annoyed by those stares. A flash of disgust glinted in her eyes, and she subtly released a trace of her aura. In an instant, everyone sneaking glances froze in place as if they had just seen a terrifying beast.
Only then did the Ice Empress let out a cold snort, grabbed the Snow Empress's hand, and continued walking.
As Shuyan walked through a human city again after so long, he couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
He had stayed in the extreme north for over eight months. Now that he was back, it felt like returning from the edge of the world—like being reborn.
The central area of the city was noticeably livelier. The Ice Empress was quickly drawn to the various street snacks and looked at Shuyan with eager eyes. He chuckled. For all her quirks, this little scorpion wasn't so bad. Well, if you ignored her strange sense of humor.
The Snow Empress watched the two of them wandering between stalls and smiled faintly. Far from being bored, she found it all rather novel and amusing.
Compared to the cold desolation of the far north, this place had a charm all its own.
After indulging the Ice Empress in her spree of playful indulgence, Shuyan's wallet was still absurdly full.
Back in Star Luo City, Xu Jiujing had pampered him completely—giving him hundreds of thousands of gold soul coins every month to decorate the Princess's Manor as he pleased. But Shuyan had always preferred minimalism and had no shortage of cultivation resources. As a result, his savings had steadily piled up. Just the soul tools the Ice Empress had delivered last time were worth over ten million gold soul coins.
In short: the man was loaded.
The Snow Empress followed behind the two of them, but she didn't seem particularly interested in human snacks. Just as they were about to leave the street, she suddenly stopped beside a quiet corner.
Noticing that she hadn't caught up, Shuyan turned and followed her gaze. Under the dim glow of a streetlamp, an elderly woman with kind, weathered features sat in a faded reclining chair. Two small boys, perhaps three or four years old, played happily beside her. In front of them was a humble cart, not selling anything fancy—just rows of glistening sugar-coated hawthorn skewers, each one plump and glistening with syrup.
Shuyan chuckled to himself upon seeing the Snow Empress lost in thought. He stepped forward and gently asked,
"Granny, how much for the candied hawthorn?"
The old woman slowly opened her eyes and smiled warmly. "Two copper soul coins per skewer. Nice and sweet with a bit of sour—guaranteed."
Shuyan smiled, placed six gold soul coins on the cart's table, and took three skewers.
"It's late, Grandma. You should head home and get some rest. These two grandsons of yours look about ready to doze off."
The old woman nodded with a soft chuckle, her eyes full of love as she gazed at the children. It was a scene that naturally stirred warm memories in the heart.
Shuyan gently pushed the coins further in, gave a wave, and walked off with the skewers.
When he returned to the Snow Empress, she snapped out of her daze. Seeing the candied hawthorn in front of her, she hesitated briefly before accepting it.
The Ice Empress, having wandered off earlier, now came sprinting back with a sulky expression. But when she saw the two extra skewers in Shuyan's hands, her eyes lit up. She lunged forward and snatched them away in a flash.
Shuyan wasn't surprised. Instead, he turned to see the Snow Empress clumsily examining her skewer, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.
She shot him a sidelong glare. Shuyan quickly composed himself and gently helped unwrap the thin layer of oil paper around the hawthorn.
"Be careful not to swallow it whole—there are pits inside."
He couldn't resist reminding her again.
The Snow Empress rolled her eyes. "I'm not an idiot, you know."
"Yes, yes, you're the smartest of all," Shuyan replied absentmindedly, saying no more.
The Snow Empress raised an eyebrow at his retreating figure. Something felt… off. But after thinking it over, she couldn't pinpoint what it was and decided to leave it be.
As she took a bite of the candy, her eyes lit up. The sweet and sour flavor delighted her, and her mood brightened noticeably.
The Ice Empress, on the other hand, had zero concern for elegance. But with her looks, even her messiness came off as endearing to those bewitched by her beauty a different kind of "cute," really.
As for lodging, that was easily settled. Shuyan, who lacked nothing in wealth, booked the best hotel in the city and reserved the two finest rooms. Naturally, this arrangement was thanks to the Ice Empress begging the Snow Empress. As the door shut, the Ice Empress shot Shuyan a triumphant glance tinged with mischief. He simply smiled without a word.
If she really thought she could succeed with the Snow Empress, then what did those tens of thousands of years even mean?
The Ice Empress was too easy to please. As long as the Snow Empress showed even a sliver of warmth, it was enough to keep her endlessly motivated.
Perhaps it was the thought of returning to Star Luo City that stirred a deep mixture of excitement and guilt in Shuyan. Visions of Xu Jiujing kept flashing through his mind, making it impossible to focus on cultivation. He eventually lay down on the soft bed, spacing out until he drifted off to sleep amidst the chaos of emotions. Even in sleep, his brows remained furrowed—clearly still troubled by everything weighing on his heart.
The night was quiet and serene. A cool breeze drifted in. Along its path, a quiet longing traveled south toward Star Luo City, shrouded in mysterious starlight. Beneath the same sky full of stars, two people, though separated by a thousand miles, shared the same thoughts…