Looking back, it was all like a fairyland.

A doll?

"Yeah, what's his name, Zha? One set of magical treasures isn't enough; he also seems to have the Universe Ring, the Wind and Fire Wheels, and the Hun Tian Ling. Xuan Mo is trying his best to find them. Judging from their functions, they're quite impressive. I'm going to be very busy," the Mirage Dragon complained.

"I'm just a mortal, I don't really understand your thinking." Wei Ming was a little confused by the ideas of these powerful figures. In his mind, rare and precious treasures should be extremely valuable, so why were they using them to make puppets? He couldn't understand their thinking.

And it sounds like one piece isn't enough, they want a whole set. It's like listening to a book in a foreign language.

Then he added: "That's truly a fantasy."

The Mirage Dragon said empathetically, "Who says otherwise? That's why I'm very busy. You should go find that kid Xuanmo."

Wei Ming shook his head: "It's too troublesome, and besides, this place is becoming the front line; it's too chaotic."

"That's true." Shenlong nodded. Not to mention the chaotic nature of the area, the very presence of the Yan Dynasty's army here had already caused problems. Even with discipline, a violent institution like the army would inevitably encounter various issues. Moreover, this army wasn't entirely composed of veterans; a large portion were newly recruited. These soldiers, still undergoing training, were temporarily stationed at Yujiang Pass.

With the Chengde River as an obstacle, this war requires large ships.

The large ship is still being built at a rapid pace, so people can only wait for the ship.

The person who came this time was an old acquaintance of Wei Ming, but unfortunately the two had never met before.

The teapot on the table was gurgling.

Shenlong took a sip of hot tea and looked out the window. Fluttering snowflakes had already begun to fall without him noticing. The snow outside the window was swirling, and soon the whole place was covered in white.

When snow falls, it means winter is coming.

"How is Su Mu?" Wei Ming picked up a piece of pastry, sipped it carefully, and then took a sip of tea before asking.

"I don't know, none of us know what the situation is there right now."

"You don't know either?"

The Mirage Dragon shook its head: "It's too dangerous. I dare not get too close. Going too deep, even I would get lost. You must understand, although it's an exposition of the Dao, at Su Mu's level of strength, the distinction between truth and falsehood is no longer so important. The key is Su Mu's thoughts and intentions; one thought is true, the next false, true at this moment, false at the next. That's precisely why I dare not get too close."

His level of mastery had reached a point that was unfathomable, beyond the comprehension of gods and demons.

"Besides, I sense he's showing signs of taking that step, which means Su Mu is still getting stronger," the Mirage Dragon said slowly.

"Can an immortal really do that?"

"Who knows? Doesn't it seem outrageous? But since he's Su Mu, it's not necessarily true." "Even the Mirage Dragon has never seen such a freak."

"Pfft." He seemed to have thought of something and chuckled.

Under Wei Ming's questioning gaze: "Instead of worrying about that freak Su Mu, you should worry about Bai Ze. I'm not even sure if that guy will come out alive."

"Are you gloating? Sometimes I really don't understand what you gods are thinking. Logically, you should all be of the same origin, after all, born from the same 'world,' even if you don't get along, it shouldn't be like this."

"It's complicated. Brothers turning against each other, fathers and sons becoming enemies, is nothing unusual; it all boils down to money and interests. If you humans are like this, how much more so the gods? The principles are the same. Besides, if we follow your logic, you and I are still blood brothers."

"It's not impossible."

After Wei Ming answered, he laughed together with Shenlong.

"No wonder you and Su Mu became good friends; you're really interesting."

There's a reason we became friends.

The two chatted aimlessly, a few words here and there, seemingly able to keep the conversation going. Status and strength were irrelevant, just whatever came to mind. Wei Ming said he was just taking a break from his busy schedule, while Shenlong said he was simply bored.

Watching the snow and chatting is a pleasure enjoyed by both the elite and the masses. It is so elegant.

In winter, everything is still and quiet. Wei Ming, born in the south, arrived in Kyoto and longed to experience a winter of seclusion. He didn't even want to attend court on such a cold day. Unfortunately, as a court official in Kyoto, the emperor reigned supreme, and there was no escaping his presence.

Only when I came here did I have the opportunity to experience it, and it was indeed comfortable.

Just then, with a "bang," the door was kicked open, letting in a gust of cold wind that made Wei Ming shiver. The newcomer was Xuan Mo, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, his hair streaked with snowflakes. Wei Ming and the Mirage Dragon largely ignored him. Although Xuan Mo still had the heart of a child, he possessed the experience of ten thousand years of dragon clan heritage, and could not be treated like a child.

"Let's go get hot pot. I saw a place with a really long queue. We can go while Old Goat isn't here," Xuanmo said with a mischievous grin.

Cattle couldn't be slaughtered without permission during the Yan Dynasty, so hot pots usually consisted of mutton and pork. However, mutton was rarely eaten when Old Goat was around. Although Old Goat didn't mind—demons and ordinary animals were already two different species—he still sympathetically refused to eat it.

The old goat is not here now, and it happens to be snowing.

Warming up the stomach with a hot pot meal was a good idea. Mutton is expensive these days, costing anywhere from a few hundred coins to several ounces, not to mention the thin slices used for hot pot. Not many people can afford it. And the long line Xuan Mo mentioned earlier meant it must be delicious.

They set off without hesitation. The three quickly found the shop, "Fish and Lamb Stew," which suggested the food was quite good. They waited for a long time in the snow before it was their turn. It must be said that the price was beyond the reach of ordinary people. The best cuts of lamb cost six taels of mutton for one tael of silver—far too expensive!

But still flock to it.

The three of them had no shortage of money, so they ordered three plates of the best mutton. Steam rose from the pot, the rich mutton broth bubbling, and the fragrant and spicy aroma of the dipping sauce assaulted their nostrils.

After blanching the lamb for seven or eight seconds, dipping it in the sauce and slurping it up, the delicious flavor, with a hint of numbing and spicy flavor, and a lingering sourness, immediately tantalized the palate. After a few bites, they understood why the place was so crowded. Several plates of lamb were gone in a matter of minutes. They called the waiter for more. Seeing this, the waiter smiled and agreed, clearly showing that the owner was wealthy.

Such expensive mutton was ordered without blinking an eye. So the three people then clearly felt that their mutton was served quickly and the quality was not much different.

After all, there are only a few good parts on a sheep. Getting a sheep is not easy, and eating good ones is even more difficult.

The three of them didn't care.

The snow was still falling outside, but the three people's stomachs and bodies were warm.

Except for Wei Ming, Xuan Mo and Shenlong rarely eat it. Now is the time to taste it.