My Journey to Immortality Begins with Hunting

Back in town, every thug who recognized Li Yuan and Snow dove into doorways. Those still clueless were yanked into alleys by their friends.

Snow sauntered past with head high, a predatory gleam in her eyes.

They stepped into a cobbler's shop. She goggled at the rows of footwear as if they were treasure. After trying a pair embroidered with peonies, she paraded happily around the room, murmuring, "So pretty...so pretty..."

"How much?" Li Yuan asked.

"50 coppers," the middle-aged shopkeeper said. Seeing him hesitate, she added eagerly, "Look at the workmanship, just the peony stitching alone is worth it. And they're so lovely on your young lady's feet—"

"I'm not his lady," Snow cut in. "We only sort of know each other."

The shopkeeper chuckled. "A handsome boy and beautiful young miss, you two make quite the pair."

Snow ignored the shopkeeper. Stepping back with a tigress's wariness, she edged up to Li Yuan, cupped a hand to his ear, and whispered, "She's weak as a kitten. Let's just take the shoes and walk out. See anything you like? We can grab a pair for you too."

Li Yuan slapped the 50 coppers onto the counter, thanked the stunned woman, and hustled Snow into the street.

The moment they were outside, the girl rounded on him.

"Why pay? Why not take? Do you enjoy wasting money?"

"Little lady, you've no idea. There are real powerhouses in this town."

"How strong could they be?" She clearly didn't buy it. Having spent her life in the frozen alpines, today's trip felt like a tiger wandering into a village of donkeys. At first, you'd wonder if donkeys are dangerous; but stare long enough, and you'd realized they were pitifully weak. And if the weak had something you wanted, why not take it? That was simply the law of things.

"Do you think I'm strong?" Li Yuan asked.

She considered. "You're...alright, I guess."

"A true powerhouse could crush me with one finger."

"They're that scary?" Her eyes widened. Then suspicion crept in. "Maybe you're just weak."

"Is that so? How about we arm-wrestle when we get home then?"

Li Yuan explained what arm-wrestling was, and she grew instantly curious.

She couldn't wait, so the two set elbows to a rock right there.

Smack!Her hand hit the stone.

Smack!Down again.

Smack! ...Smack! ...Smack!Shaking out her fingers, Snow stared at him in disbelief. "You're nearly as strong as the men in my tribe!"

"See? There really are stronger people out there. If I'd lost our money, we couldn't just steal it back."

She sighed as though a beautiful dream of robbery had burst.

Li Yuan exhaled in relief. If he hadn't stepped in, word would soon spread along Cloudpeak Province's border that a terrifying she-bandit was rampaging and the clans were begging the Tang Sect to hunt her down.

No wonder the author from Tales From The Frozen River joked his wife was stronger than he was,Li Yuan mused. He could see her combat power. Snow's raw physique was already sixth rank; any sixth rank martial artist whose shadow blood was frozen would be no match.

Snow suddenly frowned. "Woody, do you think we'll get robbed?"

"True powerhouses have rules," he said. "Our odds and ends don't interest them."

She lifted a shapely leg, admiring the new shoes. "But these are pretty. Why wouldn't they want them?"

"Because that shop already belongs to them. No need to steal what's theirs."

"But they could just rob people for money. Why bother selling?"

"To them money's trivial. They look down on it."

"Then what matters?"

"No idea."

Her brows knit again. "If they're that strong, will they kidnap me to bear children? Mama says I've got good hips."

Li Yuan blinked. "Uh...does that happen often where you're from?"

"If there's a fight and a strong man fancies a girl from the next tribe, he drags her home that night and beds her. One more woman for their tribe, one fewer for ours."

"Your homeland is...wild."

"Wild?"

"Wild."

"You people are strange," she shot back. "You could just take things by strength, yet you sell. You could seize women to make babies, yet you keep the peace."

"I'm pretty sure your homeland is the odd one, not mine."

She changed tack in a heartbeat. "Woody, got any money left? I want to see the market." Her eyes were already glittering with shopping fever.

They talked the whole way, and Li Yuan never pushed for details about her tribe. First, he had to grow familiar enough with her.

Before today, he'd thought all power in this world stemmed from shadow blood—life force shaped by focused thoughts called the ancestral seal. But shadow blood freezing beyond the Evernight Line and Snow's raw, untrained strength proved the world ran deeper.

The power of ghost domains was real too, just one more force he hadn't touched.

While these thoughts flickered, his hands never stopped.

Thock.

Thock!

THOCK!

Axe blows rang out as Li Yuan and Snow raced to split firewood. She relied on brute force; his skill was uncanny. His blade skimmed through logs as thick as a man's thigh, leaving neat bundles no wider than a finger in its wake.

Before long Li Yuan had built a small mountain of firewood, every split log neat as sculpture.

Behind Snow lay only a crooked little heap. Sulking in a corner, she balled her fists—less because Li Yuan wouldn't let a girl like her win, but more because she was still too weak. Yet beneath the pout lingered a shy spark of delight.

So this man really is stronger than I am!

˙·٠✧🐗➶➴🏹✧٠·˙

The days drifted into months.

Li Yuan threw himself into everyday life with real enthusiasm. Apart from hiding his past and true identity, he treated Snow exactly as his own nature dictated—taking her to the market, sharing meals and wine, roaming the hills to hunt, even letting her squeal with joy over how comfortable a carriage felt.

That was all it took. Affection crept in until the pair were inseparable. Where Li Yuan went, Snow went; what he said, she followed. With him nearby, she relaxed like a tamed leopardess. When he wandered off, she bristled, every nerve on guard.

Before long, half a year slipped by.

Snow feathered down, icing the green mountains silver-white.

One evening, the old hunter, beard trembling, beckoned them close.

"Woody, little missy, this ol' body ain't gonna hol' up much longer, and you two always got me frettin' something fierce... Ah done made up my mind. Ya needa get hitched and take care o' each other, y'hear?"

Snow answered without a blink. "All right, Uncle. I want to live with Woody."

Li Yuan nodded. "Tonight, then. We'll bow to heaven and earth."

The little mountain cottage glowed with makeshift festivity. Li Yuan roasted extra game; Snow donned the red dress they'd bought months before. Two quick kowtows made them man and wife, and she began addressing the older hunter as her father.

The bridal chamber was simply the sleeping nook, its curtain taken down, two narrow cots shoved together.

Pleasure proved vigorous; around midnight a loudcrackannounced the bed's collapse.

Snow's raw power, on par with a sixth rank demonic beast, was too much for ordinary timber. They lay amid the wreckage, laughing in the winter night while wind howled outside and their shared warmth burned like a flame.

"Try not to wake Father," she whispered, cheeks flushed.

"Who told you to use so much force?" he teased.

"How was I supposed to know...?"

"There's still one bed left. This time I move, you stay still."

She gave a quick, eager nod. "Then hurry."