The King of Black Fog

"Who can say for sure? Perhaps this time, I'll be left behind too." The old man's tone was calm.

The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive.

They hadn't even entered the Abyss yet, but everyone had already witnessed its harshness.

The eight of them found an inn and tied their horses in the stable.

"We don't accept hard ice here," the innkeeper's complexion was as pale as a film filter for leading actors, giving off a non-human vibe, "only supplies are accepted. Moreover, if you die in the Abyss, even if you crawl out with the identity of the dead, all the horses and packages will belong to me."

"Alright, but you must provide food and hot water for free." The elder said.

"Food is impossible, but hot water, plenty of it."

"It's possible," the old man smiled, "we have snow leopard meat, help us process it into jerky, and you can keep half of it."

The innkeeper fished four door plates out of the drawer and tossed them onto the counter, "Food and hot water will be delivered to your room. If you want women, just speak to the attendants, they will also be delivered to the room."

As they went upstairs, Yeet draped an arm around Andy's shoulder, "Kid, sleep with me tonight."

"Iron Fist, you're with me," Bai Zi said.

Their smiles were mischievous, and Andy and Iron Fist were momentarily stunned before simultaneously swallowing a gulp.

"Don't weaken your legs and fall into the Abyss tomorrow," the old man scolded.

"Old man, you're sharing a room with Tali. I'll keep an eye on her," Li Changzhou pointed to Yang Qinglan.

The old man nodded, he had planned the same.

Though Tali and the unknown wanderer were both women, he wasn't comfortable letting Tali be alone with her in a room.

As soon as they entered the room, a server brought in hot water.

Perhaps getting a commission from introducing business, the server eagerly asked if they needed women.

"No, thank you," Li Changzhou said while taking off the snow leopard's hide.

Arriving at the 'No Cold Zone,' the temperature rose, and the unwashed animal pelt began to smell unpleasant.

"Alright, I'll come back to pick up the hot water later, and dinner will be delivered then."

The door closed.

Yang Qinglan took off her heavy coat and hat, as if shedding a layer of ice, she sat on the bed, sighing in comfort.

"Are you okay?" Li Changzhou smiled as he squatted down to take off her shoes.

Yang Qinglan initially wanted to bend down, but seeing him take the initiative to serve her, she lay back comfortably.

"I miss the desert now."

"If it were really a desert, you'd miss winter again."

"No," Yang Qinglan's tone was firm, "I'm afraid of the cold, not the heat."

"Yes, yes, you're thin," Li Changzhou lifted her cold, pale foot to sniff, muttering, "Surprisingly not smelly."

Yang Qinglan lifted her leg, pressing her icy sole against his cheek.

"Now that you're no longer a fairy, I thought your feet would sweat cold." Li Changzhou put his hands into the hot water.

"Even before I became an immortal, my feet weren't smelly."

"Who knows, I didn't smell them back then."

"Don't worry, husband," Yang Qinglan chuckled, "I'll let you smell them every day from now on."

"Daily might be overkill," Li Changzhou laughed, using his warmed hands to hold her cold feet, gently pouring water over them to let her adjust to the temperature.

After he set her feet down, Yang Qinglan struggled to sit up, patting the space beside her, "Come sit."

Now it was her turn to remove Li Changzhou's shoes.

"Aren't you going to check if they smell?" Li Changzhou looked down at her, his cheek's profile incredibly graceful.

"Do you think I'm like you?"

"What's wrong with me?"

"Pervert."

"If smelling one's own wife's feet is perverted, then all men are perverts."

"Sigh," Yang Qinglan sighed, "perhaps women just like perverts."

"Hahaha!" Li Changzhou laughed heartily, "They'd rather like perverts than admit men are perverts? Why go that far! Hey—wait—stop—!"

Yang Qinglan pressed his foot directly into the hot water.

The two put their feet in together, and began to seriously discuss matters.

"Is the kid in the 'No Cold Zone'?" Li Changzhou stepped on her foot with his own, the texture silky, smoother than water.

"Yes," Yang Qinglan pointed in one direction, "Just now, 'Marosi' died."

"Perhaps taking a bath."

"There's also a woman in the room."

"Starting to play so young?"

"'Marosi' is hard to spot, but at the same time, very fragile. Hand me some corn."

Li Changzhou reached for his bag and handed it to her.

Yang Qinglan grabbed a handful of corn kernels and scattered them on the ground, and instantly a small army appeared.

She tilted her head to appraise them, "Too big and they'll be noticed, but too small... they might not reach the kid."

The Corn Army shouted in unison, "We assure the task will be completed!"

"Oh—" Li Changzhou exclaimed in surprise, clapping his hands.

Unfortunately, Yang Qinglan remained quite cold, ignoring the corns completely as she scanned the room, searching for new subordinates.

"Let them give it a try," Li Changzhou suggested.

Yang Qinglan pondered awhile, then nodded, "Alright—listen, don't get captured alive, understand my meaning?"

"Understood!" The Corn Army set out through the crack in the door.

"If Qian Xia acquired this power, she wouldn't have used it so readily," Li Changzhou said.

"She's too kind."

"Indeed, my sister is the most adorable and kind in the world."

"I wonder where she and the Turquoise Pool are," Yang Qinglan's tone carried a hint of worry. She grabbed another handful of corn and tossed it on the ground, instructing them to find Li Qianxia, Turquoise Pool, and gather information.

"They've been through trials and tribulations. As long as they're not in the Abyss, nothing will happen," Li Changzhou reassured.

After soaking their feet, they ate the meal brought by the servant, and Yang Qinglan saved half a bowl of rice, turning them into tiny rice figurines to send out for news.

After eating, they lay on the bed, analyzing the information gathered by the rice and corn kernels.