Chapter 336: The Extreme North Snowfield, Here I Come!
Until Zhui Yun cheerfully allowed Qi Han to ride on its back, Pururu still hadn't figured out whether this friendly giant—who let her lie on its head—was actually a cat.
Having undergone a transformation, Zhui Yun's strength had increased dramatically, and its intelligence was no longer what it used to be. Now, its wits were on par with Pururu's. Even without using its innate telepathic ability, it could easily understand Qi Han's intentions.
At Qi Han's command, Zhui Yun, now in its original form, carried him out of the alley and slowly made its way toward the city gate.
The streets were bustling with people, so galloping at full speed was dangerous. Flying would draw too much attention. This was the only reasonable choice.
Zhui Yun's current form wasn't much different from that of a normal Blood Red Unicorn. Only by observing carefully could one spot the more mystical traits that set it apart. As such, it didn't attract much attention along the way. Some passersby even looked on with envy—after all, Blood Red Unicorns were very expensive. Riding one was a clear sign of wealth and status.
Once they passed through the city gate, Qi Han's eyes lit up with excitement at the sight of the vast, open plains and the orderly, crisscrossing dirt roads ahead.
"Zhui Yun, full speed ahead!" he exclaimed.
He wanted to see just how fast Zhui Yun could really go.
"Neighhh!"
Zhui Yun neighed and then began to gallop.
In an instant, Qi Han nearly fell off due to the sudden burst of speed. Fortunately, his spirit power had already reached level 40. His reflexes and strength far surpassed those of an average person. He quickly tightened his grip with his legs to steady himself, while scooping the panicking, meowing Pururu into his arms.
Watching the scenery blur past around him, Qi Han's face showed astonishment.
So fast!
A normal Blood Red Unicorn was about 40–50% faster than a Red Blood Foal. But this new, fully transformed Zhui Yun was nearly twice as fast as a century-old Blood Red Unicorn—roughly three times the speed of a Red Blood Foal.
It was just midday. At this pace, they might even reach the Extreme North Snowfield today.
However...
Listening to the thundering sound of hooves striking the ground, Qi Han began to worry.
He didn't know much about horses, but he had at least heard of horseshoes.
Would running like this wear out Zhui Yun's hooves?
"Ru Yi, should we have horseshoes custom-made for Zhui Yun?"
"It's possible, but unnecessary," Ru Yi replied with a slightly amused tone. "Take a look at its hooves."
Qi Han looked down carefully—and immediately noticed something different.
Zhui Yun's hooves had a bright metallic sheen, and faint waves of spirit power pulsed from them.
Just then, Zhui Yun stepped directly onto a jagged stone.
Under Qi Han's amazed gaze, the sharp protrusion of the stone was instantly crushed to powder beneath its hoof—yet the hoof itself remained completely unharmed.
"That's an innate skill it awakened during its transformation: Iron Hoof. With this ability, Zhui Yun's hooves won't suffer any damage," Ru Yi explained simply, and Qi Han suddenly understood.
Spirit beasts were indeed very different from ordinary horses.
After galloping for a while on Zhui Yun, the surroundings became more and more deserted. By now, Qi Han and his companions had reached the wilds between cities—an area with little human presence and no sense of order.
But for Qi Han, this was actually a good thing. He glanced around to make sure no one was watching, then chuckled slyly and gently patted Zhui Yun on the back.
"Zhui Yun, take off!"
He was filled with anticipation—he had never experienced the thrill of soaring freely through the sky.
In his previous life, even though he had flown in airplanes, that sensation couldn't compare to flying on one's own.
"Neighhh!"
Zhui Yun let out another spirited whinny in response. It seemed just as excited—it hadn't yet tested its power since its transformation, and now the opportunity had finally arrived.
The blood-red markings along its spine lit up in an instant, transforming into a pair of wings over ten meters long. Qi Han shifted forward slightly to give space for the wings to unfold.
Zhui Yun's form grew even more imposing. A layer of blood-red scales emerged across its body like a natural suit of armor, making it appear even more majestic and powerful.
Its hind legs stomped the ground fiercely, and its speed surged once more. Just before it hit the ground again, its massive wings flapped sharply, whipping up a violent gust of wind and propelling them high into the sky.
Feeling the intense rush of wind crashing against him, Qi Han tightened his grip on the panicking Pururu in his arms, his other hand bracing Zhui Yun's neck. His face was filled with excitement.
Zhui Yun's flying speed was even faster than its full-speed gallop. At this pace, they would reach the Extreme North Snowfield in no time.
As the scenery below shrank and eventually disappeared from view, a look of deep satisfaction appeared on Qi Han's face.
Flying had another major advantage: it ignored terrain. He could now travel in a straight line and reach his destination in the shortest possible time.
With Zhui Yun by his side, future journeys would be much easier.
This was amazing.
…
After flying for about four hours, Qi Han finally caught sight of the true appearance of the Extreme North Snowfield.
From afar, it was a vast expanse of white.
The Extreme North Snowfield was part of a high plateau, covered in sprawling mountain ranges. It resembled the Himalayas from his past life—but with much lower elevation.
However, despite the lower altitude, the cold here was even more intense and terrifying than the Himalayas. This defiance of natural laws was said to be linked to the legend of the snowfields' origin.
Legend had it that this was where the God of Ice and Snow had fallen. The divine power left behind had altered the climate, casting the land into eternal cold, shrouded in never-melting snow and ice.
It was a forbidden zone for human spirit masters, yet a paradise for countless ice-type spirit beasts.
Even before entering the snowfields proper, a frigid gust of wind swept over Qi Han, making him shiver.
He patted Zhui Yun's shoulder and said, "Zhui Yun, let's land first."
Flying in the sky meant enduring constant winds to the face. Although he had used spirit power to resist it for most of the journey, the temperature here was simply too low—even he was struggling.
They were still several kilometers away from the snowfield's core, yet the wind already felt like it was minus ten degrees Celsius or lower, stinging against the skin like blades.
"Neighhh!"
Zhui Yun flapped its wings, slowly reducing speed and descending near the outskirts of the Extreme North Snowfield. Even it couldn't help but shudder from the cold.
The Blood Red Unicorn was known for its stamina—but not for enduring extreme cold.
"You've worked hard. Go back to the small world for now," Qi Han said, patting Zhui Yun's head gently to comfort it. He then had Ru Yi summon Zhui Yun back into the small world.
From here on, the journey would continue without it—only Pururu and Qi Han would proceed forward.
The landing spot was quite hidden, with no one nearby. Taking advantage of the seclusion, Qi Han quickly removed his outer garments and changed into the windproof, insulated outfit Ru Yi had prepared.
It was cold, but with his cultivation, he could endure it for some time.
Once fully dressed, Qi Han activated the suit's force-field insulation. Warmth spread within, calming his heart. He tucked Pururu inside his coat, leaving only the cat's head poking out from the collar, and stepped forward toward the endless white snowfield.
Extreme North Snowfield—here I come!
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