"On the first day of the month, we should eat chicken, and on the fifteenth, we should eat duck, but before they could choose, they started fighting..."
As he walked on the road home, Yu Ziqing hummed out of tune.
"Why did they start fighting?" Cece politely asked.
Yu Ziqing continued his song.
"Why did they fight? Because the fifteenth is a fine day indeed."
Yu Ziqing hummed and hawed, his tuneless hum wandering without a melody.
Leaving Almsgiving Town, Yu Ziqing sauntered towards home, in no rush on the journey, much like a pampered young master out for a stroll with his maid on a sunny day.
Although, on the Wilderness, there was hardly any green to be seen.
Especially in the northern half of the Wilderness, which is now perennially covered in snow and ice; even during the brief summer, only a small area close to Jinlan Mountain would see some of the ice and snow melting away to form a meandering river. The water would travel a thousand or two thousand li, then disappear back into the earth once again.
The southern half of the Wilderness, on the other hand, is slightly better off.
In just a few short years, the climate has drastically changed, with summer shrinking from eight to nine months of the year to around two months.
But thanks to the vast region near Silver Lake Forbidden Land beginning to recover, there is life in that area when summer comes. You can see grasses and trees, and some hardy wildflowers blooming in the warmth of summer.
Overall, the Wilderness is currently unsuitable for most forms of life.
The area around Jinlan Mountain, which marks the boundary between the north and the south, is still somewhat better.
Every year, when Yu Ziqing remembers, he would tour the thousands of li of the locust forest. He had been to the northwest region of Jinlan Mountain. The farther northwest you go, the colder it gets.
At the coldest point in winter around the northwest of Jinlan Mountain Forbidden Land, Yu Ziqing estimated from experience that it could plummet to forty degrees below zero or lower.
Therefore, the circle of locust trees surrounding Jinlan Mountain Forbidden Land has become a land of contrasts for the hungry ghosts.
The outermost part of the northwest corner is the worst place, while the southern area close to the inner circle of the locust forest is the best.
Yu Ziqing once thought of intervening—after all, they're all hungry ghosts, so why create a messy heap of social strata or a long chain of contempt?
But as time passed, Yu Ziqing abandoned this thought.
The adaptive abilities of the hungry ghosts are simply too strong, and it's only been around a decade.
He began to feel that the aura of the hungry ghosts in the northwest corner was different from those in the southeast.
Some hungry ghosts prefer the cold; others like the heat.
Some fancy the west and northwest because it's quiet and without any messy affairs.
There are also those who enjoy the bustle and finding things to do—after regaining some consciousness, being idle just makes them uncomfortable.
When Yu Ziqing finds them something to do, they actually feel better.
So, Yu Ziqing realized what he considered good or bad didn't matter to the hungry ghosts.
All he needed to do was to patrol occasionally, and sprinkle some of the sweet rain he had accumulated.
Most of the sweet rain he saved up was given to the hungry ghosts.
The amount he sold was negligible.
He strolled nonchalantly, wandering over the ice and snow, while the other person was not at all in the same leisurely mood as Yu Ziqing.
The Black Robed Man brought back information, and it was natural not to say he just went for a direct visit, the proper and polite inquiry.
If he really said that, where would be the fool willing to give him a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure each time?
Such words, after being spoken, naturally required a bit of embellishment.
"This time, I've gathered a lot of information, all very important. I think you can give me the Magical Treasure right away."
With full confidence, the Black Robed Man hadn't started talking yet, but was already taking advantage of the situation.
A Treasure Artifact that one hasn't nurtured and refined over the years, even if used, would hardly be able to unleash its ultimate power.
One of them didn't hesitate. He threw out a ball of light, tossing it to the Black Robed Man.
The Black Robed Man received the Magical Treasure and briefly examined it, storing it away with satisfaction.
If he encountered a Heavenly Tribulation, this Treasure Artifact would at least withstand two waves, which would be of great help to him.
He wasn't like those from great sects and powerful factions with numerous disciples and abundant wealth who could bring out seven or eight top-notch Treasure Artifacts to assist someone undergoing a Heavenly Tribulation.
He couldn't afford such extravagance.
The Black Robed Man stowed the Treasure Artifact and looked around at the others.
"First, we can confirm something. Dadui's Sealings have already been solved by Jinlan Mountain, several of them.
And before this, you haven't managed to solve a single one.
Someone was right before to say that the impact of us moving Dadui shouldn't be this significant.
Because it wasn't the result of us moving Dadui, but the impact of Jinlan Mountain solving the Sealings.
In this matter, the people of Jinlan Mountain are truly far more capable than you.
Don't look at me like that. I'm only speaking the truth. Even the Dean of Langya Institute has his strengths, and there's nothing wrong with that.
So, the fact that someone previously killed the knowledgeable Old Goat Demon of Jinlan Mountain was utterly foolish.
I'm speaking the truth because the people of Jinlan Mountain don't even care whether Dadui returns.
They even know about the Tenth Tier.
Don't look at me, this information is from the Old Goat Demon. I don't know how he came to know of it. With his knowledge, it's normal to speculate.