The Wolf King’s instincts weren’t wrong; the real danger didn’t come from enemies on the snowy plains but from those few outsiders.
The Wolf King and several other large wolves were tossed straight into the icy lake.
Almer shattered the frozen lake surface with sheer force, and then they all unceremoniously threw the wolves into the water for a good scrubbing.
The wolves floundered and howled miserably in the icy water. If they could speak, they’d likely be cursing the ancestors of everyone present.
Once all the blood was thoroughly washed off them, the drenched wolves were dragged out by their tails.
Almer then used his fire ability to dry them off within minutes, expertly controlling the flames so as not to singe their fur.
It wasn’t that he’d developed any pity for these snowy wolves, but he had a bit of a vanity streak; he didn’t want his temporary mounts to look like bald, scruffy wolves.
The tormented snow wolves: “…”
If you’re going to kill us, just make it quick!
The snow wolves, though exhausted, survived the ordeal. After being cleaned, they continued to carry these shameless people on their journey.
The Snow Wolf King hung his head in dejection, with no thought of giving up, but who knew when they’d ever be rid of these dreadful figures?
They trudged through the snow for several more days, encountering various dangers.
But no one dared speak any ominous words anymore—especially Ruan Fengsi and Almer, who were forbidden from jinxing things, lest they face obstacles repeatedly in a single day and never reach their goal of finding the Edelweiss.
“There might be hot springs up on those snowy mountains.”
As they rested, Ruan Fengsi, in his Qilin Tiger form, lay crouched on the snowy ground. Little Shushu, a small bundle on his fluffy belly, instinctively kneaded her paws against him. When she heard her big brother’s words, her little ears perked up.
Of course, the reason she could understand him was because Ruan Fengsi was in his star-beast form.
“Meow meow?” How do you know that, big brother?
“I can smell it.”
The big cat turned and licked the little kitten. His large tongue nearly flattened Ruan Shu’s fur.
The once-fluffy ragdoll cat now looked like a little shorthair; all her fur had flattened, making her look even smaller.
Ruan Shu: “…”
She pressed her little paw against the big tiger’s nose, protesting his grooming attempts.
‘Big brother, don’t forget that I’m really tiny! What if you accidentally lick me right into your mouth?’
Ruan Fengsi stopped awkwardly, realizing that grooming her was a star-beast instinct he sometimes couldn’t control.
Ruan Shu shook her fur, trying to make it look fluffier again.
But Ruan Shu’s mind lingered on the hot springs her brother had mentioned.
The little cat hadn’t bathed in days and secretly longed to soak in a hot spring.
Though she didn’t say it aloud, she quietly hoped that the next day’s journey would take them to a hot spring.
In the middle of the night, as they lay in their tent, Ruan Shu was suddenly woken up by a noise.
A large black, scaly tail slithered into the tent.
Ruan Shu froze instinctively.
Then Almer’s dragon head poked in as well.
“Shushu, come out.”
The little cat blinked sleepily, yawning, and glanced at her big brother, still sound asleep. Something felt off, but trusting Almer, she wrapped herself around his dragon tail and let herself be carried outside.
With a puzzled expression, she looked up at him.
“Want to go to the hot springs?”
Her eyes lit up instantly at Almer’s words.
But…
“Are we going now?”
Almer nodded. “We won’t pass by here tomorrow.”
Ruan Shu looked up at the sky. Stars shimmered above. It seemed okay.
Then she turned back towards the tent. “I’ll go wake up big brother.”
But Almer’s tail wrapped around her, lifting her up as he spread his wings and took off.
Ruan Shu: “∑(°Д°)”
“They’re asleep; let’s not disturb them.”
The dragon’s low rumble vibrated through her as Ruan Shu clung to Almer’s tail with all four paws, fearing she might fall.
Flying high over the snowy plains, she thought the wind would be icy, but surprisingly, it wasn’t cold at all. In fact, the dragon tail she was clutching radiated a comforting warmth that seeped into her.
Ruan Shu quickly realized this was due to Almer’s unique ability.
This fire-breathing dragon had scales that were cool and refreshing in the summer, yet in the winter, he could control his innate ability to generate warmth, cozy as a heater.
He was truly a creature for all seasons—cool in summer, warm in winter.
Almer’s speed was incredible; within minutes, they arrived at the summit of a snow-capped mountain.
At the peak, Almer carefully uncurled his tail, setting the little cat onto his paw.
“This is a volcano.”
It was an extinct volcano, its crater sunken and forming a large natural lake—one that hadn’t frozen over. A forest encircled it.
Compared to the surrounding snowfields, this place felt like a separate world.
The area was undoubtedly home to mutated plants and exotic beasts, and even from the mountain’s peak, Almer could faintly hear the distant roars of these strange creatures.
Ruan Shu clung to the tip of the black dragon’s claw, her blue eyes reflecting the lake below.
In the clear mountain lake, countless stars were mirrored, and fireflies danced around the grassy banks, rising and falling in a gentle, glowing display.
“Meow meow…”
It’s so beautiful here.
The black dragon curled his claw slightly, his huge golden eyes watching her blue gaze intently. He took in the reflection in her eyes of the lake and stars, a sight he found utterly captivating.
Feeling content, his tail swayed gently.
To him, Shushu’s eyes were the finest gemstones in the world, able to reflect every beautiful thing with a bright, lively sparkle that no ordinary gem could match.
His little lucky charm was not only soft and cuddly but had eyes that were the most precious “gems” he’d ever seen.
The only regret he felt was that he wasn’t the only one who noticed her shining gaze; there were many others vying for her attention, and he couldn’t quite compete with them.
For the first time in his life, the dragon felt a profound sense of loss—a big, undeniable regret!
After letting her take in the lake’s beauty, Almer brought her over to the hot springs.
He chose a pool that was perfectly warm for Shushu, then shifted into his human form, leaving only his pants on before stepping in barefoot.
Ruan Shu froze in shock as he undressed.
Realizing what he was doing, she quickly covered her eyes with her paws.
Embarrassed.jpg
Her reaction made Almer chuckle. “You’re such a tiny thing, yet you know how to be shy! I’m still wearing pants, so what’s there to be afraid of? And this hot spring is way too small to fit my dragon form.”
The bashful little ragdoll cat curled up tightly, her tail covering her eyes, as she stubbornly refused to peek!