"Hiss!"
Chen Yu, leaning by the window engrossed in a book, rubbed his inexplicably sore nose and glanced out at the window before silently closing it.
"So cold."
"Fengqi City feels like it has harsher weather than Free Town."
After nearly a year of surviving in the underground world, Chen Yu had barely experienced significant temperature fluctuations in the areas around Free Town.
He was also grateful for his good luck.
Although he had entered an unfamiliar environment, he found himself surviving in a region with a mild climate, free from scorching heat or biting cold, nor was he subjected to fierce winds or torrential rain.
During the most arduous phase, he hadn't faced excessive pressure from external conditions.
If he had landed in a desert area upon entering the underground, like Yu Pu, or been thrust into an endless snowfield like Jiang Yaqing, with his not particularly extensive wilderness survival skills, he might not have been able to overcome such a challenging initial period. He often reflected on this, feeling blessed by fortune.
Chen Yu had once assumed that the geographical environment of the Tatu Kingdom was simply more favorable.
Perpetual spring.
Upon arriving in Fengqi City, he realized his previous assumption might have been mistaken. Fengqi City was a city with extreme diurnal temperature variations; while midday offered a comfortable peak temperature, late at night could bring a cold so intense it felt like water freezing into ice. Fortunately, the city's inhabitants seemed to have adapted well, though the day-night cycle that drove work in places like Free Town wasn't as smooth.
The cold of late night was truly bone-chilling.
Even Chen Yu, a Golden Realm cultivator and a fire mage, felt a shiver down his spine, his shoulders occasionally trembling uncontrollably, let alone the common folk with lesser strength than him.
Shaking his head slightly, a wisp of flame emerged from Chen Yu's fingertips.
He lit the heater in the room.
The orange-red flame added a touch of warmth to the cold room, and Chen Yu returned to his seat, picking up the book in his hands again.
The cultural level in the underground was not as dire as Chen Yu had initially thought.
The lack of culture was more prevalent among the common people. Many educated individuals possessed a considerably high level of intellectual awareness, perhaps even surpassing those from outside the underground. When Chen Yu encountered classics, he would often sigh, feeling as if a veil had been lifted.
"Thought-provoking."
Chen Yu murmured, his gaze fixed on the book.
Since entering the Fengqi City Lord's Mansion, he had developed a habit of reading. The contract with Black Bean allowed him to read without significant obstacles.
Previously, Free Town was a desolate city with no historical depth.
The surrounding city-states were no different.
Even if Chen Yu wished to learn about the history and culture of the underground, he had no resources to begin with.
Upon arriving in Fengqi City, despite the internal strife that had left the city in ruins, the city's library fortunately preserved a considerable number of complete texts.
Chen Yu welcomed this.
Regardless of the genre, he would sample them to enrich his understanding of the underground world.
Time flowed by slowly.
By the time Chen Yu reached the last page of the book, darkness had enveloped the outside. Chen Yu stretched lazily and checked his wrist-worn device, realizing it was already past midnight.
Placing the book he had finished reading on the table, Chen Yu rubbed his tired eyes and proceeded to check his private messages and the trading channel.
This was also part of Chen Yu's routine: checking private messages to avoid missing any important information and scouring the trading channel for resources to ensure he didn't overlook rare items like Fire Fruits.
Disappointingly, there wasn't much to report.
Chen Yu understood this; a lack of findings was the norm. If he discovered something new every day, it would seem quite unreasonable.
During this time, Chen Yu also specifically checked Noah's chat window.
There were no new messages.
It appeared that this adventuring party hadn't had any significant discoveries recently. If they had gained something, they would have contacted Chen Yu immediately.
Although there was no news from Noah, Chen Yu spotted a familiar face in the chat window.
Glancing at the notification on his wrist-worn device, Chen Yu grinned and sent a video call invitation.
About half a minute later—
"Are you insane?"
The first thing that reached his ears was an angry curse. In the video feed, Jiang Yaqing was sitting properly at a long table, her willow-like eyebrows slightly furrowed.
Six months of survival in the ice region seemed to have had no effect on her.
Her skin remained delicate.
To Chen Yu, she appeared even fairer than before, like sparkling white snow.
"Mute, say something!" Jiang Yaqing glared, thumping the table repeatedly, and then jabbed at the survival wrist-worn device on her fair wrist. "Look at what time it is now, it's already one-thirty in the morning. You're video-calling me this late at night, do you want to die?"
"Such a good girl, why do you have such a foul mouth," Chen Yu sighed and shook his head.
???
Jiang Yaqing, facing the camera, tilted her head and frowned, her furrowed brows forming a question mark shape.
"Are you feeling unwell?"
"Why do you have such a strong resentment towards me?" Chen Yu asked softly with a sigh. "Whether we're video-calling or voice-chatting, you never fail to scold me. Do I really annoy you that much? Besides, I only called you back because you messaged me asking if I was still alive, so I thought I’d let you know I’m safe."
"Beat it, alright?"
Jiang Yaqing pointed her finger outside the video frame.
"Brother, take a look at when the message was sent to you – three days ago! If you had really died in that much time, your bones would probably have been ground into dust by wild boars. You're telling me you're safe now, are you sick? And look at the time. Couldn't you have waited until morning to contact me? Chen Yu, others might not know you, but how could I not? You're a pure sword mound, always looking for trouble!"
Caught in his act, Chen Yu chuckled. Jiang Yaqing, too lazy to argue, pouted.
"Indeed, it is my Sister Yaqing who sees things clearly for me. Sister Yaqing, please understand, I've been so busy I haven't had a moment to myself lately, only now have I become a little freer."
"Yes, yes, you're busy, you're busy."
"It's all for survival, you know. The competition in the underground is so fierce. If you don't work hard, you might be trampled underfoot by others. I want to live as a person, can I not do more things?" Chen Yu grinned, then gestured towards Jiang Yaqing with his lips. "What's your situation? You're dressed so properly, and it looks like you haven't rested yet."
"Just because you're busy, does that mean I can't be?"
Jiang Yaqing spread her hands, and Chen Yu quickly shook his head with a fawning smile.
"Hmph, I really don't want to deal with you." Jiang Yaqing's disdain intensified in her eyes. She then leaned back, crossed her arms, and said, "Alright, tell me, what do you want me to help you with this time?"
"Not at all, I just missed you."
"Scram!"
Without missing a beat, Jiang Yaqing rolled her eyes and cursed.
"I know your character. You've never contacted me when you're not busy in all the time we've known each other. It feels like I'm being used as a tool. Hurry up and tell me what trivial matter you have. I'm busy too and don't have time to waste with you."
"Fine, then I do… have a small matter I wanted to ask about."
Chen Yu smiled wryly. Jiang Yaqing looked at him as if she saw right through him, her arms crossed, her gaze indifferent. After about half a minute, Chen Yu licked his lips.
"Do you have any equipment blueprints?"