Some conspiracy theorists claimed that evil cultivation practices were the cause of the annual heavy snows.
Even more doomsayers proclaimed that the end of the Thunderwind Realm was nigh, predicting that within a century, the entire realm would be frozen over, reduced to desolate silence.
Then there were the utterly unreliable and nonsensical ones, self-proclaimed environmental activists, who attributed the heavy snowfall to global warming, and global warming to the fact that everyone used chopsticks for eating.
Ninety years passed.
The snow in the Northern Region was beautiful. Some powerful beings specifically flew to extremely high altitudes above the Thunderwind Continent to overlook the entire landmass.
The entire northern part of the continent was enshrouded in white.
The snow of the Northern Region had become a spectacular sight in the Thunderwind Realm.
In the eastern part of the Northern Region lay the Qingdong Kingdom.
"I'm freezing to death, this immortal aunt! What's going on these years? Why is it snowing wherever I go, and it just won't stop? If this continues, I'll freeze to death! I should go to the Central Region. I hear it's warmer there, the spiritual energy is abundant, and the wine is better..."
In Lanning Kingdom, Qishan Commandery.
Tian Suanzi fell into deep thought, gazing at the old Taoist before him.
He was quite familiar with Qishan Commandery, knowing that it was dominated by four great families: the Wan, Qi, Ba, and Duanmu families, and that each family had many Nascent Soul cultivators.
He wasn't sure if they had Nascent Soul cultivators.
But... what was going on with this old Taoist casually slapping and killing that Nascent Soul cultivator who was chasing him?
Master, are you *that* powerful?
"Now you believe I'm a Primordial Spirit expert, right? You believe I'm an elder of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, correct?"
"I believe you."
"I see you possess immense psychic power, yet you don't know how to use it. Are you willing to take me as your master? I will teach you how to use psychic power."
"Psychic power? How is it used?"
"It is the most mysterious force in the world, or one could say it isn't a force at all, because it cannot be cultivated; it relies entirely on one's heart. Psychic power can communicate with the rules of heaven and earth, it is the most precious thing in Taoist divination, and it can even help you avert misfortune and welcome good fortune..."
"Master, you are above, please accept this disciple's bow."
"This... so hasty? Alright, I, Mingji, an elder of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, will accept you as my disciple today. Come with me back to the Central Region."
"I'm not going."
"Why? If you don't go to the Central Region, how will you cultivate with me?"
"I am unwilling to leave Lanning Kingdom. I still need to find her."
"What if she isn't in Lanning Kingdom? You'll search for another hundred years, and it will still be futile."
"I... I'll search a bit longer. If it's truly impossible, then I'll go to the Central Region."
"Alas... foolish child, very well. As your master, I will leave you some methods for using psychic power. Study them well yourself."
"Okay, thank you, Master."
"How old are you this year?"
"Twenty-four."
This was the same answer Tian Suanzi had given for many years.
"Then, I shall depart."
"Don't go, Master! I'll treat you to lamb soup. There's a lamb soup shop in Qishan Commandery city that serves incredibly authentic soup. On a day like this in winter, a bowl of lamb soup warms you up; the taste is simply divine."
"..."
Wandering, drifting.
Aimless, muddled.
A fixation in the heart, yet destiny is shallow.
A few years passed.
One day, Tian Suanzi had just divined for someone, swindling a great fool and earning a considerable sum. He was in a cheerful mood.
Suddenly, he spotted someone ahead, heavily injured and being pursued by dozens of people.
By convention, Tian Suanzi naturally wouldn't intervene. After all, he had encountered too many such situations in the past nearly hundred years.
He had seen many people being pursued and had himself been pursued by many.
"Fellow Daoist, save me! I have a treasure to offer."
"Oh, a treasure? If you mention that, I'm suddenly wide awake."
Tian Suanzi used a Divine Speed Talisman, grabbed the severely injured person, and fled.
They fled for two days before finally managing to shake off their pursuers.
However, it was precisely these two days of continuous escape that rendered the person's injuries beyond recovery.
Before he died, the man gave Tian Suanzi a token, telling him that in Guannan Commandery, there was a cave dwelling and a Thunder Refining Pond left by his master, True Man Taodian, which could only be opened with the token.
Yes, it didn't require a person with thunder affinity.
He had simply fabricated a reason to trick that thunder-affinity person into teaming up with him.
He had found a friend.
In the Thunder Refining Pond, that friend had helped him overcome his Golden Core Heavenly Tribulation.
Since he was going to Lanning Kingdom anyway, he might as well visit his home.
Later, they also went to the commandery city, drank lamb soup, met Master Mingji, and registered for the Ten Thousand Prodigies Ranking.
Perhaps, I really should go and see the Central Region.
Now that I have reached the Golden Core stage, I can live for five hundred years, giving me more time to find you.
She was his deepest secret, a secret he hadn't even shared with his few friends.
In the Central Region, in the Eastern Desert City.
"Fellow Daoist, what's happening over there? It's so lively, so many people."
"It's the Ten Thousand Prodigies Ranking competition! You don't even know about this?"
"Not really, what's it for?"
"What it's for is none of your business. Only cultivators who have reached the Golden Core stage below fifty years of age can participate. Daoist Nun, you're already at the Nascent Soul stage, you can't participate. You can only watch the spectacle."
"Never mind, I won't go. Children below fifty playing house, what's the point? I wonder how old I am now, perhaps over a hundred years old? Do you have any wine?"
"Master, where are you going? Aren't we looking for Wan Lei?"
"Looking for what? He's a blessed individual who will surely find his own way. The Fang family has issued a huge bounty, and people all over the Thunderwind Realm are looking for him. Why should we join the fray? Let's return to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion."
"Alright then, I'll go down and buy some wine to drink. You wait for me here."
"Understood."
...
"Huh? That girl over there looks quite good."
"Little Daoist Nun, I am Mingji, an elder of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. I see you have a connection with my Heavenly Secret Pavilion. Are you willing to become my disciple?"
"Not interested, I prefer a life of freedom. By the way, I heard your Heavenly Secret Pavilion excels at calculating heavenly secrets. Can you, esteemed Taoist, calculate for me? Wherever I go these years, it snows. Master, do you think I've been cursed?"
"Hahahaha."
"What are you laughing at?"
"The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao. It cannot be spoken, it cannot be spoken. Little Daoist Nun, we shall meet again in the future."
"Old cheat."
"Have you finished exploring the Wood Immortal Secret Realm? Why aren't you leaving?"
"Ah, esteemed Immortal Aunt, we heard that Wan Lei and Fang Xiaoyu are trapped inside, and we're going to take a look."
"Look at what? Those two troublemakers cause trouble wherever they go. I'm not going. You all go ahead, I'm leaving."
"What kind of wretched place is this? It talks about good people and sinners. What is good, what is a sin? Ridiculous, pathetic. Hey, I'm telling you, stop going over there for fortune-telling; that's all deception. Such ignorant people. Is there no such thing as fortune-telling in this world? Immortal Aunt can also divine. As for payment, you just let me kill two 'good people.' Don't run... what a stupid mission."
"Hey, Tian Suanzi, I'm getting married next month. You have to come and pray for blessings for me then. I won't need to find a Taoist priest. Don't skimp on the betrothal gift! I've already notified Young Master Lei."
One hundred years passed, and a snowstorm, rare in ten thousand years, swept across more than half of the Thunderwind Continent.
Northern Region, Central Region...
A vast expanse of white, covered in snow.
Snow falls because of you, and you grow old with white hair because of the snow.
I have to go back to Lanning. I'll search again, I'll search again...
"Hey, Tian Suanzi, what are you looking at? Do you know that woman?"
Wan Lei walked up to Tian Suanzi, picked up a piece of durian pastry, and popped it into his mouth.
"Pah, what's this smell? It's awful."
"I know her. She's... she's a Taoist nun friend of mine."