Chapter 16: The Damn Cold Moon Divine Hound

Chapter 16: The Damn Cold Moon Divine Hound

The Cold Moon Secret Realm—a name as vivid as it is straightforward.

The entire realm was a frozen wasteland of ice and snow, with relentless blizzards and an unforgiving atmosphere.

Here, the sun never shone; it was perpetually night, illuminated only by a solitary full moon hanging in the sky, hence the realm’s name.

Qin Zhe had just entered the secret realm alongside Liu Qingzhi and immediately began questioning his life choices.

The minister’s flying sword was fast, no doubt, but as she had warned, it was quite unstable.

After only a short distance, Qin Zhe nearly got thrown off several times, clutching Liu Qingzhi tightly in fear.

If he hadn’t been scared of being kicked off by the minister, he might have just jumped on her back!

The whole ride was so intense it even gave him a slight fear of heights.

Feeling the tight grip on her hand, Liu Qingzhi sensed his unease and spoke gently.

“Hang on a bit longer. We have about an hour left before we reach the Cold Moon Divine Hound’s habitat.”

An hour more? Was she giving him any chance to survive?

Qin Zhe nearly wailed but forced himself to sound casual.

“It’s fine. Minister, you fly. It’s just my first time on a flying sword—I’m not used to it yet.”

Liu Qingzhi glanced back, biting her red lips lightly.

“Should I fly faster then?”

“Faster? Is that even possible?”

Qin Zhe widened his eyes and gave a wry smile.

“Maybe not. It’s such a long journey, and you’re already expending a lot of spiritual energy carrying me. Don’t tire yourself out.”

“I’m not tired,” Liu Qingzhi said straightforwardly, looking ahead again.

Suddenly, Qin Zhe felt the flying sword surge forward, the scenery blurring as the speed shifted up a notch.

Tears streamed down Qin Zhe’s face, but he had no choice but to close his eyes quietly.

The speed was terrifyingly fast!

Not only was he white-knuckling it in fear, but he was also starting to feel a bit dizzy from the flying sword.

By Qin Zhe’s pre-transmigration standards, they were traveling at least 1,500 kilometers per hour—comparable to a supersonic fighter jet!

He figured that if he fell off at that velocity, the impact would be akin to a small nuclear warhead hitting the ground.

Before long, Liu Qingzhi began slowing the flying sword down.

“Minister?” Qin Zhe asked, puzzled.

“I think I just saw the Cold Moon Divine Hound,” she said, steering the sword to turn back.

“But you said the habitat is still an hour away. Could you be mistaken?”

Qin Zhe frowned, impressed by the minister’s sharp eyes but puzzled all the same.

They were still far from the hound’s habitat—practically at the horizon.

Spirit beasts differ greatly from ordinary animals but share similar habits.

Most won’t leave their habitats unless forced to migrate by some unavoidable circumstance.

“I’m sure I’m not mistaken. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen a Cold Moon Divine Hound,” Liu Qingzhi replied, slowing the sword further.

Because of their previous high speed, she couldn’t pinpoint its exact location and was searching as they flew.

After about five minutes of slow flight, Liu Qingzhi suddenly halted the flying sword midair.

“Found it! There it is!”

Qin Zhe, eyes wide, scanned the snowy ground below and followed her gaze.

A large dog’s figure appeared, causing Qin Zhe’s vision to darken as he nearly fell off the flying sword.

On the snow-covered earth below sat a dog about half a person’s height, its gaze sweeping the surroundings with fierce intensity.

To any stranger, this dog would look like a dangerous predator, a formidable canine spirit beast.

Yet its black-and-white coat looked strikingly majestic and powerful, and Qin Zhe recognized it instantly.

That fierce, kingly glare—impossible to confuse.

The damn Cold Moon Divine Hound?

No—what lay beneath was a Siberian Husky!

Qin Zhe rolled his eyes, barely restraining himself from making a sarcastic remark.

Indeed, the creature on the ground was a husky.

At least to Qin Zhe, this so-called Cold Moon Divine Hound looked exactly like one of the famous sled dogs from his previous world.

Unaware of Qin Zhe’s thoughts, Liu Qingzhi lowered her voice.

“Let’s not disturb it. We should land a little farther away and investigate the area. It’s strange for a Cold Moon Divine Hound to be so far from its habitat.”

With that, she flew the sword toward a nearby dense forest.

Qin Zhe looked back at the lonely husky’s silhouette in the snow and couldn’t help but ask,

“Minister, may I ask—what’s so special about the Cold Moon Divine Hound?”

“Hm.”

Liu Qingzhi nodded.

“It’s a rare spirit beast species unique to the Cold Moon Secret Realm. Most of them are around the third tier in strength, with some stronger individuals reaching the fourth tier. Among spirit beasts, they are considered quite powerful.”

As they landed in the forest, she continued,

“Beyond individual strength, the Cold Moon Divine Hound is one of the most beneficial spirit beasts for cultivators discovered so far.”

She explained carefully, folding away her flying sword.

“Perhaps because it lives in the Cold Moon Secret Realm, its body contains abundant ice elemental spiritual energy. In our world, spiritual energy is categorized into five elements, and ice is an exotic type that only appears during cultivation of ice-elemental techniques. Having a Cold Moon Divine Hound nearby significantly accelerates the cultivation of such ice-based immortal arts.”

“Wow, this dog’s really something,” Qin Zhe gasped, impressed despite himself.

But honestly, it was hard for him to accept that a husky could possess such “powers.”

After all, in his former world, huskies were mainly known for their destructive tendencies and their striking appearance.

“It’s not mystical, but it is difficult to care for. Outside the secret realm, they must be fed spirit beast meat or other spiritual items. Otherwise, once away from the Cold Moon Secret Realm, their ice elemental energy gradually dissipates, and they lose their original abilities,” Liu Qingzhi said softly, glancing around.

“You wait here and don’t wander off. I’ll investigate nearby to see why the Cold Moon Divine Hound is so far from its habitat.”

“All right, I’ll wait for you. Please be careful, Minister.”

Qin Zhe nodded firmly and plopped down onto the snow.

It was his first time riding a flying sword, and at supersonic speeds no less, leaving his legs weak and requiring a moment to rest.

Liu Qingzhi smiled at his clumsiness and chided gently,

“Don’t be so sloppy. Aren’t you cold sitting on the ground? You could also search nearby—this realm is full of treasures; there might be spiritual items buried in the snow.”

With that, she took to the air to explore.

Qin Zhe watched her leave, unconvinced.

Cold sitting on the snow?

In this freezing wasteland, wasn’t the minister’s skirt making her legs cold?

In fact, not only Liu Qingzhi but almost all the women in this secret realm trial wore skirts—none seemed bothered by the cold.

Of course, this wasn’t surprising.

They were cultivators. Martial artists could regulate their qi and blood to resist cold and heat; immortal and demonic cultivators had even more means.

Everyone loves beauty.

If the girls had cultivated enough to avoid cold, they’d naturally want to show off their long, beautiful legs—otherwise, what was the point?

Still, hearing that there might be spiritual items hidden in the snow, Qin Zhe reluctantly got up and began searching for a place to dig.

—End of Chapter—