Chapter 35: The First Snow of Winter

Four hours later, the plane landed promptly at the airport.

Duan Wenxuan had never been to the Li Kingdom before, but upon arrival, he felt quite positive about it. Since the Li Kingdom was once ruled by Hanming Country, their cultures share many similarities.

Additionally, despite undergoing two periods of re-establishment in ancient times, historical records from the Li Kingdom generally held favorable views towards Hanming Country. This was partly because the remote location of the Li Kingdom led Hanming Country to perceive it as barren, resulting in minimal oppression and instead frequent rewards. Some Li Kingdom rulers were unpopular with the populace, to the extent that there were even uprisings attempting to invite Hanming Country back for rule.

Consequently, even in modern times, most citizens of the Li Kingdom maintain a favorable impression of Hanming Country, leading to special travel incentives for visitors from Hanming.

Following the crowd, Duan Wenxuan exited the airport.

At the exit, he glanced around briefly and quickly spotted a young man in a professional suit holding up a sign with his name, waving it gently.

Pulling his luggage, Duan Wenxuan swiftly approached the young man who noticed him immediately, dropped the sign, and ran over. “Mr. Duan?”

The young man wore a work badge on his chest with “Sakagawa” written on it.

Names in the Li Kingdom closely resembled those in Hanming Country, typically following the surname-first format. The slight difference was that many surnames were less common in Hanming Country compared to here.

After Duan Wenxuan nodded, Sakagawa promptly offered to help with his luggage and insisted on treating him to lunch. It was around 12:30 pm, perfectly timed for a meal break.

“No need, I’d like to drop off my belongings at the hotel first. Apart from business discussions, part of this trip is also for sightseeing. There’s no trouble necessary.”

Throughout their journey, Sakagawa remained excessively courteous, insisting on taking a taxi to the hotel and always respecting Duan Wenxuan’s preferences along the way.

The Li Kingdom had a large population but limited land area, leading to high unemployment rates. Consequently, employees, when facing supervisors or clients, displayed exceptionally polite attitudes.

Upon reaching the hotel, after confirming that Duan Wenxuan didn’t require further accompaniment, Sakagawa left his contact number before departing. He emphasized that Duan Wenxuan could call him anytime should he need anything, as his phone was available 24/7, regardless of whether it was a working day.

In the hotel room, Duan Wenxuan opened his laptop revealing various architectural design plans. Naturally, he lacked the expertise; these designs were created by a professional architecture firm he had commissioned.

Now, there remained the most crucial task: designing the deity and its followers for the Universal Church. This couldn’t be hastily done but still required depth and meaning. Therefore, Duan Wenxuan selected a specific company to assist him.

Sakagawa was an employee of this firm, which had a wide range of contracting services and an excellent reputation within the Li Kingdom—of course, at correspondingly high prices.

However, Duan Wenxuan didn’t mind. Through gold-silver exchanges and selling some furniture from Liyang City over time, he had accumulated a significant amount.

With the resurgence of mysticism, the world had become increasingly unstable.

The timeless principle that “in troubled times, gold prevails; in prosperous eras, antiques shine” held true. Many people were using their money to stockpile gold. Although the price was suppressed due to demand, the sheer quantity made it profitable for Duan Wenxuan. By constantly changing his appearance throughout transactions and employing paper figurines to distract others, he became adept at these dealings without leaving any traces.

The employees at Sakagawa’s company took their work seriously. They not only designed multiple variations based on Li Kingdom’s folklore for Duan Wenxuan but also enlisted dedicated scriptwriters to create narratives as per his requirements. With abundant resources available, Duan Wenxuan carefully selected the deity and its followers he desired before sending the designs to Sakagawa.

After resting for a night, Sakagawa picked up Duan Wenxuan the next day, and they swiftly signed the contract.

Duan Wenxuan required custom-made Divine Followers as ‘figurines,’ but these figurines were life-sized, making it quite a significant business deal. Following the signing, the vice president of the company insisted on taking Duan Wenxuan out for lunch, showing exceptional hospitality throughout.

When informed that Duan Wenxuan planned to stay and explore for a few days, the vice president offered to assign a dedicated guide, but Duan Wenxuan declined the offer.

On the third day.

Duan Wenxuan traveled by car from the Li Kingdom to Geshan City. The reason for his visit was not just any ordinary sightseeing; one month ago, despite being well past their season, the entire mountain range around Geshan City had unexpectedly burst into cherry blossom bloom.

It was now nearing January, with cold weather prevailing.

In early December, tourists discovered that Geshan City’s cherry trees had suddenly produced blossoms. Within the following week, cherry flowers covered the landscape extensively. This event became major news, dominating headlines across the Li Kingdom.

The initial reaction in the Li Kingdom, naturally, linked this phenomenon to the resurgence of mysteries, leading to immediate restrictions imposed on Geshan City. However, after half a month passed without any further unusual occurrences beyond the blooming cherry blossoms, curiosity piqued among many people who wanted to witness the spectacle firsthand.

After weighing the situation, the Li Kingdom lifted the blockade.

Geshan City then became utterly bustling with activity. The ordinary residents didn’t mind; heavy foot traffic meant increased business opportunities. Within just over a month, many locals profited significantly. When Duan Wenxuan arrived, Geshan City still had substantial visitor numbers, with most people heading towards the cherry blossom gardens.

Following the crowd, Duan Wenxuan was momentarily awestruck by the scenic beauty.

Although called a cherry blossom garden, it actually spanned across vast hillsides densely planted with cherry trees. Amidst the mountains, numerous temple structures could be seen as well. Despite the chilling wind, the fragrant scent permeated through, prompting Duan Wenxuan to notice many visitors eagerly snapping photographs.

Duan Wenxuan avoided the crowds, seeking out a small path on his own and gradually began ascending the mountain.

As he climbed higher, it grew colder, and the number of people dwindled.

Nighttime stays were prohibited within the cherry blossom gardens, but due to the recent influx of visitors, nearby hotels were fully booked. Consequently, most people did not venture too high, fearing they wouldn’t make it down before darkness fell.

Duan Wenxuan circulated his inner energy slowly, dispelling the chill while also quickening his pace. At some point, he realized that his surroundings had become remarkably quiet. The path he was taking showed fewer signs of human maintenance; overgrown weeds encroached onto the trail, and there were no longer any handrails or markers.

Due to its relatively small territory, the Li Kingdom placed greater emphasis on environmental protection, especially in designated wildlife conservation areas. Even within tourist sites, they aimed to minimize the presence of modern human technology amidst the wilderness. After walking for some time, the chill intensified, yet the distant tolling of temple bells carried a serene and contemplative resonance.

“That’s enough.”

Duan Wenxuan briefly stepped through a small gate into the Fourth World. He had earlier requested Steele to custom-make saint attire, which he now retrieved.

“Hurry up!” Kim Tae-hui forcefully shoved the nearby journalist and then sprang to his feet, wildly waving his arms and shouting frantically.

Not far away, a ferocious wild boar roared as it struggled out of a muddy pit. However, its foot was trapped in a snare, and multiple sharpened wooden sticks had pierced its body, indicating that it likely wouldn’t survive for long.

Normally, this wouldn’t be a concern, but the issue arose when two additional wild boars unexpectedly charged forth after the trapped one. One cameraman was immediately impaled through the thigh by the tusks of a charging boar, thrown aside with their fate uncertain.

Kim Tae-hui, an experienced old hunter from a nearby village, recognized the dire situation at once.

Fortunately, the journalist remained composed under pressure. Without hesitation, she kicked off her high heels and sprinted away. Kim Tae-hui’s loud shouts proved effective; the largest wild boar directly charged towards him.

Fate would decide his survival, heart pounding uncontrollably, Kim Tae-hui turned and ran without a second thought.

Panting heavily, he then felt burdened by his heavy down jacket and began shedding it while running. In this life-or-death situation, even Kim Tae-hui didn’t realize how fast he was sprinting.

At some point, he found himself gasping for breath, with his legs growing weak and barely able to keep moving. As soon as he acknowledged it, his pace slowed down significantly.

The sky had darkened considerably, and Kim Tae-hwi hadn’t noticed that Geshan City’s first snowfall of the winter had begun.

Thud, thud, thud.

The wild boar let out furious roars right behind him. Overwhelmed by despair, Kim Tae-hwi suddenly lost strength in his legs, causing him to pause momentarily.

It’s over, a thought emerged in his mind.

In the next instant, the wild boar collided with him from behind, sending him flying through the air.

As death approached, whether due to shock or lack of time to process, Kim Tae-hwi surprisingly remained calm.

“Are you okay?”

”…Huh?” Stiffly turning his head, Kim Tae-hwi discovered a peculiar person holding onto his arm before gently placing him on the ground.

Gradually, as rationality returned, Kim Tae-hui broke out in cold sweat, his face contorting.

“It’s alright.” The person beside him gently patted Kim Tae-hui’s stomach. Instantly, he felt a warm sensation spreading from his abdomen, dispelling the chill throughout his body and even clearing his mind somewhat.

The stranger then massaged his leg, and miraculously, the excruciating pain from the massive wound inflicted by the wild boar’s tusks began to subside, with the bleeding also stopping.

In silence, Kim Tae-hui suddenly lifted his head, revealing an expression of disbelief.

“Are you…not human?”

Before him stood a figure clad in a long robe of red and white, their silver hair half-pinned up at the back with a delicate jade pin, allowing the remaining locks to gracefully cascade down to their waist. Beyond the striking attire, this individual possessed remarkably handsome features.

Their facial structure seemed carved with perfect proportions, except for slightly elongated eyes that added a touch of elegance. Despite this, the prominent Adam’s apple and subtle masculine charm evident in their brow left no doubt they were unmistakably male.

“Does it matter?” The voice drifted with a hint of chill.

Jin Taehui felt certain he would never forget this moment for as long as he lived. For some inexplicable reason, despite his injuries, he struggled to rise and devoutly knelt, stretching his hands forward—an expression of deep reverence in the Li Kingdom.

“I cannot repay your life-saving grace, but henceforth, I will serve you wholeheartedly.”

Hmm… Duan Wenxuan silently mused, realizing that events had taken an unexpected turn. Initially, he had hoped someone would stumble upon him while he appeared like this, following his original plan to head towards a temple.

The temple was nestled deep within the mountains, where encounters with spirits were common.

However, this man seemed to have mistaken him for something else. Knowing more might reveal too much, Duan Wenxuan decided to continue playing along for now.

As Jin Taehui reverently knelt and worshipped, Duan Wenxuan quietly observed the wild boar standing about ten steps away. Upon spotting Duan Wenxuan, the ferocious boar had also been startled, instinctively freezing in place.

Now, the animal hesitated uneasily, unsure what to do next.