As Yuan Gang descended, he raised his Triangular Wing, using the opposing wind to slow his descent. This allowed Yuan Gang to come to a relatively quick halt. There, he spotted a tree. Beneath the faint moonlight, obscured by clouds, it was difficult to make out the fruits, yet a single red fruit caught his eye. It beckoned to him like an alluring red jewel.
Yuan Gang dared not tarry. Ignoring his surroundings, he stashed the Triangular Wing behind a tranquil rock formation.
He moved with extreme caution. The main concern was that no cultivators should appear here. For if cultivators appeared, it would be difficult for him to escape them. Yuan Gang soberly assessed his abilities; he certainly couldn't match the speed of the cultivators guarding this place.
Xiao Run had previously mentioned that the Ice and Snow Palace possessed birds capable of swift pursuit. Yuan Gang calculated that even with his Triangular Wing, and in such weather, he wouldn't be able to outfly those birds. Therefore, under no circumstances could he be discovered. For if he were, he wouldn't escape.
Leaving the Triangular Wing, he immediately, swiftly yet carefully, approached the tree. From his pouch, he pulled out a smooth jade box. He opened the box and stood up. Paying no heed to anything else, Yuan Gang reached out and felt for that red fruit.
When he took the fruit in his icy hands, he felt that it was slightly soft and cold. Lord Dao hadn't mentioned this.
Yuan Gang pulled the fruit and was surprised because the branch stretched with the fruit, completely refusing to let it be plucked. No matter how Yuan Gang pulled, he couldn't detach the fruit from the branch.
He later realized that an ordinary tree at the mountain peak, where strong winds occasionally blew, couldn't bear fruit. Therefore, this tree must have sturdy branches.
He drew a dagger from his thigh and severed the branch. Only then did he manage to acquire the fruit.
Placing the dagger back into its sheath, he squatted down and placed the fruit into the smooth jade box. After that, he wrapped the box in a pouch.
The Red Yang Fruit was difficult to preserve. It absolutely had to be kept in a smooth jade box, otherwise, it would rot quickly.
Putting the pouch on his back, he pulled explosives from his bosom. Although his explosives weren't large, they would detonate with a force that would be anything but small. After all, Yuan Gang was a specialist in this field. And the size of the explosives didn't matter. A large amount of explosive material didn't always produce the most powerful blast.
Feeling for a crevice at the tree's root, he pushed the explosives in and placed the previously prepared artificial meteorite next to the tree.
Yuan Gang pulled out the fuse and tied it to the explosives, then began to stretch it out, pressing it to the ground so the wind wouldn't carry it away. He encircled the tree with the fuse.
He had already surveyed the layout here, so he knew what was where and how everything worked. And as an experienced specialist in this matter, he had meticulously planned every detail in advance to avoid any errors.
After this, he extended the fuse towards the Triangular Wing and took out an igniting rod. Yuan Gang blew on it, and the rod lit up. With it, he ignited the fuse.
Putting the rod away, Yuan Gang donned the Triangular Wing, rushed off the rock, and leapt. A gust of wind immediately swept him up. Carried by the wind, Yuan Gang ascended higher towards the mountain peak. He circled the mountain, surveying everything. He could see the sparks of the fuse steadily making their way towards the tree. Assuring himself that all was in order, Yuan Gang flew back.
It was fortunate that the moonlight barely pierced through the clouds. That was why Niu You Dao and Yuan Gang had waited for suitable weather. Now, even if cultivators below looked up, they wouldn't be able to notice anything.
Yuan Gang arrived silently and departed just as silently, as if he had vanished on the spot.
On the mountain peak, the fuse was already burning in circles. Yuan Gang had intentionally arranged it so he would have time to escape. He had also calculated the explosive charge perfectly, allowing him to get away in time.
Now, for the same reason of poor visibility, Yuan Gang couldn't precisely determine where he was flying. However, he knew he was almost certainly flying in the right direction.
And just as he left the mountain, the Snow Demons began to gradually climb upwards. It was as if they sensed that the terrifying qi had dissipated.
And the fuse finally reached the tree.
"BOOM!!!"
An explosion ripped through the air, and a bright fireball radiated from the mountain. Rocks scattered in all directions. The Red Yang Fruit tree also exploded.
The mountain shook, and the Snow Demons froze. It was as if they understood that the terrifying qi they had sensed would now bring danger crashing down on their heads. Sensing trouble, the Snow Demons frantically fled the mountain.
Hearing the explosion, Yuan Gang turned his head, wanting to see what was happening. But he could no longer clearly make out what was occurring there. For he couldn't even see the mountain itself now.
At that moment, a multitude of Snow Demons had already descended from the mountain. They were frantically terrified of something.
And then, from the mountain peak, a wave of snow surged downwards. The avalanche crushed everything in its path.
Those Snow Demons who failed to escape or find cover from this avalanche were instantly trapped in a snowy prison.
From the snow caves at the base of the mountain, cultivators rushed out. Each one immediately soared upwards. Seeing the enormous wave of snow rushing towards them, they instantly ascended higher. At the same time, Little Moon Butterflies flew towards the mountain peak to illuminate what was happening there. But nothing could be seen through the snowy mist.
The explosion also shattered the night's silence in the canyon. In the Ice and Snow Palace, many people rushed out of their homes. Many couldn't see anything, but from the sound, they realized it was an avalanche descending from the mountain!
Even more people shot upwards and climbed to the hilltops. They wanted to find out what was happening at the snowy mountain. However, due to the snowy mist, nothing could be discerned. Only the rumbling continued.
In the celestial palace, in one room, Xue Lao Er stood before a painting, observing it. The painting depicted a girl sniffing flowers. Xue Lao Er had just taken a bath. Over her, a light chemise was draped, through which her graceful body shimmered. A Little Moon Butterfly fluttered above the painting, and Xue Lao Er, standing before it, whispered to herself:
— Leaves fall, yet a person stands,
Rain drizzles, and a pair of swallows fly,
The bright moon shines at this moment,
And colorful clouds flutter....
An explosion rang out, making her freeze instantly. She looked towards the snowy mountain at the rear, but the structures behind it were no longer visible.
The subsequent rumbling frightened her even more. At the same time, maidservants rushed in.
— Change my clothes! — Xue Lao Er cried out.
Two maidservants hurried over and helped her change. Ultimately, a long gown now concealed Xue Lao Er's flawless and alluring figure. They rushed to the back of the palace, and several birds soared out from the celestial palace.
In the night sky, Yuan Gang looked ahead and already saw a bonfire. He changed direction and flew straight towards it.
Niu You Dao stood, leaning on his sword, and cautiously gazed towards the Ice and Snow Palace.
At that moment, a Triangular Wing emerged in the sky. Niu You Dao breathed a sigh of relief.
— It worked, let's go! — Yuan Gang shouted.
On the Triangular Wing, he rounded the peak and flew onward.
He was now more or less oriented by direction here.
Niu You Dao shattered the snow walls with his palm and buried the bonfire. Then, grabbing his sword, he likewise followed Yuan Gang.
Only human tracks remained on the mountain. However, that was why they stole the fruit at night. For overnight, the wind would sweep away all their tracks. And even if someone were to search later, they would find nothing.
Niu You Dao flew behind Yuan Gang and, after 30 li, reached another peak. He landed near Hei Mudan.
— Lord Dao! — Hei Mudan exclaimed with joy.
He had told her earlier that if they didn't appear within two hours, they should leave. But now, Lord Dao had appeared before her; how could she not rejoice?
Niu You Dao struck the snow wall and, raising his head, looked into the sky. Almost simultaneously, a silhouette flashed across the sky. It was Yuan Gang flying past.
Hei Mudan's eyes widened. Yuan Gang, it turns out, can fly through the sky?
She was speechless. Before, Yuan Gang had glided over the snow, and now he was flying through the sky with a piece of cloth? What else could this guy do?
— Hurry! — Niu You Dao called out.
Hei Mudan also helped demolish the snow walls, and she and Niu You Dao together flew after Yuan Gang.
This mountainous terrain, with its high and low peaks, greatly aided Yuan Gang's flight on the Triangular Wing...
The snow avalanche had already ceased, and the snowy mist filled everything. The avalanche had stopped not far from the Ice and Snow Palace, but the snowy mist had spread further. It filled the entire canyon.
Meanwhile, in the canyon, many people were discussing something.
On the peak of the snowy mountain, Little Moon Butterflies fluttered, illuminating everything around. At the very summit stood Xue Lao Er in a long gown, fluttering in the wind. She appeared cool and collected, yet at the same time, very alluring...
***
End of Chapter.