The dilapidated tile-roofed house was low and worn, with many tiles having long since fallen to the wind, allowing the biting cold to erode the fragile existence of the two women within this impoverished household.
"Mother, I'm back," said the girl named Yaya as she gently pushed open the crooked wooden door, addressing a small huddled figure in the corner of the room.
At the sound of her voice, the figure quivered slightly, and then a middle-aged woman, curled up in a ball, slowly lifted her head, revealing a face that had turned yellowed and aged before its time.
This was a woman who should not have been so old, yet illness had prematurely aged her.
Her disheveled gray hair was dry and frail, and her face, resembling the parched peel of an orange, bore a look of confusion. With a body that was little more than skin and bones, the woman stared at her daughter's face, momentarily stunned into silence.
"Mother, why are you hiding in the corner again? Come, it's cold over there," Yaya said, her heart aching at the sight of her mother, even though she saw it every day. Forcing a smile, she gently lifted her frail mother and placed her in a tattered rocking chair by the fire. "It's so cold now; what will you do if you catch a cold?"
As Yaya touched her, the petite woman trembled involuntarily. Then, as if remembering something, she slowly relaxed and murmured, "Is that you, Yaya? You're back?"
"Yes, I'm Yaya, Mother. I'm your daughter, Yaya." The girl's voice quivered slightly.
"Yaya… Yaya… my daughter…" Upon hearing her voice, the frail woman seemed to recall something painful, wrapping her bony arms tightly around her daughter's similarly delicate body and sobbing inconsolably. "You've come back, Yaya… Wuwu… that scoundrel of a father is inhuman! He's inhuman! You were so young, so young… Wuwu… you were sold to a brothel when you were still so little, Wuwu… Yaya… my daughter… Wuwu… my poor daughter… you've gone… you've gone… what will I do without you? Wuwu…"
"It's okay… it's okay… Mother, Yaya is back now, isn't it? It's alright… it's alright…" Gently comforting her distraught mother, Yaya's eyes glistened with tears.
As she cradled her mother's frail body like one would comfort a child, the distraught woman gradually calmed down. As her sobs weakened, the sound of gentle snoring began to emerge.
Yaya sighed in relief and tenderly laid her mother back in the worn rocking chair, carefully draping a blanket over her.
When she turned back, she noticed the indifferent man still coldly standing at the doorway, letting the frigid wind outside whip his tattered gray cloak, flecks of snow settling in his hair and mingling with the strands of gray and white, slowly turning into clear droplets.
"Ah… excuse me, sir," Yaya said, startled, realizing she had neglected her guest. She hurriedly ushered Xiao Mu Yu into the room before closing the crooked wooden door behind them.
Sitting coldly by the fire, Xiao Mu Yu silently observed Yaya as she gently wiped away the remnants of tears and snot left on her by her mother's earlier cries, then suddenly asked, "Your mother? What is going on here?"
"Ah?" The girl, jolted back to reality, processed his question and sighed. "My mother's illness has lingered since my childhood; it has been eight or nine years now."
"Oh…" With an indifferent nod, Xiao Mu Yu coldly inquired, "She mentioned that you were sold to a brothel by your father. What is the story behind that?"
"Alas…" Upon hearing the man's question, the girl let out a deep sigh, lowering her head slightly, her voice heavy with sorrow. "My father… my father has always had a penchant for gambling. When I was seven, he, burdened by significant debts, sought to sell me to… to a brothel, hoping to exchange me for money to pay off his debts."
At this point, the girl's voice faltered, struggling to articulate the painful memory. "My mother vehemently opposed this, but ultimately, she was locked away at home. After my father took me there… the owner of the establishment said… said I was too young and refused to take me, which is why my father brought me back home."
"But… but…" As she spoke, the girl was rendered nearly speechless by her tears. "But when I returned, I discovered that my mother had… had become this way. The doctor said… he said it was due to the tremendous shock she suffered, which caused her to become somewhat deranged. Over the years, her condition has shown no improvement… Although I've heard that there are treatments in other cities that could help her, but… but…"
Gazing impassively at the weeping girl, Xiao Mu Yu gradually lowered his gaze, remaining silent.
In that moment, the dilapidated room fell into a profound silence, broken only by the relentless wind and snow outside.
…
"Well then, sir, good night," the frail girl said softly, opening the door and addressing the indifferent man behind her. "The restroom is just around the corner to the left."
"Oh." Nodding dispassionately, Xiao Mu Yu stepped into the slightly rundown room he had rented for three silver coins.
He quietly watched Yaya's retreating figure until she disappeared around the corner before turning to close the door.
(Oh dear… young human, what do you think? Hahaha… what a bargain of a little inn! Ahahaha… but at least the 'landlady' is quite pretty and charming, isn't she? By the way, how about my previous suggestion? Hahahaha…)
In the realm of consciousness, a boisterous laughter echoed.
"…"
Xiao Mu Yu coldly shut the door, his piercing gaze as unyielding as the ancient ice of Freljord, his expression starkly indifferent under the dim light. After ensuring there were no magical surveillance devices in the room, he slowly drew the curtains, shrugged off his shoulders, and tossed the little fox onto the bed.
"Wuji?" The little fox drowsily opened its blurry eyes, its unfocused gaze surveying Xiao Mu Yu as it stumbled to rise.
"Wuuuuji…" Ultimately, the little fox flopped back onto the soft bed, falling into a deep slumber.
"…"
Xiao Mu Yu observed everything with a cold gaze, his face devoid of any expression.
(Hahaha… it seems this little fox hasn't learned to be cautious at all, has it?) The voice in the realm of consciousness continued to laugh arrogantly.
(So, how about it, young man? Are you afraid?)
"Afraid of what?" Xiao Mu Yu replied indifferently.
(Afraid of what? Hahaha… what could you possibly fear? Hehe… I simply don't believe you didn't notice that something is amiss in this city during the day.)
"It has nothing to do with me…" Xiao Mu Yu's expression remained unchanged.
(Well… don't be so dull. While we're searching for the Heavenly Soul Locking Jade that can save your lovely wife, we should also find some amusement along the way. Otherwise, can either of us endure the tedium of this lonely journey?)
"…"
(Well~ don't be so dreary. I admit you are indeed an unparalleled powerhouse; those hidden schemes outside cannot harm you. Yet, precisely because of this, I find it perplexing. A group of ordinary people, even if they have petty schemes, you could easily dispatch them with a single strike. Yet I sense you're somewhat hesitant. Your excessive caution is unwarranted.)
"A lack of sufficient vigilance can lead even an eight-year-old girl to easily slay a ninth-tier unparalleled warrior," Xiao Mu Yu stated coldly, his gaze piercing.
(Wow… it seems you've truly learned from experience and become wiser. Hehe… but why emphasize the eight-year-old girl? It appears you remember well the time I tricked you, huh? Hahaha…)
"…"
(Hey, hey… don't be like that, young human. You see, I've been sealed for so many years… um… thinking back, it must be at least several thousand years, if not a full ten thousand. After finally escaping the seal, I have to face you, this expressionless man, every day. Do you think that's easy for me? Moreover, don't you find it dull to be so cold and reticent every day?)
"…"
(Alright, let me put it another way. Look at you, now acting like a mute. After we revive your lovely wife, what will you do if she finds it difficult to adjust to your mute demeanor? You weren't always this stoic, were you?)
"Xiaoxue won't mind." Xiao Mu Yu replied nonchalantly.
(Pfft, do you really know that? You're not her, can you truly represent her feelings? Besides, even if that little girl doesn't mind, can you bear to see her become despondent because of your mute demeanor? Women can be quite chatty, you know. There's a saying among humans: 'One woman is worth five hundred ducks.' In a place like the Winter's Embrace Forest, aside from you, there's no one for her to converse with. If no one speaks to her for long, she will feel lonely, and when she's lonely, she'll become sad. Will you find joy in her sorrow?)
"What are you trying to convey?" Xiao Mu Yu asked.
(Hehe, my meaning is quite simple.) The demon chuckled excitedly, whispering wickedly, (I know it's not easy to cure your mute condition right now, but you can at least practice communicating with others. The more you talk, the more accustomed you'll become to conversing. Well, we've known each other for almost three years, haven't we? With our relationship, I'll begrudgingly act as your listener. No need to thank me.)
"No thanks," Xiao Mu Yu coldly refused.
(Hey! Hey, hey!! You're impossible! Do you think talking to me will kill you? Look at how I've been sealed in the Night Demon Crystal. Aside from you and that mute little fox, there's no one to converse with. It's dark and dreary in here; I feel like I'm locked in a little black room. Do you think my plight is easy? Will it kill you to say a few words to me?)
"The Night Demon Crystal does not seal your senses; you can see and hear," Xiao Mu Yu coldly exposed the lie in the other's words.
(Damn! Damn! You, human brat! I curse your wife to remain a virgin forever!)
"Xiaoxue and I have already been intimate, so your curse is invalid," Xiao Mu Yu stated flatly.
(You little brat!!! Ahhh… I can't take it anymore!! I thought that guy Kyle was dull enough, but I didn't expect to meet someone even colder and more boring than her! Oh my god!!! Am I destined to be tormented by you emotionless people? I refuse to accept this! Ahhh… I will defy the heavens!!!)
The neurotic roar echoed incessantly in the realm of consciousness, yet Xiao Mu Yu remained unfazed, coldly drawing the curtains and silently extinguishing the magical light.
Darkness temporarily engulfed the space, leaving one to ponder when light would once again illuminate this decrepit little room.