The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 186 Snowflakes Fluttering as We Cross the Iceberg and Enter the Barrier

Ding Wenyuan and Xu Xiaohong entered the cabin, a faint aroma of tea wafting through the air, creating a sense of warmth and tranquility. The woman sat in a corner of the cabin, quietly reading a book, seemingly undisturbed by the outside world. She glanced up at the two men, nodded slightly, and then continued to immerse herself in her book.

The middle-aged man smiled and handed the teacups to the two of them, saying, "Have a cup of hot tea to warm up."

Ding Wenyuan took the teacup, gently blew on it, and then took a sip. The tea had a fragrant aroma that made him feel the chill in his body gradually subside.

Xu Xiaohong looked up through the boat window at the old man sitting at the stern with a fishing rod and said, "Would you like to invite Old Qin in for a cup of hot tea?"

"No, Elder Qin is cultivating, please don't disturb him." The middle-aged man reached out to stop Xu Xiaohong, who was about to get up.

"This tea set only has four cups. Use this wine pot to pour some tea and give it to Old Master Qin to warm himself up." Ding Wenyuan took out a wine pot and handed it to Xu Xiaohong.

The middle-aged man coughed awkwardly twice.

Xu Xiaohong took the wine pot filled with tea, got up, walked out of the cabin, and went to the stern.

"Ishikawa, how many years have we known each other?" Ding Wenyuan picked up his teacup and took a sip.

“Counting from the capital, it has been twenty-eight years.” Ishikawa also picked up his teacup and took a sip.

Neither of them spoke again, and they drank tea instead of wine, one cup after another.

No one would have guessed that the two were the same age. Shi Chuan's face had been marked by the wind and snow, and it was easy to see that he was nearly fifty years old. Ding Wenyue, on the other hand, still had a handsome face and looked like he was in his twenties. His ability to maintain his youthful appearance was naturally due to the martial arts techniques he practiced.

Outside the cabin, snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

Sitting at the stern with Old Qin, Xu Xiaohong was laughing and talking, but then his smile faded and he said, "It's snowing, Old Qin, shall we go back to the cabin?"

"If you're cold, you should go back first. We're almost there, and we can't get our bearings wrong now." Old Qin slightly adjusted the direction of his fishing rod, and the boat slowly turned its angle.

Looking out the window at the swirling snowflakes, Ishikawa said softly, "This snow makes this trip even more special."

Ding Wenyuan smiled slightly and said, "We should be there soon. This is probably an illusion near the barrier, but the snow is real. It's probably some kind of immortal magic used."

Xu Xiaohong returned to the cabin, holding an empty wine jug. He gently placed the jug on the table and then sat down opposite Ding Wenyuan and Shi Chuan.

"Old Qin said we'll be at our destination soon," Xu Xiaohong said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Ishikawa nodded, his expression turning serious. He knew that every step from here on out was crucial and could not afford any mistakes.

Outside the cabin, the snowflakes grew heavier and heavier, covering the entire sea surface. The ship moved slowly forward in the snow, like a lone vessel searching for direction on the vast ocean.

Suddenly, the ship began to rock violently, as if it had encountered some obstacle. Ishikawa immediately stood up and walked towards the cabin door.

"What's wrong?" Ding Wenyuan asked.

"I'll go take a look," Ishikawa said, opening the cabin door and walking out.

Ding Wenyuan and Xu Xiaohong exchanged a glance and then followed them out.

At the stern, Old Qin sat beside his fishing rod, his expression grave. A massive iceberg was approaching the ship; if they didn't dodge it in time, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"What should we do?" Xu Xiaohong asked.

"Don't make any rash moves, wait a little longer," Old Qin said calmly.

The iceberg drew ever closer to the ship, which continued to rock violently. Snowflakes danced in the air, the sky darkened, and everything seemed so uncertain.

Finally, at the moment the sea met the iceberg, the scenery changed. The snow in the sky disappeared, replaced by a clear blue sky and a deep blue ocean.

The ship regained its stability. Ishikawa breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the sweat from his brow.

"A truly formidable protective formation. The scenery inside and outside the barrier is so drastically different," Ding Wenyuan remarked.

"Look, there's land ahead!" Xu Xiaohong shouted excitedly.

Following the direction Xu Xiaohong pointed, Ishikawa and Ding Wenyuan saw a lush, verdant island gradually emerging on the distant horizon. Enveloped in a thin mist, the island resembled a fairyland, inspiring longing in all who beheld it.

"That is our destination, the Immortal Island in the far north." Old Qin's voice carried a hint of pride and anticipation.