My Demon Friends-Chapter 559 - 537 Heaven Mountain

Walking on the streets of this city, the temperature was probably around negative ten degrees Celsius. The shops on both sides of the street were either shuttered or had thermal curtains installed, and the pedestrians around were all dressed in thick down jackets and warm hats that covered their ears thoroughly. Despite Zhou Li being warmly dressed, people kept glancing at him, thinking the young man was quite full of hot air.

So, Zhou Li zipped his down jacket to the very top, right under his chin, and shoved his hands into his pockets, trying to look less out of place. Meanwhile, he looked around.

"This city isn't much different from ours."

"What differences were you expecting?"

"True."

"Isn't it the same all over the world these days!"

"There are still many places with their own unique charm, like Banna. And this place doesn't have as many Dilinazhas as the rumors claimed; many of the faces he saw were Han." Zhou Li glanced sideways at Huai Xu, who was also wrapped up like a penguin. Huai Xu still had the appearance of the woman from the Western Regions he'd seen the other day. So far, hers was the most exotic face he had encountered on Hamigua Street; others, even if they had Uighur features, weren't very distinct.

"Not here. Go to the far edges, like Shule and Shache, then you'll see more people with that kind of look," Huai Xu paused and honestly added, "But still not as good-looking as me."

"..."

Zhou Li didn't really want to talk to her.

「Five minutes later.」

Zhou Li approached a fruit shop.

It turned out that Hami melons were still on sale in Hamigua City in the winter. Many shops didn't sell them, and the prices were much higher than during the harvest season. They had checked the shops on a delivery platform beforehand and confirmed they sold Hami melons before walking over to pick them out in person, saving themselves the trouble of searching shop by shop.

Zhou Li wasn't good at picking, but the Old monster seemed to know how.

She scrutinized the vine, color, and shape. After selecting one, she picked it up, sniffed it, squeezed it, and then confidently told Zhou Li, "This one. It's definitely delicious."

"You're amazing."

Zhou Li kept his composure— A rather rudimentary method of selection. When it comes to advanced techniques, Brother Nan is in a league of his own.

After buying the melons, they bought three spoons from the convenience store next door. Each carrying a melon, they chatted and strolled leisurely back to the hotel.

「At the door to the room.」

Huai Xu's mouth twitched; she glanced beside the door.

Zhou Li naturally understood what she meant, but he didn't say anything, pretending ignorance as he took out a card to swipe for entry—

BEEP.

The door was pushed open.

Just as he stepped through the doorway, a Little Cat Girl sprung out with an 'AWOO!', her hands splayed by her cheeks, fingers spread like claws. Then she lunged at Zhou Li's waist, mouth open as if to bite him, but stopped just before clamping down.

Zhou Li was stunned.

The Little Cat Girl pressed close to his body, lifted her head to rest her small chin on him, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Did Lord Dumpling scare you?"

"Yes..." Zhou Li was indeed taken by surprise.

Tuanzi had played this trick many times, never tiring of it. Considering all kittens are like this, Zhou Li patiently played along each time to keep her happy.

Who would have expected a Little Cat Girl today?

Normally, Tuanzi wouldn't easily transform into a Little Cat Girl unless it was for cleaning herself or for special needs.

Thus, Zhou Li pondered for a moment, then lowered his head and said, "I was actually prepared this time, because Lord Dumpling often jumps out to startle me. I thought that if Lord Dumpling did it again, I definitely wouldn't be scared. But I never expected a Little Cat Girl to jump out today."

Then he asked, "What made Lord Dumpling decide to transform into a Little Cat Girl?"

"Hee hee..."

Tuanzi, with a WHOOSH, transformed back into a small cat and sat obediently on the ground, looking up at Zhou Li. She felt incredibly clever, so she was very excited. "Did Lord Dumpling scare you badly?"

"Yes," Zhou Li paused. "Don't transform into a Little Cat Girl to scare me again; I was completely unprepared."

"That's exactly it!"

"What?"

"The point is not to let you be prepared!"

"I see."

Zhou Li ignored the disdainful look the Old monster gave him, carried the Hami melon into the room, and said, "Huai Xu and I went out and searched for a long time before we finally found a shop that sold them. It's so cold outside, and winter Hami melons are so expensive. Does Lord Dumpling want some?"

"I do! Lord Dumpling wants some!"

"There's a particularly luxurious way to eat it—with a spoon. Poor people can't afford to eat it like that. Huai Xu and I just bought three spoons. Does Lord Dumpling want to try?"

"I do want to try!"

"But to eat it with a spoon, Lord Dumpling must transform into a Little Cat Girl."

"Okay!"

"Alright..." Zhou Li had already thoroughly figured out the nature of this Little Trash Cat: the harder something was to get, the more precious, the more luxurious, and the more perishable or easily damaged, the more she liked it. Only such things were worthy of Lord Dumpling's noble status.

The room was spacious.

Zhou Li, Huai Xu, and the Little Cat Girl sat side by side on the edge of the bed, each holding half a Hami Melon and scooping it out with a spoon.

Huai Xu's portion was the largest, seven-tenths of a melon, while the Little Cat Girl's was the smallest, only three-tenths. Together, their portions made up a whole Hami Melon. Zhou Li was eating half of another one.

This was their lunch, even though it was already afternoon.

Very satisfying.

After a brief rest, Zhou Li chatted with Brother Nan for a while and made a video call. Then he went downstairs to get the car and drove out of the city, planning to accompany the Old monster on a stroll in the vicinity.

It was a sunny day, but it had snowed the previous night.

It wasn't apparent in the city. But once they left the city, entered the national and provincial highways, and then turned onto a country road leading to an unfamiliar path toward the nearby mountains, they could already see traces of snow at the roadside and in the grass only halfway up the slope.

Further up, the road surface was icy.

The snow tires and sophisticated four-wheel-drive system played a significant role in these conditions, allowing Zhou Li to drive effortlessly. Of course, even without these, Zhou Li wouldn't have panicked; he had the Old monster with him, after all.

"We've reached the mountain pass."

"Shall we get out and walk? I want to see the mountain top." Huai Xu paused. "Are you two afraid of the cold?"

"It's fine."

"Lord Dumpling has Zhou Li's hat!"

"Okay." 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

Zhou Li parked the car in a spacious area. He guessed no one else would come by, but he still flipped out the temporary parking contact number plate before getting out. The snow on the ground covered the insteps of his mid-cut, waterproof shoes, which he was glad he'd bought specifically for the trip.

He turned his head to look around. The city was behind him. He felt somewhat bewildered. "Where is this?"

"Definitely a place I've been before."

"Familiar?"

"Not familiar, but there isn't a mountain around here I haven't visited," Huai Xu said, walking ahead. "This place used to be called *&%, and the one next to it, %￥#. I mostly stayed around here."

"What were they called?" Zhou Li hadn't understood the two terms.

"BLEH BLEH BLEH..." Tuanzi mimicked.

"That was the old pronunciation," Huai Xu explained, then repeated using modern terms, "Yiwulu and Pulu Country."

"Why didn't you go closer to the border? Like Shule and Shache, which you mentioned before?" Zhou Li was puzzled. "If you also participated in wars between human kingdoms, wouldn't you have been more effective at the frontier?"

"It's not like that," Huai Xu shook her head. "I mainly target demons; I seldom interfere in matters between human nations. The demons at the very frontier are basically beyond our reach. They commit an offense and then just run off, some even joining forces with nomadic tribes. You know that while the lands beyond are still technically Yu Country, they're no longer our territory. So, they can come and go as they please, but we can't."

"Also, I'm still quite powerful. Sometimes the Central Plains require my assistance, and they summon me back. Travel from here is convenient for that. It's much more remote further out. Even traders with ample supplies find the journey slow and frustrating, let alone if a rapid march were necessary; that would be nearly impossible."

"I see."

Zhou Li spoke as he followed the Old monster, stepping onto a narrow path leading toward the mountain peak.

Today, the Old monster didn't just WHOOSH to the peak to wait for him. Instead, she chose to walk with him, measuring the distance with her own legs, and even walked ahead to sweep the snow off the tall grass with her body for him.

They were nearing the summit.

When Zhou Li's line of sight rose above the slope, his view was no longer obstructed. The scene before him opened up dramatically—

In the distance lay the endless Heaven Mountain range.

It was an unknown distance from Zhou Li's position, but certainly not near. From the furthest left to the furthest right of his vision, it formed a continuous line, a natural barrier seeming to divide the very earth. It felt as though no one could ever cross this towering, cloud-piercing wall that stretched for thousands of miles.

Zhou Li was momentarily stunned, his mouth agape, lost in the spectacle.

It was his first time truly grasping the meaning of 'Heaven Mountain.'

From such a distance, the lower half of the mountains was entirely enveloped in a sea of clouds, or perhaps blurred by mist rising from the land, rendering it invisible. Only the perpetually snow-capped peaks emerged, making it seem as if the mountains had no foothills or lower slopes at all, but floated in the sky instead. Wisps of cloud-like smoke even rose from the highest peaks, curling leisurely upwards, as if someone were there, cooking a meal.

"Wow!" Zhou Li exclaimed.

"Wow~~" Tuanzi echoed from his shoulder, mimicking him.

"Lord Dumpling, look at that white smoke," Zhou Li pointed toward a mountain top, turning his head. "It looks as if someone lives there."

"It does!"

"There are immortals on the mountain."

No wonder ancient people said that immortals dwelled atop great mountains. Zhou Li hadn't understood this before, even thinking it foolish. Today, however, he truly grasped it—even he couldn't help but feel as if immortals lived at the summit. After all, who else could be worthy of such a place, so far removed from the mundane world?

Just then, he heard Huai Xu's voice beside him, "That's not white smoke. That's high-altitude winds blowing snow from the peaks."

Well… it was still beautiful.