The Rich Cultivator-Chapter 513. Nearby Town (1/2)

The snowstorm had lessened, but the wind still howled like a living beast across the northern plains. Frost glistened on every surface, the icy mist curling around jagged rocks and the trunks of silver pines. Along the endless white path, three figures trudged steadily through knee-deep snow, their breaths misting in the frigid air.

Two of them wore heavy, array-infused winter garments designed to resist cold. But even with the runes glowing faintly on the sleeves, they could still feel the biting chill gnawing at their skin and bones. The energy of this region wasn’t normal — the spiritual frost in the atmosphere could kill a mortal in seconds if they dared breathe it in.

Yet the third person among them walked with her coat open, utterly calm, her expression relaxed, as if the snowstorm itself was nothing but a soft breeze.

They were, of course, Tyla, Yumina, and Luman.

"You don’t feel cold at all, Ms. Tyla?" Luman asked in disbelief, wrapping his fur scarf tighter around his neck.

Tyla shook her head, her silvery hair catching flakes of frost that melted as soon as they touched her skin. "For some reason... the cold doesn’t bother me."

Yumina glanced at her, squinting. "You’re definitely an Ice-attribute warrior then," she said with conviction. She just guessed that Tyla is Warrior based on her strength.

Tyla only shrugged. "Maybe. I honestly don’t know." Her tone was casual, but there was a faint melancholy behind her words. Ever since she had lost her memory, she had no idea what she truly was. Her strength, resilience, even the strange bond she had with water and ice — all of it felt familiar and foreign at once.

Yumina studied her for a moment longer. Tyla’s aura was unlike anything she had sensed before — deep, dense, but veiled behind an unnatural calm. She couldn’t sense it whether it is Aura nor Prana. She couldn’t read her level nor her energy type at all. Maybe Tyla was suppressing it... or maybe she was something entirely beyond her understanding.

"It would be great if we at least had snow camels to ride," Luman said with a sigh, breaking the silence. His breath formed a faint white cloud as he trudged behind them, his boots crunching against the frozen path.

"Oh, we do have those," Tyla said suddenly.

Both Yumina and Luman stopped walking and blinked in confusion as Tyla casually waved her hand. A soft flash of light appeared — and out from her pocket dimension, two white snow camels materialized, shaking their long fur and snorting mist. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"..."

Yumina gaped. "Of course you do." She sighed dramatically. "What don’t you have in that dimension of yours?"

Tyla grinned. "I’ll let you know when I find the limit."

Moments later, Tyla and Yumina shared one camel while Luman took the other. The creatures moved smoothly through the snow, their broad feet leaving neat trails behind them.

"You can use your prana to stabilize your body temperature, right?" Tyla asked from behind, resting her chin lazily on Yumina’s shoulder.

"I could," Yumina replied, "but what if there’s sudden danger? Wild beasts, snow wraiths, or bandits? I’d rather keep my energy ready."

Tyla raised an eyebrow. "You’re already a Grandmaster. Shouldn’t a few beasts be nothing to you?"

"I haven’t consolidated my realm yet," Yumina replied, half-pouting. "It’ll take months before I can create my domain. And I still don’t understand how to form one properly. Should I just pay some Grandmaster for lessons?"

"Maybe..." Tyla said, thinking aloud. "I don’t have a domain either, probably."

Yumina tilted her head, curious. "Hmm... you look so young, but the life force around you is immense. Maybe you just advanced recently. It usually takes at least a year for a Grandmaster to form their own domain."

Before Tyla could respond, Luman chimed in quickly, "My family has Grandmaster elders. They can teach you! If you both come to our estate, they’d be honored to guide you."

Tyla’s lips curled into a teasing smile. "That’s even better. Instead of that ... As payment for us, we’ll need a proper guidebook or record about domain creation."

Luman nearly choked on his own breath. Does she ever let me get closer to Yumina? He couldn’t help but sigh. Tyla was stunning, yes, but he was starting to feel that her casual presence somehow blocked every opportunity he tried to make with Yumina.

Suddenly, Tyla pulled on the reins, and both camels stopped. Snowflakes drifted down silently around them.

"What happened?" Yumina asked, immediately alert.

"Someone’s coming," Tyla murmured, eyes narrowing. Her senses sharpened — she could feel faint fluctuations in the energy ahead.

From beyond the curtain of falling snow, a figure appeared. A tall man with wolf ears and a bushy tail, wearing silver armor and carrying a long staff. His sharp amber eyes softened as he noticed them.

"Apologies, fellow practitioners," he called out respectfully. "There’s a bounty hunt going on ahead. I’d advise taking a short detour, or waiting here until we’re done."

"Oh? Will it take long?" Yumina asked politely.

"Not at all," the wolf-man said with a grin. "We’re almost finished."

Ahead, they could now see it — a giant Winter Bear, twice the size of a normal one, with thick ice crystals clinging to its fur. A team of Master-level cultivators surrounded it, their coordinated attacks echoing through the frozen plain. Chains made of spiritual energy coiled around the beast, glowing blue as the mages poured their prana into them. The warriors darted in and out, their swords and spears flashing with aura bursts.

The bear roared, its breath freezing the air as it shattered one of the chains. It lunged forward, but the fighters scattered, regrouping to strike again.

Tyla, Yumina, and Luman watched for a moment before steering their camels along the detour path. The snow muffled the battle’s noise as they left the hunters behind.

After a long ride, faint lights began to appear in the distance — flickering lamps and warm smoke rising from chimneys.

"We’ve arrived," Yumina said, smiling faintly. "This is Pani Town."

The settlement came into view — a modest town blanketed in snow, surrounded by a partially collapsed wall. The buildings were low, built from stone and timber, with glowing runes to keep away frost. Merchants and cultivators moved about, bundled in thick cloaks. Children were playing with spirit snowballs that floated midair before bursting into glitter.

They rode through the narrow streets until they reached a cozy inn. Tyla stored the snow camels inside a shed next to the stable, feeding them a few frostberries before patting their necks.

Luman stretched and smiled. "I’ll go visit my family shop first. I’ll meet you two later."

"Sure," Yumina said, waving.

Once he was gone, she turned to Tyla. "Let’s grab a bite first. I know a good tavern around the corner."

They walked through the main street. Tyla glanced around curiously. On almost every wall or post stood a large wooden board covered in notices and papers. Bounty lists — hundreds of them.

But what confused her most wasn’t the number — it was the content.

Her eyes fell on one poster:

> Bounty: Winter Potatoes, 20 kg

Reward: 300 Lydia

Tyla blinked, deadpan. "Wait... what? Is that some kind of beast?"

Yumina burst out laughing. "No, no! Here in the Dragon King Territories, ’bounty hunting’ doesn’t always mean killing monsters. It’s just our way of saying adventuring. These bounties include everything — herbs, minerals, ingredients, even vegetables. If the guild wants it, it becomes a bounty."

"So... bounty hunters are just adventurers with dramatic branding?" Tyla asked, amused.

"Exactly." Yumina grinned

As they stepped into the bustling tavern ahead — the smell of hot broth and spice wrapping around them — the frost outside faded into a soft shimmer, and the sound of laughter filled the air once more.