In the frigid lands, after my exile, I began to slay demons and monsters.

Chapter 13 Without eliminating demons, the people will suffer.

In the afternoon, the sky remained dark and gloomy, with layers of dark clouds piled up. Although no snowflakes fell, there was a sense of impending snowstorm.

After a short rest, fatigue always sets in faster. Not long after the afternoon's schedule began, shouts rang out again, the dragging clatter of shackles mingling with the prisoners' constant cries of pain, and an atmosphere of suffering began to permeate the air.

This is only the first day! There are still sixty days to go!

Ning Xiaoxi let out a long breath and slowly approached Ning Shi, asking in a low voice, "Father, what places do we pass through on the way from the capital to the place of exile?" Talking to him might make her feel less tired.

Ning Shi looked down at his slightly panting little girl, tightened his grip on the basket, ignored the pain in his shoulder, took a deep breath, slowly estimated the journey, and then said softly, "Leaving the capital and following this official road, it will take about five days within Zhongzhou. After five days, we will enter Bingzhou territory, where we will be escorted by local Bingzhou officials. After another fifteen days or so, we will enter Jizhou, where we will be escorted by different officials again. After twenty days, we will enter Youzhou, where we will be directly escorted to our place of exile by Youzhou officials, which will take about another twenty days."

Listening to her father's description, Ning Xiaoxi roughly calculated the data in her mind. It would take sixty days to walk from the royal city to Fufang County in Youzhou. At their current speed of about a hundred miles a day, that would be six thousand miles! My God, that's like walking to the North Pole! How could they possibly survive?

Ning Ziqing listened to Ning Shi's introduction from the side. He was still young and not yet old enough to travel and study outside the capital as the teacher had suggested. He had always longed to go beyond the capital, and although the method had changed, it was still a way of fulfilling his wish. "I've heard that Youzhou is extremely cold and unsuitable for survival. Apart from the King of Youzhou guarding the edge of the polar night, there are almost no civilians left. How will we survive there?"

“Fufang County was built along the garrison base of King You. There are ten counties along the garrison line. These ten counties served two purposes: first, to provide shelter for the people of the North, and second, to serve as reserves for the local garrison.” A strange light flashed in Ning Shi’s eyes. “The North is extremely cold. Although there are only three months of springtime each year, the number of species surviving in the cold is no less than in the South. Many creatures are unique to the North. The people of the North rely on these animals to supplement their winter food and provide warmth, thus securing a sliver of life in that frigid land.”

As he continued his reverie, his steps seemed less heavy. "When I was young, my brothers and I studied under a teacher. That teacher had traveled the world and even reached the border of Youzhou, but he was too weak to adapt to life there and had to return home. When he described the icy and snowy landscape of Youzhou, my brothers and I had the ambition to join the army and guard the border of Youzhou, but..." Ning Shi suddenly stopped, shook his head, and did not continue.

“Husband, my father and brothers live far away in Qingzhou. If they are implicated, it will probably only be in Kunwu, south of Qingzhou, and they won’t be exiled to this far north. Besides, my eldest brother and third brother are both capable men, and they will surely be safe.” Ming Luoying looked at her husband’s expression and knew that he was worried about his elderly father and brothers back home who had been implicated and exiled because of her, and he felt guilty.

Ning Shi sighed softly, no longer thinking of his father and brothers thousands of miles away. Looking at his wife and children beside him, he felt there were some things he needed to let them know. "If it weren't for King You leading the Northern You army to keep the Great Demon Lord at bay outside the Great Xia borders, the people of Great Xia wouldn't have such a peaceful life. Therefore, regardless of whether we were innocently implicated, and regardless of whether the King truly misjudged the Third Prince, as long as it involves demons, we must act without complaint."

Ning Shi's gaze was unwavering as he said solemnly, "You siblings must remember this well: the reason why humanity has been able to stand firm on this continent is the result of nearly a thousand years of valiant struggle by countless human martyrs and celestial masters. To ensure the prosperity of our human race, we must never be lenient towards demons. Without eliminating demons, the people will not live in misery."

Despite his heavy steps and aching shoulders, Ning Ziqing still nodded deeply to his father.

Ning Xiaoxi's heart stirred slightly. It seemed that the relationship between humans and demons here was not as simple as she had thought. Perhaps she should take the time to learn more about this history.

By the time the exiles reached a post station where they could stay, it was already completely dark.

The scattered exiles gradually gathered together, and the families supported each other as they huddled together.

Ning Xiaoxi, panting, leaned against her brother. Ning Ziqing straightened his body to support his sister. Ning Shi and Ming Luoying also stood leaning on each other in the cold wind.

Ding You stood at the entrance of the post station, negotiating with the postmaster. This batch of prisoners included no high-ranking officials or powerful families; they were all officials of the fifth rank or lower and their families. Generally speaking, they were relatively easy to manage.

"Quack~"

Suddenly, a strange cry came from the darkness.

Ding You quickly looked up towards the darkness from which the sound came. A chilling wind had just swept up with the shout, and the entire post station seemed to be shrouded in a black aura. His brows furrowed involuntarily, and an ominous feeling rose in Ding You's heart.

"Quickly, bring all the prisoners into the room."

After a period of chaos following the issuance of Dingyou's order, the Ning family of four, under the watchful eyes of the guards, entered a large communal room closest to the main gate of the post station.

Ning Xiaoxi huddled tightly with her parents and brother in the corner beside the bed. The dormitory room wasn't large, but it was packed with people. Everyone seemed to sense the unusually eerie atmosphere outside, and they all fell silent. The families huddled together, drawing warmth from the cold night.

The noise outside gradually subsided, and the entire post station quickly quieted down.

[Tuanzi, what's going on outside?] Ning Xiaoxi asked quietly in her heart.

[Start live stream!]

As Tuanzi's voice faded, the night sky was once again brilliantly revealed before Ning Xiaoxi's eyes.

Night fell like a heavy black cloth, pressing down on the post station. This post station was much smaller than the Shili Post Station on the outskirts of the capital. It was a square building with five main rooms facing south, three side rooms on each side, and six rooms on each of the east and west wing rooms. Behind the east wing room were the kitchen and stables.

Suddenly, a sinister "cawing" sound pierced the night sky, and nearly a hundred raven ghost messengers surged in like a tide. They exuded a chilling aura, and their eyes flashed with an eerie red light as they circled and hovered above the post station.

The eerie cries reached everyone's ears, and a sense of fear unconsciously filled their hearts. Wisps of cold air emanated from the Crow Demon Envoy, constantly shifting through the courtyard of the post station, as if searching for a way to enter the post station.

Inside the post station, the constables gripped their weapons tightly, their faces grave as they gathered in the side hall to the left of the main building. Through the window, they kept a close eye on the movements of the crow demons circling in the sky outside.

Ding You frowned as he scanned the raven ghost messengers circling in the sky. Judging from their numbers and the chilling aura they exuded, this was only a newly formed raven ghost messenger, capable of commanding nearly a hundred clones. It seemed that it was not without the power to fight.

Ding You clenched his fist tightly and hurriedly walked along the eaves towards the main room where the postmaster was located.