"Hello, sir. May I ask if you know where Heavenly Melody Valley is?"
"Heavenly Melody Valley? Never heard of it!" The sturdy man carrying a basket of herbs looked Zhang Tie up and down as he walked along the mountain path. Seeing that Zhang Tie had upright features, did not look like a bad man, and wore an amiable smile that naturally inspired goodwill, he patiently asked a few more questions. "Is this Heavenly Melody Valley you mentioned somewhere in the Cloud Dragon Mountains?"
"That's right." Zhang Tie nodded.
"Then it isn't nearby. I've gathered herbs in these mountains for a full sixty years. I know every place within several hundred li around here, but I've never heard of a place called Heavenly Melody Valley!" At this point, the herb-gathering man lifted his head to look at the sky. The sun already hung over the western mountaintops. "It's getting late. Going deeper into the mountains alone would be dangerous. The wild beasts in these mountains are no easy customers. Just a few days ago, someone saw a giant snake in a valley not far ahead—more than a hundred feet long. Who knows how long that snake has been staying in that valley? Moss has grown over its body, and it's already capable of cultivation. An ordinary person would be scared to death at the very sight of it. There are plenty of ancient monsters in these mountains. You'd better head down early!"
"Thank you for the advice, sir. By the way, is there a market town nearby?"
"Other than Bright Moon City, the nearest market town is Abundant Valley Market. Go this way and cross three mountains in a row, and you'll reach it..." The herb-gathering man pointed at a peak ahead of Zhang Tie. "But it's too late today.