Shen Le stood dazed on the mountain, gazing at the majestic range before him. It was September, deep into autumn; though it was still a few days short, the phrase fit well enough. Shanghai was still somewhat hot, with the air conditioning running twenty-four hours a day;
Yet the summit of Mount Langju Xu was already blanketed in a thin layer of snow.
The north wind swept the ground, snapping white grass; in the Hu lands, snow flew as early as the eighth month. When Huo Qubing had led his troops against the Xiongnu and commemorated his victory at Mount Langju Xu, had he encountered weather like this too?
Shen Le did not know. He only knew that the magnificent, biting, unstoppable radiance ahead might, perhaps, possibly be what he was looking for.
"Don't get too excited... Don't jump to conclusions..." Overwhelming joy made his head spin. Shen Le had to dig his right thumb into the web between his left thumb and forefinger, forcing himself to calm down.
"It's not certain yet... It might not be... I need to get closer and gather more evidence... After all..."
After all, the Khentii Mountains were likely the Mount Langju Xu recorded in Han Dynasty texts, and the "Burkhan Khaldun Mountain" spoken of by Mongolians. At the southern foot of this range was another very famous place:
"Gurvan Nuur," also known as "Qinian Valley," was where Genghis Khan had first been proclaimed Great Khan and established his imperial camp. It was also Genghis Khan's burial site.
If it was Qinian Valley, then perhaps, maybe, it too would emit such sharp radiance beneath the gaze of spiritual power?
Shen Le did not even dare use magic to travel through the earth. He merely circulated the heat through his legs and pressed onward with