Lin Ziguang could not help but fill in the blanks himself. After pondering it over, he said, "Iron Mountain Art is a cultivation art unique to our Iron Mountain Sect. The expert who taught you Iron Mountain Art must have deep ties to our Iron Mountain Sect."
He bared his slightly yellowed teeth in a grin. "In that case, you should count as one of the Iron Mountain Sect too!"
Ma Yongtang nodded repeatedly. "Right, right, one of us!"
Fang Zhixing noticed that the two were deliberately trying to build a connection and ingratiate themselves with him, so he smiled. "That's right. We're all one of us."
As they chatted and laughed, the sun gradually sank westward, and three men and one dog walked farther and farther away.
Before long, they had traveled over twenty li when the road suddenly became rugged and steep.
The banks on either side of the river rose upward into sheer cliffs, while the riverbed itself became a deep gorge.
"This place is..."
Seeing this, Lin Ziguang took out the map again and compared it carefully.
"Mm, we haven't gone the wrong way. Once we cross this gorge, it'll only be another ten or so li to the county town." He smiled excitedly.
Ma Yongtang quickly said, "Then let's hurry. We should make it before night falls completely."
Fang Zhixing had no objection.
The three men and one dog quickened their pace, climbed a slope, and reached the top of the cliff.
The mountain path was pitted and uneven, rising and falling without end. Jagged rocks occasionally jutted out like tigers blocking the road.
And that was not all. The ground was thick with thornbushes, making it easy to injure one's ankles.
"Damn it, this is pure suffering!"
Lin Ziguang led the way, grumbling endlessly.