On both banks of the great river, wondrous peaks pierced the sky, lofty and magnificent. Dark mist wreathed their summits, and apes cried again and again. The little boat traveled over the jade-green waters, giving full expression to the hushed vastness of heaven and earth across the ages.
Luo Wuya raised a flask of wine and poured it into the river... as though offering a libation to this stretch of heaven and earth.
"Boy, do you know the origins of Wushan Gorge?"
Holding the oar, Lü Bufan shook his head.
"Legend has it that in ancient times, seven divine maidens descended from the Immortal Realm. They moved mountains and filled seas to help the Human Ancestor, King Yu, save the common people. Later, their divine power exhausted, the maidens transformed beside the great river into an unbroken chain of peaks, keeping the river from flooding as it rushed into the sea... but I think this had fuck all to do with the Immortal Realm..."
Luo Wuya took a sip of wine. "If that were true, why wasn't it called Immortal Mountain Gorge? This should have countless threads tying it to the Ancient Wu Clan, which vanished long ago!"
The old ox, Crouching Dragon, came out of the cabin and sat cross-legged on the deck, continuing, "The Wu Clan has been a taboo since ancient times. Never mind the Immortals of the Immortal Realm... even the Human Race avoids speaking of them."
Lü Bufan asked in puzzlement, "Why is that?"
Luo Wuya curled his lip. "Hmph! This world has far too much intrigue, scheming, and struggle for supremacy... the Wu Clan wasn't the only people to vanish! The Zhurong Clan, the Gonggong Clan... the ancient Jiuli Tribe fared relatively well. At least some of their mountain barbarian descendants managed to cling