Sui Zaihua remembered yesterday's marker. He got out of the carriage and walked over. Sure enough, the snow had been freshly cleared from the rock again, even a layer of its surface worn away. Yesterday's Kongtong marker was gone, replaced by the character for "forward."
Clearly, the two disciples scouting the way had traversed the long valley last night and returned to carve a symbol indicating that they could proceed.
Only...
"You were at the very front, and you didn't see Senior Brother Ge either?"
"No, just this symbol. I figured they'd probably gone farther ahead."
At a major fork like this, either the two scouts had yet to return from exploring, or, if they had finished, they should have waited here to explain the situation. Especially since they had already been gone all night.
But there was indeed not a soul here, while the marker was perfectly clear.
"They didn't even leave a footprint."
"If they left footprints on snow like this, I'd punish them with lightness training when we got back-the snow keeps falling, and conditions in the valley could change at any moment. I think they went farther ahead to scout." Su Xuchun was the Kongtong elder leading this expedition. "Xu Yuan, Zhao Feiyang, go catch up with them. Once you do, take their places and send them back. Those two must be tired."
The two disciples departed with their orders.
Su Xuchun turned back apologetically. "Our disciples have no sense of proportion. Give them a chance to distinguish themselves, and they don't know when to stop. Sorry to have delayed you all."
"What's the harm? We can just keep moving too." Beside him stood a powerfully built man with a sword on his back. Despite the snow, he wore only a thin garment, his arms exposed.