Staggering Journey (11)

After crossing the river, the three living travelers and their corpse made swift, smooth progress.

The reason could not have been simpler. After all, Inspector Bai was an official with unfathomable cultivation, money, and a beautiful face. With money, eighty percent of the world's affairs could be settled; flash the Red Sash as well, and ninety-nine percent could be resolved... at any rate, Zhang Xing never saw Inspector Bai resort again to that cultivation he could hardly classify as martial arts or immortal arts to solve anything.

As for that face... that was harder to judge. Even if she did not want to use it, she could hardly escape it, could she?

In short, these past few days they stayed at proper inns, traveled broad official roads, and rode tall, fine horses. Even the deceased Du Meng enjoyed the privilege of an ox cart.

Zhang Xing even received a set of clothes from "Qin Bao," replacing the soldier's undergarment that had long since become tattered and covered in blood.

Thus, in just six or seven days, the party crossed Wuyang Commandery and entered Wuan Commandery. Another three days into this commandery, without asking directions or secretly using the Compass, Zhang Xing knew where Red Mountain lay. The reason was simple: at the end of the plain before them, a towering crimson mountain range stretched unbroken from north to south, red as blood, red as cinnabar.

Moreover, it was late spring, and green covered the surrounding countryside. This mountain alone looked entirely red, making the sight all the more astonishing.

After another three days, they reached the foot of the mountains. Without concealing anything from his companions, Zhang Xing took out the Compass and tested it. Its needle pointed steadily west, indicating that Du Meng's home lay in the mountains directly before them rather than farther away. More certain now, he simply discussed matters with the other two, found an inn at the mountain's foot, and settled in comfortably, preparing to ascend at leisure the next day. He was even in the mood to ask about the origins of Red Mountain's extraordinary scenery.

Comparing Qin Bao's account with the innkeeper's, the transmigrator readily learned that a mountain range had always stretched across this place, overlooking Hebei and looming over the Central Plains across the river.

In ancient times, before the Northern Black Emperor and Southern Red Emperor of the Three Radiances and Four Sovereigns attained the Way and achieved Position Attainment, they had, for certain reasons, fought an unrestrained battle here.

In that battle, Lord Separation Serpent, one of the True Dragons serving the Black Emperor, died here. His corpse fell from the clouds and lay across the mountains for dozens of li. The Red Emperor himself also suffered a furious saber strike from the Black Emperor, sending divine blood raining down. As the divine blood fell, it broke Separation Serpent apart, and together they seeped into the old mountains. All three became one, taking on a crimson hue.

Thus came the Red Mountain of today.

Even now, tremors often occurred in the mountains, churning up a kind of crimson hot spring that drew wild beasts to race one another for a drink. It was said that the divine blood had remained active for thousands of years, hence the name Blood Spring. The Hongshan people had always been tall and strong, ranking alongside the fierce, combative people of the Northern Wasteland and the hardy, hardworking people of Longxi as the world's three great sources of soldiers. Legend likewise attributed this to the sacred beast's generative power and the nourishment of divine blood.

Precisely because they believed their physiques, so clearly superior to those of ordinary people, came from the nurturing grace of this special land, the locals had developed a tradition of returning to Red Mountain for burial after death, no matter what.

Leaving everything else aside, Zhang Xing, who had met the Mountain-Splitting Lord himself, actually believed this account of Red Mountain's origins without a doubt. Considering Du Meng's physique and slightly reddish face, he even found some of the later, stranger claims somewhat credible.

"Have you guests come to bring an old friend home?"

The elderly innkeeper was tall and slightly red-faced, clearly a local himself. After sharing these stories, he glanced at Du Meng's corpse, which gave off cold vapor outside the inn, without showing the slightest surprise or apprehension. He even seemed quite at ease.

"I'm bringing my companion home," Zhang Xing answered just as openly. "These two came to see me here."

"I see." The innkeeper sighed softly. "But forgive an old man for speaking out of turn: you might do better to bury him at the foot of the mountain. That would still count as a fallen leaf returning to its roots... things haven't been peaceful in the mountains lately."

"What do you mean by that?" Before Zhang Xing could speak, the female inspector's professional instincts asserted themselves. "Bandit raids, or remnants of the rebels from Hedong and Henei?"

"Nothing to do with them." The innkeeper hurriedly waved his hands. "You're thinking too far, Inspector... what I meant was that about a month ago, the Blood Springs in the mountains suddenly erupted, with extraordinary speed and force. They directly triggered landslides, washed out roads, and crushed bridges. Communication with the mountains has been cut off for quite some time, too... getting in will probably be difficult."

"Oh." The female inspector seemed to lose interest at once.

"So it was just a natural disaster?" Zhang Xing relaxed inwardly as well. "Difficult roads?"

"All I can say is that it looks like a natural disaster, and the roads are difficult." The innkeeper hesitated, but still answered with a rueful smile. "The night before the blood pools erupted, many people down here saw streaks of light fly beneath the lesser moon. There seemed to be quite a commotion in the mountains, too, and then the blood pools erupted and blocked the roads... we don't understand such things. We've only heard people say that immortals serving either the Southern Red Emperor or the Northern Black Emperor passed through and stirred up the Separation Serpent or divine blood belonging to their side. Others say some sorcerer worked magic to extract divine blood and dragon flesh from the mountains for some wicked purpose. But others say it was simply someone with profound cultivation passing through, and that eruptions of the blood pools are normal, so the two things had nothing to do with each other... still, here at Red Mountain, people tend to take such things seriously. That's precisely why, for now, everyone is both unable and afraid to enter the mountains."

"I understand." By the end, Zhang Xing felt somewhat uneasy too, but a glance at the female inspector, who had raised her head, restored his confidence. "But I personally promised my companion that I would bring him home and bury him there. After coming so far and enduring so much, we're already at the foot of the mountains. Wouldn't it be ridiculous to stop because of this?"

"That's true enough."

Bai Yousi looked thoughtful and said nothing. Only the innkeeper replied casually. "In that case, I'll have the people here make you a stretcher and prepare some dry provisions, so you can carry the body into the mountains. You'll have to leave the horses and ox cart with me for now, though, and collect them when you return."

Zhang Xing had been about to say there was no need, since they had a flying sword immortal right here... but unexpectedly, Bai Yousi, who had been deep in thought, immediately nodded instead.

"Better prepared than sorry. Sorry for the trouble, innkeeper."

Zhang Xing merely assumed she was unwilling to do more hard labor, but had nothing to say.

Nothing more need be said of that day. The next morning, after breakfast, they came outside to find that the old innkeeper had already prepared everything. First, he helped bind Du Meng's corpse to a simple wooden frame that could be either dragged or carried. He had also prepared an iron fork with a base to serve as a climbing staff. He personally fastened an exceptionally broad cowhide belt around Zhang Xing's waist. Besides his saber, dagger, and Compass, it held several little cowhide pouches, some stuffed with dried meat and coarse steamed buns, others with lime and flints, and others with gauze and oil. There were also two clean cowhide waterskins, and even a gourd of wine.

Naturally, there was also a pouch of silver scraps and copper coins.

Everything had indeed been thoroughly arranged.

Only then, however, did Zhang Xing suddenly realize that the innkeeper had prepared supplies for just one person.

"Are you two stopping here?" Zhang Xing asked seriously.

"Yes." Bai Yousi stood straight with her sword, answering solemnly. "I have official business, and Young Master Qin also left home in haste. Having escorted you to the foot of the mountains, we've done our utmost and stayed true to our hearts. It's time to take our leave... I've settled the innkeeper's bill. Once you've buried your companion and returned here, there will be a horse for you as well."

Here Bai Yousi paused briefly before continuing, her sword held against her chest. "Though we met by chance like drifting duckweed, your conversation, knowledge, and this loyalty of yours are truly exceptional. Vast as the world is, there's nowhere you cannot go. Should fate permit, and should you wish to seek me out at the Jing'an Directorate in the Eastern Capital someday, I would certainly rush out to welcome you, even with my shoes on backward."

Now, Zhang Xing was no ungrateful wolf. They had helped him so much, and even now, as they left, they had arranged everything properly. Quibbling over the slightest thing would truly mean failing to recognize kindness. It was only that, having seen her cross the river in white like an immortal, he, as a transmigrator, inevitably had all manner of interests and questions about this world's path of cultivation. He had not yet found a suitable opportunity to ask, so he felt somewhat reluctant to part.

Now that she had offered these words as well, he had nothing more to say. He immediately cupped his hands in salute and thanked her.

Bai Yousi and Qin Bao said little more either. They simply returned the salute, mounted their horses, and rode back the way they had come, apparently heading for the great river.

Meanwhile, the old innkeeper personally led the ox cart to escort Zhang Xing partway, only taking his leave when they reached the first mountain ravine with a broken bridge. By then Zhang Xing had put all distractions from his mind. He hoisted Du Meng onto his back again and headed single-mindedly deeper into the ravine.

The first gully was not deep, and he climbed across easily, entering Red Mountain proper.

Only here did the transmigrator discover that these mountains did not seem quite as supernatural as they had from afar. Or rather, they still fell within the comprehensible realm of nature's uncanny craftsmanship... for instance, up close, he found that the earth was neither crimson nor scarlet, and seemed little different from the red soil formed by weathered rock. Nor were the mountains devoid of plants. They were covered in pale yellow cogon grass and reddish-brown shrubs, which blended with the red earth from a distance, naturally forming a sharp contrast with other green vegetation.

There were even crops and other green plants in the valleys, though they inevitably had a slight reddish or yellowish tinge.

Zhang Xing soon saw the so-called Blood Springs as well, and drank from them, and soaked in them... all he could say was that, having transmigrated and experienced life and death, he no longer cared about such things. In his previous life, he certainly would not have dared touch them.

There was likewise nothing strange in the mountains.

No monsters, no immortals, no sorcerers encountered refining sinister magical artifacts, no ground littered with drained human and animal corpses. Only ordinary earth and ordinary wind, ordinary wild beasts and ordinary mountains.

That made sense. Extraordinary though Red Mountain was, it clearly lay at the heart of an area of human activity. Even if any monsters truly existed, experts like Bai Yousi would long since have wiped them out in passing. How could any have been left for him to see?

The roads, however, were certainly difficult.

After just two days wandering the mountains with Du Meng on his back, Zhang Xing's fine cowhide military boots had been worn through by the distinctive gravel underfoot. Whenever he lifted a foot, his toes showed. His hands and arms were also slashed all over by those peculiar shrubs and grasses, covered in bloody cuts, to say nothing of his newly changed clothes... but Heaven did not fail the determined. After a whole day of checking the Compass and studying the terrain, Zhang Xing finally identified his ultimate destination.

It was a valley whose entrances at both ends had been buried by landslides. Since everything looked crimson from afar, even the roads, Zhang Xing had not noticed at first. Only after circling the valley twice with the Compass did he draw a conclusion from the roads extending away from its two ends, and suddenly understand.

That evening, he gritted his teeth and climbed into the valley, then rested before the red-earth landslide inside it.

It was late spring. In the lingering sunset, with the evening breeze blowing gently, Zhang Xing knew it was too late to reach his destination that night. He simply found a suitable spot, laid Du Meng's corpse beside him, and transferred a little of his remaining True Qi into it. Then he lit a campfire and lay down alone on the red earth.

The warm earth, heated by a full day's sunlight, felt as comfortable and warm as lying in his mother's embrace, but it also drew out the exhaustion filling his body and mind... the aching numbness in his soles, the stinging in his limbs, the dryness of his face, and the loneliness rising from deep within... yet, for some unknown reason, at that moment, before fatigue and drowsiness swallowed him, Zhang Xing also felt a rare sense of peace and accomplishment unlike almost anything he had known since transmigrating into that ruined temple, and even a little unexpected happiness and satisfaction.

It took considerable effort and determination to rise from the warm earth and shake all the reddish dust off himself. Then he untied a waterskin, but instead of drinking, he extravagantly poured water out to wipe his face and wash his hands. Next, he took down the half-gourd of wine he had never brought himself to drink, and brought out the strips of dried meat from his belt pouch that he had been reluctant to eat. Only then did he lie down again.

At last, with heaven for his pillow and earth for his mat, Zhang Xing held the dried meat over the campfire. Once fat began sizzling out, he drew it back and slowly chewed it with wine, gazing at the crimson sky and earth around him.

When the food and drink had brought him pleasure, though he did not give a long cry like a dragon or tiger, he did shout a few times, startling several crows into hurried flight beneath the setting sun.

Happy times were always brief.

Before long, the strips of meat were gone and the half-gourd of wine was drained. Zhang Xing felt as though the warmth seeping from the earth beneath his back would almost steam every last trace of exhaustion from his innards. He stopped fighting it, rolled over, curled beside the fire, and fell into a deep, sweet sleep.

The next morning, the cold woke Zhang Xing. Opening his eyes, he immediately noticed that the weather was poor: the clouds were darkening, heavy with coming rain... but it did not matter. Today he would lay down the greatest burden of this journey and begin a new life.

After eating a little and drinking some water, he hoisted Du Meng onto his back. Without transferring any more True Qi, he merely activated the Compass and set off.

As soon as he started, rain began falling. The valley road grew wet and slippery, making progress difficult, and his torn boot simply filled with muddy water. None of this shook the transmigrator's high spirits in the slightest.

Soon, toward noon, through the lightly pattering rain, he encountered signs of human life, which lifted the transmigrator's spirits still further.

A little closer, he saw them clearly: a man and a woman. A young man in gray cloth clothes stood before an enormous earthen mound, while a young woman in plain white brocade, her hair merely gathered in a bun without a small crown, stood somewhat farther to one side... one carried a bow on his back, the other held a sword. Both stood motionless, quietly watching the approaching traveler.

As though they were waiting specifically for Zhang Xing.

PS: Thanks to the new alliance leaders... Southerner of the West and Rain Amid Mortal Bustle... both longtime readers. Mortal Bustle was an alliance leader for my last two books, and Dad goes back even further. Dad was a reader back when I was writing Film Emperor. He was still a dad to a baby then; by now, I suppose he's graduated to being a dad to a child? Shao Song was two years ago, Overthrowing Han was three years and nine months ago, and Film Emperor was six or seven years ago. In the blink of an eye, all those years have passed.

. You are provided with the great author Water-Fearing Grenade's Exorcising the Dragon: Zhang Xing and Bai Yousi