Tongxuan Mountain

After noon, as they needed to hurry to Yuhua Pavilion, Shi Xuan and Ding Mingde prepared to set off. The two stood up to bid farewell to Yan Jujian. At the same time, Ding Mingde politely invited Yan Jujian to accompany them. After all, they were heading to the same destination and had met before. Not inviting him would seem rude and uncivilized. However, Yan Jujian's background and origins were unclear, and traveling together would require considerable effort to remain vigilant. Thus, it was merely a polite invitation, expecting the other party to decline tactfully.

Unexpectedly, Yan Jujian showed no intention of refusing and readily agreed. Shi Xuan and Ding Mingde found themselves in a difficult position and had no choice but to invite him into their carriage. For Shi Xuan, perhaps this was for the best. Overt threats were easier to deal with than hidden dangers.

Zheng Daniu looked at Yan Jujian's burly physique, his face turning green. But Shi Xuan's promise of five taels of silver as a reward prevented him from objecting. He could only watch helplessly as Yan Jujian climbed into the carriage, causing it to creak under his weight. Even the two horses in front instinctively took a small step back.

The carriage, pulled by two weary horses, moved slowly along the official road. Since getting into the carriage, Yan Jujian had been sitting cross-legged in the back, mostly silent. He occasionally asked Ding Mingde a few questions but completely ignored Shi Xuan, who could even feel a faint sense of wariness from him.

Shi Xuan increasingly felt that this trip to Tongxuan Mountain was becoming strange. However, since he was going to seek immortality and cultivation, and he had his own trump cards, there was no way he would back down now.

The strange atmosphere in the carriage persisted until they reached the foot of Tongxuan Mountain. Just past the midpoint of the Shen hour, Shi Xuan could already see the words "Tongxuan Mountain" inscribed on the boundary marker at the foot of the mountain.

After paying Zheng Daniu and sending him away, Shi Xuan excused himself to go behind a mountain cliff, intending to use this opportunity to eavesdrop on Yan Jujian, who seemed wary of him, to see what he would say to Ding Mingde after he left.

Arriving at the mountain cliff, Shi Xuan leaned against the rock, closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, and entered a state of spiritual clarity, fully utilizing his keen senses. Due to the distance, he couldn't hear as easily as before.

As expected, he heard Yan Jujian lower his voice and say, "Does young brother Ding know why I've come to Tongxuan Mountain's Shuanghu Village?"

"N-no, aren't you looking for an old friend?" Ding Mingde's voice sounded somewhat confused.

"Yes, my friend came to Tongxuan Mountain two years ago and hasn't sent any news since. I'm very worried about his safety, so I've come to find him."

"Did he encounter danger in the mountains? I heard there are many fierce beasts here."

"Hahahaha, he would die by the mouth of a beast?" Yan Jujian's mocking voice couldn't be entirely suppressed.

"Then... what is it?" Ding Mingde asked hesitantly.

"After I arrived in Chuzhou City, I investigated secretly for a long time and discovered that many people disappear in Tongxuan Mountain every year. They all have one thing in common. Heh, do you know what it is?" Yan Jujian didn't answer directly but changed the subject.

"Eaten by... by wild beasts?" Ding Mingde replied with a dazed tone.

"Heh, they are either people like you whose parents are both deceased, or those who are away from home for years and haven't returned for a long time. In short, people whose disappearance wouldn't cause much of a stir."

"Ah? H-how, how could this be!" Ding Mingde was somewhat frightened.

"So, I originally intended to investigate the mountain myself. But I happened to hear that you were going to Shuanghu Village in Tongxuan Mountain. I remembered that my friend's letter to me also mentioned this place, so I came to inquire. Later, I found out that you are an orphan, and combined with the information I had already gathered, I decided to go with you."

"I, I, I won't go." His teeth began to chatter, and he prepared to retreat.

"Young brother Ding, don't you think it's a bit late to turn back now that we're at the foot of Tongxuan Mountain?" Yan Jujian's voice was playful.

"You... you, what do you want to do? Brother Zi'ang, right, I'll find Brother Zi'ang to go back with me!"

"Heh, your Brother Zi'ang might not necessarily take you back!"

"What do you mean?!"

"He's a master of hidden depths. Killing you would be as easy as killing a chicken!"

"N-no! No! Brother Zi'ang is generous and upright, with the demeanor of ancient scholars. He's clearly a gentleman!" Ding Mingde retorted excitedly, his words flowing more smoothly, the latter half coming out in one breath.

"I haven't read much, but I've heard the saying, 'One should not harbor ill intentions, but one should not be careless.' You two haven't known each other for long, have you?" Yan Jujian said leisurely.

"This, this..." Ding Mingde was speechless.

"Young brother Ding, since you've come this far, why not let me help you investigate thoroughly and resolve this potential threat once and for all? Otherwise, even if you return home, you won't be at peace, and it might even endanger your family."

"Cousin! Yes! Cousin, he wants to come too!"

"That's right. Bring me along. I won't boast, but with me here, I can guarantee your safety, little brother. Your Brother Zi'ang, although skilled in martial arts, might not be able to defeat me with one hand." Yan Jujian's voice was calm and full of confidence.

"This..." Ding Mingde's voice was hesitant.

"In this world, including the reclusive old monsters, you could count those who can defeat me on ten fingers," Yan Jujian's steady voice inspired great confidence.

"Fine! I promise you!" Ding Mingde agreed through gritted teeth.

Seeing that the two had finished their discussion, Shi Xuan waited a while longer behind the mountain cliff before slowly emerging. He apologized to them with a smile, claiming he had a stomach ache.

Yan Jujian still ignored Shi Xuan as before. Ding Mingde, however, was a terrible actor and responded with a slightly evasive demeanor. Shi Xuan pretended not to notice and urged them to ascend the mountain together. Tongxuan Mountain looked peculiar, but they wouldn't go to places that weren't peculiar.

The three walked silently on the mountain path. Ding Mingde, in particular, looked so heavy with fear that his back was almost bent. If Yan Jujian hadn't been standing behind him, Shi Xuan strongly suspected he would have let out a scream and run away.

Tongxuan Mountain was deep and serene, with crisp birdsong. Even in the scorching heat of summer, a cool breeze could be felt. In such an environment, the three soon arrived at a luxuriously decorated pavilion, with a plaque above bearing the three seal script characters for "Yuhua Pavilion." To the left of the pavilion stood a stone tablet detailing the pavilion's history. It was built by a minister of the previous dynasty, and wealthy families from Chuzhou City had donated money for its repair twenty years and three years ago, respectively.

Upon seeing the pavilion, Ding Mingde said to Shi Xuan and Yan Jujian, "My cousin said that the head steward of Shuanghu Village will be waiting for me here at the You hour. There's still more than two quarters of an hour until the You hour, so why don't we rest in the pavilion for a while?"

Shi Xuan nodded in agreement. Yan Jujian remained noncommittal. The three entered the pavilion and sat in their respective places. Shi Xuan intended to use this interval to recover his energy and prepare for the journey ahead, so he sat down and immediately closed his eyes to meditate, circulating his Internal Energy slowly. Whether Yan Jujian was doing the same as Shi Xuan was unknown, but Shi Xuan noticed he was also sitting with his eyes closed, silent. Ding Mingde, however, was restless, standing up several times as if to approach Yan Jujian, only to hesitate and return to his seat.

As energy circulated, time flew by. Soon, the sun began to set. Ding Mingde judged from the shadows that it was nearly the You hour and stood up, ready to wake the other two. But before he could speak, he saw Shi Xuan and Yan Jujian open their eyes simultaneously.

Shi Xuan stood up and said with a smile, "It seems the You hour is approaching." At this moment, Shi Xuan saw a figure emerge from a bend in the mountain path in the distance. "Uh, is that the head steward?" he asked, pointing in that direction.

Ding Mingde quickly turned to look, but his eyesight was poor, and he could only see a blurry dark figure.

The figure walked unsteadily, taking the time it takes for an incense stick to burn before reaching them. It was an old man, wearing a patterned black cloth garment and a scholar's cap. The hair visible around the cap was completely white, his face deeply wrinkled like orange peel. He was thin and gaunt, carrying a large red lantern in his hand, on which the character "Wang" was written.

Looking at the old man, Shi Xuan felt a strange sensation, as if something was contained within this body. Unfortunately, it was not convenient to use his techniques to activate his heavenly eye at the moment.

Yan Jujian gently nudged the frozen Ding Mingde. Ding Mingde seemed to snap back to reality and stepped forward to bow, "Excuse me, sir, are you the head steward of the Wang family in Shuanghu Village?"

The old man looked up, his cloudy eyes examining Ding Mingde. He returned the bow, his voice hoarse, "Indeed, I am. Are you Mr. Ding Mingde?"

"It is I. May I ask your esteemed name, Head Steward?"

"My surname is naturally Wang. I dare not sully Mr. Ding's ears with my humble name. You may call me Steward Wang. And who are these two?" The head steward noticed Shi Xuan and Yan Jujian behind Ding Mingde.

"These two are my friends, Shi Xuan, Shi Zi'ang, and Yan Jujian. They accompanied me here and are also visiting Tongxuan Mountain. May I ask if they could stay overnight in Shuanghu Village tonight?" Ding Mingde seemed to have thought of this in advance.

The head butler's cloudy eyes darted between Shi Xuan and the other person. Shi Xuan felt a chill, as if he were being stared at by a cold-blooded creature.

After a few moments of silence, the head butler finally spoke in a low voice, "Since you are Mr. Ding's friend, you are naturally welcome guests of Shuanghu Village. I only fear our hospitality may be lacking."

"Thank you for the trouble. We thank you in advance, head butler," Ding Mingde said, after being secretly nudged by Yan Jujian. This settled the matter.

The head butler glanced at the three of them again before turning halfway. "Three esteemed guests, please follow this old man closely. The mountain paths are numerous and often shrouded in fog, making it easy to get lost." He then picked up his lantern and shuffled back the way they came.

Shi Xuan and the other two exchanged glances. Ding Mingde closed his eyes and followed closely behind the head butler, while Shi Xuan and Yan Jujian walked side-by-side at the rear.