The Tianxing Mountains stretch east to west, cutting across the northern part of Jiaoshi, with dramatic changes in elevation, countless gorges, and waterfalls and rapids almost everywhere you look.
In October, Jiaoshi’s temperature had already dropped below ten degrees Celsius, and since they were going to climb the mountain, they had to face not only the low temperatures but also the slippery roads caused by the cold, making the journey difficult.
This was when having locals around really showed its advantages. The Zhang Family had prepared everything meticulously for their mountain trip, knowing they would be climbing, and had all the necessary supplies ready.
They even arranged for ten well-trained Retired Soldiers to accompany them.
Zhang Father, being older and more cautious, worried that the young people would find the group too large and burdensome.
He earnestly advised, “Let them go with you, just staying on the outskirts to follow along. That way, there’s someone to respond if anything happens.”
Of the four, Xie Qi was the leader, and the others all subconsciously looked to him.
“Let them come. They might be useful,” Xie Qi nodded, agreeing without hesitation.
“Did you find a Guide?” he asked again.
“We did, and there’s even a little unexpected bonus,” Zhang Ren replied. He turned and instructed the people beside him, “Bring the person up.”
The Bodyguard answered and soon dragged in a dark, filthy man.
Before the man even entered, a foul stench had already spread through the room. Qu Yanning wrinkled his nose in disgust, curiosity making him glance at the newcomer.
The man being dragged in was wrapped in tattered rags, his hair a tangled mess, looking like a beggar found by the roadside.
Zhang Father was puzzled, “Who is this?”
Xie Qi raised an eyebrow and said calmly, “He actually managed to follow us here.”
“We found him outside, sneaking around for half a day,” Zhang Ren explained. “Didn’t Mr. Qu say last time there was a strange person who came by? Could it be him?”
The Bodyguard yanked the man’s hair to lift his face. Beneath the grime, his features were vaguely familiar, especially the pair of sinister, triangular eyes that left a deep impression.
“It’s him,” Qu Yanning nodded, hesitating. “But he looks ten years older now.”
“When we caught him, he was outside mumbling and praying to a Porcelain Doll, looked like he was under some kind of evil spell,” Zhang Ren said, handing the Porcelain Doll to Xie Qi.
Xie Qi glanced at it, frowned, and moved away, handing a piece of Talisman Paper to Zhang Ren. “That’s not something clean. Burn it.”
The man, who had been lying limp on the ground as if dead, suddenly began to struggle violently. He screamed hoarsely, “If you dare disrespect the Shen Ling, you’ll suffer Punishment from Heaven!”
Zhang Ren sneered, lit the Talisman Paper, and the Porcelain Doll, which shouldn’t have burned, turned to ashes in the yellow flames like a scrap of paper.
The man stared in shock, as if sentenced to death, muttering, “The Shen Ling won’t let you go…”
“Get ready, we’re leaving tomorrow,” Xie Qi said coldly, casting a disdainful glance at the man on the ground.
With supplies and a Guide all in place, the group prepared to head up the mountain early the next morning.
Chu Zhou, who had been resting in his room, also showed up. The man being escorted at the end by the Bodyguard saw him, and a spark of fire suddenly lit up in his lifeless eyes.
He muttered low, “Sheng Tong, Shen Ling, I’ve found the Sheng Tong. I don’t have to die…”
Chu Zhou seemed to sense something and turned his head, but only saw the Bodyguard kick the man’s leg, urging him forward with a scowl.
Zhang Father accompanied them all the way to the foot of the mountain, where the Guide was already waiting.
The Guide Zhang Ren had found was a dark-skinned man in his early forties, with a simple and honest look.
When he saw them arrive, he greeted them without much enthusiasm and then silently led them inside.
Zhang Ren whispered that this was the best Guide in Jiaoshi. Only he could lead people in and out of the winding Tianxing Mountains.
The mountain path was fairly easy to walk. Although the temperature had been low these days, it hadn’t rained, so the mountain roads were dry and not too difficult.
The ten Retired Soldiers, five in front and five in back, surrounded the four of them in the middle. The group moved slowly up the mountain in a long line.
Their first destination was Jing Well Mountain.
Relying on Chu Zhou’s faint memories, he’d drawn a rough map, and with the information they’d managed to extract from the man, combined with the Guide’s knowledge, they narrowed down their options to two places: Jing Well Mountain and Seven Steps Ravine.
Jing Well Mountain and Seven Steps Ravine lay in a straight line, with Jing Well Mountain closer. If Jing Well Mountain wasn’t their target, they would continue on to Seven Steps Ravine.
Qu Yanning, dressed in a cotton jacket and gloves, walked beside Xie Qi, gripping a Walking Stick. Jiaoshi had already entered winter, and it was even colder in the mountains. He exhaled white breath, looking around curiously as they walked.
The trees on the mountain had already shed all their leaves, their bare branches pointing at the sky.
Aside from a sense of desolation, there wasn’t much scenery to speak of, but he still looked around with great interest.
Xie Qi, worried he might fall, carefully kept half a step behind to guard him.
Behind them, Zhang Ren, used to this climate, wore only a not-so-thick jacket over a fitted utility vest that showed his sturdy build.
He supported Chu Zhou, asking in a low voice.
Chu Zhou caught his breath, his face flushed from the effort. He shook his head at Zhang Ren’s words, saying, “I can still manage.”
Zhang Ren had no choice but to take Chu Zhou’s only backpack.
Chu Zhou turned back and glanced at him, curling his lips in thanks.
After trudging for more than three hours, the Guide stopped in a clearing under a tree. “Let’s rest here.”
The team stopped, and the Retired Soldiers formed a circle on the outside for defense, while the four and the Guide rested inside.
They gathered dry wood to make a fire. Zhang Ren boiled a pot of water and poured in instant meals, watching the Compressed Vegetables float and expand in the hot water, soon releasing a steaming aroma.
Zhang Ren first scooped a bowl for Chu Zhou to warm his hands, then gave two more bowls to Xie Qi and the others.
Xie Qi turned and stuffed the steaming bowl into Qu Yanning’s hands. “You drink first.”
Qu Yanning took the bowl and quietly thanked him.
The hot soup warmed his stomach, making him feel a rush of warmth. After finishing the bowl, beads of sweat appeared on his nose.
Xie Qi handed him a tissue, telling him to wipe his sweat and be careful not to catch a cold.
After lunch and a bit more rest, the team set off again.
The mountain path grew steeper and narrower, making progress increasingly difficult. By dusk, as night fell, they stopped to rest again.
The terrain was much steeper now. They cut down a few dead trees and barely cleared a space to set up tents.
Space was limited, so two people had to share a tent. Zhang Ren, after helping the Retired Soldiers set up, carried Chu Zhou horizontally and placed him inside.
The deeper they went into the mountains, the worse Chu Zhou’s condition became.
On the last stretch, Zhang Ren practically carried him the whole way. By now, Chu Zhou was so weak he could barely walk.
Zhang Ren settled him in the tent, hurriedly boiled water for him to hold, then joined the preparations for dinner and the night watch.
Qu Yanning also went to help. He couldn’t pitch tents, but he was good at cooking.
With enough people and plenty of food, once the makeshift stove was ready, Qu Yanning volunteered to cook.
In the mountains, you couldn’t be picky. He stewed cured meat, vermicelli, and cabbage in a large pot, the fire crackling below and bubbles rising above.
The tired Retired Soldiers squatted by the pot, watching eagerly. Qu Yanning first scooped a bowl for Xie Qi, then joined everyone else squatting by the pot, picking out food with chopsticks.
Xie Qi ate without tasting, his gaze fixed on Qu Yanning’s cheerful back, pursing his lips in displeasure.
After dinner, it was completely dark. With no moon or stars, the mountains were pitch black. A bonfire burned in the middle of the clearing, with two Retired Soldiers sitting by it to keep watch.
Qu Yanning dawdled and crawled into the tent.
Xie Qi was inside, lashes lowered, fingers slowly moving prayer beads. Even in the simple tent, his otherworldly aura was undiminished. Qu Yanning scratched his face, afraid of disturbing him, and quietly slipped into the Sleeping Bag.
“Had enough fun outside?” Xie Qi glanced at him, his calm eyes making Qu Yanning feel a bit guilty.
He felt like a cheating husband caught by his wife, and stammered, “Y-yeah, I’ve had enough fun.”
Xie Qi glanced at him in the dim light, his voice softening. “Sleep.”
The Sleeping Bag was warm. Qu Yanning curled up, shrinking into it, and soon his breathing became even.
Xie Qi patiently waited until he fell asleep, then reverted to his original form, slipped into the bag through a seam, and nestled by Qu Yanning’s neck to sleep as well.