Chapter 21#
The World’s Number One#
Xiao Man frowned without speaking, his cheeks slightly puffed out as he slowly and carefully chewed.
This was a shrimp and pork dumpling, fragrant and smooth in taste, but there was a thin, round, hard object inside. It couldn’t withstand a phoenix’s bite, and he almost chipped a tooth.
He spat it out onto the table and, upon closer inspection, saw it was a copper coin.
Xiao Man: “…”
Xiao Man asked, puzzled: “Why is there such a thing in a dumpling? It doesn’t seem like it fell in by accident.”
Wei Chuyun explained with a smile: “It’s a custom for ordinary families to put copper coins in dumplings when celebrating the New Year. If you eat one, it means the new year will be full of good luck.”
“I specifically asked around last night. There are indeed copper coins in the Fortune Pot, but not many people find them! This Full of Fortune restaurant seems to have been here for thousands of years, but the last person to find a copper coin was apparently a hundred years ago!” Qu Hanxing clapped his hands and said, “Brother Man, your luck is legendary!”
Mo Juntian didn’t believe it: “Really?”
“Indeed. I’ve been in Gushan for over twenty years and have never heard of anyone finding money in a Fortune Dumpling,” Senior Brother Bai said with a smile. “Junior Brother Xiao, your luck is truly excellent.”
“A good omen right after descending the mountain means our mission this time will surely go smoothly,” Wei Chuyun said.
Joy showed in Xiao Man’s eyes: “Then how should it be handled? Should I return it to the shopkeeper?”
He cast a cleansing spell on the copper coin, incidentally repairing the crack running through it.
Qu Hanxing: “Of course, you keep it! This is a lucky coin!”
Xiao Man nodded, poked the copper coin with his fingertip, took out an empty box from his Qiankun Ring, and put it away.
Many fellow disciples in the restaurant finished their meals, paid their bills, and set off. Many others who arrived later in Huaman City walked in and asked the waiter for a Full of Fortune pot.
Time flowed like a river, ceaselessly moving forward. As Xiao Man and his group were finishing their meal, Senior Brother Bai went to settle the bill as agreed. Upon returning, he said to Xiao Man and the others:
“Next, I will travel with you, but I will only intervene to help when your lives are in danger, and I will not appear in your sight otherwise.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Senior Brother Bai.” The four stood up and bowed to Senior Brother Bai.
“It’s my duty,” Senior Brother Bai smiled slightly and took out a jade pendant. “This jade pendant can directly contact me, in case of unforeseen needs.”
He handed the jade pendant to them. As his words fell, his figure drifted away, ethereal as an immortal. The low-level disciples in the restaurant who were watching showed envy.
“Let’s go too,” Xiao Man said, sweeping his sleeve and addressing the other three.
“Let’s visit the various shops to see if we can find any useful magical artifacts, and while we’re at it, we can ask the owners about the Unheard Bell!” Qu Hanxing pulled out his folding fan, tossed it into the air, and caught it as it fell.
The voices from downstairs drifted up. Yuan Qu replaced his teacup with a wine glass, took a hearty sip, and said, “His Royal Highness the Phoenix is as polite as ever.”
He then glanced at Yan Wushu opposite him and couldn’t help but tease: “However, he no longer quietly stays by your side as he used to.”
Yan Wushu’s expression remained unchanged, still calm and serene.
That little phoenix loved tranquility. He had stayed in the Zen courtyard of Dazhao Temple for many years, and even after coming to Gushan, he didn’t like crowded places, always reading and planting flowers in his secluded dwelling.
The sky was vast, and he had never thought of restricting him. And his current state was much better than sitting in his secluded dwelling for a whole day as he used to. Yan Wushu felt joy in his heart.
Xiao Man and Qu Hanxing passed by the window below, stood at the intersection to discern their direction, and continued forward.
Yan Wushu saw them, put down his teacup, stood up, and said to Yuan Qu, “I’m leaving.”
“The wine has just arrived, and the children you’re looking after are still eating downstairs,” Yuan Qu said, picking beef slices from the Full of Fortune pot with his chopsticks to accompany his wine, without even looking up.
“I left a trace of my spiritual sense on the communication jade pendant beforehand,” Yan Wushu said.
Hearing this, Yuan Qu didn’t try to keep him. He raised his empty left hand and waved it twice symbolically: “Then have a good journey.”
Yan Wushu’s sleeve moved, and he transformed into a speck of light, disappearing into the distance.
There were several shops selling weapons and magical artifacts in Huaman City. Xiao Man and his group visited them one after another.
The shopkeepers were all very enthusiastic. Xiao Man bought a batch of excellent feathered arrows, Qu Hanxing bought some hidden weapons he was interested in, Wei Chuyun acquired a lamp, and Mo Juntian also didn’t miss the opportunity to sell some small items he had brought from the sect.
The four each had their gains and losses, but they found no news of the Unheard Bell.
“Is there such a magical artifact in this world?” Qu Hanxing trailed at the end of the group, speaking with a drawn-out tone.
“What kind?” Xiao Man asked.
Qu Hanxing said seriously: “A magical artifact that can find other magical artifacts.”
“Dreaming is faster,” Mo Juntian replied mercilessly. “Or you can spend the rest of your life diligently studying and create one.”
Xiao Man remembered something, his eyes flickered, and he gently brushed his sleeve, saying, “If one is skilled in divination, it can be calculated.”
“But in our Gushan, we learn alchemy, medicine, swordsmanship, talismans, and formations, but we don’t have a divination class,” Qu Hanxing sighed.
“Even if there was, in such a short time, one could only learn the basics,” Xiao Man smiled.
Qu Hanxing: “…You have a point.”
The sun gradually rose higher. The stalls selling various breakfast snacks had closed, and the streets were much less crowded. They walked and stopped along the way, passing a mount shop.
This was a shop specifically for Gushan disciples, where mounts could be rented or bought. Many fellow disciples were choosing mounts inside.
Yuntai Town was far from Gushan. Those in the Embracing Void realm couldn’t yet fly on wind or swords. Relying solely on their legs, who knew how many years it would take? Qu Hanxing and Mo Juntian naturally walked towards the shop door, while Wei Chuyun conjured a magical artifact.
“No need for such trouble, we can use this,” Wei Chuyun said.
Qu Hanxing turned to look, exclaiming in surprise: “Is this a Cloud Boat?!”
A Cloud Boat was a top-tier flying magical artifact driven by spirit stones, not only expensive to build but also costly to use.
As its name suggested, a Cloud Boat usually resembled a small, slender flatboat, but what appeared on the street was a ship made of jade.
It was quite spacious, almost occupying the entire street. The hull was meticulously carved with runes, and above it, brilliant light intertwined to form a semi-circular罩 (cover) inverted over the deck, presumably a formation to shield from wind and rain.
“As expected of Brother Wei, a grand gesture!” Qu Hanxing clapped his hands.
Mo Juntian looked up with effort, muttering softly: “This is my first time seeing a Cloud Boat…”
A fellow disciple who came out of the mount shop said curiously: “This should be called a Cloud Ship!”
In a moment, many onlookers flocked to the street, all exclaiming in admiration. Qu Hanxing walked two steps forward, gesturing to Wei Chuyun: “First, there’s a problem. There’s no ladder, and the ship is so high, how am I supposed to…”
Before the last two words “get up” came out, Xiao Man grabbed the back of his collar with one hand and Mo Juntian’s shoulder with the other, leaped up, and landed in the Cloud Boat.
“Alright, we’re up,” Xiao Man said calmly, releasing the two.
At this moment, Wei Chuyun also boarded the Cloud Boat, placed a few spirit stones into the control panel, and the Cloud Boat ascended into the sky, heading towards Yuntai Town.
Qu Hanxing pulled Mo Juntian to tour around, while Xiao Man sat in the cabin, took out the travelogue he borrowed from Tan Wenzhou, and read it carefully again.
“Last night, when I contacted my family to prepare talismans, I also asked them to investigate this Unheard Bell.”
Wei Chuyun propped open the windows one by one, letting the sunlight stream into the room, making the writing on the book clearer. Then he sat opposite Xiao Man and took out a scroll from his Qiankun Ring.
“They found out what the Unheard Bell looks like.”
Qu Hanxing, hearing Wei Chuyun’s words from outside, praised again: “Brother Wei! As expected of Brother Wei!”
He and Mo Juntian rushed in, sitting on either side of the table.
Wei Chuyun unrolled the scroll, and a bell with a slightly peculiar shape entered everyone’s sight. Its exterior was silvery-white, flatter than an ordinary bell, with a very wide opening at the bottom and a slightly flat top. Rather than a bell, it looked more like an inverted bowl.
“This is the Unheard Bell?” A hint of surprise flashed in Xiao Man’s eyes. Its appearance was quite different from what he had imagined.
“Mm,” Wei Chuyun nodded. “It’s a low-level magical artifact, but it doesn’t have any specific function.”
Qu Hanxing’s eyes widened: “Can something without a specific function still be called a magical artifact?”
Xiao Man pondered for a moment: “Perhaps it has a use, but it’s unknown, as not many people pay attention to low-level magical artifacts.”
“True, everyone focuses on good things. If we were looking for high-level magical artifacts like the Azure Jade Case, Auspicious Crane Immortal, or Wild Goose Crossing Autumn, a little inquiry would tell us where they are,” Qu Hanxing nodded in agreement, but after a moment’s thought, he felt it was still difficult. “Oh, even if we knew their locations, we couldn’t get them.”
“So, whether high-level or low-level, they’re not easy to find,” he frowned.
Mo Juntian let out a soft breath: “If one’s cultivation were higher, why would we worry about this?”
This was a fundamental problem. No one in the cabin spoke again, and it became utterly silent. Xiao Man found a brush and ink, copied the page from the travelogue that described the Unheard Bell, and placed it alongside Wei Chuyun’s scroll.
He thought for a long time and said, “When we reach Yuntai Town, let’s first inquire about places where few people go.”
Everyone agreed.
The Cloud Boat traveled for a day and a night in the wind, finally arriving at Yuntai Town.
Located in the Central Plains, the climate here was vastly different from Gushan. Gushan was in the northern region, where autumn winds immediately dispelled the summer heat. Although Yuntai Town also had a landscape of yellow leaves, the lingering heat of summer remained. Fortunately, everyone was a cultivator with strong adaptability. After disembarking from the Cloud Boat and walking for a while, they became accustomed to the warm gusts of wind.
Cultivators always traveled quickly. In just two quarters of an hour, Xiao Man and his group arrived at the town entrance from the fields.
Looking up at the town, the streets were all paved with bluestone slabs. Though not wide, they were very clean. The buildings along the street were old, but showed no signs of decay; instead, they exuded a unique rustic charm and elegance of ancient objects.
Various stalls lined both sides of the road, selling everything from fruits and vegetables to miscellaneous small items. Pedestrians came and went, children ran back and forth, and laughter echoed everywhere.
“As expected of a small town near the imperial city, lively and prosperous!” Mo Juntian exclaimed.
“Let’s go,” Xiao Man said, stepping towards the gatehouse.
Mo Juntian thought of a question, looked down at his clothes, and then glanced at the people in town, saying, “We clearly look like outsiders. If we directly ask which places in town are rarely frequented, won’t we be considered strange?”
“A small matter,” Qu Hanxing laughed, hooked Mo Juntian’s shoulder, and led him forward. “Let’s find a teahouse for a drink, and then just ask the waiter there!”
Xiao Man followed behind Qu Hanxing and Mo Juntian, softly saying, “The storybooks you showed me always write it this way.”
“Stories in storybooks are drawn from life!” Qu Hanxing chuckled.
There was a teahouse right at the town entrance, but they didn’t choose it. Instead, they walked around the town and went to the largest teahouse.
They sat in a corner on the second floor of the teahouse, with a window open beside them, from which they could see the street below and a corner of the adjacent courtyard.
There was a storyteller on the floor below, who, with a clap of his gavel, began recounting old tales. People in the teahouse ate snacks and drank tea, listening with great interest.
This was the perfect place to gather information. The people sitting in the hall were all at leisure, with no immediate places to go or urgent matters to attend to, and were always willing to chat.
They ordered a pot of fine Junshan Yinzhen tea and several pastries.
The wait wasn’t long. The pastries arrived first, followed by hot tea. When the waiter placed a pot of Junshan Yinzhen on the table and said with a smile, “Everything’s served, esteemed guests, please enjoy,” Qu Hanxing asked: “Brother, are there any places in our town where there are very few people?”
“Very few people?” The waiter thought for a moment and gave an answer: “There’s hardly anyone on Tiger Drum Mountain to the east!”
Qu Hanxing: “Just Tiger Drum Mountain? Are there any others?”
“There’s a dilapidated Taoist temple to the north, and a few abandoned old houses in the west, none of which people visit much,” the waiter thought hard. “As for the rest… late at night, the streets are also empty.”
The waiter finished speaking and smiled. Xiao Man remembered something he had seen in storybooks and turned his head to ask: “Then… are there any places that are prone to hauntings?”
“My Yuntai Town is adjacent to the imperial capital. With the imperial aura and majesty, how could it be haunted?” The waiter waved his hand, scoffing at the idea.
Someone at a nearby table laughed: “Don’t say that, there really is one.”
“Where?” Qu Hanxing immediately turned his head.
“The Tiger Drum Mountain he just mentioned! It’s inhabited by a female ghost who likes to peel people’s skin and drink their blood!” The tea guest at the next table spoke with great animation.
The waiter didn’t believe it: “Isn’t it tigers that eat people on Tiger Drum Mountain?”
The tea guest retorted: “Do tigers giggle? Do they speak human language?”
“Have you really seen it?” Mo Juntian asked seriously.
“Just heard about it,” the waiter answered for the tea guest. After speaking, he heard someone call him to add water, so he quickly went.
Xiao Man took out the map of Chuyun Town and spread it open, his gaze falling on the words “Tiger Drum Mountain.” This mountain was located east of Chuyun Town, running north-south, perfectly separating Chuyun Town from Shenjing.
“Let’s investigate separately,” Wei Chuyun also looked at the map, and after careful consideration, suggested.
“I’ll go to Tiger Drum Mountain,” Xiao Man said without hesitation.
Qu Hanxing followed: “I’ll take the dilapidated Taoist temple.”
“Then I’ll go to the abandoned old houses,” Mo Juntian said.
Thus, the tasks of investigating the three locations were all claimed. Wei Chuyun looked up at Xiao Man: “I saw Tiger Drum Mountain from afar on the Cloud Boat earlier. This mountain is extremely vast, and one person alone cannot cover everything. I’ll go with you to investigate.”
“There’s no need. Investigating mountains is a small matter for me,” Xiao Man refused. “I’m worried that besides these three places, there might be other possible locations. You should search carefully in town.”
“Alright.” After a slight pause, Wei Chuyun nodded.
“Since we’ve decided, let’s eat. We’ve been hungry for too long on the Cloud Boat,” Qu Hanxing reached for a pastry. “After eating, we’ll split up.”
Xiao Man could abstain from food, so he wasn’t particularly hungry, but seeing Qu Hanxing wolfing down food, he immediately ordered more and asked the waiter to buy some filling snacks from the street.
The storyteller downstairs switched to a new tale, recounting romantic stories of humans and demons from storybooks, which captivated Qu Hanxing, who was halfway through eating his noodles. Xiao Man found Qu Hanxing’s focused expression amusing. Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly heard a commotion outside the window.
Xiao Man looked out the window and saw a group of girls coming out of the adjacent courtyard, divided into two factions, arguing incessantly.
“What’s going on there?” Xiao Man couldn’t help but ask.
“You really aren’t locals, are you?” The speaker was the tea guest who had just mentioned Tiger Drum Mountain being haunted. “That’s Wuxiu Hui, the most famous song and dance troupe in our town. Isn’t the Autumn God Festival going to be held in Shenjing City soon? The girls from Wuxiu Hui are going to perform a dance. Because of this, they’ve been arguing fiercely these days.”
The tea guest looked wistful. Seeing Xiao Man’s puzzled expression, he continued to explain: “For dancing, there’s always a lead dancer, right? When we watch dancing, we usually watch the lead dancer, right? The Autumn God Festival is a ceremony personally attended by His Majesty. If one can become the lead dancer and show their face before the Emperor, they might even become a concubine in the imperial city!”
Xiao Man thought, So that’s how it is.
After quickly satisfying their hunger and agreeing on a meeting place and time for the evening, the four split up.
Tiger Drum Mountain was to the east, so there was no need to inquire. Xiao Man simply flew there on the wind.
In the autumn mountain forest, branches and leaves were particularly distinct. The water in the stream had visibly receded, revealing bluestone and soil. Xiao Man stood in the forest, confirmed that no one was around, took out a bamboo flute, and gently played it.
The flute’s sound was clear and melodious, light and short, like a single resonant note in an empty mountain.
In an instant, the sound of wings flapping echoed through the layered forest. Birds flew over rocks and vegetation from all directions towards Xiao Man, so numerous they resembled a thick cloud.
Xiao Man put down the bamboo flute and smiled slightly at them: “Please help me find something on this mountain.”
“Chirp!” “Chirp!”
The birds immediately responded.
“It looks like this,” Xiao Man took out his copied image of the Unheard Bell, unfolded it, and showed it to them. “Whether you find any clues or not, please tell me.”
The birds chirped and gathered around, glanced at the image, and then chirped and flew away.
The flapping wings of hundreds of birds stirred the wind. Xiao Man’s robe hem gently swirled and fell in the air. He watched them fly away, put away his bamboo flute and image, chose a random direction, and began to walk.
He also joined the search.
Xiao Man had a theory: there were three places in Yuntai Town where few people frequented, and Tiger Drum Mountain was the most likely among them.
This mountain was not uninhabited, and it contained a considerable amount of spiritual energy. The Unheard Bell was a magical artifact, and even if it was low-level, it should have been held by someone. Otherwise, if it were just lying by the roadside, and so ordinary, how would it have been mentioned in someone’s travelogue and spoken of so solemnly?
He believed that the Unheard Bell was very likely in the hands of someone on Tiger Drum Mountain, or placed somewhere within the mountain.
Xiao Man walked many paths. Gradually, the first bird returned; it had found no clues.
The second, likewise.
The third, fourth… and countless others. The birds apologized to Xiao Man, feeling disappointed that they hadn’t found anything.
Xiao Man thanked each of them.
Perhaps it’s blocked by a formation, Xiao Man comforted himself, slowly sighed, and continued up the mountain.
Night fell, and the stars and moon rose. Standing on a rock, he inadvertently looked east and saw the entire city of Shenjing.
Shenjing City was lit up, the entire city’s lights shining brightly and magnificently, like a river of stars fallen to the mortal world, allowing distant observers to faintly discern the scattered pavilions and buildings.
The imperial city was solemn, enclosed by high walls on all four sides, guarded everywhere by imperial guards, with patrol teams meticulously moving back and forth, and rivers encircling it, keeping the palace impenetrable.
Suddenly, one of the palace gates opened. The person guarding the gate was dressed in crimson and purple, clearly the chief eunuch before the Emperor.
He bowed, his voice long and thin: “Your Royal Highness, you have returned.”
Yan Wushu simply hummed in response. He was still dressed in his usual attire: a black robe, a folding fan tucked into his waist, his hair loosely tied, revealing a hint of a sword scar between his brows.
The evening wind in Shenjing City was boisterous, rustling loudly in his sleeves. Yan Wushu’s face was expressionless, his eyes particularly calm.
“His Majesty has been waiting for you in the Qianyuan Hall for a long time,” the chief eunuch said again.
Hearing this, Yan Wushu smiled, deliberately softening his tone, and said: “Magic is forbidden within the imperial city. Since I cannot fly on wind or sword, and have no decree to ride a horse or carriage, I can only walk step by step. Let His Majesty wait a little longer.”
The chief eunuch’s face turned pale with anger, but he dared not say anything.
Yan Wushu walked for more than half an hour within the imperial forbidden grounds. Only after the patrolling imperial guards had changed shifts did he leisurely appear before the Qianyuan Hall.
It was extremely quiet here; not even the sound of an insect could be heard. Only the wind and shadows seemed to move. The chief eunuch entered the hall to report, and after a moment, came out to summon Yan Wushu.
This time, he didn’t deliberately delay. He flicked his sleeve and walked in.
Even the entrance passage to the hall was heavily guarded on both sides. After passing through it and making a turn, he saw the Emperor of Beicang standing beside a desk. Behind him, a long window was open, letting the myriad stars into view.
By appearance alone, one could not tell the Emperor’s age. He was also a cultivator, his features seven parts similar to Yan Wushu’s, the remaining three parts in temperament. Yan Wushu appeared somewhat languid, while this person was quite stern and majestic.
Yan Wushu did not bow to him. He casually picked a chair and sat down, leisurely tidying his sleeves.
The Qianyuan Hall was silent. The Emperor, from behind the desk, used a vermilion brush to approve seven or eight memorials before looking up at Yan Wushu. This person was bored and reading miscellaneous books.
A flicker of displeasure crossed the Emperor’s eyes. He spoke very directly: “I want a phoenix feather.”
“A phoenix feather? For decoration or medicine?” Yan Wushu looked up and smiled again. “I’m not a phoenix, where would I get a phoenix feather?”
The Emperor ignored his words, only saying: “I heard about you bringing someone back to Gushan’s Xueyi Peak.”
“So what?” Yan Wushu asked softly.
“He is your Dao companion,” the Emperor stared into Yan Wushu’s eyes.
Their eyes were remarkably similar, both phoenix eyes, with the folds at the corners silently curving upwards, giving them a somewhat elongated appearance. Their eyes were bright, and illuminated by the hall’s candles, both reflected a faint glow.
Hearing this, the smile in Yan Wushu’s eyes did not diminish. He propped his chin with one hand, his elbow resting on the armrest, and slowly said: “But I am not the owner of the phoenix feather.”
“So, you are unwilling to do this for me,” the Emperor’s tone deepened slightly.
The next moment, he no longer looked at Yan Wushu, tossed aside the vermilion brush in his hand, sat in the chair behind the desk, and turned his head to look at the stars outside the long window: “Then kill someone for me.”
“I am no longer your imperial family’s blade,” Yan Wushu still did not intend to obey.
Incense burned on the desk, and wisps of green smoke drifted out through the gaps in the censer lid, filling the entire magnificent hall.
Candles burned. When the wind passed, the flames flickered. Starlight fell into the hall through the window, yet it was indistinguishable from the candlelight. It was too bright here.
Silence.
Perhaps it shouldn’t be called silence; it was merely filled with stillness. No one wanted to speak to anyone, yet some things needed to be resolved.
After about three or four minutes, the Emperor took out a jade tablet.
The material of this jade tablet was not particularly good, and the carving was somewhat crude, but Yan Wushu’s expression changed slightly when he saw it.
His gaze became complex, containing sarcasm, mockery, indifference, and a sigh. This expression lasted for a moment. After that moment, he raised an eyebrow and asked: “Kill whom?”
The Emperor gave a name: “The Sword Saint of the South Sea.”
“The Sword Saint has been holed up on South Sea Island for thirty years, minding his own business and never causing trouble. Why kill him?” Yan Wushu leaned forward slightly, seemingly interested.
“He is recognized as the world’s number one. If you kill him, you can replace him and become the new world’s number one,” the Emperor looked back into Yan Wushu’s eyes, meeting his gaze.
“Sounds tempting, but I’m not interested in the title of the world’s number one,” Yan Wushu said faintly. “At a time like this, you should tell me the truth.”
The Emperor of Beicang hesitated for a moment.
When the candlelight flickered again, he leaned back in his chair and said sternly and coldly: “As long as the Sword Saint is in the South Sea, I cannot move on the southern border.”
“Kill him, then start a war, and then let every inch of this Hanging Sky Continent bear the surname Yan.”
A hint of I knew it mockery flashed in Yan Wushu’s eyes. He chuckled softly and asked: “But what does that have to do with me?”
“Jade tablet,” the Emperor tossed the item in his hand forward, sending it to Yan Wushu.
This time, Yan Wushu’s expression no longer changed. His fingers slowly caressed the jade tablet, and he said: “Think carefully, this item can only be used once.”
The Emperor said: “Exchanging it for the Sword Saint’s life is not a loss.”
Yan Wushu rose from his seat and stretched languidly. As his hands fell, the expression on his face receded. He looked expressionlessly at the Emperor behind the desk: “Indeed, it’s not a loss. Perhaps you’re just hoping that I’ll perish with him.”
“Let’s not speak of such things,” the Emperor said coldly.
“A tiger doesn’t eat its cubs?” Yan Wushu asked him.
The Emperor did not respond to this. He looked at the stars in the night sky outside the window and said: “You haven’t returned for a long time. Your mother misses you greatly. Go see her.”
Yan Wushu: “Your Majesty, that joke is a bit much.”
He rose from the chair, his black robe flowing like water, creating a faint, fleeting arc of light in the air as he turned.
Crossing the palace gate, the chief eunuch who had welcomed Yan Wushu into the palace loudly proclaimed:
“Respectfully seeing off His Royal Highness—”
The heavy palace doors closed.
Tiger Drum Mountain.
The mountain wind ruffled the shadows of the trees, scattering starlight and moonlight across the ground.
The birds all said they hadn’t found any trace of the bell on the mountain. Xiao Man had a flash of inspiration and asked them if there were any places on the mountain that they couldn’t enter. The birds gave their answers, so Xiao Man was now heading to those places where ordinary birds couldn’t fly.
Xiao Man felt a subtle sensation, thinking this could probably be considered a guilty conscience.
Along the way, his shadow was the only one on the mountain path. The wind darted about wildly, making a wailing sound through the trees and leaves, like crying. Xiao Man was accustomed to solitude on Xueyi Peak and didn’t find walking alone in the mountains late at night particularly terrifying. But as he walked, he noticed something was amiss.
—Someone was secretly following him. It was an ordinary person with no cultivation, and judging by her footsteps and breathing, she was a young woman.
But if she were truly an ordinary woman, why would she secretly follow someone on a mountain path late at night? Even Xiao Man, who was not deeply involved in the mortal world, sensed the strangeness of it.
Xiao Man slowed his pace.
The woman behind him also slowed her pace.
Xiao Man quickened his steps.
The woman began to jog.
Xiao Man simply stopped walking, and the woman darted behind a tree.
She was indeed following him.
Xiao Man did not move forward.
The night wind sweeping through the mountains grew stronger, lifting his plain white robe and sleeves, rising and falling incessantly, like flowers blooming and fading in an instant.
He slowly lowered his eyes, waiting for the person to appear on her own or leave.
One breath, two breaths, three breaths…
After about ten breaths, the woman couldn’t hold back any longer and stepped out from behind the tree.
Xiao Man thought she would choose to turn and leave, but to his surprise, she came to a spot just three steps away from him and loudly asked: “Are you looking for something?”
Her tone and demeanor were righteous, her actions completely unlike a sneaky person secretly following someone. Xiao Man found it even stranger. He turned to face her, but didn’t speak.
She took another step forward, hands on her hips, and looked up, saying: “I’ve been secretly following you for a long time. You’ve been looking everywhere, you’re definitely looking for something!”
Xiao Man still didn’t speak.
His silence made the woman very angry. She kicked a pebble towards his feet: “I’m telling you, the entire Tiger Drum Mountain belongs to my family. Anything you find on this mountain will definitely belong to my family too.”
“Hmph, if you don’t talk to me, let alone valuable things, I won’t even let you pull out a single weed by the roadside! Do you hear me?”
She spoke very quickly, raising her voice, full of aggressive momentum. Xiao Man caught a certain word in her speech, and a glimmer of light flashed in his eyes. He seemed to light up: “You said the entire mountain belongs to your family?”
“Huh? Yes! I’m telling you, with your attitude just now, I…” The woman was slightly stunned by Xiao Man’s question, then quickly regained her previous expression, but Xiao Man didn’t let her finish her harsh words.
Xiao Man took out the copied image of the Unheard Bell from his Qiankun Ring, unfolded it, and presented it to the woman. He looked intently into her eyes and asked: “Have you ever seen this?”
The distance between the two was very close, only a foot apart. Xiao Man’s gaze was so serious, and the starlight sprinkled into his eyes, reflecting only her in their dark depths.
The woman was stared at for a while, her face slowly turning red, until finally, she almost jumped back: “I… you… men and women should not touch!”