Secret Recipe | Chapter 161 | Secrets in the Hidden Chamber | Novela.app

His foot slipped and his body lurched. Xu Qiuchi hurriedly reached out to brace himself against the stone wall, narrowly steadying his balance. He had already ventured deep into the mountain range of Qionghu Island. Logically, this place should have no connection to the outside world, yet for some reason, he felt a gust of yin wind rise from beneath the earth and brush past his face, making him shiver involuntarily. Sweat made his palms slick and greasy. He forced himself to hold up his fire-starter to peer ahead, then turned to look back. The winding stone steps leading downward seemed endless, and the path he had come from was already swallowed by darkness. This secret passage appeared to have been untrodden for a long time; many sections were in a state of ruin. What were called stone steps were actually little more than earthen slopes wedged between the stone walls. Large sections had collapsed between these slopes, requiring him to crouch low and leap across. In steeper areas, there was almost no foothold, forcing him to slide down inch by inch on his backside. This short distance of spiraling descent had taken him nearly an hour, threatening to rub holes in his new robes and trousers, while his toes throbbed painfully against the tips of his boots. Xu Qiuchi let out a long sigh. His legs, accustomed to the comfort of carriages, were cramping with exhaustion. Seeing that the path ahead remained a void of pitch black, he simply sat down on the ground, pulled out the letter he had been carrying, and stared blankly at it under the weak light of the fire-starter. The thin, yellowed stationery had become brittle, its edges frayed and missing pieces. Because he had kept it close to his body, it was damp with sweat, looking just as bedraggled as he did. He had been carrying this letter when he boarded the pleasure boat last night. However, even up until the moment he had left his brother’s boat in a fit of pique, he hadn't been able to bring himself to take it out. Six months ago, when he was organizing his father’s study and discovered this letter, his first instinct had been to inform the other party of its contents and discuss a countermeasure. At that time, his father’s illness was growing increasingly severe; there were few people around him he could trust, and even fewer who could shoulder such a heavy responsibility with him. The content of the letter was brief, seemingly written in haste, with only the character "Ci" for a signature. The letter spoke of the moon being hidden and the stars sparse, of the long night ahead, but insisted that the oath from seventeen years ago must still be kept. It set a five-year term; if no further word was sent by the same day and month five years later, they were to meet on Qionghu Island in Lixin Lake, east of Jiugao City. "Fengyin" would be the sign, the "mausoleum path" the guide, to "meet again in the secret chamber" and work together to eliminate future troubles. Qiu Yan had received the letter five years ago. Adding the seventeen years mentioned in the letter, that made it twenty-two years ago. As for what had happened twenty-two years ago, he had been immersed in the history of the Qiu family since childhood; it required no further explanation. If he guessed correctly, the character "Ci" referred to Left Cormorant, one of the Four Gentlemen of the Black Moon. The name "Fengyin" originated from an ancient agricultural deity once popular in the Longshu region. The older generation of Longshu people used to pray to Fengyin to dispel illness and disasters, though few knew of it today. He had only realized this after seeing that divine statue earlier; he was currently within that very "mausoleum path." However, he had never known that before the Black Moon was disbanded, those four had made a secret oath regarding a certain matter. And since this oath was proposed by Left Cormorant, who was a physician by trade, it was rather thought-provoking. He had never met the legendary Ghost Doctor, Left Cormorant, but he knew of the man's relationship with the Black Moon Army. In the twenty-odd years since the Black Moon disbanded, that name—along with that entire campaign—had been sealed away. Everyone was tight-lipped about it, and no so-called "old friends" had ever come to visit. Whether this strange letter was an invitation from an old friend or a trap set by the power-players in the capital to stir up trouble, he did not know. He could only respond with as much caution as possible. First, he had investigated the origin of the paper and found it was indeed "Three-hemp" stationery produced in the Jiao Province region, rather than the "Sandalwood-bark Xuan" paper favored by the nobles and officials of the capital. Then, he had tracked down the "Hall of Listening Winds," the underworld information market that had delivered the letter. He had observed the shopkeeper for months, confirming the man was truly impoverished and that the possibility of him being bribed was extremely low. Finally, a month before the appointed date, he had the Directorate of Waterways keep an eye on government vessels entering and leaving Jiugao, and sent Liu Caiwu to scout the vicinity of the isolated island in the lake. Only after confirming no suspicious persons were lurking did he feel at ease. In fact, if one thought about it carefully, it wasn't hard to reach a conclusion. He understood the people hiding beneath the jade tiles and vermilion eaves very well; they were impatient and arrogant, preferring everything to be under their control. If someone in the capital truly wanted to use the Qiu family to cause trouble, there was no need to send a letter five years in advance, let alone set a meeting on a desolate island. Now that the contents of the letter were verified, the next step was the decision of whether or not to attend. He didn't know what his father had intended when he read the letter, but given his father's current physical condition, he likely no longer remembered it, and naturally could not attend in person. Initially, he had also been determined to pretend he had never seen the letter. The reputation of the Ghost Doctor, Left Cormorant, still echoed in the martial world. He was certainly not someone who would impulsively gather old friends who had gone their separate ways just for the sake of sentimentality. The man must have had something very important to send that secret letter. Since the content mentioned events from twenty-two years ago, he had reason to speculate that the letter sent to the Qiu Manor might not have been the only one; the other three of the Black Moon Four Gentlemen should have received them as well. Those who knew each other in the military mostly shared experiences of life and death; they were brothers in all but blood, friends who would die for one another. But as the world changed and time passed, could that so-called "steadfast as gold and stone" friendship still withstand the test? Could the oaths sworn still be taken seriously? Fifteen years ago, when his elder brother left home, he said he would return soon. He waited month after month, from summer to winter, and from winter back to summer, but his brother never returned. Even alliances sealed with imperial jade and the promises of kings could be betrayed for profit. How many people in this world would keep an appointment made over twenty years ago? If someone told him not a single person would show up, he would believe it. After all, in the many taverns of Sunshi Street, there were plenty of people who would find excuses to miss an appointment made only the day before. The legendary devotion of old friends is rare; forgetting each other in the rivers and lakes is the norm. Human sentiment cannot withstand the grinding of time; it wears down until it is almost invisible, eventually returning to the original state of strangeness and distance as if nothing had ever happened. He was a man refined within such human sentiments. He was as heartless as he was sentimental. Xu Qiuchi’s fingertips tightened, and the thin stationery crumpled in his hand. He didn't care at all about those foolish oaths. He was merely weighing whether this trip would yield the information he wanted and whether everything he sacrificed would be worth it. After all, entering the martial world alone and acting under the nose of the World's Number One Villa was not as simple as having a drink on Sunshi Street. In truth, when he first stepped onto Qionghu Island tonight, he hadn't yet resolved to go this deep. It wasn't until he met that stubborn, duck-like woman accompanying his brother in the grotto. In that moment, he realized that besides his constant doubts about this Shopkeeper Qin, he also felt a measure of respect he hadn't noticed before. As things stood, what was about to happen on this island might have very little to do with her, yet she had doggedly followed them here, looking as though she would not stop until she reached the truth. As a descendant of the Qiu family, what reason did he have to retreat at the final moment? Very well. After all these years, some things did indeed need to be settled. Xu Qiuchi tucked the letter away and stretched his cramped legs. However, he had ultimately overestimated himself. He really wasn't cut out for this kind of work. Had he known, he should have let Liu Caiwu follow him down, or perhaps earlier, when he met his brother... What if he had met Lord Duan-yu? Could he have actually asked the man for help?! Xu Qiuchi slapped his thigh and stood up, but forgot how narrow and cramped the surroundings were. He felt his head slam heavily against the hard stone ceiling, the pain nearly making him cry out. The fire-starter in his hand wobbled and instantly slipped from his grasp. He reached out to catch it but was a step too slow, only able to watch helplessly as the small light tumbled downward until it fell into a dark hole. Judging by the time it took for the fire-starter to fall, the distance was neither short nor long. If he had to feel his way down in the dark, it would take at least the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Xu Qiuchi let out a long sigh in the darkness. Just as he was wondering whether to lead with his left or right leg, his weakened foot slipped uncontrollably, and he fell onto his backside, sliding down out of control. ****** ****** ****** Inside a dark, sealed stone chamber, a pea-sized flame flickered to life. The air, which hadn't circulated for a long time, made the oil lamp appear exceptionally dim. The person who lit it didn't care; they placed the lamp on the stone platform in the center of the chamber and began to search the surroundings. If one hadn't seen it with their own eyes, it would be hard to imagine that such a secret chamber was hidden deep within Qionghu, in a cavernous recess. At first glance, the four walls of this chamber were rough and simple. But the fact that it could be hidden beneath the lake for years without being flooded proved that the person who excavated it possessed superb skill and was well-versed in the arts of geography and feng shui. The layout of the chamber was square and concise. In the center was a simple rectangular stone platform, its four sides carved with honeysuckle patterns in a primitive, heavy style. Other than that, there were no other decorations. At each of the four cardinal directions—east, west, south, and north—was a simple stone desk. At first glance, they looked like offering tables used for ancient sacrificial rituals, but a closer look revealed they were piled not with animal bones, but with decayed scrolls and bamboo slips, making it look more like a library. Currently, a skeleton sat cross-legged at the southern position of the stone platform. Judging by the exposed hands and feet, the person had passed away at least three or four years ago. Miraculously, the flesh on the skeleton had not completely rotted away but was tightly adhered to the bones, likely due to the unique humidity and temperature conditions within the grotto. Although this stone cavern was beneath the river and lake, its peculiar structure blocked out external moisture. It was only recently that it had begun to succumb to the erosion of the hot springs and undercurrents above, with faint droplets of water seeping down, accumulating a layer of mist around the skeleton. The skeleton's limbs were slender, and the frame appeared much smaller than that of an average man. The head hung slightly, and the hair had turned yellowish-brown under the erosion of the mist. Bells were faintly woven into the hair; the copper bells had rusted shut from the water, and a large patch of green paulownia flowers had grown along the strands of hair, looking brilliant and eerie from a distance. The crimson cloth garment on the body had begun to fade from the shoulders down, and only the braided short coat worn on the outside remained a vivid blue. The coat was covered in strange animal teeth and bones, looking like the attire of someone from a foreign land. Teng Hu gazed silently at the person for a moment, then wordlessly stepped onto the stone platform and knelt before the skeleton. He raised his hand, gently brushing aside the brown hair to reveal the skeleton's face. The dehydrated flesh clung tightly to the bone, the former features long indistinguishable, yet he still stared fixedly, his fingertips hovering for a long time before finally touching down. He took a deep breath, stopped looking at the face obscured by messy hair, and began to feel around the corpse. In the middle of the night, in a tomb with a dried corpse—the atmosphere was ghostly and sinister. As if to suit the mood, a gust of wind blew from behind. The oil lamp on the stone platform flickered, the flame dancing involuntarily. In the next moment, a series of muffled rumbling sounds echoed through the four stone walls, shaking the corpse on the platform so that it swayed from side to side. A wisp of fine smoke drifted from the cracks in the stone walls, and then silence returned to the surroundings. Teng Hu stopped his movements, withdrew his right hand into his sleeve, and his ears twitched slightly. The aftershocks echoed through the mountain, interspersed with a series of stumbling footsteps and useless coughing. After a good while, the sounds drew closer. It wasn't hard to tell that only one person was coming, and their footsteps were floating and weak—clearly not a practitioner of martial arts. The hand Teng Hu had tucked in his sleeve slowly lowered, but a different kind of impatience surfaced in his eyes. As expected, he shouldn't have held onto hope. Descendants of the Black Moon? Just a bunch of useless trash. He waited a moment longer until the footsteps finally stopped at the stone entrance, which was less than a man's height. A head covered in dust and cobwebs poked in hesitantly. Xu Qiuchi looked up and unexpectedly locked eyes with the person in the center of the stone chamber. Both were momentarily stunned. Xu Qiuchi had imagined that the legendary Ghost Doctor would surely be unconventional and refined, and he had prepared himself to face an elderly and crazed person. But the scene before him was somewhat unexpected. He had indeed never seen Zuo Ci, but he was certain that Zuo Ci would never look like the person before him. Teng Hu also wore a look as if he had seen a ghost, his thin brows furrowed into a knot. But after only a moment, he regained his cold expression and spoke first. "So it's you. Qiu Yan truly has grown old and useless." Xu Qiuchi also came to his senses. He seemed to have no reaction to the mockery in Teng Hu's words, merely brushing the dust off his clothes as he looked around. "I didn't expect such a hidden place to have more than one visitor. This Qionghu Island truly is a world of its own, with magnificent and peculiar scenery. If my friends saw this, I'm afraid they would scramble to develop it for banquets and merrymaking." Teng Hu’s eyes followed Xu Qiuchi as he turned left and right. After a long while, he said sinisterly, "My master has a bad temper and is very stubborn. If your friends aren't afraid of being haunted by vengeful spirits, I wouldn't mind." It seemed that more than one person had come to keep the appointment on someone else's behalf tonight. Xu Qiuchi paused and then turned around, finally looking at the skeleton in the center of the stone platform with a look of feigned surprise. "So there is a senior here. My apologies for the lack of respect. May I ask the senior's name?" After saying this, he turned back to Teng Hu. "And you are...?" Teng Hu seemed to have no desire to entertain his posturing. He leaned over and continued to feel around the corpse, asking rudely, "Doesn't Qiu Yan have two sons? Where is your elder brother? Why hasn't he shown himself?" Xu Qiuchi acted as if he didn't understand the probing in the other's words, merely chuckling as he spoke. "If my brother came here, I'm afraid both you and I would be invited to sit in the dungeon of the Governor's yamen." Teng Hu’s grip was incredibly strong. With a crisp *crack*, half of the corpse's arm was torn off. "Though Lord Duan-yu comes from the Academy, he did study the sword at Kunxu for a few years. What use are you? Nothing but a filler." Xu Qiuchi stared at the ruthless man who was desecrating his master's remains. After a long while, he murmured, "Didn't you say this was your master?" "Of course." Teng Hu finished removing one arm without finding anything and then stuck his fingers into the corpse's mouth and nose to search. "If it were anyone else, I would feel disgusted just touching them. If you're only here to talk nonsense, then get as far away as possible." Xu Qiuchi didn't speak, but he didn't leave either. He prided himself on having some skill in reading people. After the brief exchange just now, he could basically confirm that Teng Hu, like him, had received a similar letter and had come as agreed to "handle business." Coupled with that reputation that was second to none in the martial world, it served as evidence of his identity as Zuo Ci's disciple. However, even blood relatives would kill each other for profit, let alone the descendants of old friends from a previous generation. Xu Qiuchi rubbed his nose and slowly pulled something from his sleeve—a medicine box of simple and primitive design. "Are you looking for something, sir?" Teng Hu’s movements froze. He turned his gaze to the other's hand, and his expression changed instantly. "Give it here." Xu Qiuchi didn't move, instead repeatedly toying with the medicine box between his fingers. "You haven't even given your name yet. How can I confirm you are indeed this senior's disciple? And whether your purpose here is the same as mine, and whether you are friend or foe?" Teng Hu slowly stood up. His ten blackened fingertips moved, the sound of joints and nails rubbing together sounding particularly terrifying in the stone chamber. "You can't confirm it. But if you don't put that thing in my hand, you will die a very ugly death." Xu Qiuchi sighed, and with a flick of his wrist, the object flew out. "What's the rush? Here it is." Teng Hu hurriedly caught it. After carefully checking that the medicine box was undamaged, he took a deep breath, put on two layers of gloves, and cautiously unscrewed the seal of the box. Then he leaned in close... A pungent, eye-stinging scent of mint rushed at him. Teng Hu was stunned. He poured out the contents, and a glob of sticky mint ointment instantly covered his hand. His jaw tightened, and his rounded, oval face seemed to sharpen with rage. "You dare play tricks on me." Xu Qiuchi looked surprised, then spoke in a somewhat aggrieved voice. "Didn't you want what was in my hand? This is what was in my hand. This place is quite stifling, so I thought I'd use some ointment gifted by a friend to refresh my mind. Does that count as a trick?" "You are quite interesting." The anger gradually faded from Teng Hu's face, replaced by that peculiar smile. "For a man as loyal and upright as Qiu Yan to produce a son like you... it's truly a wonder." Such sarcastic words sounded like the greatest praise to Xu Qiuchi's ears. He immediately shook his sleeves and gave a mock bow. "You flatter me. Every land nurtures its own people. I was born and raised in Jiugao; I've naturally absorbed some of the local character. Have you come from afar, sir? You have a certain exotic flair that reminds me of an old acquaintance of mine from the Red Pheasant Quarter. Her skill with the pipa is extraordinary, and her slender hands are also..." Seeing the other man's endless nonsense, Teng Hu interrupted him without changing his expression. "Since you've already boarded the island, how could you not know who I am? Stop playing dumb." Xu Qiuchi straightened up and sighed, shaking his head. "I had heard that Master Teng Hu, the 'White Ghost Umbrella,' though eccentric, was after all a physician—a genius who saved the world. Seeing your sinister aura and harsh words just now, I truly didn't dare to recognize you so rashly." Teng Hu stepped down from the stone platform one step at a time, his sanpaku eyes glancing toward the stone entrance, silently checking if the man before him had brought any other help. "My master's relics must never fall into the hands of an outsider." Xu Qiuchi sensed the other's searching gaze and merely smiled as he leaned in to look at the skeleton from both sides. "If I had already obtained the item, why would I come here and wait for you to question me?" "Who knows? Perhaps you didn't know who would come today, so you wanted to investigate." "I was born with a dislike for fighting and killing. Forget people of the martial world; I can't even handle ordinary street thugs. If I had known about this place and only wanted to see who would come, I would have just sent a trusted martial expert to the island for me. Why would I personally descend into this dragon's den to look for trouble?" Teng Hu was silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the truth of the other's words. After a long while, he spoke again. "My master's instructions are etched into my heart. He would not deceive me, nor would he betray an oath. Should I believe you instead of him?" "You can believe him, and you can also believe me." Xu Qiuchi’s eyes darted toward the remains sitting in the southern position. "As I see it, your master knew his time was short. To avoid betraying the original oath, he came to this appointed place ahead of time and trapped himself in this chamber until he died. It's just that someone couldn't wait for the appointed day; they found this place before us and have already taken the item." As soon as he said this, Teng Hu fell into silence. Setting aside his preconceived dislike, he had to admit the other man's speculation held some logic. This old oath was made between his master and those three people. Now, there were only two people in the stone chamber, and the status and allegiance of the other two who had yet to appear remained unclear. Xu Qiuchi glanced at him and, with a reckless disregard for his own safety, added another sentence. "There's no need to be discouraged, Brother Teng. The thing your master left behind might not necessarily be something that can decide victory or judge life and death." Teng Hu sneered. "What do you know? With half a lifetime of my master's painstaking effort poured into it, even a worm carved on a stone wall could come to life." "Do you know why the stone passages here are so narrow and low?" Xu Qiuchi changed the subject, looking back toward the direction he had come from. "It's to warn those who come to pay respects that no matter their status, they must bow and bend before the gods. This was perhaps your master's final realization before he died. Even a genius of heaven, a reincarnation of the divine, must eventually bow to the unknown pestilence. I think he likely never solved that mystery, even unto death." Teng Hu’s expression changed, his voice becoming somewhat shrill with a mix of shock and anger. "Impossible! My master was a once-in-a-century genius. If he hadn't leaked the secrets of heaven and had a shorter lifespan than most, he would have surely seen through it all. If even he couldn't do it, no one in this world can!" Xu Qiuchi ignored the other's agitation and continued leisurely. "Don't forget, Brother Teng, that is precisely the meaning of our presence here. If everything were already destined, why would your master have made this appointment on Qionghu Island?" At these words, Teng Hu calmed down once more, his gaze toward Xu Qiuchi carrying more calculation. The man clearly knew about the events of the past, but it was unclear how much he knew. Either he knew only a little and was currently acting as bait, or... Teng Hu withdrew his gaze and asked directly, "Qiu Yan gave his thing to you?" Now that things had reached this point, both sides had shown their hands. The smile on Xu Qiuchi's face gradually faded. "And what if he did? Something that important, I couldn't possibly carry on me at all times. Naturally, I have studied it daily until it is etched into my mind. If you accidentally poison me, you won't learn a single word of it." His intentions exposed, Teng Hu immediately countered. "Qiu Yan is currently trapped in Jiugao City. Forget interfering in martial world affairs; even leaving his manor or the city is fraught with obstacles. Yet both of his sons have appeared on this island tonight. If you aren't truly compassionate and here only to save the world, I'm afraid you have some unavoidable reasons for stepping into this." After several exchanges, both men remained where they stood. Their bodies hadn't moved, yet the room was filled with the metaphorical flash of blades and shadows of swords. They simultaneously realized one thing: they had previously viewed the other too simply. If they wanted to seize the information in the other's hands, being impatient would clearly not work. The playboy who knew no martial arts but hid a knife in his smile was clearly no pushover. And the ghost doctor in white, who was neither purely good nor evil, was certainly more than just arrogant. After a long time, Xu Qiuchi smiled and took the initiative to change his approach. "There's no need to test me, Brother Teng, nor do I wish to pry into your master's past. I only want to know if there is a possibility of cooperation between us. However, I have the Black Moon Marching Records in my hand. What do you have to exchange with me? After all, the copy your master carried has already been taken." Sensing the change in the other's attitude, Teng Hu spoke unhurriedly. "As a commander of the Black Moon, Qiu Yan was bound by imperial orders; his every move was under surveillance. My master, even when he followed the army as an occultist, could still move freely between the martial world and the imperial court. Even after the Black Moon incident, he had the ability to smuggle important items out from under the Emperor's nose and keep them privately. His medical records, notes, and collections of medicinal ingredients from the past decade and more are all kept and studied by me. How do you know I don't have what you want?" "I must first know what you have before I can know if our trade is fair." "Before I see your sincerity, I advise you not to waste your breath trying to get something for nothing." Neither side could gain the upper hand in offense or defense, and they couldn't agree on terms for peace. The two sides were at a stalemate, neither willing to back down. Xu Qiuchi put his hands on his hips and moved a few steps to the side. He managed to find a clean spot, blew off the dust, and sat down right next to the dried corpse. "It seems we won't reach a consensus today. But the night is still long, so there's no rush. Besides the person who took the item first, there should be one more person who hasn't arrived. Why don't we wait together for that person to show up..." Hearing this, a strange smile curled at the corner of Teng Hu's mouth. "They won't be coming." The man beside the corpse looked up. "Why?" "Because Li Qingdao is already dead." Teng Hu’s voice was cold, that strange smile still lingering. "Dead people naturally don't show up." "Qingdao has been missing from the martial world for years; no one knows her whereabouts. Isn't it a bit premature to reach a conclusion based only on a weapon we haven't even seen yet?" "I am certain she is dead, not because the World's Number One Villa produced the Qingwu Blade, but because..." Teng Hu paused for a moment, as if weighing something, before continuing, "It doesn't matter if I tell you this secret. The reason Li Qingdao vanished from the martial world wasn't because she decided to retire, but because she was placed under house arrest in the World's Number One Villa. And a swordsman who enters that Villa almost never comes out alive." Xu Qiuchi was silent for a moment, then turned and pointed at the mangled skeleton beside him. "Your master is also dead, yet you still came." "Master took me as his disciple when I was seven. Li Qingdao was captured by Di Mo twenty years ago; before that, she always traveled alone and never took a disciple. How could such a person have a descendant?" "Nothing is absolute." No matter how harshly the other spoke, Xu Qiuchi still wore that half-smile. "Perhaps she does have a disciple, and we simply don't know it." His words made Teng Hu thoughtful, and the strange smile finally faded from his face. "Is that why Di Mo is hosting a banquet using the Qingwu Blade? If that's the case, even if Li Qingdao did have a disciple, he won't survive the night." *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation --- | --- | --- 复室 | Secret chamber / Hidden room | Refers to the hidden room within the mountain. 左鹚 | Left Cormorant (Zuo Ci) | One of the Black Moon Four Gentlemen; the Ghost Doctor. 风阴 | Fengyin | An ancient agricultural deity used as a secret code. 三麻笺 | Three-hemp paper | A type of stationery from Jiao Province. 檀皮宣 | Sandalwood-bark Xuan paper | High-quality paper used by the nobility. 听风堂 | Hall of Listening Winds | An underworld information broker. 都水台 | Directorate of Waterways | A government office managing water systems. 白鬼伞 | White Ghost Umbrella | Teng Hu's title/alias in the martial world. 黑月行军册录 | Black Moon Marching Records | A significant document held by the Qiu family. 青芜刀 | Qingwu Blade | The legendary weapon of Li Qingdao. 李青刀 | Li Qingdao | One of the Black Moon Four Gentlemen; a famous blade-user.