A night on Black Mountain. Beside a campfire, twenty or thirty figures sat around an empty iron pot, staring at one another in silence.
After an indeterminate amount of time, the "new bandit chief" finally lost her patience and stood up.
"Is this all?"
Several large crates lay overturned on the ground, their contents strewn about in a messy heap. They appeared to be exquisite items; even though they had lost their luster from the mud and water, one could still discern the delicate craftsmanship and the quality of the gold and silver. However, in these deep, old forests, what use were beautiful tea sets, golden censers, or gem-encrusted lamps? They couldn't fill a pot or feed a mouth. They were far less welcome than a single roasted chicken.
Perhaps because her expression was too grim, the leading woman immediately spoke up with a mournful face.
"I truly dare not deceive you, Great Hero. Everything is here. These are all things that are pretty to look at but useless in practice. I suppose that ship’s owner was also a man who was pretty to look at but useless in practice..."
It was only to be blamed on the shipwreck’s lack of sense. Of all the crates that could have washed ashore, it had to be Xu Qiuchi’s.
The waist fan was now in her hands. Qin Jiuye clenched her teeth, released them, and clenched them again. She endured for a long time to keep herself from tossing the fan into the fire, finally forcing herself to continue questioning with patience.
"Besides these? How exactly have you all survived these years?"
The woman clearly already viewed Qin Jiuye as the "bandit queen" inspecting the mountain stronghold. Hearing this, she didn't hesitate to explain.
"The Great Hero might not know, but this place is called the Yuanzhu Great Marsh. Although it is remote, it occupies the only calm spot for a hundred miles, sparing us at least from the suffering of floods and mountain torrents. When the rivers reach this point, the current slows. Most ships that meet with disaster upstream are washed here—both merchant vessels carrying goods and ferries carrying passengers. We only need to go to the shallows of the river bends every few days to pick through for valuables. Every month, we exchange them with the water bandit gangs passing through for rice, flour, and rations to get by for a while. When business is bad, we have to put in some effort to dress up as mountain bandits and rob the roads. Most who end up stranded here are looking to pay their way out of trouble, so they give up their money quite readily."
As she finished, a man beside her hurriedly added, "Recently, there have been many more wrecked ships because the water has risen so sharply. It’s gotten to the point where even our place might be flooded. The people from the water bandit gang haven't come for over a month. We kept thinking we could hold out a bit longer and exchange more when they arrived, but our rations are almost gone. We don't know how much longer we can last."
Qin Jiuye had seen the name "Yuanzhu" in Feng Niangzi’s ancient books.
After the fall of the ancient kingdom of Juchao, the Longzhu River upstream of the Feng River overflowed, turning the entirety of Juchao into a vast ocean. This mountain hollow was then called the Yuanzhu Great Marsh, meaning the great marsh far from the "Zhu" center. Now, only twenty-odd years later, history was repeating itself. Judging by what she had seen along the way from Jiugao, the situation in Yuzhou was not optimistic. The water bandit gangs who dealt in river trade had likely sensed the signs early on and probably wouldn't be coming to these mountains.
Qin Jiuye never imagined that even being a mountain bandit would be so difficult these days, to the point of not having a single bite to eat. They were truly worse off than the chickens and ducks of Dingweng Village.
The world yearned for a hidden paradise, but no one cared whether those living deep in the mountains, isolated from the world, truly lived such pleasant lives. Unofficial histories and legends described the lost kingdom as mysterious and unpredictable, leading her to believe the people there would be living in peaceful seclusion, far from the world's strifes. But it turned out everyone lived much the same life—relying on the heavens for food and struggling in the mud during years of disaster.
Seeing the atmosphere turn heavy, Qin Jiuye pondered for a moment, then spoke with the air of a managing shopkeeper.
"Waiting for a windfall is not a long-term solution. Besides, the heavens are not being kind; this is no place to stay for long. Tell me about the mountain paths and waterways nearby."
She spoke with gentle guidance. The drooping mountain folk seemed to have finally found a pillar of support and immediately began talking all at once.
"How can the mountain paths be traversed? Traveling in the Juchao mountains, if you leave the water, you're seeking death. Sooner or later, you'll get lost in these great peaks..."
Before the man could finish his superstitious rambling, the woman pulled him away with authority. She picked up a branch and drew a "Y" shape in the mud, explaining to Qin Jiuye.
"Please look, Great Hero. There are only two paths left to enter or leave Juchao. Using the Yazui Shoal as the dividing point, one path goes through the Bamboo Sea to the east, and the other goes through Min Mountain to the west. Both are waterways, and the eastern channel was blocked and dried up years ago; it’s essentially a dead end." She pointed the branch to the left branch of the "Y." "Where we are now is near this western branch. This area is even more sparsely populated. A few years ago, we saw another group on the opposite mountain, but in all these years, we haven't seen any other mountain families besides ourselves."
Mountain bandits calling themselves "mountain families" made the corner of Qin Jiuye’s mouth twitch, but she quickly suppressed it. Clearing her throat, she continued the discussion.
"Since it’s not completely cut off from the outside, why not go out and find a way to live? The world outside is vast; it’s surely better than tossing about in this palm-sized mud pit."
Upon hearing this, the branch in the woman's hand fell to the ground. She lowered her head and sighed.
"Both paths out were blocked long ago. To the west, government officials are always lingering and on guard. I heard it’s related to the Black Moon Army that killed and burned back then. If they knew of our existence, wouldn't they strike us down ruthlessly?"
Government officials? Setting aside that Juchao was an abandoned land, the Black Moon Army had been disbanded over twenty years ago. Even if the government were monitoring things in secret, they wouldn't do it under the name of the Black Moon, would they?
Qin Jiuye instinctively felt there was something more to this, but seeing the woman’s teeth-gritting expression when mentioning the Black Moon, she didn't press further. Instead, she followed up with another question.
"What about the other side?"
"The other side is even more terrifying. They say a martial arts demon suffered a cultivation deviation and has been hiding there for years. He likes to eat human flesh and blood, specifically targeting children. The end of the bamboo forest is that demon’s territory. In short, the bamboo forest is the boundary; you must never cross it, or you’ll be caught, your bones crushed and marrow sucked, leaving not even a corpse behind."
Hearing this, Qin Jiuye looked closely at the people around her. She realized that there were indeed no young people or children among these mountain folk; most were faces in their forties or fifties.
Eating human flesh? Cultivation deviation? Why did this sound so familiar?
Qin Jiuye grew thoughtful, and a name involuntarily surfaced in her mind. It couldn't be such a coincidence, could it? But if the other side of the bamboo forest truly was the rumored Chuanliu Academy, then wasn't it highly likely that Li Qiao...
The freshly snapped branch in her hand broke with a *crack*. The mountain folk were startled and looked over in confusion. Qin Jiuye instantly snapped back to her senses, resuming her dignified posture.
"Even if everything is as you say, there must be more than one way to make a living in these deep mountains besides robbery. Isn't it better to find a quiet place to live self-sufficiently?"
Just like that small place, Dingweng Village—though not wealthy, life was manageable. She was about to impart her experience of "taking root," but she saw the woman shake her head with a troubled face.
"The land around Juchao cannot grow grain."
"Cannot grow grain?" Qin Jiuye was stunned, clearly not understanding. "But isn't it said that this was once one of the most productive grain regions in Yuzhou?"
"That was in the past. Now, let alone grain, almost nothing that bears fruit can be grown here."
Qin Jiuye looked around, her previous doubts still not dispelled. "But this forest grows so thick, and the grass is lush. How could it be that only grain won't grow?"
"It’s not that it won't grow, but that it’s hard for it to seed or fruit. The older generation even has a rumor that even if it luckily fruits, you wouldn't dare eat it. It’s extremely toxic."
Another woman spoke as she took a hoe off her shoulder, striking the soft earth beneath her feet twice. Then she crouched down, gesturing for Qin Jiuye to look closer.
"And this. Look, the soil is full of this stuff."
Qin Jiuye leaned in for a closer look and was immediately stunned.
There were faint, net-like things in the soil, locking the earth of the entire area like cotton fibers—fine, dense, and interwoven, with no end in sight. She looked carefully before realizing those were the roots of Honey Mushrooms. Honey Mushrooms were a type of fungus; any place where these mushrooms grew made it difficult for other plants to thrive, and growing grain was naturally even harder.
Qin Jiuye pondered for a moment, then continued to ask, "Has it always been like this?"
"I heard it wasn't like this twenty-odd years ago. The two largest rice regions in Yuzhou used to be Yu County and our Min Mountain area. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them granaries."
Twenty-odd years ago... that was roughly around the time of the Battle of Juchao. In other words, before then, the forest and crops here should have been normal. Was there a reason or something specific that caused the land here to become like this? Was all of this related to the place marked on Li Qingdao’s map?
Silence spread through the nighttime forest. Everyone involuntarily huddled closer to the campfire.
Suddenly, one of the mountain folk spoke, his low voice halting, as if still trembling from the past.
"I heard my grandmother mention it. This didn't happen without cause. It was because the priests in the city desecrated the gods, and the Mountain God sent down a disaster in a fit of rage. This is a cursed land. Not only can it not grow grain, but if you enter the depths of those mountains, your soul will be snatched away, and you will become a sacrifice beneath the teeth of evil ghosts."
As his words fell, the others nearby whispered in agreement, their expressions revealing a helpless fear.
There were very few survivors of the Battle of Juchao to begin with, and more than half of them had failed to survive the subsequent famine and chaos. Those who finally managed to live were even fewer. The hardships they experienced were beyond the imagination of ordinary people. Even if the older generation mentioned those years, they would likely be secretive about it. Stories passed down by word of mouth would inevitably change flavor, so Qin Jiuye didn't find much credibility in what they said.
But legends often stem from real events, becoming what they are now only after being colored and exaggerated by emotion. If she wanted to discern how much was true and how much was false, she could only judge by going deep inside and seeing it with her own eyes.
A burnt smell wafted out. Qin Jiuye hurriedly distributed the wild yams buried in the fire to everyone, then stuffed her own portion into her mouth. She clapped her hands and stood up, looking toward the depths of the mountains in the night.
"Afraid of wolves in front and tigers behind—nothing will ever get done that way. Since things have come to this, I might as well take a gamble and a risk. Let me go and investigate to see if there truly are evil ghosts presiding within."
The crowd was stunned into silence by her "bold words." Jiang Xin'er, who had been silent all along, spoke up at this moment.
"The deep mountains and dense forests are unlike anything else. Even if you are lucky enough to avoid those dangers, without a map or direction to guide you, you'll only be bumping around like a headless fly."
Hearing this, Qin Jiuye reached into her collar and, under everyone's watchful eyes, pulled out a crumpled piece of cloth.
"I wouldn't say I'm without guidance."
As if having a premonition that something would happen, before setting out, she had privately made two copies of the map left by Li Qingdao. The original was kept by Qiu Ling, one copy was given to Lu Zican, and the other she kept on her person.
As it turned out, her consistently bumpy fate had never changed, and this copied map had finally come in handy.
Qin Jiuye found a flat stone and spread the map out. Seeing this, everyone gathered around, but upon seeing where she intended to go, they all shrank back.
"Great Hero, setting aside that the other side of the mountain is terrifyingly tight, we've never been to the place you want to go."
Qin Jiuye was somewhat puzzled. "Aren't you all born and raised Juchao people?"
The man eating a yam whispered to the person beside him to confirm. "That’s the direction of the city, isn't it?"
The other person nodded and explained to Qin Jiuye in a low voice. "Juchao is very big. The city is one world, and outside the city is another. Inside the city are golden houses, but outside is just mud. Our ancestors were all farmers; even decades ago, we never went into that city to look."
Qin Jiuye fell silent. Just then, a crisp voice rang out, cutting through everyone's discussion.
"I'll go."
Qin Jiuye turned her head and looked, only noticing after a moment a figure that was not much taller than a table.
It was a little fatty girl with dark skin. Her glossy hair was braided into a long plait, tied with a simple red string that hung behind her head. When she pursed her lips, two dimples immediately squeezed out of her cheeks.
To be able to grow like this in a place where food was so scarce was quite a talent. Qin Jiuye felt a bit of admiration and cleared her throat.
"Aren't you afraid? Or are you just talking big?"
Being questioned, the fatty girl patted her chest. "Won't you know if you come with me? But my time is very precious; you have to pay me a guide fee."
Qin Jiuye was amused, suddenly finding this short, stout girl quite interesting. She crossed her arms and said, "How much do you want for the fee?"
The girl pondered for a moment, then decisively held up five fingers. "At the very least, five wild yams."
The moment she spoke, the women and men around them finally couldn't help but laugh softly. Qin Jiuye laughed along with them, but as she laughed, she found she couldn't continue.
She thought of herself, who had once followed her master and buried her head in bitter cultivation in the deep mountains, and then of the promise of three carts of steamed buns. Five wild yams sounded pathetic, but wasn't it the most precious thing this little girl could think of? Without leaving these mountains, her whole life might be just this.
A corner of her heart stirred. Qin Jiuye couldn't help but look around, her gaze sweeping across those faces that hadn't smiled in a long time.
A group of big, burly mountain bandits added together didn't have as much courage as a little girl. Or perhaps the shadow of the Mountain God had been cast into these people's hearts, causing their courage to dissipate, leaving them unable to walk out of these mountains to this day.
"I must make this trip. It’s just that I don't know when I'll be able to come out..."
She said "don't know when I'll be able to come out," but everyone knew it was actually a question of "whether she could come out." The leading woman looked over tremulously.
"Great Hero... are you not staying with us?"
Qin Jiuye sighed and reached out to add a few more handfuls of wood to the fire.
"I have my road to travel, and you have yours. Being trapped in one place is no solution; walking out is the only way. We came from the upstream river channel and have been traveling through the mountains. In fact, the mountain paths are not as terrifying as you imagine. You only need to constantly discern your direction and pay attention to weather changes. As for toxic miasmas and poisonous insects, there are ways to deal with them."
After Qin Jiuye finished speaking, she tore off a section of her hem and picked out a charred branch from the fire to use as a charcoal pen, quickly writing down several prescriptions on the cloth.
She was somewhat glad she hadn't been lazy on the ship heading south, having read the medical records Liu Caiwu gave her several times over. Compared to the matter of diagnosis, Xu Qinglan was clearly more interested in medicinal herbs. Besides recording several common fevers and epidemics in the Juchao region, he had also listed and described many local medicinal herbs, carefully drawing and labeling them on the side. After entering the Juchao territory, whenever she saw unusual plants along the way, she would collect as many as possible and compare them with Xu Qinglan’s notes in her memory. She had gained some unusual insights and was now putting her newly acquired knowledge to use.
Once the prescriptions were written, she pulled everyone to the nearby grass and trees to find several types of medicinal herbs, explaining them on the spot.
"These herbs can all be found in the mountains. Collect them according to my prescriptions. Some can be taken internally to ward off plagues and evil, and some can be applied externally to detoxify and stop bleeding. In a few days, when autumn officially begins and the weather turns cold, it will be a good time. By winter, you should have reached the world outside..."
The world outside. These four simple words seemed to give everyone infinite room for imagination. The light from the fire finally illuminated everyone's faces.
"Is what you say true?"
A hesitant voice rang out. This was actually a question that could not be given a definitive answer at the moment, but Qin Jiuye knew she had to nod.
"It is true. Otherwise, how could we have met?"
The mountain folk were stunned. They seemed to think she made sense and nodded one after another, though some were still worried.
"But will the Mountain God punish us..."
"Don't think that way." Qin Jiuye stepped forward and took the little fatty girl’s hand, saying solemnly to everyone, "It is a blessing. The Mountain God will bless you."
What in this world could compare to five wild yams or three large carts of steamed buns, giving people infinite strength?
It was hope.
Those things that had once been stripped away should be returned by the Mountain God himself.
The group huddled by the fire and spent the night. Perhaps because huddling for warmth is a deeply buried human instinct, Qin Jiuye actually slept exceptionally soundly that night. The next day, before dawn, she was led by the mountain folk to the rumored "Treasure Beach" nearby.
Broken ship hulls were scattered across the shallows, and fragments of wooden planks and crates were piled into small hills. Qin Jiuye searched the entire beach but did not see her own crate, and Xu Qinglan’s medical records were in her crate. The good news was that she had already spent nights reading those records several times on the way here, and she remembered the details fairly well. The bad news was that when she returned to Jiugao, she would likely be unable to explain all this to Manager Liu.
At the thought of the expression the other party had when handing the items to her, Qin Jiuye couldn't help but wear a bitter smile.
She was someone who planned her actions, from the silver of the Fruitful Abode to the account books; she was meticulous in every way. To head south to Juchao, she had made complete preparations, almost emptying the treasures of the Fruitful Abode and gritting her teeth to buy many tools she might use, specifically dividing them into three crates to prevent unforeseen disasters. Who knew this wretched heaven just didn't want her to have it easy, not even leaving her a single crate.
Perhaps life was just like this—embarking on a journey without preparation was the norm.
Having realized this, Qin Jiuye no longer dwelled on it. She removed the still-sturdy ropes from the crates for future use, cut several bamboo tubes to seal the medicinal herbs she had collected earlier, and tied them firmly to her body. Finally, she took several long and sturdy crate boards and tied them together, packing them into her travel bag.
Seeing this, Jiang Xin'er’s face was written with refusal. She repeatedly emphasized that there was still a long way to go, and they might have to cross several mountains; both of them should travel light, with enough rations and water being the priority. Qin Jiuye didn't explain much. This trip was indeed her own stubborn choice, so she told the other that if she didn't want to go along, she could stay and wait for her.
Whether it was for Xu Qiuchi’s waist fan or not, Jiang Xin'er ultimately followed Qin Jiuye. The mountain folk could not hide their disappointment, feeling regret at missing out on a formidable bandit leader, as they watched the two of them set out on the treacherous road leading to the old capital.
Less than half a day after starting, a thick fog emerged from the depths of the boundless green, instantly filling every crack and corner. Their vision was as if covered by a layer of white gauze; everything they saw was a vast expanse of white. Over time, it would give one the illusion that something was wrong with their eyes. It was said that people trapped in the mountains had gouged out their own eyes because of this.
But gradually, the surroundings became barren. The green was replaced by scorched black earth, spreading across the rolling mountain ranges.
In ancient mountain and river illustrations, the ancient kingdom of Juchao was depicted with crimson water, dark-colored mountains, and honey-colored clouds.
The crimson water referred to the Wen River, which was once a tributary of the Feng River, having a strange ochre-red color because of the special rocks and soil along its banks. The dark-colored mountains referred to the dense forests in Min Mountain that seemed to have no end. Because of the year-round rain and lack of sunlight, they were not lush green like ordinary mountains but instead presented a blackish-dark color. As for the honey-colored clouds...
Qin Jiuye looked around at the blackened dead trees. The mountain fire had burned them beyond recognition, but she could still discern something from the parts exposed on the ground. There should have been a vast bamboo forest here. A type of bamboo unique to the Min Mountain area was called Sea Cloud Bamboo. The bamboo leaves were covered with a layer of pale golden frost, appearing light yellow and white in the sunlight. When they gathered on the mountainside, they hung across the mountains like newly dyed honey-colored gauze, thus called "honey-colored clouds."
However, the Wen River had long since changed its course due to floods, and the Sea Cloud Bamboo had turned to scorched earth. The original three-colored kingdom was now left with only black and white, becoming a world of only ashes and thick fog.
Qin Jiuye crouched down, panting, and gently brushed away the soil at the base of a half-broken black dead bamboo.
The life force of bamboo is the most robust and vigorous. Fire can destroy most mountain forests, but it is difficult to easily destroy an entire bamboo forest because the bamboo roots are buried deep underground and connected section by section. As long as the roots remain, bamboo shoots will break through the soil after a single spring and autumn. Why had the bamboo forest here failed to recover after more than twenty years? Was it because of those Honey Mushrooms growing wildly in the soil?
"I finally understand why that little brat agreed so readily. She calculated that this fog wouldn't dissipate for a while. Even if she led us in circles, we wouldn't be able to tell."
Jiang Xin'er’s voice rang out nearby. Qin Jiuye looked at the other's face, which was full of displeasure, and said half-jokingly and half-comfortingly, "Many great mountains are this unpredictable. Entering the mountains requires mastering the solar terms and timing. Sometimes, there are only a few days in a year when you can enter. You can think of it as the Mountain God Grandma having a temper; you have to visit when she’s in a good mood, otherwise, you'll be the target of her anger."
Or perhaps, the Mountain God of Min Mountain simply had a bad temper and didn't have many good days throughout the year.
The sight of the endless scorched forest was despairing. The blackened, withered bamboo roots were like traps filled with sharp spears, constantly catching their clothes and scratching their legs, as if ghost hands reaching out from hell to obstruct their progress. Although the little girl leading them was chubby, she had lived in harsh environments for a long time, and her movements were unusually agile. Moreover, relying on her small stature, she moved through the area with ease. In contrast, Qin Jiuye and Jiang Xin'er appeared much more disheveled. They had clearly seen the mountain peak from afar several hours ago, but after half a day, they still hadn't reached it, which was truly frustrating.
Crossing another ridge and still seeing no end, Jiang Xin'er finally lost her patience. With a *shing*, she drew her blade, but she was immediately held back by Qin Jiuye.
"You don't even have food to eat, yet you have so much bull-like strength. Save your energy; the road ahead is still long."
Jiang Xin'er glared at her but ultimately sheathed her blade, grumbling in a low voice as she walked. "It’s so damp and rainy here, how can there still be a scorched forest that never ends?"
Qin Jiuye followed behind her, reaching out to help her tie her pant legs and sleeves tight. "These are not marks left by an ordinary mountain fire. It should be related to the Battle of Juchao back then."
Twenty-two years had passed, and there was still no sign of life recovering here. In the gray expanse, only the red hair string tied to the end of that short, stout figure’s plait jumped ahead. The girl would look back from time to time, laughing a few times upon seeing the two of them in such a sorry state, and then say without much sincerity, "Almost there, we're almost there. We'll be there after crossing this ridge."
The exact same words were heard seven or eight times, and the "last ridge" was crossed seven or eight times. Finally, Qin Jiuye saw the pass wedged between two cliffs.
The wind surged down from the direction of the pass, briefly blowing away the fog. The towering cliffs were black and solemn, like two sky-reaching stone monuments standing above the mountain pass.
The further they climbed toward the pass, the sparser the trees became. The massive scree slope seemed endless, with only three lonely shadows struggling on the steep incline. The clouds surged in the sky above like a constantly changing giant face, looking down at the mortal ants who dared to intrude into the forbidden land.
The sky gradually darkened. The fatty girl finally stopped beside a large black rock, then pointed to the mountain pass only a hundred paces behind her and said in a low voice, "My mother doesn't allow me to go over there. I can only take you this far."
Qin Jiuye looked up, panting. The steep slope blocked her view, making it impossible for her to confirm the situation on the other side of the pass for a moment. Just as she was about to ask, she was pulled over by the girl, who then whispered mysteriously into her ear.
"Keep your voice down. The other side of the mountain is where the Mountain God lives. The Mountain God’s eyes are like mirrors, and he has a pair of ears that can hear the wind. If you're accidentally discovered, it’s all over."
Qin Jiuye glanced at the girl’s serious little face, knowing she couldn't reason with a child. She didn't say anything more and gave the girl the five plump yams as agreed, also giving her a bit of the only peppermint balm she had left.
After receiving the items, the little fatty girl thought for a moment and solemnly untied something from her person, handing it to Jiang Xin'er, who had climbed up a step slower.
"Don't be afraid, take this."
Jiang Xin'er was stunned, then realized something, her face showing a bit of helplessness. "I'm not afraid, I'm just..."
The girl didn't want to hear her explanation at all and stuffed the item into her hand. "Take it. My mother gave this to me. When you go over there, it will protect you."
Jiang Xin'er looked down and saw a green and blue sachet in her palm, a crumpled little bundle with no embroidered patterns.
In the next moment, the girl whispered something else into her ear. Seeing this, Qin Jiuye couldn't help but speak up.
"Just take it. I don't know if a god will protect you, but she truly wants to protect you."
Those from the Greatest Manor in the World were always formidable. After entering the Qiu Manor, she had always been the one protecting the Young Master. This was the first time someone wanted to protect her, and it was a child. Jiang Xin'er pursed her lips and only after a long moment did she put away the sachet. She gave the girl a solemn martial arts salute and watched as the girl skipped back down the mountain.
The final hundred paces were walked in extreme silence by Qin Jiuye and Jiang Xin'er.
It was a silence born of exhaustion, and also a silence born of the premonition that they were approaching some terrifying truth.
Just before stepping over the last rock of the mountain pass, Qin Jiuye couldn't help but stop and look back. The myriad mountains had been left far behind, and the girl’s figure had become blurred, vanishing into the scorched forest after a few moments.
Jiang Xin'er quickly reached out and gently pulled her, then whispered in her ear, "Have you truly made up your mind? Even if you really find that place, what then?"
"Nothing much. But are you going to walk back?"
As soon as she spoke, Jiang Xin'er fell silent.
The hardships of traveling across mountains and rivers were far more persuasive than any bold words. Now, even if the other side of the pass was an abyss of hell or a mountain of blades and a sea of fire, they had no choice but to move forward.
Jiang Xin'er let go, and Qin Jiuye stepped over the last piece of rubble without hesitation.
"We're here."
The rapid heartbeat from the continuous climbing was swallowed by the oncoming wind. Two tiny figures finally stood at the highest point of the mountain pass.
In the descriptions of the mountain and river maps left by the previous dynasty, the place where Juchao was located was different from other mountain ranges. It had once been covered by glaciers and snowlines, and then a sudden climate change swept across the entire continent in a short period, causing a huge change in the geography here. The glaciers and snow melted, revealing eroded sinkholes.
The valley before them was the most hidden of these sinkholes.
Qin Jiuye felt that Liu Caiwu’s previous description of "surrounded by mountains on three sides" was a very understated and polite way of putting it. At this moment, as far as her eyes could see, all three sides were cliffs—bare rock faces rising straight up and down. The cliffs on three sides enclosed a funnel-shaped valley. A dense forest of tree ferns extended from the mountainside all the way into the massive black lake at the bottom of the valley. The entire valley was shaped like a giant spoon, and the pass they were standing on was like the handle of the spoon, the only mountain path in and out of the valley.
Perhaps because the terrain was too strange, not a single bird, beast, or insect could be seen among the cliffs. The black water at the bottom of the valley was even more deathly silent. Qin Jiuye stared blankly at those thin, tall tree shadows and the black water beneath them, which was as calm as a mirror. A corner of her heart suddenly stirred.
"I seem to... have been here before."
Perhaps it was in a dream, or perhaps in the depths of a distant memory.
She couldn't tell if this sense of familiarity was because she had actually been here before, or if after hearing about Qin Sanyou’s past from Liu Caiwu, she had already given herself some kind of psychological suggestion.
The silent black water was like the cold, dark eyes of a god. Jiang Xin'er looked as far as she could, trying to see what exactly was at the end, but she ultimately found nothing.
"That brat didn't really lie to us, did she? We can't even see the city of Juchao. I'm afraid we'll have to walk for another two or three days..."
Before her breathing had even steadied, Qin Jiuye took out the copied map. After repeatedly comparing the surrounding terrain, she slowly raised her hand and pointed to the black water below.
"It’s right down there."
"Down there? How come I don't see..."
Jiang Xin'er looked at the water again, and her puzzled voice came to an abrupt halt. She finally understood what Qin Jiuye meant by "down there."
The ancient kingdom that had flourished for centuries but vanished in a single night was close at hand, right beneath that mysterious black water.
And the place they were going might be at the end of this blackness.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 远枢大泽 | Yuanzhu Great Marsh | A remote, calm marshland in the Juchao region. |
| 居巢 | Juchao | An ancient kingdom/city that was submerged. |
| 黑月军 | Black Moon Army | A military force from 20+ years ago, associated with violence. |
| 溟山 | Min Mountain | A mountain range in the Juchao region. |
| 鸭觜淀 | Yazui Shoal | Literally "Duck-Bill Shoal," a geographical dividing point. |
| 川流院 | Chuanliu Academy | A rumored location/sect associated with a "demon." |
| 蜜蕈 | Honey Mushroom | Armillaria; a fungus whose roots (mycelium) choke the soil. |
| 海云竹 | Sea Cloud Bamboo | A unique bamboo with pale golden frost on its leaves. |
| 渂江 | Wen River | A river known for its reddish water due to local minerals. |
| 垭口 | Pass / Saddle | A low point between two peaks; the entrance to the valley. |
