After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 399: Chapter 398: Immortal Sect Ruins

”That’s right. This isn’t an ordinary Demon. Legend has it that it was formed from the Meridian Divine Wind on the mountain. The Piaomiao Sect relied on this Demon to occupy half the Gale Tundra.” The old man sighed. ”According to our ancestors, the foot of Wind Demon Mountain used to be rich in Yellow Ginseng. People didn’t have to risk their lives harvesting it on the mountain. But this Wind Monster wreaked havoc, and the Yellow Ginseng gradually vanished. In the end, you could only occasionally find a few stalks high up on the mountain.”

”What happened next?”

”That was all over four hundred years ago. Later, the Beiga Kingdom annexed this area. The Piaomiao Sect, of course, refused to yield and unleashed the Wind Demon to run rampant. It’s said the winds scoured the entire Gale Plateau, nearly wiping everyone out! Later, the King of Treasure Tree couldn’t stand it any longer and personally intervened to disperse the Wind Demon! From then on, the Gale Tundra slowly became what it is today.”

Hee Lingchuan asked him, ”The Gale Tundra isn’t habitable. Why didn’t the Piaomiao Sect move somewhere else instead of insisting on establishing their sect here?”

”Generations of their ancestors lived here. I guess they were reluctant to move,” the old man sighed. ”To be honest, are we any different?”

After the meal, word arrived that the Guard Team was indeed detouring to Wind Demon Mountain.

The Soul-Catching Mirror was delighted. ”This could be our chance.”

Hee Lingchuan nodded slightly. ’If an opportunity presented itself, he wouldn’t mind being the one to profit from the conflict.’

After their meal, Shi the Second looked up at the sky. ”The stars are bright tonight. There probably won’t be any clouds tomorrow morning, making it a perfect opportunity to enjoy the view.”

Hee Lingchuan, however, told Shi the Second, ”Starting tomorrow, keep your distance from the Guard Team. Especially when we enter the territory of Wind Demon Mountain, you must stay at least ten li behind them.”

Shi the Second was taken aback. ”Brother Hee, you think something will happen on Wind Demon Mountain?” He then laughed. ”When Pingshan has the occasional landslide or rockfall, merchant teams always detour through Wind Demon Mountain from Black Rock Stronghold. It’s standard procedure. We’ll be fine.”

Hee Lingchuan shrugged. ”I’ve said my piece. It’s up to you whether you listen.” ’It’s not my caravan, after all. He was just offering some friendly advice.’

Shi the Second’s smile faltered.

’This trade route has been peaceful for many years. Caravans have traveled it without incident, so could this trip really be the one where disaster strikes? Besides, the King of Treasure Tree’s Guard Team is clearing the way, and they aren’t just for show. However, this man standing before me is someone who gave even Second Madam Zhu—who devoured countless people in the Demon Nest Swamp—pause. Surely his words weren’t spoken without reason?’

「That night, everyone turned in early.」

Hee Lingchuan decided not to sleep at all, instead taking a Hundred Virtues Pill to regulate his breath and cultivate.

He could feel the Spiritual Qi in the world growing denser lately, making his Cultivation much more effective.

...

Before the Fourth Period of Night, the caravan set off for Wind Demon Mountain.

This time, the Stone Gate Merchant Team didn’t try to get ahead, falling at least fifteen li behind the Guard Team. It was clear Shi the Second had taken Hee Lingchuan’s words to heart.

Naturally, other traveling merchants moved up to fill the gap.

After all, the closer people were to the Guard Team, the safer they felt.

The mountain path climbed ever higher, winding through steep and perilous peaks, and the Official Road dwindled to a narrow goat trail.

Even Hee Lingchuan’s breath was turning to ice. He glanced over and saw a layer of white frost clinging to Shi the Second’s beard.

”Before they built the road from Black Stone Stronghold, everyone had to pass through here,” Shi the Second said, his head wrapped tightly in a thick felt cloth. ”Otherwise, it’s a two-hundred-li detour, and that path is far more difficult than this one.”

”So when the Piaomiao Sect occupied this place, did people have to pay a toll to get through?”

Shi the Second gave a dry laugh. ”That, I wouldn’t know. It was hundreds of years ago.”

Along the way up the mountain, he also pointed out several locations to Hee Lingchuan, saying they were ruins of the Piaomiao Sect.

This Immortal Sect was once magnificent, with buildings dotting the mountainsides. But after four hundred years of relentless wind and snow, not a single tile was left.

Hee Lingchuan saw nothing.

Shi the Second was an old hand at reading trails and weather. He had predicted a cloudless morning, and indeed, the sky was vast and clear.

Suddenly, a cheer erupted from up ahead.

”Sunrise! Look, quick!”

Hee Lingchuan looked up and saw a sliver of golden light strike the treacherous peak across the way, bathing the white snow in crimson gold.

Majesty and beauty, austerity and warmth—all blended in perfect harmony on nature’s palette.

Even the Guard Team had stopped. They faced the Golden Peak, clasped their hands, and stood silently in prayer.

Legend said that those lucky enough to witness the Sunlit Golden Peak would be blessed with good fortune if they prayed then and there.

Hee Lingchuan pressed his palms together, but he didn’t know who to pray to.

His faith was not placed in any Deities.

Yet in this moment, facing the magnificent Great Snow Mountain, he was acutely aware of the power of creation and his own insignificance.

’How must I advance on my path to gain the power to sunder the heavens and split the earth?’

’Even now, can the vast heavens still provide an answer?’

After traveling for another two double-hours, the mountain peak was still ahead of them, still as high and aloof—

It was as if they had merely circled more than halfway around it.

This winding mountain road seemed to stretch on forever.

’If someone has forced the Guard Team down this path,’ he mused, ’it’s about time they made their move. In a few dozen more li, we’ll be past the most treacherous section of this route.’

’It seemed no one else was worried. After all, this was the Treasure Tree Kingdom’s territory, trade was supposed to be safe, and with the Guard Team leading the way, what could possibly go wrong?’

At this point, the distance between the Official Road and the perilous peak had shrunk considerably, and there were even a few natural stone bridges hidden in the thickets connecting them. Shi the Second pointed to a narrow side path. ”You can get to Wind Demon Mountain from here. I went up ten years ago and saw the ruins of the Piaomiao Sect. If you move quickly, you can descend from the other side and end up right back on the Official Road.”

”The Piaomiao Sect... was it descended from an Ancient Immortal Sect?”

”Based on what I saw up there, I’d say so,” Shi the Second sighed wistfully. ”The place looks like the Guanghan Palace—hardly a place for mortals to live! Those Ancient Immortals were really something else.”

Hee Lingchuan immediately said, ”Want to take a look with me?”

’Those are Immortal Sect ruins. I should go pay my respects... and see if the Divine Bone Necklace reacts to anything.’

’Besides, Wind Demon Mountain is the highest point for thirty li around. I should be able to get a clear view of the Guard Team’s entire procession from up there.’

’If someone really is plotting something, they wouldn’t pass up a vantage point like this.’

Hee Lingchuan had been silently studying the mountain terrain.

’Honestly, as an outsider, I’m not familiar with the lay of the land. That’s a major disadvantage.’

’Favorable timing, strategic location, and popular support—I don’t have a single one on my side.’

’If I want to profit from the chaos that might erupt, I’ll have to be more observant and plan more carefully.’

”Fine, let’s go.” Shi the Second tightened his greatcoat. ”But my horse can’t go up there.”

That was no Official Road; the slope reached forty-five degrees, and the path was rugged and uneven.

Hee Lingchuan patted the Rock Sheep’s large horns. ”What do you think I’m riding?”

He pointed at the snowy mountain and asked the Rock Sheep, ”Can you carry the two of us up there?”

The Rock Sheep let out two ”BAA”s and nodded its head repeatedly.

”Piece of cake.” Hee Lingchuan gave Shi the Second a hand, helping him climb onto the sheep’s back.

It was surprisingly steady. Shi the Second told his men to meet them up ahead, then took a shallow breath. ”Okay, let’s go.”

”Hiyah!” Hee Lingchuan flicked the reins, and the Rock Sheep leaped high, bounding onto the small path in just a few hops.

It bounded along merrily.

Shi the Second’s rear end was numb from the bouncing. He glanced down, saw they were on a sheer cliff face, and grabbed Hee Lingchuan’s shoulder in terror. ”Slo-slow down! We’re in no rush!”

Rock Sheep are natural mountain foragers, far more agile climbers than other animals. After becoming a Demon, its strength had grown so much that carrying two people was a trivial matter.

Most importantly, it had an innate gift for agility and cushioning, treating sheer cliffs like flat ground. It was hardly any slower than running on level earth—a sight that would have made Newton tear his hair out.

It could plant all four hooves on a patch of ground no bigger than a man’s palm.

The mountain wind threatened to blow Shi the Second right off. He was so full of regret he could have spat bile.

’This damn sheep doesn’t even stick to the path—it likes taking shortcuts! It made several mid-air leaps in a row. The beast was having a grand old time, but when I happened to look down, all I saw was a bottomless chasm.’

’The wind was so strong, too. If the Rock Sheep misstepped even once, the three of us would be done for!’

Soon, the main caravan was left far below, out of sight.

”Th-th-there, right here, we can get down!” Shi the Second pointed to a stone hollow, his face so numb from the cold wind he could barely open his mouth.

With a nimble leap, the Rock Sheep landed in the stone hollow, putting them back on the intended path.

From here, the path to the summit was upward.

This stretch of the path was quite wide, with broad steps that made for a comfortable climb. For two thousand years, the disciples of the Piaomiao Sect had walked this very path up and down the treacherous peak.

Shi the Second couldn’t help but sigh. ”Going up and down the mountain like this every day must be exhausting.”

The Mirror spoke up again, its tone dripping with sarcasm: ”You can’t possibly think the Immortal Descendants of Ancient Times walked in and out of their sect, do you?”

Of course, Shi the Second couldn’t hear it.

Hee Lingchuan patted the Mirror. ”Then how did they travel? By flying on swords?”

”Of course!” the Mirror said as if it were obvious. ”Look at those little paths on the mountain. Do they look like they saw regular foot traffic?”

If it were a major thoroughfare, it would naturally have been built as wide, flat, and straight as possible. But the paths Hee Lingchuan saw were uneven and had been carved out haphazardly, with the attitude that having any path at all was a bonus.

Now, the two of them were following a natural crevice, heading into the belly of the mountain.

According to legend, Wind Demon Mountain was the Immortal Sect’s main peak.

Of course, in its heyday, the sect had too many members, so the disciples probably didn’t all live here.

The path surprisingly grew wider, and the two soon arrived at a huge natural platform. Above them, a single monolith formed the peak, a truly majestic sight. Its face was sheer, as if sliced, too smooth for even the Rock Sheep to climb.

The wondrous spectacle of the Sunlit Golden Peak, which countless people revered, was created when sunlight struck the tip of this giant rock.

The platform below was huge, at least as large as three soccer fields placed side-by-side.

From this spot, one could not only gaze out at the mountain ranges but also see the Guard Team on the opposite side with perfect clarity!

The force of the wind here was unprecedented; the two men and the sheep were nearly blown off the mountain.

”Quick, quick, get in there!” Shi the Second shouted against the wind, pointing ahead. Only then did Hee Lingchuan notice a small path leading inward.

--Author’s Note--

I’ve placed a GIF at the end of the Chapter so you can see the Rock Sheep’s mobility in its unbuffed state. (Image from the web; will be removed if it infringes on any copyright.)