The inner mountains allowed sunlight to reach them. The closer they got to Xingtian City, the more abundant the sunlight became. For Li Si and the others who had spent three days and nights in the perpetually dark outer mountains, this was indeed a pleasant surprise. After passing through layers upon layers of dense forest, a rapid river appeared before them. The vulture moved upstream against the current.
The surging river displayed a rare silvery-white color, as if concentrated silver juice had been poured into the water. Li Si dipped his hand in and tasted it—besides sweetness, there was also a spicy sensation on his tongue. Li Si recalled what Lao Sitou had said about river water changing flavor for two reasons: one was pollution from decomposing animal carcasses, and the other was the river mixing with mineral impurities from within the mountains. The river before them was sweet and clear, unlikely to be polluted, so it must be the second case. But he didn’t know what kind of impurities were mixed in.
After traveling upstream for over an hour, the river’s flow slowed. At this point, the vulture wearing the red and blue cloak stopped, indicating ahead with his gaze and slowly saying, “Xingtian City has arrived.”
Li Si focused his eyes and looked into the distance. On the left bank of the river, about a hundred zhang away, appeared a black city that towered like a mountain range, and in the distance, a massive red city gate could be seen. Gongyang Yan couldn’t suppress his excitement: “It really is Xingtian City. Uncle Chang, can you see? I’ve reached Xingtian City. You can tell my father in the underworld now.”
The fat Taoist squinted toward Xingtian City, then after a moment, quietly glanced sideways at Mita and Amu.
Mita pulled Amu’s hand tight with worry, the anxiety between her brows deepening. Amu, however, gazed at the colossal city between heaven and earth with eyes that showed no emotional fluctuation. Li Si observed his companions’ changes in his heart while silently asking himself: Will the Poison Hand Sacred Physician I’m looking for be in Xingtian City?
Half a cup of tea’s time later, the vulture brought the five people to the base of Xingtian City.
The bright red, glaring city gate looked as if it had been soaked in fresh blood. At the highest point of the city wall hung a zhang-wide stone plaque inscribed with the words “Xingtian City” in ancient, unsophisticated calligraphy. The vulture communicated with those inside the city, and the gate slowly split open left and right. Li Si and the others walked into Xingtian City.
Upon entering Xingtian City, Li Si did not encounter the bustling, crowded scene he had imagined. In fact, besides the vulture, Banna, and Banxi, he only saw four other ancient tribe people. However, in the blink of an eye, Li Si saw a second city wall. This second circular wall divided Xingtian City into two cities. The vulture greeted the ancient tribe people and had the second gate opened. Li Si and the others continued to follow in shocked silence.
Beyond the second gate, there were similarly few ancient tribe people. They wore identical clothing and greeted the vulture with respectful expressions. Beyond the second gate appeared a small number of square wooden buildings. To the left of these buildings stood the third wall, also circular, further dividing Xingtian City into the second and third inner cities. The vulture expressionlessly had the third gate opened. Before they even entered through the opened gate, Li Si could already see the fourth wall a hundred zhang away. The ancient tribe people beyond the third gate had clearly increased in number, though there were no more than fifty in total. The most obvious difference was the fourth gate—it was deep blue, unlike the bright red of the previous three gates.
The vulture continued to have the deep blue gate opened, and Li Si entered the fourth inner city. The space here was larger than all the previous areas, with over a hundred uniformly constructed eagle-back sloped buildings densely built. In front of these sloped buildings, there was even a lively marketplace and a play area for children. Based on the number of sloped buildings, Li Si mentally calculated that the fourth inner city had approximately four hundred people. But this wasn’t everything, because Li Si saw the equally magnificent deep blue fifth gate.
The fat Taoist muttered to himself, “Over a thousand years ago, ancient clans maintained this circular, concentric way of living. The further inward one lived, the higher their status and power. And those living at the very center were undoubtedly the clan chief and the ritual fate-masters of the clan.”
Li Si nodded, many of his doubts resolving.
Beyond the fifth gate was a narrow, dark stone path. The air carried a foul, unpleasant odor. There were no sturdy, comfortable sloped buildings or lively marketplaces here. However, dozens of wooden cages hung on the city wall, with solidified black bloodstains at the edges of the cage frames. The gray-white walls had long been dyed blood red. The fifth inner city should be Xingtian City’s place of punishment, where erring clan members or believers would be sent to receive their penalties. Not far from the wooden cages stood five sharp, cone-shaped stone towers. The windows of these towers were all sealed with wooden bars, which were also covered in scarlet bloodstains. The vulture waved his hand, and Banna and Banxi took the three-handed monster toward one of the stone towers.
The vulture then continued toward the sixth deep blue gate.
The sixth inner city had rows of even more spacious and imposing stone houses, twenty on each side, left and right. In the middle was a fifty-zhang-wide plaza outlined in red and blue lines. At both ends of the city stood two large stone warehouses. The seventh gate faced directly onto the plaza. The vulture walked straight toward the seventh gate.
The seventh gate was different from all the others—its left half was bright red, while its right half was deep blue.
The vulture stopped before the seventh gate, glanced impassively at Gongyang Yan, then forcefully pushed open the seventh two-colored gate.
Inside the seventh gate, immediately visible was a magnificent, imposing giant stone hall. The exterior of this hall resembled an overturned colossal ship weighing ten thousand jin, with magnificent and grand presence. Looking around the seventh inner city, on both the east and west sides, two slightly smaller but luxurious stone palaces had been symmetrically constructed, carved with dragons and painted pillars, their dark palace columns faintly radiating a metallic luster. Behind the giant stone hall, there seemed to be a dilapidated, colorless wooden door recessed slightly into the city wall, not at all eye-catching. Had Li Si not possessed exceptional eyesight, he might not have noticed it at all.
Before Li Si could think more about the wooden door, the vulture had already brought the five people to stop in front of the giant stone hall. The vulture remained silent. Gongyang Yan stood anxiously behind the vulture. Mita and the fat Taoist surrounded Amu in the middle, with Mita’s expression full of misery. Li Si stood at the very back of everyone, waiting quietly.
After about a cup of tea’s time, footsteps slowly emerged from within the stone hall. Then a white-haired elder wearing a red and blue two-colored cloak walked out of the stone hall. Unlike the vulture, the edge of the elder’s cloak was embroidered with a circle of dazzling gold. The elder’s gaze was slightly turbid, but when he looked at you, you would suddenly feel that nothing could be hidden from him. Li Si felt the elder was like a sleeping leopard—you never knew when he would suddenly unleash terrifying power to tear you apart.
Beside the white-haired elder were two other people. One was a frail old man leaning on a red walking stick with colorful stones hanging around his neck. The other was a stocky middle-aged man also wearing a red and blue two-colored cloak without gold trim.
The vulture rolled his eyes up to look at the white-haired elder, then swept his cloak and knelt on one knee at the entrance of the stone hall, saying, “Man Kua, the escaped heretic has been recaptured. Additionally, on my way back, I encountered Mita and the Holy Maiden, as well as a descendant of the Evergreen Duke Wei Qing. Now I have brought everyone here.”
The white-haired elder raised his hand to signal the vulture to rise, then his eyes flickered as he said, “Everyone has traveled far and worked hard. I am Wu Yan, the ancient tribe’s clan chief and the Grand Elder of the Ancient Yao Sect. The one who brought you here is Guardian Wu Ying. These two here are Ritual Follower Yun Yan and Guardian You Huai. Coming to my Xingtian City makes you guests. I will arrange for someone to receive you properly. For now, please go to the stone houses ahead to rest. Mita, send the Holy Maiden to the Star Palace.”
Two ancient tribe warriors approached Amu from left and right. Mita’s whole body trembled. Her wavering gaze finally became resolute. She stepped forward to block Amu, knelt on one knee before Wu Yan, and said, “Grand Elder, this is a misunderstanding. I did not find a girl who fits the fate pattern. Because I feared punishment, I found an impostor. Grand Elder, Mita knows she was wrong. Let me send this innocent impostor out of Xingtian City, and then I will return to receive your punishment.”
Wu Yan turned his head indifferently to look at Ritual Follower Yun Yan, who stood beside him with divination stones. Yun Yan leaned on his wooden cane and shuffled forward, “Mita, whether the fate pattern fits or not is for me, the Ritual Follower, to determine. Someone, take the Holy Maiden away.”
Mita’s willow-leaf eyebrows turned frosty. She drew the dagger from her waist and shouted, “You cannot take Amu away!”
“You dare disobey my words!” Wu Yan’s cloak billowed as he looked down at Mita. Mita’s hand holding the blade trembled incessantly, but she clenched her teeth, tears brimming in the corners of her eyes, and said, “Grand Elder, I cannot let Amu go to her death.”
“Silence!” Wu Ying rebuked angrily, his long whip coiling toward Mita. “Clang!” Li Si’s long sword left its sheath, slashing toward the whip.
“Hmph, ignorant thing seeking death!” Murderous intent flashed repeatedly in Wu Ying’s eyes. Just then, Amu suddenly spoke, “Everyone stop. I’ll go with you, but please don’t make things difficult for my friends.”
Amu’s words were directed at Wu Yan. Wu Yan met the young girl’s gaze. The calm and serene girl before him left him feeling astonished. Wu Yan waved his hand, “I said that coming to my Xingtian makes you guests. Wu Ying, withdraw your whip. Yun Yan, send the Holy Maiden to the Star Palace. And Mita, do not disappoint your deceased Man Father.”
Hearing the words “Man Father,” Mita’s hand went limp, and her dagger fell to the ground with a “clang.” Li Si, seeing that everything had reached a conclusion, no longer insisted and quietly sheathed his sword.
Mita and Amu left. Gongyang Yan followed Wu Ying and Wu Yan into the giant stone hall, while Li Si and the fat Taoist were sent to one of the spacious stone houses in the sixth inner city. This must be the stone house Wu Yan had mentioned.
Around the Hour of the Rooster, someone delivered food and a jug of rice wine. Li Si and the fat Taoist sat facing each other eating dinner. A quarter-hour earlier, Wu Ying had brought Gongyang Yan to a stone house as well, but to a different one. Li Si and the fat Taoist didn’t go looking for Gongyang Yan.
The fat Taoist stared at the rice wine in a daze. Li Si smiled, “Want to drink?”
“I used to want to drink. Now I don’t want to anymore. I’m just feeling a bit nostalgic.” The fat Taoist shook his head and focused on eating the plate of vegetables that had been delivered.
“I’ll drink it myself. Mountain wine really does have flavor.” Li Si slowly sipped.
The atmosphere between the two men who rarely conversed became increasingly stifling and heavy. The fat Taoist accidentally choked, coughed twice, and casually said, “I really didn’t expect that in the blink of an eye, a Qingzhou medicine merchant would become a descendant of the Great Yuan War God. Li Si, have you heard of the War God, the Evergreen Duke?”
Li Si paused slightly, “I’ve heard of his deeds, but not in detail.”
A smile squeezed onto the fat Taoist’s plump white face, “I can tell you about this. It was during the final period of the Great Yuan Dynasty, about two hundred and thirty years ago. The old king of the Great Yuan Dynasty passed away, and shortly after the new king ascended the throne, the court was in turmoil and chaos. The Western Ye from the northwest took advantage of the disorder and invaded the Central Plains with their troops. The new king sent forces to resist in eleven battles, and lost all eleven. In the final battle, three royal relatives were even sacrificed. The Western Ye’s fierce army seized the opportunity to press directly toward the Great Yuan capital of Shoutian City. Great Yuan was in grave danger. Just as the Great Yuan imperial court hung by a thread, an army suddenly emerged from Youzhou in the far north, led by none other than the Evergreen Duke, Wei Qing. Wei Qing personally led five thousand armored troops, which he named the ‘Iron Flame Army,’ and fought eight successive battles against the Western Ye’s fifty thousand barbarian soldiers. Wei Qing’s Iron Flame Army was like heavenly troops, invincible in battle. Eight battles, eight victories—with his own strength alone, he forcibly drove the Western Ye barbarians out of the Central Plains. After this battle, Wei Qing used iron-fisted methods to purge the rebellious forces within the court, helping the new king secure his throne. The new king was deeply moved and imperially bestowed upon the Evergreen Duke the title of ‘Great Yuan’s First War God,’ with hereditary control over the twenty-eight counties of Youzhou.”
After hearing this, Li Si couldn’t help but yearn for the heroic image of the War God galloping across battlefields. He then looked at the fat Taoist, waiting for him to continue.
The fat Taoist took a sip of water and continued, “But since ancient times, even world-conquering heroes rarely meet good ends. The Evergreen Duke’s achievements overshadowed his master. Day by day, treacherous sycophants at court whispered slander in the new king’s ear, saying the Evergreen Duke wanted to establish himself as king in Youzhou. The new king, who had originally been grateful, gradually grew suspicious. Finally, one day, bewitched by the slanderous words, he issued an urgent decree summoning the Evergreen Duke back to the capital to purge the remaining rebels—but it was actually to find an opportunity to assassinate the Evergreen Duke. However, something unexpected occurred. On the very night he received the imperial edict, the Evergreen Duke died suddenly of illness, and his five thousand Iron Flame Army troops all died horribly from poisoning. Even more bizarrely, five thousand corpses vanished without a trace overnight. Afterward, countless people suspected that the Evergreen Duke’s sudden death and the Iron Flame Army’s collective demise were related to the new king, but royal authority superseded public opinion, so naturally no one dared seek justice for the Evergreen Duke. However, destiny works in mysterious ways. After the Great Yuan War God’s sudden death, Great Yuan began to fragment. Not long after, the new king was also assassinated.”
“Alas, what a pity for such a prodigy of his generation.” The fat Taoist smacked his lips and said, “If the new king hadn’t been bewitched and lost his mind, if War God Wei Qing had lived a few more decades, perhaps it would still be Great Yuan’s world now.”
Li Si’s gaze grew somber. He suddenly said, “No matter how brave and skilled in battle, could five thousand men really withstand an army of fifty thousand fierce soldiers?”
“And if the new king of Great Yuan wanted to assassinate the Evergreen Duke, he could have easily waited until the Evergreen Duke reached Shoutian before acting. Killing someone on his own territory would be more secure and convenient, wouldn’t it? Yet he chose the most foolish method—assassinating him on the very day the Evergreen Duke received the imperial edict, then massacring the entire Iron Flame Army. Wouldn’t this be even more condemning? Unless this Great Yuan emperor was missing seven or eight screws in his head could he do such a thing. And even more incredible is that the five thousand Iron Flame Army corpses vanished into thin air. To carry away five thousand corpses without leaving a single trace—doesn’t that seem impossible? The more I think about it, the more it seems highly problematic.” Li Si voiced all his doubts in one breath.
The fat Taoist listened in stunned amazement, yet couldn’t help but nod, “Now that you put it that way, it does seem rather strange.”
“Ha, history cannot be recreated. I’m merely speculating wildly. I’ve made you laugh.” Li Si said lightly.
“Not at all, not at all. History becomes dead if we don’t speculate and discuss it. It’s just that I find you quite interesting. You speak and act often hitting the nail on the head. I’m very curious about what you do.” The fat Taoist’s small eyes narrowed into slits. Li Si didn’t hide it and replied, “I’m a constable.”
The fat Taoist let out an “Oh,” his expression showing neither surprise nor anything else, “No wonder, no wonder. So you’re a constable.”
Another brief silence followed. The fat Taoist absent-mindedly poked at his rice, accidentally choking again. He grunted twice and casually said, “You’re a constable, so how do you view the murder case at Fuwa Village?”
Li Si put down his wine cup. Scene after scene of Uncle Chang’s and Bian Kui’s deaths at Fuwa Village flashed before his eyes. Finally, the images fixed on a cluster of enchanting Purple Dream Radish beneath the ancient sky-reaching tree. Li Si spoke, “I have no definitive conclusion yet, but I can be certain that there are no ghosts in this world—only conspiracies wearing ghost’s clothing.”
The fat Taoist nodded dully, “I think so too. Although we haven’t found the murderer, I believe the killer was hiding in Fuwa Village at the time, perhaps very close to us, maybe even someone we know. None of the six people who entered the mountain are simple. Each one isn’t as pure as they appear on the surface. Gongyang Yan and Uncle Chang are descendants of the Evergreen Duke, Mita is an ancient tribe person, and Amu has actually become the Holy Maiden—though this Holy Maiden position doesn’t seem easy to hold.”
“You suspect the murderer is among us?” Li Si said abruptly.
The fat Taoist smiled and countered, “Don’t you think so?”
Li Si also smiled and let out a soft sigh, “The affairs of the world are unpredictable. However, you seem to have left out one person.”
“Who?”
“You.” Li Si stared at the fat Taoist’s face, which seemed expressive yet expressionless. “Gongyang Yan, Uncle Chang, Mita, and Amu hid their identities to protect themselves, but there’s still one person who remains deeply concealed—that’s you. I still don’t know why you came to Shifang Mountain or why you wanted to come to Xingtian City.”
The fat Taoist scratched his chin, his smile instantly disappearing, “Everyone wants to keep secrets in their hearts, don’t they? Gongyang Yan and the others, me, you—we’re all the same. However, I can tell you that although I’m a Taoist, I came to Xingtian City to conduct business. It’s just that this business is rather special. Ha, you could say it’s unprecedented and will never be repeated.”
“Oh, so what kind of business is it exactly?” Li Si’s interest was piqued.
The fat Taoist pointed to his mouth, then to his heart. Li Si understood—the answer was a secret hidden in the fat Taoist’s heart.
“There’s one more thing I’m rather curious about.” Li Si shifted the topic. “You came to do business, and you’re a Taoist, so why are you making eyes at that young girl Amu?”
The fat Taoist’s plump face reddened. He slapped the table, “You can tease me all you want, but you cannot tarnish that young lady’s reputation. I just get along well with Amu and occasionally talk a bit more with her. Besides, weren’t you also chatting with Amu late at night?”
Li Si was taken aback, then cleared his throat twice, “I take back that question. I misspoke.”
The fat Taoist tilted his head to look outside the door, “It’s so late and Wu Ying is still in Gongyang Yan’s room. I wonder what the two of them have been talking about for so long.”
“Perhaps that’s also a secret.” Li Si remained noncommittal.
The fat Taoist slowly stood up and said to Li Si, “I’m full. I’m going out for a walk. Are you coming?”
Li Si looked at the fat Taoist. That plump face clearly showed an expression of not wanting him to come along. He smiled and shook his head, “I won’t go. I’m tired and want to sleep early.”
The fat Taoist hunched over and went out. Li Si suddenly felt that the fat Taoist’s expression as he left looked a bit like an old fox. Moreover, he seemed to know the way, twisting and turning through the pitch-black inner city and disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Past the midpoint of the Hour of the Dog, everything became even quieter in the silence.
Li Si lay on the bed, gazing at the darkness outside the window, helplessly closing his eyes.
At the same time, in Gongyang Yan’s stone house, Gongyang Yan was already dead drunk and snoring. Across from him, Wu Ying, with a cold expression on his face, revealed a sinister smile at the corner of his mouth and quietly reached his hand toward his target.
Also at the same time, the fat Taoist appeared outside an inconspicuous, ordinary stone house and politely knocked on the door.
No one responded, but the door opened by itself. Half of a shadowy figure was revealed inside. The shadow said in a hoarse voice, “You’ve come.”
The fat Taoist replied, “I’ve come.” The fat Taoist slipped into the stone house, and the stone door once again closed silently.