That night passed without further incident, but most people tightly shut their cabin doors, sleeping with weapons in hand.
The next day, as the sun rose, the survivors emerged from their cabins. Looking at the frozen blood and mangled bodies on the snow, they felt as if a lifetime had passed. Lan Tianyu seemed to have aged a decade overnight, his face shriveled and wrinkled like dried orange peel. He asked hoarsely, “Well, shall we continue up the mountain?”
Hu Tianwei remained nonchalant, affirming he would continue.
Chen Fuguang initially hesitated but, encouraged by Qinong’s gentle gaze, mustered the courage to agree.
Zhou Zhiqin coldly observed them. Determined to avenge his only son, he was resolved to continue. He advised Dong Fangxiao against taking unnecessary risks, but Dong Fangxiao replied, “We’re sworn brothers. We live and die together. Don’t try to dissuade me, brother.”
Qian Xueshen pleaded, “You’ve seen the situation. We’re not even halfway up, and it’s bound to get more dangerous. Let’s turn back. Surely there are other ways to break my shape-shifting spell.”
“What other ways?” Cai Zhao asked skeptically.
Qian Xueshen admitted sheepishly, “I don’t know yet… Sigh, Young Master Yan, please talk some sense into her.”
Mu Qingyan responded casually, “It’s fine, just a few days’ delay. If we don’t find anything within a week or so, we’ll descend immediately. The Golden-Feathered Giant Eagle can get us back to Qingque Sect in two or three days. We’ll still arrive before Song Shijun and expose the impostor.”
Qian Xueshen was on the verge of tears.
The group set off again. With over half of Jin Baohui’s guards dead or injured, they could no longer pull the sleds. Everyone had to ride donkeys up the mountain. Cai Zhao also led a sturdy mountain donkey to carry supplies and luggage.
The day’s journey was far more challenging than the previous one. As far as the eye could see, white-dominated, with black receding. According to Lan Tianyu, this meant the snow was getting thicker higher up the mountain, completely covering the rocks and soil below.
The path was desolate and cold. Not only was there no sign of human habitation, but even the sounds of birds and beasts in the snowy forest were rare. The world seemed to consist only of the silent blue sky, the empty white snow, and the perpetually cloud-hidden golden mountain peak.
That night, after reaching the second hunting cabin, Zhou Zhiqin and Dong Fangxiao prepared night pearls, staying awake all night and waiting for the Snow Mountain Bai Hound to reappear. However, the night passed uneventfully.
Lan Tianyu mused, “It seems this Bai Hound is intelligent. If the moon and stars are bright, illuminating everything, it doesn’t come out. If we could capture one alive and bring it down the mountain, it would be priceless.” As a former bandit, he naturally knew about valuable goods.
Zhou Zhiqin only coldly smiled, clearly not intending to let the Bai Hound live.
Jin Baohui hesitated, “I don’t think the Bai Hound only appears on pitch-black nights. It might just dislike the scent of humans… Well, it’s hard to say…”
Ignoring their speculations, Zhou Zhiqin set up bell ropes and other traps around the cabin for the next two nights, hoping to catch the Bai Hound. However, nothing came of it, and he only managed to develop dark circles under his eyes.
Cai Zhao couldn’t help but say, “From love comes fear, from love comes worry. One who is free from love has neither fear nor worry. Uncle Zhou, having lost his beloved son, has lost his clear thinking.”
Qian Xueshen also sighed, but Mu Qingyan spoiled the mood: “Little girl, don’t recite Buddhist sutras. Are you trying to compete with that old monk Fakong?”
After two days of travel, on the third day, the mountain became noticeably steeper. The air thinned, making it difficult for the donkeys to proceed. Even those with low cultivation like Jin Baohui were pale-faced.
The guards supporting Jin Baohui panted, “This mountain is too steep.”
Hu Tianwei, unfazed, remarked, “Steeper is better. The steeper it is, the sooner we’ll reach the summit.”
Everyone agreed with this logic.
Lan Tianyu announced loudly, “We’ve reached deep into the mountainside. Due to the rarity of human presence, years of accumulated snow have turned to hard ice. It’s easy to slip.” He suggested everyone tie iron nails and caltrops to their boot soles with hemp rope to prevent slipping.
Mu Qingyan had already prepared these items. Qian Xueshen grumbled, “If I roll down the mountain, don’t come looking for me. I’ll wait for you at the inn. Just in case, Young Master Yan, why don’t you give me ten or twenty antidote pills first?”
Mu Qingyan replied expressionlessly, “You’d better grab some snow and rub your face. Daydreaming can shorten your life.”
Cai Zhao laughed so hard her stomach hurt.
Chen Fuguang struggled to keep up, stumbling at the rear of the group.
Surprisingly, Qinong remained by his side, gently supporting and encouraging him.
Chen Fuguang, his voice trembling with emotion, said, “Qinong, your kindness… Someday, I will not let you down.”
Qinong’s eyes were full of tender affection as she softly replied, “Young Master is a kind and gentle person. Meeting you is my good fortune.”
Hu Tianwei, leading the group, seemed completely oblivious to this exchange.
Cai Zhao, watching from afar, couldn’t help but think Hu Tianwei’s head looked a bit green. As she was secretly amused by this, she heard Qian Xueshen cry out beside her, his body suddenly dropping half a length.
Startled, Cai Zhao pulled Qian Xueshen up, realizing that beneath the snow layer was a hollow thin ice. Qian Xueshen had stepped on it, breaking through as if stepping into a mud pit.
Mu Qingyan’s reaction was interesting. Although it was Qian Xueshen who had stepped on the hollow ice, his immediate first reaction was to firmly grab Cai Zhao. Qian Xueshen rolled his eyes dramatically.
Lan Tianyu rushed over to look and loudly warned everyone, “The ground beneath our feet is now all packed with snow and ice. The ice layer is getting thicker, and we don’t know how deep the rocks and soil are underneath. Unlike rock and soil, ice easily forms hollow cavities and can even crack. Everyone, watch your step. Don’t step carelessly, and it’s best to tie yourselves together with ropes.”
Everyone followed his advice.
Sure enough, cries of surprise soon echoed around as many people fell into ice pits. Even Dong Fangxiao was caught off guard, ruefully pulling himself out of a hole.
As the sun began to set in the west, a long scream suddenly rang out. One of Jin Baohui’s chief guards had vanished from sight, having fallen into an ice crevasse without resurfacing.
Hearing the echoing screams, everyone rushed over to look. They discovered that where the guard had fallen was an extremely deep ice crevasse, perhaps four or five zhang deep, with sharp, elongated ice spikes at the bottom.
The guard, caught off guard, hadn’t had time to gather his qi to jump clear. He fell directly onto the ice spikes, which impaled him. His eyes were wide open, blood staining the ice, creating a horrifying scene.
Before anyone could comment, two more long screams were heard. Another guard had fallen into a crevasse that seemed even deeper from the sound of it. Unfortunately, he was tied to another guard by their belts. As one fell, he dragged the other down with him. One died from the impact, while the other was impaled through the eye socket by an ice spike, piercing his skull and killing him instantly.
Jin Baohui turned pale with fright, almost collapsing.
Lan Tianyu sighed, “Ice crevasses are unpredictable. We should form a single file line, with the person in front scouting the path.”
Zhou Zhiqin and Dong Fangxiao, unwilling to associate with the demonic cult members, formed a line with Mu Qingyan, Cai Zhao, and Qian Xueshen. Zhou Zhiqin took the lead at the front. The rest of the group also formed a column, with Lan Tianyu leading.
Jin Baohui panted as he followed behind, “What’s all this chaos? Years ago, when we came up the mountain, everything was peaceful. How come today it’s…”
Lan Tianyu turned back and lightly scolded, “Talking while out of breath—isn’t that difficult?”
Mu Qingyan smiled and asked, “So, Senior Jin, you’ve been here before, many years ago?”
Realizing his slip, Jin Baohui forced a laugh and refused to say more.
Hu Tianwei, meanwhile, laughed loudly without restraint, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Strange occurrences in the land indicate that heaven will soon bestow a divine object. If this journey proves fruitful, it’ll be a thousand times better than calm seas. What’s there to fear?!”
Mu Qingyan continued smiling. “May I ask what divine object could make you seniors disregard your safety like this?”
Hu Tianwei coldly replied, “You’ll know when we get there.” Then, turning his gaze to Cai Zhao, he added, “By the way, the Yan siblings’ lightness skills are impressive. Especially Miss Feng—she’s made us all take notice.”
At this point, it was becoming difficult to completely conceal their abilities.
Everyone could see that this supposedly ‘delicate’ young lady moved with light steps. Though her breath wasn’t long-lasting, it was steady. Even if her combat skills weren’t strong, her lightness technique was certainly excellent, indicating training from a renowned school.
Cai Zhao wanted to slap Hu Tianwei, sending him flying like a waterfall cascading three thousand feet, but she maintained her delicate facade. Blushing, she said, “My mother says it’s not ladylike for girls to fight. She thinks it’s enough to practice lightness skills.”
Hu Tianwei smiled flirtatiously. “Your mother is very wise.”
“Enough chit-chat,” Jin Baohui called out loudly. “Shouldn’t we find a place to rest? Look, it’s almost dark.”
Dong Fangxiao smiled bitterly. “He’s right.”
Everyone strained their eyes to look into the distance, but after a while, they saw no fluttering red ribbons. Instead, they noticed a dark shadow in a nearby mountain recess. Lan Tianyu, accustomed to observing snowy landscapes, spoke first: “There’s a house over there.”
The two groups had to detour, carefully walking for half an hour before approaching it.
On the way, they discovered several strange plants in secluded, snow-covered areas. Some resembled vines twining around rocks, exposing a few bare branches, while others looked like moss, deeply embedded in the snow.
Lan Tianyu and Jin Baohui gazed at these odd plants, sighing softly.
Upon arrival, they found a wooden compound with two connected houses. It had a fence in front and a storehouse in the back. The two main houses likely contained a kitchen, bedroom, and dining room. However, it seemed long abandoned. The buildings were dilapidated, with holes in the roof allowing snow to enter. Ice had formed both inside and outside.
Cai Zhao asked in bewilderment, “This isn’t a hunting lodge, is it?”
“No, people lived here long-term,” Mu Qingyan replied, examining the state of disrepair and ice thickness. “It’s been about five or six years—did the family move away?”
Jin Baohui’s face grew even paler as if he had exhausted all his strength. Lan Tianyu lowered his head to support him.
Chen Fuguang, on the other hand, had a flushed face, unfocused eyes, and labored breathing.
Qinong felt his forehead and said softly, “Young Master seems to have a fever. He needs to rest and take some medicine.”
Zhou Zhiqin looked around the compound. “It seems the mountain folk who lived here moved away five or six years ago, leaving this place abandoned. It’s getting dark, and finding another hunting lodge would be difficult. We’ll have to make do here for the night.”
With Jin Baohui’s guards reduced by three more, the remaining group was small. Everyone found a corner in the main house to set up their cowhide tents, melting snow for water and roasting dried meat for dinner.
Mu Qingyan once again pitched two tents in a secluded corner away from the others, while Zhou Zhiqin and Dong Fangxiao openly chose the center of the main house.
Cai Zhao explored the compound with interest, examining the stove, beds, broken tables and chairs, shattered pottery, and even a baby’s cradle. She found two small, rotting wooden swords—one with a mountain peak carved on the handle, the other with a small tree.
Cai Zhao returned with a solemn expression. Qian Xueshen was already wolfing down his food.
Mu Qingyan handed her some roasted dried meat, noticing her unusual demeanor. “What’s wrong?”
“This family had… about ten people,” Cai Zhao said, looking up at the rafters. “Judging by the ice and snow, this place has been abandoned for five or six years. But the state of decay of the objects suggests it’s been uninhabited for over a decade.”
Qian Xueshen, his mouth full of dry rations, looked up and said, “That’s easy to figure out. The family moved away over a decade ago, but the roof broke five or six years ago.”
Cai Zhao looked puzzled. “I may have grown up in the South, but I’ve seen enough on this journey. Ice doesn’t only form when snow falls through holes in the roof. Remember the hunting lodge where we last stopped? The doors and walls were intact, but there was ice inside too.”
“Zhao-Zhao, you’re so clever,” Mu Qingyan smiled, his eyes glinting with a deep light.
Having spent time together, Cai Zhao knew he had something on his mind, but he said nothing more, only urging her to eat more.
That night, Qian Xueshen returned from relieving himself and whispered to Mu and Cai: “Hey, I saw Miss Qinong sneaking into Chen Fuguang’s tent! Chen is sick, and Hu tells Qinong to look after him. Hu’s sharing a tent with the mute old servant.”
Cai Zhao was surprised. “Hu Tianwei is being so generous?”
Qian Xueshen was very curious. “After all this journey, I’ve figured out that not only do Fat Jin and Bandit Lan know each other from before, but they’re also up to something on this mountain.”
“Thieves don’t leave empty-handed. I guess there must be some treasure on the snowy mountain,” Cai Zhao said jokingly. “What else could it be? It’s not like they’re here to test a fiancé by looking at snowy scenery, like me.”
Qian Xueshen sighed despairingly, “I never want to marry in this lifetime.”
Noticing Mu Qingyan’s silence, Cai Zhao asked what was wrong.
Mu Qingyan replied slowly, “My thoughts are jumbled. Something doesn’t feel right, but I can’t put my finger on it.”
“I know,” Cai Zhao said.
Mu Qingyan looked slightly surprised.
Cai Zhao continued, “At first glance, these people seem unrelated, but thinking carefully, they’re all connected. Chen Shu died at Uncle Zhou’s hands, yet Chen Shu’s brother is now on the same mountain as Uncle Zhou’s cousin.”
“Elder Tianji, Duan Jiuxiu, massacred the entire Qingfeng Temple. His only remaining disciple, Hu Tianwei, is here with the two sole survivors from Qingfeng Temple. Moreover, my aunt killed Duan Jiuxiu, and I’m here too.”
“Ironically, Fat Jin and Bandit Lan seem to be the only ones unconnected to everyone else.”
Qian Xueshen exclaimed in shock, “…I hadn’t even thought of that.”
Mu Qingyan smiled at the girl, “So you’ve been observing all this. I thought you were carefree this whole journey.”
Cai Zhao pulled a fleece blanket over herself, “My aunt says when you can’t figure something out, it’s just that the right moment hasn’t come. There’s no use overthinking. When the time comes, everything will become clear.”
The next day at dawn, everyone set off again.
Chen Fuguang’s fever had worsened. He sat on a mountain donkey, cared for by Qinong. In his delirium, he grasped Qinong’s hand, “Don’t worry. Even if I die, I’ll protect you. You won’t be a slave or servant anymore, or suffer mistreatment.”
Cai Zhao glanced at Hu Tianwei, who ‘mistreated servants’, ahead, pretending she hadn’t heard anything.
After walking for another half day, stumbling into ice pits countless times, they suddenly saw a human-shaped figure crouching in an open area ahead.
Someone tried calling out, but there was no response.
Cai Zhao felt uneasy.
Lan Tianyu went forward first, using his staff to gently brush away the thick snow on the figure’s head. After careful observation, he exclaimed, “Heavens, it’s a jade goddess statue!”
Everyone hurried over to see a dark green jade statue of a goddess standing in the center of the snowy ground.
The statue sat on a base shaped like flowers, leaves, and trees. Her eyes were closed, fingers pinched together, with a soft whip coiled around her waist.
Cai Zhao let out a soft “Oh?” and said, “The flowers on the base look like the mountain peach blossoms unique to my home.”
Luoying Valley was spring-like year-round, abundant with flowers, grass, and trees. However, few knew of a special mountain peach blossom in the valley. Its flowers were only as big as a child’s fist, with petals in three upward-curling layers, resembling adorable, round buds.
Unlike the interesting flowers and leaves on the base, the goddess statue was quite solemn.
Folk goddesses were often depicted with kind eyes and plump, gentle features. However, this goddess statue had lean, austere lines and a stern brow. Despite the simple carving, her impatient expression was still evident.
“Such a large piece of pure jade must be worth tens of thousands of gold,” Lan Tianyu murmured.
Hu Tianwei laughed, “Let me try lifting it. If it’s not too heavy, we’ll take it back.” He moved to shift the jade statue.
Lan Tianyu’s expression changed dramatically. “Don’t! The deity is connected to the ice layer. Be careful not to break it…”
But Hu Tianwei had already moved the statue, and nothing happened around them. He laughed heartily, “Lan Tianyu, you’re too timid.”
Lan Tianyu looked at the base where the statue had been moved from, puzzled. “This isn’t right. If this statue had been here for years, it should have been firmly frozen to the ice layer. How could it be moved so easily?”
Fat Jin fawned, “It’s because Brother Hu is so strong and powerful.” As a weakling, the more dangerous the situation, the more he needed to rely on the strong. At this point, he didn’t care about maintaining the facade of a respectable clan.
Zhou Zhiqin snorted coldly beside them.
Just then, everyone heard a deep cracking sound from beneath their feet, as if something was breaking apart, followed by several more cracks.
Lan Tianyu shouted, “Not good! The ice layer is breaking. Run quickly…”
Before he could finish yelling, the ground beneath everyone’s feet gave way. With a thunderous roar, an area about 70-80 feet in diameter shattered into pieces, and every one, along with the donkeys, plummeted straight down.
The cold wind howled fiercely as they fell rapidly, indicating the ice cavern below was very deep.
If they fell straight down like this, they would die or at least be severely injured. Those who fell first immediately displayed their skills. Qian Xueshen, Qinong, and Chen Fuguang were on the outer edge of the statue, so they fell later.
Zhou Zhiqin and Dong Fangxiao both drew their swords, forcefully stabbing them into the ice wall. They freed one hand each to grab Jin Baohui and Lan Tianyu, slowing their descent.
Hu Tianwei and the mute old servant extended their hands like claws, fingers curled and sharp, digging into the ice wall. After quickly reaching the ground, they caught Qinong and Chen Fuguang.
Mu Qingyan created a small hole in the ice wall with his palm, clinging to it to catch Cai Zhao.
Cai Zhao had intended to draw her Yanyang Blade, but after being caught by Mu Qingyan, she released the silver chain from her left wrist. The end of the chain was embedded into the ice wall, and she looked up, shouting, “Catch Wan Daqiang!” She felt proud of herself for remembering Qian Xueshen’s fake name at a time like this.
Everyone landed one after another. The guards and mountain donkeys, with no one to catch them, crashed heavily onto the ice surface. Some died instantly from the impact, while others broke their legs, screaming in agony.
Cai Zhao’s silver chain hadn’t embedded deeply, so her descent along the ice wall was somewhat clumsy.
As she rose from her sprawled position on the ground, just as she sat up, she noticed a shadowy figure behind the ice wall. Brushing away the snow, she saw a blue-purple corpse with a twisted, ferocious face and a long, protruding tongue, like a fierce ghost.
For the first time since coming to the snowy mountain, Cai Zhao let out a scream.