Thousand Dusts Ferry Me - Chapter 48

Jiang Baiyu bent down and lifted Yun Qing onto his back.

Fast asleep, she was extremely docile, her limbs resting softly against his back, her chin propped on his shoulder, her breath warming his neck.

Jiang Baiyu felt enveloped by the young woman’s fragrance.

He didn’t know why, but he even softened his breathing, as if afraid of disturbing her.

Thinking of how fierce she had looked when they first met, compared to now as she slept on his shoulder like a little cat.

“Baiyu, what are you smiling about?”

“Nothing.”

In her sleep, Yun Qing’s head suddenly tilted, resting against his.

Jiang Baiyu’s heart softened.

The mountain valley passage had been blocked by fallen rocks last night. Although in theory they could levitate, levitation height and duration were limited, and there was no need to waste spiritual power that way.

Fu Xue shook the Six-Path Sealing Bell, summoning a white fox. She asked the fox to lead them out of Linglong Mountain, preferably in the direction of Linglong City.

The fox led them into a cave.

It was considerably colder inside the cave than outside. Knowing Yun Qing was weak at the moment, Jiang Baiyu feared she might catch a chill, so he gripped her knees and periodically transferred spiritual power to her acupoints to help ward off the cold.

The cave was fairly spacious, but dimly lit. The deeper they went, the darker it became. After many twists and turns, they could no longer see the entrance they had come through.

Cheng Suiyan listened to the small insects rustling in the darkness, able to see only a fluffy white figure jumping back and forth in his blackened field of vision.

Somewhat concerned, Cheng Suiyan asked Fu Xue, “Is this little fox reliable? I hope it’s not leading us astray to suffocate in here.”

Before Fu Xue could answer, the white figure suddenly turned around, jumped up and swiped at his face with its front paw. Its paw was covered with cave soil, cool and slightly rank.

Cheng Suiyan thought to himself that the little creature had quite a temper.

Also, he realized this was the second time he’d been inexplicably slapped by a small animal—what kind of ridiculous fate was this?

Fu Xue chuckled and comforted the white fox with a few words. Cheng Suiyan apologized to the fox as well, and everyone continued walking without further incident.

The cave gradually became as black as thick ink, making even the little fox’s silhouette difficult to discern.

Jiang Baiyu summoned his Golden Frost Jade Dew Lotus. His natal treasure glowed as brightly as it had the previous night, floating in the air like a small, beautiful flower lantern.

Fu Xue hadn’t thought a natal treasure could be used this way.

She looked down at everyone’s silhouettes in the pale golden light, listening to her senior sister’s deep, even breathing. She quietly walked over to Jiang Baiyu and said, “Baiyu, thank you.” Her voice was soft but her tone was earnest.

Jiang Baiyu replied, “Between friends, there’s no need to be polite.”

“And I’m sorry for having prejudice against you before.” Fu Xue grew increasingly embarrassed as she spoke, scratching her head.

Jiang Baiyu asked curiously, “What prejudice did you have against me?”

This was quite difficult to admit.

Fu Xue had previously thought he was like a pretty boy, keeping his skin fair, his hair shiny, his body fragrant—and probably even held his pinky finger out daintily when no one was looking.

She’d assumed someone so focused on these things would naturally neglect cultivation, which explained why rumors circulated in Immortal-Seeking Town that he was useless…

Could she actually say this?

Definitely not.

So she covered her embarrassment with a smile and said, “Well, it’s all in the past now, let’s not dwell on it.”

Jiang Baiyu asked another question, “Have you ever talked about me behind my back to your senior sister?”

“Never!” She wasn’t that kind of hypocritical person. If she had criticisms, she would say them to your face—there was no need to talk behind someone’s back.

Jiang Baiyu nodded. Good.

The cave seemed endless. On their way, they passed through a spacious hall lit with torches and furnished with stone tables and benches. Several human skulls hung on the walls, suggesting it was some demon’s dwelling place.

When Yun Qing woke up, she felt Baiyu transferring spiritual power to her. After thinking briefly, she understood why and felt a warmth in her heart.

She heard Fu Xue asking Jiang Baiyu about the technique he had used when playing his sword last night.

Jiang Baiyu answered without reservation, “That was the Sword-Tapping Heart-Clearing Technique.”

“Is that also a secret technique of the Huayang Sect?”

“Yes. But soon it won’t be.”

“What do you mean?”

“After I teach it to you all, it won’t be anymore.”

Hearing this, Yun Qing couldn’t help but laugh.

Jiang Baiyu asked, “Awake?”

“Mm-hmm,” Yun Qing clung to his back, still feeling exhausted. At that moment, she decided to abandon all shame and shamelessly said, “But Baiyu, I don’t want to get down. Please keep carrying me.”

Jiang Baiyu smiled. “All right.”

He had never seen her so tired and weak before, and it pained his heart not knowing how to cheer her up. After thinking for a moment, he concentrated, and the Golden Frost Jade Dew Lotus that had been hovering above them slowly descended, stopping in front of her.

Then he softly said, “Go ahead and touch it.” His tone was like someone coaxing a child.

Yun Qing: “???”

Jiang Baiyu: “You’ve been staring at it the whole way. Don’t you want to touch it?”

Yun Qing: “……”

How could she explain to Baiyu that she wasn’t that kind of person?

****

After following the little fox through the cave for about two hours, they finally emerged into daylight.

Pushing aside a dense curtain of green vines, they saw the Linglong River. Having spent too long in darkness, they all instinctively squinted their eyes.

The river flowed gently here. The sun was already leaning west, casting fragments of gold across the water’s surface. Looking down from their elevated position, the river segment resembled a large fish shimmering with golden scales.

After thanking and bidding farewell to the little fox, the four traveled eastward along the Linglong River. In less than an hour, they spotted the familiar dock.

The wedding procession had passed, so the dock no longer featured opera performances or acrobatics, making it much quieter than yesterday.

The sun had already been half-swallowed by the horizon, turning the river surface crimson. It looked like an enormous piece of bright red satin, with the passing boats appearing like various colored jade stones embedded in the fabric.

A group of people had gathered at the edge of the dock, setting up tables and banners, discussing something while some wiped away tears.

The autumn wind blew desolately, the remaining sun like blood—the atmosphere was strangely melancholic.

Yun Qing jumped down from Jiang Baiyu’s back. The four approached curiously and saw various offerings arranged on the table, as if in memory of someone.

“What are you doing?” Yun Qing asked.

A middle-aged man wearing an earth-yellow robe with a long beard explained, “We’re sending them off.”

“Who?”

“You don’t know. We heard that last night, several heroes went up the mountain to meet the Mountain God, but there’s been no news of them since. We’re grateful for these heroes’ kindness. Since we can’t do much else, we’ve pooled money to buy some offerings and wine to pay tribute here.”

As the middle-aged man finished speaking, others nodded in agreement.

Fu Xue said, “I didn’t realize you all were so thoughtful.”

“We’re not like those heartless beasts from the Chongshen Society.”

Yun Qing thought of the people who had eagerly watched the wedding procession yesterday, then looked at those paying tribute now, and couldn’t help but sigh, “People are truly complex.”

She wondered what considerations the Goddess Nuwa had in mind when creating humans with such complex natures.

The middle-aged man raised a bowl of wine and facing that half-sun on the river surface, said:

“Heroes, travel well. We of Linglong City have failed you. The east wind blows away tears like rain, muddied wine reflects the dying sun. From here you drift as strangers, a melody carrying your souls home. Heroes, fare thee well!”

“Heroes, fare thee well!” the crowd behind him exclaimed in unison, many with red-rimmed eyes.

The middle-aged man held his wine and was about to pour it into the river when someone stopped him midway.

Yun Qing intercepted his pouring motion, took the wine bowl, then tilted her head back and drank it all in several gulps with great panache.

The crowd gasped.

The middle-aged man watched her finish the wine in shock, then angrily said, “Young lady, this is terribly disrespectful! We’re—”

Yun Qing smiled and said, “Don’t be angry. Isn’t this wine meant for us anyway?”

“Huh? For you?”

The crowd finally took a proper look at the four young people before them. What they saw startled them—the young man carrying the giant sword was holding a large string of severed heads!

The topmost head had golden hair and golden eyes, staring with wide, furious eyes—truly eerie.

This!

Yun Qing pointed at the banner standing nearby. “Take that down,” she said, then pointed at the string of heads, “and hang these up instead.”

“W-w-what is this?”

“The Mountain God.”

****

The entire Linglong City was in an uproar.

Originally, news of heroes going up the mountain last night had spread rapidly. Many in Linglong City were discussing the heroes who hadn’t returned alive—some lamenting with regret, some gloating, and others fearing the Mountain God would impose punishments again.

But now, it was said that not only had they returned, they had killed the Mountain God.

Was this true? After several hundred years, would Linglong City finally be freed from its suffering? Would they finally no longer have to worry about whose loved ones would wake up as fools in the morning?

Many people rushed to the dock to see the Mountain God. When they saw the golden-haired, golden-eyed head at the top of the flagpole, most believed it. After all, it was hard to imagine something so bizarre growing on a human neck.

Some people, still harboring fear of the Mountain God, immediately knelt and kowtowed.

Others kowtowed in the direction of the City Lord’s Mansion, where the heroes were reportedly staying.

The common people spontaneously organized themselves to guard the flagpole, preventing “ill-intentioned people” from causing trouble.

Seeing the situation turning against them, the Chongshen Society closed their doors tightly and sought intermediaries everywhere, hoping to request an audience with the heroes at the City Lord’s Mansion.

Someone, for unclear reasons, went to the bride’s house from yesterday and smashed things. The bride’s parents and brothers didn’t dare resist.

Others bought gifts and came to the City Lord’s Mansion, wanting to present them to the mysterious heroes—better yet if they could meet them in person…

…….

Inside the City Lord’s Mansion, the siblings Chu Yanchuan and Chu Yanhe were naturally overjoyed.

Neither had slept much last night and had been listless all day. They had also heard that strange lights had pierced the sky in the direction of Linglong Mountain last night, though they didn’t know if it was related to this matter.

They had dispatched all available personnel to scout around Linglong Mountain, but wave after wave returned without good news. They had then asked their eldest brother to send more people deeper into Linglong Mountain to search for the heroes, but were refused.

Not only refused, but Chu Yanzhang had also placed the siblings under surveillance to prevent them from impulsively heading up the mountain.

Chu Yanchuan didn’t blame his eldest brother, who had his own considerations. But just thinking that those four vibrant, spirited young people might truly be gone filled him with extreme pain, making him wish he could have taken their place.

But unexpectedly, at dusk, all four returned completely unharmed.

And they had killed the Mountain God.

Chu Yanhe was so happy she cried, and Chu Yanchuan was also excited, though he still retained some rationality. Seeing Yun Qing’s exhausted expression, he knew they must have endured a fierce battle last night.

He had people settle Yun Qing and the others, let them eat and rest well, then took Chu Yanhe aside to discuss hosting a celebration banquet for them after they had recovered.

Soon afterward, Chu Yanzhang sent word that tomorrow he would dispatch people to Linglong Mountain to search for the Mountain God’s body. The celebration banquet would be lavishly funded by the Governor’s Mansion, and the entire city would join in the celebration. Chu Yanchuan knew his eldest brother was also extremely pleased.

Somehow, he felt a sense of vindication.

Chu Yanhe was now so excited she needed to channel her energy somehow, so she talked endlessly about the details of the celebration banquet, coming up with many ideas.

Chu Yanchuan listened quietly, his smile never fading. He held a white jade pendant in his hand, gently caressing it, and suddenly said, “Little sister.”

“Hmm? What is it, Ai Ge?”

“During the celebration banquet, I want to give her my Longevity Pendant.”

“What?!”

“Yes.”

……

That night, many people in Linglong City couldn’t sleep.

Early the next morning, after breakfast, Chu Yanhe went to find Chu Yanchuan. When the maid saw Chu Yanhe, she said with red eyes, “Young Miss, the Second Young Master, he…”

“What’s wrong with Ai Ge?”

“Please see for yourself.”

Chu Yanhe walked puzzledly into Chu Yanchuan’s room.

Chu Yanchuan sat properly dressed in his chair, his features as gentle and handsome as usual. He was playing with a bright orange in his hands, occasionally tossing it up and catching it, as if playing with a decorative ball.

Hearing footsteps approaching, he merely glanced up once, then lowered his head and continued playing with the orange.

Chu Yanhe’s heart sank.

She called softly, “Ai Ge? Ai Ge?”

Her Ai Ge did not respond as he usually would.

Chu Yanhe’s expression changed drastically, tears immediately spilling from her eyes. “Ai Ge, don’t scare me!” She ran to him, cupped his face, and said, “Ai Ge, look at me. Tell me, who am I?!”

Chu Yanchuan allowed her to hold his face, curiously staring at her face for a while, then suddenly grinned and said, “Hey.”