Chapter 67

Chapter 67 – Missing

At dawn the next day, disciples were already going down the mountain.

Yu Han and Han Shu were one such pair. The place they were heading to was quite far, farther east beyond Guang’an Prefecture. There was a sect there called the Changchong Sect, a school with a considerable reputation in the martial world. Many disputes among the nearby common folk, and even among some smaller sects, were mediated by them.

Yu Han and Han Shu had both dealt with people of Changchong Sect during the calamity of the Blood Demon. This time, delivering the letter, the two felt a bit of pressure.

The night before last, Bai Zhengliu had overheard the two privately muttering:

“Changchong Sect is full of older seniors—will they believe what’s written in the letter?”

“After all, it bears the private seals of three elders…”

“When the time comes, we’ll really have to think carefully about how to explain it to them.”

Perhaps affected by this pressure, the two set out very early. So much so that when Ling Yunzi later tried to find them in the sect, he was told they had already departed.

Ling Yunzi was a little surprised, glanced at the sky, and said: “At such an hour already?”

Seeing this, Bai Zhengliu took the initiative to ask: “Senior, is there something you wished to remind Junior Sister Yu and Junior Brother Han of?”

He was not from Tianshan, but the martial world was, after all, a place that followed seniority. Bai Zhengliu already had a reputation, and was on good terms with Mei Yinghan. Calling the two “junior brother” and “junior sister” was not unusual.

Hearing his question, Ling Yunzi’s face showed some hesitation, and he said: “It’s nothing serious.”

At this moment, Mei Yinghan, who had gone out with Bai Zhengliu planning to find a place for morning practice, also said: “Master-uncle, please tell us.”

Ling Yunzi had no choice. With a turn of his wrist, two tassels appeared in his palm.

Bai and Mei instantly recognized that these objects resembled the sword tassels shown the day before, when they were asked to demonstrate their spell techniques. Only, the size and color were different, so they likely belonged to someone else.

As expected, Ling Yunzi said: “I originally wanted to give these as New Year’s gifts. But with their departure, when they return it will be at least springtime, perhaps even summer.”

Hearing this, Bai Zhengliu’s heart stirred.

Could it be that Senior Ling Yunzi had stayed up late weaving these? … Truly the compassion of an elder.

Thinking this, Bai Zhengliu promptly said: “In any case, Junior Sister and Junior Brother haven’t gone far. How about this: if you entrust these little things to Brother Mei and me, we can chase after them and deliver them.”

Ling Yunzi sighed: “I hesitated earlier precisely because I knew you would say this. But after all, they’re just two tassels. Hanging from their weapons they are mere decoration, with no further use. To have you make a special trip for them really is…”

At these words, Mei Yinghan smiled slightly and said: “Since they carry Master-uncle’s goodwill, Junior Sister and Junior Brother will surely be delighted to receive them.”

Bai Zhengliu added: “What Brother Mei says is exactly what I meant.”Chapter 67 Missing

The two of them were sincere and earnest. Ling Yunzi, hearing this, was finally moved.

These tassels were originally woven with care to be given to his disciples. If they could not receive them in time, even if he made it up later, it would still feel as though something was missing.

Ling Yunzi nodded. “Alright.” Then he added, “The red one is for Han Shu. Don’t be fooled by that child dressing properly all day long—he actually likes these bright and passionate things. As for Yu Han, who’s always fiery and reckless, she in fact prefers calm and subdued ornaments. Here, this black tassel is for her…

“Aiya, you don’t actually need to remember this. They’ll know at a glance.”

Bai Zhengliu and Mei Yinghan, having heard and taken the items, left the Tianshan Sect together.

The two small items were tucked into their robes. On the road, Bai Zhengliu teased Mei Yinghan: “I’d only heard before that the Tianshan Sect is as close as family. Seeing it today, I finally know what that means.”

Mei Yinghan did not deny it, but said: “Weapons are chosen from the armory, but the tassels are personally gifted by the masters. It does indeed count as a Tianshan tradition.”

Bai Zhengliu asked: “Mm, then Brother Mei, where’s your tassel?”

Mei Yinghan said: “It was lost back during the blood demon calamity.”

Bai Zhengliu froze. Thinking back carefully—indeed it was so.

When he first met the Tianshan Eldest Senior Brother, there had been a golden tassel on Mei Yinghan’s sword. Later, one day, the tassel had simply disappeared.

Bai Zhengliu said apologetically: “I’ve brought up something that makes Brother Mei sad.”

Mei Yinghan smiled: “How is that something sad? In the end, it’s only a trinket.” He had been very happy when receiving it, and it was not without regret when it was lost. But compared to slaying the blood demon, a matter of such importance, any regret became insignificant.

He spoke with an open and natural heart. Bai Zhengliu, hearing this, knew Mei Yinghan truly did not care, so he too smiled and shifted the topic.

Talking as they moved, the two used their lightness skill to descend the mountain, their speed quite fast.

According to their estimate, Yu Han and Han Shu should first have reached the town at the mountain’s base, then bought horses there. If they hurried, perhaps the two would not have completely left the Tianshan territory, and handing over the items would settle the matter.

The swordsman and the saberman both had confidence, and also thought, “Even if we miss them this time, we can always catch up later.” But they had not expected, when they were only halfway down the mountain, to run straight into Yu Han and Han Shu returning.

Bai Zhengliu and Mei Yinghan froze, and Yu Han and Han Shu froze as well.

The four stared at each other in surprise. Finally Mei Yinghan spoke first: “Why are you—”

Yu Han: “Senior Brother, something’s wrong!!!”

Just five short words, and Bai and Mei’s expressions instantly turned grim.Mei Yinghan first quickly swept his gaze over his junior brother and junior sister, making sure the two of them were unharmed, then asked: “What happened?”

Bai Zhengliu said: “Don’t panic, speak slowly.”

Yuhan panted, large beads of sweat rolling down her forehead.

One must know, right now they were on a snowy mountain! Martial practitioners had inner force to protect their bodies, but for Yuhan and Han Shu to be sweating at the temples, their heads steaming like this—was no easy feat.

For them to be like this, something truly very “bad” must have happened.

The saberman and the swordsman both braced themselves with extremely dire psychological preparation. What Yuhan said next confirmed their suspicions.

The young lady began to speak like pouring beans from a bamboo tube: “Han Shu and I reached the town, and saw many people looking strange, so we inquired. They were truly anxious—seeing we were disciples of Tianshan, they rushed up to us all at once—”

Han Shu said: “Yuhan, the point!”

Yuhan hissed, “Many lotus pickers have gone missing!”

Bai Zhengliu’s and Mei Yinghan’s pupils contracted.

Yuhan continued: “Now is exactly the season when snow lotuses mature. Those lotus pickers rely on this harvest once a year to feed their entire families.” She added this as explanation for Bai Zhengliu, “At first it was a man called ‘Zhao Da’ who didn’t return home for days. His wife calculated the food Zhao Da had brought up the mountain and knew it definitely wasn’t enough, so she called on their clansmen. The clansmen told others, and a search party was formed out of able-bodied young men. And the result? This search party also vanished without a trace!”

Han Shu said: “Altogether there are over a dozen people missing, plus Zhao Da, the first one—Senior brother, we suspect something is happening on the mountain.”

Yuhan said: “The townsfolk are now planning to organize another group to look. But isn’t this just like throwing meat buns to a dog? Han Shu and I managed to persuade them for now, saying that since it’s about finding people, it would be better for us disciples of Tianshan to enter the mountains and search. After all, we have martial skills to protect ourselves and are more familiar with the terrain. Mm, we were just about to return to report this to our masters, when we happened to run into you!”

It truly was a major matter.

Bai and Mei exchanged a glance, and in the next instant had already made their decision.

Mei Yinghan said: “I understand. You two return to town, tell them this matter will be handled by Tianshan Sect, and have them wait quietly for news. Brother Bai—” He turned his head to Bai Zhengliu, “Let’s return to the sect. First, to inform Master, our uncles and elders. Second, to prepare things.”

Bai Zhengliu knew the situation was urgent, and didn’t ask further at this moment. After Mei Yinghan had settled with Yuhan and Han Shu about when and where they would meet up later, and the two sides separated, only then did he ask: “Brother Mei, when you say prepare, how exactly are we to prepare?”

After all, it was his first time encountering such a matter. He had some experience searching for people on the mountain before, but back then it was merely about guarding against wolves and tigers, entirely different from the present circumstances.

Mei Yinghan, hearing this, explained to him: “Bring strong liquor, hot soup, and brown sugar.”

Bai Zhengliu thought carefully: “These things…”

Mei Yinghan said: “They’ve been on the mountain too long, they must already be frostbitten. Hot soup might not hold until then. By the time we actually find them, most of them will likely already have icy-cold bodies. But with liquor and sugar, it will be different.”

Bai Zhengliu said: “Right, these can make the body burn with heat again.”Mei Yinghan: “As long as they can hang on to that last breath, if we can bring them down the mountain, there will be hope.”

Bai Zhengliu let out a long sigh, muttering: “Fortunately we went down the mountain. Otherwise, more time would have been delayed. Ah, but I forgot to give those tassels to junior brother and junior sister.”

Only then did Mei Yinghan recall this matter. But at present, Yuhan and Han Shu had already left once again, so mentioning it now was useless. He could only say: “Forget it. When we meet them later, we’ll hand it over then.”

That was what they said, but even until they really reunited, Bai and Mei still did not remember this matter.

They carried four heavy water bags, two filled with liquor, two with hot soup. To ensure the hot soup could be used, they had simply melted the brown sugar directly into it.

When they met Yuhan and Han Shu, Bai and Mei only remembered to hand over the water bags, and casually told them: “Martial uncle said, don’t worry too much about delivering the message. The road to Changchong Gate is long, there’s no need to fight for a day or two. Besides, if we cannot find the missing people after a long time, they can always send someone else to deliver the message. What’s most urgent now is to find the townsfolk who went up the mountain to pick lotuses.”

Yuhan nodded heavily, while Han Shu asked: “Senior brother, this time is it only you and Brother Bai?”

Mei Yinghan said: “Of course not. It’s just that we came a step earlier; the other junior brothers and sisters will follow later. Right, we had roughly divided the areas for everyone to search earlier, you two come take a look as well.”

Saying this, he pulled out a drawing from his chest.

Yuhan and Han Shu leaned over to look, while Bai Zhengliu only let his gaze fall on the vast snowy mountain before him.

That map Brother Mei brought out—cough, he had actually seen it before. But Bai Zhengliu truly was seeing such a thing for the first time. What the Tianshan disciples could nod at as they looked and discussed—in his eyes, was just a mass of lines, perhaps with some order, but in the end, still chaotic and messy. When Mei Yinghan and Ling Yunzi had been marking and discussing on it, though every word had entered his ears, what Bai Zhengliu understood was only one sentence: “You’re in charge of the main peak.”

He could only comfort himself: “No matter. I’m going with Brother Mei anyway; Brother Mei certainly won’t take me to the wrong place.”

Just as this thought ended, something icy cold fell onto Bai Zhengliu’s eyelids, and melted there on his eyelids.

Bai Zhengliu gave a slight start, raising his hand to touch his eyes, only to feel dampness.

He lowered his fingers to take a closer look, finally realizing—it was snowflakes falling onto his eyes, melting into water the instant they touched him.

“Is it snowing?”

The saberman murmured.

“Not good, it’s snowing.”

Beside him, the three Tianshan disciples all looked grim together, adding yet another layer of danger warning for the rescue mission ahead.

And at this time, around the four of them, snowflakes fluttered and danced, growing larger and thicker…

Author’s Note:The instance officially began.