Chapter 69

Chapter 69: Found One

The four who went out to search for the townspeople walked and paused intermittently.

Over time, Bai Zhengliu gradually adapted to walking in the snow and also learned the pattern the Tianshan disciples used to track people.

—Whenever they came across a place that “might provide shelter from the wind and snow,” they would investigate to see if there were any clues left by the townspeople.

This method was simple and crude, yet effective. Following the marks carved into the trees, the group slowly pieced together the paths taken by the townspeople who went up the mountain.

The more they tracked, the more worried they became.

Unlike wandering martial artists with skills that made travel easier, the townspeople moved much slower through the snow and suffered more against the harsh weather.

A distance that skilled martial artists could cover in a single day took the townspeople a full two days. They left marks with care and weight, simple scratches that the Tianshan disciples could interpret: “…So far, no sign of Zhao Da. They calculated the food and water Zhao Da could carry and felt the situation was not optimistic. If they don’t find anyone after another day and a half, they’ll have to start returning.”

The last time the townspeople went up the mountain, they carried enough food to last seven days, including both the journey there and back.

They couldn’t risk running out of food or water. If it came to that, even the precious snow lotus, which could sustain their family for a year or more or be exchanged for necessities, would have to be consumed.

This was survival knowledge passed down for hundreds of years by the mountain people. At night, by the fire, the Tianshan disciples explained this to Bai Zhengliu, who nodded: “It makes sense.”

They rested in another grove. Using a small tree for support, they built a makeshift shelter beside it from branches gathered elsewhere, blocking most of the wind. With a fire and the food brought from the sect, they could barely stay warm and fill their stomachs.

“Sleep,” Mei Yinghan said to the others. “I’ll watch the first half of the night.”

Yuhan and Hanshu still looked worried, but Bai Zhengliu said, “Mei brother, shall we watch together?”

Mei Yinghan looked at him for a moment, thought about it, and did not refuse. “Alright.”

The two kept watch together.

The breathing of the junior brother and sister gradually became long and even. Mei Yinghan leaned against the tree trunk, fingers sliding slowly along the sheath of the Zhenxing Sword.

Bai Zhengliu observed quietly and smiled, whispering, “It seems Mei brother has also adapted to this treasured sword.”

Mei Yinghan was slightly taken aback and turned to look at him.

Bai Zhengliu gave an example from himself: “When I first learned that the Twenty-Eight Generals bore extraordinary skills, I really…”

Mei Yinghan listened, slightly smiling, a soft expression appearing on his face.

He said, “Perhaps I should ask Bai brother for advice.”Bai Zhengliu: “There’s no real ‘experience’ involved. It’s just that with General Yang’s words in mind, I understood instantly. No matter their origins or what unusual traits they have, aren’t the Twenty-Eight Generals my good companions for hundreds of days and nights? Not to mention, Zhenxing has accompanied Mei brother for far more than just hundreds of days and nights.”

Mei Yinghan said, “Now that I’m calm, I still think about what Master and the senior uncles said yesterday. ‘The Star-Picking Record’ was already circulating at the end of the previous dynasty? And it drove the former emperor to madness, making him commit such evil acts.”

Bai Zhengliu thought for a moment and said, “That’s exactly what I thought — you see, if the gods in heaven could give Zhenxing to Senior Changyangzi to help him slay the treacherous ministers, doesn’t that imply the treacherous side also has their own heavenly villains helping them? …It’s just that the gods can battle their evil kind, but cannot intervene in the mortal world, which is why the ‘gifted sword’ came into play.”

Mei Yinghan listened, stunned: “This…”

Bai Zhengliu said, “Ah, Mei brother, don’t take my thoughts too seriously.”

Mei Yinghan shook his head: “What you say does have some logic. Not to mention, what’s recorded in the ‘Star-Picking Record’ is indeed real dark magic and sorcery. Even if we recorded those passages to deal with vengeful spirits, it was far too risky.”

Bai Zhengliu agreed: “True. But back then, there was no other choice…”

The two of them spoke like this, exchanging thoughts while keeping an eye on the fire to prevent it from dying out.

Accompanied by the occasional crackle of the burning branches, their voices grew quieter and quieter, until complete silence descended.

Bai Zhengliu broke the silence. His gaze fell on a vague point in the air, and he asked Mei Yinghan: “Based on your experience, Mei brother, can those townspeople really find anyone? And can we really find them too?”

“At least until this point, none of the townspeople searching have gone missing,” Mei Yinghan didn’t say ‘yes’ or ‘no,’ but comforted Bai Zhengliu from another perspective: “That’s the best news for now.”

Bai Zhengliu smiled: “Indeed.”

He felt relief as well. Had he not participated in the search yesterday and the day before, he knew he wouldn’t have felt happiness over such small, simple matters. But now, having personally experienced the harsh and desolate environment of the snowy mountains, he truly felt joy from seeing the carved marks in the forest at dusk.

He added: “Do you know why Senior Changyangzi founded the sect on Tianshan back then?”

Mei Yinghan shook his head, meaning “I don’t know.”

Bai Zhengliu lightly sighed: “Well… let’s hope we find people tomorrow.”

Mei Yinghan replied: “Let’s hope so.”

At that moment, as they spoke, they didn’t realize that their hopes were about to come true.

The next day, they were at a higher position on the mountain, so unlike yesterday, they couldn’t see the forest as frequently. Yet, the Tianshan disciples had experience living in the snow, and with their keen eyesight, they discovered a stone cliff amidst the vast whiteness.

Then, in a wind-sheltered spot by the cliff, they found a snow cave left by the townspeople.

It was definitely built by human hands. At first, the Tianshan disciples only noticed that the snow by the cliff seemed unusual. When they dug into it with their weapons, they immediately saw a human figure lying inside.Everyone’s expressions changed at once, and they hurriedly dragged the man out of the narrow snow cave. They pressed close to his chest and under his nose, checking for signs of life. After a moment, they were relieved to confirm that he was still breathing.

But it was extremely weak, as if the next breath might be his last.

Yu Han and Han Shu quickly rubbed his hands and face to raise his body temperature, while Mei Yinghan pulled the stopper from the water bag filled with sugar water and carefully fed him small sips.

After an entire night in the freezing cold, the water bag was no longer the hot soup they had brought yesterday. Yet, because Mei Yinghan had kept it close to his body, it still retained some warmth.

For the townsman left in the snow cave by his companions, this slight warmth, combined with the energy from the sugar water, was life-saving.

Gradually, color returned to his face, and he awoke in a daze. Still weak, it took a while for him to realize that the people before him were not his returning companions, but the Tianshan disciples who had come searching.

“Heroes…” The townsman’s voice was hoarse and harsh, but he struggled to rise and kowtowed to the people who had saved his life.

The four hurriedly stopped him and asked questions.

Why had he been left alone? What was the situation of the others? On the way, had they found any clues about Zhao Da?

The townsman shook his head painfully. Using his hoarse, weak voice, he told the wandering heroes, “My name is Zhou Liuer. This time I ended up here because I accidentally stepped into a crevice. Even when pulled out, my legs were twisted, and I couldn’t move.”

Since he couldn’t walk, the others only had two options: carry Zhou Liuer along the way, or leave him somewhere.

The townspeople chose the latter.

But that didn’t mean they had abandoned their companion. For them, this was already the third day in the snowy mountains, almost the fourth. They had spent a night resting below a cliff, and according to the plan, they would return after at most half a day of searching. During that half day, Zhou Liuer was left where he was. When they returned, whether they had found Zhao Da or not, they would come back to the cliff and take Zhou Liuer down the mountain with them.

This was the way generations of snow mountain residents acted, and Zhou Liuer held no resentment. He knew that as long as his companions were alive, they would not truly abandon him. Moreover, if he were in a similar situation, he would make the same choice.

But before meeting the returning townspeople, he encountered the Tianshan disciples first.

Although he had nearly died earlier, Zhou Liuer’s mindset was still relatively good. But he was weak, and after recounting everything, he soon slipped into unconsciousness again.

The Tianshan disciples exchanged glances, their expressions complicated, but they all knew: “He must be brought down first. Otherwise, he will truly die.”

There was another truth they did not speak, but everyone understood.

—This was no longer the “fourth day in the mountains” that Zhou Liuer remembered. It was the eighth day.

In other words, those who were supposed to have returned had still not appeared—not coming to find Zhou Liuer, nor returning to the town.

“Don’t think about that,” Mei Yinghan instructed. “We found him, so we must take good care of him. After this, we split into two groups. Yu Han, Han Shu, you take Uncle Zhou Liuer down first. One, to make sure he’s looked after; two, to report to our masters that we found the right path. As for so many people disappearing together…” He paused for a moment. “…Prepare for the worst.”

Everyone nodded solemnly, their hearts heavy.Mei Yinghan looked at Bai Zhengliu again: “Bai brother, let’s stay on the mountain for another two days and continue forward.”

Bai Zhengliu replied earnestly: “Alright.”

It was now noon. The group didn’t speak much further; after agreeing on a plan, they split up to act.

Yu Han and Han Shu took turns carrying Zhou Liuer, while Bai Zhengliu and Mei Yinghan traveled light, heading upward.

They walked and walked, facing the heavy snow and raging wind.

After an unknown amount of time, at the end of the blizzard, the two suddenly saw two small, moving figures.

Bai and Mei were immediately encouraged and quickened their pace.

However, as they got closer, their expressions gradually changed.

Their mood became strange and heavy: if they were not mistaken, those two small figures appeared to be Yu Han and Han Shu—the same two who had parted from them at noon.

But hadn’t they already gone down the mountain? Why were they now appearing ahead of the two?

Author’s note:

Here they come!

Little Bai and Little Mei are about to realize something’s wrong…