In the bitter cold of winter, amidst ice and snow, crimson dawn-glow surged forth from the mountain forest. Butterflies danced across the night sky as vast sheets of luminous rain fell, possessing an elegant, ethereal beauty.
This wondrous sight stunned Qin Ming and Xu Yueping, and both halted to watch.
The cold wind howled, shaking the branches violently in the dense forest and whipping up drifts of snow. In the distance, the dancing "red butterflies" drifted along with the gale.
Xu Yueping stared at the night stained crimson and finally recognized what it was.
"A mutated plant is in full bloom, surging with vigorous Newborn vitality. A few of the nearby beasts and birds of prey are going to mutate."
As he spoke, the fluttering "butterflies" drew closer, a small scattering carried over by the mountain wind. Looking closely, they were glowing petals, one after another.
Qin Ming caught a few out of the air, their glow tinting his fingers faint red.
Xu Yueping even popped two petals into his mouth and swallowed them down. After such a mutated plant burst into bloom, its blossoms and fruits alike carried a rich Newborn aura, beneficial to the human body.
"Slightly sweet." Qin Ming tasted a few as well, though regrettably very few fell here.
In the distant woods, petals fell in thick profusion like burning crimson clouds, banishing the darkness.
Flocks of birds took to the night sky, chasing the fiery-red petals, while from the forest floor came the cries of apes and the roars of tigers as countless creatures vied for them.
Qin Ming was eager to go over and have a look.
Xu Yueping shook his head to stop him. "Forget it. By the time we get there, nothing will be left, and we might run into dangerous legendary birds or mountain monsters."
The blooming of mutated plants knew no season and followed no pattern, making them difficult to seek out deliberately. Moreover, once the splendor faded, they would wither away and die completely.
Qin Ming sighed. "Never mind the deep mountains and great marshes—even near our settlement, there are so many mysteries. I really want to pierce through the thick night fog and journey deep into the vast, boundless world to see it all."
Xu Yueping nodded. "It's good to have ambition. That will give you the drive to improve. If you get the chance, visit Chixia City in the distance first."
In his view, only upon reaching that place could one truly glimpse a corner of the real world.
He added, "You could take the academy examinations there."
"Have you been there, Uncle Xu?" Qin Ming looked at him.
Xu Yueping, fine wrinkles already showing at the corners of his eyes, replied, "I went there once and was overwhelmed. Gradually, I came to recognize reality, adjusted my mindset, and accepted that I was ordinary."
He spoke calmly, stripped of youthful sharpness, leaving only the weathered weariness of middle age.
"You've experienced a lot and seen much of the world, Uncle Xu," Qin Ming could only say by way of comfort.
Xu Yueping offered a bitter smile. "Who doesn't have dreams when they're young?"
He had another sentence left unsaid, but feeling it sounded too decrepit and dispirited, he held it back, not wanting to dampen Qin Ming's spirits. Too many things were inevitably worn away by reality in the end.
"We've walked over a dozen li without seeing a single prey animal," Xu Yueping said, dissatisfied. He had hoped to bag game in the wilderness to trade for food and drink in town.
"They were probably drawn away by that mutated plant," Qin Ming said.
On ordinary days, ordinary folk needed to travel this stretch in groups, for in the pitch-black wilderness, any kind of creature might appear.
"Heh, at least we won't go empty-handed." After venturing into the dense woods several times, Xu Yueping finally shot and killed a river deer weighing about forty jin.
Both were swift on their feet, and after covering thirteen li, Silver Vine Town came into view.
Under the night sky, hazy lights glowed ahead, buildings looming faintly into view like an exquisite painting trimmed by peaceful years.
Once they reached this area, pedestrians on the road grew noticeably more numerous. Some were heading out of town to hunt, others coming in to sell mountain produce, and beast-drawn carriages rolled briskly past laden with cargo.
Familiar with Silver Vine Town, Xu Yueping led Qin Ming straight ahead.
Shops lined both sides of the main street, with bright red lanterns hanging beneath the eaves. People bustled to and fro, creating a lively scene.
The storefronts were filled with an array of goods: exquisite porcelain, luxurious silks, specialty spices from the mountains, and more.
Along the roadside were stalls offering appetizing snacks like pan-fried pancakes and wontons. The scents of varied foods drifted through the air, accompanied by hawkers' cries, brimming with the warmth of everyday life.
Compared to this place, Qin Ming felt Twin Trees Village was truly too desolate.
Xu Yueping asked about grain prices and was told they remained exorbitant due to shortage. Heavy snow had blocked the roads, making it difficult to transport grain from distant lands.
The center of Silver Vine Town was brightly lit. The Fire Spring was located here; though in a dormant waning period, the pool, measuring eight zhang across, still rippled with gleaming waters and dense, misty vapor.
An ancient silver vine as thick as a water bucket was rooted inside the Fire Spring, which glowed like magma. This was the origin of Silver Vine Town's name.
Though it appeared extraordinary, it was still an ordinary plant, capable of absorbing only limited spirituality from the Fire Spring.
Qin Ming noticed living creatures in the pool: lustrous red shellfish, translucent as jade. As their shells opened and closed, fiery haze flowed between them.
"Fire clams. Even in a pool this large, they only raise a few dozen. They're said to be incomparably delicious and contain potent active substances. Who knows where they'll eventually be sent or who will get to eat them."
Xu Yueping murmured. Fire clams had to be raised in at least a rank-two Fire Spring like the one in town; otherwise, the spring's spirituality would not suffice to nurture them.
The busiest shops were located near the Fire Spring, such as time-honored weapon smithies with people constantly streaming in and out. Survival in the wilderness was harsh, and everyone wanted a good weapon in hand.
Scattered snowflakes began drifting from the sky. Xu Yueping led Qin Ming toward an adjacent tavern. Delicate hanging lanterns adorned the entrance, illuminated by sunstones within that cast brilliant, colorful radiance.
A tavern's business was always livelier later in the night. Being early, the place was virtually empty.
"Could we be your first customers?" Xu Yueping asked with a smile.
A young attendant nodded politely. Not fully awake yet, he was rather reluctant to serve customers so early.
Xu Yueping said, "Tell your boss we're here to see Feng Yi'an."
The youth's polite smile snapped into full alertness. "Our boss isn't in, but he left instructions beforehand. I'll go find Mr. Feng for you right now."
"The meat on this deer is tender and fresh. Is it enough to cover some good liquor?" Xu Yueping offered the river deer as payment.
Normally the tavern would never agree, but food was scarce at the moment, so the young server agreed immediately.
"The proprietor here calls himself one of the West Huoluo people," Xu Yueping told Qin Ming. "Many years ago, his father served as an attendant to an expert who arrived from the west riding a strange bird."
Some said that expert had departed to wander the realm, while others claimed he was killed by a Moon Insect while exploring a high-grade Fire Spring deep in the mountain ranges.
His followers settled here and opened this tavern business.
"Mr. Feng should be here around noon today," the youth returned to report a moment later, preparing to summon staff to serve them.
Xu Yueping waved his hand. "No need for songs or dances. Just bring food and good drink. We have business to discuss today."
The tavern was tastefully decorated, hung with multicolored crystal lamps. However, the sunstones placed inside were small, creating a hazy, dim ambiance.
Xu Yueping murmured, "It's still early. Xiao Qin, wait here while I pay a visit to that old gentleman."
Qin Ming nodded. He knew Xu Yueping intended to try his luck at the old noble's residence, and stopping him would be futile.
The tavern fell quiet. Qin Ming took a sip of the amber liquor in his glass. Though not harsh, he was still unaccustomed to it.
Time drifted slowly by. He watched the falling snow outside the window and the people coming and going, taking in the bustle and vibrancy rarely seen in Twin Trees Village.
Xu Yueping returned, brushed off the snowflakes clinging to his clothes, rubbed his hands together, and downed several cups in succession. "It really does taste better than the stuff at my place."
"Uncle Xu, are you all right?" Qin Ming asked.
Xu Yueping said, "What could happen to me? Oh, and when I arrived, they were very courteous and received me warmly. They said they'd give you a chance when the time comes."
"Hmm?" Qin Ming was surprised. This was different from what he had imagined; they hadn't rejected him outright.
He pressed for details and fell speechless.
The one who had warmly received Xu Yueping was only a steward; there had been no chance of seeing the old noble at all.
The steward had worn a genial smile, but it was merely proper decorum. Many visitors had been coming by recently, and he had claimed he would arrange a time for promising youths to meet the old noble together.
Qin Ming said, "They were politely turning you down."
Xu Yueping had another cup of liquor. "You can lift a six-hundred-jin cauldron. With such a brilliant achievement, I figured they would look at you differently."
Qin Ming said, "You revealed my baseline, yet they greeted it so indifferently despite their smiles. That alone says it all. As you mentioned, they come from afar, perhaps from some magnificent city. They've certainly seen the world."
Xu Yueping recalled certain rumors: that noble young lady's talent was supposedly extraordinary.
Frowning, he muttered, "You're astonishing enough for our region. Even so, they look down on you?"
Though unwilling to accept it, he had already sensed as much from the steward's polite reception. He had simply wanted so badly to secure this opportunity for Qin Ming and simultaneously resolve the pressure from the mountain patrol team.
With a serious expression, Qin Ming said, "Don't dwell on it, Uncle Xu. Mysterious nobles who relocated from grand places to a small town aren't people we should entangle ourselves with."
Xu Yueping immediately came to his senses. Who knew whether they were living in seclusion or fleeing disaster? He nodded solemnly. "You're right."
Noon was an hour when the night grew paler, revealing the vague silhouettes of mountains beyond Silver Vine Town.
Feng Yi'an appeared, flanked by two mountain patrollers. Braving the wind and snow, they stepped into the tavern, bringing in gusts of icy chill.
"Brother Xu, my apologies for having you travel so far and wait so long. We just returned from patrol," Feng Yi'an greeted him warmly.
Watching his earnest facade, Qin Ming felt immense disgust and wanted nothing more than to smash this bearded man's head with a single punch.
He had already learned from Xu Yueping that this patrol squad was barely responsible on normal days, only making appearances together in the mountains around the middle or end of the month.
Though the sun was gone and the splendid sights of a high moon and starry skies had vanished, people still observed the old calendar, referring to the start or end of a month.
More often than not, certain patrol members loitered around the taverns and eateries of various towns, or even kept mistresses.
Xu Yueping forced a smile. "Brother Feng is too polite. We know patrolling is hard work, and we haven't waited long."
Feng Yi'an turned to Qin Ming. "Little Brother Qin is striking in appearance and boundless in potential. I hope you'll join our mountain patrol team in the future."
He patted Qin Ming's shoulder to show familiarity, then summoned a server and asked for a private room.
Feng Yi'an glanced at the two men behind him. "Brother Xu and I will chat first. You two stay with Little Brother Qin, order some drinks, and check out what good dishes the restaurant next door has."
His main intention was to drop his facade and speak with Xu Yueping in private. Sure enough, once inside the private room, his attitude changed completely.
"Old Xu, you really don't know how to play along. Taking things too seriously in life makes things exhausting and painful. Don't forget, you have a wife, children, and elders. In deep night, if a few fierce beasts were to charge out of the mountains and break into your home, wouldn't that be considered normal?" Feng Yi'an patted Xu Yueping's cheek lightly with his palm.
No longer acting hearty, he smiled coldly as his gaze turned chilling—a blatant threat.
"I will plant the Black Moon immediately upon my return," Xu Yueping said.
"You made me very uncomfortable this time. You wouldn't bow your head until blood was spilled in the mountains, would you? And having me make a special trip here just for you—the captain was very displeased when he heard!" Feng Yi'an increased his force, slapping Xu Yueping's cheek again.
A quarter of an hour later, Feng Yi'an was the first to emerge from the second-floor private room, a smile back on his face.
"Let's go," Xu Yueping told Qin Ming.
Feng Yi'an said with a smile, "Brother Xu feels planting the Black Moon is urgent and wants to head back first. If you aren't in a hurry, Little Brother Qin, you can stay for a couple of drinks."
Qin Ming shook his head in polite refusal. "No, I'd better leave with Uncle Xu. The wilderness has been unsafe lately, so it's better for the two of us to travel together and watch each other's backs."
Watching them vanish beyond the tavern entrance, one of the men beside Feng Yi'an remarked, "Even if that boy has a golden foundation, so what? He's clearly cut from the same cloth as Xu Yueping. Why bother being so polite with him?"
Feng Yi'an said, "True. It's hard to say what heights he will reach, and he's not one of our kind. But since we haven't openly fallen out yet, give him some face for now—unless we're certain we'll kill him right away..."
"Uncle Xu!" Qin Ming noticed a faint handprint on Xu Yueping's left cheek. He immediately realized Xu Yueping had suffered humiliation inside that private room.
He could sense the humiliation. A fire of rage flared within his chest. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Uncle Xu, they commit wicked deed after wicked deed. I believe even the heavens won't tolerate it much longer—they will be taken soon!"
Chapter 12