The merchants raised no objections after hearing this. These diplomatic missions were foreign legations, and as long as they remained within the borders of the Jeweled Tree Kingdom, the escort had a duty to ensure their personal safety.
"Are they in such a hurry to head back?"
"Who knows?" Xu Dongdong shrugged. "All I know is that the Baixiang Kingdom has an exceptionally long journey. Last time, for our king's seven hundred and fiftieth birthday, the Baixiang Kingdom sent a demoiselle crane to deliver congratulations, and that one-way flight reportedly took seven or eight days. This time, the gifts from the Baixiang Kingdom are both numerous and heavy. A crane demon couldn't possibly carry them, so switching to overland transport will take at least forty to fifty days."
With the escort opening the road ahead, not even reckless bandits dared to show their faces, even though the Emperor's Flowing Dew had only just passed.
The journey went very peacefully, and before long, they passed Fanshi Corner.
Reaching this landmark meant they had officially departed the outer outskirts of Fufeng City. Xu Dongdong could only accompany them this far, so he bid farewell to He Lingchuan and the others to return home.
"I hope that in a few months' time, I will have the chance to work alongside you, Brother He."
***
They traveled for several more days without incident.
He Lingchuan remained on his guard, but the road ahead grew broader and the merchants and travelers more numerous. It was evident that peace reigned on all sides, free of disaster or calamity.
Counting the days, the diplomatic mission of the Shanyu Kingdom should have already departed eastward under Fufeng City's escort. Which target was that fellow Fu Shanyue after, in the end?
If it was the Shanyu Kingdom's envoy, he would follow them east. That meant parting ways with the northbound escort, and He Lingchuan's party would not run into him. Fu Shanyue had a knack for killing snakes, but whether that giant python from the Shanyu Kingdom could make it home alive remained to be seen.
If it was the spirit seed, however, Fu Shanyue might be right nearby!
The soul-snatching mirror began pestering him again. Its master sat as steady as an old immortal, not the least bit hurried, but the mirror was itching with impatience. "If Fu Shanyue doesn't come, are we just not going to seize the spirit seed? Let's give it a try—just one try! Make the escort captain look in the mirror. As long as the soul-snatching succeeds, we can make him hand over the seed of his own accord!"
"With just you?" He Lingchuan shot it down without a second thought. "What sweet dreams you have. They're protected by origin power. You only managed to bewitch Wu Jinsong and the others back then because they were far from their homeland and their resistance was too weak."
The spirit seed's escort had origin power shielding them, giving them substantial resistance against spells, supernatural abilities, poisons, and curses, and even partially mitigating attacks from martial artists.
Snatching their souls was not impossible, but it would require them to be exhausted, weakened, and thoroughly demoralized. Only then would there be a chance of success. Origin power was not omnipotent, after all.
Furthermore, the spirit seed possessed immense vitality and could not be stowed inside a storage ring. Therefore, unless the escort possessed the Sumeru storage techniques of Songyang Mansion, the captain had no choice but to carry it on his person.
Yet that man understood full well the importance of the spirit seed. Five or six guards flanked him at all times, keeping him under tight protection.
"If Fu Shanyue doesn't show up, whatever designs you have are completely futile."
The soul-snatching mirror let out a long sigh.
By this point, crops along both sides of the official highway had grown sparse, and the scenic beauty of wheat swaying boundlessly in the breeze was no more. In its place, grasslands and tundras spread, while craggy cliffs and sheer rock faces began taking center stage.
He Lingchuan frequently traveled across the Chipa Plateau, so he recognized the terrain of a plain transitioning into a plateau, indicating that their altitude was steadily climbing.
Second Master Shi also explained that the convoy was indeed traveling across a plateau. The ground here sat at least one hundred and seventy to eighty feet higher than Fufeng City, and it would only rise higher the farther they went.
This was plainly evident from the thinning vegetation.
Farther along, desolate vistas of sprawling dragon-like mountain ranges and lone trees leaning against the setting sun became common sights.
This place was called the Gale Tundra.
Though both were plateaus, it differed completely from the Chipa Plateau. The latter enjoyed moist air and a pleasant climate, making it a paradise for flowers, grasses, vegetables, and fruit. The Gale Tundra, true to its name, was a land where howling winds raged year-round. It was remarkable enough for grass to cling to fissures in the bedrock, leaving virtually no chance for delicate crops to grow.
The official highway wound through the mountains like a dragon, occasionally creeping along high ridgelines.
Travelers looking to either side saw endless slopes and sheer precipices.
Even so, the mountain highway had been paved broad and flat, lined with guardrails on both sides to prevent travelers from falling—a truly considerate touch.
The farther the convoy advanced, the higher the elevation rose and the lower the temperature dropped.
Though June was nearly upon them, frost actually formed on tree branches in the early morning.
Gazing toward the high mountains, white snow blanketed the peaks, never melting through the year.
The humans began exhaling white plumes of mist. The Shimen caravan was experienced in such matters and promptly brought out cotton-padded coats to distribute.
Villages and towns on this plateau were few and far between, appearing only once every seventy or eighty li rather than dotting the land as they did on the plains. The convoy had to manage its time carefully to avoid missing out on lodgings.
Fortunately, the escort planned far more thoroughly than anyone else. Everyone else needed only to keep pace and not fall behind, sparing them considerable worry.
That day, the convoy reached Black Rock Stockade just before nightfall, finally securing a sheltered place to sleep.
Black Rock Stockade had originally been a small outpost of barely a hundred people, but as this trade route matured and flourished, its role as a rest stop along the highway caused it to expand. It now housed over eight hundred permanent residents, virtually all of whom made their living catering to passing merchants and travelers.
Wide-open spaces had their advantages; with ample room, they could build as much as they pleased. Black Rock Stockade boasted over three hundred wooden structures, ranging from detached houses to communal halls that could sleep twenty or thirty people. There was more than enough room for the escort, the diplomatic missions, and the merchant caravans.
The only problem was that everything was expensive.
Lodging was steep and food was costly, which He Lingchuan could understand. Crop yields were poor here, after all, and eighty percent of provisions had to be hauled in from outside.
Yet even using the latrine carried a fee. It was fair to say they charged for every aspect of basic existence.
Black Rock Stockade held a tight grip on the only water source within thirty li. Terrified of contamination, they strictly forbade anyone from relieving themselves out in the open.
He Lingchuan and Second Master Shi sat down to eat inside an eatery, an experience that instantly reminded He Lingchuan of dining in a school cafeteria back in his past life.
This was the largest food establishment in Black Rock Stockade, packed shoulder-to-shoulder with at least three to four hundred diners.
The caravan chose to dine here because the food was decent and reasonably priced, and crowded places were invariably warmer.
The caravan laborers could only afford a roasted yam, paired at best with a bowl of piping hot dough-skin soup. Second Master Shi and He Lingchuan, on the other hand, ordered sheep blood sausage soup to warm up, accompanied by steamed buns stuffed with mixed mushrooms. There wasn't a shred of meat inside, but the flavor was surprisingly good.
After a long day of travel, the two were slurping down their food with great relish when three guards walked past and headed toward the food counter to pack takeout, ordering rich, meaty dishes.
He Lingchuan recognized them as members of the spirit seed escort. They appeared to hold lower ranks in the unit, as they were often sent to fetch meals for their superiors.
He pricked up his ears to listen, and sure enough:
One of them grumbled, "Those envoys have hands and feet of their own, so why do they order us around to run their errands every single day?"
Another guard chuckled. "Who says they have hands and feet? The envoy from the Xuluo Kingdom..."
"Shh!" The third guard was more prudent. "There are too many ears around. Don't gossip blindly."
The first speaker scoffed. "What's there to hide? On the other hand, that envoy from the Chiyan Kingdom is the one hiding his head and tail. Every time we stop for the night, he holes up in his room and refuses to come out. Is he a gecko or a mountain ghost? Can't he bear the light?"
The second guard yawned, his face weary. "After bringing the food back, we still have to test it for poison. If they're that paranoid, why don't they come fetch the food themselves?"
Having collected their meals, they walked off. Second Master Shi took a bite of his bun and remarked, "I've spoken with the envoy from the Xuluo Kingdom, but I've only seen the Chiyan envoy twice. He really doesn't show his face in public. Supposedly, guards watch his carriage and his quarters, forbidding anyone from approaching."
Just then, a laborer rushed in from outside, reporting to Second Master Shi with a grave expression:
"Word just came back from up ahead! There was a rockfall on Mount Ping two days ago, and the highway completely collapsed. It'll take at least half a month to repair."
A rockfall meant a landslide, an occurrence hardly rare among the towering peaks of the plateau.
Repairing roads and bridges on a plateau was no easy feat. Second Master Shi frowned. "We can't afford to wait here for fifteen or sixteen days. Go find out which way the escort plans to go. Nine times out of ten, they'll detour through Wind Demon Mountain."
He glanced at He Lingchuan and paused. "Hey, Brother He, what are you smiling at?" He looked genuinely delighted.
"Nothing." He Lingchuan cleared his throat lightly. "What kind of place is Wind Demon Mountain?" Judging by the name, the place had a story behind it.
Most importantly, he seemed to catch a whiff of conspiracy.
Otherwise, why hadn't Mount Ping collapsed earlier or later, choosing instead to cave in at this exact juncture?
The soul-snatching mirror trembled with excitement. "Is Fu Shanyue about to make his move? Is he?!"
It had spent the entire journey worrying sick, terrified that Fu Shanyue wouldn't come.
He Lingchuan patted it, telling it to calm down; the stroke of the brush had barely touched the paper yet.
"Seven years ago, Mount Ping suddenly fractured and shifted the terrain, which allowed the authorities to carve out a highway to the north. Before that, everyone had to pass through Wind Demon Mountain—it was the only route north," Second Master Shi said with a smile. "Don't let the name intimidate you. It's actually very safe; the Shimen caravan has taken it at least four or five times. The scenery there is breathtaking. If we can reach it before sunrise tomorrow, your eyes will be in for a treat."
An old man from the eatery happened to come over to clear the bowls. He looked up and chuckled. "I hail from around Wind Demon Mountain myself. In my younger days, I gathered medicinal herbs on the mountain, and only came here after my leg went bad."
Seeing that he walked with a slight limp, He Lingchuan grabbed a dozen-odd copper coins and handed them over. "Old Master, please bring us another two baskets of pan-fried buns."
The old man sold pan-fried buns as well. They were flavorful and generously oiled, but on the pricier side, so common laborers rarely bought them.
The old man grinned, revealing two missing teeth. "Right away, right away!"
He returned shortly with two servings of pan-fried buns, piled so high they nearly spilled over. "Gave you two extra."
"Tell us about Wind Demon Mountain." A local invariably knew more than Second Master Shi.
"That's my old home. The wind is even fiercer than here, but the mountain produces snow lotuses and topaz ginseng, which fetch a hefty sum. You can't cultivate those, so when we were young, we made our living gathering herbs."
"Topaz ginseng is indeed outrageously expensive." It was one of the supplementary ingredients used to refine the Hundred Virtues Pill; a piece shorter than an index finger cost ten taels of silver.
Anything harvested from such harsh natural environments commanded an exorbitant price.
The old man smacked his lips. "Wind Demon Mountain was originally the domain of an immortal sect called the Piaomiao Sect. Later, when it became a Daoist order, it didn't change its name. The order itself wasn't particularly remarkable, but it reared an extraordinarily fearsome monster known as the 'Wind Demon.' It frequently swept down the mountain to cause trouble, tearing roofs off houses and carrying off living people."
"The Wind Demon of Wind Demon Mountain?"
Chapter 391