The black-awning boat drifted further and further from the Shijiwan pier. Those on board not only made no attempt to dock, but actively avoided being seen by anyone from Shijiwan.
Having learned of the turmoil involving the Wen family, they feared that observant individuals might come to Shijiwan to track them down. The best course of action was to keep out of sight, leave no traces whatsoever, and give any pursuers nothing to follow.
They rowed against the current, pressing onward.
Before dusk, the boat halted at the foot of a mountain along the main river channel. The three martial brothers packed all their belongings into three large bundles, hoisted them onto their backs, and vanished into the scarcely trodden mountain forest. The boat, now unmoored, bobbed unsteadily and drifted away with the current, while the three brothers pressed steadily through the woods.
Paths to their destination did exist. After all, scattered villages and towns lay in that direction, and roads naturally connected them.
Yet, to avoid drawing attention, the three brothers preferred to move slowly rather than take the main roads.
Switching to water travel had slowed their progress, delaying their schedule and leaving them arriving late. Consequently, they had to exercise extreme caution at every turn.
They camped in the forest after nightfall and resumed their journey at first light.
Fortunately, the weather cleared. As cultivators, they traversed mountains and ridges as easily as walking on flat ground, moving swiftly along the trails. By the evening of the second day, they spotted the towering highest peak of the vast mountain range bathed in the setting sun.
The Guangluo Mountain Range was how the map labelled the region, and that towering summit was its highest point.
The clouds and sunset painted the sky in brilliant hues. Ignoring the approaching dark, the three brothers decided to scout the peak first. Their anticipation was already mounting.
By the time they reached the mid slopes of the highest peak, night had fully fallen. Upon reaching the summit, they were greeted by a sky ablaze with stars. Stretching out their arms, it felt as though they could embrace the Milky Way itself.
The wind howled fiercely, and the temperature at the summit was bitterly cold. The peak was largely barren, devoid of even grass. Only a few ancient trees, gnarled like coiled dragons, clung to the rock, struggling defiantly against the sky.
They were unsure if this was indeed the mountaintop where Yunxi claimed the entrance to the immortal cave dwelled. Scanning the area under the starlight, they found nothing out of the ordinary.
Looking out at the mountain ranges shrouded in the night, they resembled countless slumbering beasts.
Mu Aotie pointed towards a shimmering area at the mountain foot. “The river is down there.”
After noting the direction, Nan Zhu surveyed the surroundings with a grin. “It takes most people ages to climb up here, and ordinary folk would struggle to catch their breath at this altitude. If this really is the place, we need not worry about idle wanderers bothering us. We could simply hide at this summit and wait out until the first new moon of next year.”
Yu Qing replied, “The temperature here is far too low, and this biting wind will be hard to endure. There is a valley lower down where we can shelter from the wind for now. We can sort out the rest tomorrow at first light.”
The three descended and settled into the mountain hollow. Shielded from the freezing wind, it was indeed much warmer.
Da Tou remained curled up inside Yu Qing sleeve, refusing to emerge.
At daybreak the following morning, Yu Qing heard footsteps and opened his eyes from his cross-legged meditation. He saw Mu Aotie rising and walking away. Glancing around at the surroundings, he paused for a moment before standing up as well.
A sea of clouds. An extraordinarily magnificent sea of clouds, rolling like ocean waves.
From their elevated position, the cloud sea lay directly beneath their feet, while in the distance, the sun blazed with brilliant golden light.
The sight was utterly breathtaking.
“Seeing such a magnificent view makes enduring a night on the mountain entirely worthwhile.”
Nan Zhu stepped closer to his two junior brothers and voiced his sincere admiration.
After admiring the view for a while, Yu Qing turned and said, “Let us head down the mountain.”
The two senior brothers retrieved their bundles, and the trio quickly descended into the cloud layer, swallowed by the thick mist.
By the time they reached the mountain foot, their vision cleared. The mist above was so dense that sunlight barely penetrated it, and the damp air soaked through their clothes.
They paid it no mind. The turbulent rapids at the base of the mountain made them exchange pleased glances, matching Yunxi description of rapids at the foot of the peak.
Without a word, they turned back simultaneously, dropped their bundles, and began felling trees to construct a wooden raft.
With their combined skills, the raft was quickly assembled. They bound it tightly with vines, left it by the bank, and stood ready to push it into the water at a moment notice.
After a brief discussion, they ultimately decided that Yu Qing would take the raft downstream to see if the surroundings matched Yunxi description.
The map indicated a small town somewhere in these mountains, yet such crudely made maps were notoriously unreliable for distances. They merely listed names in approximate locations. For instance, the rapids before them were not even marked on the map.
The map did not detail every minor stream, especially those deep in the wilderness. It only charted the major rivers.
Yu Qing unbuckled the sword from his waist and tossed it to his two seniors for safekeeping. He adjusted his felt hat, gave the raft a firm kick to push it into the rapids, waited for it to bob back to the surface, then sprinted along the bank, leapt across the gorge, landed squarely on the raft, and sped away, bouncing rapidly over the churning water.
He was chosen for the task because Nan Zhu and Mu Aotie had rather conspicuous builds, and they needed to avoid being spotted by mountain dwellers.
It was reasonable to assume that villages still inhabited by locals existed within these mountains, though the map omitted them. The fact that this foothill area still belonged to the mortal realm suggested it lay within the fifty li boundary.
Navigating the narrow mountain stream felt like riding through raging ocean waves. Splashing water frequently struck his face, yet Yu Qing handled it with ease, silently keeping track of the time in his head.
After roughly half an incense stick worth of time, the swift current gradually calmed, and the raft seemed to glide into a secluded paradise.
Passing through a narrow gorge, he felt the air grow mild and humid. Everywhere he looked were clusters of brilliant pink, white, and red camellias in full bloom.
A man stood on the bank, casting a net into the water to catch fish.
A woman squatted barefoot on a stone slab by the river, washing clothes.
Children chased and played along the riverbank, while others tended to grazing cattle.
Others poled bamboo rafts to shore, their vessels loaded with various goods.
Both men and women here wore headscarves. Seemingly untouched by the turbulent world beyond, likely due to their isolation, they all watched curiously as this man drifted out from the mountains on a wooden raft.
Yu Qing instinctively pulled the brim of his hat lower, trying to keep his face obscured from the locals.
Soon, more people came into view, along with additional buildings. It resembled a village, yet judging by the steady flow of people carrying baskets up and down the mountain paths, it was indeed a very small and modest town.
Ancient, weathered carvings were still visible on some of the cliff faces.
Later, he spotted the town archway, which bore three characters reading Youma Town.
He had seen this town name on the map, though its marked location was wildly inaccurate relative to the high mountain, placing it much closer to the main imperial road outside.
Yet this did nothing to diminish Yu Qing surging joy.
Rapids at the foot of the highest peak. Checked.
Floating downstream on a raft for roughly half an incense stick duration before reaching a town abundant with camellias. Also checked.
The highest peak, the rapids, the half hour drift, and the camellia town. All conditions matched perfectly. It proved Yunxi had not lied, and their planned search method was sound. It went smoothly, succeeding on the very first attempt. They had truly located the entrance to the immortal cave.
Verifying the remaining detail about drifting for half a day to reach Shijiwan was no longer necessary.
As the raft drifted to the mountain foot at a river bend, Yu Qing seized the moment while no one was watching. He sprang from the raft, vanished into the adjacent forest, and began his return journey upstream along the river.
Travelling over mountains and ridges at a steady pace, he found the return journey took longer than his swift ride down the rapids.
It took him roughly double the time, about one full incense stick duration, before he finally returned to the foot of the Guangluo Mountain Range highest peak.
The three brothers reunited. Nan Zhu asked urgently, “How did it go?”
Yu Qing nodded. “Yunxi did not lie. The map is flawed. The town reached after half an hour of drifting is the Youma Town marked on it.”
N Zhu excitement made his scalp tingle, and he clenched his fists tightly.
Even the usually composed Mu Aotie felt a surge of emotion. “So, the entrance to the immortal cave is truly on this summit?”
Nan Zhu exclaimed in high spirits, “It should be certain. We just need to wait for the day the cave opens. People across the realm have searched until their legs gave out, and even the Sinan Mansion and the Daye Directorate failed to find it, yet we succeeded. Damn, it seems we three brothers are truly the chosen ones!”
Yu Qing cautioned, “Do not celebrate too early. Until the very end, no one can guarantee a smooth entry. We have roughly three months left. We should not wander about during this period. Hiding in this sparsely populated area is the safest option. We must endure whatever it takes. Let us first find a suitable place to settle.”
The two senior brothers agreed wholeheartedly. Shouldering their packs once more, they began climbing the highest peak again. Winding and circling across the slopes, they searched thoroughly and eventually discovered several caves. They selected the most suitable one, located roughly at the mid mountain level.
By the time they settled in, night was falling once again.
The large bundles they brought contained ample supplies, enough for the three cultivators to easily endure three months.
In the days that followed, once they adapted to the environment, they confirmed that no one disturbed them. They could cultivate here in complete peace.
In the mornings, they climbed up to watch the rolling seas of cloud and mist, and in the evenings, they ascended to admire the sunset glow.
After living there for a while, the trio roughly understood why this immortal cave was named Little Cloud Space. They noticed that beautiful clouds and mist frequently shrouded the area.
One day, after Yu Qing and Nan Zhu watched the sunrise over the cloud sea from the summit, they chatted casually on their way down, dreaming of what they would do once they became wealthy.
While they were lost in pleasant daydreams, they passed through a mountain hollow and spotted Mu Aotie, shirtless, hoisting a massive boulder weighing a thousand jin. He was once again punishing himself with squats. His rippling muscles were almost blinding to look at.
Yu Qing winced at the sight. Suddenly remembering something, he called out to the other two.
Mu Aotie set the boulder down and approached, drenched in sweat. “What is it?”
Yu Qing said solemnly, “I forgot to tell you both, but I acquired a peerless sword manual. Since we are idle at the moment, I might as well pass it on to you so you can practise it too.”
The Seventh and Ninth Brothers exchanged a glance.
Wiping his sweat with a towel, Mu Aotie suddenly asked, “The Fengchen Sword Manual?”
“Uh…” Yu Qing paused, startled. “How did you know? Did Junior Uncle tell you?”
Nan Zhu chimed in, “Junior Uncle said you obtained an unverified sword manual and would likely use us two as test subjects. He wanted us to be prepared. We thought you would not go that far, but it seems we overestimated your character.”
Yu Qing immediately widened his eyes and cried out, “What do you mean use you as test subjects? Am I that kind of person? I have cultivated it this far, am I not perfectly fine?”
The louder he protested, the more guilty he felt. After Junior Uncle had pointed it out initially, he himself had felt a bit reckless. It made him hesitant to practise diligently, secretly hoping his two senior brothers would test the waters for him first. If anything went wrong, he could simply stop.
Nan Zhu asked, “Have you completely mastered the entire sword manual?”
Yu Qing stubbornly replied, “Not that quickly.”
Mu Aotie turned and walked away, too bothered to humour him.
Nan Zhu also turned to leave, remarking to his companion, “Opening his mouth with peerless sword manual. That fellow truly is a piece of work.”
Mu Aotie muttered, “What a beast.”