Yue Mountain was located in the far west of Duzhou.
From the map of Duzhou, Yue Mountain appeared small, just a speck of land. However, upon actually entering the mountain, one would find the map to be quite misleading.
The mountain wasn’t tall, with gentle rolling peaks and serene, beautiful forests and valleys. Yet, every few steps, there was a Buddha statue embedded in the mountain walls, each one in a different pose and lifelike.
The demons naturally held a fear of Buddha statues, and with so many niches and vibrant murals in the mountain, it took only a moment for some demons to start feeling uncomfortable, complaining incessantly.
Zanxing, however, felt nothing unusual, only curious about who had carved these Buddha statues. They must have existed for a long time, as some statues had already been eroded by wind and rain, their features blurred, adding to the place’s mysterious aura.
“Is Yue Mountain a Buddhist mountain?” Zanxing asked Xiao Shuang beside her.
Xiao Shuang, also unfazed by the Buddha statues, replied, “No, but there is a temple under the Five-Wheel Pagoda. The temple houses a group of Buddhist monks, which might explain the constant incense offerings on the mountain.” After a pause, he added, “Master Mingjing of Liuxuan Temple is an old acquaintance of the Demon Queen. When we reach Liuxuan Temple, Master Mingjing will guide us.”
Zanxing paused, “Mother knows a Buddhist monk?” She glanced at Xiao Shuang and tentatively asked, “Could it be that this Master Mingjing also has a history with my mother…”
Xiao Shuang just smiled and remained silent.
Zanxing understood. Her mother, Bu Jiang, had old flames scattered across the world, so nothing was surprising anymore. But to think even Buddhist monks were included—her reach was indeed extensive.
“But,” Zanxing pondered, “why not have Master Mingjing meet us at the mountain gate? We’ve been wandering here for a while and still haven’t found the correct path into the mountain.”
Yue Mountain boasted beautiful scenery with overlapping peaks and secluded valleys. However, the placement of the Buddha statues and the trees seemed meticulously calculated, making them identical and indistinguishable. Walking through the area, one might feel they had walked for a long time, only to realize they had returned to the same spot.
“Yue Mountain is a place beyond the ordinary. Outsiders find it difficult to enter, while those inside can leave but cannot bring outsiders with them. We must find the entrance ourselves,” Xiao Shuang said, glancing into the distance. “This is my first time here as well.”
“…”
Zanxing had assumed that Bu Jiang had assigned Xiao Shuang to accompany her because he knew the way and could save them time. She hadn’t expected that this was his first visit to the mountain too. The map was not very accurate, and now the group was wandering around aimlessly, making it unlikely they would stumble upon the correct path by chance.
“How about letting the Earth-Eater take a look?” Xiao Shuang suggested. “The Earth-Eater sustains itself by consuming grave soil and might be able to discern the correct direction from the mountain soil.”
Zanxing recalled the Earth-Eater—a man with a gray, dusty face, always wearing a straw hat, who looked like an honest farmer. “Alright,” she agreed. Wandering aimlessly wasn’t helping. Their group of about a hundred was neither small nor large, but moving conspicuously. If they encountered the Demon Exterminators or Gui Yansheng’s people here, a fight could break out before they even reached the Five-Wheel Pagoda, thwarting any plans.
Xiao Shuang called out, “Earth-Eater.”
No one responded.
He frowned and repeated, “Earth-Eater.”
“Reporting—” a demon cultivator raised his hand. “Lord Xiao Shuang, the Earth-Eater just went to the woods for a break.”
“Didn’t I say no one should leave the group without permission!” Xiao Shuang’s expression changed, and he scolded sternly.
The demon cultivator who had a good relationship with the Earth-Eater defended his friend, saying, “Old Tu said the mountain is full of Buddha statues, making it uncomfortable to relieve himself. Also, with the little princess around, he didn’t want to offend her sight…”
Zanxing felt a bit speechless. “Thanks for the consideration.”
She asked, “How long has he been gone?”
“A quarter of an hour, I think,” the demon cultivator scratched his head, still optimistic. “Princess, don’t worry. Maybe he needed to do more than just urinate. He eats a lot of soil, so he often gets constipated. When he goes, it takes a while. He told me not to wait for him and that he’d catch up after he’s done. It won’t delay us.”
While he seemed relaxed, Zanxing wasn’t so optimistic. The paths in this mountain were complicated. It wasn’t just about whether he’d encounter danger—he might get lost and not find his way back. Though the group recognized her as the princess of the demon realm, she hadn’t grown up among them. Along the way, there were those who weren’t fully convinced of her authority. Otherwise, discipline wouldn’t be so lax, with people leaving the group without a word. She said, “Use a sound transmission talisman to ask where he is.”
The demon cultivator, unable to defy her, reluctantly took out a sound transmission talisman from his pocket and shouted into it, “Old Tu, Old Tu, are you done? The little princess is asking where you are.”
The talisman floated silently in the air, with no response for a long time.
The demon cultivator glanced at Zanxing and shouted louder, “Old Tu, Old Tu, can you hear me?”
The demon cultivator, holding the sound transmission talisman, looked at Zanxing with a dry tone, “Does this mean… something happened?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Zanxing summoned the Wuyou Staff, and with a wave of her hand, a golden paper dove flew out.
“What is this…?” Xiao Shuang was astonished.
“Before we set out, I sprinkled each of you with dove feather phosphorus to prevent such situations from happening,” Zanxing said as she leaped into the forest. “Follow me!”
Before their journey, Zanxing had hastily prepared the messenger doves. She hadn’t forgotten the techniques from How to Draw Talismans she studied on Gufeng Mountain. The golden dove would follow the scent of the phosphorus to track its owner.
The group had left in good order, and she aimed to return in the same fashion, avoiding needless sacrifices if possible. As the leader, she had to be responsible for her subordinates.
“Follow the princess!” Xiao Shuang instructed.
The group dashed into the forest. Although the golden dove was made from paper, it flew faster than ordinary doves. In no time, the dove stopped in front of a pond.
The scent of the dove feather phosphorus disappeared at this location.
The demon cultivator close to the Earth-Eater suddenly exclaimed, “Old Tu’s hat! It’s Old Tu’s hat!”
In front of the pond lay a mud-colored hat, hanging on the grass at the edge of the water, but there was no sign of the Earth-Eater.
Zanxing motioned for everyone to stay back and cautiously approached. She bent down to pick up the hat, with Mimi carefully avoiding the grass behind her.
The hat was still slightly warm, as if it had just been removed. Zanxing then moved to the pond’s edge, where the clear water reflected her image.
But there was nothing there.
The other end remained eerily silent until the unsettling sound of crunching and chewing started to be heard.
Everyone’s expressions immediately changed.