Chapter 9: Huyang Mountain Marsh

If they had taken one more step, the child would have been flattened into a meat patty.

The child grabbed the rattle from the ground, coughing incessantly as the dust kicked up by the horses' hooves choked him. The parent finally squeezed out of the crowd, scooped up the child, and ran off without looking back.

People on the street began to voice their disapproval, but the passenger in the white robe acted as if he hadn't heard a thing, looking up at Uncle Hao.

Uncle Hao remained expressionless.

Liu Baobao, standing right next to He Lingchuan, coughed forcefully and said, "Who are you people? Do you not know that galloping through a busy market is punishable by whipping?"

"Who would carry out the punishment?" The white-robed youth laughed, making no effort to hide his contempt. "You?"

The man’s gaze was like a needle. Liu Baobao felt his skin crawl under that stare and couldn't help but shrink back. "Blackwater City has strict laws. Why don't you try running a few more steps and see what happens?"

Having said that, the youth ignored him and shifted his gaze to He Lingchuan, as if he knew he was the one in charge.

He Lingchuan smiled at him, but the other party stared at him intently for a moment before urging his horse forward again.

The gray-clad traveler behind him never once looked up.

After this brief disturbance, the two slowed their pace. Men, women, and children on the street watched them disappear around the corner.

That direction led out of the city toward the northeast.

Uncle Hao spoke at the right moment: "Both of them have cultivation. Especially the gray-robed traveler in the back—I cannot discern his true strength. That white-robed brat might be from a military background."

He Lingchuan raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised.

Uncle Hao had once slaughtered over a dozen wealthy families in the capital in a single night before being enlightened by a Taoist practitioner, learning arts and tempering his ferocity. His cultivation was profound, and he held the position of a high-level retainer in the He family. Since he said the gray-robed traveler was formidable, He Lingchuan had no reason to doubt him.

These two didn't look like ordinary merchants. What were they doing in this borderland?

Just then, a few more people arrived in the center of the street—the Blackwater City patrol. They had been alerted and asked the surrounding crowd, "What happened?"

"Two people were galloping through the market, nearly trampling a child!" The crowd spoke all at once, the gist of their complaints being much the same.

Only two? Then it wasn't the He family's eldest young master; that was a relief. The patrol was even angrier. Looking up, they happened to see He Lingchuan leaning out of the window to watch the commotion. Their expressions softened, and the corners of their mouths lifted. "Greetings, Magistrate He."

"Good, very good," He Lingchuan said with a smile. "Are you here to chase them?"

"We are!" the patrol captain said righteously. They had been told not to gallop, yet they insisted on doing so—was this not a blatant disregard for the law? "They must be severely punished!"

He Lingchuan pointed the way for them: "Those two headed toward the northeast gate."

The patrol captain thanked him and led his men off in pursuit.

After they left, Uncle Hao remarked, "Those few patrolmen won't be able to stop them."

"I know. It was just a way to test the waters," He Lingchuan shrugged. "This is Blackwater City. Do you think they would dare to cause a major scene in broad daylight?"

However, the patrolmen returned about a quarter of an hour later, empty-handed.

He Lingchuan wasn't surprised by the result, but he had to get to the bottom of it. "What about those two?"

The patrol captain, not expecting him to still be waiting for the result, looked a bit embarrassed. He coughed before saying, "Those two are subordinates of the Great General of the North and the Governor of Xun Prefecture. They are here in Blackwater City on official business and presented a fire-sealed warrant."

He Lingchuan let out a long "Oh."

He knew the patrol captain was referring to Nian Zanli, the Great General of the North. This man also held the title of Governor of Xun Prefecture, making him the top official in both military and civil affairs—a position with far more power than the Governor of Jin Prefecture.

A prefecture was divided into commanderies. Even He Chunhua, the Prefect of Qiansong Commandery, would have to respectfully refer to himself as "your subordinate" if he were to meet this Great General.

The patrolmen soon left. Liu Baobao looked a bit uneasy. "Those two shouldn't remember me, right?"

"It's such a small matter, why would they bother to keep it in mind?" He Lingchuan offered a hollow comfort, though he wondered to himself: Why would the Governor of Xun Prefecture send his men to Blackwater City?

Just then, two claps of thunder rolled across the sky, loud enough to make one's ears ache. It also sent the dogs on the street howling, their tails tucked between their legs as they ran.

The people of Blackwater City were used to it and went right back to what they were doing.

He Lingchuan looked west and saw the wind rising on the horizon, accompanied by a massive, thick bank of dark clouds.

A storm was coming.

...

"The storm is coming." The white-robed youth looked at the sky, then at the man in gray. "What do you think? Will this place do?"

The two of them were, surprisingly, at Gourd Mountain.

It had seven peaks, three of which were bare rock and soil, as rugged as a bald man's head.

Though it wasn't much to look at, Gourd Mountain was actually rich in rats, rabbits, foxes, and deer; sometimes, people even hunted wild boars and gray wolves there.

The two stood on a game trail, having already checked several caves.

"The land isn't particularly lush, but there are plenty of living things. In terms of quantity, it's barely enough." The man in gray produced a purple-gold pestle. Its top was carved into a monster with bulging eyes and a wide mouth, and at its base were four hanging rings. The tip was sharpened like an awl, glinting with a metallic luster.

With a flick in the wind, the foot-long pestle transformed into a seven-foot purple-gold staff.

The man in gray drove the staff more than a foot into the ground. Only after it stood firm on its own did he ask the white-robed youth for a green copper coin, which he then stuffed into the monster's mouth.

The monster's mouth snapped shut, biting down on the coin, and a red light began to glow in its eyes.

The man in gray began to shake the top of the pestle.

The rings at the monster's feet immediately began to jingle. At first, it sounded chaotic, but after listening for a while, one could discern that it followed a specific rhythm, repeating over and over again.

And each repetition was clearer, louder, and... carried further than the last!

The chirping of insects and birds that had filled the forest vanished entirely, leaving only the ringing, which echoed on and on.

The white-robed youth took a deep breath.

Even with his level of focus, listening closely to the ringing soon left him feeling dizzy and nauseated, his heart pounding and his ears ringing. He had to break his concentration and stare blankly at a distant peak.

By distracting himself, he could endure it.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a frustrated voice rang out from behind them

"Stop shaking it! Cease! Stop the noise!"

The purple-gold pestle stopped at the sound. The two looked back to see a desert poplar tree shaking its branches and leaves, the sound seemingly emanating from the foliage itself.

The poplar was gnarled and vigorous, weathered by time; it looked to be at least three or four hundred years old and was the largest tree in the vicinity.

The white-robed youth spoke first: "Are you the local Mountain Spirit?"

"I am the Mountain Spirit of Poplar Mountain, appointed two hundred years ago. Now this place is called Gourd Mountain." The Mountain Spirit's voice was peculiar, sounding like the friction and vibration of countless leaves. At first, it was a bit muffled, but it became more fluent as it spoke.

It was as if someone who hadn't spoken in years was relearning the ability. "I have been asleep for a long time; even the local officials couldn't wake me. Who are you?"

It then sensed the copper coin held in the monster's mouth and was quite surprised. "Oh? This is a decree of the new dynasty... I believe it's called... what? A Kite?"

"A Kite Coin." The gray-robed man tapped the monster's head, and the green copper coin fell into his palm. If any bystander were watching, they would see that it was slightly larger than a standard copper coin, with a hole at the top for a string.

(End of chapter)