Chapter Ninety-Three: A Brief Foray into Mount Yin

The lamps of Shade Mountain Lake flickered down in shimmering showers.

White Crane escorted them to the bank of Solitary Shade Bridge and said, “Once you step onto this bridge, be careful in all things.”

“Mm.” Light Dust nodded. To Shattered Jade, she said, “Let’s go.”

With that, the two of them joined hands and stepped onto the bridge. In the next instant, the world before their eyes turned over.

In a heartbeat, the path beneath their feet twisted and wound away in broken lines. When they looked back, White Crane and the others were gone. In their place stood a wall of gray haze, blocking all sight.

Shattered Jade clenched the hem of Light Dust’s sleeve, a little tense. “Sister Light Dust, are we... really going?”

She looked around, growing more frightened the longer she stared. Especially after she turned and could no longer see the others, her heart seemed to plunge straight into cold water.

Then, a gale suddenly burst up from beneath the bridge. Startled, she nearly got swept away at once.

Fortunately, Light Dust reacted swiftly and flung out a Wind-Settling Pearl. Only then did the two of them turn danger aside and escape disaster.

“Sister Light Dust, just now... just now, was I almost done for?” Shattered Jade pressed a trembling hand to her chest, fear still lingering as mist gathered in her eyes.

Seeing her like that, Light Dust comforted her, “It’s all right. Walk behind me from here on. If anything seems wrong, turn back immediately, then find a chance to get out.”

Shattered Jade was not lacking in judgment. How could that wall be anything simple?

“No. That thing is strange beyond words.”

Without Sister Light Dust, I definitely wouldn’t be able to get out.”

“You answer rather readily. You don’t think poorly of yourself, at least.”

“No, no, no. That’s called knowing oneself. If I’ve suffered losses before, then at least I ought to learn something useful from them, right?”

“You little imp.” Light Dust hooked a finger under Shattered Jade’s nose and shook her head helplessly. “Come on. Good or bad, we’ll go in and come out together.”

“Mm.” Shattered Jade answered with a sweet, obedient smile, full of innocent charm. And with the Wind-Settling Pearl in play, the ferocious winds here were reduced to little more than decoration.

After walking on and on for about an hour, they finally saw the lakeside manor.

It was still a place where fallen leaves carpeted the ground like brocade, while slender branches sighed in the wind with nowhere to lean. The real Shade Mountain Lake was a strange land indeed, where the turning of the seasons had long since gone out of order. No spring, no summer, no winter—only the golden autumn and its howling gales.

Lifting her gaze to study the manor before them, Shattered Jade suddenly leaned close to Light Dust’s ear and whispered, “Sister Light Dust, there’s only one person in that house.”

“Oh? How do you know?”

“That... maybe it’s because I’m a little different. Ever since I was small, my senses have been sharper than most people’s.”

“Then can you tell how strong that person is?”

“Yes. Stronger than me. But with you here, Sister, the two of us together should have no trouble.”

Light Dust nodded and silently praised her. The girl indeed had some unusual gift.

“Do not be careless,” she said. “You’ll only suffer for it.”

Shattered Jade lowered her head and stuck out her tongue, utterly playful. “Hee hee. I’ll correct myself next time, next time.” Then she urged, “Come on, let’s go in quickly.”

“Very well.”

In truth, besides the three fiends, there had once been two others at Shade Mountain Lake, one of whom was Wan’er. Not long ago, however, Spooner had gone out and been slain by White Crane, and before long she herself had become someone else’s meal.

Thus, after the three fiends departed, only one person remained to hold the place.

Shattered Jade searched several rooms in succession and found nothing at all. By now, only two places remained unchecked.

One was the room of the person presently inside, and it was not a good time to disturb them. The other was the iron gate with the lock on it...

“Sister Light Dust, do we go in?”

“We go.”

Just as the two of them passed through the iron gate, a streak of afterimage suddenly darted in after them.

At the same time, the several people waiting beside Solitary Shade Bridge each split away to guard their own corner.

Only Mulberry withdrew into the woods and, without a sound, released a wooden bird.

Meanwhile, a voice came from behind him: “Mulberry, what are you doing?”

Mulberry jumped in alarm. When he saw it was Quiet Person, he quickly steadied himself and turned around. “Nothing. I just thought I saw something flying that way a moment ago.

I was about to go take a look. Weren’t you supposed to be guarding the east side? What are you doing here with me?”

Quiet Person was unhurried. “What a coincidence. I also thought I saw something fly this way, and I was worried it might be one of the three fiends’ tricks, so I decided to come over and have a look.

Oh, I nearly forgot: before coming here, I already informed White Crane about it.”

“Hahaha, what a coincidence. Quiet Person’s carefulness truly inspires admiration.” As he spoke, he clasped his hands behind his back and quietly dispersed his vital force.

Then, with a face full of calm indifference, he chatted and laughed as if nothing were amiss.

He even looked at Quiet Person with hidden intent and asked, “I wonder whether Quiet Person has found anything. Did you see clearly what flew over?”

But Quiet Person did not answer directly. Instead, he smiled and replied brightly, “Then tell me, Mulberry, do you think I ought to have found something? Should I have seen it clearly?”

That answer was interesting indeed—half true, half false. Mulberry could not tell at all how much he had seen, or whether he was testing him.

After weighing the matter, he knew it was not wise to tear the mask away now. So he lowered his head and gave a soft laugh. “I had only ever heard you were a rather dull fellow. I never expected you to have such a witty side. It seems we may well have much in common.”

“Kind words. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first.”

“No need for escort.”

“Much obliged.”

Quiet Person circled back to the east side. Only after confirming that Mulberry had not followed in secret did he slowly let out a stale breath.

As he thought it over, uncertainty rose in his mind. White Crane and Mulberry shared a bond that had been forged through life-and-death trials. Even if he spoke the truth, how much of it would the other man believe?

And besides, no one else had witnessed anything.

If he told them outright, he might even be accused of slandering an innocent man.

For someone who urgently needed help right now, that would be truly foolish. After a struggle in his heart, he decided to set the matter aside for the time being.

He would wait until the moment was ripe, and then make his move.

What Quiet Person did not know was that, while he was relieved Mulberry had not followed him, the man himself had already crept close by.

So long as Quiet Person showed the slightest intention of telling White Crane the truth, Mulberry would strike and end his life.

It was only because he had been cautious that he escaped this calamity.

Mulberry returned empty-handed, but once a secret had been discovered, it meant someone else had seized hold of his lifeline.

“Quiet Person, should I let you live?”

Or should I find a chance to eliminate you?

As he considered whether to remove Quiet Person, Shattered Jade and Light Dust encountered a crisis of the utmost peril.

After entering a dim passage, the two of them found an underground secret prison. What met their eyes and ears was horrifying beyond words.

There was no time for a careful search. Light Dust swept her sleeve and first collected the mountainlike heap of eerie white bones. Then, turning back, she struck out with a fierce palm.

At once, the secret prison shattered with a crack, and stones of all sizes collapsed with thunderous force.

“Go.”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Shattered Jade turned back in alarm. “Sister Light Dust, that man is chasing us.”

Light Dust halted abruptly, spun around, and drew the Four Symbols Lute into her hand. Her slender fingers hooked the strings.

With a sudden, sharp twang, the soundwave turned into a blade and went straight for her opponent’s throat.

The man was broad and rough-featured, dressed like a kitchen fireman. He casually ripped the sweat cloth from his neck and twisted the blade aside with both hands, flinging it away.

Stamping one foot, he drove up two bronze mallets from the earth, seized one in each hand, and smashed down with thunderous force. Immediately after, with several booming crashes, earth spikes surged forth like lightning, forcing the two women to leap upward into the air.

The fireman then brought both mallets together, summoning wind and thunder in a sudden downpour. Violet flames engulfed the two women from all sides.

Seeing this, Shattered Jade wielded her twin swords and struck in concert. Behind her, a shadowy form neither fully human nor fully monstrous opened its mouth and blew out a strange wind, sending the violet flames who knew where.

Then she snapped sharply, “You round-faced, thick-necked brute, do you really think this lady can’t eat meat?”

With that, she stepped onto her right foot with her left, and in a crane-like leap soared nine skies high, sword light cold and murderous.

“Ha... what a mouth on you. Even a yellow-haired little girl knows how to eat meat? If you’re that hungry, let grandpa have a good taste of you. I’ll make sure you learn what real meat is.”

“You... you’re shameless.”

“Shameless? Grandfather here has even more shameless ways. I just don’t know which part you’d like to see, little girl.”

The fireman spat. Then he shouted, “Daring to cause trouble at Shade Mountain Lake—both of you are truly one of a kind.

Speak. Who sent you?”

The moment the words fell, the two mallets collided, bursting out strange arcs of electricity that shattered the shadow behind Shattered Jade in an instant.

“Pfft...”

“Be careful.”

Light Dust flung out a white silk ribbon to wrap around Shattered Jade, sending her away. “Go find the others. Quickly.”

“But Sister, you...” Shattered Jade clutched her chest and coughed up a little fresh blood.

“He cannot hurt me. Go at once.”

As she spoke, Light Dust sent the Wind-Settling Pearl into the girl’s embrace.

The fireman saw Shattered Jade step onto Solitary Shade Bridge and had no intention of allowing it. If he let her escape, not only would the three fiends spare him when they returned, even the demon child would flay him alive.

In an instant, he lifted his mallets and feinted. Then, at a speed beyond belief, he flashed past Light Dust and roared, “Earth-Splitting Golden Melon!”

“You want to make a move? Did you ask me first?”

Light Dust plucked the strings several times. The sound waves howled like a gale, instantly striking the fireman so hard he somersaulted backward, and his attack collapsed at once into scattered sand.

The fireman rose from the ground and wiped the blood from his face. “Interesting. I misjudged you.

I had planned to kill the two of you and be done with it. But now... I’ve changed my mind. To let you die so simply would be far too kind.

Hahaha, beauty, you’re still a maiden, aren’t you? Don’t worry. Grandfather will let you understand the bliss of becoming a woman before I send you on your way.

As for that little girl, I won’t forget her either.”

At those words, Light Dust’s delicate face was instantly filled with killing intent.

This brute was far too insolent. If she did not teach him a lesson, her rage would not be stilled.

“Late Mountain, Dusk Green.”

The fireman felt the sky change above him and heard the whistling clash of metal on metal. He hurriedly ducked and tried to retreat, but he was still a step too late.

His face was slashed with four or five gashes at once, blood streaming down his cheeks without end.

Before he could recover, Light Dust twisted her fingers and drove the strings again. The ringing notes were crystal-clear, yet they sounded like hellish specters come to claim a life.

Countless chains tightened around his throat, cutting off his breath. Gradually, the bronze mallets in his hands turned to earth and sank back into the ground.

Half-conscious, the fireman clutched one hand around the iron chains, refusing to let them cinch tighter, while with the other he hurled a signal flare into the sky.

At once, brilliant colors bloomed over Shade Mountain Lake, dazzling and gorgeous.

“Seeking death.”

Light Dust’s brows knit faintly. She tightened her hand and finished the fireman off.

Then, leaving only a streak of afterimage behind her, she pursued them onto Solitary Shade Bridge.

After Light Dust left, the fireman’s corpse suddenly turned into a heap of mud. When the wind blew, dust scattered across the ground.

Seeing Light Dust arrive, Shattered Jade cried with joy, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Sister Light Dust, y-you’re all right. W-w-wah... that’s wonderful.”

“Didn’t I tell you to leave? Why didn’t you go?”

If you delay when you should go, later you may not be able to leave at all.

“I did go, but I couldn’t break through that gray thing. Still, I sent out a message with the bad man’s wooden bird. They should be finding a way too.”

Shattered Jade explained in a rush, having never before seen Light Dust this angry.

At once she looked wronged, like a child who had done something bad. She had not meant to disobey. It was just that she could not bear to leave Light Dust alone.

But if she stayed, she could not beat the fireman, and going would only have made her a burden. So she simply crouched here at the bridgehead and waited.

Who could have expected Light Dust to be so furious?

Seeing her like that, Light Dust felt both heartache and irritation. She stepped forward, took Shattered Jade’s hand, and patted it gently. “I’m sorry. It was Sister’s fault. I blamed you wrongly.”

“Mm...” Shattered Jade lowered her head and shook it slightly, but tears still kept falling, unbidden.

“Let’s go. If we’re late, I’m afraid it’ll be hard to leave at all.” Light Dust lifted her sleeve and wiped the tears from the little girl’s face.

Shattered Jade looked up in confusion. “That man isn’t dead?”

“No. I’ll explain on the way. Now come with me. Quickly!”

“Oh, oh... huh? Sister Light Dust, slow down a little.”