Chapter 73: Chapter 72: Another Bountiful Harvest for the Heaven and Earth Scale

The moment the sky darkened, a slight commotion rippled through the convoy.

As the wind picked up, a hand materialized from thin air, landing on the shoulder of a person at the rear of the convoy.

Unable to resist, the man glanced back instinctively.

What did he see?

No one knew. All they saw was that in the instant he turned, his eyes flew wide open. Then, he tore open his throat and let out a bloodcurdling scream: "AH—!"

The horrifying shriek echoed through the rear of the convoy, and the crowd instantly erupted into chaos.

This was despite the recent warning from the Escort Masters of the Situong Escort Agency: do not look back, do not speak, ignore anyone shouting, and do not enter the mountainside—just charge forward without stopping.

But human instinct is not so easily controlled. Some people simply lack the willpower. Even if they understood the warnings, they couldn’t stop themselves from making a mistake.

One scream triggered more, and in the chaos, the panicked crowd began to run and stampede in every direction.

Under the darkening sky, the Escort Flag whipped about in the cold wind as the Escort Masters and Porters of the Situong Escort Agency protected their cargo—

And what was this cargo? It was the members of several wealthy families who had paid a hefty sum in gold and silver and other treasures.

These people were at the front, urging on their mounts, whether horse or carriage, and galloping onward without a moment’s rest.

The Chief Leader’s Qi Blood surged through his body, rising like a column of wolf smoke. He held a long spear in one hand, its tip flashing with a cold light. In his other, astonishingly, he carried a slender White Candle.

A tiny, pea-sized flame burned faintly at the tip of the slender candle. As the convoy galloped on, wind buffeting and shadows dancing, the flame swayed, looking as if it might be extinguished at any moment!

A sense of panic began to spread through the convoy. It was inevitable.

In the chaos, some people went against the Escort Masters’ warnings. Driven by an indescribable terror, they fled from the path and plunged into the mountains. There was nothing to be done.

Inside her carriage, Song Ciwan threw open the front curtain. She saw Yu Lin, seated on the driver’s shaft, his muscles taut. The brown horse pulling the carriage thrashed its hooves wildly, and the carriage was about to veer off course!

Yu Lin, however, was completely oblivious. He had committed the Escort Masters’ words to memory: don’t look back, don’t shout, don’t enter the mountainside, just charge forward without stopping.

And he was doing just that, charging forward with all his might.

A cacophony of chaotic sounds assaulted his ears. There were terrified screams, but also a strange, ghostly weeping and low murmurs. It felt as if pairs of gentle hands were pulling at him, a sweet voice calling out, "Come, my love, come to me..."

Yu Lin’s Qi Blood roiled within him, but he kept his mouth clamped shut, ignoring everything.

But in his daze, two roads suddenly appeared before him. One led straight ahead, while the other forked to the left.

His face flushed and his vision blurred, a feverish heat spreading through his body, Yu Lin didn’t hesitate. He cracked his whip, urging the horse to gallop forward.

NEIGH—

The horse shrieked, rearing up before breaking into a frenzied gallop.

But Yu Lin failed to notice that after the horse’s cry, they had already begun to stray from the path.

He thought the carriage was still racing straight ahead, but in reality, it was careening toward the mountainside!

In a flash, Song Ciwan raised a hand. Channeling her Qi Absorption Technique, she sent a flicker of Finger Wind striking the horse’s head.

The horse cried out in pain, involuntarily rearing up and redirecting itself back onto the proper path.

Song Ciwan’s fingers moved again, lightly forming a hand seal.

A strand of Blazing Flame, infused with the Heart Sutra Fire of the Samadhi True Flame, shot forth. The fire stretched through the air like a red ribbon, flowing as smoothly as water.

The air filled with the SIZZLE of something burning, followed by a faint, bizarre, and indescribably pained cry.

Yu Lin snapped out of his trance, his mouth flying open to scream.

Another wisp of qi tapped gently against his throat, forcing the scream back down.

He clamped his mouth shut, a cold sweat breaking out across his back.

RUMBLE... The wheels turned as the convoy sped onward. Yu Lin, having guided the carriage back onto the path, no longer dared to listen to the sounds around him. He just gripped the reins and drove for all he was worth.

Yu Lin noticed the path ahead seemed less difficult to travel. Through the dim haze, a faint glimmer of light seemed to be guiding them forward.

Of course, he had no idea that this was mainly because Song Ciwan was continuously casting her Blazing Flame Technique and Heart Sutra Fire from within the carriage.

Inside the carriage, Song Ciwan sat closest to the door. Behind her, Aunt Jin Hua held Ah Chan in a tight embrace, one hand covering her daughter’s eyes and the other her mouth. Both mother and daughter were trembling with terror.

But they, too, remembered the Escort Masters’ warnings and managed not to turn their heads or cry out.

As the carriage sped on, they at least had it better than those behind who were forced to travel on foot.

Song Ciwan also managed not to cry out or look back.

Though she possessed some Cultivation, she wasn’t so arrogant as to ignore the Escort Masters’ warnings.

’There are many strange things in this world,’ she thought. ’It’s best to maintain a healthy sense of reverence for what you don’t understand.’

Cold Hill Mountain gave Song Ciwan a very oppressive feeling. It seemed as though some indescribable, Forbidden presence dwelled in its depths—something that must not be touched.

’But that didn’t mean I should do nothing at all,’ Song Ciwan thought. ’The Escort Masters only said not to look back and not to speak. They never said I couldn’t use fire.’

The Chief Leader was clearing the path up ahead, his Qi Blood burning so hot that a strange, scorched smell lingered in the air wherever he passed.

Song Ciwan started by tentatively flicking out small bursts of fire. Then, as she sent out another flame, the Heaven and Earth Scale materialized.

Collected a wisp of Qi: [Scattered Mountain Charm Ghost Spirit, two taels and three maces. Exchangeable.]

’So those invisible, intangible things in the air causing all the chaos are Mountain Charms?’

Once the mystery was unveiled, they no longer seemed quite as terrifying.

Song Ciwan released a continuous stream of fire, and the Heaven and Earth Scale collected again and again: [Scattered, chaotic Ghost Spirit, one tael and five maces. Exchangeable.]

[Scattered, chaotic Malice, three taels and two maces. Exchangeable.]

[Scattered Mountain Charm Death Qi, two taels and one mace. Exchangeable.]

[Scattered, chaotic Yin Qi, three taels and one mace. Exchangeable.]

...

Song Ciwan’s eyes brightened, and she discreetly increased the intensity of her flames.

A ribbon of light formed by the Spirit Flame now drifted along the hazy, dim mountain path.

When the people at the rear saw the light ahead, the quick-witted ones immediately started running toward it.

Others, unable to contain their excitement, cried out in joy, "There’s a light over there! Quick—"

But before he could finish his joyful shout, the man collapsed without another sound.

Some learned their lesson and ran on, clamping their hands over their mouths. Others grew even more panicked, letting out a series of shrieks that only created more chaos.

From within the mountains, a melancholic voice seemed to echo ethereally: "Come... what is so good about the Mortal World? It is filled with nothing but drudgery and sorrow. Why not stay and share the pure tranquility of this mountain with me?"

"Stay... stay..."

"Hee hee hee..."

Amid the hazy mountain shadows, a figure seemed to materialize. It wore magnificent robes with wide sleeves, its skin a stiff, deathly white. Its hair was pulled into a high chignon, and its lips were painted black.

It wore a pair of Cloud Platform Shoes and waved a Golden Round Fan. The figure appeared both light and ethereal, yet also heavy and stiff.

Swaying with each step, she descended from the mountain peak to its base.

But she could not cross the line at the mountain’s base. She could not step onto the road of the Mortal World. All she could do was gaze out wistfully from the mist, fanning herself and sighing.

An unknown amount of time passed. The chaotic pleas to stay seemed to still echo in their ears when the sky ahead suddenly brightened. The dark clouds had scattered.

At that exact moment, the White Candle in the Chief Leader’s hand burned down to nothing. He let out a soft sigh and glanced behind him.

The Escort Masters behind him shouted, "We’ve crossed Cold Hill Mountain! Everyone, rest for a moment! Huailing City is not far ahead!"