Where Immortals Once Walked-Chapter 399: The Scent of a Conspiracy

The merchants, after hearing this, raised no objections. These diplomatic missions were all led by foreign envoys, and so long as they were within the borders of the State of Baoshu, the escort troops were responsible for their personal safety.

“Are they really in that much of a hurry to head back?”

“Who knows?” Xu Dongdong shrugged his shoulders. “All I know is that the State of Baixiang is simply too far away. Last time, when our king celebrated his 750th birthday, Baixiang sent a plumed crane monster to deliver their congratulations. I heard it took seven or eight days just to fly one way. This time, the gifts Baixiang sent are both numerous and heavy, so the crane monster couldn’t possibly carry them all this way. If they transport everything by land instead, it’ll take at least forty to fifty days.”

With the escort troops clearing the way up front, even though an imperial nectar eruption had just occurred, no blind or suicidal bandits dared to show themselves.

The journey passed in exceptional peace. Before long, they had crossed Fanshi Corner.

Reaching this landmark meant that they had officially left the outer suburbs of Fufeng City. Xu Dongdong could only escort them as far as this point. He took his leave from He Lingchuan and the others, then turned back for home.

“Hopefully, in a few months’ time, I’ll have the chance to work alongside Brother He,” he said before leaving.

* * *

Several more peaceful and uneventful days passed.

He Lingchuan remained on high alert, yet the road ahead grew wider by the day, and the number of traveling merchants steadily increased. It was clear that the surrounding region was peaceful, free of disaster or unrest.

By his reckoning, the State of Shanyu’s delegation should already have departed eastward under Fufeng City’s escort. So whose target, exactly, was Fushan Yue aiming for?

If it were the envoy from the State of Shanyu, then he should have gone east with them. That would mean splitting off from the escort heading north, and He Lingchuan’s group should not encounter him at all. Fushan Yue was adept at killing snakes, but whether that enormous python from Shanyu could make it back home alive was anyone’s guess.

But if the target were the spirit seed, then Fushan Yue might very well be nearby!

The Soul-Stealing Mirror began fidgeting again. Its master remained calm and unhurried, but it could no longer restrain its itching impatience. “If Fushan Yue doesn’t show up, are we really just going to give up on the spirit seed? Come on, let’s try once, just once! Have the captain of the escort unit look into me. If I successfully capture his soul, then he’ll willingly offer up the seed.”

“With just you?” He Lingchuan shot it down without a second thought. “Dream on. They’re protected by origin energy. You managed to bewitch Wu Jinsong and the others only because they were far from home and their resistance was weak.”

The members of the escort unit were all shielded by origin energy. Their resistance against spells, divine techniques, poisons, and curses was extremely high, and even physical attacks from martial artists were partially mitigated.

It was not impossible to seize their souls, but only if they were utterly exhausted, weakened, and demoralized. Only then would success be possible. Origin energy, after all, was not omnipotent.

Moreover, the spirit seed possessed powerful vitality and could not be stored inside spatial rings. Unless the escort unit had access to Songyang Mansion’s mustard seed storage techniques, the only option was for the captain to carry the seed on his person.

Moreover, the captain of the escort unit clearly understood how important it was. He was constantly surrounded by five or six guards, his protection airtight.

“If Fushan Yue doesn’t come, there’s no point in you fretting,” He Lingchuan concluded.

The Soul-Stealing Mirror let out a long, drawn-out sigh.

At this point, the farmlands flanking the official road grew sparse. Gone was the endless sea of wheat ears swaying in the wind. In their place, grasslands and tundra gradually took over, and sheer rock faces began to dominate the landscape.

He Lingchuan had often traveled across the Chipa Highland, and he knew this terrain well. It marked the transition from a plain to a highland, a clear sign that the elevation was steadily increasing.

Second Boss Shi also explained that the caravan was indeed traveling across a highland. The ground here was at least one hundred and eighty feet higher than Fufeng City, and they would continue climbing as they went.

This was evident from the thinning vegetation.

Further on, scenes of mountain ranges like dragons, and of solitary trees leaning against the setting sun, became commonplace.

This region was known as the Gale Tundra.

Although both were highlands, this area differed greatly from the Chipa Highland. The latter was moist and mild, a paradise for flowers, grasses, fruits, and vegetables. The Gale Tundra, as its name suggested, was battered year-round by fierce winds. Grass managing to cling to cracks in the rock was already impressive, and there was almost no chance for delicate crops to survive here.

The official road wound through the mountains like a dragon, sometimes clinging to lofty ridgelines.

Those traveling along it needed only a glance to either side to see slopes plunging far down.

Even so, the mountain road was built broad and level, with guardrails installed along both sides to prevent accidents. It was remarkably considerate.

As the convoy advanced, elevation increased, and temperatures dropped.

With the sixth month approaching, frost actually formed on tree branches in the early morning.

Looking toward the high peaks, snow remained year-round, blanketing them in white.

People’s breath began to puff out in visible clouds. The Stone Gate Merchant Caravan, seasoned by experience, quickly distributed padded cotton clothing.

Villages and towns on the highland were few and far between; there was perhaps one every thirty to forty kilometers, nothing like the dense clusters of the plains. Here, time had to be carefully managed to avoid missing lodging for the night.

Fortunately, the escort unit planned ahead even better than the merchants. As long as everyone followed closely, there was nothing to worry about.

That day, they reached Heiyan Stockade before nightfall, finally finding shelter from the wind and rain.

Heiyan Stockade had once been a small settlement of just over a hundred people. But as this trade route matured and prospered, it grew into a roadside hub. Now, more than eight hundred residents live here, most making their living by serving passing merchants and travelers.

Spaciousness had its advantages. With plenty of land, expansion was easy. Heiyan Stockade now had over three hundred wooden buildings, some of which were standalone cabins, while others were large communal lodgings that could accommodate twenty to thirty people. The escort troops, diplomatic missions, and merchant caravans all fit comfortably.

There was only one problem: everything was expensive.

High lodging fees and costly meals were understandable. After all, local grain yields were poor, and most supplies had to be imported.

But even using the latrine required payment. Whether it be eating, drinking, or even relieving oneself, they all cost money.

Heiyan Stockade tightly controlled the only water source within a fifteen-kilometer radius, fearing contamination. Absolutely no relieving oneself at random was permitted.

He Lingchuan and Second Boss Shi sat down to eat at an eatery, and He Lingchuan immediately felt as though he had returned to the days when he was in the cafeteria back in school.

This was the largest eatery in Heiyan Stockade, and right now, it was packed with at least three hundred diners.

The caravan chose this place because the food was decent, reasonably priced, and, most importantly, crowded places were warmer.

The caravan hands could afford little more than roasted yams, maybe paired with a bowl of hot noodle-skin soup. Second Boss Shi and He Lingchuan ordered sheep-blood sausage soup to warm themselves, along with buns stuffed with mixed wild mushrooms. There was not a shred of meat inside, yet the flavor was surprisingly good.

After a full day on the road, they were slurping noisily when three guards approached from behind and began packing big cuts of meat as takeaway food.

He Lingchuan recognized them as members of the spirit seed escort unit, likely lower-ranking ones who handled errands for their superiors.

He tilted his ear to listen, and they turned out to be just as he suspected.

One of them complained, “Those envoys have hands and feet of their own. Why do they order us around every single day?”

Another laughed and said, “Who says they’ve got hands and feet? That envoy from the State of Xuluo—”

“Shh!” The third, who appeared to be of the more serious type, cut him off. “There are too many ears around here. Don’t talk nonsense.”

The first guard chuckled. “What’s there to be afraid of others hearing? If anything, that envoy from the State of Chiyan is the suspicious one. He’s always hiding his face. Every night, he stays in his room and never comes out. What, is he a gecko or a mountain ghost, afraid of the light?”

The second guard yawned, looking exhausted. “After we bring the food back, we still have to test it for poison. If they don’t trust it, why don’t they come get it themselves?”

They packed up and left. Second Boss Shi took a bite of his bun and said, “I’ve spoken with the envoy from the State of Xuluo before, but I’ve only seen the Chiyan envoy twice. He really doesn’t appear in public. I’ve heard his carriage and quarters are always guarded, and no one’s allowed near.”

Just then, a runner hurried in from outside, his expression grave, and reported to Second Boss Shi, “Word from up ahead: two days ago, there was a rockslide at Mount Ping, and the official road collapsed. They say repairs will take at least half a month.”

A rockslide meant a landslide, and those really were common enough in these towering highlands.

Repairing roads and bridges in the highlands was no easy matter. Second Boss Shi’s brow furrowed. “We can’t afford to wait fifteen or sixteen days here. Go ask how the escort unit plans to proceed. My guess is they’ll detour through Mount Fengmo[1].”

He turned to He Lingchuan and froze. “Eh? Brother He, why are you smiling?” And smiling so happily, at that.

“Nothing.” He Lingchuan coughed lightly. “What kind of place is this Mount Fengmo?” Just its name alone sounds intriguing.

More importantly, he thought that he had caught a faint whiff of conspiracy.

Otherwise, why would there be a rockslide in Mount Ping now of all times?

The Soul-Stealing Mirror trembled with excitement. “Is Fushan Yue finally making his move? Is he?!”

It had been anxious the entire way, terrified that Fushan Yue would not show up.

He Lingchuan patted it, telling it to calm down. Nothing was certain yet.

“Seven years ago, Mount Ping suddenly collapsed, and the terrain shifted. That’s when the authorities took the opportunity to open a new official road northward. Before that, everyone had to pass through Mount Fengmo, which was the only route north,” Second Boss Shi said with a laugh. “Don’t let the name scare you. It’s actually very safe. The Stone Gate Merchant Caravan has passed through four or five times. If we can reach it before sunrise tomorrow, you’ll be in for quite a sight.”

Just then, an old man from the eatery came over to clear plates and said with a grin, “I’m from Mount Fengmo myself. I used to gather herbs up there when I was younger. After my leg went bad, I came here instead.”

He Lingchuan noticed the man limped slightly. He handed him a dozen copper coins. “Sir, please bring us two more baskets of fried buns.”

The old man sold fried buns too. The buns were tasty and greasy, but pricey. Ordinary caravan hands were not fond of buying them.

The old man grinned, which showed that he was missing two teeth, and he then said, “Coming right up!”

He returned with two baskets piled so high they were almost overflowing. “Gave you two extra, on the house.”

“Tell me about Mount Fengmo,” said He Lingchuan. Locals always know more.

“That’s my old home. The wind’s even fiercer than here. But the mountain produces snow lotus and yellow jade ginseng, both highly valuable medicinal herbs. Crops won’t grow there, so when we were young, we made a living gathering herbs.”

“Yellow jade ginseng really is outrageously expensive,” He Lingchuan agreed. One of the auxiliary ingredients for refining the Hundred Virtues Pill was exactly that. A single strip no longer than a finger could sell for ten taels of silver.

Harvested in such harsh conditions, its price was naturally high.

The old man smacked his lips. “Mount Fengmo used to belong to the immortal sect called the Ethereal Sect[2]. It later turned into a Daoist sect, but the name never changed. The sect itself isn’t anything special, but it raised a terrifying monster they called the ‘Wind Demon.’ It often came down the mountain and caused trouble, tearing roofs apart, and even carrying off living people.”

“The Wind Demon of Mount Fengmo?”[3]

1. Feng and Mo in Fengmo literally translate to wind and demon respectively. ☜

2. Note that what is translated as Ethereal here is Piaomiao (缥缈), which can also be translated as misty. ☜

3. Just a reminder that Wind Demon = Fengmo. ☜