Chapter 157: Ascending the Mountain

Su Jiu grabbed Ah Shu and Chang Huan with both hands and leaped into the air, piercing through the night sky. She hopped onto another tree as a flurry of arrows chased right after her, whizzing through the wind.

“Separate and flee!” Su Jiu pushed the two of them, before leaping up once again.

In that instance, the three of them split into three different directions.

Three against ten thousand; they were not so stupid as to confront them head-on, knowing that it would only lead to death. Hence, fleeing with their lives was the most vital thing in their minds.

They had already achieved their goal of delaying the Naye troops, and right now, they had to preserve their lives!

Hopefully, the city guards from Youzhou would be able to catch up in time.

“Kill them!”

At that moment, He Da was enraged and had long lost his reasoning. He no longer cared about Yanyun Pass, and wholeheartedly wished to slaughter Su Jiu and her men to take revenge on behalf of his soldiers!

The Naye soldiers divided into three groups to hunt them down.

…

Just outside Youzhou City, Wei Tan brought the men to the city walls. A shadowy figure burst forward and exclaimed anxiously, “Master Wei, our Chief sent me to tell you that the Naye troops have already passed by Wolong Bridge!”

Wei Tan deliberated for a few minutes, before nodding his head. “Alright, I got it!”

After he said this, he sprung up onto the city wall and directly jumped over to bypass the gates.

It was a peculiar time of war with the foreign clans, and the city was on their toes. Even though it was already deep into the night, the soldiers guarding the city gates were still wide awake, vigilantly scrutinizing the movements of their surroundings.

When Wei Tan and his men descended the wall, their movements were immediately spotted. Someone shouted, “Who’s there?!” Within a few breaths, they were surrounded by torches and people who brandished their swords at them.

“We are citizens of Daliang, from Youzhou!” Wei Tan urgently explained, before stepping forward and continuing, “I am Wei Tan, the Chief Guard of the Ji Manor’s merchants. Today, we uncovered the tracks of the Naye soldiers outside the city, and we have an urgent matter to report to the governor and the head of the Youzhou City Guard!”

The guard-in-charge inspected Wei Tan from head to toe, before ordering his men to watch over them and commanding one of the soldiers to invite the head of the Youzhou City Guard, Lou Sheng.

Within the time it would take to burn a stick of incense, Luo Sheng walked over briskly, with a few bodyguards following behind him. When he saw Wei Tan and his men, he immediately ordered the soldiers to sheath their weapons, before speaking, “This general recognizes you. You’re Wei Tan, from the Ji Manor!”

“Yes!” Wei Tan brought his fists together, and immediately conveyed the information about the Naye soldiers crossing River Gugu and their impending sneak attack on Yanyun Pass.

Luo Sheng was shocked, and his eyes eluded a sense of urgency. “Are you certain that it’s the Naye army?”

“Yes, I am very sure!” Wei Tan confirmed.

Luo Sheng nodded his head. If Wei Tan’s words were accurate, taking into consideration the speed of the Naye soldiers on horseback, the Naye soldiers would already have arrived at Yanyun Pass even if Wei Tan and his men had rushed over.

Wei Tan immediately told him about Su Jiu and her men, who had planned to intercept them to buy time.

Luo Sheng frowned. “Three people? How is it possible for them to block the twenty thousand Naye soldiers? This general will immediately report this to the governor, and lead the troops out to Yanyun Pass!”

Wei Tan and Luo Sheng sped towards the governor’s office together. He was worried that the Naye soldiers had already broken into Yanyun Pass, and was even concerned about the safety of Su Jiu and her men.

If the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor met any mishaps in Youzhou, there would be no need to explain anything to the Eldest Master, as he could just directly take his own life as a punishment for his sins.

Inside the governor’s office, since the matter at hand was an emergency, Luo Sheng could not afford to report their presence and directly led them into the rear courtyard instead.

The governor, Huang Zhongxiao, resided in the rear courtyard with his family members. Since it was midnight, apart from the patrolling guards, everyone else was already sleeping, and the entire courtyard was shrouded in silence.

The guards went to knock on the door. “Governor Lord, there is an urgent matter to report!”

At that exclamation, the sound of footsteps could instantly be heard from inside the room.

It appeared as though this governor had maintained utmost vigilance even in his dreams.

When the door was opened, Governor Huang, who was still dressed in his inner robes, was astonished when he saw Wei Tan and Luo Sheng. He asked, “General Luo, what’s the matter?”

Did the Naye Army attack Youzhou?”

Luo Sheng stepped forward to say, “Just now, Chief Guard Wei came with a report. The Naye soldiers guarding the base of Mount Hala are now on the way to mount a sneak attack on Yanyun Pass in the dead of the night. This general shall immediately send troops out, but even when the Naye soldiers retreat, their next move is still uncertain, and they might launch an attack on Youzhou. When I’m not around, you must make preparations to protect the city, Governor Lord!”

Governor Huang Zhongxiao’s expression changed instantly and he said solemnly, “Alright, General Luo Sheng, be rest assured. This Lord will protect Youzhou with my life, and I will not allow those Naye Soldiers to encroach a single step into Youzhou!”

“I must trouble you, Governor Lord!”

“General Luo Sheng, take care!”

The few of them departed the governor’s office, and Luo Sheng swiftly gathered thirty thousand troops before charging out of the city towards River Gugu.

On the way there, Zhao Xiong’s messenger relayed information regarding the coordinates of the Naye troops. Luo Sheng was quite surprised; he had fought the Naye army on numerous occasions and knew that their troops were especially fast on horseback. They were known to be the cheetahs of the grasslands, but it had already been three hours since Wei Tan had discovered their location. Why were they still halfway to their destination?

Had they truly been delayed by three people? That was incomprehensible!

They did not have the luxury to ponder over too deeply. Wei Tan became even more anxious as he charged in the direction of the Naye troops at the breakneck speed.

At this moment, the three of them were currently being surrounded and attacked by ten thousand men. Youzhou was located close to the borders of Northern Xinjiang, and the foliage was not as dense as that in the mountains. Since it was winter, the trees were completely devoid of leaves and unsuitable for hiding. The three of them could only borrow the darkness of night as their cover.

Ah Shu hopped onto another tree and was confronted by one of the Naye Soldiers. In that instant, a rain of arrows descended as the archers shot with intensity. Ah Shu grabbed onto the tree branches on his left and right to dodge, but in the chaos, something whizzed by. Before he could react, it was already too late.

Ah Shu’s entire body tensed up, and all the bloodstains on his body seemed to be frozen by the chilly Northern Xinjiang winds. He could not evade in time, and he could only raise his hand to block the approaching arrow as he shut his eyes to wait for it to pierce through his head.

Just as his life was hanging by a thread, a shadow suddenly darted forward like a gust of wind. A hand stretched forth and grasped that arrow that was on the verge of drilling through his head, before tossing it away.

A cry of panic was heard in the distance, and Ah Shu whipped his head in shock. “Chief!”

Su Jiu turned her back against Ah Shu. Standing there in the middle of that winter night, her starry eyes eluded frost. “Slaughter the enemies!”

“Yes, slaughter the enemies!” Ah Shu’s expression became imposing as he reached out to grab a flying arrow, before throwing it back at an approaching Naye soldier with force.

Cries of agony sounded, and at the same time, both of their positions were revealed.

“They are here!”

“Kill them!”

“Kill!”

…

Countless Naye soldiers roared as they swarmed over, with a force that could topple mountains and overturn seas. The arrows that they shot out reflected the gleaming winter glow, aimed accurately at the two of them on the tree.

Just then, a shadow weaved through the dense swarm of Naye soldiers and flying arrows, before stopping at Su Jiu and Ah Shu’s side.

Su Jiu defended against the rain of arrows while side-eyeing Chang Huan as she chided coldly, “Silly! The two of us have already been trapped by these arrows! Why are you still foolishly charging over?”

Chang Huan’s long sleeves seemed to dance in the air as he swatted the arrows away, protecting Su Jiu behind him and not allowing a single trace of wind to touch her. His handsome face was exceedingly solemn as he replied, “Boss and Ah Shu are both here, so how can I flee? I am a member of the Dragon Conqueror Gang! Even if we die, we need to die together!”

Su Jiu harrumphed softly. “These teensy Naye soldiers want to take my life? To hell with their illusory dream!”

After saying this, she grabbed a stray arrow in her hands before tossing it away. An archer in the distance immediately collapsed.

The three of them stood back to back, their movements were swift and decisive, akin to casting a spell together. Each of their actions was tacit and well-coordinated as they protected the backs of one another.

Immeasurable arrows continued to fly over; half were blocked and the other half was deflected, but the three people on the tree remained scot-free. The Naye soldiers in the forest had already been milled over like rice, with many collapsed on the ground. Fresh blood dripped out of their bodies and dyed the soil red, before leaking into River Gugu.

The pile of corpses was akin to a mountain, and He Da could not help but be aghast. This shock, however, did not translate to his desire to retreat. Instead, it drove him to a new level of madness. He continuously screamed out commands to attack, refusing to believe that these three people were an impenetrable iron wall.

As long as they were human, they would lose their strength in time. Even if he exhausted these ten thousand soldiers, he had to destroy the bodies of the people on the tree into a million pieces.

In addition to the heavy losses they suffered, the anger and despair He Da felt caused him to lose all traces of reason, as he desperately tried to drag Su Jiu and her men down with him.

After being surrounded for close to half an hour, Su Jiu and her men were indeed on the verge of losing all their strength. Ah Shu had been shot in the shoulder, and his hair was loose. His clothes were soaked with blood, but they still stood there, more valiant and indomitable than before. He lifted his head and guffawed.

“You dogs! Even if this grandpa here dies, I will drag you down with me to the gates of Hades!”

Su Jiu opened her mouth and caught an arrow that had grazed past her face, before leaping forward to swat an arrow that was approaching Ah Shu. She blocked half his body and attacked even more viciously, each assault containing a thunderous killing intent.

Chang Huan’s eyes were as sharp as icicles as he protected Su Jiu’s back at all times. Although his breathing had become chaotic, he did not shift his position in the slightest.

“Shoot for this general! Shoot them all down! With every one shot dead, this general will reward one thousand taels!” He Da had watched the stalemate go on, and although his men had fallen one by one, the people on the three were still standing. He gradually lost his patience and started to hiss with even more fury!

As soon as he finished speaking, the blanket of arrows became even denser. The sound of the whizzing arrows was like a drum of thunder, disrupting the cold and silent atmosphere, coupled with cries of agony from time to time.

Just as He Da was panicking, he heard the faint sound of something approaching at breakneck speed. It sounded like tens of thousands of troops galloping over, causing the ground to tremble like an earthquake.

His complexion changed, and a strange sense of fear bloomed in his heart. Just as he was about to order his soldiers to a ceasefire so he could better hear the sound, he saw his guard scramble over on horseback. As he got closer, he tumbled on the ground, possibly due to fright, before crawling up in a panic and shouting.

“General, bad news, bad news! The Daliang troops have arrived!”

His voice reverberated in the foliage. The archers widened their eyes in shock, instantly forgetting what they were doing as they turned their heads one by one to face He Da.

One by one, they paused, and gradually, every single archer stopping shooting. They all perked their ears to listen to that ear-piercing sound of the horses cantering.

He Da’s complexion instantly paled, and true fear finally swept away all the fury and madness in his heart. His voice trembled as he ordered haphazardly, “Retreat! I command everyone to retreat!”

Without caring about the people on the tree, the Naye soldiers scampered in all four directions, pushing and pulling while stepping over their comrades’ corpses as they fled for their lives.

Su Jiu and her men heaved a long breath as they watched the Naye Soldiers being expelled out of the woods like directionless mice.

“A group of scrums!” Ah Shu sneered.

Suddenly, the group of Naye soldiers, who had retreated to the east, scrambled back and shouted in panic, “There are Daliang soldiers up ahead! We have been surrounded!”

“Disperse! Quickly disperse!”

“Where is the general? Where is General He?”

…

The Naye soldiers were reduced to a mess as they scurried in fear and trepidation. There were even some men who fell into the river in their fluster, reducing themselves to fish food after sinking with a struggle.

Very soon, a tide of Daliang soldiers arrived and seemed to cover the sky and the lands. They raised their swords and cut down the Naye army, who appeared like headless flies. Their polished blades reflected the moonlight as they dyed the river water red with fresh blood.

This no longer seemed to be a war between two armies. Instead, it was a one-sided annihilation by the Daliang army as countless Naye soldiers fell pitifully. They had extracted the price that the Naye and Qiang Clan had to pay for being overly ambitious.

He Da had disappeared a long time ago, and the twenty thousand Naye soldiers were cleanly wiped out.

Bodies were stacked up, and amputated limbs littered the ground. The pungent smell of blood wafted out from the River Gugu, and at that instance, the gates of Hades were opened wide to receive those lives that had suddenly been cut down.

Even though Su Jiu and her men had grown up at the edge of the blade, it was their first time seeing the images of war. They could not help but be appalled by the scene presented to them, as they stood on top of the tree and watched the blood below them flow like a river. Their bodies were frozen in place.

“Young Mistress!”

“Young Mistress!”

“Master Su Jiu!”

In the distance, Wei Tan and Zhao Xiong, as well as their men, gathered together.

They had followed the Daliang soldiers to slaughter the enemies while searching for Su Jiu and her men at the same time. Their voices were drowned out by the war cries, no longer discernible.

Su Jiu and the other two restored some of their strength and heard the faint voice of Wei Tan. They leaped off the tree and followed in the direction of the voice.

“Young Mistress!”

When Wei Tan saw the three of them rush over, he became so emotional and wide-eyed. He casually cut off the head of a Naye soldier before pacing over and saying, “Young Mistress, you all aren’t hurt, right?”

“Nope!” Su Jiu’s crisp voice rang as she smiled.

At that moment, Zhao Xiong had also gathered there with his men. He looked at the three of them in admiration as he smiled and praised, “Master Jiu, you are truly awe-inspiring. Just now, when we arrived, everyone saw that those Naye soldiers in the river were already cooked into dumplings!”

Luo Sheng walked over and glanced at Su Jiu. A trace of astonishment flashed by his eyes, but he brought his fists together and said, “Many thanks to the Young Mistress for lending a helping hand to intercept those Naye soldiers. If not for you, the consequences would have been dire. This general will report your contributions!”

“No need! All the citizens of Daliang have to ward off foreign invaders!” Su Jiu’s face was stained with blood, but her lucent eyes continued to sparkle, just like the golden stars that had risen in the sky, radiant and glowing.

The sun was rising, and Su Jiu still had to return to the mountains, so she bade General Luo goodbye.

“This general heard Chief Guard Wei mention that the Young Mistress is preparing to enter the mountain to rescue General Hu. This general is willing to bring his men and follow along!” Luo Sheng said, before continuing, “General Hu was trapped at the Camelback Ridge, and I have been very worried. I did not dare to casually dispatch soldiers before, but now that half the Naye army has been annihilated, it will not be possible for them to launch another attack on Youzhou City. This general can now send his soldiers out to rescue the general!”

Su Jiu pondered for a while before answering, “There are still another ten thousand Naye soldiers at the base of the Camelback Ridge. If they decide to flee into the mountains, it might be disadvantageous to Da Pao. Why don’t we do this: I will first ascend the mountain to look for Da Pao, and when I rush down the mountain, General Luo can send his soldiers to the base to assist us!”

Luo Sheng’s eyes flashed and he smiled. “This is a good plan. Then this general shall kill the remaining Naye soldiers, and after doing a headcount, I will rush over to the Camelback Ridge and meet the Young Mistress there to rescue General Hu from the mountain!”

“Alright!”

Su Jiu agreed and brought her fists together before parting with Luo Sheng. Together with Wei Tan, Zhao Xiong, and their men, they rode their horses and sprinted towards Mount Hala.

After traveling for quite a distance, Chang Huan turned back and his eyes deepened.

When they entered the mountain and arrived at Madame Wang and her brother’s dwelling, the sky was already bright.

As they were stepping through the gates, Chang Huan walked up to Su Jiu and asked softly, “Boss, don’t you think that General Luo is a little strange?”

Su Jiu turned her head to look at him. “Which part is strange?”

Chang Huan shook his head. “I don’t know, I can’t seem to put my finger on it. But on the whole, I feel like something is wrong with this person!”

Su Jiu contemplated. Hu Dapao had been trapped on the mountain for such a long time, and Luo Sheng failed to send a single person to rescue him. It was indeed a little unreasonable, but his explanation had no flaws. As a general, it was natural to place greater importance on the whole picture.

After all, if Luo Sheng was a spy, why would he still send troops over to slaughter the Naye army?

Shaking her head, Su Jiu said, “No matter what kind of person he is, and no matter what his intentions are, we should go and meet Da Pao on the mountain first before deciding on what to do next!”

Even though they could not confirm anything, Su Jiu still had to prepare for their escape down the mountain.

Su Jiu turned her head back. “Ah Shu, how is the injury on your shoulder?”

“Brother Shu is wounded?” When Wei Tan heard Su Jiu’s words, he instantly looked back.

Ah Shu smiled without caring. “No problem! It’s just a small injury, nothing to fret about!”

As they were speaking among themselves, they had already walked into the courtyard. Madame Wang and her brother probably did not rest that night, and when they heard the voices, they immediately opened the door and walked out.

Wang Wengong wore a pair of straw sandals, and his pants were tied firmly in place. On his back, he carried a few rolls of rope and other climbing equipment. He spoke, “I have already made preparations, we can depart now!”

“Alright, many thanks!” Su Jiu thanked him once again, before turning her solemn eyes to look at the woman beside him. “Lady, rest assured, I will use my life to guarantee that I will send your younger brother back safe and sound!”

The woman nodded her head as tears welled up in her eyes. She said in between her sobs, “Thank you, benefactor!”

As she said this, she passed a cloth bundle to Su Jiu. “Inside are some dry rations that I’ve prepared just now. You should eat it on the way, make sure you don’t go hungry!”

Su Jiu received it and brought her hands together in thanks. She didn’t speak any further and turned around to leave.

Zhao Xiong, Wei Tan, and their men followed behind with big strides.

Wang Wengong also bade farewell to his sister and turned back to glance at the west wing of his hut once more. He saw his wife hugging his child, who was in deep sleep, as she gazed at him through the window.

His lips trembled, but in the end, he said nothing and walked out behind Su Jiu and the rest.

Outside the door, Wang Wengong walked forward and led the group to the hidden path that led into the Camelback Ridge.

Su Jiu divided the dry rations and only left a small portion for herself, putting it directly into her mouth.

Since the day before, these people who followed her did not seem to have eaten much. Climbing a mountain was a strenuous activity, and even if they were not full, they could not embark on an empty stomach.

Chang Huan secretly stuffed his portion into Su Jiu’s hands and smiled faintly. “I’m not hungry!”

Su Jiu shifted her head and realized that Ah Shu had also stuffed half a biscuit into her sleeve pocket without her knowing. He stalked off into the distance as though nothing had happened.

At that instance, Su Jiu felt as though they had returned to the times on Yuhu Mountain. Back then, they had nothing to eat, and one cob of corn was passed around like a hot potato. Finally, the kernels of corn were stripped off and placed into the pot to boil as porridge. In the end, they had forgotten to add water, and popcorn emerged from the pot as a result. They divided it among the five of them!

Su Jiu stored the two pieces of biscuit properly. Da Pao had been trapped on the mountain for so many days, and there was no knowing whether he had starved himself, so this portion of biscuit would be left for him.

It was currently winter, and the ground was littered with fallen withered leaves. When they stepped on the leaves, there would be a crunching sound.

Even though Wang Wengong did not know martial arts, he was very familiar with the mountain paths after all his experience gathering firewood, and he could thus walk at a fast pace. Wei Tan, Zhao Xiong, and the rest all had an inner strength, so naturally, they were not slow. Just as the sun peeked through the peak of the mountain, they reached the cliffs at the eastern face of the Camelback Ridge.

The Camelback Ridge had a very steep terrain that was directly perpendicular to the clouds. The cliffs at its edge appeared to have been carved out by an ax, and the mountainous regions in the surrounding area were foggy. Looking up, it was impossible to see the peak of the mountain.

Hence, not a single Naye soldier guarded this area, because no one would be daring enough to jump down from such a cliff.

Wang Wengong observed the base of the cliff, before leading the group forward. Just then, his eyes lit up, and he used his ax to cut away the thorns. He chirped emotionally, “It’s here!”

Su Jiu and the rest immediately went forward and took a look. After parting the tall grass and foliage, there was indeed a winding path that led up.

Even though it was a path, it had already been covered by a dense layer of thorns and thistles. The route also appeared extremely steep and ordinary people would have no way to ascend.

Su Jiu looked back at Zhao Xiong, Wei Tan, and the rest, before explaining nonchalantly, “The mountain path is dangerous, and there is no way of knowing the situation on the mountain right now. On this journey, nine out of ten of us may die. We are here to rescue our brother so we have nothing to say, but the rest of you have no associations that would require you to risk your life. For sending us to this point, I’m already extremely grateful. The rest of you may stop here, and if I manage to return with my life intact, I will treat you to a round of drinks as a form of thanks!”

Zhao Xiong was stunned. “Master Jiu, what are you saying? If we didn’t look up to you with utmost sincerity, we would not have followed you to this point. None of my brothers are mice that would flee at the sound of danger. Your words are looking down on us!”

Wei Tan anxiously added, “Young Mistress, we are people from the Ji Manor who follow orders. We definitely will not allow the Young Mistress to walk into danger alone!”

After he said this, he turned back to ask, “If anyone is unwilling to ascend the mountain, you may take a step back. I definitely will not force you!”

Not a single one of Wei Tan and Zhao Xiong’s people took a step back. On the other hand, they took a step forward, their faces brimming with determination. None of them appeared fearful of what lay ahead.

Su Jiu looked at everyone, her eyes wet. She took a deep bow and replied earnestly, “Such kindness cannot be repaid with words. I, Su Jiu, will remember the grace you all have shown to me. I will make sure to return the kindness you have shown one day!”

Chang Huan and Ah Shu also bowed in gratitude.

Panic was written all over Wei Tan’s face as he hurried forward to support her. “Young Mistress, you can’t do this. You are tormenting this subordinate!”

Su Jiu took a deep breath, and under the morning mist, her face was full of clarity. “Alright then, let’s ascend the mountain!”

“Right, ascend the mountain!” Everyone exclaimed in unison.

Su Jiu was the first to leap forward, while Chang Huan and Ah Shu followed closely behind. The rest of the people also made a move.

The mountain road was steep and slippery, and some parts were even covered in snow. There was nowhere to gain a stable footing, and they could only grab onto the vines to propel themselves upwards. After moving up for a while, they could only see the fog beneath them become even thicker when they gazed downwards, and there was no way to discern the route they had initially taken. Their figures appeared almost parallel to the mountain terrain, and taking a second glance down would cause their heads to be dizzy. They could only look up as they trod on.

Su Jiu grasped onto a protruding rock and thrust herself up. She finally understood why Wang Wengong was reluctant to bring up the mountain.

Even though the tiger-like Naye army was dangerous, this mountain path was an even greater risk to your life!

If you were careless, slipping down would result in your body getting crushed and your bones shattered.

Su Jiu subconsciously peeked at Wang Wengong behind her and saw that his entire forehead was covered in a layer of sweat. He was carefully reaching out for a rock while maintaining a firm grasp on the withered foliage to propel himself up. Suddenly, a rip sounded and the withered vine snapped. Wang Wengong widened his eyes as his entire being fell backward.

Su Jiu was shocked, and her figure which was plastered on the rockery immediately leaped backward. Her body was as nimble as a cheetah as she stretched out an arm to grab the screaming Wang Wengong in a smooth motion. She clenched her teeth and forcefully pulled him back up.

Wang Wengong hastily used both hands to grab onto the rock. His complexion was pale, and his shock had not yet subsided as he leaned forward to catch his breath.

Remnants of rock continued to slide down the cliff, falling onto the heads of the people underneath. They looked up, their eyes filled with the same form of terror.

At that moment, they had already climbed thirty over meters, and if they dropped from this point, it was certain death.

“Take out your rope!” Su Jiu ordered.

“Ay!” Wang Wengong frantically acknowledged, before quickly removing the rope around his body and passing it to Su Jiu.

Ah Shu and Chang Huan immediately understood Su Jiu’s intentions and spoke up simultaneously, “Chief (Boss), tie it to me!”

“No need! You guys continue climbing up!” Su Jiu replied curtly, before tightening the rope around Wang Wengong’s waist and attaching the other end of the rope around her waist.

“Don’t be scared! As long as I’m alive, you won’t die!” Su Jiu’s brows were picturesque as she spoke.

Wang Wengong nodded his head in a trance.

The group continued to ascend and walked for another two hours. The sun was already high in the sky, but the wind that hit the cliff became increasingly harsh. It brushed against the bodies of the people on the cliff, causing them to shiver and shake, threatening to take them down.

Su Jiu, who was walking at the front, suddenly stopped in her steps. A large protruding rock was right above her head, blocking the path and preventing them from moving onward.

Even though the path thus far was steep, it was still passable. But now, this gigantic rock had completely sealed the path.

Ah Shu and Chang Huan both stopped beside her, and could not help but knit their brows.

The other people also reached the point where the road had been cut off, and they could not help but doubt. If the road was blocked, how could they pass?

At that moment, Wang Wenggong came up. Even though he was tied to Su Jiu’s waist, his complexion was poor. He caught his breathing before speaking, “Hold on!”

After saying this, he took two steps forward and walked towards the rock. He used his arms to rip apart an area of densely covered foliage to reveal a small hole that could accommodate the passage of one person.

‘Go through from here!” Wang Wengong uttered a sentence, before squeezing through the gap.

Su Jiu was just about to follow behind him, but Chang Huan took a step forward to block her. “Let me go first!”

He stepped forward and followed behind.

Su Jiu and Wang Wengong were connected by a rope which was about ten meters long. She could not be too far from him, so she was the third to enter, with Ah Shu being the fourth.

The rest of the people behind entered in a straight line.

Although the gap was narrow and could only admit one person at a time, it wasn’t as steep. At the very least, it wasn’t necessary to hold onto a rock to remain upright.

As they walked deeper inside, it became dimmer. The roof was covered with a dense layer of vines, as well as a layer of dead leaves. Not a single ray of light could pass through.

Chang Huan would walk a stretch before stopping, and wait for Su Jiu’s footsteps to get nearer before continuing to walk on.

Deep inside, it was pitch black, and one could no longer see their fingers if they stretched out their hand before their eyes. Fortunately, it wasn’t necessary to discern the direction they were heading in since they could simply follow the curvature of the walls. The humidity and rotting smell in the air became thicker and thicker, and there was even a faint smell of a rotting animal carcass. Su Jiu tugged on the rope and shortened it by six meters before whispering, “Everyone, please be careful!”

The voice of Wang Wengong, who was walking ahead, echoed, “At least it’s winter and the snakes and insects should be hibernating. They shouldn’t be able to hurt us!”

Before he finished his sentence, a frightened scream was heard. “What was that?!”

That person seemed to flick something away forcefully. The others immediately froze. A thump sounded, and Su Jiu felt a cold and clammy object fall onto her neck. It paused for a while, before slowing writhing into her clothes.

A pungent stench hit their nose. It was utterly disgusting!

Su Jiu remained composed, and her eyes were full of clarity. Just as she was about to extend her hand to remove the object on her neck, she heard Wang Wengong say in alarm, “It’s a Scarlet Snake! No one move!”

Su Jiu’s hand froze in mid-air. She felt the icy cold body of the Scarlet Snake slither into her clothes.

The group behind them gasped, before silence descended once again, as though the air had suddenly been frozen in place.

Naturally, these people who were born and bred in Youzhou would know what kind of animal the Scarlet Snake was.

“I smelled the scent of the Scarlet Snake,” Wang Wengong whispered.

He then asked, “Whose body is it on?”

In the darkness, it was deadly quiet, and the wind brushed against their skin from the outside, causing them to tremble.

Su Jiu’s crystal clear eyes turned, and her complexion paled slightly as she whispered.

“Mine!”

Everyone panicked once again. Chang Huan reacted instantly and turned around, but Wang Wengong held him back. “Don’t move! You’ll startle it!”

This ‘it’, was referring to the Scarlet Snake.

When Chang Huan heard Wang Wengong’s shaky voice, his body stiffened, and he clenched his fists as his handsome black eyes reddened.

Su Jiu could hear Ah Shu swallowing mouthfuls of saliva behind her.

Wang Wengong slowly squeezed past Chang Huan’s body and retrieved an item from the bag behind him. After opening the bottle, a unique fragrance permeated the area.

The Scarlet Snake, which was originally tunneling into Su Jiu’s clothes, suddenly stopped and crawled back out instead. Su Jiu could vaguely sense that the snake had lifted its head as its green eyes glowed in the darkness. The snake vomited, before jerking forward violently.

Wang Wengong, who was standing in front, had already raised a cloth bag in preparation. The moment the Scarlet Snake flew in, he immediately sealed the bag and forcefully smacked it against the wall.

“Slap, slap!”

Wang Wengong threw the bag around several times. His breathing only calmed down once the Scarlet Snake inside ceased to move.

“Boss, how are you?” Chang Huan asked in distress.

“Chief!”

“Young Mistress!”

“Master Jiu!”

The rest simultaneously voiced out in concern.

Su Jiu’s crisp voice was especially reassuring in the pitch-black environment. “I’m fine, no worries!”

Wang Wenggong picked up a stone from the ground and flung it against the cloth bag a few more times before he could be thoroughly at ease. He explained to Su Jiu, “The Scarlet Snake is a poisonous species of snake native to Mount Hala. It carries poison sacs all over its long body, and if one were to use their hand to catch it, the sacs would break and release the venom. Consequently, blisters would form all over your body, causing fatal chemical burns. Therefore, you must never use your hand to touch it!”

Su Jiu would realize later on that that was not all. Once you come into contact with the Scarlet Snake, the blisters would cause an unbearable itch that was beyond the threshold that any ordinary human can endure. Those who had died all had ruptured blisters and some had even scratched to the point that their flesh became necrotic, revealing their white bones. In the end, they had bled to death; truly a tragic way to die.

At that moment, Su Jiu had no idea that she would encounter this snake again in the future, and that she would even see the corpses of those who had tragically died in this way, causing her to vomit bile.

Wei Tan was still full of fright as he said, “I once saw someone who had been bitten by the Scarlet Snake, but I have never seen the snake for myself. I never expected to see it here! During this season, shouldn’t all the snakes and insects be hibernating?”

Wang Wengong shook his head. “No idea, but we might have woken them up when we entered the cave. Everyone should be more careful!”

With that sudden encounter with the Scarlet Snake in this pitch-black cave, he didn’t need to mention it for everyone to raise their vigilance.

“Thank you for saving my life!” Su Jiu conveyed.

Wang Wengong scratched his head in embarrassment and said awkwardly, “No need for thanks. You also saved my life once just now, Master!”

Su Jiu stroked her neck, the feeling of the snake on her neck etched on her mind.

After the shocking turn of events, the group continued to travel forward. Fortunately, they did not encounter such an aberrant poisonous snake again.

Inside the cave, Su Jiu and the rest could not perceive the flow of time since they could not see the sky. It was unknown how long they walked for, and when they finally exited the cave, they saw a multitude of stars in the sky.

If it wasn’t for the twinkling stars and the mountain breeze, the group would have had no idea that they had already walked out of the cave, as the scene in front of them was still pitch-black.

The group walked out one after the other and stretched their arms and legs for a while before plonking down on the ground in exhaustion.

Wang Wengong’s physical strength was comparatively better, and at the very least, he did not need to sit straight down. He said, “We are now in the northeast region of the Camelback Ridge. The mountain peak is directly south of here, and the journey there is another half an hour on foot.”

Su Jiu and the rest looked in the direction he was pointing at, and they could indeed see the dark shadows of the mountain peak, which appeared to be right before their eyes.

Su Jiu unraveled the rope on her body and spoke to the group, “Everyone should find an area to rest first. Later, we can discuss how to search for Da Pao!”

“Yes!” The people who were resting on the group stood up one by one.

Wang Wengong had been to this area before, and he knew a place to seek shelter from the wind. He brought the group there.

The sky was already dark. Northern Xinjiang had a year-long cold climate, and at that moment, they were standing on the top of the mountain and were being subjected to the extreme mountain gale. It seemed to freeze them, and as they blinked, a thin layer of ice would form on their lashes.

The wind on the mountains was as sharp as a blade, and the cold permeated their bones, causing them to suffer the biting pain.

The group walked to a place where the wind was blocked out, and a few of them picked up dry branches to start two campfires. Gradually, it became warmer.

The mountain terrain was made out of sharp rocks, and there didn’t seem to be a single tree in sight. The environment was desolate and cold; certainly not ideal. Su Jiu thought of Da Pao and how he had already been on this mountain for tens of days, causing her worries to burgeon.

Her stomach had been empty for a long time since she had not eaten seen the previous night. To make it worse, she had climbed a mountainous path for one day, and her hunger seemed to spread from the front to the back. Even her saliva had dried out.

However, she knew that the others did not have it any better than her.

But this mountain terrain did not seem to be suitable for hunting.

The campfire was burning, and Su Jiu’s body felt warmer. She opened her mouth to speak, “Later on, I will head out with Ah Shu and Chang Huan to comb the area for any traces of Da Pao. At the same time, we’ll try to look out for edibles to bring back. Everyone has been climbing for the whole day, so please rest here temporarily! We will return here as soon as possible!”

The weather was cold to such an extent, so if Da Pao was still alive, he would also have started a fire to keep warm. Hence, it was easier to search for him at night as opposed to in the day.

If the Camelback Ridge was so big, then finding a person would be like looking for a needle in a haystack!

When he heard Su Jiu’s words, Wei Tan immediately added, “This subordinate will accompany the Young Mistress to search!”

“I will follow as well!”

“We will go too!”

Zhao Xiong and his men all stood up one by one.

Su Jiu shook her head. “Thank you, everyone, but we’ve just arrived on the mountain top and the situation is still unclear. If many people move about, there will be a propensity for mistakes, and if anyone gets lost, it will be even worse!”

“Then this subordinate will follow the Young Mistress alone!” Wei Tan announced.

Zhao Xiong added, “I will follow Master Jiu! The rest of you can remain behind!”

Hearing their determination, Su Jiu could only nod her head. “Alright, the two of you can follow me, while the rest can stay here. No one is to leave alone, and even if you need to pee, you’ll need to bring a partner along! Is that clear?”

“Yes!” Everyone chorused.

“Then we shall leave!” Su Jiu looked at Wei Tan and Zhao Xiong.

Chang Huan and Ah Shu had already stood up next to her. The five of them departed from the campfire and walked into the darkness.

After leaving the rock that protected them from the wind, the harsh winter winds instantly blew at them. Chang Huan stuck closely to Su jiu and held her freezing hands, clutching her palm tightly in his hands.

Su Jiu was about to say something, and just as she parted her lips, the cold air gushed into her mouth, causing her to choke and cough several times.

Chang Huan hastily held her in his arms, his shivering hand wrapped around her shoulders as he trembled. “Boss, you should head back! We will go and find Da Pao!”

Su Jiu shook her head and plucked herself out from his arms. Her eyes were clearer than the twinkling stars in the night sky as she continued walking onwards.

Chang Huan knitted his brows, and his waist-long hair danced in the wind as he chased after Su Jiu.

There was no time to chat or shout at each other. The five of them could only go their separate ways as they scoured the highlands to look out for any traces of fire.

After walking for half an hour, there was no way to determine their coordinates in the dark. Despite that, Su Jiu’s instincts told her that they were heading down the mountain in the Southwest direction.

All of a sudden, a black shadow flashed past her, causing Su Jiu to be momentarily stunned. Her eyes lit up, and if she didn’t see wrongly, it was probably a wild boar that had scooted past her just now.

Su Jiu raised her brows, before leaping forward to give chase.

Chang Huan shouted “Boss!” before urgently following behind her. When the rest of the people heard their movements, they assumed that there were leads on Hu Dapao’s whereabouts and quickly gathered around.

That mountain boar moved swiftly, and Su Jiu sprinted behind at an equally fast pace. Her body swept over and she picked up a plank of wood, before bringing it down on the wild boar’s head.

The wild boar grunted in pain, before avoiding Su Jiu and continuing to flee madly.

Just as Su Jiu was about to continue to chase, she suddenly heard something whizz by her ear, before plunging straight into the head of the wild boar. That wild boar scampered while howling, before finally collapsing onto the ground, motionless.

Su Jiu did not look at the wild boar, but instead, she turned her head to the person who shot the arrow. She suppressed the joy in her heart as she asked, “Who’s there?”

Stars were hung in the sky, but not a strand of moonlight could be seen. In the darkness of the mountain, she could only see the shadow of a figure standing there, but she could not make out his features.

Was that Da Pao?

Su Jiu walked over.