Living freely is already a difficult task.
In the evening, the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold returned from the foot of the mountain with a solemn expression, carrying two freshly caught rabbits in his hands.
Once he arrived back at the stronghold, he immediately asked the people working there about the second-in-command’s condition and the whereabouts of the Physician and his friend who had visited in the morning. He inquired if they had gone elsewhere.
“The second-in-command went out for a walk and seems to be doing better,” one of the people in the Shimo Mountain stronghold replied promptly as they took the rabbits from the head of the stronghold.
They continued their work and said, “As for the two guests, they didn’t do much apart from buying herbs and inquiring about people who used to live near this mountain. As for now… well, they are in the valley behind the stronghold! They are just like the second-in-command, finding a place to meditate. They are almost like monks, except they don’t chant sutras or play wooden fish.”
The head of the stronghold laughed and scolded, “How many times have I told you? This is cultivating internal strength. If you don’t understand, don’t speak nonsense.”
The person scratched their head in confusion and muttered, “I just can’t figure it out. Cultivating martial arts should be about martial arts, why is there a distinction between internal and external? I don’t see them carrying any weapons, so are they using hidden weapons?”
The head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold shook his head, feeling quite helpless.
The people here were mostly ordinary folks before they became bandits. Although they were willing to endure hardships and work hard, their ages were advanced, and their natural aptitude was limited. As long as they had some fighting ability against officials and soldiers, the head of the stronghold was satisfied.
“Forget it. In the future, when you see these martial artists cultivating internal strength, just keep your distance and avoid provoking them,” the head of the stronghold explained patiently. “Have you heard of ‘hitting the cow from a neighboring mountain’? People who practice external martial arts leave visible and tangible wounds with every punch. Internal martial arts experts are different. They can use a piece of paper to shatter a block of tofu underneath it. If they were to strike a person, the surface would appear unharmed, no broken skin or bleeding, but the person would be in excruciating pain, with their bones and internal organs injured.”
The people in the stronghold became a little anxious upon hearing this and quickly nodded in agreement. Ensuring that everyone could stay alive was something the head of the stronghold worried about multiple times every day
As the head of the stronghold was about to leave and lifted his foot, he suddenly heard a timid voice from a young man asking, “Those street performers who demonstrate their martial arts, are they practicing external martial arts or internal martial arts? I saw them shatter bricks with a single palm strike, which was impressive.”
“Yeah, Qian Xiao Lang makes a good point. Even the thugs can’t defeat those street performers. These internal martial arts experts aren’t that impressive after all!”
Upon hearing this, the head of the stronghold was getting annoyed. He decisively shouted, “Those street performers are all liars. The bricks they break are made of flour! Not to mention one brick, even if they continuously break ten or eight, it’s all fake.”
The crowd realized that the head of the stronghold was in a bad mood.
After the person left, they immediately grabbed someone who was accompanying the head of the stronghold down the mountain and asked, “What happened? Did someone from Chiwang Mountain provoke the head of the stronghold?”
“Yeah, those people are so demanding, thinking they can become the second-in-command of our stronghold just because they have some martial arts skills. They even said they could plan to attack the nearby county town. Disgusting! The nearest county town is over a hundred miles away, and we’re struggling to feed ourselves and our brothers from there…”
The head of the stronghold didn’t listen any further. He went to find Yan Cen.
Yan Cen was still lying in bed, but his complexion had improved, and there was no more cold sweat on his forehead.
“Big brother is back?” Yan Cen opened his eyes; he had already heard the commotion outside. The stronghold was small, and the voice of the head of the stronghold was loud enough to be heard clearly without any effort.
The head of the stronghold had left the mountain after Yan Cen had taken the medicine. There were two unknown experts in the stronghold, and if Yan Cen couldn’t even stand up, the head of the stronghold didn’t feel at ease leaving.
—Though his presence wouldn’t be of much use, it gave him some peace of mind to have someone capable staying behind in the stronghold.
The rest of the people in the stronghold were ordinary villagers with limited knowledge and narrow perspectives. They might inadvertently anger those two individuals, but with either him or Yan Cen present, they could at least mediate the situation, right?
Yan Cen knew what the head of the stronghold was worried about and reassured him, “Brother, there’s no need to worry. That Physician is quite understanding. When he saw me in this condition, aside from a slight surprise, he showed no other unusual reactions.”
The head of the stronghold’s expression slightly relaxed. Being born with a cunning and deceitful appearance, his small, narrow eyes seemed to be constantly scheming, and he was aware of it. That’s why he always had a stern expression on his face.
“Yeah, it’s not easy for our brothers…”
Ever since they settled in Shimo Mountain, occasionally, there were passing merchants and traders. However, as soon as they saw the people in the stronghold, they would shout about monsters. The peddler who sold needles and threads was surrounded by them the first time they approached him to buy something, and he fainted from fright. After that incident, he didn’t dare to appear for almost half a year.
One person looking ugly was nothing, but a group of strange-looking people living deep in the mountains couldn’t blame others for being terrified.
Upon closer thought, over the years, only the itinerant monk with the Dharma name Yuanzhi treated them as ordinary people.
“I overheard what was said outside. Brother must have beaten up those Chiwang Mountain people badly, so why are you still wearing a troubled expression?” Yan Cen proactively asked.
The head of the stronghold was quite surprised. His sworn brother was usually gloomy and hardly spoke, like a silent gourd. Initially, there were many people like him in the stronghold, but after they settled in the mountains, everyone’s temperament had loosened up a bit. Only Yan Cen remained lost in thought, always looking worried and frequently plagued by nightmares.
Lack of sleep made a person resemble a frostbitten cabbage—limp and wilted.
Master Yuanzhi said it was a heart ailment that couldn’t be cured.
The room was dimly lit, and the head of the stronghold hadn’t paid close attention. It was only now that he realized that not only had Yan Cen’s complexion improved significantly, but he also seemed more spirited and voluntarily engaged in discussing stronghold matters—a behavior he had never seen before!
In the face of formidable enemies or ferocious beasts in the past, Yan Cen would always do his best. However, when it came to those trivial matters that were neither significant nor insignificant, Yan Cen had limited energy and never bothered to ask.
Now he’s cured? Sleeping well, eating properly, and even resolving his inner conflicts?
“Is that Physician truly a miraculous healer?” The head of the stronghold was overjoyed.
Yan Cen felt awkward. What could he say? He had believed that there was a “sister” within his body, sharing the same physical vessel. So when he experienced persistent abdominal pain, he became confused and fearful of inexplicably becoming pregnant and having to give birth.
He vaguely replied, “The Physician’s prescription has been very beneficial for me.”
“That’s wonderful! No, I must prepare a gift to express my gratitude for saving my brother’s life.”
The head of the stronghold stood up, ready to leave, but Yan Cen stopped him, feeling both amused and exasperated.
“Brother, do we have anything decent in our stronghold? Look at those two individuals—do they seem like ordinary people?”
“Well…”
The head of the stronghold appeared contemplative, but deep down, he knew that Yan Cen’s background was not ordinary. After all, they had known each other for a long time, and he could tell. Yan Cen must have received education in noble etiquette, even though he might have abandoned it later. His manners while eating and walking were different from those of ordinary people in the Jianghu. He had knowledge of literature and anecdotes from the Jianghu, and he had traveled to many places. Putting it all together, one could make a rough guess about Yan Cen’s early life.
Being unrecognized by one’s family could only lead to wandering the Jianghu.
The head of the stronghold thought that the two individuals who had come to the stronghold today didn’t seem like ordinary Jianghu people either. They shared some resemblance to Yan Cen, and he pondered their preferences as aristocratic offspring. Only aristocratic offspring would truly understand. However, he couldn’t say it directly, as it might hurt Yan Cen’s feelings.
“Well… What do you think of those two?
“After taking the medicine today, I visited the Physician. It seems he has something to investigate. Let’s ask him together when I go with you,” Yan Cen said as he got up, put on his clothes and shoes, and still wanted to inquire about the situation with Chiwang Mountain.
The head of the stronghold frowned and waved his hand with disgust. “Don’t even mention it. They’re a bunch of fools trying to convince me to join the Heavenly King!”
“What?” Yan Cen was utterly surprised by the audacity of the Chiwang Mountain people.
“They heard rumors and believed that our Shimo Mountain has hundreds of elite soldiers, and everyone knows martial arts. They even think that women and children can wield weapons and fight,” the head of the stronghold explained.
The latter part of the statement was true. Even the elderly women doing miscellaneous chores in Shimo Mountain could swing laundry beaters to strike people. However, their effectiveness was questionable, and the idea of having hundreds of soldiers was utter nonsense.
The head of the stronghold continued with a stern expression, “They urged me to attack Zhuyun County, loot the wealthy households, and bring the spoils and the county magistrate’s head to the Heavenly King!”
“But the territory of the Heavenly King is thousands of miles away from here,” Yan Cen found it hard to comprehend.
“That’s the problem. I asked a few questions, but they were evasive and kept talking about the Heavenly King’s divine mandate,” the head of the stronghold said in a serious tone. “I suspect that the Heavenly King will launch an attack on Yongzhou within this year! Those people may have learned about the movement from the Holy Lotus Altar, which is why they came to our Shimo Mountain stronghold.”
Shimo Mountain had a complex terrain with numerous ravines and gullies. It would be easy to hide a thousand or eight hundred people there. If they truly intended to rebel and establish their own power, it would be advantageous.
However, here comes the question: Did the Shimo Mountain stronghold want to rebel? Did they want to become a separatist force and wait for the Heavenly King to arrive in Yongzhou, then seize the opportunity to pledge allegiance? Were they hoping to rise in rank and wealth by following the Heavenly King, conquering vast territories, and securing their wives and children’s future?
Of course not!
The people of Shimo Mountain stronghold had experienced their fair share of cold words and judgments from others because they “didn’t look like good people.” The head of the stronghold had a tough time surviving in the Jianghu realm all these years, as strangers would immediately label him as a cowardly and cunning person without even speaking a word.
—Unable to find a master to apprentice under because no one would take him.
—Unable to make friends, even if he saved someone, as they would suspect ulterior motives and remain indifferent towards him.
If he were to be accused of being a flower thief or a treasure robber, it would be even worse. He would often be the first to be suspected.
“Now that we know the Heavenly King is planning to wage war, what can we do about it? Are we supposed to report it to the authorities?” The head of the stronghold sighed and self-mockingly said, “Whether it’s an official under the Heavenly King or the Qi Dynasty, they have no connection with people like us. Fame and fortune may be good things, but we can’t have them, and they don’t want us. Personally, all I hope for is that our brothers can hold their heads high and live with dignity.”
Yan Cen looked serious, hesitating to speak.
If the Heavenly King truly attacked, how could Shimo Mountain stronghold escape its fate?
As the two of them left, they walked towards the creek in the back of the stronghold.
The creek was narrow, surrounded by steep cliffs on all sides, sheltering it from the cold winds. Some greenery had already sprung up along the riverbank, and a few early-blooming plum blossoms emitted a fragrant scent.
In truth, Mo Li was not here to practice martial arts; he was only here to look after Meng Qi.
The spiritual energy in the creek valley was quite good. Mo Li speculated that this might be the largest spiritual vortex in Shimo Mountain stronghold.
He carefully searched but was disappointed to confirm that Shimo Mountain had no dragon veins.
—The spiritual vortexes here seemed to be inherently deficient and unable to form an effective circulation. The spiritual energy merely overflowed from the earth’s veins.
Although it was better than nothing, Mo Li, as a physician, still hoped that Meng Qi’s condition could stabilize and ideally become more versatile. Otherwise, what would he do if he suddenly transformed into a sand rat in front of others? He couldn’t possibly say that he was a traveling magician, right?
Mo Li had heard from Master Li in Zhushan County about people’s beliefs regarding dragon veins and had also seen the so-called talismans buried in the spiritual vortex outside of Shimo Mountain. He felt that those sorcerers were a menace. It was best not to expose their inhuman forms.
With this spiritual vortex, Mo Li felt much more at ease. He thought that he couldn’t slack off on the matter of the treasures in Emperor Li’s Tomb; he must go there. However, Qingwu Ancestor intentionally spread the news, so there must be ulterior motives. If not many people came, it probably wouldn’t meet his expectations. It would be challenging for martial artists from all over the world, scattered across the land, to arrive in the Imperial Capital in a timely manner. Therefore, there should be enough time to catch up.
Mo Li watched Meng Qi as he adjusted his breathing and organized his thoughts. Suddenly, he heard some commotion at the entrance of the creek valley, and a young boy was peeking in.
The boy had fair skin and shining black eyes. He had come three times since noon, but each time, he hadn’t entered. He only looked around, as if trying to figure out what they were doing. Mo Li faintly heard the people in the stronghold call the boy Qian Xiaolang.
“Physician… Our head and second-in-command have arrived,” the boy whispered, his voice weak. He didn’t want to disturb the two individuals who seemed to be “reciting scriptures,” but he also felt that his voice was too soft. Annoyed, he rubbed his head and wanted to call out again.
Mo Li turned his head, startling the young boy, who quickly ran away.
Mo Li couldn’t help but think of his junior disciple back home, Tang Xiaotang, who often whispered to him, afraid to speak loudly, behaving like a thief.
Just as he was thinking about it, Yan Cen and the leader of the stronghold arrived as expected.
They observed the situation in the creek valley, offering respectful greetings but not entering.
The young boy crouched nearby and shrank back when the leader of the stronghold glared at him. It was then that Mo Li noticed that the boy’s lips were missing a piece, with a gap in the middle of his upper lip, revealing two exposed teeth.
Mo Li estimated that Meng Qi’s internal energy was nearing the completion of the 36 Heavenly Meridians. He nodded to the people outside the creek valley and patiently waited. Sure enough, after a short while, Meng Qi took a deep breath and slightly opened his eyes.
The previously elusive aura suddenly erupted.
Like a mountain, like scorching sun.
Even from the mouth of the valley, Yan Cen could feel it. His eyes widened with astonishment.
The awe-inspiring aura was as transient as a blooming night-blooming cereus. By the time Meng Qi fully opened his eyes, it had completely converged. Meng Qi happened to catch sight of the faint outline of scales on Mo Li’s neck and cheeks.
“…”
Meng Qi turned his head and glanced at the creek valley.
There was sand, there was water. This place was good.
Unfortunately, there were outsiders, so he couldn’t transform.
Author’s Note:
The storyline of the stronghold has slightly more focus because it plays an important role in the upcoming plot. However, for now, this is all for the stronghold. Mo Li has to hurry and depart to protect the Dragon Vein in Taijing.
—
Fat Rat: I want to see the fish swimming in the water.
Meng Qi: I just want to see what the Physician really looks like.
Mo Li: …Are you sure?
Feeling confident that he could transform into a dragon and overpower the Fat Rat, the Physician smiled faintly.
Living freely is already a difficult task.
In the evening, the head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold returned from the foot of the mountain with a solemn expression, carrying two freshly caught rabbits in his hands.
Once he arrived back at the stronghold, he immediately asked the people working there about the second-in-command’s condition and the whereabouts of the Physician and his friend who had visited in the morning. He inquired if they had gone elsewhere.
“The second-in-command went out for a walk and seems to be doing better,” one of the people in the Shimo Mountain stronghold replied promptly as they took the rabbits from the head of the stronghold.
They continued their work and said, “As for the two guests, they didn’t do much apart from buying herbs and inquiring about people who used to live near this mountain. As for now… well, they are in the valley behind the stronghold! They are just like the second-in-command, finding a place to meditate. They are almost like monks, except they don’t chant sutras or play wooden fish.”
The head of the stronghold laughed and scolded, “How many times have I told you? This is cultivating internal strength. If you don’t understand, don’t speak nonsense.”
The person scratched their head in confusion and muttered, “I just can’t figure it out. Cultivating martial arts should be about martial arts, why is there a distinction between internal and external? I don’t see them carrying any weapons, so are they using hidden weapons?”
The head of the Shimo Mountain stronghold shook his head, feeling quite helpless.
The people here were mostly ordinary folks before they became bandits. Although they were willing to endure hardships and work hard, their ages were advanced, and their natural aptitude was limited. As long as they had some fighting ability against officials and soldiers, the head of the stronghold was satisfied.
“Forget it. In the future, when you see these martial artists cultivating internal strength, just keep your distance and avoid provoking them,” the head of the stronghold explained patiently. “Have you heard of ‘hitting the cow from a neighboring mountain’? People who practice external martial arts leave visible and tangible wounds with every punch. Internal martial arts experts are different. They can use a piece of paper to shatter a block of tofu underneath it. If they were to strike a person, the surface would appear unharmed, no broken skin or bleeding, but the person would be in excruciating pain, with their bones and internal organs injured.”
The people in the stronghold became a little anxious upon hearing this and quickly nodded in agreement. Ensuring that everyone could stay alive was something the head of the stronghold worried about multiple times every day
As the head of the stronghold was about to leave and lifted his foot, he suddenly heard a timid voice from a young man asking, “Those street performers who demonstrate their martial arts, are they practicing external martial arts or internal martial arts? I saw them shatter bricks with a single palm strike, which was impressive.”
“Yeah, Qian Xiao Lang makes a good point. Even the thugs can’t defeat those street performers. These internal martial arts experts aren’t that impressive after all!”
Upon hearing this, the head of the stronghold was getting annoyed. He decisively shouted, “Those street performers are all liars. The bricks they break are made of flour! Not to mention one brick, even if they continuously break ten or eight, it’s all fake.”
The crowd realized that the head of the stronghold was in a bad mood.
After the person left, they immediately grabbed someone who was accompanying the head of the stronghold down the mountain and asked, “What happened? Did someone from Chiwang Mountain provoke the head of the stronghold?”
“Yeah, those people are so demanding, thinking they can become the second-in-command of our stronghold just because they have some martial arts skills. They even said they could plan to attack the nearby county town. Disgusting! The nearest county town is over a hundred miles away, and we’re struggling to feed ourselves and our brothers from there…”
The head of the stronghold didn’t listen any further. He went to find Yan Cen.
Yan Cen was still lying in bed, but his complexion had improved, and there was no more cold sweat on his forehead.
“Big brother is back?” Yan Cen opened his eyes; he had already heard the commotion outside. The stronghold was small, and the voice of the head of the stronghold was loud enough to be heard clearly without any effort.
The head of the stronghold had left the mountain after Yan Cen had taken the medicine. There were two unknown experts in the stronghold, and if Yan Cen couldn’t even stand up, the head of the stronghold didn’t feel at ease leaving.
—Though his presence wouldn’t be of much use, it gave him some peace of mind to have someone capable staying behind in the stronghold.
The rest of the people in the stronghold were ordinary villagers with limited knowledge and narrow perspectives. They might inadvertently anger those two individuals, but with either him or Yan Cen present, they could at least mediate the situation, right?
Yan Cen knew what the head of the stronghold was worried about and reassured him, “Brother, there’s no need to worry. That Physician is quite understanding. When he saw me in this condition, aside from a slight surprise, he showed no other unusual reactions.”
The head of the stronghold’s expression slightly relaxed. Being born with a cunning and deceitful appearance, his small, narrow eyes seemed to be constantly scheming, and he was aware of it. That’s why he always had a stern expression on his face.
“Yeah, it’s not easy for our brothers…”
Ever since they settled in Shimo Mountain, occasionally, there were passing merchants and traders. However, as soon as they saw the people in the stronghold, they would shout about monsters. The peddler who sold needles and threads was surrounded by them the first time they approached him to buy something, and he fainted from fright. After that incident, he didn’t dare to appear for almost half a year.
One person looking ugly was nothing, but a group of strange-looking people living deep in the mountains couldn’t blame others for being terrified.
Upon closer thought, over the years, only the itinerant monk with the Dharma name Yuanzhi treated them as ordinary people.
“I overheard what was said outside. Brother must have beaten up those Chiwang Mountain people badly, so why are you still wearing a troubled expression?” Yan Cen proactively asked.
The head of the stronghold was quite surprised. His sworn brother was usually gloomy and hardly spoke, like a silent gourd. Initially, there were many people like him in the stronghold, but after they settled in the mountains, everyone’s temperament had loosened up a bit. Only Yan Cen remained lost in thought, always looking worried and frequently plagued by nightmares.
Lack of sleep made a person resemble a frostbitten cabbage—limp and wilted.
Master Yuanzhi said it was a heart ailment that couldn’t be cured.
The room was dimly lit, and the head of the stronghold hadn’t paid close attention. It was only now that he realized that not only had Yan Cen’s complexion improved significantly, but he also seemed more spirited and voluntarily engaged in discussing stronghold matters—a behavior he had never seen before!
In the face of formidable enemies or ferocious beasts in the past, Yan Cen would always do his best. However, when it came to those trivial matters that were neither significant nor insignificant, Yan Cen had limited energy and never bothered to ask.
Now he’s cured? Sleeping well, eating properly, and even resolving his inner conflicts?
“Is that Physician truly a miraculous healer?” The head of the stronghold was overjoyed.
Yan Cen felt awkward. What could he say? He had believed that there was a “sister” within his body, sharing the same physical vessel. So when he experienced persistent abdominal pain, he became confused and fearful of inexplicably becoming pregnant and having to give birth.
He vaguely replied, “The Physician’s prescription has been very beneficial for me.”
“That’s wonderful! No, I must prepare a gift to express my gratitude for saving my brother’s life.”
The head of the stronghold stood up, ready to leave, but Yan Cen stopped him, feeling both amused and exasperated.
“Brother, do we have anything decent in our stronghold? Look at those two individuals—do they seem like ordinary people?”
“Well…”
The head of the stronghold appeared contemplative, but deep down, he knew that Yan Cen’s background was not ordinary. After all, they had known each other for a long time, and he could tell. Yan Cen must have received education in noble etiquette, even though he might have abandoned it later. His manners while eating and walking were different from those of ordinary people in the Jianghu. He had knowledge of literature and anecdotes from the Jianghu, and he had traveled to many places. Putting it all together, one could make a rough guess about Yan Cen’s early life.
Being unrecognized by one’s family could only lead to wandering the Jianghu.
The head of the stronghold thought that the two individuals who had come to the stronghold today didn’t seem like ordinary Jianghu people either. They shared some resemblance to Yan Cen, and he pondered their preferences as aristocratic offspring. Only aristocratic offspring would truly understand. However, he couldn’t say it directly, as it might hurt Yan Cen’s feelings.
“Well… What do you think of those two?
“After taking the medicine today, I visited the Physician. It seems he has something to investigate. Let’s ask him together when I go with you,” Yan Cen said as he got up, put on his clothes and shoes, and still wanted to inquire about the situation with Chiwang Mountain.
The head of the stronghold frowned and waved his hand with disgust. “Don’t even mention it. They’re a bunch of fools trying to convince me to join the Heavenly King!”
“What?” Yan Cen was utterly surprised by the audacity of the Chiwang Mountain people.
“They heard rumors and believed that our Shimo Mountain has hundreds of elite soldiers, and everyone knows martial arts. They even think that women and children can wield weapons and fight,” the head of the stronghold explained.
The latter part of the statement was true. Even the elderly women doing miscellaneous chores in Shimo Mountain could swing laundry beaters to strike people. However, their effectiveness was questionable, and the idea of having hundreds of soldiers was utter nonsense.
The head of the stronghold continued with a stern expression, “They urged me to attack Zhuyun County, loot the wealthy households, and bring the spoils and the county magistrate’s head to the Heavenly King!”
“But the territory of the Heavenly King is thousands of miles away from here,” Yan Cen found it hard to comprehend.
“That’s the problem. I asked a few questions, but they were evasive and kept talking about the Heavenly King’s divine mandate,” the head of the stronghold said in a serious tone. “I suspect that the Heavenly King will launch an attack on Yongzhou within this year! Those people may have learned about the movement from the Holy Lotus Altar, which is why they came to our Shimo Mountain stronghold.”
Shimo Mountain had a complex terrain with numerous ravines and gullies. It would be easy to hide a thousand or eight hundred people there. If they truly intended to rebel and establish their own power, it would be advantageous.
However, here comes the question: Did the Shimo Mountain stronghold want to rebel? Did they want to become a separatist force and wait for the Heavenly King to arrive in Yongzhou, then seize the opportunity to pledge allegiance? Were they hoping to rise in rank and wealth by following the Heavenly King, conquering vast territories, and securing their wives and children’s future?
Of course not!
The people of Shimo Mountain stronghold had experienced their fair share of cold words and judgments from others because they “didn’t look like good people.” The head of the stronghold had a tough time surviving in the Jianghu realm all these years, as strangers would immediately label him as a cowardly and cunning person without even speaking a word.
—Unable to find a master to apprentice under because no one would take him.
—Unable to make friends, even if he saved someone, as they would suspect ulterior motives and remain indifferent towards him.
If he were to be accused of being a flower thief or a treasure robber, it would be even worse. He would often be the first to be suspected.
“Now that we know the Heavenly King is planning to wage war, what can we do about it? Are we supposed to report it to the authorities?” The head of the stronghold sighed and self-mockingly said, “Whether it’s an official under the Heavenly King or the Qi Dynasty, they have no connection with people like us. Fame and fortune may be good things, but we can’t have them, and they don’t want us. Personally, all I hope for is that our brothers can hold their heads high and live with dignity.”
Yan Cen looked serious, hesitating to speak.
If the Heavenly King truly attacked, how could Shimo Mountain stronghold escape its fate?
As the two of them left, they walked towards the creek in the back of the stronghold.
The creek was narrow, surrounded by steep cliffs on all sides, sheltering it from the cold winds. Some greenery had already sprung up along the riverbank, and a few early-blooming plum blossoms emitted a fragrant scent.
In truth, Mo Li was not here to practice martial arts; he was only here to look after Meng Qi.
The spiritual energy in the creek valley was quite good. Mo Li speculated that this might be the largest spiritual vortex in Shimo Mountain stronghold.
He carefully searched but was disappointed to confirm that Shimo Mountain had no dragon veins.
—The spiritual vortexes here seemed to be inherently deficient and unable to form an effective circulation. The spiritual energy merely overflowed from the earth’s veins.
Although it was better than nothing, Mo Li, as a physician, still hoped that Meng Qi’s condition could stabilize and ideally become more versatile. Otherwise, what would he do if he suddenly transformed into a sand rat in front of others? He couldn’t possibly say that he was a traveling magician, right?
Mo Li had heard from Master Li in Zhushan County about people’s beliefs regarding dragon veins and had also seen the so-called talismans buried in the spiritual vortex outside of Shimo Mountain. He felt that those sorcerers were a menace. It was best not to expose their inhuman forms.
With this spiritual vortex, Mo Li felt much more at ease. He thought that he couldn’t slack off on the matter of the treasures in Emperor Li’s Tomb; he must go there. However, Qingwu Ancestor intentionally spread the news, so there must be ulterior motives. If not many people came, it probably wouldn’t meet his expectations. It would be challenging for martial artists from all over the world, scattered across the land, to arrive in the Imperial Capital in a timely manner. Therefore, there should be enough time to catch up.
Mo Li watched Meng Qi as he adjusted his breathing and organized his thoughts. Suddenly, he heard some commotion at the entrance of the creek valley, and a young boy was peeking in.
The boy had fair skin and shining black eyes. He had come three times since noon, but each time, he hadn’t entered. He only looked around, as if trying to figure out what they were doing. Mo Li faintly heard the people in the stronghold call the boy Qian Xiaolang.
“Physician… Our head and second-in-command have arrived,” the boy whispered, his voice weak. He didn’t want to disturb the two individuals who seemed to be “reciting scriptures,” but he also felt that his voice was too soft. Annoyed, he rubbed his head and wanted to call out again.
Mo Li turned his head, startling the young boy, who quickly ran away.
Mo Li couldn’t help but think of his junior disciple back home, Tang Xiaotang, who often whispered to him, afraid to speak loudly, behaving like a thief.
Just as he was thinking about it, Yan Cen and the leader of the stronghold arrived as expected.
They observed the situation in the creek valley, offering respectful greetings but not entering.
The young boy crouched nearby and shrank back when the leader of the stronghold glared at him. It was then that Mo Li noticed that the boy’s lips were missing a piece, with a gap in the middle of his upper lip, revealing two exposed teeth.
Mo Li estimated that Meng Qi’s internal energy was nearing the completion of the 36 Heavenly Meridians. He nodded to the people outside the creek valley and patiently waited. Sure enough, after a short while, Meng Qi took a deep breath and slightly opened his eyes.
The previously elusive aura suddenly erupted.
Like a mountain, like scorching sun.
Even from the mouth of the valley, Yan Cen could feel it. His eyes widened with astonishment.
The awe-inspiring aura was as transient as a blooming night-blooming cereus. By the time Meng Qi fully opened his eyes, it had completely converged. Meng Qi happened to catch sight of the faint outline of scales on Mo Li’s neck and cheeks.
“…”
Meng Qi turned his head and glanced at the creek valley.
There was sand, there was water. This place was good.
Unfortunately, there were outsiders, so he couldn’t transform.
Author’s Note:
The storyline of the stronghold has slightly more focus because it plays an important role in the upcoming plot. However, for now, this is all for the stronghold. Mo Li has to hurry and depart to protect the Dragon Vein in Taijing.
—
Fat Rat: I want to see the fish swimming in the water.
Meng Qi: I just want to see what the Physician really looks like.
Mo Li: …Are you sure?
Feeling confident that he could transform into a dragon and overpower the Fat Rat, the Physician smiled faintly.
