Volume One: The Dragon Rises from the Wild Chapter Sixty-Eight: Just So

After leaving Bai Zhi behind on horseback, Yu Ye rode straight to Lingjiao Town, where he bought a sack of rice, a jar of wine, incense, candles, and some braised meat, then hurried through the town and headed south.

As he waded across the small river outside the town, he lingered for a moment.

He recalled how, not long ago, he had camped here, only to be battered by Bai Zhi’s wild riding and subjected to dust and humiliation by Chen Qi. At that time, he was still a naive youth from the mountains, full of curiosity about the unfamiliar world. But in just ten months, the world he saw had already changed. The innocence and impulsiveness of that past had faded away along with the beauty that once accompanied them.

When night fell, man and horse stopped before a small stream.

The water was clear, the vegetation lush, the hills undulated around them, and a crescent moon hung askew in the sky.

Yu Ye unstrapped his pack, placed the rice on the ground so the horse could eat and drink freely, while he himself climbed to a higher spot to look into the distance.

Duanfeng Cliff was not far now.

In the past, traveling this two-hundred-mile journey on foot or by cart would have taken three full days. Now, with a sturdy horse, he could reach Lingjiao Valley by tomorrow.

Under the night’s darkness, nothing seemed amiss near or far.

Good, that woman so skilled at shadowing had not followed him!

Yu Ye returned to the grassy bank by the stream. He ate a piece of braised meat, took a few sips of water, then closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

His chest still ached faintly; his breath was slightly sluggish. The wounds from last night’s fight lingered, though the medicine he’d swallowed had prevented any serious harm. Even so, thinking back left him shaken.

Had he not feigned weakness to lure his enemy, had he not struck back with the Armor-Breaking Talisman and the Seven Kill Sword Aura at the crucial moment, had Bai Zhi not intervened in time—would he have survived at all?

Her sword talisman was truly formidable, more so even than a flying sword. No wonder she was a true disciple of Xuanhuang Mountain—her methods were remarkable indeed!

But how much truth was there in what she said?

Yet, her selfless aid was undeniable.

Ah, how had he come to owe her such a favor...

Yu Ye rubbed his brow, troubled.

Toward that woman, his feelings had shifted from admiration, to awe, then to resentment, and now to helplessness. He disliked dealing with someone so unpredictable—especially a sharp, eloquent young woman with such a deep mind. Yet he owed her his life, allowing her to assume the role of “senior sister” and forcing him to become her “junior brother”!

Absurd!

Not just absurd—utterly ridiculous!

The sect was destroyed; what “senior sister,” what “junior brother” could there be?

Besides, he had no master. The Heavenly Gangs Scripture and Seven Kill Sword Aura he’d painstakingly cultivated had nothing to do with Xuanhuang Mountain!

Bai Zhi was simply taking advantage!

When had the aloof and proud beauty, the unattainable adept, become someone who would play such tricks on a youth she once looked down upon? Had she changed, or was it fate’s doing?

Yu Ye shook his head and waved his hand.

Before him fell two jade rings and two flying swords—spoils from his kills the night before. He poured out the contents of the rings: pills, spirit stones, jade slips, talismans, and jade tokens.

Six spirit stones in all!

Clearly, the cultivators from Qizhou varied greatly in both strength and wealth.

There were two jade tokens, both inscribed “Xuanfeng of Qizhou.” The previous tokens he’d taken bore “Zhongshan of Qizhou.” Did this mean the two he killed last night and those before hailed from different places in Qizhou?

How many experts from Qizhou had actually come?

There were also two jade slips; one was a sect’s cultivation art called the Divine Pill Formula. A brief inspection revealed its methods were quite basic—worlds apart from the profundity of the Heavenly Gangs Scripture. The other proved a map, titled Geographical Map of the Great Marsh’s Four Regions.

Yu Ye picked up the map slip, pleasantly surprised.

He’d obtained maps of both Yanzhou and Qizhou, but had long been unable to find one for the Great Marsh. Without it, he’d often lost his way. Now, with this map in hand, he would never again wander blindly in search of the path.

He also found several bottles of pills for healing and nourishing energy, and over twenty talismans: Fire Talismans, Wind Riding Talismans, and two Dragon-Subduing Talismans.

Dragon-Subduing Talismans?

During last night’s escape, when his path was cut off and his limbs bound, it must have been the work of this very talisman!

A fine thing!

There were also some scattered silver and gold, clothes, boots, and a few wine jars. Among the slain cultivators, one must have been a lover of drink.

Yu Ye packed everything away, then unconsciously touched the iron ring on the middle finger of his left hand.

The Storage Iron Ring was indeed useful, though its contents were mostly the belongings of the dead.

Was it not a bit inauspicious?

Since becoming a cultivator, he’d done little but practice, hurry along the road, kill, burn corpses, and scavenge their possessions. This path carried not only ill fortune but also peril, and there was no turning back. He was like an arrow loosed from the bow—whether he was flying toward death or immortality, he could not say.

It was said that true masters could transcend reincarnation, become true immortals, and live forever!

Ah, that was thinking too far ahead.

For now, surviving was enough.

Yu Ye took out a spirit stone, pressing it into his palm, then picked up a jade slip to study it intently.

Heavenly Prohibition Technique.

This was a spell left by Master Qiu—a technique of restriction. It rendered talismans and formations invisible, using power to weave seals and arrays for trapping and killing. “Heavenly Prohibition” meant that nothing under heaven could not be bound. Its strength depended on the user’s cultivation. There were seven branches—entrapment, prohibition, confusion, spirit, ghost, refinement, and slaughter—and thousands of variations in formation.

Remarkable!

Yet there were dozens of hand seals, hundreds of incantations, and thousands of array changes—impossible to grasp at once.

The more powerful the art, the more elusive and profound.

But there was no reason to shrink from difficulty; everything depended on persistence and effort. He would study it, bit by bit!

While absorbing spiritual energy, Yu Ye memorized every word and phrase of the Heavenly Prohibition Technique...

...

The next day.

By afternoon, Yu Ye rode into the canyon.

Beyond the canyon lay Lingjiao Valley.

At the end of the gorge, he dismounted and walked on foot with his sword. Ten months before, this place had been a frozen wasteland, scoured by icy winds. Now, returning to these old haunts, he found the grass thick and the world full of life.

To the right, a few miles away, was Withered Grass Gorge.

Recalling the path he once took, Yu Ye headed toward a rocky hill.

A startled mountain deer bounded away; a few birds flapped over the cliffs.

At the foot of the hill, weeds grew wild. Through the tangled grass, a cave mouth could be glimpsed.

Yu Ye paused briefly, then stooped and slipped inside.

The cave looked much as it had before, though now there were more traces of birds and beasts. Following the inner passages, clambering over rocks, after a dozen yards he found himself in another dark cavern.

Yu Ye stood quietly.

Now, with his spiritual sense, darkness was as clear as day.

Yet before his eyes arose scenes from the past: a bewildered youth arriving here, clutching a fire striker, his face full of unease; Uncle Wu and Chen Qi confronting each other, and Yu Ergou fleeing with him on his back...

Yu Ye put his sword into the Storage Iron Ring and leaped up. The cave roof, two yards high, had a fissure in the stone. He darted into it, then gripped the edges and climbed upward.

The narrow, winding passage still carried a faint stench.

After twisting and squeezing through, the space opened up.

Yu Ye emerged from the crevice and walked alone through the silent, empty cavern.

This was where he’d slain the great serpent, found the remains, and encountered Chen Qi—also the place where his father had met his end. The serpent and the cultivator’s bones had long vanished. The skeleton in the corner had been burned to ash. Only darkness remained, thick with silence, as if time itself had frozen and eternity had taken hold.

Eternity?

The texts spoke of eternity as something mysterious. Perhaps it was close at hand, or perhaps it was this ordinary, this simple.

He wandered the cavern a few times, but found nothing.

Resigned, Yu Ye stopped and took out a wooden plaque, placing it on an empty spot. He’d bought it at a sundry shop—a memorial tablet inscribed with his father’s name: “Spirit of Xingyuan Yu Yao.” He brought out two candles, a fire striker, a jar of wine, and two pieces of braised meat. When he lit the candles, warm light chased away the darkness.

“Father, I was unable to find your remains and could not lay you to rest. Today I have come to pay my respects and offer my obeisance.”

Yu Ye knelt, touching his forehead to the ground several times, then sat down and opened the wine jar, pouring some onto the earth.

“Father, drink with me!”

There was no reply; only the candlelight flickered softly.

Yu Ye raised the jar and took a swig. Wine spilled over his face, burned in his mouth, and seared his heart.

He set down the jar and wiped his face. The wine was still wet on his cheeks, but now tears blurred his vision.

“Father, eat some meat.”

He picked up a piece of braised meat and ate, eyes still misted with tears, though his face was calm, his low words steeped in unspoken grief.

Just then, a sigh echoed from the distance—

“Ah...”

Yu Ye quickly turned his back to hide the traces of tears, then looked over his shoulder toward the sound.

A dozen yards away, several cave mouths gaped.

From the shadows emerged a figure—familiar in posture, familiar in manner, and a familiar voice spoke:

“So your father perished here. No wonder you encountered Chen Qi and stirred up so much trouble...”

It was Bai Zhi again!

And yet he’d clearly left her far behind—how had she tracked him here?

Yu Ye tossed aside the meat and leapt to his feet.

But Bai Zhi acted as if she did not see him. She went straight to the memorial tablet, took a ceramic incense burner and three sticks of incense from her pack, set them out properly, then lit the incense and knelt gracefully, speaking aloud: “Spirit of Uncle Yu, Bai Zhi of Baijia Village pays her respects. With me as his senior sister, you may rest assured Yu Ye is in good hands!”

Yu Ye wanted to lash out, but forced himself to hold back.

“Do you know why, when honoring our ancestors, we light three sticks of incense?”

Bai Zhi rose, her voice gentle and amiable.

Yu Ye stepped back warily.

But Bai Zhi acted as if he wasn’t there, answering herself, “Three sticks—one for Heaven, one for Earth, and one for the ancestors. Incense wards off evil and links the spirit. Burning it is also said to send fragrance to all realms.”

Yu Ye couldn’t help but wave her off, interrupting: “Enough with the clever words. Tell me how you found this place—why won’t you leave me be?”

Before he finished, he heard Bai Zhi stifle a laugh, covering her mouth, then she turned solemn and said softly, “Where one has fallen, so too must one rise again. All who achieve greatness share this trait. I believe, my junior brother Yu, you are no different.”