Return to the immortal mountain to seek a way out
After leaving Liangshan Lake, we didn't rush on. Yiqing knew Song Jiang and Wu Yong were meticulous and would dispatch a search, perhaps even involving the government, if they discovered we were missing. Therefore, he chose the most winding and difficult mountain routes, carefully navigating through dense forests and deep valleys rarely visited. He would sometimes create deceptive traps, leaving traces pointing in opposite directions.
While the "Wind Control Technique" he employed couldn't allow for sustained flight, it was far more swift and effortless than ordinary light-powered techniques for traversing the mountains and forests. He held my waist, and like a wieldy ape in the mountains, he soared and descended among jagged rocks and towering ancient trees. The wind whistled in my ears, and the scenery below rapidly receded. I clutched his collar tightly, initially a little frightened, but the steady strength of his arm and the reassuring presence around him gradually relaxed, even beginning to enjoy the sense of freedom that came with being one with the mountains and forests.
Hiding by day and out by night, sleeping in the open air. When hungry, I'd pick wild fruit, or ask Yiqing to catch pheasants and rabbits and roast them. When thirsty, I'd seek the clear mountain springs. The wound on my shoulder, nurtured by Yiqing's daily application of pure spiritual energy and the finest wound medicine, had almost healed, leaving only a pale pink scar.
We traveled like this for about seven or eight days. We figured we were far away from Liangshan's sphere of influence and the rumors of the search should have died down, so we slowed down our pace a bit and started traveling during the day, heading straight for Erxian Mountain in Jizhou.
Though arduous, this journey was the most peaceful and enjoyable I've experienced since arriving in this world. There were no mountain stronghold intrigues, no constant vigilance. Just the two of us, alone with the mountains and rivers. Yiqing seemed to talk more than he had back in Liangshan. He would show me how to identify herbs along the roadside and tell me anecdotes about mountain spirits and monsters. Occasionally, I'd hum a tune from that world, and he'd listen quietly, a thoughtful look of curiosity in his eyes.
The tacit understanding between us, called "lovers", has quietly grown and deepened in the mountains and rivers far away from the hustle and bustle.
One afternoon, we stopped by a stream. I was scooping water to wash my face when I heard Yiqing whisper, "Someone's here."
My heart tightened, and I immediately became alert. I looked in the direction he pointed, and saw an old man dressed as a woodcutter not far downstream, carrying a bundle of firewood and stumbling along the path beside the stream.
The old man seemed to be startled when he saw us, especially when he saw Yiqing's unique Taoist robe and elegant temperament, he was even more awed. He stopped and didn't dare to move forward.
Yiqing stood up and bowed to the old man, saying calmly, "Don't panic, old man. My master and I are traveling and passing by here. I would like to ask for a bowl of water to drink."
Seeing Yiqing's polite words and non-antagonistic demeanor, the old man relaxed a little, quickly put down the firewood, untied his water bag from his waist and handed it to him: "Please use it, Immortal. This crude spring water is all we have for people from the mountains."
Yiqing thanked him and took it, but didn't drink it. He just held it in his hand, his eyes casually sweeping over the old man's weathered face and his hands, which were rough and cracked from years of hard work. Suddenly, he asked, "Old man, do you often chop wood in the mountains around here?"
"Yes," the old man sighed, "I'm old now, and all I can do is wander around the foot of this mountain, chopping firewood and exchanging it for rice to make a living."
"Is the mountain peaceful lately? Have you heard any...uneasy news?" Yiqing asked casually.
The old man thought for a moment, then shook his head. "This mountain has always been quite peaceful. But a few days ago, I heard there was a lot of commotion in the south... yes, over at Mount Liangmarsh. It's said that their king... is gone."
Chao Gai is dead!
Although I'd anticipated this, my heart still sank when I heard it confirmed firsthand from this woodcutter. Liangshan had completely changed.
Yiqing's expression remained unchanged, but his eyes dimmed for a moment. He continued, "Oh? Do you know what happened next?"
"I'm not sure about that," the old man waved his hand. "How can we ordinary people dare to inquire about the affairs of those outlaws? I only heard passing merchants vaguely mention it. It seems that a man named Song is the leader now... Alas, there is no peace anywhere in this world." The old man muttered, picked up the bundle of firewood, and said goodbye and left.
After the old man walked away, Yiqing returned the water bag to me, looked towards the south, and was silent for a long time.
"Yiqing..." I called him softly.
He withdrew his gaze and looked at me, his eyes clear and bright. "Brother Chao Gai... have a safe journey. From now on, the affairs of Liangshan have nothing to do with you and me."
His tone was filled with a hint of relief and determination. I knew he had completely let it go.
We continued on our journey. A few days later, the familiar Erxian Mountain finally came into view. The mist-shrouded mountains, the lush green pines and cypresses, and the faint outline of Zixu Temple halfway up the mountain all gave me a sense of homecoming.
Without disturbing anyone, Yiqing took me along a secret path and returned directly to Zixu Temple.
The temple was still peaceful and quiet, as if time had stood still. The little Taoist boy Qingsong was startled at first when he saw us return, but then he was overjoyed. He was especially delighted to see that I was safe and sound, and he kept calling me "Sister Bu" and "Sister Bu" with great joy.
After settling in, Yiqing went to pay his respects to Master Luo. I remained in my room, looking at this quiet room that had once housed my initial fears and hopes, a flood of emotion welling up in my heart. I left with an uncertain future, but now I'm home with my beloved by my side.
In the evening, Yiqing returned. Judging from his expression, his conversation with Master Luo must have gone quite smoothly.
"Master knows everything," he told me. "He said this place is peaceful and quiet, so you can stay here and continue your cultivation. Don't worry about the outside world for now."
I breathed a sigh of relief. With Master Luo's words, we now have the most solid backing.
"Then Yiqing, what should we do next..." I looked at him, wanting to know his specific plans. Was he going to stay at Zixu Temple permanently, or was he going to find another place?
Yiqing walked to the window, looked out at the dusk, and said slowly, "With the change of leadership in Liangshan and Song Jiang in power, the issue of recruiting Liangshan is probably on the agenda. There will inevitably be a battle between the imperial court and Liangshan. After this battle, regardless of victory or defeat, recruiting Liangshan will become a foregone conclusion."
His analysis is completely consistent with the "plot" I know.
"What we need to do is not to stop this trend," he turned around, his eyes sharp, "but to pave a way out for those who are worth saving within this trend."
"Like Li Jun?" I asked.
"More than that." Yiqing walked over to the table, spread out a simple map, and pointed at it. "Li Jun is a hidden chess piece. He can make his own plans. But some people, like Lin Chong, Lu Zhishen, and Wu Song, have strong personalities and deep obsessions. They may not easily seek other paths. Even after being recruited, they may be sent to the most dangerous battlefields."
His fingertips traced across several areas on the map. "Conquer Liao, subdue Tian Hu and Wang Qing, and finally... conquer Fang La in Jiangnan. Every step was a sea of blood and corpses."
Looking at the crude map, I seemed to be able to see the bloody battlefields of the future and the sad fall of familiar names.
"We are weak and cannot change the course of the war, but we can perhaps... plan ahead and leave them a way out at certain key points." Yiqing pointed his finger heavily at the Jiangnan region, "especially here, where the casualties were the highest during the Fang La campaign."
"How to layout?" I asked.
"We need a two-pronged approach," Yiqing pondered. "First, we need to leverage Master's connections and my divination skills to closely monitor the developments of the imperial court and Liangshan, especially the time and location of the major wars that may occur in the future. Second, we need some 'external forces.'"
"external force?"
"Money, supplies, and... some absolutely reliable personnel who don't belong to any faction." Yiqing's eyes were deep. "We need to secretly set up several safe strongholds in Jiangnan in advance, stockpile some medicinal herbs and food, and even prepare routes to hide our identities and escape from the Central Plains. When the war breaks out, if there's an opportunity, we can rescue those who are injured or trying to escape."
I see what he means. We can't prevent war, but we can build a network of hidden "safe houses" and escape routes! This will require a lot of money and extremely careful planning!
"Where does the money come from? How can we find manpower?" This is undoubtedly the biggest problem.
Yiqing looked at me, a strange glint in his eyes. "Luanyin, you mentioned some... things from your world. Are there any ways to quickly amass wealth without attracting attention? Or perhaps some ingenious items that are easy to make but still quite attractive to people in this world?"
He'd actually set his sights on my "modern knowledge"! I was stunned for a moment, then my mind raced. Glass, soap, perfume, strong liquor... all common items in time-travel novels... but these either require specific ingredients and craftsmanship, or are easily coveted, defying the "unobtrusive" requirement.
Suddenly, an idea struck me!
"Mirror!" I blurted out, "Yiqing, are you using a bronze mirror?"
Yiqing nodded: "Of course."
"I know a way to make a clearer, more realistic, and perhaps more cost-effective 'glass mirror'!" I exclaimed excitedly. In this day and age, a crystal-clear glass mirror is a true treasure! If it could be produced on a small scale, secretly, and sold through shady channels, it would surely quickly amass a fortune! Furthermore, the mirror's small size, high value, and ease of concealment and transportation are crucial!
"Glass mirror?" Yiqing's eyes flashed with interest. "Tell me in detail."
I explained, as best I could in terms he could understand, the rough principles I remembered about firing glass (silicon dioxide) and making glass mirrors using tinfoil and mercury (or the safer silver mirror reaction alternative, as I needed to recall the exact chemistry).
Yiqing listened attentively, frequently raising key questions about raw material acquisition and temperature control. Although he didn't understand chemistry, his profound Taoist knowledge and understanding of material transformations enabled him to quickly grasp the core of the discussion.
"This method... might be worth a try," he finally mused. "Perhaps some of the raw materials can be found in the mountains. As for the production site..." He glanced towards the deeper area behind the temple. "There's an abandoned alchemy room in the mountains behind Zixu Temple. It's in a remote area and could be renovated for use as a testing ground."
As expected, being close to Erxian Mountain is very convenient! The raw materials and site have been initially secured.
"What about the reliable manpower?" I thought of the next question.
"This matter requires long-term consideration and careful selection." Yiqing said, "Perhaps we can select some honest and tight-lipped mountain people and hunters who have received favors from our master or me and are not interested in competing with the world, and promise them large profits, and let them be responsible for some peripheral raw material collection and transportation work. The core production needs to be done by you and me ourselves, or... Qingsong will help." He looked at the little Taoist boy who was cleaning outside the door.
Although Qingsong is young, he has a pure mind and is loyal to Yiqing. He is indeed a reliable candidate.
The core framework of the plan gradually became clear - using the Zixu Temple on Erxian Mountain as a secret base, using my "modern knowledge" to try to make glass mirrors to obtain funds, while Yiqing would use his divination and connections to closely monitor external trends and arrange safe spots and escape routes in key areas (especially Jiangnan) in advance.
This is a huge, long-term plan, full of unknowns and risks. But looking at Yiqing's determined and wise eyes, I was filled with confidence.
Returning to the immortal mountain is not to escape from the world, but to accumulate strength, in order to find a secret escape route for those heroes who should not be destroyed in the bloody storm in the future.
From now on, there is a clear blueprint for the path to defy fate and change one's destiny.
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