Chapter 35 Tracing Footprints in the Snow to Find the Sick Man For some reason, suddenly…
For some reason, Yan Chao suddenly felt a surge of anticipation for the trip to Keqiang.
Perhaps it's because that place was a turning point in the fate of the previous generation of the Four Gentlemen of Tianji, and it might also be a turning point for the four of them.
The Keqiang people live deep in the northern forests, where they have lived for generations, making a living by hunting. The people have never left the area.
This sounds like a secluded paradise, but in reality, this tribe was nearly wiped out seven hundred years ago. However, it wasn't due to the infamous Chaos of All Spirits known throughout the Three Realms, but rather to an invasion by a foreign race. Legend has it that they were saved by the previous generation of the Four Gentlemen of Heavenly Grain, and thus became the only place completely unaffected by the later Chaos of All Spirits.
The snow scenery along the way was incredibly beautiful, so Momo carried her on his back, flying at a moderate speed, enough for her to see all the sights along the way.
Yan Chao said, "Mo Mo, do you still remember Yao Xu's tuft of hair? I almost forgot to tell you, I met a wolf and a fox on my trip to the Ghost Realm. What were their names again... Zhu Yan and Gu Yue? They are both Feng Xi's companions. I was even going to introduce you to them next time we meet."
MoMo tilted her head and called out.
Yan Chao laughed loudly and said, "You also think their names sound better than 'A Tuft of Hair,' don't you? I heard Yao Xu also raises a big water buffalo, I wonder what its name is? But I'm sure it's an interesting name..."
Mo Mo suddenly lunged forward, and if Yan Chao hadn't held on tightly, he would have been thrown off.
Yan Chao, still shaken, patted it and said, "Mo Mo, what happened to you?! If I didn't have some magic power now, you would have made me fall flat on my face! In this snowy weather, if I really fell, you wouldn't be able to find me!"
MoMo resumed normal flight, but no longer paid any attention to her.
Yan Chao pondered for a while and said, "You didn't hear me say that you're jealous of the other animals, did you?"
Seeing that Momo didn't say anything, Yan Chao lay on its back and said, "Hahahaha! Momo, it's been so long, you've become even cuter." As he spoke, Yan Chao stroked its fur, "I only have you, all those others belong to others, of course I still love you the most!"
Sure enough, Momo flew even more steadily after hearing this.
Yan Chao said, "I wonder what delicious food we'll get to eat this time? I'm really looking forward to it!"
Having magic powers makes all the difference. Not only did Momo grow bigger, but her travel time also increased. What used to take more than ten days, Momo could complete in a single day, but Yan Chao managed to extend it to two or three days.
However, her magic power couldn't last long; it would disappear once she reached her destination.
She enjoyed the scenery along the way, and her mood improved considerably. She had been sleeping for three months, which had been quite stifling for her.
The sleep wasn't long, but perhaps because it had been so long since I had fallen into a deep sleep, I felt like I had been transported to another world when I woke up.
When was the last time?
Forgotten, it's not important.
While attending to immediate matters, one should not neglect delicious food and beautiful scenery.
When Yan Chao arrived, Feng Xi had already arrived. He was sitting in front of an open space warming himself by a fire. He had changed back into his Lianxi costume, but now he seemed to have a different state of mind.
Yan Chao waved to him and said, "Feng Xi, you're here really early!"
Feng Xi smiled at her and said, "I just arrived too."
Yan Chao jogged a few steps, sat down next to him, turned sideways, and stared at him curiously.
Feng Xi sensed that Yan Chao was acting differently today and asked, "What's wrong? Why are you staring at me?"
Yan Chao shook his head and said, "It's new. It's been a long time since I've seen anything like this, everything is new to me."
Feng Xi was amused by her words and said, "Why do you talk like you haven't seen anyone for months?"
Yan Chao said half-jokingly, "Yeah, I haven't seen anyone for months. The last person I saw was a bear that was hibernating."
Feng Xi immediately grabbed Yan Chao's wrist, his face darkening, and asked, "Have you encountered something?"
Yan Chao smiled and said, "There is something, but it's good news. The really, really good kind."
Feng Xi asked, "Really?"
Yan Chao patted her chest and said, "It's true! Chunshanlou's first principle—authenticity guaranteed!" She looked around and, not seeing Yao Xu and Mi Qing, asked again, "Didn't they come with you?"
Feng Xi added fuel to the fire, saying, "Ever since Mi Qing arrived, that kid has been following her around all day. But it's understandable; although they've known each other for years, they don't meet often, mostly exchanging letters. Those letters could fill a whole house..."
Yao Xu and Mi Qing met on a snowy day.
At that time, Mi Qing was a newcomer who had just been promoted by Huai Yu. Other junior priests who were promoted had to spend some time in Mingyue Zhao if they wanted to ascend to higher ranks, ranging from several years to a hundred years.
But Mi Qing was different. She bypassed Ming Yue Zhao and went straight to Tian Du, taking over Huai Yu's Mingxiu Palace. Nominally, Mi Qing was the assistant deity of the Mingxiu Palace, but in reality, Mi Qing's strength far surpassed Huai Yu's.
Huaiyu has an eccentric temperament and a controversial background, while Miqing is a rising star with strong abilities. Although three women make a drama, the two of them also make a show.
All the priests were waiting to see if the Mingxiu Palace would change hands or remain in its rightful place.
To everyone's surprise, not only did nothing happen between the two, but they also got along quite well.
But this kind of goodness only exists in the eyes of a portion of the population.
Huaiyu frequently sent Miqing to the mortal realm to visit various places in the Three Realms, and she always returned travel-worn. Those who didn't know the situation thought that Huaiyu was deliberately targeting Miqing, but in fact, Huaiyu was training her and helping her.
Fortunately, Mi Qing understood Huai Yu's good intentions from the very beginning.
They are like two isolated islands, connected by land.
My encounter with Yao Xu stemmed from a training trip to the mortal realm.
Mi Qing found Yao Xu, dressed in tattered clothes and seemingly on the verge of death, in the snowfield. She thought he was going to die, but he was actually sleeping.
Mi Qing had never seen anyone like him before. He looked ordinary, even mentally ill. But unexpectedly, after he cleaned himself up, he turned out to be quite handsome.
Yao Xu immediately recognized Mi Qing as a priest, but he didn't expect Mi Qing to be so straightforward, saying, "My name is Mi Qing, I am a priest, and I would like to make friends with you."
Mi Qing's words were not boastful or oppressive at all; they were simply stating her identity and making friends.
Yao Xu found the girl interesting, so he agreed.
As a matter of reciprocity, Mi Qing naturally learned Yao Xu's true identity.
Yao Xu spent most of his time in the mortal realm and rarely returned to Heaven. Mi Qing also had many miscellaneous affairs to handle on a daily basis, so the two often corresponded with each other. Over time, feelings developed between them.
Mi Qing disliked being wishy-washy, and she didn't care whether someone was the son of the Heavenly Emperor or a universally disliked scourge. The moment she realized she had fallen for Yao Xu, she went to confess, only to be rejected by him.
But Mi Qing was persistent; if once didn't work, she'd try twice, and if twice didn't work, she'd try three times. She firmly believed that Yao Xu liked her too, and that they would definitely be together.
Later, whether moved by Mi Qing's persistence or by some other method, Yao Xu seemed to have become a different person. He would become incredibly shy whenever he saw Mi Qing, and he would bury himself in researching the desserts that Mi Qing liked, making them in various ways...
Anyone who didn't know better would think that Yao Xu was pursuing Mi Qing.
However, their relationship was always kept secret. Apart from Feng Xi, only Yi Shang and Shan Qiaoying knew about it; no one else knew.
But you can't blame them; their social statuses are worlds apart, they're practically unrelated. When they meet in public, they only nod to each other, never exchanging a word, never overstepping any boundaries. Only in front of Feng Xi do they reveal their true feelings.
Feng Xi strongly disapproved of their behavior.
If he has someone he loves, he will never hide it. If they are sure of each other's feelings, then it will be like the thought of the Tree of Rebirth, unchanging through life and death; like the water of the Thousand Crossings River, flowing endlessly.
Yan Chao said, "I didn't expect their story to be so interesting. Ever since she confessed her feelings for Yao Xu at Banxianfang last time, I knew that it was definitely not Yao Xu who took the initiative."
Feng Xi raised an eyebrow and said, "Actually, there's something that Mi Qing has never known."
Yan Chao asked, "What is it?"
Feng Xi said, "Yao Xu fell in love with her the first time they met. Don't let his usual carefree attitude fool you, he's a very thoughtful person. He wants Mi Qing to be happy more than anyone else, but he never expected that person to be him. He has too many concerns, and I hope his concerns are unnecessary."
The more she spoke, the heavier Feng Xi's tone became; this was the first time she had ever seen Feng Xi like this.
Yan Chao didn't speak, but she vaguely guessed something. She had a strong premonition that the answer they were looking for was the same as hers.
The two remained silent for a short while, then heard two familiar voices coming from afar.
"Mi Qing, let me tell you, we're definitely going to be the first ones here this time!"
"Yes, I think so too."
"Once they arrive, I'll definitely squeeze Feng Xi for a hefty sum; he should at least brew a whole cellar full of tea wine for me..."
Yan Chao and Feng Xi: "..."
As the two approached and saw Yan Chao and Feng Xi standing there, Yao Xu's previously confident demeanor immediately deflated. He forced a smile and said, "You've arrived quite early."
Feng Xi's eyes were playful as he said, "Yes, as the first one here, what should I ask you for, my dear brother?"
Yan Chao also teased, "You two are not bad either! Look at you, always together."
Upon hearing this, Yao Xu coughed a few times, and his ears instantly turned bright red.
Yan Chao was about to tease him when Mi Qing beat him to it, tightening his cloak and saying, "I told you to wear more clothes when you go out, but you wouldn't listen! Now look what's happened, your ears are all red from the cold!"
Yao Xu lowered his head and said, "Yes, yes, yes! I'll do whatever you say!"
Yan Chao watched the two of them go back and forth, then looked at Feng Xi and chuckled softly, "Look at the two of them, I didn't say anything, they're already together, why are they still embarrassed?"
Feng Xi chuckled softly and said, "You'll get used to it, but I can't."
......
After catching up, the four headed deeper into the forest.
The road was lined with birch forests that stretched as far as the eye could see. A cold wind whistled past their ears, and their feet crunched on the snow. For at least thirty miles, apart from the four of them and Momo, they hadn't seen a single living creature.
Yao Xu sensed something was amiss and said in a puzzled tone, "This is really strange! The Keqiang people have always made their living by hunting, but since we entered this forest, we haven't encountered a single Keqiang person, nor have we seen a single live animal. It's too strange!"
Mi Qing also said, "The poplar forest you were in outside Yezi before was formed by arrays and magic. Now, there is no trace of magic here."
Feng Xi stopped and waved his hand, instantly bringing Zhu Yan and Gu Yue to the four of them.
Feng Xi said, "Go."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yan and Gu Yue turned and stepped into the forest, disappearing in an instant.
The group stayed where they were and waited. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they returned.
They looked flustered and hesitated to speak.
Feng Xi asked, "What happened?"
Zhu Yan and Gu Yue's faces turned cold, and they scratched the ground with their claws as if they wanted to dig through the snow.
Feng Xi paused for a moment, then frowned and asked sharply, "Is what you saw real?"
Upon hearing this, the other three also tensed up. Yao Xu asked, "What happened?"
Feng Xi didn't speak, but Yan Chao saw that his clenched fists were trembling and that a layer of cold sweat had seeped out of his forehead.
Whether it was Yan Chao's imagination or not, she seemed to see a barely suppressed fear and an unfathomable sadness in his eyes.
Yan Chao took his stiff, trembling hand and asked with concern, "Feng Xi, are you alright?"
Feng Xi snapped out of his daze, looked at Yan Chao, and said calmly, "It's nothing." But a moment later, he looked up into the depths of the forest, his voice hoarse, and said, "That place is very bad. Zhu Yan and Gu Yue have discovered the plague ahead."
Yan Chao asked, "What kind of epidemic?"
Feng Xi said, "Blood Spider Plague and Mad Wood Plague."
Upon hearing this, the three of them suddenly felt their pupils constrict, as if every drop of blood in their bodies had been drained in an instant, leaving only a deathly despair. They stood frozen in place, falling into an endless nightmare together.
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Author's Note: Seriously, how did Yaoxu even agree to Miqing's request?!
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