We quietly bypassed the water pool area and continued to move eastward. We came to the woods where we had stayed for two nights before. There was still a tent there. I folded it up and tried to pack it as small as possible for easy carrying. We might have to sleep outdoors for a long time in the future, so this tent came just in time.
We continued walking forward. We were still too close to the sisters and did not dare to make a fire, so we walked a relatively long distance at night. After our eyes had adapted to the darkness, we could walk by the moonlight. However, we had to be careful of attacks from poisonous snakes. I also carried a mountain axe with me at all times to prevent any accidents from happening and making it difficult to protect Yunwen in time.
Fortunately, I have an excellent ability to hear and distinguish sounds. Although I can't see many roads clearly, I can still predict the movements. I can basically tell which bush or direction has unusual movements, whether it is a squirrel or a snake, so walking at night is not too difficult.
But it is limited to this mountain road. After all, this is an isolated peak and there are no larger carnivores.
The next part of the road led to the place where I often come to pick fruits and vegetables. Since I had already figured out the route and practice makes perfect, even if I couldn't see clearly, I wouldn't stumble. I just had to be careful that Yunwen was in danger, so I reminded her all the way. Yunwen pulled my clothes hard, held my hand tightly, and stayed close to me all the time, as if she wished that we could grow up together.
Just like that, we reached the end, which is the downhill road at the other end of the isolated peak. There is no iron gate or high fault at this end, but there is a gentle downhill road that you can just go straight down. However, I have never gone down the mountain before, so I was not familiar with the road and did not know about the potholes, so I did not go down the mountain directly.
"This place is far away from Bailu and the others. How about we make a fire and rest here tonight?" I asked.
"Whatever you say, I'll listen to you." Yunwen replied softly.
With the help of moonlight, I found some dry firewood and grass, and prepared to use the old method of rubbing two sticks together to make a fire. However, the hillside was windy, and it was dark, so I couldn't tell when the fire was lit, and I missed many opportunities. Therefore, after turning back and forth nearly a hundred times, the fire still didn't start.
"Wait a moment." Yunwen said suddenly.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
She suddenly reached out to touch me, and I immediately became alert. But she had no intention of stopping, and kept pinching and touching me. I immediately swallowed my saliva, and my ears felt hot. At this moment, she suddenly touched my key part, and I felt like I was struck by lightning, and I stood there in a daze, not daring to move.
She quickly withdrew her hand and was speechless for a long time.
"Yunwen, is it because it's a dark and windy night that you're thinking about that?" I don't know how thick-skinned I am.
"No! You're being a hooligan!" Yunwen immediately said coquettishly, turned around and covered her face.
"Aren't you looking for a zipper?" I asked.
I snorted and stamped my feet, saying, "No, I just remember that when I was sewing your clothes, there seemed to be a cigarette box or matches inside, so I wanted to feel around to see if I could find them. What are you thinking?"
I quickly scratched my neck and said to hide my embarrassment: "Oh, I just asked if you wanted a cigarette box, nothing else."
It's just to give each other a way out.
When it came to the four of them, it was still okay, but for two people, a man and a woman, staying together alone, it seemed difficult if they didn't think about that, and it was bound to be awkward.
"Then you should quickly look for a cigarette box or matches, that would be much more convenient." Yunwen said.
So I looked around and actually found a box of matches, but there was only one match in it. I asked Yunwen to block the wind outlet with me, and then squatted as low as possible to ensure that the combustible material could be ignited as quickly as possible. Besides, these matches had not been used for two years and were placed in a damp and closed place, so they were somewhat exposed to moisture and had to be used with caution.
There is only one chance. If it’s gone, I’ll have to continue drilling wood. But my hands are almost peeling, so I must succeed.
I stretched out my right hand and reached back, and felt a light breeze blowing on my palm. I could feel a slight temperature difference, but I didn't hear any sound of leaves being blown. So it should be a light breeze, about 2m/s. This wind speed wouldn't have a big impact, and Yunwen and I blocked the wind outlet, so the impact was basically zero.
After confirming these and making sure there was no sign of wind, I counted down from three seconds in my mind and lit a fire. The match crackled and the flame lit up. I carefully took out a few pieces of hay and lit them, then gradually added more. The fire grew bigger and bigger. Only when the hay was burning bigger did I put in some dry firewood, and then used an axe to chop some larger firewood so that it could last through the night.
I asked Yunwen to watch the fire while I took the torch and went back to the fruit tree area not far away. I collected some wild peaches, wild apricots and the like and put a lot of them in my backpack. I took all the limited edible things with me. It is always better to have something to eat than nothing.
After we got it back, Yunwen and I ate two peaches each, which just barely filled us up a little and that was our dinner for tonight.
Afterwards, I spread out the tent again and placed it near the campfire. Yunwen and I came in and rested our heads on our backpacks, which was quite comfortable. It was summer now, and it was quite cool to be outdoors facing the slope.
"Zhou Bo, have you ever thought about where we are going next?" Yunwen asked.
"Well, I was just about to ask you, you have studied so much about the patterns on bronze ware before, you should be familiar with them, right? Can the records on them let us know where we can find the supreme treasure inside?" I asked.
"The supreme treasure is hidden in the Taiqiong Cave in Claw Dragon Mountain. It was mentioned in the fragments of the Dragon-Seeking Camp. I have checked the clues over and over again. In addition, we found a simple map in a treasure chest near the coast before, so we can determine the location. But Senior Li said, 'To reach the Immortal Cave, if you don't have the key, it's like coming empty-handed'. That means you need a key to get in, but we don't have the key now, so we found it with great difficulty, and maybe we can only enjoy the scenery and pay our respects." Yunwen said.
"So Li Mufeng and Milongying found it, but they never went in, and then they returned to the cave to continue their research, right?" I asked.
"I guess so. At that time, those bronze artifacts were placed in order of the pattern. But after we went in, we chopped off the legs of the table and used the bronze artifacts indiscriminately, which messed up the order. It took me a long time to sort it out. We returned to the Dragon Camp without success and went back to the Worm Cave. It should be to study the patterns on the bronze artifacts to figure out what the key is." Yunwen said.
"But later he encountered an insect plague just like us, with heavy casualties, right? He went back to his hometown in Beijing, right?" I asked.
"I guess so, but it's only recorded in the remaining pages. I don't know what happened next, but I think we can give it a try." Yunwen said.
"What do you mean?" I asked quickly.
"Do you remember Yingchun unlocked the door with her hair? I secretly memorized it and practiced it many times. Maybe it will come in handy." Yunwen said.
Since the Dragon Hunting Camp was an unofficial organization authorized privately by Emperor Jiajing, it must have many talented people under its command, and those who were good at opening the orifices and unlocking the locks should be countless, otherwise wouldn't it be a group of reckless people who knew nothing? But they couldn't crack it, so how could a hair be solved?
But I am willing to give it a try. Besides, I won’t know if it works until I try. I have some ability to listen to sounds and Yunwen has also mastered Yingchun’s lock-picking method. Maybe it can work a miracle. There is no need to retreat when something happens.
"Then let's give it a try. Where is the Taiqiong Cave in Clawlong Mountain that you mentioned? Can you point it out?" I asked.
Yunwen took my hand and walked out of the tent. After climbing a little slope, we could overlook the scenery below the mountain.
She pointed to the foot of a mountain in the distance. After a transition to a dangerous forest area, there was a solitary mountain about the same height as the City Wall Mountain. There were four dragon claws at the foot of the mountain. In the Ming Dynasty, four-clawed dragons were popular. The origin of this clawed dragon mountain was left by the Dragon Hunting Camp. Therefore, that solitary mountain was where we wanted to go.
It’s not far, but it’s thrilling because you have to pass through a dangerous area!
Just as I was thinking about this, Yunwen said, "Appreciating the moon together, is that something that boyfriends and girlfriends would do?"
I suddenly had an idea in my mind, and was about to say that it would be better if we kissed each other while appreciating the moon, but on second thought I took it back.