Chapter 44 Junwu Mist
The path to Junwu Mountain proved more difficult than expected. The closer they got to the foot of the mountain, the thicker the fog grew, making it difficult for even Bichen's sword to penetrate. They had no choice but to walk. Wei Wuxian, clutching the fragment of the jade pendant, walked in front—it glowed slightly in the mist, as if guiding the way.
"There's something wrong with this fog." Lan Wangji suddenly stopped, unsheathed his sword, and drew a semicircle in front of him. "There's resentment flowing in it, but it's more... strange than the usual vicious resentment."
Wei Wuxian nodded, holding Chen Qing to his lips. “Indeed, it seems someone deliberately lured me here.” He glanced down at the jade pendant in his arms. “It seems like there’s something hidden in this place.”
The two men carefully made their way through the dense fog. The road beneath their feet gradually transformed from dirt to bluestone, covered in moss. Faintly visible were the marks of wear and tear, like some ancient formation. After walking for about half an hour, the fog suddenly thinned, and a series of dilapidated stone steps appeared ahead. At the end of the steps stood a broken stone tablet, engraved with the words "Wu Yong." The writing had long since faded, but it exuded a sense of desolation.
“Wuyong Kingdom?” Wei WuXian frowned. “The ancient kingdom that was said to have been destroyed by the priests? How could it be here?”
Lan Wangji traced the cracks on the stone tablet with his fingertips. “Rumor has it that the Wuyong Kingdom once attempted to build the Tongtian Temple, angering the Heavenly Court and ultimately being destroyed by divine wrath.” He glanced at the jade pendant in Wei Wuxian’s hand. “Perhaps the Jun family is related to the Wuyong Kingdom.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the jade pendant in Wei Wuxian's arms suddenly became extremely hot, and the blood-red stains on the edges of the fragments actually glowed red. At the same time, a soft cry came from the thick fog behind him, which sounded like Sizhui's voice!
"Si Zhui?" Wei Wuxian turned around suddenly and saw a small figure stumbling out of the thick fog. It was Si Zhui, who was supposed to stay in the Cloud Recesses. He was still holding the wooden kite in his arms and his face was covered with mud.
"Daddy! Father!" Si Zhui ran up to them, panting, his eyes red. "I, I didn't follow you on purpose, I just... I was worried about you, and I wanted to follow you to protect you..."
Wei Wuxian was angry and anxious, tears were about to come out, he bent down and pressed his shoulders: "Who asked you to follow us? Didn't I tell you it's dangerous here?" Although his words were harsh, there was fear hidden in his tone - if it weren't for the jade pendant's warning, Si Zhui would probably have lost his way in the fog.
Si Zhui lowered his head, twisting the corner of his clothes with his fingers. "I know I was wrong... but I've practiced new talismans that can protect me." He pulled out a few pieces of talisman paper from his pocket. The cinnabar marks on them were crooked, but they were the ones he had drawn all night. "Besides, wooden kites can guide the way in the fog. I've tried it."
Lan Wangji looked at the wooden kite in his arms. Sure enough, a red string was tied to its wings, and a small piece of quartz was wrapped around the other end, emitting a faint glow in the mist. He looked at Wei Wuxian, his eyes softening. "Since we're here, let's go together."
Wei Wuxian sighed helplessly and reached out to wipe the mud off Sizhui's face. "If you dare to do this again, you'll be punished by copying the house rules a hundred times." He said the punishment, but he protected him in the middle. "Follow closely, don't run around."
"Yeah!" Si Zhui nodded vigorously and grabbed the corner of Wei Wuxian's clothes tightly.
The three of them continued up the stone steps, and at the end of them lay an even more dilapidated ruin. Weeds grew among the broken walls, and one could vaguely see where a magnificent palace had once stood. The jade pendant in Wei Wuxian's hand burned even more. Following his senses, he looked and saw something resting on the stone platform in the center of the ruins.
As he approached, he discovered another jade pendant fragment resting on the stone platform, a perfect match for the one in Wei Wuxian's hand. Carved onto it was the left half of the Chinese character for "Jun." On the stone wall beside the platform, a few blurred murals were carved—they depicted ancient figures in ornate attire, holding jade pendants in worship. At the end of the murals, a sky filled with flames, the jade pendant shattered, and a city crumbled.
“‘Jade is hidden in Junwu Mountain; if the jade shatters, the mountain will collapse’…” Wei Wuxian murmured, “So that’s what Nie Huaisang was talking about.” He was about to pick up the fragments on the stone platform when Si Zhui suddenly pointed to the corner of the stone wall: “Daddy, there are words there!”
There were a few lines of small words carved in the corner of the stone wall, as if someone had added them later: "The remnants of Wu Yong stole your jade, fed it with their blood, and attempted to restore the country..." The handwriting was illegible, but it revealed deep hatred.
Wei Wuxian's heart trembled, and just as he was about to think about it, the jade pendant suddenly emitted a dazzling red light. The surrounding fog instantly rolled up, and heavy footsteps came from the depths of the ruins, as if some huge monster was approaching.
“Not good!” Lan Wangji protected Wei Wuxian and Sizhui behind him, pointing directly into the depths of the fog. “It seems we’ve disturbed something here.”
Si Zhui clutched Wei Wuxian's sleeve tightly, but didn't cry. He just whispered, "Don't be afraid, Daddy. I can use the talisman paper to help you."
Wei Wuxian patted his head, feeling a mixture of warmth and sadness in his heart—this child, clearly trembling with fear himself, still wanted to protect others. He looked up at Lan Wangji, their eyes meeting. No words were needed; they were already prepared.
No matter how many secrets the past of Wuyong Kingdom hides, no matter how many dangers there are in Junwu Mountain, they will face them together.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
