Chapter 3, Encountering the Hidden

As Chengduo walked, he recalled the words of the girl he had just met. The rise and fall of the sun and moon, the myriad things of heaven and earth—how could she possess such insight at her tender age? Along the way, he had already asked several people, and this nameless valley was located to the southwest of Pingyao. What did she mean by pointing to the path she was on?

Chengduo asked again: "Where does the old gentleman reside in the immortal realm?"

Upon hearing this, the woodcutter removed his hat and raised his head, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. As he knocked the snow off his hat on the stone steps, he laughed and said, "Brother, you speak truly. I wonder where this is headed?" This man was quite young, with a refined elegance that hinted at scholarly grace, and his demeanor did not seem like that of an ordinary commoner. Yet, his attire suited him well, as if he were indeed a woodcutter.

Chen Jinsheng scoffed, "What a grand spectacle. Unfortunately, the name is used, but the person is not useful."

The woodcutter remarked, "I do not know either. I have not heard of anyone possessing such abilities, and just now he did not seem like a martial artist."

The man in black released the reins, rubbed his forehead in apparent frustration, and murmured, "Why did I have to encounter these ruffians?" He looked up at the soldiers with a half-smile and asked, "May I inquire which general you gentlemen serve under?"

The woodcutter casually replied: "Is it easy to travel on a snowy day? Not everyone can afford to strike it rich; it is better to take it easy."

The woodcutter was taken aback, stood up, brushed off the snowflakes from his clothes, put on his hat again, took up the shoulder pole, and walked away. Chengduo led the horse and followed him, and the woodcutter asked: "Where are you from, my friend? You don't seem like someone from this small town."

The three men laughed even more lewdly. The young girl turned and walked away. One of them, with a pockmarked face, struck her umbrella with a whip, and the umbrella was torn in half with a "hiss". He laughed and said, "Don't be in such a hurry to leave..."

The woodcutter chuckled: "Where can this wealth be fully spent? You are not at ease now, and you will not be at ease in the future either"

Passed by

Cheng Duo chuckled and said: "How can I not be carefree now?"

The girl in the red dress hurriedly called out, "Wait a moment." The man in black turned to look at her, and the girl then asked, "Who are you?"

Mazi chuckled and said, "We are helping you because we like you."

Ming Ji looked him up and down twice, pointed towards the northwest fork in the road, and said, "That way." Chen Jinsheng glanced at that path and then turned back to look at Ming Ji. Ming Ji tilted her head and looked to the side. He smiled slightly, then led the horse and turned to head northwest.

The young girl, facing three opponents alone, began to feel overwhelmed. Suddenly, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a man in black wearing a hat standing nearby, hands clasped behind his back, smiling faintly. She was taken aback, thinking to herself: When did this person appear? At that moment, she dared not be careless; while dealing with the three ruffians, she also had to guard against this man in black making a move. This distraction made her responses less agile, and she frequently made mistakes. Just as she saw the big pockmarked man reaching out to grab her arm, he suddenly exclaimed, "Ouch!" and withdrew his hand, loudly admonishing his companions. She looked down to see a small patch of snow on the back of her hand, and a small stone rolled to the side of the road, clearly having struck her. The three men simultaneously noticed the shadow nearby. The pockmarked man shouted, "Kid, do you dare meddle in the affairs of the master!"

The three individuals halted their horses in succession, exchanged glances, and displayed a somewhat flirtatious demeanor. The young girl frowned upon witnessing their behavior, but then one of them spoke up: "Little sister, where are you headed on such a snowy day?"

Two people walked along a path and came upon a dilapidated house, its four walls bare. The east and west wings were separated, with the west wing having collapsed, leaving only broken walls and ruins. As Chengduo approached the house, he noticed someone in the east wing, and at that moment, the woodcutter also turned to glance at him

The old monk slowly shook his head and said: "No, no, the noble have their aura, which is evident at a glance, just like mountains and rivers. The royal relatives and high-ranking officials can all recognize this." His gaze was peaceful, yet fixed on the woodcutter

The man in black neither spoke nor moved, standing there like a drawn sword exuding a faint aura of menace. Ma Zi felt a surge of fear in his heart, got up without daring to say anything further, pulled up the other two brothers, and hurriedly mounted their horses to leave. The man in black coldly watched the three of them depart, his face clearly displaying anger; with a flick of his cloak, he turned and walked away

After a while, the woodcutter said: "Perhaps it is some reclusive master from beyond the world who has coincidentally encountered us, casually playing a joke on us."

The interior was quite cold, merely providing some shelter from the wind and snow. The side room had no curtain, and upon entering the hall, one could see a few sticks of firewood burning on the floor of the side room. Beside it sat an elderly man with a gray beard, wearing a cotton hat, his face appearing kind and clear, dressed in a pale blue robe, with a string of long prayer beads hanging outside his cotton coat, revealing him to be a monk. Both individuals were momentarily taken aback; the old man scrutinized them for a moment, then smiled kindly, saying, "In such a bitterly cold place, it is indeed a pleasure to encounter esteemed guests. Allow this old monk to take the lead and host you. Please, my friends, come over and warm yourselves by the fire." Both individuals were momentarily taken aback; the old man scrutinized them for a moment, then smiled kindly, saying, "In such a bitterly cold place, it is indeed a pleasure to encounter esteemed guests. Allow this old monk to take the lead and host you. Please, my friends, come over and warm yourselves by the fire."

Ming Ji opened her mouth but did not utter a single word, glaring at Chen Jinsheng, feeling stifled in that moment

Cheng Duo said: "I am originally a merchant from the capital, and I merely wish to take advantage of the border conflict and the maps to transport some goods and make a profit"

Cheng Duo and the woodcutter were both taken aback, exchanged a glance, and laughed together

The young girl stood still, took a couple of breaths, and then raised her head to closely observe the man in the black attire. He was quite tall, with sword-like eyebrows and thin lips, his eyes bright and clear, and his features handsome. However, his expression was one that could easily provoke annoyance—clearly one of amusement at her expense. Beside him stood a pure white horse, spirited and proud, unmistakably a fine steed.

The younger brother speaks quite frankly

The woodcutter smiled and said, "Good."

The old monk said, "A solitary monk in a mountain temple is merely a transient being, where is it not a place of residence?" As he spoke, he lowered his head to adjust his shoelaces and slowly continued, "Since you two little friends have come here, this firewood is not burned in vain; you may warm yourselves while the old monk takes his leave first." With that, he slowly stood up, and the woodcutter also stood up, helping him to carry the cloth bag onto his shoulder, saying, "My home is not far from here, as..."

No matter how high a person's lightness skill is, it is impossible for them to fly without a trace in this vast wilderness, yet there are no signs in any direction. Just now, Chengduo also secretly observed the old monk for a long time, and from his demeanor and speech, it did not seem like he possessed any extraordinary skills; he was indeed an ordinary old man.

The young girl, with a thoughtful expression, sincerely said: "The name is ordinary, but the person is quite capable. My name is Mingji, as the rise and fall of the sun and moon gives birth to all things in the world, hence I am called Ming."

Behind him, Ming Ji's curious gaze followed his silhouette

As the conversation was still ongoing, the umbrella suddenly closed. The young girl twisted her waist and thrust the umbrella like a sword towards him. The man with pockmarks swiftly dodged, and seeing her agile thrust, he leaped off his horse to catch her unarmed. The other two also jumped off their horses to watch the excitement. Although they noticed that the girl had some skills, they did not take her seriously. To their surprise, after a few exchanges, the man with pockmarks found himself at a disadvantage, as the girl's umbrella tip struck a pressure point, causing his leg to buckle and forcing him to kneel. The girl smiled and was about to mock him with a few words when the other two had already leaped in front of her. She turned to block them and began to fight with these two. Unexpectedly, after a few exchanges, the man with pockmarks found himself at a disadvantage again, being struck at a pressure point by the girl's umbrella tip, causing his leg to buckle and forcing him to kneel once more. The girl smiled and was about to mock him again when the other two had already leaped in front of her. She turned to block them and began to fight with these two. The man with pockmarks cursed and stood up to join the fray. The three of them became entangled in a fierce battle.

Cheng Duo slightly raised his chin, his eyes revealing an indescribable mix of amusement and anger, and slowly said: "Since you have followed me this far, why not continue to follow?"

Both individuals were generally quite composed and calm, yet at this moment, a sense of alarm arose within them. Upon reflecting on the old monk's words, they found everything to be quite off, and upon returning to the room to investigate, they still felt perplexed.

The old monk said, "It is extremely precious." The woodcutter, who was just sitting down, cast a meaningful glance at Chengduo upon hearing these words

"Brothers have no choice either. By striving to make some money now, it will be easier in the future." Cheng Duo replied casually

While lost in thought, I suddenly heard someone sighing under the eaves by the roadside: "The sky is overcast, the road is slippery, and the wind and snow make it difficult to travel." Cheng Duo turned his gaze towards the sound and saw a person in a blue shirt and cloth trousers sitting on the stone steps, wearing a large straw hat, with a shoulder pole leaning beside him. From his attire, he appeared to be a woodcutter, but the brim of the hat was pulled down so low that his face was not visible. He sat there as if taking a break, yet he was not carrying anything, and in such weather, it was unusual to rest here.

On the main road west of Pingyao Town in Yanzhou, three horses are walking slowly in the snow. These three individuals are dressed as soldiers, each horse adorned with leather boots and armor, clearly indicating they are from the supply unit of the Yanzhou garrison. One of them appears to be a leader, though his looks leave much to be desired, with a face full of pockmarks. After passing a fork in the road, they see a hint of red reflected in the snow from a distance.

Cheng Duo thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps. He doesn't seem to have any malicious intent."

Ming Ji's eyes flashed: "What are you going there for?"

Cheng Duo has always been perceptive in understanding people, yet at this moment, he cannot fathom the true background of this woodcutter. Feeling that this journey is peculiar, he becomes secretly cautious and provokes him with words: "That may not be the case; this wind and snow cannot prevent people from having matters to attend to, even a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl must wait by the road."

The two of them exchanged a few words as they gradually made their way to the outskirts. The landscape was blanketed in white snow, with not a trace of human presence. The wind blew in gusts, growing stronger with each passing moment, chilling their hands and feet. Cheng Duo thought to himself: this person is dressed lightly, yet walks through this wind and snow without showing any signs of discomfort, clearly indicating that he is a martial artist. However, if he intended to harm me, why would he engage in idle chatter? These words seem somewhat irrelevant, yet they carry a double meaning, and his responses appear to be spontaneous. As he pondered, he gradually formed a plan in his mind. He noticed a few houses nestled among the trees not far away and thought it would be better to have a proper conversation, as braving the wind and snow was ultimately uninteresting. He then said: "This wind is quite harsh; it would be better to take shelter over there."

Cheng Duo did not think much of it, knowing that this person must have his reasons. He casually smiled and said, "Since you say so, it should be fine to follow you."

Cheng Duo looked at the woodcutter and, after pondering for a moment, could not help but ask: "What do you find strange about this?"

The young girl, upon hearing this, angrily exclaimed: "Vulgar!"

Find a friend

"No need!" The old monk's demeanor was gentle, yet his words were resolute. The woodcutter said no more, simply replying, "Thank you, elder." However, Cheng Duo remained seated, watching as the old monk slowly walked out.

At a time like this, you still dare to head north with the goods; you truly have some guts. Isn't it better to go to the capital? Why endure such suffering in this weather by coming here

The old monk slowly shook his head and said, "No, no. He is the idle cloud and wild crane, a recluse of the mountains and forests." As he spoke, he pointed at Chengduo with a gentle smile.

As soon as he turned and left the room, the two inside simultaneously turned their heads to look, familiar with each other, their eyes reflecting a mix of understanding and hesitation, yet they did not speak for a moment. After a brief pause, it was the woodcutter who spoke first: "Are you still coming with me?"

The woodcutter said: "I used to engage in some small-scale business, unlike you who are involved in large-scale trade."

Another person laughed and said, "Do you want me to give you a ride?" The three of them then burst into laughter.

Your insight is quite commendable. I have come from the capital and wish to conduct some business here. However, it seems that there has been renewed conflict to the north of Yanzhou in the past few days, making it difficult to pass through the border areas. Therefore, I am traveling along the route to see where I might find some flexibility.

The woodcutter stared at him for a while and then said, "Let's go then"

The woodcutter ceased to speak, took up his shoulder pole, and continued walking west. Cheng Duo, leading the horse, silently followed him, and they traveled in silence for about half an hour. The woodcutter then turned south, and the two of them proceeded along a winding mountain ridge.

You ... ... "Cheng Duo turned around, intending to speak to the woodcutter, but the woodcutter lowered his head and said, 'Look at the ground.' The path in front and behind was covered with thick snow, and only the footprints of the two of them and the hoofprints of Cheng Duo's horse could be seen on the road coming from the east, with no other traces visible in any direction. Both men fell silent.

The man in black spoke after a moment: "Chen Jingsheng"

No one could clearly see how the man in black made his move; they only caught a glimpse of his figure flashing, stern and imposing, yet seamlessly transitioning between stillness and motion, attacking on the left while striking on the right. The young girl watched from the side, witnessing a series of exquisite techniques that were beyond her comprehension, her eyes reflecting a hint of astonishment. In the blink of an eye, after executing nine moves, three soldiers lay on the ground, groaning and rubbing their elbows and knees incessantly

Ma Zi said to the left and right: "Oh, quite spicy indeed. Young man, I fear you have yet to witness what is truly vulgar."

The woodcutter and Cheng Duo exchanged a glance, both understanding that this was an unexpected encounter. Cheng Duo then took the lead and walked over, choosing a clean spot to sit down, and said with a smile: "We happened to pass by here while on our journey, intending to come in and take shelter from the wind and snow, but we did not expect that the old gentleman had already made a fire. We are merely two fortunate passersby, not distinguished guests."

Upon stepping outside and seeing the vast expanse of the world, in just a moment, Cheng Duo felt that something was amiss. The surroundings were open and unobstructed, yet with the old monk's pace and demeanor, he should not have vanished in this snowy landscape. He took two steps onto the main road, looking around in all directions, but still saw no trace of him.

The woodcutter smiled slightly and said, "I am merely a lazy person living in the mountains"

The old monk smiled, and his face was lined with deep grooves, his white beard moving as he spoke: "On a snowy day, there is little farming to be done. The old monk has come to the town to beg for some food, seeking refuge from the wind and snow in this humble abode." Indeed, beside him was a small cloth bag, containing about half a bag of something that resembled grain.

"Have you taken the wrong path? In such a small place, one can traverse it in a day. How could you possibly get lost?" He spoke with a measured calmness, his voice as tranquil as the gentle flow of the Pingjiang River.

Upon hearing these three words, the man in black changed his expression. The young woman observed that he seemed somewhat angry, while the three soldiers perceived that he was afraid, and one of them shouted: "Those with eyes, get the hell out of my way!"

Chen Jinsheng seemed even happier, smiling more wickedly, and asked her: "Little girl, do you know how to get to the Wuming Valley in Pingyao Town?"

The girl huffed and said, "What business is it of yours!"

One person was about to answer when the leader, with a pockmarked face, stopped him. He scrutinized the man in black and said: "General Yang Youlin of the Western Camp in Yanzhou." The Western Camp is currently under the command of Yang Youlin, but he had only come north with Cheng Duo a few days ago. These soldiers were all part of the logistics supply, and today they had come out to repair leather. The pockmarked man also suspected that this person had some background, thinking to himself that since they had not yet seen Yang Youlin, he certainly would not recognize him, so he simply brought him out.

What is your name

Cheng Duo chuckled softly: "Do you still suspect that I intend to harm you? You and that young girl have been playing tricks on me, so I thought I would scare you a little. At that moment, I put on a smile that suggested I was calm and collected, and gestured for him to enter. The woodcutter's expression darkened, and after a moment's hesitation, he stepped inside.

Cheng Duo then asked, "The day is overcast, the road is slippery, and the wind and snow make it difficult to travel. Why is the old gentleman here?" He deliberately elongated the sound of the "ah". The woodcutter, noticing that Cheng Duo was mimicking his speech and trying to provoke him, maintained a facade of serious concern on his face. He glanced at him, smiled, and remained silent.

Cheng Duo looked ahead, and at the end of the long street, there was no sign of life. Suddenly, he smiled and said, "It seems I have taken a wrong turn."

The girl with a pockmarked face struck the horse, which galloped a few steps in the snow where it had sunk its hooves. Upon seeing that it was a young girl, petite in stature, holding a white oiled paper umbrella. The girl heard the sound and turned her head to look up, revealing bright eyes that sparkled with curiosity, her red attire contrasting beautifully against the snow, exuding an indescribable charm.