Chapter 59

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Chapter 59: Failure

     

Seeing Zhang Zhaoyang so resolute, Yanming Hermit understood his determination and turned to Lu Yueming and Tan Feng, saying: “I plan to stay here. What about you?”

     

Lu Yueming and Tan Feng exchanged a glance, then stepped forward and said: “We won’t enter either. We’ll stay here to guard for Brother Zhang.”

     

Yanming Hermit nodded and said to Zhang Zhaoyang: “Then, noble nephew, you may enter. You know the formula, right?”

     

Zhang Zhaoyang smiled and replied: “Go straight for ten trees, turn right for eight trees, go back for six trees, then left for six trees. I remember it well. Is it correct?”

     

Yanming Hermit said: “That’s right. That is the formula. Sword Master Wan is indeed thoughtful.”

     

This remark seemed to have a double meaning, but Zhang Zhaoyang did not pay much attention to it. Instead, he checked his belongings and took out a bundle of thin, white string from his bag. Yanming Hermit’s eyes lit up, and he asked: “Nephew Zhang, is this string woven from snow silkworm silk?”

     

Zhang Zhaoyang nodded with a smile and praised: “Senior Uncle Yanming, you truly have keen eyes. This is indeed woven from the silk spit out by the snow silkworms, which are found only in the frozen lands of the far north, mixed with other precious threads.”

     

Yanming Hermit asked again: “I’ve heard that snow silkworm silk is extremely tough and cannot be cut with ordinary blades. Is that true?”

     

Zhang Zhaoyang replied: “Indeed, it is true. Would you like to test it, Senior Uncle?”

     

Yanming Hermit thought for a moment and said: “For the sake of Nephew Zhang’s safety, I should give it a try.” With that, he took out the sharp dagger he had used previously and said to Zhang Zhaoyang: “This dagger can cut through iron like mud, can this string withstand it?”

     

Zhang Zhaoyang still smiled and said: “Senior Uncle Yanming, please feel free to test it. When our Sword Master obtained this silk rope, he already tested it. At Ten Thousand Swords Peak, aside from the Peak Guardian Divine Sword, no other blade could leave a mark on it.”

     

Hearing this, Yanming Hermit picked up the dagger and, using his strength, slashed down on the snow-white string placed on the ground. Sure enough, when he lifted his hand, there was no mark left on the string. Yanming Hermit couldn’t help but shake his head and said: “Sword Master Wan truly knows how to plan. ‘If you’re unwilling to let go of the child, you won’t catch the wolf’. He is willing to bring out such a treasure. What a clever move, what a clever move.”

     

Zhang Zhaoyang remained silent, picked up the string from the ground, tied one end around the sour jujube tree where Yanming Hermit had just slashed with his dagger, and fastened the other end around his waist. Then he said to Yanming Hermit: “Senior Uncle Yanming, this snow silkworm silk has another advantage. When I use inner energy to shake it, the vibrations will transmit to the other end. Even if it’s tied to a tree, you will still be able to feel it. Please wait here, Senior Uncle Yanming. After I enter the forest, please send a message at intervals. I’ll respond to confirm my safety. Once I reach the other side of the forest, I will send four consecutive messages. If you still intend to enter at that point, please follow the guidance of the string. How does that sound?”

     

Yanming Hermit smiled and said: “Very well, then I’ll trouble you, nephew. We’ll wait for your updates.”

     

Then, Zhang Zhaoyang reached into his pocket and took out the piece of leather from Ten Thousand Swords Peak, handing it to Yanming Hermit. He said: “Senior Uncle Yanming, if I encounter any misfortune when I enter the forest, please return this piece of leather to my Sword Master.”

     

Yanming Hermit paused for a moment, furrowing his brow, and said: “Your Sword Master trusts me with such a precious item?”

     

Zhang Zhaoyang smiled and replied: “Senior Uncle Yanming since you are allied with our Sword Master, you are not an outsider. Please take care of it.”

     

Yanming Hermit reached out and accepted the item, saying: “Nephew Zhang, go ahead and enter. When we meet again in the secret realm, I will return this to you immediately.”

     

Zhang Zhaoyang thanked him, saying: “Thank you, Senior Uncle. I will enter now.”

     

With that, Zhang Zhaoyang drew his long sword and bravely headed into the forest.

     

Suddenly, Yanming Hermit stopped him and asked: “How long is this silk rope of yours? I remember the journey into the forest is quite long, at least four or five miles.”

     

Zhang Zhaoyang smiled and patted a few other bags, saying: “Disciple is well-prepared here. If it’s still not enough, I can always come back.”

     

Yanming Hermit glanced at the bags around Zhang Zhaoyang’s waist, shook his head with a bitter smile, and thought to himself: “This Wan Chengjiu is truly an ambitious and ruthless character.”

     

Zhang Zhaoyang once again bowed respectfully to everyone present, then lifted his sword and cautiously stepped into the sun-dappled jujube forest.

     

At first, Yanming Hermit and the others could still see Zhang Zhaoyang’s figure from outside the forest. As he ventured deeper, he eventually disappeared from their view, leaving only the snow-white thin string hanging motionless among the trees of the jujube forest.

     

After waiting for about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, there was no movement in the jujube forest, not even the sound of birds chirping. Yanming Hermit stepped forward and tugged on the string. It remained taut. He then infused it with inner energy and sent it out. After a while, he felt a slight vibration coming back through the string. It appeared that Zhang Zhaoyang was still progressing safely on the other end. This reassured Yanming Hermit’s heart somewhat.

     

Yanming Hermit retreated again, and naturally, both Lu Yueming and Tan Feng looked at him eagerly, waiting for news from Zhang Zhaoyang. Yanming Hermit nodded with a smile but didn’t speak. In this peculiar place, he felt a hint of pressure and had to expend some mental effort to resist it. Therefore, being naturally reserved, he didn’t feel inclined to say anything unnecessary.

     

After waiting for another cup of tea’s worth of time, suddenly, Yanming Hermit’s heart skipped inexplicably. It seemed, perhaps, that he had heard a scream from within the forest. However, his ears did not pick up any other sound, the forest remained eerily silent. He turned to look at Lu Yueming and Tan Feng and found them equally surprised, their eyes darting around. Yanming Hermit thought to himself: “Not good.”

     

Immediately, he stepped forward and placed his hand on the string tied to the tree, sending his inner energy through it as before. After a while, there was no response. Yanming Hermit grew anxious and sent another pulse of energy through the string, still receiving no reply. He pondered for a moment, then began to pull the string back, hoping to retrieve it.

     

Sure enough, it could be pulled, and moreover, it felt surprisingly light in his hand.

     

Yanming Hermit’s face was solemn as he pulled the silk rope from the forest. Tan Feng quickly stepped forward to help tidy up the rope that had already been pulled out, while Lu Yueming drew his long sword and stood beside Yanming Hermit, his eyes fixed on the seemingly ordinary entrance to the jujube forest.

     

The silk rope had been pulled out quite a bit already, and they had come across a knot tied by Zhang Zhaoyang, indicating he had attached a second rope. Yet, they hadn’t seen anything yet. Yanming Hermit, couldn’t help but quicken his pace. Before long, Tan Feng had wound up a large bundle of rope in his hands. Yanming Hermit also heard faint rustling noises from within the jujube forest.

     

As he adjusted the speed of his hands, the sound continuously approached, it seemed something was attached to the other end of the rope. At this point, Yanming Hermit became even more cautious, slowing down his movements as he carefully continued to pull it out inch by inch.

     

It was getting closer and closer, and everyone was on guard.

     

However, at the end of the silk rope, there was no strange creature following it, nor was there anything on the rope except for a loose end.

     

The Yanming Hermit frowned as he picked up the loose end of the thread and examined it carefully. The bare irregular end suggested it had been torn rather than cleanly cut by a sharp blade. Yanming Hermit held the thread near his nose and detected a faint smell of blood. Upon closer inspection, he found traces of bloodstains on the silk rope. It appeared that Zhang Zhaoyang was in grave danger, as he hadn’t left behind even a trace of his belongings. Yanming Hermit sighed heavily.

     

Over there, Tan Feng took down the bundle of silk rope tied to the tree and handed the entire precious rope made of snow silkworm silk to the Yanming Hermit. At this moment, Lu Yueming, who was holding his sword, opened his mouth and asked Yanming Hermit: “Senior Uncle Yanming, you’ve been here twice now. Have you noticed any differences here compared to other places?”

     

Yanming Hermit pondered for a moment, then replied puzzledly: “I haven’t noticed anything different. Did you find something, nephew?”

     

Lu Yueming gazed at the deep jujube forest, deep in thought. He said: “Senior Uncle Yanming, I grew up in the mountains and have never seen such a large jujube forest, but I’ve been to many other forests of similar size. After being here for so long, I’ve always felt that this jujube forest is different from the others. It took me a while to realize that it’s quite peculiar, it seems like there’s a mist inside, and sunlight can’t penetrate it.”

     

Yanming Hermit chuckled and said: “Yes, nephew, you’re very observant. The last time we entered, it was filled with mist, making it hard to see far and lacking sunlight. Moreover, there were many animals and human bones inside.”

     

Lu Yueming nodded and said: “In most dangerous places, there are always curious people who venture in and animals that mistakenly wander in, leaving behind bones is not unusual. However, there seems to be something peculiar here that other places don’t have, isn’t there?”

     

Yanming Hermit and Tan Feng looked intrigued and asked: “What strangeness are you talking about?”

     

Lu Yueming replied: “Listen carefully, do you hear any bird calls in this jujube forest?”

     

Yanming Hermit and Tan Feng listened attentively. Sure enough, in the mysterious forest, there were no bird calls at all. Yanming Hermit pondered for a moment and said: “Nephew is right. The last time I entered the forest, it was also eerily quiet, with no bird calls at all.”

     

Lu Yueming spoke earnestly: “This is what I find peculiar. Birds, unlike beasts, have wings and can go anywhere in the world. Forests are their homes, yet in this vast jujube forest, there are no bird calls at all. Senior Uncle Yanming, don’t you find that strange?”

     

After hearing Lu Yueming’s words, Yanming Hermit suddenly felt his heart sink, a wave of unease washing over him. The hairs on his body stood up and cold sweat broke out on his back. Looking at the silk rope stained with faint bloodstains in his hand, he inexplicably felt a sense of panic. Glancing once more at the jujube forest, silent like a sleeping monster, he had no desire to linger a moment longer.

     

Yanming Hermit waved his hand and said: “Nephew, this is not the place to talk. Let’s leave first and find a safe place to discuss in detail.”

     

Lu Yueming and Tan Feng quickly responded: “We will follow Senior Uncle Yanming’s instructions.”

     

Yanming Hermit didn’t say much either. He packed the silk rope made of snow silkworm silk into his bag and swiftly departed with Lu Yueming and Tan Feng, using their lightness techniques to move rapidly without looking back.

     

Inside the eerily silent jujube forest, the thick mist drifted quietly, as if nothing had ever happened.