Chapter 287

Chapter 287: The Mute Boy

Thinking carefully, Lou Yun became certain he had indeed been here before, led by his elder brother Leng Cangqiong. It was on this very mountain that he had obtained the Qi Cai Xue Lian.

And this mountain was home to a man called Xue Lao San. Back then, for the sake of the Qi Cai Xue Lian, Xue Lao San had even tried to kill Lou Yun, only to nearly be killed by Lou Yun instead. Of course, Lou Yun didn’t kill him but let him go.

Now, with almost no other options left, Lou Yun had unexpectedly arrived at this snowy peak. Recalling Xue Lao San, he wondered if seeking him out might reveal the whereabouts of Wen Zhi Lao Ren, after all, Xue Lao San had resided here for quite some time.

Lou Yun descended directly from the air onto the mountainside, toward that familiar cave. Warm breezes still wafted from its entrance—the very place where Qi Cai Xue Lian grew and Xue Lao San lived in seclusion.

Lou Yun did not enter immediately but stood outside the cave opening, calling out clearly, "Xue Lao San, your old friend has come to see you!"

He waited in silence for a moment, but not a sound stirred from within the cave. Lou Yun called again and simultaneously activated his spiritual sense to probe inside. To his surprise, the cave was empty!

How strange. Had Xue Lao San already abandoned this cave?

After considering it briefly, Lou Yun walked into the cave. Its interior looked almost unchanged from his last visit. At its center lay a lake emitting steaming warmth, with several Qi Cai Xue Lian flowers still floating on its surface.

"Xue Lao San?"

He continued calling the name as he proceeded deeper into the cave. By the time he reached its farthest end, no one had appeared. Even the daily necessities and cultivation items he’d seen on his prior visit, belonging to Xue Lao San, had disappeared entirely. Judging by the traces in the cave, it hadn’t been inhabited for quite some time.

This discovery puzzled Lou Yun greatly. Both ideal for cultivation and home to Qi Cai Xue Lian, why would Xue Lao San willingly abandon such an ideal location?

Shaking his head, Lou Yun couldn’t fathom the reason. But since Xue Lao San wasn’t here, he had no reason to linger. As for the Qi Cai Xue Lian blossoms, he felt no desire to gather them and turned to leave.

Standing midway on the snowy peak, surrounded by endless white, Lou Yun felt frustration swell to its absolute limit. Twice now he’d come to the Great Snowfield; twice he’d searched like seeking a needle in the ocean. At least the first time he’d encountered his elder brother Leng Cangqiong, whose guidance had led him to find Qi Cai Xue Lian. But this time, who could possibly guide him?

With no alternative, Lou Yun reached out for help. "Brother Chang, could you use your spiritual sense to help me search nearby for any humans?"

Lou Yun’s own spiritual sense was strong, but the vast mountains here obscured it. Most people secluded themselves deep within the mountains, and the thick rock layers blocked spiritual detection, making it impossible for him to locate them.

"Mhm!" Chang Xiang replied curtly.

Yet as his voice faded, he immediately added, "No need to search anymore. Someone is coming toward you!"

Lou Yun gave a slight start when his spiritual sense indeed detected a figure speeding rapidly toward the mountainside.

"Who could this be? Could it be Xue Lao San returning?"

No matter who it was, Lou Yun decided to stay. After all, he’d finally encountered a person. He must try to meet and speak with them—perhaps they might know the whereabouts of Wen Zhi Lao Ren!

Shortly after, Lou Yun’s eyes could finally confirm a human silhouette, steadily drawing nearer. Judging by their appearance, they were no older than fourteen or fifteen—youthful and fine-featured, yet their face bore numerous bruises. A thick shadow of worry hung between their brows, clearly preoccupied by some pressing matter.

The youth looked up and also spotted Lou Yun. A flicker of joy passed over his face, and he hastened his climb. Soon, he reached a spot about two meters away from Lou Yun and stopped. Without uttering a word, he suddenly knelt down with a thud.

The action came too abruptly. Lou Yun had still been pondering the reason behind the youth’s expression when he first saw him, never anticipating that the boy would unexpectedly drop to his knees like this.

But remembering the heavy concern etched on the youth’s brow, Lou Yun immediately understood—this youth must have encountered an unresolved problem and run here seeking help.

One thing still puzzled Lou Yun, though: how had this youth known he was here?

Though his own spiritual sense couldn’t penetrate deep into the mountains, he could scan the surrounding mountain slopes and bases easily. When he’d descended earlier, he’d scoured the area without sensing any energy fluctuations. Therefore, this youth must have only just appeared at the mountain’s foot.

Until he understood the boy’s purpose, Lou Yun hesitated to rush over and lift him up. Instead, he calmly observed the youth. The boy’s spiritual cultivation placed him only at the primary stage within the magical weapon realm—barely an introductory level magical weapons master—but this made sense for someone so young.

The youth’s garments were painfully thin. Amidst the harsh environment of the Great Snowfield, his low cultivation offered no shield against the bitter cold. His entire body trembled visibly from the chill.

After kneeling, the youth hastily kowtowed repeatedly toward Lou Yun, completing three solemn bows before finally parting his lips to produce strained sounds: "Ah, ah…"

Lou Yun gave another slight start—this youth was mute!

Since the boy was physically impaired, kneeling before him in such icy conditions, Lou Yun’s heart softened regardless of not knowing his identity or intentions. Hurrying forward, Lou Yun gripped the boy’s arms firmly under the elbows and lifted him, saying, "Stand up first. Don’t rush. Can you write?"

As Lou Yun placed both hands on the boy’s body, he silently channeled his own spiritual energy into him. This spiritual energy contained two heavenly fires, radiating an intense, comforting warmth.

Instantly, the biting chill within the boy was driven away. A warm, soothing sensation enveloped his entire body, bringing indescribable comfort. Naturally recognizing Lou Yun’s help, a look of profound gratitude appeared on his face. He hastily cupped his hands in salute, bowing repeatedly towards Lou Yun while making "ah, ah" sounds, clearly expressing his thanks.

Seeing this shift in the boy’s demeanor, Lou Yun concluded he held no ill will. Smiling and waving a hand dismissively, Lou Yun said, "No need for thanks. Can you hear me?"

The boy nodded vigorously.

"Good. Can you write?"

The boy nodded again.

"I see worry all over your face; you must have encountered trouble you can’t solve alone and seek my help. But I don’t understand sign language," Lou Yun said. "So if it’s alright, could you write down the basics?"

The boy nodded eagerly again. He reached out and traced four characters into the snow: "Rescue My Father!"

Seeing it was a plea for rescue, Lou Yun knew time was critical. "Of course! Where is your father? Lead the way now!"

The boy promptly turned and sprinted downhill, with Lou Yun following closely.

The boy’s cultivation level was too low. He couldn’t run swiftly on the snow, and his frantic urgency meant he paid little attention to the treacherous terrain. He stumbled and fell frequently, tumbling head-over-heels for stretches at a time. Lou Yun watched with furrowed brows, finally understanding the source of the numerous scars marking the otherwise fine-featured young face – clearly the result of constant falls.

Yet the boy seemed utterly accustomed to it, seemingly impervious to pain. Each time he fell, he clambered back up and continued running.

Truthfully, Lou Yun wanted to lift the boy onto his magical weapon and fly. But the boy couldn’t speak, and Lou Yun didn’t know his father’s location. Guessing wrong could waste precious time, so he had no choice but to keep pace behind the stumbling boy.

The boy periodically glanced back, clearly anxious that Lou Yun might fall behind or abandon him. Luckily, each time he looked, he saw Lou Yun smiling and nodding reassuringly. The boy would then flash a brief, relieved grin in return.

Stumbling and staggering, the two descended the mountain. Once they reached the foothills, the boy pointed towards a snow-covered peak not far ahead, uttering "ah, ah" twice.

Lou Yun pointed towards the same mountain. "Your father is on that mountain?"

"Ah, ah!" The boy nodded.

No wonder the boy reached me so quickly, Lou Yun thought. His home is remarkably close to the mountain where the Qi Cai Xue Lian grows. He and Xue Lao San were probably neighbors before.

"Alright!" Lou Yun summoned the Dream Emperor Sword. Reaching out, he grasped the boy’s arm and leapt onto the blade. "I’ll fly us there. I’ll go slowly; you guide the way."

Pulled onto the Dream Emperor Sword, the boy was practically suspended in the air. Yet he showed no trace of fear or astonishment. Calmly, he nodded and immediately began pointing out the route for Lou Yun.

Lou Yun found this surprising. Even he himself had been full of astonished excitement and wonder the first time he’d flown through the air. How could this boy remain so composed? His own cultivation level was far too meager for flight. He must have been carried through the air before, Lou Yun reasoned – most likely by his father.

Following the boy’s direction, Lou Yun arrived at a spot less than halfway up the target mountain. The boy gestured for him to halt. Lou Yu scanned the surroundings incredulously. "Your father is here?"

Extending his spiritual awareness, he detected no energy signature whatsoever.

The boy nodded, then leaped directly off the Dream Emperor Sword. He waved at Lou Yun, motioning for him to follow.

Puzzled, Lou Yun sheathed his Dream Emperor Sword and trailed after the boy. Approaching a patch of ground indistinguishable from the surrounding snow, the boy crouched down. He reached out and swept his hand lightly over the surface twice.

Instantly, a small opening appeared in the ground. Peering inside, Lou Yun could make out a line of stone steps descending downwards.