The young sword cultivators of Fenglei Garden, upon seeing the youths, immediately brightened with enthusiasm. The very first words spoken to Ning Yao were, "Young lady, once you grow a bit older, you'll surely rival our Su Fairy." Such praise was likely the highest compliment these young swordsmen could bestow upon any woman. Ning Yao's expression, naturally, was less than pleased, but before she could reply, Liu Baqiao—who spoke the local dialect—turned to Chen Ping'an and gave a thumbs-up. This prodigious swordsman of Fenglei Garden gazed clearly and said, "To survive a confrontation with the Guardian Ape of Zhengyang Mountain with nothing but a mortal body—that's nothing short of a miracle!" Liu Baqiao's curiosity was piqued: how could such a slender youth, clad only in straw sandals, harbor such explosive power?
Lowering his thumb, Liu Baqiao chose to walk beside Chen Ping'an rather than Chen Du or Chen Songfeng. Turning his head, he laughed and said, "Though Zhengyang Mountain is merely a small hill hiding a few timid pretenders, its Guardian Ape is notorious—earning its fearsome reputation blow by blow. Especially after the mountain's founding patriarch passed, during the first two centuries before the Third Peak emerged, it was this old ape's vigilant protection that prevented Zhengyang Mountain from being swallowed by neighboring powers. Of course, back then Zhengyang Mountain was still an inconsequential enclave facing only modest foes. Had it crossed paths with Fenglei Garden at that time—well, without question, a single command from our patriarch and a talisman granting me sword flight would allow me to soar above Zhengyang Mountain, cast down our Thunder Pool sword formation, and after the ensuing sword rain, Zhengyang Mountain would be no more."
Liu Baqiao made a casual gesture, as if tossing something to the ground. Ning Yao cut through his boasting mercilessly, "Zhengyang Mountain is not as feeble as you claim, nor is Fenglei Garden as formidable as you boast."
Unfazed, Liu Baqiao swiftly shifted the topic, leaning close to Chen Ping'an with a mysterious tone: "They say this corridor bridge once was a stone arch bridge, beneath which hung a rusty ancient sword strip—meant to ward off dragons and floods? Usually, such seemingly unremarkable relics are anything but mundane; they could be world-shaking, ghost-weeping spiritual treasures." Stomping hard on the wooden walkway, he continued, "But I just now knelt and tapped the ground for a long time and found no sign. Could it be that this treasure is not destined for me? Impossible! A prodigious sword genius like myself, if that sword strip truly were a divine weapon, it would surely resonate with me, or at least reveal itself! Could it be just an old relic worn by time? Such a pity…"
Chen Ping'an looked somewhat dazed. Liu Baqiao spoke with absolute sincerity, though his claims were far-fetched and unsubstantiated—but you could not call him outright foolish. Ignoring whether Chen Ping'an found him annoying, Liu Baqiao rattled on with tales from the town—about who had stumbled upon a miraculous fate so potent they pulled an entire iron chain from the locked Dragon Well; or how another, after days of fruitless searching, casually glanced upward in a decrepit alley and spotted a bronze mirror above a gate—inside which reflected an ancestor of the demon-revealing mirror, inscribed with cloud and thunder arcs and eight characters: "Light of Sun and Moon, Great Brightness Under Heaven." That brother was so ecstatic he wept loudly on the ladder. And then a young lady from the Haichao Iron Cavalry, through fortune and misfortune, met the gentleman Cui from the Guanhu Academy; they instantly became fast friends...
Crossing the corridor bridge, Chen Du and Chen Songfeng naturally slowed their pace, letting Chen Ping'an lead. The group followed an unnamed stream upstream; Chen Ping'an bore a bamboo basket aged yellow with time, while Chen Songfeng carried a charming, jade-green bamboo bookcase. Liu Baqiao's curiosity about the basket's contents compelled him to urge Chen Ping'an to slow down; rummaging through the basket, he found a chaotic assortment: three stacked conical hats, two pots, a kettle, an oil container, two axes of different sizes, two fire steels, a bundle of fire sticks, and at the bottom, eight bamboo tubes split lengthwise and joined back, along with a small cloth bag containing fishing hooks and lines.
"What are those bamboo tubes for?" Liu Baqiao asked.
Chen Ping'an answered, "There are eight tubes in total—six contain four rice balls each, and the other two hold some durable pickled vegetables."
Liu Baqiao beamed proudly, walking with an almost floating step, shouting, "Pickled vegetables! I've eaten those before!"
Chen Ping'an glanced at him oddly, thinking, What's the big deal about pickled vegetables? Unless you can eat an entire bamboo tube's worth in one sitting without water, that's impressive.
Liu Baqiao suddenly wondered aloud, "We only need three meals on this mountain trip, why bring two large tubes of pickled vegetables? Just a few bites of that stuff can fill half a bowl of rice!"
Chen Ping'an, pondering the quickest mountain path, casually replied, "Ning and I will share one tube of pickles, and you and your two friends share the other."
Liu Baqiao paused, then chuckled softly, "Don't be so formal—I'll share a tube with you all."
Ning Yao cut in firmly, "No. You share with your friends."
Liu Baqiao protested, "Why not?!"
Ning Yao raised her chin, signaling that Chen Ping'an had the answer, clearly implying she didn't even care to converse with Liu Baqiao. Liu Baqiao shifted his gaze, a mix of grievance and hope flickering in his eyes. Chen Ping'an smiled and shook his head.
Liu Baqiao sighed resignedly, "Favoring beauty over friendship—I understand."
Ning Yao sneered, "You've made friends so fast, surely you have thousands if not tens of thousands?"
Liu Baqiao glared, "Impossible!"
Ning Yao raised an eyebrow and added, "Impossible to have so few?"
Liu Baqiao clicked his tongue, "Miss Ning, your temper falls short of our Su Fairy's."
Ning Yao frowned, "Su Jia of Zhengyang Mountain?"
Liu Baqiao's pride swelled, "Yes! Su Jia—the grain's flourishing harvest, the saintly 'Good harvesters are many'—how captivating is her name? Doesn't our Su Fairy's name stir the soul?"
Ning Yao posed a question Chen Ping'an surely couldn't grasp, "If you truly adore Su Jia, have you ever considered what would happen if she were to return your affection?"
Liu Baqiao faltered, stammering, finally muttering guiltily, "How could she possibly like me?"
Chen Ping'an thought Liu Baqiao was not a bad person. Chen Du and Chen Songfeng kept a respectful distance from the trio. Watching Liu Baqiao and the straw-sandal youth chat so congenially, Chen Songfeng felt some envy. Liu Baqiao seemed naturally gifted in socializing—no matter the person's status, from all walks of life, emperor or commoner, he could converse with ease.
Chen Songfeng whispered, "Why did the woman, upon hearing the news, immediately visit the yamen, offering to return that armor as compensation from the Xu family of Qingfeng City, yet you refused?"
Chen Du, notably more affable than before entering town, answered patiently, "If Qingfeng City had known the truth—that the Liu youth's ancestors were the cemetery guardians of the Chen family from Yingyin—it would be natural for them to pay a heavy price for their deeds, far beyond simply returning the armor. But since they were unaware of the secret, and the Dao's fate is precious and rare, open to all, our Chen family is not so overbearing."
Chen Songfeng smiled, "Perhaps Qingfeng City also sought to scheme against Zhengyang Mountain. If not for that old ape stepping forward, dragged into this as a scapegoat, they might not have succeeded in seizing the treasure armor."
Chen Du's true nature returned with a cold sneer, "Petty and servile, they follow the current, never caring for the true greater trend."
Chen Songfeng lowered his voice casually, "Maybe they meant well but lacked power; better to seize small gains than attempt grand but futile schemes."
Chen Du glanced at this scion of the Chen family from Longwei County and withheld judgment on Chen Songfeng's 'heartless words.'
As they approached the mountains, Chen Ping'an halted, and Chen Du simultaneously ordered, "Liu Baqiao, tell him to lead us quickly."
Having witnessed most of the rooftop battle between the straw-sandal youth and the mountain-moving ape, Liu Baqiao boasted loudly to Chen Songfeng upon return. Chen Du had been present and thus knew not to underestimate Chen Ping'an as an ordinary town youth.
In the end, Chen Songfeng became the slowest among them. Though a noble youth fond of high poetic flights and curious explorations, he paled beside the others. Chen Du was a martial expert; Liu Baqiao a swordsman who prized physical training above all; and the two youths had bested a mountain-strong ape with ease.
The mountain path was treacherous, especially after spring rain—muddy and slippery, with frequent crossings of streams and cliffs. Chen Songfeng's throat was parched, sweat pouring like rain. Even when Liu Baqiao helped carry his bookcase, Chen Songfeng still panted heavily, face pale.
Chen Ping'an once asked Chen Du whether to slow their pace; Chen Du said firmly, "Our goal is to reach the summit before nightfall. Don't dawdle." Chen Ping'an nodded, knowing the gravity of the situation.
Finally, after a long climb, the four reached a narrow ridge where a strange, misty clearing appeared, centered by a shallow pond glimmering faintly. Nearby, nestled among mossy rocks, was a small shrine where a curious old woman knelt, threading a string of beads with concentrated care.
"Beads?" Liu Baqiao whispered, eyes wide.
Ning Yao narrowed her gaze, stepping forward. "This is the old guardian of the mountain's secret."
Chen Ping'an stepped quietly beside her, watching the old woman's delicate hands. Each bead seemed to glow faintly, as if imbued with some ancient energy.
The old woman did not look up. She spoke softly, "If you seek the mountain's secret, you must understand the beads' story…"