Chapter 69: The Mountain-Opening Mark

The Mountain God, like the Earth Deity, was a guardian spirit presiding over a region, regarded as a parental figure by the people. Though their divine rank was modest, they were nevertheless legitimate deities, officially enshrined with a place among the gods.

Having returned the "Mountain God's Token" and instructed the Mountain God to properly discipline the plantain spirit, Bai Xian was about to descend the mountain and depart.

But Shi Xun called her back.

"Miss, your act of saving my life is beyond repayment. Please, would you kindly roll up your sleeve? I wish to offer you a small token of gratitude."

After a moment's hesitation, Bai Xian extended her left arm and rolled her sleeve up to her elbow.

Shi Xun took the recently returned "Mountain God's Token" and pressed it gently against her fair, snow-white forearm.

A cool sensation slipped across her skin, and a faint green rune flashed briefly and disappeared.

"This is the 'Mark of the Open Mountain.' From now on, wherever you walk, mountain, stone, grass, and tree will yield before you. Through this mark, you may also communicate with the spirits of the mountain."

Bai Xian's beautiful eyes flickered with surprise—this was indeed a remarkable gift of divine power.

She lowered her sleeve.

"Thank you."

"Safe travels, Miss."

...

When she had come up the mountain, Bai Xian had been stuffed in a sack and hauled up by a green-faced little demon.

Her descent, by contrast, was unimpeded.

Just as the Mountain God had said, with the Mark of the Open Mountain, wherever she passed, stones and trees alike shifted aside, parting to allow her unhindered passage.

Looking back, the lush greenery had closed behind her, leaving not the faintest trace of a path.

"With this mark, could I perhaps catch up to Zhang Yan?" Bai Xian mused inwardly.

But she quickly shook her head. Zhang Yan was simply too fast; unless she had a vehicle, it would be nearly impossible to overtake him on foot.

She returned to the county town, to a secluded spot at the foot of the city wall.

Bai Xian carefully unzipped a tent, inside which three children slumbered soundly on a soft air mattress.

These were the very children who had been stuffed into the green-faced demon's sack.

After immobilizing them with the Immobilizing Spell, Bai Xian had brought them here and placed them in the tent.

They slept so deeply that even all the commotion hadn't roused them.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the city, someone had already discovered their child missing.

Instantly, cries, wailing, and curses rose up without end.

Neighbors lit torches and searched everywhere.

But after an exhaustive search, there wasn't the faintest clue.

"Ah, what a calamity. The children must have been snatched by some monster that slipped into the city—by now, they've probably already been eaten," the neighbors lamented, sighing as the heart-wrenching cries of the mother echoed from the house.

...

In these troubled times, once a child was lost, there was little hope of recovery.

If it was human traffickers, there might be the slimmest chance of survival, but if, as some said, it was a monster, there might not even be so much as a scrap of bone left.

...

The man standing atop the roof hadn't intended to involve himself in the matter of the missing children.

He was already being hunted by several powerful cultivators and martial artists—he was like a clay idol crossing a river, barely able to save himself.

Yet, seeing the couple weeping under the wavering candlelight, his heart was strangely tugged.

"The county seat of Qinyang isn't that large. If I search once round, it won't take much time. If I find them, it will be their good fortune. If not, I can leave without delay and not disrupt my plans."

Apparently convincing himself, the man summoned two blasts of wind at his feet. With a light push, he seemed to glide effortlessly onto the archway of the marketplace across the street.

Another leap, and he vanished from the street altogether.

...

At the foot of the wall.

Bai Xian was just about to carry the three sleeping children out of the tent when her ears twitched.

She turned.

Sometime during the night, a figure had appeared in the darkness behind her.

The figure was clad in black nightwear, a black Yasha mask concealing his face, his form tall and slender.

Twin whirlwinds swirled at his feet, his arrival as silent as a ghost.

He first glanced at the three children in the tent, and, finding nothing amiss, focused his gaze on Bai Xian.

At once, his eyes lit up, and he thought inwardly, What a strikingly handsome young woman.

Bai Xian's mind stirred, and the mission prompt from the "Azure Book" surfaced before her.

"Zhang Yan?!" She asked, uncertain.

Was this not the very definition of seeking with all one's might, only for it to fall into one's lap unbidden?

The mission target she had been pursuing for more than half a month had, astonishingly, appeared before her this night.

Zhang Yan was taken aback, but not particularly surprised. Having traversed all nine counties of Qingzhou, he knew many would recognize him.

"I am," Zhang Yan admitted calmly. He countered, "And you must be Miss Bai?"

"That's right."

Bai Xian rose slowly, the iron spear already assembled and held in her hand.

"It seems I was overcautious. With you in Qinyang County, Miss Bai, no evil spirit would dare run amok here."

As he spoke, Zhang Yan's gaze swept over her. "I have a small request, if Miss would permit. I wish to borrow something from you."

Bai Xian gave a chilly laugh, "What a coincidence. I also wish to borrow something from you."

"Hahaha, then perhaps we can make an exchange," Zhang Yan replied, laughter echoing from behind his mask. "I wish to borrow the enchanted sword on your back."

"Aren't you going to ask what I want to borrow?"

"Since you are such a beauty, anything I have is yours to borrow."

"Then I wish to borrow your life!"

As soon as the words fell—

The spear flashed.

Clang! Clang!

Two metallic rings sounded as a pair of palm-sized throwing darts clattered to the ground.

Bai Xian frowned.

This man attacked without warning, aiming straight for the kill. Had she been a half-second slower, with the medical standards of this world, those two darts would have been fatal.

With a flick of her spear, it transformed into a swimming dragon, thrusting toward Zhang Yan.

Zhang Yan, unhurried, reached out—a pair of darts flew at her once more.

Bai Xian dodged one with a twist of her head, parried the other with her spear.

At last, she closed the distance.

A dull metallic clang rang out.

Her spear was held at bay by a pair of short swords.

Zhang Yan spun, launching himself directly at Bai Xian.

This man in black intended to meet spear with twin blades in close combat?

Bai Xian did not relent. Her spear trembled in her hands, the three assembled tips bursting into a shower of starlight, sealing off every route forward.

In an instant, a torrent of ringing "ding-ding-dang-dang" filled the air.

Not only did Zhang Yan summon wind beneath his feet, but whirlwinds coiled around his arms as well. Wielding both short swords, he managed to ward off every thrust of Bai Xian's spear.

Finally, she thrust once more.

Zhang Yan leapt lightly, pinning the spearhead to the ground with one foot.

"Excellent spearwork, Miss, but now it's my turn!"

As Bai Xian withdrew her spear, Zhang Yan's entire form spun into a whirlwind.

Amid the wind, starlight shimmered.

Dozens of whirling darts shot out from all directions.

Bai Xian had anticipated this.

Her iron spear spun before her, forming an impenetrable barrier.

At the same time, she waited for her chance.

"Freeze!"

She unleashed the Immobilizing Spell. Within the whirlwind, Zhang Yan felt his body seize up, forced out of his supernatural art.

His expression changed dramatically—disaster!

But his concern was not for Bai Xian's spear, which was now aimed at him, but for the darts he had just flung.

They were not aimed at Bai Xian, who was close at hand, but at the distant tent.