Ten majestic mountain ranges connect the divine continent, from ancient tis they cradle heavenly figures.
These two lines of poetry describe how the divine land is surrounded by ten magnificent ranges, each depending and echoing one another, enfolding the entirety of the continent. Between these mountains, Taoist cultivators frequently traverse, flying with swords, pursuing the stars across the sea.
Of these ten mountain ranges, Kunlun stands first, its peaks like the spine of a vast dragon, adorned with ancient pines and cypresses, strange flowers and exotic grasses. As the sun rises, mist curls and coils, truly an earthly Immortal Realm.
In the early autumn weather, within the depths of Kunlun Mountain, atop a lonely peak, stood a youth who seed no more than eighteen or nineteen, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, hair flowing in the wind.
"Master, I have returned." His voice was high and full, echoing through the clouds.
A white shadow suddenly flashed by like lightning, arriving instantly before the youth. As the shadow halted, its true form beca clear, revealing that the master he spoke of was a woman.
Bright eyes and shining teeth, proper phoenix eyes, not appearing to be older than twenty-three or twenty-four, an extraordinary fairy untouched by mortal smoke.
"You little brat, where have you been these past two days?" Her voice was crisp and lodious, like a heavenly tune, her bright eyes shifting with indescribable charm.
"Master, I've been practicing Sun Burst." As he spoke, the youth flipped his left hand, and a dazzling light shot forth, buzzing as it hovered beside him.
The white-robed woman covered her mouth, smiling. Her fair right hand pointed at the radiant light beside the youth, her voice clear: "Sun Burst, go."
The light darted away with a whoosh, instantly disappearing into the void.
The youth tapped with his right hand, seeing it vanish, stamping his foot and cursing: "Damn Sun Burst, still not listening to my command. See how I'll deal with you later."
The white-robed woman chuckled, her features blooming like a vibrant rose.
"Feng'er, you have been with for two hundred years now." She put away her smile, gazing at the youth nad Feng'er.
Feng'er laughed: "Thirty days short of exactly two hundred years."
The white-robed woman looked skyward, suddenly sighing softly, saying: "Two hundred years, our master-disciple bond has reached its end. It is ti for you to descend into the world for cultivation."
Feng'er froze, then anxiously said: "Master, are you driving away, away from you?"
Smiling softly, the white-robed woman responded with tenderness: "Feng'er, our Kunlun line always maintains one master one disciple: the master male, disciple female. Every generation follows the master's cultivation of the sect's ntal thod for two hundred years, then must leave the master and enter the world for training."
Feng'er asked: "What does 'enter the world for cultivation' an?"
The white-robed woman explained: "Our Kunlun line, males cultivate Sun Burst, females pursue Moon Chaser. In the first two hundred years, you only reach the mastery realm. Afterward, you must enter the mortal world, forging Heart Tears. Only by dropping your forged Heart Tears on Sun Burst or Moon Chaser can you fully rge with them, achieving unity of mind and sword."
Feng'er asked: "What is Heart Tears?"
Smiling faintly, she replied: "Heart Tears are ford from human emotions. Only by experiencing the joys, anger, sadness, and sorrow of mortals can true emotion transform into a single tear, this is Heart Tears."
Feng'er asked: "Master, once I forge Heart Tears, does that an I can return to see you?"
Without looking at Feng'er, the white-robed woman gazed into the distance saying: "Upon mastering Heart Tears and truly rging with Sun Burst, you must undertake the duty to eradicate evil and uphold justice. Rember, you are Tian Lei and you must find Tian Mang to assist in thwarting the imminent catastrophe."
With wide eyes, Feng'er asked: "Who is Tian Mang?"
"Tian Mang," she replied, "born of catastrophe. This ordeal involves extensive entanglent, not only affecting mortal existence but all cultivation sects in the world. Tian Mang stands as the sole figure able to halt this disaster. As disciples of Taoism, Kunlun line must help Tian Mang in stopping this calamity."
Feng'er gazed at the white-robed woman, his expression soft: "Master, will I still see you again?"
She sighed deeply: "Your success or failure determines my fate. Rember, when Moon Chaser appears, it's my mont of rebirth. Feng'er, once I leave, Sun Burst will naturally return to your side. Rember, Tian Mang is within Kunlun Mountain; go now, aid Tian Mang."
Between blue skies and white clouds, the white-robed woman slowly dissolved into a vision, dissipating into the breeze, leaving behind a voice echoing in the void: "Feng'er, never forget, your success or failure impacts my existence."
Feng'er shouted: "Sun Burst." Only for a ray of light to flash like lightning, surrounding him. Leaping atop the light beam, he shot forth like an arrow, attempting to grasp the fading vision, but his efforts proved futile.
The true nature of Tian Mang, the one his master spoke of, was wholly unknown to Feng'er. Yet, as his master instructed, he was determined to find him.
Staring at the vast expanse atop Kunlun Mountain, Feng'er let out a long, resounding cry, as Sun Burst below his feet shot skyward like lightning, vanishing sword-like amidst the ranges.
Zhang Wenhui reached Xining City, staying a night there. The next day he arrived at a small town beneath Kunlun Mountain, asking several people only to find nobody recognized the place na Hangu Pass, nor had even heard of it.
Zhang Wenhui was a bit confused, and his confidence instantly dropped by more than half. Feeling sowhat discouraged, he went to a small restaurant and ordered a bowl of noodles.
The owner of the small restaurant was a woman in her thirties, with a good appearance radiating the unique charm of a mature woman.
There were no other custors in the restaurant, only Zhang Wenhui.
The lady owner stood behind the counter, her face full of smiles, and said to Zhang Wenhui, "You don't look like you're from around here, do you?"
Zhang Wenhui smiled and said, "Yeah, I'm from Jiangbei City."
The lady owner asked, "Did you co to our small place for business?"
Zhang Wenhui said, "Do I look like I'm here on business? I'm mainly here for fun."
The lady owner let out an "Oh" and said, "What's there to play around here in our little place?"
Zhang Wenhui chuckled and said, "I heard from others about a place they visited with beautiful scenery, so I wanted to take a look."
The lady owner looked up at Zhang Wenhui and asked, "What is the place called?"
Zhang Wenhui hesitated and said, "The place is in Kunlun Mountain, called sothing like Znghangu Pass."
The lady owner was taken aback, clearly not having heard of the place. "Are you mistaken? I've been here for decades, but I've never heard of such a place."
To such a response from the lady owner, Zhang Wenhui didn't feel at all surprised. After all, he had asked many people before, and no one knew about Znghangu Pass.
Seeing that Zhang Wenhui was a bit down, the lady owner said, "Although I've never heard of this place, there might be soone who knows. You could ask him."
Zhang Wenhui perked up and asked, "Where is he?"
The lady owner smiled and said, "He's just ahead. I'll take you there after you've finished your al."
Feeling no mood to eat, Zhang Wenhui handed fifty yuan to the lady owner and said, "I won't eat. This is for the noodles. Take to find this person now."
A bowl of noodles only costs around ten yuan. The lady owner wanted to give Zhang Wenhui change, but he insisted it wasn't necessary and urged her to take him to find the person quickly.
After settling things, the lady owner led Zhang Wenhui west along the street of the small town. After walking for less than ten minutes, they stopped in front of a dilapidated single-story house and knocked on the door.
The door opened, revealing an old man in his fifties. He glanced at Zhang Wenhui behind the lady owner and asked her, "What brings you here?"
The lady owner, looking a bit embarrassed, said, "A guest wants to go sowhere but doesn't know the way, so we ca to ask you."
The old man took another look at Zhang Wenhui and asked, "You want to go there?"
Zhang Wenhui quickly replied, "I want to go to Znghangu Pass in Kunlun Mountain, but I've asked many people, and no one knows."
When the old man heard Zhang Wenhui ntion Znghangu Pass, his expression subtly changed. Coldly, he said, "Sorry, I don't know this place. Go ask soone else."
With that, he ignored Zhang Wenhui and the lady owner, and with a slam, he closed the door.
The lady owner looked even more embarrassed. She gave Zhang Wenhui an awkward smile and said, "I'm really sorry, but I can't help you."
The old man's strange expression and reaction had already given Zhang Wenhui a sense that he definitely knew about the legendary place of Znghangu Pass. Having been a police officer for over a decade wasn't for nothing.
Although he had a hunch, Zhang Wenhui didn't directly knock on the door again. Instead, he went back to the small restaurant with the lady owner to learn more about the old man's background.
What surprised Zhang Wenhui was that the old man turned out to be the lady owner's father-in-law.
The old man's surna was Dong, and his na was Dong Zhengsheng. His son died in a car accident two years ago, and Dong Zhengsheng insisted that his daughter-in-law, the lady owner, was responsible for his son's death.
In any case, since his son's passing, Dong Zhengsheng preferred to live alone rather than with his daughter-in-law. In this day and age, it's puzzling how he could still have such thoughts. Truly a strange man.
After finding out about Dong Zhengsheng's background, Zhang Wenhui stayed at the small restaurant for another half an hour, had a bowl of noodles, then bid farewell to the lady owner and headed towards Dong Zhengsheng's house.
Dong Zhengsheng's abnormal reaction made Zhang Wenhui instinctively feel that he indeed knew about the legendary place of Znghangu Pass.
User Comments
0 comments from readers