Bamboo Case Chapter Thirty-Two: Under the Snow

"Have you heard? The Baiyuan Kingdom is coming to attack our Changxing the moment they replaced their emperor!"

"Isn't it said that their Old Ancestor was dealt with by a Sword Immortal from the Great Wall of Sword Qi..."

"Alas, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse. The very day the new emperor ascended the throne, the Baiyuan Kingdom announced they had gained another Immortal Realm expert."

"..."

In a small town on the border of the Changxing Kingdom, passersby whispered to one another, discussing the new emperor of Baiyuan and that mysterious Immortal Realm powerhouse.

As one of the preeminent powers in the Savage World, the Baiyuan Kingdom, while no longer possessing an Ascension Realm master to watch over it, still held significant influence; invading a minor nation like Changxing was certainly no challenge.

However...

Many argued that the Baiyuan emperor was acting out of sheer stupidity, digging his own grave. In the Savage World, to be so arrogant without an Ascension Realm protector was nothing short of suicide. Did they truly think that having one Immortal Realm expert as their foundation meant the Savage World lacked other masters?

"Are you really not that Daoist Yun from the Baiyuan Kingdom?" Song Lian asked, walking beside Lu Yun while shielding himself with a small umbrella he had spent all his money to purchase.

Lu Yun did not answer, but suddenly sensing something, he looked up at the sky. Above the horizon, a yellow talisman was suspended directly over the small border town. The talisman dyed the falling rain, imbuing the droplets with a strange, eerie hue.

Lu Yun snatched the umbrella from young Song Lian’s hand and tilted his own, shielding the boy from the peculiar rain.

"What are you doing?!" Song Lian demanded angrily, reaching out to grab his small umbrella.

"If you still want to take revenge, don't move," Lu Yun said softly.

Song Lian stiffened, his hands trembling as he pulled them back. Lu Yun continued walking with the boy, disappearing into the streets.

...

Atop the city wall, a priest draped in a fur robe extended his hand. As the rain fell onto his palm, a multitude of faces flashed through his mind.

"Discovered, have I?"

The priest withdrew his hand and stepped forward. The next moment, the entire small town was shrouded in a yellow barrier.

Lu Yun, who had just reached the city gate, stopped and frowned. Song Lian looked at Lu Yun’s expression and gritted his teeth, "Leave me here and go!"

Lu Yun glanced at the boy and replied, "Do you think I could leave now even if I wanted to?"

Song Lian turned pale, a sense of guilt washing over him.

"Watch closely; don't think the sky is collapsing every time you face a little trouble." Lu Yun gripped the sword at his waist. "If there is a mountain in front, then walk across it!"

Astonishing sword intent erupted throughout the small town. Even the most ordinary demons who had just gained their human form could feel the terrifying, sky-piercing sword aura at the gate.

The priest, barefoot, held a wooden staff that had suddenly appeared in his hand, with a red thread fluttering from its tip in the wind. Cutting through the fleeing crowd, the priest looked at Lu Yun and said, "You are younger than I imagined."

Lu Yun chuckled. "And?"

"And so, join Changxing. We are willing to pave the way to the Fifth Realm for you." The priest opened his arms. "By then, the entire fortune of our Changxing Kingdom will be tied to you alone!"

"By then, the Changxing Kingdom will have already been razed to the ground by the Baiyuan Kingdom," Lu Yun remarked with a sneer.

"A nation can be rebuilt, but our promise will never change." The priest stared into Lu Yun’s eyes. "Both I and the Sovereign can take an oath."

Lu Yun suddenly leaned on his sword, planted in the ground, and asked with a puzzled tone, "Why are you so fixated on me?"

The priest pointed to the sky. "Heaven guides me to the right path. Furthermore, as far as I know, you were only at the Sixth Realm when you arrived at the Holy Mountain. To reach the Guanhai Realm in just a few months—it is as if you are favored by the heavens."

"My apologies, but I will say it again: I have no interest in joining your Changxing Kingdom. I only wish to continue on my journey, but now, you are blocking my way." Lu Yun’s eyes were indifferent.

"If my calculations are correct..." The priest slowly waved his wooden staff. "You don't seem to be able to defeat me."

Lu Yun smiled slightly, while Song Lian looked at him with hopeful eyes. Could it be?!

Lu Yun uttered five words: "Of course I know that."

The next moment, the yellow barrier shrouding the city gate behind Lu Yun shattered with a thunderous crash. Lu Yun grabbed Song Lian by the arm, sprinting toward the gate at top speed.

The priest was stunned, but he reacted quickly. The talisman in the sky instantly burst with light, and countless glowing raindrops transformed into fine needles, piercing toward Lu Yun and Song Lian.

"You make me feel quite annoyed, so I’ve decided to teach you a lesson..."

Lu Yun's voice suddenly appeared behind the priest. Without looking back, the priest immediately sidestepped. Unbeknownst to him, a full moon had been reflected in the puddle of water at his feet.

Even though the priest’s reaction was swift, Lu Yun’s sword still managed to wound him. The priest touched his neck, looking down at the traces of blood.

...

"You..." Song Lian opened his mouth, at a loss for words.

"Stop talking and stay close."

Lu Yun brought Song Lian to a temple. Temples were rare in the Savage World; one could almost say they didn't exist. Yet, this temple was able to quietly enjoy the offerings of incense on the outskirts of this border town in Changxing.

Lu Yun sat on the threshold, watching the rain fall. Inside the temple, the boy knelt respectfully, bowing to the stone tablet enshrined within.

"Holy Mountain, bless us..."

"The Holy Mountain won't bless you; otherwise, why would you be hunted down at the foot of the Holy Mountain?" Lu Yun said lazily from the threshold.

"Do not insult the Holy Mountain!" Song Lian retorted heatedly, though he quickly softened his tone, realizing Lu Yun had saved his life twice. "You aren't from Changxing; you don't know what the Holy Mountain means to us. As long as your heart is sincere, it will grant any of our wishes!"

"It's a lie." Lu Yun watched the rain, his expression blank.

Young Song Lian frowned, about to refute him again, but he caught sight of Lu Yun sitting on the threshold, head tilted back to watch the rain. For some reason, Song Lian suddenly felt that Lu Yun’s back looked exceptionally lonely.

...

"The Holy Mountain can grant any wish, as long as your heart is sincere."

"The Holy Mountain can let you see the people you long to meet."

"There are immortals on the Holy Mountain who can bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh and bone."

"At the summit of the Holy Mountain, you can find the most precious spiritual herbs in the Savage World—herbs that are incredibly beneficial for nourishing the soul!"

In the Changxing Kingdom, countless voices spoke of the wonders of the Holy Mountain. A dejected boy heard the prayers of the people in the streets and alleys, muttering to himself, "Holy Mountain, Holy Mountain..."

In the boy’s hand, he clutched a jade pendant carved with a flood dragon. That pendant contained the last remnant of Lu Cui’s soul, which Sheng Ge had snatched from Concubine Fei. The sword at the boy's waist was the final gift left to him by Sheng Ge.

"Where is the Holy Mountain?" the bedraggled boy grabbed a passerby and asked, looking up.

"Get lost, you beggar!" The man’s expression was full of disgust as he shoved Lu Yun’s hand away.

Lu Yun watched the man’s retreating back. After a long time, the boy followed.

Before long, Lu Yun, dressed in white, began his journey toward the Holy Mountain. Amidst the vast, driving snow, Lu Yun bowed every step of the way to show his sincerity, until he reached the summit of the Holy Mountain.

There were no immortals there, no spiritual herbs, and the wishes he made did not come true. Lu Yun stated his wishes over and over again, yet the Holy Mountain never responded. Sheng Ge, his elder sister—neither appeared before him.

The boy sat blankly on the summit, his hand still tightly clutching that jade pendant. Without realizing it, months passed. Lu Yun, now covered in snow like a snowman, trembled as he stood up, the snow on his body collapsing to the ground in chunks.

The boy took a step.

With that single step, he entered the Guanhai Realm.