Chapter Eleven: Divergent Paths, No Common Counsel Section Seven: Spirit Soul Mountain

Section 7: Soul Mountain

"What if my husband forbids it?" Baixing felt slightly relieved, yet she feared Bu Jingxian would send Zhao Ji back.

"I’m afraid that if he sends her back to Lang to find Zhao Ji, my husband will have no choice but to accept her."

Bu Jingxian had not gone far when he saw Zhao Ji waiting on horseback. He could not help but feel discouraged, assuming this was Baixue’s idea.

When Zhao Ji saw him approach, she hurriedly dismounted, knelt, and bowed. "Zhao Ji has been ordered to accompany my lord."

"I am ordering you to return now."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ji drew her sword on the spot, intending to take her own life. Fearing exactly this, Bu Jingxian quickly intercepted her.

"To disobey the Princess’s command is death; to resist my lord’s command is likewise deserving of death. Zhao Ji has no choice but to offer her life in atonement." Zhao Ji was no longer as dark-skinned as when they had first met; Baixue had taught her how to care for her complexion, and her skin had long since become as fair as jade. This revealed her true beauty—in the Sunset Tribe, she was the dream of countless unmarried men.

Baixue always praised her beauty. Zhao Ji respected Bu Jingxian and the Bai sisters equally and would not disobey either of them. If it had been anyone else, Bu Jingxian’s order to return would have been met with forced compliance. But Zhao Ji believed that doing so would mean violating Baixue’s order, and thus she would rather die to atone for it.

Her earnestness was something Baixue deeply appreciated, and she had always relied heavily on her. This left Bu Jingxian helpless, knowing she was extremely loyal and serious—it was no act, and if he did not stop her, she would truly seek death.

"Baixue calculated that I would have no way to deal with you. Very well, let us go. Baixue, too—making you follow me out to brave the elements like this."

"Thank you for your concern, my lord! It is precisely because the Princess worries about your daily life that she felt a woman was needed to attend to your needs. Although Zhao Ji is a warrior, I am confident I can take care of your daily life." Zhao Ji hurriedly sheathed her sword and led her horse to follow.

Under the setting sun, the long hair of the armored Zhao Ji fluttered in the wind, while Bu Jingxian’s black cloak billowed even higher.

The two figures grew more distant.

Baixing, watching from the ramparts of Beiyin City, felt a pang of reluctance and shed tears.

When Bu Jingxian reached the Long River, he had Zhao Ji return the horse. The two stepped onto a pre-prepared raft. Zhao Ji pushed off with a pole, and the raft slid rapidly along the ice of the Long River. Experienced in this, Zhao Ji controlled the direction of the raft with both hands on the pole, ensuring that even at high speeds, they would not crash into the riverbanks.

Icy winds gusted, and white snow lined both banks.

Bu Jingxian sat on the raft, drinking alone in the wind, feeling a sense of liberation.

After sliding at high speed for thirty miles, Zhao Ji was about to slow down when she heard Bu Jingxian say, "Accelerate, do not slow down."

"Reporting to my lord, in a few miles, the river splits. Ahead lies a natural, perilous chasm."

"When we reach it, let the raft use the momentum of this high-speed slide to leap across."

"This..." Zhao Ji did not understand his intent. She thought that across the way lay the mountain forests of the Zheng territory, a full hundred paces from the slope of the river fork. To fall would mean certain death!

"If you are afraid, get off."

"Zhao Ji does not fear death!" After replying, she made the raft accelerate even further.

Before long, the natural chasm came into view. Three yards beyond the fork was a deep cliff, and a hundred paces across was the forested slope of Zheng territory. Zhao Ji’s heart raced, but her hands, steering the raft, did not hesitate, pushing the raft to go ever faster. Finally, at the fork, she thrust both poles down, and using the momentum, sent both the raft and themselves soaring out of the river channel.

The gale whistled; beneath the raft was a natural abyss. The wind made the raft seem as if it would spin and flip at any moment.

The slope and forest a hundred paces away grew rapidly larger in their sight.

The flying raft smashed through several tree branches in succession, finally breaking into pieces when it struck the fourth tree.

Bu Jingxian and Zhao Ji were thrown to the ground, the rocky terrain causing them great pain as they tumbled.

Zhao Ji’s breathing was ragged. As soon as her rolling stopped, she jumped up, searching for Bu Jingxian. She saw he was already standing, dusting the dirt off his clothes and scanning the forest.

"Zhao Ji, what do you think of this moment?"

Zhao Ji, not understanding his meaning, replied bluntly, "A miracle."

Bu Jingxian laughed lightly, gesturing in a circle at the surrounding forest. "Last winter, I wondered if, by using the momentum of the river’s downstream flow, one could leap across this natural chasm in one go. Today, I finally got to test it. If we were to wage war against the Zheng state, those who practice the Soul Techniques could form a 'surprise force.' By flying into Zheng territory in this manner, the Zheng state’s North Pass City could be easily broken."

Zhao Ji could not help but bow in admiration.

"My lord’s strategy is truly beyond anyone's ability to foresee or defend."

"That is why it is called a 'surprise force.'" Bu Jingxian finished speaking and told Zhao Ji to find their pack. "Find a place to spend the night in the forest, and we will head south tomorrow."

"Yes. But the Zheng state has always wanted to kill you, will they..."

"The reason I spent two months doing nothing before leaving was to let the Zheng state know that I am no longer of any consequence, and to let them know that the Zhou state can continue to function as usual without me. At this moment, the people of the Flying Immortal Sect might still want to kill me, but the Zheng state no longer cares whether I live or die."

"My lord is truly brilliant..."

"Enough, enough, don't say such things. You weren't like this before." Zhao Ji hurriedly lowered her head and face.

In the Sunset Tribe, others often offered flattery. At first, Baixue and Bu Jingxian forbade it. But they could not punish people for it, and furthermore, since Baixue and Baixing were women, if the flattery was appropriate and well-timed, they would be pleased to hear it. Gradually, more people did it, and it became a custom.

Zhao Ji was not fond of such things and could only offer the kind of flattery everyone else used.

The night in the forest was cold. Zhao Ji had not suffered such hardship in a long time and was woken by the chill.

Bu Jingxian had not slept. Seeing this, he called Zhao Ji to his side, letting her lean against him, and covered her with a fur robe.

"Thank you, my lord." Zhao Ji was somewhat shy, but she quickly returned to her normal state.

A year ago, there was a time when Baixue was unwell and unable to attend to him in the bedchamber. Fearing that Bu Jingxian would be unhappy despite his words, she thought of Zhao Ji, who was outside, and asked if she was willing. She quietly let Zhao Ji into the room to serve him. Bu Jingxian had been drowsy, and by the time he realized it, Zhao Ji had already undressed, so he simply let it be.

Afterward, whenever Baixue was unwell and Baixing could not attend to him, she would have Zhao Ji serve him. Sometimes, fearing that Bu Jingxian would lack novelty if only the sisters served him, she would occasionally have Zhao Ji serve as a change of pace.

However, there was never any talk of Bu Jingxian taking Zhao Ji as a wife. Bu Jingxian surmised that Baixue did not want anyone competing for his favor, and to avoid causing her distress, he assumed that matters of the inner court were for her to manage. If she felt the need for more wives, she would handle it; if she was unwilling, it didn't matter, and naturally, he did not bring it up. Zhao Ji viewed Bu Jingxian as her lord, and since the customs of the world were as such, she felt everything was only natural and dared not have any extravagant expectations.

This time, the reason Baixue allowed Zhao Ji to accompany him was because she had already served in his bedchamber. Firstly, it would prevent Bu Jingxian from seeking out other women and perhaps bringing a stranger back; secondly, she knew Bu Jingxian’s preferences and knew Zhao Ji would not be a burden. With her superior martial arts, outstanding beauty, and lack of vanity, Zhao Ji—a subordinate he had already accepted—was the only natural choice.

Seeing Zhao Ji asleep in his arms, Bu Jingxian sighed inwardly. Zhao Ji’s beauty naturally pleased him, but at times he felt it was too unfair to her. Although this was the way of the world, he did not consider it a matter of course. Yet, to care for the feelings of the Bai sisters, he could only wrong Zhao Ji.

The next day, Zhao Ji woke early, prepared breakfast, and after eating with him, they set off again.

"Where does my lord wish to go?"

"Soul Mountain on the border of the Zheng state."

"Is my lord interested in the treasures of the Soul Sect?"

"Even you have heard of them?" Bu Jingxian was quite surprised, as he had never heard anyone mention it among the Black Wolf Tribe.

"I heard of it when I was in the Han state."

"I have no interest in the treasures of the Soul Sect. I simply want to see that mountain."

"Your servant also thinks it is impossible to find. So many people ran to Soul Mountain, and I heard they searched the entire mountain without discovering any treasure. I suppose it must be extremely well hidden."

Bu Jingxian laughed softly.

The master and servant arrived at Soul Mountain on the thirteenth day of their journey.

Soul Mountain sat on the border of the Zheng state, located amidst a range of rolling mountains.

The main road beneath the mountains connected a few towns, but the population was sparse, and there were no traveling merchants.

When replenishing their water and food in the towns, Bu Jingxian found that the people there no longer recognized the name "Soul Sect." When asked about Soul Mountain, the residents laughed and said, "'Soul Mountain' is the old name; now it’s called 'Ghost Mountain.' Since you aren't a local, let me tell you: that mountain used to be inhabited by a group of madmen who lived in daydreams. Later, General Han Feng led an army to wipe them out, and over a hundred thousand people died... Afterward, people said the mountain was haunted, so no one dared go there. That’s why it’s called Ghost Mountain..."

"I see. With so many people dead, I wonder how the bodies were handled."

The man answered enthusiastically, "How else? There’s a cliff behind the mountain, and they were all thrown down there. The Zheng army didn't have time to dig graves for over a hundred thousand people..."

Such facts could not be learned from the outside; the Zheng army would never admit it, lest they be accused of inhumanity. Only those living near Soul Mountain knew the truth.

Now that Bu Jingxian knew, he could not help but feel sorrow in his heart. Thinking of those living, breathing people on Soul Mountain, all tossed into the "Prayer Cliff" behind the mountain, he found it hard to suppress his grief.

When Zhao Ji returned from shopping, she saw his pained expression but dared not ask. She could only silently follow Bu Jingxian as they set off up the mountain. On the way, she noticed he was very familiar with the terrain, which made her suspicious.

Bu Jingxian looked at the trees and grass on the mountain, as lush as they were in his childhood memories.

Only now, many places that should have been inhabited were empty and desolate. The mountain villages built by the sect members were overgrown with wild grass, and the houses, long abandoned, had collapsed.

Four large villages had originally been built on the summit of Soul Mountain, situated at the four corners of the peak.

To the north was the main village, where he and his sect father had lived, and in the center stood the ancestral hall for prayers.

The houses of the four villages had all collapsed, save for that ancestral hall, which remained miraculously intact, though the grass outside grew as tall as a person.

Bu Jingxian walked into the hall, recalling the scenes of countless people gathering inside and outside every month to kneel and pray. He felt even more lamentation.

"The world we occupy is but an illusion, a prison created by the dark arts of the alien race that invaded and rules us. Many years ago, the true homeland of our people was shielded by the power of the Soul Will. In that land, there were inexhaustible resources... We lived at ease, relying on the power of the Soul Will, with no strife and no class divisions. From the moment we were born, we of the Soul Tribe lived to pursue a stronger Soul Will; exploring the most mysterious powers was our only meaning for survival..."