Chapter 51: The Divine Artifact of a Century

“If I’d known the road was this hard, I wouldn’t have come!”
“Yes, who could have guessed it would be so remote?”
“I wonder if what those people said is true or not!”
“With so many people coming, maybe it really is!”
“Sigh, it’s almost dark. Where are we going to sleep tonight?”

As the two chatted, they soon reached Ding, and when they recognized her, they exclaimed in surprise almost at the same time, “It’s you? What are you doing here?”

The two riding over from the direction of the village were none other than the pair of twin girls Ding had met earlier that day while eating in town.

“My home is here—why shouldn’t I be here?” Ding pointed to the yard and smiled.

The girls froze, glanced at the simple fence and the dilapidated thatched hut, wrinkled their brows, and thought to themselves, What a shabby place!

“Oh, fate really does work in strange ways! I never expected to run into you here!” said the girl in moon-white robes. She glanced at the wild pheasant in Ding’s hand and couldn’t help swallowing, her stomach rumbling in response.

“Yes, I didn’t expect to see you two again either!” Ding replied politely.

“Since you live here, you must know the area well. How far is it from here to Mount Sunset Glow? Are there any villages ahead?” The girl in lake-blue robes widened her eyes and questioned Ding in a deliberately masculine tone, clearly unaware that Ding had already seen through their disguise.

“You’re headed to Mount Sunset Glow?” Ding asked in confusion.

“That’s right,” the twins replied together.

“It’s not far—only five or six li to the foot of the mountain. But it’s all wild hills and forests, with many large beasts about. Why are you headed there?” Ding voiced her curiosity.

“Well…” The girls exchanged a glance but didn’t answer directly. Instead, they pressed on, “So there are no more villages ahead?”

“None. Our village, Sunset Glow Village, is the closest one to the mountain,” Ding replied truthfully.

“Oh dear, sister—no, brother, where will we sleep tonight?” The girl in lake-blue robes grew anxious upon hearing there were no more villages, and she looked pleadingly at her companion in moon-white, hastily correcting herself after her slip.

“Well…” The girl in moon-white also frowned, clearly undecided.

“If you don’t mind the humble conditions, you’re welcome to stay here for the night. My home is poor, though, so I fear you may be uncomfortable,” Ding offered, thinking it was indeed unsafe to head to Mount Sunset Glow so late. He was also hoping to learn why so many people were flocking to the mountain.

The girls exchanged glances again, whispered a brief consultation, then the one in moon-white cupped her hands and said, “Then we’ll trouble you for your hospitality. May I ask your name?”

“I’m Tian Ding, but everyone calls me Little Ding. I also have a nickname—Fool Tian,” Ding introduced himself nonchalantly.

“Little Ding, Fool Tian, haha…” The two couldn’t help but laugh, their feminine mannerisms showing through, though they themselves noticed nothing amiss.

After a moment, realizing their lapse in composure, they quickly reined in their smiles. The girl in moon-white said, “We’re twin br—brothers. I’m Mei—Mei the elder, and that’s Mei the younger…”

Ding saw right through their awkward act and knew they were still inexperienced in the ways of the world. He thought, Go ahead and make up your stories; let’s see how long you can keep it up. He didn’t expose them, but simply opened the gate and gestured inside, “Gentlemen, please come in!”

The girls led their horses and followed Ding into the yard.

Inside the straw shed, Tang Yunzhi watched the three enter, noting that Ding was accompanied by two sword-bearing wanderers. She found it strange but said nothing, silently observing.

Ding took the reins from the twins, tied the horses in the back, and handed the wild pheasant to Little Ya and Second Niu, who were busy cooking and preparing medicine. Little Fu and Tian Dabao were also in the yard, working on the wolf and bear hides. Little Pearl was running about, playing with the wolf pup, Ash.

He led the twins into the hut. Inside, Mrs. Li and Little E were sewing padded clothes on the bed, while Zhao Laixi was already asleep in the outer room.

Seeing Ding bring in two guests, Mrs. Li and Little E quickly offered them seats—though “seats” consisted only of a few battered stools.

The twin sisters, seeing the poverty and the number of people in Ding’s home, frowned slightly, perhaps already regretting their decision to come in.

Ding made brief introductions, and everyone exchanged a few polite words as they sat. The twins were indeed tired. Though the stools were uncomfortable, they were still an improvement over horseback.

Mrs. Li poured water into clay bowls for the guests. The girls, thirsty from their journey, accepted gratefully.

“You two were truly impressive today, dealing with those thugs so decisively—it was a delight to watch!” Ding, lacking a better topic, brought up the events of the day.

“Not at all. If we hadn’t intervened, I’m sure you would have taught them a lesson yourself,” said the one in moon-white, who called herself Mei the elder.

“Ha, I don’t have your skills,” Ding replied with a laugh.

“You don’t know martial arts?” Mei the younger asked.

“I don’t,” Ding said, which wasn’t a lie. The method he practiced might be martial arts, or it might not; if it was, it was only some inner cultivation, not any fighting techniques.

“Then you still dared to stand up for others?” Mei the younger pressed.

“I just couldn’t stand by and watch… and I suppose I’m a bit stronger than most people,” Ding said, flexing his fist for effect.

“It seems you have a heroic spirit as well…” Mei the elder praised.

“Oh, not at all! By the way, did those thugs come back later?” Ding asked.

“No. We waited at the inn for them to return and take revenge, but they never showed. The innkeeper didn’t dare keep the place open, either. He and his wife packed up, locked the door, and went back to the countryside. That’s when we came here,” Mei the elder explained.

“I see. So, may I ask what brings you two to Mount Sunset Glow?” Ding asked again.

“Well…” Mei the elder hesitated, glanced at her companion, then went on, “Honestly, we only heard rumors. Yesterday, while eating at a tavern, we overheard people saying some miraculous treasure—one seen only once in a hundred years, or even a thousand—had appeared at Mount Sunset Glow. Many wanderers are making their way there. Out of curiosity, we decided to see what the fuss was about…”

“A miraculous treasure, once in a hundred years…” Ding thought to himself, Isn’t this just like something out of a storybook? Could such a thing really exist in this world?

As Ding pondered, Little Ya entered the room and announced, “Dinner’s ready. You can eat now.”