Chapter 58: Soliciting Guests at the Foot of the Mountain

At the foot of Sunset Glow Mountain, groups of three or two had gathered—some fifty or sixty people from the martial world. There were clearly more people here this morning than in the previous two days. It seemed that news of a miraculous treasure on Sunset Glow Mountain had already spread wildly across the land. Whether from sects, prestigious families, mountain bandits, or wandering thieves, all sorts of martial artists were flocking to Sunset Glow Mountain or were already on their way.

As before, many unattached wanderers with no affiliations, whose ambitions far exceeded their courage, had come hoping to try their luck. Their martial skills were mediocre at best, barely passable, so they dared not venture up the mountain alone. Instead, they gathered at the foot, planning to form alliances and head in together.

But today, things were different from when the Mei sisters arrived two days ago. Back then, only Guo Bighead’s group was recruiting at the base. Now, these lone wanderers had split into five or six factions, each with its own leader unwilling to serve under another, vying to gather their own teams.

Meanwhile, several minor sects were also resting here, not recruiting but waiting for their fellow members to arrive. Among the wanderers, the largest group had seven or eight members, while the smallest only three or four.

“Say, Fatty Fan, your team’s just three people. Why not join us? We’ve already got eight,” a middle-aged man in a brocade robe, spinning a pair of steel balls in his hands, called out to a short, rotund man nearby who resembled a squat winter melon.

“Don’t listen to Jin Million, Fatty Fan. Sure, he’s got numbers, but his team includes old folks and kids. Better to join us—though we’re fewer, every one of us is a young, able hero,” said another middle-aged man with a trimmed beard.

“If you’re truly considering merging, why not join us? Our team has Lady Luo, known as the 'Flower of Shuzhou,' and though Oilman’s team is full of youth, ours is all men of action,” chimed in a third, dressed in a gray robe.

“You should come to our team! Haven’t you heard that Dashing Deng, the number one kicker in Jizhou, has joined us? Lady Luo may be pretty, but she’s married. If you join Bai Zheteng’s team, you’ll only get a few extra glances at her at best—if you’re unlucky, she might even gouge your eyes out,” added a burly man with a bushy beard.

“Don’t listen to Zhu Fen, Fatty Fan. Better join us…” Each faction’s leader, eyeing Fatty Fan’s small group, tried to win him over to bolster their ranks.

Fatty Fan, the squat winter melon, glanced around and waved his short, thick hand. “Enough! Though my team, led by Fan Yitong, may be few, we absolutely won’t join anyone else.”

“Tch! Like a fat duck strutting around…”

“Doesn’t know what’s good for him…”

“Forget it, we don’t need those three anyway…”

As the crowd began to gossip about Fatty Fan, someone suddenly noticed another figure approaching along the path to Sunset Glow Mountain.

The newcomer was tall, dressed in gray linen garb and short boots, with leggings strapped around his calves. He carried a small bundle on his back, a dagger at his waist, and in his hand, a black iron staff.

It was Ding. Before setting out, when he bid farewell to the others, Mei Ruoxue had wanted to accompany him, but Ding persuaded her to stay, promising he would bring her sister back.

Then, Tang Yunzhi called him into her hut. She gave him a few antidote pills and a bamboo tube. The antidote, she explained, was called Pure Spirit Pill, a Tang Clan secret capable of curing hundreds of poisons, including snake venom, but the key ingredient was rare, so he must use them sparingly.

The bamboo tube was a hidden weapon, fitted with a mechanism and loaded with dozens of poisoned needles, each coated in a virulent toxin that glowed green. Only those of the Tang Clan could cure it, so he should use it with caution, as it could easily be fatal.

“For Miss Tang to entrust me with such precious clan treasures, could it be you’ve fallen for my heroic good looks?” Ding tucked the items away and teased Tang Yunzhi with a grin.

“Pah! I’m only repaying you for healing my leg, giving you something for self-defense. Otherwise, if you died on the mountain, who would I bully once I’m well?” Tang Yunzhi rolled her eyes at him in disdain.

“I’ll have you know, I’m a married man—don’t get any ideas…” Ding bantered on.

“One day, I’ll make Er Niu divorce this fool, then we’ll see how smug you are…” Tang Yunzhi shot back with a look of contempt.

At this moment, Er Niu approached carrying a cloth pouch. Inside were a few steamed buns, and she stuffed Ding’s water skin inside as well, helping him sling the bag over his shoulder. Water skins—or pouches—of this era were made from animal hide.

“Take these rations for the road,” Er Niu said. “Husband, come back soon. I’ll be waiting at home for you…”

Seeing how thoughtful young Er Niu was, Ding silently vowed to return alive—not only for himself, but for the few dear ones he’d found since arriving in this world.

With his family watching from afar, Ding left Sunset Glow Village and reached the foot of the mountain. Even from a distance, he could see a crowd gathered there.

As he drew nearer, five or six men broke from the group and headed straight toward him. Ding was startled—he didn’t recall offending anyone, so why were people rushing him the moment he arrived?

He quickly gripped his staff in both hands, preparing to defend himself, ready to run if things turned hostile.

But to his surprise, the men greeted him with utmost courtesy.

“May I ask, good sir, where you hail from and how you are addressed?”

“May I inquire if you belong to a sect or have any companions?”

“Are you planning to venture up the mountain alone in search of the treasure?”

“Would you care to join forces and form a team?”

Ding, standing in a defensive stance, realized things weren’t at all as he’d imagined. He suddenly remembered Mei Ruoxue’s words about recruiters at the mountain base. Now it dawned on him—they were here to form teams!

“If you’re interested, join our group—we have the most people…”

“Sir, our team is made up entirely of young heroes…”

“Sir, we have Lady Luo, the Flower of Shuzhou…”

“Sir, Dashing Deng, Jizhou’s top martial artist, is with us—his skills are unmatched…”

“Sir…”

Jin Million in his brocade robe, Oilman with the trimmed beard, Bai Zheteng in gray, Zhu Fen with the bushy beard… Ding was besieged by their noisy invitations. The way these leaders vied for recruits reminded him of the madams and touts at the county’s pleasure house, hustling for business—or the scene at a railway station in the future, with taxi drivers and innkeepers fighting for customers.

“Sir, I think you should join our group…” As Ding stood dazed, a simple, honest voice sounded behind him.

Turning, he saw a squat, winter-melon-shaped fellow—none other than Fatty Fan, whose group was the smallest. Short legs meant he’d fallen behind the others.

“Who are you, and why should I join your group?” Ding asked.

“My name is Fan Yitong, third in the family—everyone calls me Fatty Fan. The reason you should join us is simple: my cooking is far better than my fighting,” he said, tapping the iron wok strapped to his back.

‘Rice Bucket?’ Ding nearly laughed aloud. So many odd birds in this big forest. Still weighing whether to join any group, he suddenly noticed a new party approaching along the road.

Every eye turned toward them—

It was a group of women…