Volume One: The Dragon Rises from the Wild Chapter Forty-One: Obsession

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The sun had just risen, casting the first golden rays over the courtyard of the Heji Inn, where two carriages stood ready for departure.

One was a large carriage with a single shaft, drawn by two horses and fitted with a cabin—clearly meant for passengers. The driver was a middle-aged man who, remarkably, possessed only one eye and a single arm. His right hand gripped the whip, while his empty left sleeve was tucked into his waistband. The face that remained, marked by scars, was rather grim and unsightly, yet his manner was humble and cautious, his head always lowered, and he spoke little.

The second carriage, a twin-shaft, two-horse vehicle, was piled high with goods covered by a rainproof oilcloth. The driver was Ji Yan, the young man from the night before—strong, sociable, and evidently a trusted aide of Manager Kuang.

Nearby, two robust horses—one mottled, one pure black—were being prepared by the inn’s servants, their reins fastened and packs secured.

Under the eaves of the guest rooms stood Pan Yuan and Yuan Jiu, observing the bustle of the courtyard with an air of disdain. When Pan Yuan’s gaze fell upon a young man standing not far away, his expression darkened and he snorted in displeasure.

That young man was Yu Ye, who stood alone in the shade before the guest room door. His hands were clasped behind his back, a smile played about his lips, and he tapped his toes lightly on the ground, looking completely at ease.

The quarrel of the previous night had started because of him, and had also been resolved by him, and the means by which he defused the crisis was simplicity itself: he would accept no payment and make the trip to Que Ling Mountain for free. Thus, Manager Kuang need not dismiss Pan Yuan and risk trouble, Pan Yuan need not fear his share of silver being divided, and Yu Ye could fulfill his wish. In the end, all three parties were satisfied.

“Young man, your horse is ready!” called a servant from the inn, greeting Yu Ye and praising, “What a fine horse!”

The black steed, a gift from Zhong Jian, gleamed with health and strength, its posture noble. Compared to the mounts of Pan Yuan and Yuan Jiu, it stood a half-head taller, strikingly impressive.

“And what a fine sword!” the servant added with a touch of flattery as he left.

The blue-steel sword, more than four feet long with an eight-inch hilt, was stuck in Yu Ye’s pack and looked quite extraordinary.

The horse was splendid, the sword was excellent.

Yet the owner was but a youth, still innocent-looking!

“Hmph, does he even know how to wield a sword?” Pan Yuan muttered, glancing at Yuan Jiu. “If we were elsewhere, I’d seize his horse and take his sword for myself!”

A cold glint flashed in Yuan Jiu’s eyes.

The journey had not yet begun, and already the brothers were scheming for advantage.

“Madam, Cai’er, let me make some introductions—”

Three people emerged from the guest room, Manager Kuang in the lead, followed by two women—one in her thirties or forties, the other a girl of fifteen or sixteen. Presumably, they were the manager’s wife and daughter, though they wore neither makeup nor jewelry, but simple dresses of plain cloth.

“These are Pan Yuan and Yuan Jiu, both men of the martial world, highly skilled, and they will escort my family to Que Ling Mountain!”

“Ah, greetings to Madam Kuang and Miss Kuang. With me and my brother as escorts, your journey will be perfectly safe!” Pan Yuan bowed courteously, his manner now proper and restrained, a far cry from his usual roughness. Even Yuan Jiu managed a rare smile.

“Thank you, brave gentlemen.” Madam Kuang bowed gracefully in return. The girl, Cai’er, also offered a polite curtsey, her demeanor calm and composed—a sign of her refined upbringing.

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Manager Kuang gestured toward the two drivers and continued, “Mo Can, our old family servant—he’s deaf and nearly blind, and not much for conversation, so I ask your patience. Ji Yan, our driver and attendant—should you need anything on the road, please speak to him.”

Mo Can, as expected, kept his head bowed, acknowledging no one, lost in his own world.

Ji Yan, on the other hand, was lively and affable, bowing to Pan Yuan and Yuan Jiu and addressing them as elder brothers, easing the tension in the air.

Glancing at the sky, Manager Kuang waved his hand. “It’s getting late. Madam, Cai’er, please board the carriage—”

“Manager Kuang—” Yu Ye, still waiting in the shade, had not yet been introduced and could not help but call out to assert his presence.

A retainer, in the service of a great household, was a title reserved for those of particular talent or skill. To be introduced was a mark of respect, signifying the master’s esteem.

“Oh! Madam, see how forgetful I am!” Manager Kuang apologized with a smile. “We’ve hired three heroes, and also this young man, who asks for no payment.” Waving to Yu Ye, he said, “Come, let’s be off together.”

Mo Can, the one-eyed, one-armed man, seeing Madam and Miss Kuang approach, placed a stool for them to step onto the carriage.

“Not seeking payment? Where in the world would you find such a cheap retainer?” someone remarked.

“If he doesn’t take payment, then whatever happens on the journey is none of his business. Still, we’ll see he’s well fed and cared for—he won’t be neglected!” replied another.

Overhearing her parents’ conversation, Cai’er’s curiosity was piqued. She could not help but glance back, and the composed young lady suddenly broke into laughter—

“So he’s just here for a free meal, is he? Ha—”

There, in the shade, stood a youth affecting calm, yet clearly anxious—nothing at all like a wandering hero, and so foolish as to be amusing.

“Cai’er, into the carriage!” her mother urged.

“Yes, Mother!” Cai’er answered, helping her mother aboard, still unable to suppress her laughter.

Manager Kuang followed, and gave the order to set out.

Thus, Yu Ye was denied even the courtesy of an introduction—his presence, unpaid, was easily overlooked. To the Kuang family, a free retainer was likely one without ability, just another mouth to feed.

...

On an open patch halfway up the mountainside stood a woman.

Behind her rose a towering peak; above, the sky was clear as jade, the clouds white as cotton. Around her, ancient pines grew thick, the mountain breeze gentle. Though spring was at its height, she seemed not to notice, gazing silently down at the village below.

It was Yu Family Village.

Serene as ever.

On the western edge of the village, a broad mound had taken on a coat of green. Thirty-odd hunters lay buried there; the earth, once bleak in winter, now thick with grass, had acquired a somber dignity.

On the eastern slope stood a few old trees and three collapsed cottages.

That was Yu Ye’s home.

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Since leaving the village, Yu Ye had not returned. Now, though he had escaped from Xuanhuang Mountain, his whereabouts were unknown. Rumor had it that people from the martial world were searching for him everywhere. The matter seemed to be linked to Bu Yi, yet how could a youth imprisoned in the Cliff Cavern have offended a master in the Foundation Building stage? It must have been because of Chen Qi. In order to curry favor with Bu Yi, Chen Qi had betrayed his sect, caused the death of their master, and revealed the existence of the beast core.

Chen Qi had betrayed his master and ancestors—a crime deserving death!

However, both Chen Qi and the master knew only of the beast core, not the flood dragon core. Though the difference was but a single word, the distinction was vast. It was Yu Ye who first spoke of the dragon core. How could a village hunter know that what he had swallowed was a dragon core? How had he become a cultivator, and how was he able to unleash the legendary sword energy that wounded Chen Qi?

Bai Zhi slowly turned around, still troubled and aggrieved.

She had shed her Taoist robes and returned to women’s dress. Her long black hair cascaded over her shoulders, held loosely by a plain scarf, and with her rough hemp skirt, she seemed an ordinary country woman. Yet her face was as fair as jade, her eyes full of sorrow, quietly exuding an air of aloofness and grace.

Not far away stood a small grass hut—her temporary shelter.

This spot, on the southern slope of Xingyuan Valley, was steep and rarely visited, but commanded a view of the whole Yu Family Village. If Yu Ye returned, she would surely see him.

Bai Zhi thought of the one she awaited, and her heart grew restless again.

After burying her master and bidding farewell to her brothers and sisters, she was left alone on Xuanhuang Mountain. Lost and helpless, she was joined by Gu Yu, who returned to the mountain. On hearing of their master’s death and the destruction of the sect, little brother Gu Yu wept bitterly. Bai Zhi could not comfort him, and could only weep with him. Yet life had to go on. Gu Yu wished to revive the sect, but Bai Zhi was silent; centuries of tradition had been swept away—how could it be rebuilt? Yet from Gu Yu’s words, she learned that Yu Ye’s cultivation and sword energy were genuine. The hunter boy had already reached the first stage of Qi Refining. Stunned, Bai Zhi quickly made a decision.

She must find Yu Ye.

Her master had said, before dying, that Yu Ye was both her destiny and her tribulation. At the time, she had not understood; only later did she begin to grasp the meaning. The so-called destiny was likely the dragon core, while the tribulation meant a choice of life and death. Which life, which death, and what fate awaited her could only be revealed by finding Yu Ye.

In that moment, she became possessed by a resolve she could neither escape nor discard—a fixation that would torment her for decades, until the hour of life and death, when she might at last be enlightened.

She sent Gu Yu home to care for his parents, and then left Xuanhuang Mountain to wander alone.

Her junior brother saw her off in tears, hoping for their reunion; she departed in haste, with no promise of return.

After leaving Xuanhuang Mountain, Bai Zhi sought news of Yu Ye, but learned he was being hunted and had vanished. After much hesitation, she headed for Xingyuan Valley.

The Great Marsh was vast; searching for someone was like finding a needle in the sea. Especially one fleeing for his life, hiding from pursuit—the odds were hopeless. But no matter how far one runs or hides, one never forgets home. That somewhat foolish youth would be no different. If she kept watch in Xingyuan Valley, perhaps one day she would see him return.

So she built a grass hut on the southern slope.

She could not be sure if Yu Ye would return, nor when. But she chose to wait, for she no longer had any other path.

Xuanhuang Mountain was destroyed, and the Daoist sects everywhere were in peril. Rather than abandon cultivation and sink into chaos, why not pursue destiny and meet tribulation head-on?

Now she realized that the calamity afflicting the Great Marsh, though tied to the powerful of Qizhou, might just as easily have begun with a single dragon core. Since the moment that boy swallowed the dragon core, disaster had followed inexorably.

Moreover, as the last inheritor of Xuanhuang Mountain, how could she fail her master’s dying wish?

Bai Zhi drew a jade pendant from her breast. Her eyes, though still tinged with sorrow, now shone with determination.

No matter how many years it took, she would surpass her master, become a master in her own right, and restore their sect so that Gu Yu could fulfill his wish. If calamity began with the dragon core, in Lingjiao Valley, her own destiny would begin in Xingyuan Valley, with the one who brought her tribulation...