Chapter Fifty-Five: Corpses Strewn Across the Land

She once said she would wait for me.

But now, atop the cliff, there is no sign of Weiyang. Panic grips me—could it be that what I lost at the River of Forgetfulness was her as well?

No, it cannot be. At least, I know she still lives in my heart. Yet the old ferryman had warned me: the losses suffered in the River of Forgetfulness are cruel, especially when it comes to the one you love most. Either you forget her, or she forgets you, and one side will inevitably bear the deepest pain. It is a merciless punishment.

His words echo in my mind, but I refuse to believe them. She remains in my heart; if I no longer exist in hers, what will become of us when we turn into strangers who once knew each other best?

Clenching my teeth, gripping the rope, I climb madly toward the cliff's summit. Without stopping for breath, I reach the top, where I find a piece of red cloth pressed beneath a stone.

The red cloth trembles in the cold wind.

The scene reminds me of my childhood, when I pressed a sheet of red paper atop a desolate grave. It seemed accidental, but in truth, everything was destined.

Weiyang is not here, nor is there any trace of her in the distance. I hurry forward, snatching up the red cloth and clenching it tightly.

If Weiyang is not here, then surely she must be in the Forest of Guizang. I waste no time and rush there at once. Perhaps my grandfather is nearby as well.

But when I return to the Forest of Guizang, the sight before me stuns me.

Once a place where flowers bloomed all year, the forest is now strewn with corpses. Blood stains the earth red. Whether peach, pear, or apricot blossoms, nothing remains but broken branches.

Most of the bodies wear Daoist robes, their deaths wretched and miserable.

What happened here? Why are so many Daoists dead? Staring at the corpses, I recall my grandfather’s plan and Weiyang’s words—they have finally arrived. Whether my grandfather or Weiyang, it seems both were waiting for the Daoists to come, waiting for this massacre.

So, for me, the Thirteen Ravines of Yunmeng are a great opportunity, but for these Daoists, they are a catastrophe.

What could have triggered such dreadful slaughter?

I weave between the bodies, the air thick with the scent of blood. Ahead, the once vibrant sea of spider lilies is ruined, though the small cottage in its midst still stands.

I search there, but find no one.

My gaze moves among the corpses, terrified I might recognize someone, and even more afraid to discover what the River of Forgetfulness truly takes.

Where is my grandfather now? That is the urgent question.

Judging by the timeline, he has less than half a day left to live. Nothing else matters; I must find him, return the Mountain God’s Token, and restore his status as a deity.

The Forest of Guizang offers nothing but corpses.

Leaving the forest, I finally spot Weiyang in red at the edge of a distant grove. She stands there, her red dress tattered, battered by the mountain wind, her pale arms occasionally exposed.

Her hair is disheveled, clearly evidence of fierce battle.

On the other side, I see Li Nanhua and Niu Dahuang—one standing, the other crouched, smoking a pipe. Both appear battered and exhausted.

They are here, but my grandfather is not.

They must know where he is. I quicken my pace, running toward them.

"Where is my grandfather? Have you seen him?" I ask urgently.

None of them respond. Only Weiyang turns to look at me, eyebrows slightly furrowed. Surprise flickers in her gaze. Before I can speak again, she rushes over and hugs me tightly. Her body is cold, but in that icy embrace, the wind whips around us, carrying a warmth beyond words.

When she lets go, I see tears in her eyes.

Her hair is wild, her face weary. I reach out to smooth her hair, and she says, "Today is the third day. I thought..."

She does not finish.

She still remembers me, and I have not lost her in my heart. So what I lost at the River of Forgetfulness was not Weiyang.

At the end of the mountain range lies a cliff, even more dangerous than the Thirteen Ravines of Yunmeng. As I arrived, they had all been staring down its edge. An ominous feeling gnaws at me, and I ask, "Weiyang, where is my grandfather?"

She does not answer.

Li Nanhua glances at me, unsure how to respond, while Niu Dahuang continues smoking, his face twisted with conflict.

"What happened?" I ask, their silence driving me to desperation. I take out the Mountain God’s Token and say, "I have the token. With it, my grandfather will be safe. Please, tell me where he is so I can return it to him..."

"Your grandfather and Maogang, the head of Maoshan Sect, both fell into the depths of the cliff," Flower Girl blurts out.

The cliff is bottomless, shrouded in mist and peril.

If a mortal falls in, only death awaits. But my grandfather is a Mountain God—his fall should not have left them in such despair.

Niu Dahuang steps forward, takes a deep drag, and says, "Child, your grandfather is a Mountain God, but he was gravely wounded in the battle. Without the Mountain God’s Token, his divine status is lost and his power greatly diminished. Below the cliff is a formation he laid over twenty years ago, rooted in the dragon veins of Old Realm Ridge, gathering the world’s murderous energies. No matter who falls into it, all will be obliterated!"

"But you said he laid the formation himself. How could he not have a way to break it?" I ask.

"If he were still the Mountain God, he could. But now, without his divine status, he cannot break it. Child, your grandfather... is truly gone." Niu Dahuang can barely finish.

Your grandfather is truly gone...

The words hit me like thunder, and I stagger, refusing to believe him.

I sway toward the edge of the cliff. Niu Dahuang and Weiyang rush over, dragging me back.

"Child, what are you doing?" Niu Dahuang cries, tears welling in his clouded eyes.

"Grandfather!"

I shout into the abyss. My voice echoes through the ravine, lingering endlessly. I fall to my knees. If only I had returned sooner, he would not have come to this...

"Grandpa Niu, don’t worry. I won’t jump. I believe my grandfather will return. I’ll wait here for him; he knows I am waiting, so he will come back..." As I speak, tears stream down my face, unstoppable.

"Child, you may not know the truth of old times. Your grandfather was once a guest of honor at Maoshan Sect, but a vile man from Maoshan poisoned him, and Maogang ambushed him, striking his soul and stealing the Mountain God’s Token. Maogang was his greatest regret. When your grandfather fell into the abyss with Maogang, his last words were to ask us to care for you and let this karmic thread end here." Niu Dahuang explains.

Listening to him, I cannot help but punch the stone before me. The hard rock cracks under my fist, fissures spreading outward.

Niu Dahuang pauses, pats my shoulder, but I am already in tears. No matter how strong I try to be, I can no longer hide the ruin inside my heart.

Weiyang comes over.

She sits beside me. Niu Dahuang rises. Weiyang says, "None of us have rested these past two days. Now it’s over, it’s time to rest. You all go back; I’ll stay here with Lin Yi."

"All right," Niu Dahuang replies.

When they have gone, the world seems to quiet at last. The whispering wind, like an old film, brings memories of my grandfather: his callused, weathered hands, singing lullabies to me, taking me to the market, always buying treats, carrying me to the hospital when I was ill, his shoulder soaked in sweat...

I cannot hold back any longer, and I cry out, tears blurring the world.

Weiyang knows that comfort is useless now. She simply stays beside me, even hugging me tightly.

I do not know how much time passes.

Weiyang lies in my arms, gradually falling asleep from exhaustion.

The Mountain God’s Token is still in my hand. It belongs to my grandfather and should follow him. I gaze at it, memorizing every detail, then throw it into the abyss.

Afterward, Weiyang wakes.

She finds herself in my arms, a hint of panic in her eyes. But I hold her firmly, and she does not resist.

Now that I am back, Weiyang surely knows my fate is that of the one she waited for. I cannot tell whether her tenderness is for me, or for him.

So I say, "I saw him below."

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