Ein Reisender, der alle Himmel und unzählige Welten durchquert

Kapitel 38

"Which three routes?" Yuwen Luo, a curious child, asked, "Is one of them the way we came back?"

“Brother Ming, you said that since you are alone, you can’t explore both camps together. Do you need our help?” Ning Lang asked.

“Going back is impossible now. Can you still find the way you came?” Ming Er pointed to the pear blossom grove behind them.

Looking back, all I could see were layers upon layers of flowering trees, and I could no longer discern the direction I had come from.

"As for helping..." Ming Er's gaze swept over them, "Do any of you recognize any formations?"

Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang shook their heads repeatedly.

"How can you break a formation if you don't know how to break it?" Ming Er laughed. "Even if I taught you, the situation changes in an instant when breaking a formation, so how could you possibly pay attention to anything else?"

"What should we do then?" Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang asked at the same time.

Ming Er glanced back at them and said slowly, "First, if I forcefully break the formation, the result will be that we all perish in the pear blossom forest. Second, we will wait here, hoping that the person who set up the formation will have mercy and let us out; if not, we will be trapped here to die. Third..." He turned his gaze to Lan Qi.

Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang also looked at Lan Qi, then their eyes lit up, and they exclaimed at the same time, "It's Seventh Young Master who made the move!"

"This young master..."

Before Lan Qi could speak, Ming Er pointed ahead and said, "I thought it would be fine to stay where I am, but it seems that I made a mistake by taking that step back just now."

Suddenly, a strong wind swept in from ahead, causing the pear trees to sway and the blossoms to swirl like snowflakes, filling the sky.

“Seventh Young Master, I am ‘Breaking the Bonds and Returning Home,’ how about you ‘Plucking Stars and Retrieving Pearls’?” Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang behind him were already very nervous, but Ming Er remained gentle and composed.

Lan Qi opened her jade fan and smiled leisurely, her smile sharp and arrogant: "Very well. No one can break the 'Three Powers Return to Origin, Five Stars Align' formation, so let the 'Five Stars' surround the 'Three Powers' formation and the 'Return to Origin' formation sever the 'Alignment' formation!"

"Go then," Ming Er said softly.

The two figures, dressed in green and purple, leaped up simultaneously, heading towards the endless snow of pear blossoms, and instantly disappeared from sight.

"You must remain here and not make any rash moves!"

Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang obeyed the orders and stood still, but everything before them was no longer the same as before. The pear tree spun around, and pear blossoms rushed towards them, accompanied by a sharp gust of wind. Yuwen Luo involuntarily wanted to move aside, but suddenly a hand pressed down on his shoulder, and another hand covered his eyes. "Brother, close your eyes, calm your mind and regulate your breathing, and do not move."

Amidst a sea of pear blossoms, Lan Qi and Ming Er stood majestically atop the tree.

"Thanks to your move just now, the formation has been activated." Lan Qiyu swept away the petals in front of her with her jade fan.

“This is the perfect opportunity.” Ming Er surveyed the scene below.

"I have already found the positions of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth." Lan Qi's gaze fell forward.

“I have also found my place among Heaven, Earth, and Man.” Ming Er raised his eyes to look at Lan Qi opposite him. “Let’s not miss this opportunity.”

Lan Qi waved his jade fan, his robes fluttering, and laughed like a demon, "This is an unbreakable formation that no one has been able to break for hundreds of years. This time, you and I can have a good look at it and see just how amazing it is!"

After saying that, he leaped eastward, and Ming Er also took off at the same moment, but leaped westward.

Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang stood silently, their eyes closed and hands clasped tightly. Suddenly, a tremendous earthquake shook the ground, making it nearly impossible to stand. They quickly used their "Thousand-Pound Drop" technique to firmly plant themselves on the ground. Before the shaking subsided, a thunderous roar like a tsunami followed, and a sudden gust of wind blew them swaying from side to side, as if countless things were flying past.

Amidst the rumbling thunder, Lan Qi's smiling voice could be faintly heard: "Truly extraordinary!"

"Those two are indeed hailed as unparalleled geniuses!" Ming Er's gentle voice also rang out.

Had the formation been broken? The two wondered to themselves, but at that very moment, a chill descended upon them, as if countless things were gently floating down onto their heads, faces, and bodies—light, silent, and icy, layer upon layer, endlessly… Instantly, an unprecedented fear swept over them, as if they were about to be buried alive! They clearly felt it, wanted to leave, wanted to scream, but they couldn't move an inch!

Is this really where I'm going to die? At that moment, the fear of death felt so real and clear.

"The earth is already beneath our feet." Lan Qi's voice sounded so distant.

"The position has been taken." Ming Er's voice was equally ethereal.

"Let's see what happens when the 'Three Powers Return to Origin' meets the 'Five Stars Alignment'!" Lan Qi's voice was unrestrained and filled with excitement.

"I'm really looking forward to it." Ming Er's voice was gentle and pleasant.

Before the sound subsided, a deafening roar suddenly erupted from the pear blossom grove, like mountains collapsing and rivers surging, like thunder and howling winds spinning the earth, and like the clanging of clashing swords and galloping horses, and the sounds of fighting, shouting, screaming and wailing...

Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang only heard a deafening roar and a tremendous tremor that shook the heavens and the earth; they felt nothing else.

After an unknown amount of time, the shaking gradually stopped and the loud noise subsided.

The two quietly opened their eyes and saw a snowman opposite them. Looking closer, they realized it was covered in pear blossoms. Releasing their hands, they discovered they had clenched them so tightly they were deformed; the slightest movement caused excruciating numbness and pain.

"Come out here," Lan Qi's voice came.

Only then did the two dare to move their numb limbs and take a step forward. The pear blossoms that had been in full bloom just moments before were now almost all gone, with a thick layer of snow-white petals on the ground and only a few scattered petals on the branches.

After walking for a while, they saw Ming Er and Lan Qi waiting ahead. At just one glance, Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang were both stunned.

The pear branches were bare, and the pear blossoms covered the ground. This once incomparably beautiful pear grove was now a scene of faded beauty. But the two people standing side by side, their pale blue and deep purple hues, were like lotus flowers growing in the snow, a stunningly elegant and beautiful sight, yet also a kind of bewitching allure that one knows is impossible but still sees!

Looking at the devastation all around, Lan Qi laughed heartily, "Haha... This pear blossom grove is ruined like this, it'll definitely make him so angry he'll vomit blood!"

Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang snapped out of their daze upon hearing his words, secretly hoping that the person who set up the formation would not overhear them!

"We really have to thank this person for setting up both formations here, otherwise we would have been doomed," Ming Er said, looking at the messy pear blossom grove.

Yuwen Luo also sighed, "It's fortunate that the 'Three Powers Return to the Origin' and 'Five Stars Alignment' couldn't be decided a hundred years ago; otherwise, it would have been a lose-lose situation, and there wouldn't be the prosperous dynasty we have today!"

Ning Lang then said, "The person who set up this formation is exceptionally talented, but also far too ruthless."

"Yes." Lan Qi nodded repeatedly in agreement. "I must ask him to come and see this pear blossom grove later, otherwise it would be a waste of my efforts just now."

"Seventh Young Master, who exactly is the person who set up this formation?" Yuwen Luo was really curious. It was already rare to know even one of the Three Talents Returning to Origin and the Five Stars Aligning, but this person was able to set up both formations in the forest at the same time, which shows that his talent was unparalleled. However, there was no one in the martial arts world who was good at formations.

"I'll take you to meet this person." Lan Qi waved her jade fan, turned around, and led the way.

The three followed him for a while, and when they came out of the woods, they saw another lake, and on the other side of the lake was another pear blossom grove.

It was already dark when the light shone on the lake, making it ripple and the snow-white pear blossoms seemed to be adorned with a light makeup, creating a serene and beautiful scene.

"This..." Yuwen Luo's legs went weak and he quickly supported Ning Lang, looking at Lan Qi with a look of fear and helplessness. "Seventh Young Master, is there some strange formation waiting for us in the woods ahead?"

Lan Qi glanced at Yuwen Luo with her emerald eyes and scoffed, "Do you think everyone recognizes those formations, and everyone has the ability to pass through them safely?" With that, she lightly touched the ground with her toes and leaped onto the lake, graceful as a swallow, landing lightly and silently on the other side. "Go ahead and walk freely, there are no more trap formations."

Ming Er glanced back at the desolate pear blossom grove, a faint smile playing on his lips, before gracefully leaping across the lake.

Yuwen Luo and Ning Lang exchanged a glance and then leaped across the lake.

Once you reach the other side of the lake, you can see clearly a three-foot-tall stone tablet standing under the shade of pear trees. The three characters "Pear Blossom Tomb" are written in bold, regular script, while the three characters "Enter or Die" are carved in wild, blood-red cursive script, as arrogant as a ferocious beast baring its claws.

Ming Er stared quietly at the three characters "Pear Blossom Tomb," then looked up and met Lan Qi's deep and unfathomable blue eyes. The two looked at each other for a moment, then subtly looked away.

“Pear Blossom Tomb… Pear Blossom Tomb…” Yuwen Luo murmured these three words, his head down, deep in thought, feeling as if he had heard them somewhere before.

XVI. Pear Blossom Tomb (Part 2)

“Pear Blossom Tomb? Is this where Dong Weiming lived?” Ning Lang suddenly asked.

His words immediately drew the attention of all three men, who were all astonished.

"You... how... how do you know Dong Weiming?" The most surprised was Yuwen Luo. He knew Ning Lang's background best. In the entire martial arts world, he knew very few people who were familiar with him.

“Master… once said that Dong Weiming lives in Pear Blossom Tomb.” Ning Lang couldn’t help but feel nervous under the intense gazes of the three men.

"Your master?" Yuwen Luo exclaimed. "Why would your master mention Dong Weiming to you? Does he know Dong Weiming?" As he spoke, he grabbed Ning Lang's shoulder, extremely excited. "Ning Lang, tell me quickly, what is the relationship between your master and Dong Weiming?"

Ning Lang retreated repeatedly, brushing away Yuwen Luo's hand, and said, "I don't know if Master knows Dong Weiming. But one year when the pear blossoms were in bloom, my senior brother and I were practicing swordsmanship under the tree. Master was watching from the side. The sword energy stirred up the pear blossoms and they danced. Master looked at the pear blossoms that had fallen to the ground and said, 'The pear blossoms are as lonely as snow. I wonder what it is like for Dong Weiming to live in that snow-white pear blossom tomb?' After saying that, he sighed and left. He never mentioned it again."

"Is that all?" Yuwen Luo persisted.

Ning Lang nodded.

Yuwen Luo sighed deeply. At this moment, he remembered who Dong Weiming was. "Pear Blossom Tomb... Dong Weiming..." He turned around, his hands trembling as he grabbed Lan Qi, his face full of excitement, "Seventh Young Master, Seventh Young Master, could your master be Dong Weiming?"

Lan Qi remained silent, only smiling as he fanned himself, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"It really is Dong Weiming!" Yuwen Luo exclaimed with longing and admiration. "It's actually Dong Weiming! No wonder no one knows Seventh Young Master's lineage. Dong Weiming never needs to take action herself! There are so few people in the martial arts world who know her skills that you can count them on one hand! Seventh Young Master, you must let me see your master, or I will die with regrets!"

"Brother, you..." Ning Lang was about to tell him not to be so agitated when Yuwen Luo immediately turned to look at him, his eyes sparkling. "Ning Lang, you don't know who Dong Weiming is, do you? It's okay, I'll tell you, I'll tell you! She's the most beautiful woman in the world, a beauty that makes all men lose their hearts, a beauty that is absolutely unique in the world..."

“Brother.” Ning Lang interrupted Yuwen Luo’s musings, “Didn’t you say that the most famous beauties in the martial arts world are Qiu Hengbo and Hua Fushu? And the number one should be…” He swallowed the rest of his sentence, but his eyes turned to Lan Qi. When he met those green eyes, he couldn’t help but blush and lower his head to look away.

“Qiu Hengbo and Hua Fushu are from now,” Yuwen Luo replied immediately. “But Dong Weiming was the most beautiful woman in the world more than twenty years ago! It is said that there are three outcomes for those who have seen her. The first is that they follow her day and night, hoping to see her for the rest of their lives. The second is that they are infatuated and obsessed, eventually dying of unrequited love. The third is that they vow to kill everyone in the world who has seen her!”

"Huh?" Ning Lang was startled. "Kill everyone in the world who saw her? That's terrifying!"

“It is terrifying.” Yuwen Luo nodded. “But there really are such crazy people! When Dong Weiming appeared in the martial world, in just two months, the entire martial world was plunged into bloody chaos. Countless people fought and killed each other out of jealousy and hatred. It was a catastrophe. In the end, the killing only ended when Dong Weiming disappeared from the martial world. Perhaps Dong Weiming’s brief appearance was for this reason.”

“Such a beauty is often called a ‘femme fatale’ by the world,” Ming Er suddenly said, his gaze falling on the words “those who enter will die.” His eyes remained vacant, and no one could see his expression. “In fact, it’s just that people can’t resist their inner desires and can’t rationally control their behavior, so they brazenly shift all the blame onto others.”

Lan Qi raised an eyebrow at him upon hearing this.

Yuwen Luo nodded repeatedly, "You're right, it's all those people's fault, they prevented me from seeing this beauty."

“Hehe…” Ming Er chuckled softly, looking at Yuwen Luo and asking, “So do you think it’s ‘human nature is inherently good’ or ‘human nature is inherently evil’?”

"Hmm?" Yuwen Luo was taken aback upon hearing this.

“Of course it’s ‘human nature is inherently good’!” Ning Lang answered without hesitation. His tiger eyes were wide open, staring at Ming Er. They were clear, black, and bright, filled with nothing but pure goodness and sincerity.

"Oh." Ming Er nodded, then looked at Yuwen Luo. "What do you think?"

Yuwen Luo thought for a moment before looking up at Ming Er and saying very seriously, "I still believe in the inherent goodness of human nature!"

“Hmm.” Ming Er nodded again.

"What do you think, Brother Ming and Seventh Young Master?" Yuwen Luo asked, looking at them.

Lan Qi and Ming Er each raised an eyebrow at Yuwen Luo, then looked at each other, smiled slightly, and remained silent.

"Let's go, it's so late, I'm very hungry." Lan Qi started walking.

"It must be good to always believe this," Ming Er said casually before following him.

"Sigh... Lan... um... it says 'those who enter will die' here!" Ning Lang hurriedly called out and caught up with Lan Qi, fearing that there might be some danger.

"Do you believe everything others say?" Lan Qi glanced at Ning Lang with a smile in her green eyes, then flicked her jade fan and tapped it on his head. "You're so foolish, even I feel sorry for you."

"Hopefully, fools are blessed." Yuwen Luo murmured to himself as he looked at the two of them from behind.

The group walked deeper into the pear blossom grove. After walking for about two miles, they heard the sound of flowing water. After walking for a while longer, their eyes were suddenly opened to a bright and beautiful sight.

Half verdant, half snow-white.

The mountain walls and streams are lush and green, while the pear blossoms are snow-white.

The pear orchard leans against Qingzhong Mountain, its towering cliffs rising majestically. A mountain stream cascades down, flowing into a small pond at the foot of the cliffs. A layer of pear petals floats on the pond, and a swing sits beside it. An arched wooden bridge spans the surface of the pond, and to the left of the bridge stands a bamboo house. The pear trees encircle this graceful pavilion, and in the twilight, it resembles a painting, with verdant green, pale white, and bluish-yellow hues creating a serene and otherworldly atmosphere.

“This is the epitome of ‘a person placed within a painting,’” Ming Er exclaimed leisurely.