The hunter, upon hearing this, knew he was going to dig up graves. He sighed and said, "Yes, it is. But what you two are going to do is truly despicable. I can tell you two are capable, and I can't stop you from doing whatever you want. Besides, I was the one who spoke out yesterday. I only ask that you don't mention me to the King of Hell when you're doing it."
Seeing that the two men nodded in assurance, the hunter continued, "However, that place is neither very big nor very small. The person was buried haphazardly, and now it's covered with a thick layer of snow, so finding the grave won't be easy."
Mo Xi asked curiously, "There aren't any tombstones on the graves?"
"Speaking of which, this is another strange thing. Before, when there were many people in the village, the dead were naturally buried by their families, and there were tombstones. But after a few days, these tombstones all disappeared. Over time, because these tombstones disappeared, the story of the female ghost became more and more widespread. Later, some unclaimed corpses were buried there, and naturally no one erected a tombstone. Furthermore, family members simply stopped erecting tombstones when burying their relatives."
The two exchanged a glance. Both thought: This is getting increasingly bizarre. Even if it was deliberate, how much effort would it take to destroy a tombstone, and for what reason?
After a short while, the two ate some cornbread, and, being very familiar with each other, carried the shovel given to them by the hunter and headed towards Yanwangpo together.
Yanwangpo should simply be a huge tomb, but it's currently covered by a thick layer of snow, making it very difficult to discern its features. Moreover, this tomb is quite different from others; it truly has no tombstone at all. Coupled with the withered vegetation in winter, it gives the impression of being completely barren and desolate, appearing exceptionally cold and gloomy.
Mo Xi said, "We should not leave any footprints in the snow. We should try to find places with thin, clean snow and raised areas to bury the body."
Those familiar with the situation understood immediately. Once buried, a body will decompose quickly. To find clues, one should start with the most recent dead. Grave mounds usually rise up, making it the easiest way to pinpoint a burial site. With luck, one might find one or two newly dug graves, where fresh snow would fall, naturally thinner and cleaner than elsewhere.
The two split up and searched thoroughly, taking about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea before each finding a spot. Brushing away the layer of snow, they found the soil underneath was indeed quite soft, looking as if it had been recently buried.
He was quite adept at digging graves, and his movements and demeanor were as leisurely and joyful as a gardener planting a rare and exquisite flower on a fine day. Mo Xi watched from the side, deeply impressed. It didn't take much effort; in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he had unearthed two corpses. Unfortunately, both were male.
The two men had been dead for about a week, and due to the freezing weather, their bodies were decomposing much more slowly than in normal weather. Each had only one wound, a small black dot on their neck, presumably from a pierced throat. Strangely, however, there was less blood on their clothing than would normally be from such a wound.
"It doesn't look like a wound from a sword or knife," said the man who was very familiar with the situation.
Mo Xi said, "Yes, it looks like the wound was caused by a cone-shaped object. If it was murder, the murderer probably doesn't know martial arts."
The man, who was quite familiar with the situation, said, "Well, judging from the depth of the wound, if it was intentional, the person's arm strength is average, and the weapon used was not particularly sharp."
Mo Xi frowned and said, "But if the murderer doesn't know martial arts, it would be too difficult for one person to kill so many people without being discovered, and also to move so many tombstones without anyone noticing."
The familiar-looking man said, "Could there be more than one murderer? It's just that the other graves have been there for quite some time, and even if we dug up the bodies, we wouldn't be able to tell anything. Otherwise, we could have determined whether it was the same person by looking at whether the wounds were consistent."
Mo Xi nodded. A person's behavior patterns are always traceable. The angle and force of the attack, and if the same weapon is used, the wounds should be very similar.
Seeing that they found nothing more, the two men, who were quite familiar with each other, buried the two bodies back together.
―――――
The two men returned the way they came and gave the shovel back to the hunter. The hunter, probably out of fear, didn't dare ask them what they had found.
Taking advantage of the daytime, the two continued their journey.
We finally arrived at the foot of Mount Shu at dusk.
This place, however, is a stark contrast to the deserted scene of the village. In the distance, a house is emitting wisps of smoke.
The two had traveled all day through the snow and ice, and even with their considerable martial arts skills, they were inevitably feeling somewhat tired. Therefore, seeing signs of human habitation filled them with joy and excitement.
Upon closer inspection, a plaque bearing the three gilded characters "Jishantang" (济善堂) hung above the entrance. The building resembled a traditional courtyard house. In the main hall, a young Taoist priest in a grey robe stood distributing porridge in front of a massive iron pot, barely two heads shorter than himself. Two kinds of pickles were laid out on a nearby table for people to help themselves—a thoughtful touch. On the other side, another young Taoist priest was distributing steamed buns, one per person. The people queuing were mostly elderly, women, and children; almost everyone's clothes were patched, but not tattered, and they all seemed to be in good spirits, occasionally punctuated by laughter and chatter.
The familiar-looking man looked around. At the far end of the courtyard was a large dormitory, where two young Taoist priests were watering and sweeping while everyone else was outside getting their food. The shelter seemed to be well-organized.
Mo Xi followed him around for a bit, and then the two of them went to queue up for porridge. Just as it was almost their turn, they suddenly heard arguing coming from the far end of the courtyard, which was quite out of place with the peaceful atmosphere outside. As a result, many people stopped talking and looked in that direction.
A man in his thirties, dressed in military uniform but without armor, was being pushed and shoved out by two Taoist priests. Although he was at a disadvantage, his aura was no less imposing.
Although he was shouting, his words were very earnest: "Please have mercy, fellow Taoist priests. I only want to find my wife who has been separated from me for many years, and I have no ill intentions whatsoever."
The two Taoist priests ignored him and kept pushing him away. Suddenly, the man stopped moving and stood still in a horse stance, showing a very stable stance. He exuded an aura of battle-hardened experience and fierce determination. Although the two young Taoist priests had learned a little about the basics of Shu Mountain Taoism, they couldn't budge him.
Mo Xi, however, could tell that this person actually did not know martial arts. In fact, the martial arts spoken of by soldiers are different from those of martial arts practitioners. When martial arts are practiced to a certain level, even plucking a leaf or flying flower can injure people. However, the so-called martial arts on the battlefield mostly refer to killing the enemy with courage and brute force when soldiers meet. There are not many people who actually know martial arts.
Upon seeing this, the two men simultaneously thought of the hunter's brother, the captain surnamed Luo, and exchanged a glance.
Just as the two sides were deadlocked, the overly familiar man suddenly ran out from the group. Although he spoke softly to the man, Mo Xi, with his keen hearing, naturally heard him clearly: "It's easier to see the King of Hell than to deal with his underlings. I'll take you to the Golden Summit of Mount Shu and talk to Master Qu. He will definitely help you. Besides, your wife may not be here right now, but she may have been here. The young Taoist priest of 'Jishan Hall' might know a thing or two. But you can't ask him yourself; you'll have to ask Master Qu personally."
Mo Xi thought to herself: Well, it seems the naturally outgoing person isn't just meddling in her affairs. She didn't know whether to feel relieved or sigh. Taking this guy, who knew nothing of martial arts and was burdened with so much grudge, up Mount Shu was a recipe for disaster. Both the outgoing person and this man who had lost his wife meant trouble, let alone the two of them together—the destructive power was multiplicative, not additive. She did want to ditch the outgoing person and go ahead, but having traveled this far with him, she still hadn't figured out his true purpose in approaching her. At this point, simply hiding wasn't the best strategy; it was better to adapt to the situation.
Mo Xi stood to the side, eating silently. The naturally friendly man took a portion and offered half to the man who looked bitter and resentful.
"What is your surname, sir?" he asked familiarly.
"My surname is Luo. My name is Luo Heng." Mo Xi and the overly familiar man exchanged a glance. What a coincidence! The Captain Luo those ruffians were talking about might indeed be him. In fact, Mo Xi already knew it was him just by looking at his gait. Ordinary people swing their arms naturally when they walk, but this man's right arm swings less than his left, which matches the characteristic of an injury on his right shoulder.
The man, seemingly deeply resentful, was quite grateful for the friendly advice he received and, in return, asked, "May I ask what this young man's name is?"
"My name is Mufengting. Like a gentle spring breeze, I stand tall and graceful."
Mo Xi thought to himself: This fellow's name is quite elegant, but I wonder if it's his real name.
With a bitter and resentful expression, he turned to Mo Xi and asked, "May I ask your name, young lady?"
"My name is Muxi."
Mu Fengting asked, "I wonder why Brother Luo thinks my sister-in-law is at 'Jishantang'?"
Luo Heng's face showed a desolate expression. He said, "I was just trying my luck. I heard that this place takes in many orphans and widows, so I came here to try my luck. Who knew that when I was looking for people here, I lingered for a long time and kept staring at women with children? They misunderstood that I had bad intentions and called the manager to kick me out. That's why this happened just now." A look of vicissitude and sadness appeared on his face as he continued, "To tell you the truth, Brother Mu, my wife was pregnant when I enlisted in the army. I've been in the army for several years now. Whenever I was fighting on the battlefield and facing imminent death, I always thought of her, which gave me the courage to turn the tide. Military life is very hard. Every time I'm alone at night, I always think about my child, wondering if he's a boy or a girl, and whether he looks more like his mother or his father. Who knew..." At this point, this tough man choked up, which was truly heartbreaking.
Mo Xi sighed inwardly: In truth, the line "Don't laugh at me lying drunk on the battlefield, for how many have returned from ancient battles?" cannot fully express the cruelty of war. On the real battlefield, even drinking is forbidden, and even if one is lucky enough to survive and return home, one will only find that "things have changed and everything is over."
Shushan Wonders
( ) No one knows how Mu Fengting negotiated with those young Taoist priests. The three of them rested and stayed overnight at Jishantang. After having breakfast the next day, they set off for the mountain.
In the morning light, the Shu Mountains appeared majestic and towering. A soaring peak rose abruptly from the ground, its imposing height and solitary grandeur awe-inspiring. Within this peak lay a natural cave, about a hundred feet high, opening north and south into the rugged cliff face, its mysterious opening like a gateway, seemingly swallowing clouds and spitting out mist. It resembled a bright mirror suspended in the azure sky, a masterpiece of nature, capturing the essence of creation and embracing the spirit of all things—a true marvel of divine craftsmanship.
Seeing Mo Xi's admiring expression, Zi Laishu explained, "This scene is called 'Heavenly Gate Spitting Mist.' No matter the weather, this place is perpetually shrouded in mist, a truly magnificent sight. On cloudy days, there are thousands of floating clouds; on sunny days, there are countless rays of light, ever-changing and seemingly containing the infinite mysteries of heaven and earth, like a dreamlike realm. Local historical records in Sichuan state: 'In ancient times, the local people saw rays of light emerging from Yunmeng, with purple mist rising and filling the caves and overflowing the sky. They considered it an auspicious omen and respectfully prostrated themselves in worship.' Therefore, the Golden Summit of Mount Shu is also called 'Yunmeng Summit.'"
Luo Heng continued, "The Heavenly Gate has always been considered an auspicious sign of heaven. Legend has it that every time the cycle of yin and yang occurs, many hardships befall the human world. At this time, people can only pray to the heavens for peace and happiness by climbing the Heavenly Gate of Mount Shu and personally crossing the 'Heavenly Gate Threshold' to enter the world. Therefore, every spring and summer, countless pilgrims hoping for peace, good fortune, wealth, and auspiciousness come here to pray. I came here with my wife when I had just gotten married." Perhaps lost in memories, he remained silent for a long time.