Since it is the Heavenly Gate, it cannot be worshipped indiscriminately; otherwise, there would be no saying that it is as difficult as ascending to heaven. Only those with a clear mind and unwavering perseverance can reach the sacred realm of the Heavenly Gate. This is because the only passage to the Heavenly Gate is a "sky ladder" with a total of nine hundred and ninety-nine steps! This path has five gentle and four steep steps, corresponding to the number nine, symbolizing the ups and downs of life and the need to overcome hardships to achieve great things.
Mu Fengting said, “The Book of Jin, Geography section, records that devout people, when climbing the Heavenly Ladder to pray for blessings and fortune, would burn ‘five-flavor herbs’ to connect with the gods. These ‘five flavors’ are sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, and salty. There are five platforms on the Heavenly Ladder, which are respectively called ‘Ruyi,’ ‘Qingyun,’ ‘Changsheng,’ ‘Qinse,’ and ‘Youyu,’ representing fortune, prosperity, longevity, joy, and wealth.” He paused, then gazed into Mo Xi’s eyes and asked, “I wonder what Miss Mu’s wish is? Legend has it that if you have a wish on the way to heaven, you can tie an item you carry with you to the chain on the prayer platform, and it will come true.”
Upon hearing this, Mo Xi took off the light blue hairband from her head and walked to the "Longevity" platform.
Looking at the hair ribbon tied in the fierce, cold wind, Mu Fengting asked, "Young lady, you are so young, why are you worried about your lifespan?"
Mo Xi smiled slightly, and instead of answering, asked, "What is it that you are seeking?"
Mu Fengting smiled and said, "The wind blows and the sun shines brightly, and time flies by. My lifelong pursuit is to do as I please." Seeing that Mo Xi did not agree, he added, "You must think that I am ignorant and arrogant. In fact, it is just a different approach. If the mountain does not come to me, I will go to the mountain. In this way, I can also achieve my desires."
Mo Xi couldn't help but smile and nod. Her previous indifference was simply because she felt that life was full of disappointments. Although his overly familiar words sounded a bit like Ah Q's self-deception, they also had a kind of profound wisdom. It wasn't impossible for someone like him to be so broad-minded.
The Heavenly Ladder before us is like a rainbow spanning heaven and earth, or a giant dragon soaring through the clouds and sky, clinging to the mountainside and rising into the heavens, truly magnificent and wondrous.
As they climbed the steps, everything in sight—cliffs, mountain paths, forests, and flowerbeds—was covered in a thick layer of ice crystals. Icefalls, icicles, tree frost, and ice flowers were everywhere, forming different shapes depending on the wind direction. Mo Xi looked up at the azure sky above, where sunlight streamed down from the distant heavens, making the surroundings sparkle like crystal, as if she were in a crystal kingdom.
The higher they climbed, the slower Luo Heng moved. Mo Xi noticed his rapid breathing and slightly flushed face, realizing he was experiencing altitude sickness. Although they hadn't reached the summit yet, the altitude here was already over a thousand meters. It was quite a challenge for someone without martial arts skills.
Mu Fengting naturally noticed Luo Heng's discomfort and said to the two of them, "Wait a moment, I'll be right back." As soon as he finished speaking, he leaped up and headed towards a cliff. His movements were swift and graceful, like a flying duck, elusive and divine, with a free and unrestrained spirit that roamed freely between heaven and earth.
He picked something from a clump of bushes growing on the cliff, and in an instant returned to the snow-covered steps, handing Luo Heng a few oval-shaped, smooth-edged green leaves, saying, "You should recognize these. Just chew them."
Luo Heng thanked him and said, "So it's the 'sacred herb'." He quickly chewed a piece and sighed, "I never imagined you, young brother, had such superb skills. You really can't judge a book by its cover. When you said you'd take me up the mountain, I thought you were being presumptuous."
Mu Fengting understood Luo Heng's intentions but didn't point it out. Luo Heng was determined to go to Shu Mountain no matter what, so why should Mu Fengting say that he couldn't help him and make things awkward for him?
Mu Fengting said to Mo Xi, "This 'sacred herb' is commonly known as 'green gold,' and it can be used in medicine. It's the best for suppressing altitude sickness and increasing physical strength."
Mo Xi nodded. She guessed that this so-called 'sacred herb' was similar to modern coca leaves. Coca trees are native to South America, and the cocaine they contain is the active ingredient in cocaine. Cocaine is a natural central nervous system stimulant, used for anesthesia; its effects are strong but short-lived. Users experience excitement, pleasure, high energy, and a feeling of invincibility. However, large-scale, long-term use can cause significant harm to the body. But ingesting a small amount of unextracted material, as Luo Heng did, should be harmless.
In this way, the two of them carried Luo Heng for another half an hour and finally reached the Heavenly Gate.
A rainbow of light burst forth from the cave, surrounded by a swirling cloud of color. On the windward slope, a large plum blossom grove stood, its pink and white petals fluttering like rain, creating a scene reminiscent of a fairyland.
It truly gives one the feeling of "I wish to ride the wind and return to the heavenly palace".
They had only climbed halfway up the mountain to reach the Golden Summit of Mount Shu, and it was far from over. However, there were no more steps to climb beyond that, so even in spring, summer, and autumn, unless one possessed exceptional martial arts skills, reaching the summit was as difficult as ascending to heaven, let alone now when the mountain was blocked by heavy snow.
Mo Xi said, "We'll take turns taking Luo Heng up there."
Mu Fengting said, "Alright. I'll go first."
Unexpectedly, Luo Heng said, "How could I let a young lady take me up? Besides..." Mo Xi saw that he hesitated, probably because he suspected that she was not good enough. She did not argue, but just smiled and said to Mu Fengting, "Then I will leave it to you for now."
Mu Fengting carried him, leaping over a hundred feet upwards in one breath. Luo Heng saw Mo Xi following closely, her figure swaying, her face serene, and thought to himself, "I really am a frog in a well. Back in the military camp, I thought my skills were pretty good, but who knew that even before I was injured, I couldn't compare to a single finger of this young girl." Fearing that he had slighted her earlier and offended her, he thought about how to apologize, which temporarily eased his anxiety about whether the trip would be fruitful.
The three of them traveled at a brisk pace without exchanging words, and after about half an hour, they were less than a quarter of the way to the summit. However, Mu Fengting, carrying Luo Heng, was inevitably exhausted, so he put him down to rest.
Mo Xi said, "I'll carry him on my back." Reaching the summit before dark is the best course of action.
Seeing that Mu Fengting had no objection, Luo Heng reluctantly put his back on Mo Xi's back. Mu Fengting saw that Mo Xi lifted herself up effortlessly with a push of her feet and thought to himself, "It's only been a few days, and her skills have improved again."
While Mu Fengting was secretly admiring her, Luo Heng was secretly groaning. He, a dignified seven-foot-tall man, was carrying such a frail girl on his back. He didn't know how to position his long arms and legs, and his limbs stiffened in no time. It was truly unbearable.
Mo Xi naturally sensed his unease, but pretended not to notice. Inwardly, she thought: "Girl, it's a blessing you've accumulated over many lifetimes that I'm willing to carry you. How dare you be so picky? Besides, if Mu Fengting were that scoundrel, I wouldn't want to be a porter doing this hard labor."
With about two cups of tea's worth of travel left, Mu Fengting caught up and said, "I've rested enough, let me take over. You're a girl, it's not convenient for you."
Mo Xi was happy to get rid of Luo Heng, her human punching bag, and readily agreed. She thought to herself, "Being too friendly isn't always so annoying." Although Mu Fengting had taken on the role of punching bag voluntarily, she was magnanimous in the face of sudden relief and decided not to hold it against him.
Mu Fengting carried Luo Heng for a while longer. The group finally arrived at the "Summit of Yunmeng".
Looking down from the mountaintop, the landscape is covered in white, the mountains are like silver snakes dancing, and the view is of a thousand miles of ice. From the mountaintop to the foot of the mountain, there is a vast expanse of ice and snow, with thousands of trees covered in ice crystals like dazzling ice flowers, blooming on the snow-covered peaks and ridges, creating a vast and pure land of ice and jade.
As usual, Mu Fengting took care of all the dealings with people, leaving it to him to knock on the mountain gate.
The young Taoist priest who opened the door was quite surprised to see them, perhaps not expecting anyone to be able to reach the Golden Summit during such a heavy snowfall. However, the young priest knew that anyone who could climb up at this time must have extraordinary skills, so he politely welcomed them inside.
The architectural style of Shushan is completely different from the towering grandeur of Tangmen; both consist of single-story buildings connected by covered corridors. Firstly, the mountaintop is too steep to be easily elevated, and secondly, the majesty of Shushan lies in its sacred mountain scenery, not in its houses. Therefore, the main buildings of the Shushan sect are divided into three courtyards and two halls, with a rest area for visitors behind the halls. This cluster of single-story buildings stands atop the surrounding mountains, without diminishing its imposing grandeur. Ancient trees tower outside the halls, creating a serene and solemn atmosphere. The mountain wind blows the layers of snow on the ground into a wisp of dust, adorning the thousand-year-old platform with a serene and solemn beauty.
Sect Leader Qu Yao
( ) The three were quickly assigned rooms and rested.
The next day, Mo Xi found a secluded spot to practice her swordplay in the snow. She raised her right arm, concentrated her strength into the sword, and spun her wrist. Gradually, a small vortex formed in the surrounding air, and the snowflakes slowly gathered into a visible vortex. As her wrist spun faster and faster, the vortex formed by the snowflakes grew larger and larger until it suddenly stopped. The gathered snowflakes then fluttered down in an instant.
A few rounds of applause rang out behind me.
Mu Fengting said, "Young lady, your swordsmanship is excellent. Does this move have a name?"
Mo Xi actually knew he was coming, but for a moment she was caught in a state of enlightenment, and she couldn't stop even if it meant being seen. You see, this kind of state is often something you can only encounter by chance, and if it's interrupted, it may never happen again.
Mo Xi shook her head and said, "No."
Mu Fengting said, "I did think of a phrase, 'Wandering wind and dancing snow,' but unfortunately it has already been used."
Mo Xi changed the subject, saying, "You came out to find me so early, is there something you need?" But inwardly she was cursing: This guy said on Mount Shu that other people's most proud sword techniques should be used to name her randomly created moves, is he trying to kill her!
Mu Fengting said, "Although I have never met the head of the Shu Mountain Sect, we have made a prior agreement. I do not know why you have come to Shu Mountain, but if you have come to see Headmaster Qu, you may come with me and Brother Luo to pay your respects."
Mo Xi readily agreed.
After the three of them finished breakfast together, the young Taoist priest led them to the "Bixiao Pavilion" where the sect leader entertained guests.
Above the "Azure Cloud Pavilion" lies the world-renowned Golden Summit of Mount Shu. Standing on the suspended staircase of the Azure Cloud Pavilion, facing the wind, and gazing into the distance, one sees the surrounding clouds rolling and merging seamlessly with the pristine white snow, forming a vast and pure expanse. In this merging of sky and clouds, a sense of primordial vastness washes over you.
Mo Xi thought to himself: The reason why the Shushan Sect is so revered and admired by martial artists is probably not only because of its status as a martial arts master in the martial arts world, but also because of the majestic and awe-inspiring atmosphere of the Shushan Golden Summit.
Before even stepping into the hall, a middle-aged man who appeared to be in his forties came out to greet them warmly, saying, "Gentlemen, you have come from afar. I, Qu, have failed to greet you properly." The man had a square face and a very dignified appearance. He was completely different from the image of the Shu Mountain Sect Leader that Mo Xi had imagined—either a sage-like immortal or a wild and unrestrained one. Living in such a sacred and precious place for so long, one would surely develop a touch of immortality. Moreover, judging from He Qun's behavior, which was somewhat reckless and eccentric, it was unexpected that he had chosen such a "dignified" successor.