bookbashuk Chapter 78: Journey to Shu
Chapter 78: Journey to Shu
The morning light completely dispelled the night, gilding the distant mountains and nearby hills with a golden edge. Li Bai's figure had long since disappeared behind the hills to the southwest, leaving only the blurred outline of Chang'an behind him and the mass grave where a silent battle had just taken place. Beneath the old locust tree, the pursuers had dispersed, leaving only wild grass swaying in the morning breeze. And among the mountains to the southwest, a long and arduous road had just begun.
The hard bread in his arms was almost gone, and his water bag was nearly empty. Ahead lay even more unfamiliar mountains and fields and an even tighter net.
But Li Bai's steps did not falter; every step he took was firm and steady.
***
On the first day, he dared not take the official road.
The official road was flat and wide, bustling with carriages and pedestrians, but it also meant checkpoints, post stations, and inspecting soldiers. Li Bai chose an ancient road almost completely overgrown with weeds, winding along the mountain ridge, sometimes disappearing into dense forests, sometimes clinging to cliffs. His knowledge as a geological engineer from his previous life came in handy at this moment—he could determine the general direction of the terrain from the stratification of rocks, the color of the soil, and the distribution of vegetation, avoiding steep slopes prone to landslides and valleys that might accumulate water.
Daytime is dangerous.
The sunlight revealed everything. Before sunrise, Li Bai found a secluded cave. The entrance was hidden by dense vines, and the cave was dry, with the musty smell of wild animals. He broke the last piece of bread in half, eating one half now and saving the other for the evening. His water pouch was empty. He licked his chapped lips and sat down cross-legged.
Within his dantian, the Azure Lotus Sword floated silently.
This immortal sword, from the Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom, has a pale blue blade with faintly flowing lotus patterns. Li Bai immersed his mind in the sword, using the method of nurturing it, based on the fragments of his inheritance—using his own spiritual power as a guide to communicate with the sword spirit and establish a deeper connection. He circulated his cultivation technique, and strands of pure spiritual power flowed from his meridians, slowly infusing the sword.
The sword trembled slightly.
A cool sensation returned, flowing along his meridians. Wherever it passed, his fatigue lessened, and the dull pain in his wounds eased somewhat. Li Bai's heart stirred; the sword seemed to be nourishing him in return.
He continued to nurture himself, while simultaneously exploring the depths of his mind.
There floated some broken, shimmering specks of light—fragments of information imprinted on the incomprehensible runes of the secret realm's stone tablet. Previously, due to time constraints, he had only had time for a rough understanding; now he finally had the opportunity to carefully study them.
The first fragment unfolds.
It is not words, not images, but a kind of "meaning".
"The mortal world is like a crucible, and all beings suffer."
Li Bai's heart skipped a beat. These eight words weren't heard or seen, but directly imprinted deep within his consciousness, carrying a desolate, compassionate, yet resolute emotion. Immediately afterward, more fragments were stirred, lighting up one after another—
"The sword is not a weapon of killing, but a weapon of protecting the Way."
"Cause and effect are intertwined, arising and ceasing due to causes and conditions."
"To protect what you love is the true path."
These fragments, disjointed and incoherent, all revolved around the core concepts of "mortal world," "cause and effect," and "protection." Li Bai closed his eyes, his breathing gradually calming. Memories of his two lifetimes surged through his mind—the deep sorrow hidden in Yang Xiaohuan's eyes in the modern city; the breathtaking smile of Yang Yuhuan turning her head in Chang'an during the Tang Dynasty; the resonance across time before the stone tablet in the Shu Mountain secret realm…
His path seems to have been entangled with these concepts from the very beginning.
It's not for immortality, nor for invincibility.
It is for protection.
To protect the woman who has the same appearance across three lifetimes, to protect that unwavering love until death, and to protect... everything in this mortal world worth protecting.
The Azure Lotus Sword emitted a soft hum in his dantian, as if responding to his enlightenment. The lotus patterns on the sword flowed faster, and a pale blue light shone slightly, resonating even more deeply with the spiritual energy within Li Bai's body.
***
As night fell, Li Bai left the cave.
Night travel is safer than daytime hiding, but it is also more dangerous. The darkness concealed his figure, as well as the lurking dangers—venomous snakes, wild beasts, and even possible pursuers and spies.
He continued southwest along the ridge.
The moonlight was faint, and the clouds were thick. Li Bai concentrated his spiritual energy into his eyes, and the darkness in his vision faded, revealing blurry outlines of objects. This was a basic ability of a Foundation Establishment cultivator—night vision. Although not as clear as in daylight, it was enough to discern paths.
After walking for about two hours, the sound of flowing water came from ahead.
It was a mountain stream. Li Bai was delighted and hurried forward. The stream was narrow, but the water was clear and shimmered in the moonlight. He bent down and first cupped his hands to taste the water—it was cool and refreshing, with the unique sweetness of a mountain spring. Only then did he fill his water bag and drink several mouthfuls himself.
The thirst was relieved, and I felt refreshed.
Just as he was about to get up, his ears caught a faint sound in the distance.
The sound of horses' hooves.
It was a light, slow sound, but it definitely came from the direction of the official road, and there was more than one horse. Li Bai immediately crouched down, hid behind a rock, and held his breath.
A moment later, a troop of cavalry appeared on the official road about a hundred feet downstream from the mountain stream.
Five men, dressed in standard leather armor, with swords at their waists and crossbows hanging beside their saddles. The leader held a torch, its flame flickering in the night, illuminating their wary faces as they scanned their surroundings.
"Search this area thoroughly." The leader's voice was deep. "The Imperial Advisor has ordered that the fugitive may have headed towards Shu. Do not overlook any small paths, mountain streams, or villages."
"Boss, it's so late at night, would a scholar like Li Bai dare to walk in this desolate wilderness?" another person asked.
"A scholar?" the leader sneered. "The brothers over by the old locust tree said that man knows martial arts, and his sword aura is extremely sharp. He shouldn't be underestimated."
Several men dismounted and, carrying torches, began searching along both sides of the official road. One of them walked towards the mountain stream.
Li Bai's heart beat slightly faster.
He slowly retreated, completely concealing his body in the shadow of the rocks, while simultaneously activating a concealment technique. Spiritual energy enveloped his entire body like a thin veil, reducing his body temperature, aura, and even life fluctuations to a minimum.
The soldier, carrying a torch, walked to the edge of the mountain stream, looked down at the flowing water, and then used the torch to illuminate the surrounding rocks and bushes. The torchlight was less than three zhang (approximately 10 meters) from the rock where Li Bai was hiding.
Li Bai remained motionless, not even blinking.
The officers and soldiers looked around for a moment, seemingly finding nothing amiss, then turned and walked back. "There's no one here."
"Keep searching ahead. We need to finish searching this ten-mile stretch before dawn."
The sound of horses' hooves rang out again, gradually fading into the distance.
Li Bai waited behind the rock for about fifteen minutes, making sure the other person had really left, before slowly getting up. His back was already soaked with cold sweat.
The imperial court's search net was more comprehensive than he had imagined.
Moreover, they already knew that he "kung fu".
This is not good news. The pursuit and methods will be completely different between a fugitive who knows martial arts and a fugitive who is a scholar who cannot even kill a chicken.
Li Bai filled his water bag, quickly left the mountain stream, and continued his journey southwest.
That night, he encountered three patrols. Sometimes they were cavalry, sometimes infantry, and sometimes they were suspected spies dressed in civilian clothes but moving with the air of well-trained individuals. Each time, he avoided them in advance thanks to his keen senses and ability to conceal his presence.
Before dawn, he found a crevice in the rocks to rest.
The crevice was narrow, allowing only one person to squeeze in sideways. It was dry deep inside, but a breeze blew in from an unknown opening, bringing fresh air. Li Bai finished the last half of his pancake, drank some water, and then sat cross-legged to regulate his breathing.
Nurturing the Azure Lotus Sword and studying the fragments of its inheritance have become his daily tasks.
***
The days passed by.
Li Bai traveled by night and hid by day, traversing mountains and valleys. He avoided all towns and villages, only venturing to the outskirts when necessary to exchange spare change for some dry rations—usually coarse millet cakes or dried yams—from solitary farmers. He dared not buy too much, exchanging only enough for two or three days at a time, and always choosing the most honest-looking elderly people who had the least contact with the outside world.
Once, he met an old woodcutter in a mountain valley.
An old woodcutter, carrying firewood on his back, was resting on a rock. Li Bai intended to walk around him, but the old woodcutter spoke up, "Young man, are you on your way?"
Li Bai stopped and nodded warily.
"This direction... is it towards Shu?" The old woodcutter squinted at him. "These days, not many people travel this old road. The official road is longer, but it's safer."
"I prefer peace and quiet," Li Bai replied simply.
The old woodcutter smiled, asked no further questions, and simply took out two roasted wild taro from his pocket, handing one to him. "Eat this, you look hungry."
Li Bai hesitated for a moment, then took it. The wild taro was still warm, emitting a simple fragrance. He took a bite; it was sweet and soft.
"Thank you, sir."
"You're welcome." The old woodcutter munched on his taro, gazing at the distant mountains. "Sichuan is a wonderful place... the Land of Abundance. But things haven't been peaceful lately."
Li Bai's heart skipped a beat: "Is things not peaceful?"
"I heard that the imperial court has sent a lot of people to the Shushan area, as if they are looking for something." The old woodcutter lowered his voice. "I went there to chop wood a few days ago and saw a lot of strangely dressed people, some Taoist priests and some soldiers, wandering around in the mountains. They even set up checkpoints and checked people very strictly."
Li Bai slowed down his chewing.
"What are they looking for?"
"Who knows?" The old woodcutter shook his head. "Anyway, it's not a good thing. Those soldiers are very fierce; we woodcutters don't dare to go near them. Young man, if you go to Sichuan, you'd better avoid the Shu Mountains area."
Li Bai silently finished eating the wild taro, then took out a few copper coins from his pocket.
The old woodcutter waved his hand: "No need, no need, two taro are worthless. Just be careful on your journey."
Li Bai bowed respectfully, then turned and left.
But a storm was brewing in my heart.
The imperial court's officials were active in the Shushan area.
Emperor Xuanzong once mentioned the "Western Mausoleum Divine Kingdom" and the "Sanxingdui Secret Realm," which Li Bai at the time thought was merely the emperor's ordinary curiosity about the secrets of immortality. But now it seems that the court's understanding of these two places may have gone far beyond "rumors."
Are they looking for the entrance to a secret realm?
Or... are you looking for him?
***
The journey took more than a month.
Li Bai's clothes were already tattered, and his cloth shoes were worn through, which he patched up with tree bark and vines. His face and hands were covered with small cuts and sunburn marks, and his beard grew unkempt, making him look like a wild man. But his eyes grew brighter and brighter.
The spiritual power has been slowly increasing through continuous nurturing and arduous journey, and is now close to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.
The connection between the Azure Lotus Sword and him deepened day by day. Now, with a thought, the sword could fly out from his dantian and move like a fish within a three-zhang radius around him. Although he could not yet fly on the sword, he could already use it in actual combat—he once used this sword to silently kill a venomous python that had ambushed him. Where the sword energy passed, the python's body was cut in two, the cut as smooth as a mirror.
There has also been progress in comprehending the fragments of the inheritance.
The flickering points of light gradually connected to form some incomplete "methods".
One of them is called "The Heart-Refining Technique in the Mortal World".
This is not a spell for attack or defense, but a method for cultivating one's state of mind. Its core lies in "entering the mortal world, experiencing all aspects of life, clarifying one's true nature, and consolidating the foundation of the Dao." The practitioner must experience joys and sorrows, love and hate in the bustling world, using the myriad aspects of life as a whetstone to temper their Dao heart.
Li Bai seemed to have realized something.
His experiences in these two lifetimes are the best way to "refine one's heart in the mortal world."
The love and separation in modern cities, the unfulfilled desires in the prosperous Chang'an of the Tang Dynasty, the near-death experiences in the mysterious Shu Mountains, the hardships of traveling thousands of miles to Shu... Every experience tempered his will and clarified his path.
The other incomplete method is related to "cause and effect".
It is called "Yuanxian Guan".
At the deepest level of cultivation, one can observe the threads of cause and effect connecting all things in the world. But Li Bai can only vaguely perceive that there is a strong "thread of fate" between himself and certain people and things—the thickest and brightest one, pointing far to the southwest, with the other end disappearing into the void, as if connecting to some distant existence.
Yang Xiaohuan? Yang Yuhuan?
he does not know.
But he knew he had to go to Mount Shu.
***
Evening of the thirty-seventh day.
Li Bai climbed the ridge of a high mountain.
As the sun set, it painted the sky a brilliant golden-red. He stood on a protruding rock, gazing into the distance.
To the southwest, behind layers of towering mountains, the outline of an even more majestic and desolate mountain range finally appeared on the horizon.
The mountains stretch like a dragon, with the main peak soaring into the clouds. Even from a hundred miles away, one can feel the majestic, ancient, and mysterious aura.
Shushan.
Li Bai's heart began to pound.
He arrived.
After more than a month of arduous travel, hiding by day and venturing out at night, enduring wind and rain, dodging pursuers, and comprehending the inheritance... he finally saw Mount Shu.
But the next second, his brows furrowed.
At the foot of the mountain, in an area that should have been deserted, some unusual traces could now be seen—
A few wisps of smoke rose from the mountains and forests, not the sparse smoke of a farmhouse, but a concentrated and continuous column of smoke.
In some places, trees have been cut down, revealing open spaces where makeshift tents can be vaguely seen.
Further away, on a path that was originally only used by woodcutters and herb gatherers, figures in uniform were patrolling, their metallic reflections flashing in the sunlight.
Li Bai lowered his body, concentrated his spiritual power in his eyes, and observed carefully.
The patrolmen wore peculiar clothing—neither purely military uniforms nor purely Taoist robes, but a hybrid. Their upper garments were wide-sleeved, similar to Taoist robes, but made of a stiffer material and dark blue in color; their lower garments were fitted trousers for ease of movement, and they carried knives at their waists, some even bearing crossbows.
Their movements were disciplined and orderly, yet they also possessed a keen awareness of their surroundings, characteristic of spiritual practitioners.
Li Bai saw one of the men suddenly stop, look up at the sky, and make a hand seal, as if sensing something. After a moment, the man shook his head and continued his patrol.
He is a monk.
Moreover, they were official monks belonging to the imperial court.
Li Bai's heart sank.
The old woodcutter was telling the truth. The imperial court had indeed sent people to Mount Shu, and on a considerable scale. Judging by their appearance, there was at least a battalion of soldiers, plus dozens of cultivators.
What are they looking for?
The entrance to the secret realm?
Or... are we waiting for him to walk right into our trap?
Li Bai slowly retreated, disappearing into the woods behind him.
As the sun sank completely behind the mountains, dusk settled in. The massive silhouette of the Shu Mountains resembled a sleeping behemoth in the deepening night, while the flickering campfires and patrolling torches were like restless fleas on its body.
He has to go in.
We must return to the secret realm.
But how can we break through this tight blockade?
Li Bai leaned against a tree and closed his eyes. In his mind, the light of the fragments of inheritance flickered quietly, and the Azure Lotus Sword emitted a slight hum in his dantian, as if urging him on, or as if soothing him.
The night wind blew through the mountains and forests, carrying the faint sounds of people from the distant campsite, as well as the howling of the mountain wind as it passed through the valley.
Having traveled a thousand miles to Sichuan, the road has come to an end.
But the real test may have only just begun.