Chapter 97: Blue Wutong's Nocturnal Visit to Tianshan

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Lan Wutong said, "If you wish to know what the Eight Ghost Professions of the Two Realms of Yin and Yang mean, it is not difficult to explain. Allow me to elaborate: corpse herding, coroner, exorcist, traveling to the underworld, tomb raiding, tomb guarding, grave digging, and corpse fishing. Though practitioners of these eight trades are human, they deal with ghosts, hence the name 'Eight Ghost Professions of the Two Realms.'

These professions are further divided into the upper four and lower four. The lower four consist of tomb raiding, tomb guarding, grave digging, and corpse fishing—those who engage in these are regarded as the lowest of the low, despised by all. The upper four are quite different: the coroner serves as a government official, the exorcist is a spiritual master, those who can travel to the underworld are considered half-immortal, and the corpse herder, well, as the saying goes, only true heroes can tame tigers and only real champions can subdue dragons.

When it comes to courage, corpse herders are not inferior to wandering swordsmen. Their work is formidable: one must be strong of bone, bold of heart, and possess a robust fate, but most importantly, their heart must be upright. Should their intentions be crooked, they will attract evil spirits and calamity—not only will corpse herding fail, but their very lives may be lost.

Nevertheless, even among corpse herders, skill varies. The lowest rank is simply labor: as long as one is bold and strong, the job can be done. Usually, two people work together—one carries the corpse, the other leads the way. When the carrier tires, they switch roles. Some employ clever methods: in the south, where bamboo is abundant, they use two sturdy bamboo poles, bind the corpse’s arms to either side, and two corpse herders carry the poles as if bearing a sedan chair."

Someone asked, "But if there are a dozen corpses, how could they possibly carry them?"

Lan Wutong laughed, "That’s not so difficult. Bamboo is highly elastic. The two corpse herders shake the poles up and down, and as the corpses bounce upward, they take a quick step forward. Thus, a line of corpses advances by leaping forward, one jump at a time."

Everyone imagined the scene of dead bodies moving forward in leaps, and chills ran down their spines. Silence prevailed.

Lan Wutong, growing ever more pleased with her tale, continued, "But that is not the most remarkable method. The truly skilled corpse herders can recite incantations to make the corpses walk on their own. When a corpse cannot ascend a steep slope, the corpse herder can summon objects from afar—commandeering someone else's ox to carry the body. Afterward, the ox is returned. Sometimes, a farmer wakes in the morning to find his ox exhausted and gasping in the barn, wondering what happened, never realizing his animal was used all night."

A curious listener asked, "Sister Lan, can you summon objects from afar?"

Lan Wutong smiled, "Oh, such tricks are mere child's play. Watch me summon your junior brothers Li Chongyuan and Lin Qingli." Pretending to recite an incantation, she suddenly shouted, "By order of the Supreme Elder, come forth!" and pointed at Li Chongyuan.

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Everyone had been so engrossed in the story that they hadn't noticed the two had returned. Now, turning around, they saw them beside them and leapt in fright. Once they recovered, laughter rang out, though a few were still baffled and begged Lan Wutong to teach them the incantation.

Miao Wushuang, both annoyed and amused, scolded those disciples for their foolishness. As night deepened, everyone chatted for a while, then departed to rest.

Lan Wutong stretched and laughed, "Telling stories all night has exhausted me—I’m off to sleep. By the way, did the old monk trouble you?"

Li Chongyuan replied with a wry smile, "He is my sect master uncle. Naturally, he wouldn't trouble me."

Lan Wutong yawned, "Good, then. Sleep well." With that, she left, and Li Chongyuan, Lin Qingli, and Li Chongjun bade everyone goodnight and retired.

Soon, Mingxin Cave fell silent as all drifted into deep sleep.

Lan Wutong quietly opened her bedroom window, peeked out to ensure no one was nearby, and took from her bosom a small golden cage. Inside was a tiny white butterfly. She opened the cage door, and the butterfly fluttered away. Lan Wutong leapt out the window and followed, her figure quickly vanishing into the snowy wilderness.

She had long discerned that Li Chongyuan was adept in the Northern Sect's martial arts, and she understood the enmity between the Southern and Northern Sects. She suspected he had not learned these skills from his master, but from another secret source. During the great battle years ago, nearly all Northern Sect experts perished; the likely teacher was Qu Beiyuan, secretly imprisoned by the Southern Sect.

Thus, she had been prepared. The sachet she gave Li Chongyuan during the day contained a unique fragrance called Datura powder, said to come from distant India. Its scent is subtle, barely detectable by ordinary people, but a particular species of white butterfly native to India feeds exclusively on Datura pollen. She released just such a butterfly, which followed the scent of the powder all the way to Demon-Slaying Peak.

Upon arrival, Lan Wutong discovered a hidden cave with a wooden door painted in red lacquer on the snowy summit. Nodding to herself, she thought, "This must be the place." She retrieved the golden cage, gently caught the butterfly by its wings, and carefully placed it back inside.

This butterfly, specially fed with medicinal herbs, could withstand the cold for a short time, but not too long. Once she found her target, she had to quickly retrieve it, lest it freeze to death.

Lan Wutong stealthily approached the door. Just as she was about to push it, it suddenly swung open, and a powerful force swept her inside. Fortunately, she was seasoned in the ways of the martial world and reacted swiftly; with a cry, she drew her twin blades and struck through the air. Amid the chaos, she glimpsed an elder standing with hands clasped.

The man snorted, "You dare test me with such meager skills?" He launched a palm strike with his right hand and swept with his left, knocking Lan Wutong out of the cave and seizing her blades.

Lan Wutong, shocked and furious, never expected to be defeated in a single move. She whipped out a flexible whip and lashed at his head.

The elder exclaimed, "Ah! That is the Black Mamba Whip technique of the Golden Silkworm Sect. Who are you?"

Lan Wutong, suddenly enlightened, struck the whip on the snow, causing a flurry to rise. Amidst the swirling snow, she spoke in the Miao language, "Is that Elder Qu Beiyuan? Lan Wutong, guardian of the Golden Silkworm Sect, pays her respects!"

The man was indeed Qu Beiyuan. Hearing the long-lost Miao tongue stirred deep emotions in him, as if an era had passed.

He replied in Miao, "I am Qu Beiyuan. Who is the current Poison Goddess of your sect?"

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Lan Wutong, hearing his somewhat awkward but accurate Miao speech, was overjoyed and immediately knelt. "Lan Wutong greets Master Qu. Mistress Dao Mingyue misses you dearly and has withdrawn from sect affairs, leaving the role of Poison Goddess to Qu Feiyan, your daughter."

A long sigh echoed from the cave. After a moment, Qu Beiyuan said, "Come in." Lan Wutong bowed and entered.

Inside, Qu Beiyuan, knowing Lan Wutong came from the warm and humid lands of Miao, and would not withstand the cold, had lit a stove for warmth.

He asked, "Have mother and daughter fared well these years?"

Lan Wutong replied, "Master Qu, you jest. Though they lack nothing in the sect, without you, they are never truly happy. Since your disappearance over twenty years ago, the Golden Silkworm Sect has never ceased searching for you. With the blessings of successive leaders, Lan Wutong has finally found you—how fortunate!"

She finished, weeping with joy.

Qu Beiyuan, recalling his days in Miao with Dao Mingyue, could not help but feel his eyes grow moist.

Lan Wutong reached for the iron chain. "Master, do not worry. Let me find a way to break the chain and rescue you from the mountain."

Qu Beiyuan smiled bitterly, "Foolish child, this chain is forged from Xuanming refined steel. Ordinary blades cannot cut it. I have already sent Li Chongyuan to seek the Xuanming Sword to sever it."

Lan Wutong said nothing, but followed the chain to the stone wall. Suddenly, she smiled, "The chain is strong, but the stone wall can be breached. Master, I happen to have brought Fossil Elixir. If I apply it to the wall, soon it will turn to dust and crumble. Then we can pull the chain out from this end and descend the mountain. Once we are down, there will be a way to remove the chain from your ankle."

She took out an egg-sized pill. Qu Beiyuan was overjoyed, but just as Lan Wutong was about to apply the elixir, he remembered something, and his expression grew grave.

He whispered, "You must not!"

Lan Wutong was startled. "Do you not wish to see them?"

Qu Beiyuan said, "Since our separation, they have searched for me for twenty years, and I have missed them for twenty years. I long to return to them at once, but I cannot let my longing destroy the Golden Silkworm Sect and the Tianshan School. Therefore, I cannot leave now."

Lan Wutong asked, "Why is that? Though Tianshan’s martial arts are formidable, if we hurry back to Miao, they would not dare pursue us there!"

Qu Beiyuan replied, "That is precisely my concern. Tianshan will not chase us into Miao, but the Golden Silkworm Sect must travel the martial world. If they cross paths, it will mean a life-and-death struggle. People of the Central Plains hold many prejudices against Miao, and see our poison arts as demonic. This matter concerns not just Tianshan and the Golden Silkworm Sect, but could rekindle the slaughter between orthodox and unorthodox factions. If that happens, I, Qu Beiyuan, am beyond redemption."

Lan Wutong pleaded, "It was so hard to find you. If we do not leave today, there may never be another chance."

Qu Beiyuan said, "No. I, Qu Beiyuan, am an upright man. If I leave, it will not be like a rat sneaking away—I will walk down Tianshan openly and with honor!" He tossed her blades back to her.

Lan Wutong, unable to persuade him, could only comply. She took with her the letters Qu Beiyuan wrote for Dao Mingyue and Qu Feiyan, along with a golden dagger as a token, and departed Demon-Slaying Peak. Before leaving, Qu Beiyuan kept the Fossil Elixir.

As Lan Wutong sped away, she heard from afar Qu Beiyuan singing a Miao love song, its melody filled with endless yearning and sorrow. (To be continued.)