Volume Two, Chapter Ten: Clouds Part, Mists Disperse

Now that everyone had learned how to use the bamboo dragonfly, their nerves eased considerably. That frantic sprint earlier had left them utterly exhausted, and they all collapsed to the ground, panting. Hongkun simply brought out some provisions and shared them around, allowing everyone a chance to rest.

“You’re still laughing? Still laughing!” Han Yu, hearing the divine tortoise still chuckling, kicked at him in vexation. This wretched turtle had clearly omitted a word on purpose, tricking them into running for so long.

“Heh heh…” The divine tortoise, knowing he was at fault, didn’t bother to dodge, letting Han Yu vent her anger.

“I can’t help it—I’m upset too!” Meiniang couldn’t help but give the tortoise a kick as well. Her pride was wounded; after cultivating as a demon for so many years, she’d never made such a fool of herself.

“Alright, alright, let’s talk about what to do next,” Hongkun quickly interceded. Han Yu and Meiniang huffed, but said no more.

“That dragonfly flies much too fast. We can’t keep chasing it like this. I wonder, Brother Tortoise, do you perhaps know a spell to slow it down?” Hongkun asked with a sly grin.

“You—you looked so honest, but you’re blaming me for not telling you! I only knew the spell by chance, I swear! I don’t know anything about slowing it down,” the divine tortoise nearly leaped out of his sack.

“Don’t be upset, Brother Tortoise, that’s not what I meant…” Hongkun realized he’d misspoken.

“Not what you meant? It was exactly what you meant!” the tortoise retorted.

“Oh, so now you’re getting defensive? Honestly, I think you deliberately kept it from us because we forced you to come,” Han Yu accused.

“Enough, enough! Brother Tortoise, I apologize. Please accept my apology,” Hongkun quickly clasped his hands and bowed.

“Hmph…” The divine tortoise stiffened his neck.

“Senior Brother, surely you know how to ride magical objects?” Moyan suddenly recalled something.

“Of course, but there’s nothing here I could ride,” Hongkun replied, glancing around. There was nothing but wild grass.

“Ah!” Han Yu suddenly cried out.

“What are you doing?” Meiniang stared at her in surprise.

“Divine Tortoise, Divine Tortoise…” Han Yu ignored Meiniang and crawled toward the tortoise’s back.

“What… what… don’t even think about it…” The tortoise’s voice grew faint.

“The world’s number one divine tortoise! You can fly, can’t you? How did I forget that?” No sooner had Han Yu spoken than Yibing and Meiniang came to their senses. Of course—how could they have overlooked that?

“I won’t! I won’t!” The tortoise cried in utter refusal.

“Brother Tortoise, please help us!” Meiniang pleaded coquettishly. Hongkun nearly melted at her tone.

“I won’t, I won’t…” The tortoise shrank into the sack, refusing to show his head.

“Is Brother Tortoise really that powerful?” Moyan asked incredulously. Meiniang nodded vigorously.

“Please, Brother Tortoise, help us out!” Yibing turned to plead as well.

“Yes, yes, please let me see it too!” Moyan chimed in excitedly.

“…Fine! Just for this little lass’s sake!”

“Alright! Alright!” Before the tortoise had finished, Yibing had already set the sack on the ground. Hongkun was amazed—when they’d met, Yibing had never mentioned this.

“Quiet! I need to think. It’s been a long time since I last flew.” The tortoise muttered to himself as he crawled out. Everyone held their breath, watching, but for a long while nothing happened.

“Climb on!” the tortoise urged, finally ready.

“It’s so small—do you expect Yibing to crush you?” Han Yu couldn’t help but shout.

“Oh, I forgot! Again!” The tortoise’s neck flushed red; he shook his head, and with a heavy thud, his body swelled dozens of times, becoming as large as a carriage.

“Is this big enough? Get on!” the tortoise said proudly.

“So I just step up like this?” Moyan asked excitedly, a little nervous.

“As you like…” The tortoise wagged his little tail. Moyan immediately climbed onto the shell and sat at the front.

“Yibing, sit in the middle, I’ll take the back,” Hongkun reminded, worried about balance. Yibing nodded, quickly hoisted Han Yu and Meiniang, and climbed up last.

“Relax, it’s steady as can be!” The tortoise hadn’t finished speaking before they soared off the ground. Moyan couldn’t help but cry out in delight.

“Isn’t this fun?” The tortoise circled in the air.

“Yibing, command the bamboo dragonfly!” Hongkun’s voice trembled.

“Go back!” Yibing shouted, throwing the bamboo dragonfly into the air, and the tortoise immediately followed.

“It’s too slow! Go back, go back, go back!” The tortoise shouted three more times, and the dragonfly shot ahead like a streak of smoke.

“Brother Tortoise, can you fly even higher?” Moyan asked curiously. The tortoise said nothing, perhaps not hearing.

“Of course, but you’ll need to tie—” Han Yu began, but the tortoise suddenly ascended steeply, cutting her short.

“Tie what—whoa!” Moyan was just admiring the view when the tortoise flipped them upside down with a 180-degree roll.

Their screams had barely started before, with three heavy thuds, Moyan, Hongkun, and Yibing tumbled back onto the shell. Hongkun hadn’t even finished reciting a spell.

“Let’s do that again!” Moyan shouted, exhilarated.

“Wait—” Hongkun began, but the tortoise flipped once more. This time, Hongkun simply looked around as they fell.

“I’m flying!” Moyan spread her arms like a great bird, swooping toward the earth.

Three more thuds.

“I haven’t had enough…” Moyan complained in disappointment.

“That’s enough, little one!” Han Yu shrieked, then yelled at the tortoise, “If you flip again, I’ll have Yibing tie you up!” Another flip and she’d be sick for sure.

“Heh, little lass, I’ll take you flying to your heart’s content sometime,” the tortoise said with a sly laugh.

“Alright! Alright!” Moyan nearly jumped with joy, while Han Yu rolled her eyes.

The tortoise steadied his flight, following close behind the bamboo dragonfly. It had to be said, riding the tortoise’s shell was surprisingly comfortable—especially Moyan’s spot, where the tortoise’s head shielded her from the wind.

“Look there!” Moyan suddenly shouted. In the distance, a mountain peak shrouded in mist appeared, its summit floating above the clouds.

Sure enough, the bamboo dragonfly was headed straight for it. In the time it takes to burn an incense stick, they reached the mountain’s base. The bamboo dragonfly dropped to the ground, motionless. The tortoise glided down into the grass, even breaking into a little run so everyone wouldn’t be jostled, before coming to a stop.

“Thank you, Brother Tortoise!” Hongkun hurried over to offer his thanks as soon as he landed, but the tortoise ignored him, shrinking back instantly.

“Hmph, so haughty! He’s being thanked!” Han Yu teased the tortoise as it disappeared into the sack.

“No… trouble at all…” the tortoise drawled, making everyone laugh.

Looking up, they saw that at the mountain’s foot, mist swirled thickly; beyond three feet, nothing could be seen. A single mountain path vanished into the fog.

“Put me down!” Han Yu said quickly.

“And me!” Meiniang added.

“What is it?” Yibing asked.

“What do you think? We’re scouting ahead!” Han Yu kicked his back.

“Oh, but what about your bodies?” Yibing let them down hastily.

“It’s just like strolling on Banyue Mound!” Meiniang smiled at him.

“Do we have any rope? So we don’t get separated in the fog,” Hongkun said, frowning.

“Rope? Meiniang, can’t you…” Han Yu looked at Meiniang.

“What do you mean…” Meiniang glared back, nervous.

“Oh…” Han Yu awkwardly thumped her own mouth with a paw.

“Will this do?” Moyan produced a small black ball of thread.

“That thin?” Hongkun tugged at it—it was surprisingly strong.

“My master gave it to me when I was little. It’s never snapped!”

“Perfect! This will do,” Hongkun said, glancing at Han Yu before handing it back to Moyan.

“When you were little? Did you ever wash it?” Han Yu’s ears perked up.

“What are you saying? Of course I washed it!” Moyan blushed.

“Alright, tie it to my leg,” Han Yu said, still a little doubtful.

Moyan tied Han Yu first, then left a few meters’ slack before tying Meiniang’s leg. Then she tied Hongkun’s wrist, her own, Yibing’s, and finally handed the ball of thread to Yibing.

“What about me?” the tortoise called out.

“What about you? Someone’s carrying you and you still complain? Come down and climb with us if you prefer,” Han Yu replied.

“Forget it!” The tortoise retreated.

“Only if there’s trouble will we pull the line,” Han Yu declared, then she and Meiniang slipped into the mist.

Han Yu and Meiniang scouted ahead, with Hongkun and the others following closely, climbing the mountain. This was Jiuxi Mountain—the path wound steeply upward, one side a sheer cliff soaring to the sky, the other a bottomless abyss, all shrouded in impenetrable fog. No trees, no grass, nothing but open space.

“Watch your footing!” Hongkun cautioned nervously. One wrong step by anyone, and they’d all be dragged over the edge.

They walked for the time it takes to burn two sticks of incense, but Han Yu and Meiniang never pulled the line. Hearing Moyan panting heavily behind, Hongkun gave the black thread a gentle tug. Soon, Han Yu and Meiniang hurried back, looking perplexed when they saw everyone unharmed.

“Let’s rest a bit,” Hongkun suggested awkwardly. Seeing Moyan sweat-soaked, Han Yu immediately understood the reason. If it were Biyi, she’d have teased her mercilessly, but she found herself quite fond of this little Moyan.

“Something’s strange,” Meiniang said, glancing at Hongkun.

“Strange?” Hongkun tensed. If Meiniang the fox spirit said so, it probably was.

“Damn it! It feels like demon energy but not quite, and not like it but almost!” Meiniang was clearly annoyed.

“I can’t describe it either…” Han Yu was equally puzzled.

“It’s evil energy!” the tortoise on Yibing’s back piped up.

“Right, right, evil energy!” Meiniang exclaimed.

“Hey, did you notice something earlier?” Han Yu darted to Yibing’s back.

“No, no, just guessing!” The tortoise pulled his head back into the sack.

After a brief rest, they continued. Han Yu and Meiniang grew more cautious, their pace slowing. Soon enough, Hongkun felt the black thread being tugged; he stopped immediately. In a moment, Han Yu and Meiniang came running back.

“We’re almost at the mountain gate. Someone’s guarding it! Doesn’t look like those with Fat Girl,” Han Yu said uncertainly.

“Doesn’t look?” Hongkun pressed.

“They’re dressed like Daoist priests. Brother Jin and the others never wore that, so I think… but I can’t be sure. We should be careful.”

“Better safe than sorry. They didn’t see you, did they?” Hongkun nodded.

“No. We stayed hidden in the grass. This place is odd—the mist is so thick before the gate you can’t see your hand in front of your face, but beyond it’s perfectly clear. If you go in, you’ll be spotted right away.”

“Is there a way around?” Moyan asked.

“How? There’s only one path,” Meiniang shook her head.

“Brother Tortoise?” Moyan smiled at Han Yu, who nodded vigorously in response.

“Hmm?” The tortoise on Yibing’s back shivered.

“Take us flying again, please! Just around the gate,” Moyan’s voice was so sweet that even Meiniang shivered. The tortoise in the sack was nearly limp with delight.

“Is that not possible…” Moyan murmured plaintively. Hongkun frowned at the little minx.

“Yes… yes…” The tortoise leapt out of Yibing’s sack with a heavy thump.

“Brother Tortoise, are you alright?” Moyan crouched down in concern.

“…I’m fine… fine…” the tortoise gritted his teeth in pain.

“Hehehe…” Han Yu’s rabbit ears quivered with laughter.

“Aren’t you all getting on?” The tortoise glared at Han Yu, then promptly swelled to carriage size.

“What did I say that was so funny?” Moyan asked Han Yu.

“Not you—it’s your Brother Tortoise. He’s finally met his match!” Han Yu winked mischievously.

“Who?”

“You, of course!”

No sooner had they settled than the tortoise soared upward, eager as ever. He flew straight off the path, through the swirling mists, so that nothing could be seen but the gentle wind at their ears. This time, the tortoise’s flight was especially steady, utterly silent. Only when they emerged from the fog did they realize Han Yu was right—the mountain gate was a boundary line. Outside, everything was shrouded in white; inside, the clouds cleared and the sky was bright. Atop the mountain, pavilions, green trees, streams, and birdsong made the place seem a fairyland. To avoid being seen, the tortoise circled wide, coming around behind the peak before gliding toward the summit.

“The tallest palace has a garden behind it!” Han Yu whispered, eyes narrowed.

The tortoise immediately dove, speeding toward that garden.