Chapter 22: Traveling Together

The attacker let out a low “Heh!” and raised his staff again. In the blink of an eye, Liu Xiaolou rolled to the right, putting a good ten feet between them. With a flick of his wrist, the tip of the Illusion Fragrance Tendon whip slipped into view; he was ready to fight for his life. Seeing Liu Xiaolou escape, the man’s right hand came free and morphed into a palm strike. Even in the darkness, Liu Xiaolou could see it glowing faintly. The light shimmered like the wings of a crane, poised to take flight. “In the dark, I’ll still beat you down!” Just then, Zuo Gaofeng, still hanging in the net, suddenly shouted, “Tan Bajhang!” The shout cut through the tension like a blade. Both men froze. Liu Xiaolou narrowed his eyes and stared at the attacker. The man stiffened as well, then jumped back three paces and leaned forward slightly, glancing back and forth between Liu Xiaolou and Zuo Gaofeng. “It’s me, Zuo Gaofeng!” Zuo Gaofeng called. “And the guy you’re swinging at? That’s Liu Xiaolou from the Sanxuan Sect!” “Ah hell!” the man smacked his forehead, dropped the iron staff, and yanked off his black face covering. Rushing forward, he started lowering the net while mumbling, “Sorry, sorry! A total misunderstanding; like one temple flooding into another!” Once the cloth came off, Liu Xiaolou got a clear look. Wasn’t this Tan Bajhang? They’d met once before. That brief encounter had also been thanks to Wei Hongqing. Tan Bajhang, like them, had been one of Wei Hongqing’s many “collateral damage” cases. Back then, all three of them had cursed him out together at Ghost Dream Cliff. Zuo Gaofeng climbed out of the net and asked curiously, “Brother Tan, what are you doing out here in the Wuling Mountains?” Tan Gaofeng looked embarrassed. “Was planning to take a trip, but ran into some thieves on the road. Lost all my money, just vanished without a trace. So I figured, maybe I’d do a little business in the mountains. Who knew my first ‘customers’ would be you two! Ah, forgive me, forgive me!” As he spoke, he turned to Liu Xiaolou and offered a deep apology. “Brother Liu, you’re a generous man; please don’t hold it against me for that little outburst.” Liu Xiaolou could only give a bitter smile. “It’s fine, it’s fine.” Tan Bajhang gave Liu Xiaolou a big thumbs-up. “Brother Liu, you’ve got some serious skill! That strike I threw at you, my strongest blow after years of cultivation, and you blocked it like it was nothing. I’m seriously impressed!” Liu Xiaolou’s wrist was still trembling, far from feeling like it was “nothing.” But he didn’t know Tan Bajhang well and didn’t want to show any weakness. So he just responded calmly, “You flatter me, truly.” Zuo Gaofeng, who knew Tan Bajhang a bit better, chuckled and chatted with him casually. He asked where Tan Bajhang was headed. Tan Bajhang explained that some cousins of his were in Yuanling and had called on him for something. What that “something” was, he didn’t say, and Zuo Gaofeng didn’t pry; it was family business, after all. Since Tan Bajhang had lost all his money on the road, and fellow cultivators were expected to look out for each other, Zuo Gaofeng took out ten taels of silver and offered them to him. Tan Bajhang accepted without fuss, slipping them into his robe. “These mountains are crawling with beasts, vipers, and highway bandits," Zuo Gaofeng said. "It’s not safe to travel alone, Brother Tan. Why don’t you come with us until we’re out of the mountains?” Tan Bajhang nodded without hesitation. “Hell yeah. Too many thugs on this road. If I can travel with you two, I’d be crazy to say no.” And so the three of them laughed and set off together, trekking through the rugged terrain. By noon the next day, they’d made it out of the Wuling Mountains. But all good things come to an end. Each had their own path to take, and it was time to part ways. Though their time together in Wuling had been short, they’d built a genuine bond. None of them were eager to say goodbye. Zuo Gaofeng clasped their hands. “Brothers, fate brought us together in these mountains. If either of you ever need anything, come find me at Banmu Gorge. I won’t turn you away.” Tan Bajhang replied warmly, “I’ll hold you to that, Brother Zuo. Fate brought us together, and I believe it’ll bring us together again. Next time we meet, let’s drink untill we drop; just like true brothers!” “Many thanks to you both, brothers,” Liu Xiaolou said. “Next time we meet, we won’t part until we’re drunk!” With that, Zuo Gaofeng headed northeast, Tan Bajhang turned southeast, and Liu Xiaolou took the road due east. The three brothers nearly teared up as they went their separate ways. After heading east for over ten li, Liu Xiaolou began circling southward. Another twenty li later, he turned west again. This roundabout route added at least thirty extra li to his journey, but he managed to reach Tianmen Mountain before nightfall. Tianmen Mountain had two main peaks, each rising a hundred zhang high. At their summits, a natural stone bridge arched between them like a gate to the heavens. The awe-inspiring sight gave the mountain its name: “Tianmen,” the Gate of Heaven. It was Liu Xiaolou’s first time here, and the towering peaks left him stunned. He stood at the base of the natural archway for a long while, gazing upward. This must be the work of gods, he thought. If there really are immortals in the heavens, do they dwell in such majestic places as this? The sight only deepened his yearning for the Great Dao and the path of cultivation. Beneath the mighty Tianmen, a bustling marketplace had grown over the years. Dozens of sects and noble clans had permanent presences here, and countless rogue cultivators from across Jing and Xiang provinces came and went. Shops sold everything from spirit herbs and rare flowers to potent elixirs, magical tools, and talismans. Taverns, tea houses, brothels, gambling dens, inns, and stables packed the streets in tight rows. The place was dazzlingly prosperous. It made Wuchao Town seem ten times smaller by comparison. As Liu Xiaolou wandered through the lively marketplace, he found himself gawking in every direction. Every shop seemed more fascinating than the last. Dai Shenggao had told him that he’d met Wei Hongqing at the Hongji Tavern on the eastern edge of Tianmen Market. That sworn brother of his was known for loving wine, so naturally, that was the first place Liu Xiaolou should search. The name Hongji even shared a character with Wei Hongqing’s own name—must be a sign. This had to be the place. He weaved his way through the market, searching as he went, until he finally spotted the tavern on the far east side. The Hongji Tavern was an impressive three-story establishment. It was early evening now, and the place was buzzing. Customers streamed in and out, waiters called out loudly in dialects Liu Xiaolou didn’t quite understand. Tray-bearers, wine-pourers, barrel-carriers, weaving through the crowd like dancers in a well-rehearsed play. The top floor was packed, so Liu Xiaolou settled for the second. Even the window seats were all taken, so he found a small table tucked in a corner. He ordered three simple dishes, along with a bowl of spirit rice and a small pot of spirit wine. Belly bared, he dug in. Hongji Tavern had a strong backing and deep pockets. Their menu boasted over a dozen exotic spiritual beasts and rare fowl, but the prices were outrageous. Liu Xiaolou didn’t dare order those. The three dishes he chose were all ordinary fare. Only the rice was made with spirit grain, and the wine a low-grade spirit brew. Even that little meal cost him five taels of silver; a price well beyond what a commoner could afford. Even for Liu Xiaolou, this was a rare splurge. The food was unremarkable, and the wine had a clean but rather bland taste, with only faint traces of spiritual energy. Compared to the heady wine they’d guzzled back at Jinping Manor, it didn’t come close. Still, for five taels a pot, he couldn’t exactly complain. The waiter had recommended their finest Bamboo Leaf Green, but it started at dozens, sometimes hundreds, of taels, or even required spirit stones. That was well out of his reach. He sipped and nibbled for a good half-hour, but there was still no sign of Wei Hongqing. He was just thinking of flagging down a waiter to ask, when one of the curtains to a private room was thrown aside, and someone inside shouted, “Another pot of Bamboo Leaf Green!” Liu Xiaolou couldn’t help but grin. So you are here after all, you rascal! The two of them met with a crushing bear hug. Wei Hongqing nearly squeezed the breath out of him. At last, the embrace ended. Wei Hongqing clapped him hard on the shoulder. “Xiaolou! I knew you’d come, haha!” Liu Xiaolou muttered, “That ginseng…” Wei Hongqing laughed. “That thing was the real deal! A true spiritual root from Mount Shouyang. I soaked it in a jar of wine. Guess what? After aging it three months, I drank it all in three days! My cultivation leapt forward, hahaha!” Liu Xiaolou let out a helpless sigh. Wei Hongqing pulled him toward the private room. “Come, come! Let me introduce you to a good friend!”