Chapter Fifty-Five: The Snowy Mountain

That night, as usual, the three men took turns keeping watch. Throughout their journey, they had exercised extreme caution—each rest was carefully chosen in a secluded spot, meals consisted only of dry rations, and they never lit fires, fearing their whereabouts might be discovered. Fortunately, all of them were cultivators; their stamina and endurance far surpassed ordinary mortals, allowing them to persevere through these arduous days.

Perhaps it was because their next objective was now clear and their minds were more at ease, but Li Sibai, despite his three-hour night watch, slept exceptionally well that night. The energy within him also seemed to have settled into tranquility.

Li Sibai woke early in the morning, feeling invigorated. Though he had kept watch the previous night, he had still found time to cultivate the Xuantian Technique. The trials of the past days in this primeval forest seemed to have deepened the flow of true qi within him.

He Tianshu was also up at dawn, brimming with ambition, his mind clearly occupied with many thoughts. Ever since Li Sibai had mentioned others might share their goal, He Tianshu had grown even more vigilant. Even though they had yet to encounter another soul, he felt it all the more suspicious—such silence was unnerving.

After everyone had risen and eaten, they prepared to set out once more.

He Tianshu spoke, “Today, we must do our utmost to swiftly cross this forest and reach the snowline of Jade Pearl Peak. If we encounter any beasts along the way, we keep moving but must be prepared for attack. Should we be forced into combat, let us be cautious to avoid injury and resolve the fight quickly.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, maintaining their previous formation as they pressed rapidly up the mountain.

With their resolve fixed, their actions became decisive. Luck seemed to favor them, for few beasts attacked them on the road. Occasionally, a beast would scent them and approach, but upon seeing their five-man formation, it would retreat. Even magical beasts possess a certain intelligence; they will not rashly attack a group whose strength outmatches their own. They, too, prefer to prey on the weak.

For this small party, beasts of the Earth rank were hardly a challenge, so long as they did not attack in packs. There were Heavenly-ranked beasts on Jade Pearl Peak as well, but for reasons unknown, they were rarely encountered these days.

Their progress was much smoother than before, though the mountain paths through the forest wound about like a labyrinth. By noon, the temperature had dropped noticeably, the surrounding vegetation grew sparse, and shards of reflected light danced before their eyes.

They all knew these were signs that they were about to leave the primeval forest. He Tianshu immediately called a halt, found a spot to rest, and let everyone eat a little. Then he said,

“My friends, if I am not mistaken, we are about to leave the primeval forest.”

At these words, everyone was elated. After days spent here, they were utterly exhausted. Though their strength as a team had served them well, the constant threat of sudden beast attacks was mentally draining. The prospect of being able to lower their guard, even a little, was a relief.

Seeing their reaction, He Tianshu continued, “Escaping the cover of Jade Pearl Peak’s primeval forest brings us closer to our goal. But once we leave the forest and enter the world of snow and ice, we lose our cover. Any enemy will be able to see us at a glance, and our danger will increase.”

Li Sibai nodded in agreement, “Indeed, Senior Brother He is right. Now is not the time to relax—the road ahead will only grow more difficult.”

He Tianshu gave Li Sibai an approving look. “Therefore, let us rest well here, and then, in one push, reach the summit. We must not give our rivals any opportunity.”

Gong Degang, thoughtful, nodded and said, “Since the Ice Spirit Herb is a celestial plant, it must grow in an extraordinary place. That likely means there are beasts dwelling there—and not low-ranked ones, either. We haven’t encountered any Heavenly-ranked beasts so far. What if those few that have gained sentience are waiting for us at the top? How could we possibly defeat them?”

He Tianshu frowned—clearly, this was a concern he had considered. He replied at once, “Before we set out, I asked my master. According to his knowledge, there are three powerful Heavenly-ranked beasts on Jade Pearl Peak. Two live in the forest we just traversed, and the third, the Ghost Chariot Bird, dwells at the summit. Should we be unfortunate enough to encounter that bird, we may have no choice but to withdraw. If it’s only an Earth-ranked beast, we will proceed as before: Senior Gong and Junior Li will draw its attention, while the three of us attack from the rear. I will take the lead, with Junior Sisters Yao and Ye watching for any threats from the sides. We must not be drawn into multiple fights at once.”

He glanced at Yao Xueqing, who met his gaze with a cheerful smile, “Don’t worry, senior brother. This isn’t our first time working together—we’ll be fine.”

Ye Chunqiao nodded as well, though she rarely spoke, and was even more taciturn on this journey.

“Then it’s settled. If everyone’s ready, let’s set out now. Any later and night will fall.”

Setting out once more, the group soon reached the snowline, having covered four-fifths of Jade Pearl Peak. Below lay the lush, endless forest; above, the world was blanketed in white, not a soul in sight. Sunlight glinted off the snow, dazzling to the eye.

Before them rose the snow-capped Jade Pearl Peak—a landscape wholly different from that of Jade Void Peak.

For Li Sibai and his companions, this was their first time on the snowy slopes of Jade Void Peak. They had lingered only in the forest below before. Now, gazing upon the vast expanse of snow, they could not help but marvel at the wonders of nature.

Yet though awe filled their hearts, their pace did not slow. With heavier cloaks thrown over their shoulders, they pressed upward toward the summit with undiminished speed.

After two more hours of climbing, the sun was already sinking toward the horizon and the air had grown even colder. Suddenly, at the head of the group, Li Sibai felt a wave of warmth drift toward him. He stopped, startled, and looked to Gong Degang at his side.

He saw that Gong Degang was looking at him as well. “You felt it too, Junior Li?”

Li Sibai nodded.

He Tianshu, bringing up the rear, also sensed it. “Could it be a hot spring nearby? If so, we must be close to our destination.”

A rare smile appeared on his face as he spoke.