Chapter 14: Entering Shu Mountain by Mistake

  Among the mountains and peaks, the Shu Mountains' majestic peak is faintly visible, floating in the clouds in the sky. With a keen eye, one can vaguely see the layer upon layer of palaces on top of Mount Shu.

  A stone staircase descended from the clouds, and behind a boulder not far away, Dabao and Hong Chui hid behind the rock, whispering to each other. Although they said they wanted to go to Shu Mountain to learn their skills, neither of them had anyone to introduce them, nor did they have any connection with Shu Mountain. The two thought that going there rashly would be too reckless, and they would likely be rejected, not to mention being ridiculed for not understanding the rules.

  Just as they were hesitating, someone behind them shouted: "Where did this little thief come from, sneaking a peek at my immortal mountain?"

  The two were shocked and turned their heads to see a young man standing proudly with a long sword in hand, they didn't know when he had appeared behind them. The young man's sword emitted several feet of blue light, pointing directly at the two people. Beside the young man was a woman who said: "Brother, these two are sneaking around, it seems like they are spies from the Cult of the Lonely Bones."

  The two of them were misunderstood by others and hastily explained that they had come here only to pay homage and learn from the master, with no other intentions. The young man, who introduced himself as Huang Tuo, was a 11th generation disciple of Mount Shu, but he coldly smiled and looked convinced.

  Dai Yun saw the sword spit out a green awn, knowing that the opponent's method was profound and powerful, far surpassing his own. He didn't want to argue with others, so he beckoned to Hong Chui to turn around and leave. Unexpectedly, Huang Tuo's sword suddenly flew out, binding the two of them with a rope, tying them up tightly. Dai Yun and the other repeatedly explained themselves, but it was useless, and they were taken away by the two men.

  The two were taken into Shu Mountain, and as soon as they entered the mountain gate, they were locked in a remote wooden house. The two had their arms tied up, and along the way, they were pointed at by others, feeling both ashamed and annoyed.

  In the dark room, they were locked up for several days, with only a lame old man temporarily taking care of them. To their surprise, no one came to ask about them, which made Da Ye's anxiety even more unbearable. Fortunately, the killer from San Hua Tang did not dare to come here to kill people. The old man had lost a leg and was also blind in one eye. No matter how they spoke to him, he ignored them, it was unclear whether he was unwilling to respond or born deaf. The lame old man seemed to have no special skills, but although it would be easy to knock him down, if they ran away like this, it would be even more unjustified. Moreover, if the masters of Shu Mountain were chasing after them, they wouldn't be able to run far either.

  That night, as the two were discussing how to escape, they suddenly saw a few wisps of smoke rising from the ground without warning. The two were shocked and before they could react, a large cloud of smoke appeared, and out of the smoke emerged a figure. The person bent over and emerged from the smoke, saying in a low voice: "Don't make a sound, it's me."

  The two of them clearly saw that the person in front of them was Sanzhi. Hong Chai asked in surprise, "How did you find us? I didn't think you knew how to use earth escape techniques."

  At this time, Da Yun also felt a little admiration for him and nodded. San Zhi looked around and whispered to Hong Chuan: "I had left my mark on you long ago, and I've been chasing you all the way here."

  "Thank you for taking care of me all this time... I'm lucky to still have a friend like you."

  San Shu sighed and suddenly revealed a hint of self-mockery, saying in a low voice: "That's right, I know you've never had me in your heart, but I just can't forget you."

  Sanxi said, not avoiding anymore, her eyes fixed tightly on Hong Chai. Hong Chai glanced at Sanxi, seemingly moved, but ultimately leaned towards Da Yun, sizing up his expression.

  Sanji's face turned gloomy again, and he said: "Red Pheasant, whether you like it or not, you have always been the woman I love. I came specifically to find you, let's go, I want to take you to a safe place."

  Hong Chuan looked at Da Yun and slightly shook her head.

  Sanji looked at Dai Mubai with a cold smile and said: "I know you like this guy, but what's so likable about him?"

  Hong Chuan frowned and said: "San Zhi, I know you've always liked me, but you can't slander him."

  San Ji shook her head and turned to Da Yun, sneering: "You're not worthy of having Hong Chui. If I were you, I would have killed myself long ago. Living on will only bring shame."

  Considering the other person was a sentimental one, he originally didn't want to say much, but at this time couldn't help but retort: "I think I haven't done anything shameful, you'd better clarify."

  Three branches one face angrily, still can't help but lower his voice, afraid of disturbing the outside, angrily said: "You are wanted by someone, and you're afraid of death, that's understandable, but why do you want Hong Chai to sell herself for you? Are you a man?"

  She was taken aback, furrowing her brow and saying: "Speak clearly, what is this about the red hairpin selling herself?"

  Hong Chai said in a low voice: "Sanzhi, don't say anything else, shut your mouth for me."

  Three branches sneered and coldly smiled at Da Yun, saying: "Don't you know? Hong Chai has already agreed to be the dual cultivation furnace for Yuan Zhen Daoist of the Tian Dao Society for three years in exchange for his subordinate Mu Daoist helping you safely leave Chang'an. You're a man who can't protect a woman, instead letting her protect you, are you still a man?"

  Dai Wen was shocked when he heard this, and looked at Hong Chui again. Hong Chui had already turned her head down and remained silent. Dai Wen's heart tightened involuntarily. He had also heard of the Double Cultivation Furnace Cauldron before, which used the method of dual cultivation to cultivate, taking the energy cultivated by the furnace cauldron, achieving twice the result with half the effort. Moreover, once something went wrong, it was possible to transfer the damage to the furnace cauldron, making it a self-serving technique that harmed others for one's own benefit.

  San Qi said to Hong Chui in a gentle tone, "Come with me, don't go to the Tiandao Society. I'll take you somewhere safe, where even the Tiandao Society wouldn't dare to touch you."

  Hong Chai hesitated for a moment and asked in a low voice, "Is it that place you told me about?"

  Sanji nodded hastily, his face anxious as he looked at Hong Chui, as if afraid that Hong Chui would refuse. Hong Chui added in a low voice: "I also need to bring someone."

  San Ji knew that Hong Chai was referring to Da Yun, and shook his head saying: "No way!"

  Hong Chuan calmly said: "Then I won't go."

  "Look, I really can't take Da Bei with me. You know that where we're going, I won't be able to guarantee his safety. Now that the people from Tian Dao Hui know you've escaped, they've already started looking for you. How can you be so foolish? You should think about yourself too."

  Sanji's tone turned cold and he muttered under his breath: "Even if I die, I won't let you be someone else's dual cultivation partner."

  Hong Chuan suddenly spoke in a cold tone: "That's all I'm willing to do, you can leave now. Why must you care about how I am?"

  "No matter what you say, I am a man and I will do what I should do. If I see the one I love being tortured, I would rather die."

  Sanqi's face was gentle as she looked at Hong Chui and said, "I have always buried you in my heart, today I say it to your face, and I am satisfied." Sanqi then turned her head to look at Dai Yun, revealing even more hatred.

  At this time, Da Wei looked up at the sky, not knowing what to say. In the past few days in Chang'an Inn, Da Wei had already known that Hong Chui was thinking of a way for himself, but he never thought that Hong Chui could do so much for him. Da Wei also thought of San Zhi, this person Da Wei knew was Hong Chui's good friend, secretly in love with her, always hiding in the corner to measure others with cold eyes, speaking with a gloomy face, Da Wei had disliked this person from the beginning.

  After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly pursed his lips and revealed a resolute expression. Da Wei pulled Hong Chuan to one side, carefully examining the woman in front of him. Her eyes were large and bright, with a childlike purity. Da Wei smiled slightly and said in a low voice: "Hong Chuan, I also like you."

  Hong Chuan's eyes shone like stars, revealing a sweet smile. Da Yun stretched out his hand and gently stroked Hong Chuan's long hair, finally stopping at the back of her head, lightly caressing her neck. Just as Hong Chuan's face turned red, Da Yun's fingers suddenly exerted force, and Hong Chuan instantly fainted.

  "What are you doing?" Sanzhi burst out in anger.

  He hugged Hong Chui tightly and said in a low voice, "Trouble you to take her to a safe place, but remember, she is my woman, I will come to find you soon."

  Three Branches seemed to want to refute, but only carefully measured Da Ye a few eyes, and finally took over the red hairpin without saying a word, humming coldly. Three Branches again took out something from his bosom, muttered a few words in his mouth, and threw the thing in his hand, raising a cloud of smoke and dust. Then, with one hand pinching a spell, he kicked his foot and disappeared into the smoke and dust, holding the red hairpin, and escaped. Staring at the mark left on the ground by Three Branches, Da Ye stared blankly, finally lowered his head, and leaned against the wall corner expressionlessly.

  He sat like this for a long time, until someone came in and asked: "Where is your partner? Why can't I see him?"

  With a surge of anger in his heart, he countered loudly: "Where has my friend gone? Why can't I see him? Was he killed by you people? I haven't even asked you yet, but instead you're asking me."

  It was Huang Ou who came. Huang Ou picked up the big bag with one hand and said angrily, "Nonsense! When did I kill your friend? Obviously, he escaped."

  A middle-aged man behind Huang Tuo frowned and said, "Stop it, let go of him quickly. We cultivators should not be so rough. There must be a reason for everything."

  Huang Ou panted heavily and said reluctantly: "Yes, Master Uncle."

  With a big smile, he said: "What's reasonable or unreasonable is still up to you to decide. You people in Shu Mountain often arrest and detain someone for over ten days, then casually pin a crime on them. This is indeed a place that values reason."

  The middle-aged man turned around and asked Huang Tuo, "What's going on? Where did you catch him from? Why did it take so long for you to tell me?"

  Huang Yue glared at Da Yun fiercely and said urgently, "Master Uncle, it was right under the mountain gate. This person and another woman were discussing how to sneak into the mountain and poison people on the mountain. My junior brother and San Shu's disciple, Lian Ruo, caught them."

  Dai Yan said coldly, "How dare you lie to your master's brother? It's clear that you were taken in by my friend's beauty. When you couldn't flirt with her openly, you harbored evil intentions and caught us."

  Huang Ou's anger was uncontrollable, and he shouted: "Who dared to flirt with her?"

  Huang Tuo grabbed Daxiong again, ready to punch him hard. But the middle-aged man pulled Huang Tuo away and frowned: "You go stand aside."

  The middle-aged man took out a crystal stone at this time, used his magic to hit it, and emitted light shining on Da Yun's body. The light turned a few times and was taken back. The middle-aged man said to Huang Tu: "There is no poison on his body, what else can you say about poisoning?"

  "Of course I don't know if he has poison on him or not," Huang Que said with a scowl, "I just heard him say that's all."

  The middle-aged man then noticed the marks on the ground, carefully examined them for a few moments, and his expression turned serious. He said to Da Yun, "It turns out that your friend is from the Bottomless Pit, and she escaped using the Earth Concealment Technique. The demons of the Bottomless Pit have always been evil and wicked, and it's really not suitable for you to associate with them."

  Huang Ou was taken aback and immediately responded: "Shifu is right, the evil spirit of Wubidong cannot be spared, I have been thinking that this person is not a good thing either."

  Dai Yun smiled and turned around, no longer explaining himself. The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment before saying, "In that case, I'll trouble you to stay here for a few more days. Please also inform me of your friend's whereabouts."

  "Big Brother shook his head and said: 'I don't know where she went, even if I did, I wouldn't tell you.'"

  Huang Quan said: "Master uncle, why not use the soul searching technique? He won't be able to help but speak."

  The middle-aged man was lost in thought, when suddenly a hoarse voice outside the house said slowly and calmly: "You two little rascals inside, hurry up and get out of here. When I'm sleeping, you're whispering to each other, disturbing my peaceful dreams."

  The middle-aged man was taken aback and hastily turned around, bowing his head to say: "It's actually Master Xiaomeng, I don't dare disturb your meditation, I'll take this person away."

  Huang Chui whispered: "Shifu, isn't this gatekeeper already a useless person? Why do you still call him Shifu?"

  The middle-aged man glared at Huang Tuo and shouted, "Shut up! How dare you be rude to your elders!" The old man outside the house said again, "Don't worry about that person anymore, just leave him to me."

  The middle-aged man frowned, responded with a sound, and turned to leave. Huang Tuo also hummed and followed him out. After a while, the old man with a lame leg and one eye finally walked in with a limp.