Chapter 186: Wu Gorge Thunderclouds, Heaven-Shrouding Darkness
Shi Hao marveled inwardly at the demonic sects’ methods.
An eleven-year-old girl, planted as a spy… it was a chilling thought.
From Dragon Girl’s report, he had a clearer understanding of the current situation.
As he had predicted, rebellions had erupted across the land, the barbarian court, despite its strength, unable to contain them all.
Their main focus was on suppressing the uprisings in the central plains, northern Qin, northern Yi, and Liaoyang provinces.
They were struggling to control the rebellions in the southern provinces of Chu Yin and Jiangzhe, where the resistance was growing stronger.
Shu, however, had always been relatively peaceful, and Lingnan, although nominally a province under barbarian rule, was practically independent.
The situation in Chu Yin, due to Sheng Menghui’s actions, had become chaotic, the barbarian court essentially abandoning the region.
The rebellion in Jiangzhe, although gaining momentum, would struggle to advance north. Ultimately, expelling the barbarians depended on the northern rebellions.
But those rebellions, although numerous, were still small and scattered, a nuisance to the barbarian court but not a serious threat.
After Dragon Girl left, Shi Hao turned to Sha Lingshan, “Congratulations, Branch Leader, on reaching the fourth rank.”
Sha Lingshan smiled, “If not for you, Young Master, I would still be stuck at the fifth rank. I owe my breakthrough to you.”
She paused, then asked, “Are you planning to visit Wu Gorge, Young Master?”
Shi Hao nodded, “Yes, I’m worried about Yuejiao.”
Sha Lingshan said, “Then allow me to accompany you. I’ll prepare the Yingzhao beasts.”
Shi Hao said, “Thank you.”
Sha Lingshan, along with Plum Blossom Lady and Peach Blossom Lady, left to make the arrangements.
The Emerald Beauty, however, remained, kneeling on the table, “Young Master.”
Shi Hao asked, “Is it time?”
The Emerald Beauty, looking slightly embarrassed, said, “If you please, Young Master.”
Shi Hao smiled, “There’s no need for formalities. And may I call you Little Emerald, like Master does?”
The Emerald Beauty said, “As you wish, Young Master.”
Shi Hao said, “Then let’s begin, Little Emerald.”
Being male, he felt slightly uncomfortable performing this task on the doll. He would have preferred Su Mei to handle it.
But she was still in the Primordial Grotto Heaven, and the Emerald Beauty’s essence was fading, her soul weakening within the doll. Without his help, she might not survive until the next full moon.
So, with a mix of resignation and embarrassment, he began, the doll lying naked on the table, its small legs together.
Although just a doll, its lifelike appearance made him hesitate.
But Su Mei had specifically instructed him to do this.
He held the doll in his left hand and, with his right hand, traced its body with his fingers, from its face to its neck, across its small chest, downwards.
Soon, the Emerald Beauty began to make soft, involuntary sounds, a strange mixture of pleasure and pain.
Although she seemed to be trying to resist, her moans became a steady stream.
Shi Hao thought, So the Butterfly Flower Finger works on her as well.
The next morning, Shi Hao woke up, the doll nestled in his arms.
The room was dim, the candle on the tall, bronze lampstand by his bed extinguished, the crystal lamp on the table covered with a silk cloth, its light dimmed.
Little Emerald lay curled up beside him.
Last night, as he had continued, she had writhed and cried, “I’m sorry, Master,” like a virtuous woman struggling to maintain her composure amidst a storm of passion.
He had even wondered if he was betraying Su Mei.
And Little Emerald was surprisingly… sensitive.
He had only been trying to help her, to strengthen her soul.
Why did it feel like he had… violated her?
As he got up, Little Emerald, carefully putting on her rainbow robe, still looked embarrassed.
After washing up and having breakfast, Plum Blossom Lady arrived, “The Yingzhao are ready, Young Master.”
Shi Hao nodded, changed into fresh clothes, picked up Little Emerald, and went outside.
Four Yingzhao beasts awaited them. They were difficult to tame, and the barbarian court controlled them strictly. He wondered how they had obtained them.
Sha Lingshan, holding her fan, approached gracefully, “Young Master.”
Shi Hao said, “Branch Leader Sha.” He paused, then smiled, “Calling you ‘Branch Leader’ outside the sect might attract unwanted attention. If you don’t mind, I’ll just call you Sister.”
Sha Lingshan bowed, her fan fluttering, “You honor me, Young Master.”
Shi Hao chuckled, “Your cultivation and skill surpass mine, Sister Sha. It’s I who am honored. And it’s more convenient when traveling.”
Sha Lingshan, waving her fan, smiled, “In that case, I’ll accept your offer.”
They mounted the Yingzhao, Shi Hao carrying Little Emerald, with Plum Blossom Lady and Peach Blossom Lady following behind.
The four Yingzhao took flight, heading towards Wu Gorge.
Along the way, Shi Hao and Sha Lingshan chatted, Little Emerald nestled in his arms.
The Qinling Mountains formed the watershed between the Long River and the Yellow River.
Wu Gorge was one of the Three Gorges of the Long River.
As they flew east, the air grew colder, likely unbearable for ordinary people.
But as martial artists, they were unaffected.
From above, the devastation below was evident.
Refugees were everywhere, fleeing their homes, while barbarian soldiers searched for them, even venturing into the mountains, capturing men for forced labor, the women’s fate unknown.
Farmers, shackled, harvested the fields under the watchful eyes of barbarian soldiers.
And yet, amidst this poverty and suffering, luxurious manor houses, with their elaborate gardens and pavilions, stood like islands of prosperity.
Beyond Wu Gorge lay the Ba Shu region.
Wu Gorge, located east of the Ba Mountains, was a land of towering peaks and deep canyons, its landscape shrouded in mist and clouds due to the lack of sunlight.
The “Twelve Peaks of Wu Mountain, all shrouded in mist,” their peaks often hidden, seemed to touch the heavens.
They traveled for over a day, finally approaching Wu Gorge… The journey through the mountains would have been much longer without the Yingzhao.
Of course, traveling by boat along the river would have been a different story.
The famous verse, “From both river banks, the monkeys’ cries incessantly rise, as my light raft glides past a thousand towering skies,” referred to this region.
According to the information from Dragon Girl, Yuejiao, Hou Bomin, Xiang Gu, and the mysterious girl had traveled by boat.
The Twelve Peaks of Wu Gorge were divided into six on the south bank and six on the north.
The six on the south bank were Flying Phoenix Peak, Emerald Screen Peak, Gathering Crane Peak, Pure Altar Peak, Rising Cloud Peak, and Ascending Peak.
The six on the north bank were Ascending Dragon Peak, Holy Spring Peak, Morning Cloud Peak, Goddess Peak, Pine Peak, and Gathering Immortals Peak.
Beneath Ascending Dragon Peak was a Daoist nunnery called the Monastery of Coalescing Truth, also known as the Goddess Temple, dedicated to the goddess Yao Ji, who, according to legend, had assisted the mythical Yu the Great in taming the floods.
Being a nunnery, its inhabitants were naturally all women.
But no one knew that these nuns weren’t exactly… Daoist cultivators.
This was a Black Lotus Realm stronghold.
The Chongxian Sect, claiming to be the orthodox leader of the Daoist sects, naturally considered this remote nunnery “unorthodox,” but there were many such sects, too many for them to control.
And the worship of the Goddess Yao Ji had a long history in this region. There were many “Goddess Temples” in the Wu Gorge area, as common as Earth God temples elsewhere.
Any temple or shrine dedicated to the goddess, regardless of its affiliation, was called a Goddess Temple. It was a local custom.
For the common people, the distinctions between orthodox and unorthodox, between legitimate worship and folk practices, were irrelevant.
Their faith was simple. The goddess protected them; she was their benevolent protector.
The Three Pure Ones of Daoism were distant, abstract figures, not as important as their local goddess.
The four Yingzhao descended towards Ascending Dragon Peak.
Shi Hao looked up and saw dark clouds swirling above, lightning flashing.
“Is this normal weather for Wu Gorge?” he asked, holding Little Emerald.
Sha Lingshan shook her head, “Clouds are common here, but thunderclouds like this, especially at this time of year, are unusual.”
It was almost the Mid-Autumn Festival. Summer thunderstorms were normal, but such dark and ominous clouds in autumn were unsettling.
Plum Blossom Lady and Peach Blossom Lady also found it strange. Peach Blossom Lady said, “I’ve been to Wu Gorge many times, but I’ve never seen weather like this.”
Plum Blossom Lady said, “These thunderclouds, covering the entire sky, obscuring the mountains… I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else.”
The four Yingzhao, also seemingly alarmed, descended further, landing on the ground, refusing to fly any higher.
The swirling clouds above seemed to radiate a menacing, ominous aura.
They dismounted and, leading their reluctant mounts, continued towards the Monastery of Coalescing Truth.
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