Green Mountain

Yuan Xing sat in the snow, looking up at Chen Ji in shock: "Kid, do you have a death wish, daring to come back to Shangjing? The only one who wants me dead is Lu Jin, but you’re the Sword Seed Inheritor, the entire Jing Dynasty wants you dead... You’ve got some guts!"

He had considered that Chen Ji might head to Shangjing Road, detour through the grasslands to go to the Western Regions, then find a way to enter the Ning Dynasty from Guyuan; he also considered that Chen Ji might journey from Tokyo Road to Changbai Mountain, then take a boat from Korea to leave.

What he never expected was that Chen Ji would dare come back to Shangjing.

Yuan Xing hesitated: "Kid, what’s your plan returning to Shangjing? You can’t possibly be going back just to celebrate the Lantern Festival, right?"

Chen Ji ignored him, standing at the edge of the forest, smiling as he watched Wu Yun and Zhaolei head straight towards him.

Yuan Xing sighed: "Fine, I admit you have more guts than I do, I concede..."

At this moment, Zhaolei arrived with Wu Yun, and upon seeing Zhaolei’s imposing momentum, Yuan Xing promptly changed his tone.

Chen Ji took the reins, first checking to see if the cat and the horse were injured. Once he determined Wu Yun and Zhaolei were unharmed, he relaxed.

Wu Yun meowed to claim credit: "We trailed the Hu Ben Army westward for a day, and it wasn’t until evening that they realized something was wrong. The three Mao Jun they brought along were so exhausted that they couldn’t catch us."

Chen Ji smiled and petted its head.

Wu Yun meowed again: "After we shook off the Hu Ben Army, another group pursued us. We ran around the plains for three days, saw several checkpoints heavily guarded, and now we’re likely trapped."

Chen Ji smiled, refraining from answering Wu Yun because of Yuan Xing’s presence.

Yuan Xing, sitting in the snow, complained incessantly: "Kid, don’t you know that the Left Jinwu Guards responsible for the Capital Guard are all under Lu Jin’s command? To restrain my uncle, His Majesty even allocated the Right Jinwu Guards to him last month. If I get discovered by the Jinwu Guards now, they’d chop me into minced meat with their swords! Here’s an idea; you take me to Longhua State, I’ll find my uncle’s trusted aide to send a message, and then he can send troops to escort us into Shangjing City in grand style—you can be a guest of honor at the Yuan Family!

Chen Ji crouched in front of Yuan Xing: "Great Commander, earlier I kidnapped you to escape, but now you’re no use to me. Give me a reason to let you live."

Yuan Xing tentatively replied: "Kid, how about you just drop me off here, let nature take its course, don’t worry about whether I live or die?"

Chen Ji remained calm: "What do you think, Great Commander?"

Yuan Xing thought for a moment: "Young man, I haven’t yet given you the Official Gateway spell. This path was something I snatched from West State Road. When you reach the Innate Realm, you’ll have Nine Oxen Strength, at the Seeking Dao Realm, Nine Elephant Power, and if you’re lucky enough to reach the Divine Realm, Nine Dragon Power. There’s even a legend that you can fly and burrow... Originally, this was prepared for my legitimate eldest son, but it seems it’ll be your gain."

Next moment, a sword seed stabbed into Yuan Xing’s thigh, causing him to grit his teeth in pain.

Chen Ji coolly said: "Want to live or die? Stories recited by word of mouth don’t count as storytelling."

Yuan Xing, bearing his old wounds and new ones, clenched his teeth: "My Official Gateway was dug from an ancient tomb on Tokyo Road, just needs a ritual to summon the Five Mad Soldiers to descend and kill enemies, overturn altars and demolish temples... How about it? Even though you’ve cultivated the sword seed, this path only requires offerings without the effort of cultivation, so it’s not conflicting with you."

Chen Ji’s eyes subtly shifted.

This promise from Yuan Xing about the Official Gateway was, indeed, deceitful, yet he just happened to know the purpose of this Official Gateway. The practitioner would inevitably die at the hands of the Five Mad Soldiers. So-called "no need for cultivation" meant the practitioner traded their life for their wish.

Seeing his interest, Yuan Xing immediately tempted: "Have you heard of the Five Mad Soldiers?"

Chen Ji remained unperturbed: "Are they the Five Mad Soldiers under Heavenly Master Nine Heavens Yingyuan Universal Thunder’s Thunder Department?"

Yuan Xing’s eyes lit up: "That’s right, precisely those Five Mad Soldiers!"

Chen Ji casually remarked: "But aren’t the Thunder Department’s Five Mad Soldiers only summonable by the Dao Court? Where does your Jing Dynasty have a Dao Court, and how could a tomb have a way to summon the Thunder Department’s Five Mad Soldiers?"

Yuan Xing explained patiently: "You don’t know; our Jing Dynasty once had Daoists, only they were driven away by the Buddhist Sect. They couldn’t compete in debating scripture at Kujue Temple in the north and not a single Taoist temple remained, so they had to stay in the Southern Dynasty."

Wu Yun meowed: "How come wherever they go, they lose?"

Chen Ji didn’t respond to Wu Yun, continuing to look at Yuan Xing: "This Official Gateway was promised to me; it doesn’t count. To live, you’ll need to add more."

Yuan Xing thought for a moment: "Gold, there’s an uncountable amount of gold stored in the basement of my private house in Qinglong Square. Take as much as you can—it’s yours!"

Chen Ji remained calm: "And?"

Yuan Xing gritted his teeth: "I also have ten pieces of Yang Green Jade in my private house; those too are yours! Those really were for my legitimate eldest son, enough to allow an Official Gateway practitioner to reach the Seeking Dao Realm within three years!"

Chen Ji pondered: "Are there any masters guarding the private house?"

Yuan Xing shook his head: "No, I worried they’d steal, so I didn’t tell anyone its location."

Chen Ji stood up, with a half-smile: "Deal."

He hefted Yuan Xing onto Zhaolei’s back and led the reins toward Shangjing.

Yuan Xing was shocked, panicked: "Kid, I gave you those so you’d leave me here, not to take me straight into Shangjing; we’ll die there!"

Chen Ji no longer paid him any mind.

Yuan Xing wailed: "Why must you go to Shangjing?!"

Chen Ji covered Yuan Xing’s mouth again, plugging his ears as well.

In the vast expanse of the snowy forest, only Wu Yun understood Chen Ji’s intent: "You’re going to Shangjing to meet your mentor?"

Chen Ji nodded, speaking softly: "I promised mentor I’d see him on Lantern Festival Night. Having seen him this time, who knows when we’ll meet again. Just leaving like this, I’m not willing to."

...

...

Chen Ji didn’t head directly to Shangjing. He first took Zhaolei and Wu Yun to the village they had passed on their way to find Jingzhe.

They spent a day reaching the outskirts of the village, and another day looking for Jingzhe, but saw no sign of Jingzhe anywhere.

Wu Yun found Jingzhe’s footprints on the snow, but the latest prints were also covered in dust. It stood in the wind sniffing for Jingzhe’s scent, but found nothing.

Wu Yun wondered, "Could it be that it waited for too long and left?"

Chen Ji thought for a moment, "Perhaps it went into the mountains for food... Let’s wait here."

They waited in the mountains for a few more days, but Jingzhe still did not return.

On the morning of January 14th, with the Lantern Festival approaching, Chen Ji instructed Wu Yun, "Zhaolei is too conspicuous to enter Shangjing City, you stay here with it. I’ll meet my master and come back, then we’ll return to the Ning Dynasty together."

Wu Yun perked up its ears, "I’ll go with you."

Chen Ji shook his head, "I don’t feel safe leaving Zhaolei here alone. If the soldiers search the mountain, you can take it away. If it’s startled away while alone here, it might be hard to find it again."

Wu Yun thought for a long time but couldn’t think of how to refute, "Fine then."

Chen Ji picked up Yuan Xing and headed down the mountain. Only when they could see the outline of Shangjing City in the distance did he remove the cloth from Yuan Xing’s mouth and ears.

Yuan Xing gasped heavily, "Kid, let me give you some advice, going to Shangjing City now is like walking into a dragon’s lair or a tiger’s den. Don’t go seeking death."

Chen Ji ignored him.

Yuan Xing angrily said, "Do you think Shangjing City won’t have checkpoints? The Emperor decreed there’d be no city restrictions before the Lantern Festival, to celebrate with the people. But the Imperial Guards aren’t just standing around doing nothing. Anyone suspicious will definitely be interrogated. Do you have a travel pass? Do you have a cover story ready? Trying to force your way in is no different from seeking death!"

Chen Ji still ignored him.

As they got closer to Shangjing City, Yuan Xing suddenly lost his spirit, "My lord, you’re truly my lord!"

At that moment, Chen Ji hoisted him onto his back, sticking the six sword seeds into the vital spots inside Yuan Xing’s cotton robe, "Play dead."

Yuan Xing quickly closed his eyes, then peeked out a slit, nervously watching as Chen Ji blended into the crowd of people entering the city, slowly moving toward the city gate.

He saw dozens of Imperial Guards stationed before the Mingde Gate, scanning the people entering the city, occasionally stopping someone for questioning.

Yuan Xing squeezed out through clenched teeth, "There’s still time to turn back now."

Chen Ji took a deep breath and walked into the city with Yuan Xing on his back.

The next moment, an Imperial Guard raised his spear, blocking Chen Ji, glancing at Yuan Xing, "What’s this about?"

Chen Ji seemed to recall a sad memory, about to weep, "Lord, this is my uncle. We were running a small grain transport business. On the way, we were ambushed by mountain bandits. They took everything, including the mule and grain. My uncle confronted them but was crippled by them. After begging on my knees for ages, they spared his life. Now we’re rushing back to Shangjing to find a doctor for him."

The Imperial Guard suspiciously stepped closer, lifted Yuan Xing’s pants to look at his injury, and felt the fresh wound.

A moment later, the Imperial Guard looked up at Chen Ji again, solemnly asking, "Which mountain bandits?"

Chen Ji hurriedly replied, "From Tongming Mountain."

The Imperial Guard scrutinized him, "Where’s your travel pass?"

Chen Ji slightly bowed, "Lord, it was taken."

The Imperial Guard furrowed his brows, "Where do you live, what’s your family name and given name?"

Chen Ji answered smoothly, "Zhou Sheng is my name. I live on Long Willow Lane in Anle Square, Shangjing. I’m nineteen this year."

The Imperial Guard pressed further, "You don’t seem like a typical grain transporter from the way you talk."

Chen Ji replied, "My family was once hereditary County Barons. But after my grandfather, a Centurion, was executed in the army, the court stripped us of our title, and our family declined. That’s why I transport grain with my uncle."

The Imperial Guard’s gaze finally softened, "How did you get the grain transport job?"

Chen Ji answered again, "My uncle Zhou Zhixue was a military household responsible for logistics with the Left Leading Army Guard. Later, a childhood friend became a Chiliarch with the Right Brave Guard. He got us this grain transport business thanks to him..."

The Imperial Guard calmly asked, "The Chiliarchs of the Right Brave Guard are all well-known. Who is your friend?"

"Zhang Xian."

At this moment, another Imperial Guard suddenly asked, "Anle Square, Long Willow Lane... there’s a Golden Bun Shop there, right?"

Chen Ji quickly corrected, "Lord, it’s not Golden Bun, it’s Lin’s."

The Imperial Guard asked again, "How much for a mutton bun?"

Chen Ji answered, "Lord, twelve coins."

"And cabbage?"

"Six coins."

The Imperial Guard exchanged a glance with his colleague, thought for a moment, then waved Chen Ji off, "Alright, hurry and take your uncle to find a doctor, don’t forget to go to the government office to replace your travel pass."

Chen Ji, filled with gratitude, "Thank you, lord!"

Chen Ji briskly walked into the city with Yuan Xing on his back. After they had taken over a hundred steps, Yuan Xing finally relaxed.

Yuan Xing whispered in admiration, "Kid, how do you know all this? You recited it so fluently."

Chen Ji casually replied, "My family drilled it into me over and over... hush, someone’s following us."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!