Because of the lake below, the mist rising from the water kept Huaguang Forest shrouded in clouds most of the time. From their vantage point, all they could see were towering stone peaks piercing through the sea of fog.
Hu Tao pointed at the cluster of stone spires before them. "The Kongtong Bailing Jade we're looking for is somewhere in this area!"
As for which exact peak it was growing on… well, that was anyone's guess.
Traveling here hadn't taken much time, but searching for the jade would be a different story.
With so many massive peaks, no one could say where the jade might be. They would have to search each one, one by one. If they were lucky, they might find it in two or three days. If not… it could take ten days, maybe even half a month.
Jiang Bai couldn't tell how many stone peaks there were, but he knew there were a lot. If they weren't prepared to stay here for a while, they might leave empty-handed.
At least food wouldn't be an issue. Aside from the rations Hu Tao had packed, they could always hunt the creatures roaming the land, swimming in the lake, or flying in the sky.
Qiqi raised her small hand. "Qiqi… will help too."
She didn't know exactly what they were looking for, but she wanted to be useful.
Hu Tao thought for a moment before nodding.
Qiqi was a zombie, fully capable of moving on her own. Unless she got stuck in a rock again, she wouldn't be an issue.
Besides, leaving her alone here wasn't a great idea. If they went off searching, she would probably go gather herbs anyway. This way, she could help keep an eye out for their target while she foraged.
And if she did get stuck, at least they would be nearby to rescue her.
"Then we'll count on you," Hu Tao said, handing her a drawing of the Kongtong Bailing Jade and explaining what it looked like.
Qiqi pulled out her notebook, carefully writing down everything Hu Tao told her as she spoke—just in case she forgot.
"If you get stuck or run into trouble, shout for us right away!"
"Mm." Qiqi accepted the drawing and took a step back.
She didn't like being too close to Hu Tao. That warm, burning presence was uncomfortable.
"Alright, let's check out this peak in front of us first."
The three of them crossed a suspension bridge into the towering rock formations.
From a distance, the peaks didn't seem that large. But up close, the sheer size of them made people look impossibly small.
As they walked across the bridge, Jiang Bai kept part of his attention on Qiqi—just in case she tripped and fell.
Compared to the ones in Jueyun Karst, the suspension bridges here seemed sturdier, with fewer gaps between the planks.
Maybe it was because these peaks had no natural paths; the bridges were the only way to travel between them. So, they were built and maintained with extra care.
The mountain wind blew strong, making the bridge sway slightly. But even so, Qiqi walked steadily.
When they reached the wooden walkways built along the mountainside, Jiang Bai stretched his neck to glance downward.
The entire pathway was made of wood, with no railings. Below, there was nothing but an endless expanse of white mist.
"Be careful," Hu Tao warned. "It's a long way down—you really don't want to fall."
The drop was practically bottomless. And unlike other parts of the forest, there was no lake below—just jagged rocks. Falling would mean certain death.
She pulled out a Wind Glider and looked at Qiqi.
"Do you know how to use one?"
Qiqi tilted her head, flipping through her notebook before nodding.
"I'll help you put it on," Hu Tao offered.
Wind Gliders, much like weapons, could be bound to their users. They would appear when needed and disappear when not in use, making them easy to carry. However, they were also fragile. If the wind was too strong, they could break mid-flight.
Why they functioned this way… well, that was just another mystery left behind by the gods.
"Qiqi… has one."
Seeing Hu Tao approach, Qiqi quickly took a step back. Her Wind Glider materialized on her back.
Jiang Bai reached out to stop her retreat—any further, and she'd fall off the ledge.
Seeing that she already had a glider, Hu Tao put hers away.
Wind Gliders were mostly imported from Mondstadt and were quite expensive. Even as the Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, she wouldn't give one away so easily.
"Alright, let's see if this peak has what we're looking for!"
Hu Tao cracked her knuckles, stretched her limbs, and started climbing upward.
Qiqi tucked the drawing into the front of her clothing for easy access.
Then, after putting some distance between herself and Hu Tao, she began climbing as well, mumbling, "Find the thing on the paper…" over and over—just to make sure she wouldn't forget.
Despite her small size, she climbed quickly, even faster than Hu Tao.
Seeing how steady she was, Jiang Bai relaxed and began his own ascent.
Since the Kongtong Bailing Jade was a plant that had turned to stone, they should search areas where vegetation was growing.
But despite scouring every inch of the peak, all they found were a few common medicinal herbs—no sign of the jade.
Sitting at the summit, Hu Tao massaged her sore arms, grimacing in pain.
Rock climbing was exhausting—especially when scaling a nearly vertical cliff face.
There were barely any good handholds, and every movement required strength and control. After searching the whole peak, her arms felt like they were going to fall off.
Jiang Bai wasn't as bad as Hu Tao, but even he was struggling to lift his arms.
The only one completely unaffected was Qiqi.
Her body had long since lost its natural pain receptors. The only reason she could still move normally was because of the adeptal energy within her—and because she diligently performed her stretching exercises.
"I can't… move anymore…" Hu Tao lay sprawled on the ground, completely limp—like a fish that had lost its will to swim.
"Come on, Director, this was just the first peak!"
Jiang Bai tried to pull her up, but she was practically glued to the ground. No matter how hard he tugged, she refused to budge.
And he didn't dare use too much force—what if he accidentally dislocated her arm?
Puffing up her cheeks, Hu Tao pouted. "I don't care, I need a break!"
"Fine, fine…" Jiang Bai sighed. What else could he do? She was the Director—she called the shots.
At this rate, though, they were going to be stuck here for at least ten days.
"Qiqi… will heal."
Taking small steps, Qiqi shuffled over to Hu Tao's side.
Even though she disliked Hu Tao's heat, and even though she was always trying to send her to the afterlife… Qiqi was a kind person.
Hu Tao had helped her.
So, she wanted to help Hu Tao.
Under Hu Tao's surprised gaze, Qiqi gently lifted her arm. The zombie's ice-cold fingers pressed against her sore muscles, and a soft blue-white glow emerged from her palm.
Slowly, the pain in Hu Tao's arm faded.
Looking at Qiqi's pale, stiff little face—so serious and focused—Hu Tao found herself momentarily lost in thought.
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T/N: yay become friends!
(made a discord :D https://discord.gg/ZJsEjAHH link good for 6 days)