The North Border Mountain, situated at the northern frontier of the *Three-Eye Dynasty*[1], stretches endlessly with towering, layered peaks of majestic grandeur. Shrouded year-round in dense fog, it looms like a dormant beast, its full form obscured, mysterious, and perilous. Few dare to tread its paths.
Yet, two travelers now ascend its entry trail. A refined scholar, wielding a folding fan, gazes about as if on a leisurely outing. Behind him strides a burly man, his muscular arms bulging, a heavy-bladed sword slung across his back.
They stride boldly up the overgrown, weathered path, clearly untouched by human feet for ages.
As they venture deeper, fog envelops their surroundings, but they show no concern, moving in silence.
Before entering the mountain, the forest trail buzzed with life—chirping insects, singing birds, babbling streams, and squirrels darting across paths, brimming with vitality. Now, only the rustle of leaves in the cool breeze remains, all other signs of life extinguished, as if they've stepped into a realm of deathly stillness.
On the misty trail, a baby's cry suddenly pierces the unseen depths.
The two exchange a glance, caution flickering in their eyes.
With a snap, the scholar opens his fan. The burly man crosses his arms, his piercing gaze seeming to cut through the fog, locking onto a hunched, black-robed figure deep within—the source of the cry.
The burly man nods slightly. The scholar, signaled, slowly waves his fan toward the sound.
The fog thins with each wave. On the third, the figure ceases its crying, steps back, and vanishes into the mist.
"Pursue," the burly man grunts, charging toward the shadow's last position.
The scholar chuckles, moving with peculiar, rhythmic steps, swaying left and right. Though less swift than the burly man, he trails only a few paces behind, never losing sight.
Reaching the spot, the burly man finds a red-robed child under a tree, head bowed, sobbing as if wronged.
A savage grin spreads across his face as he closes in. As he stands before her, the child looks up, her robe slipping to reveal a grotesque face—black veins sprawling, eyes bulging, mouth split wide.
Her jaws gape instantly, large enough to swallow him, cold teeth glinting in the mist.
As doom looms, he draws a long-handled sword from his sleeve, slashing with a spin. The child shrieks, her form dissipating like wind. The blade, unchecked, slices through the tree behind her, spinning back to his side.
"Senior Brother, did it escape?" The scholar arrives, the fleeting clash over in a flash.
"Hmph, an illusion. This *Mountain Immortal*[2] is nearing ascension; its cunning is no longer beastly but near-human," the burly man snarls, displeased.
"Should we keep chasing, Senior Brother? It might be hiding," the scholar asks, voicing concern.
"Qingshu, isn't the disciple ceremony soon?" the burly man frowns, his resolve to confront the Immortal tempered by their master's call.
"Yes, in a few days," Qingshu confirms.
They are Chixiao's senior disciples, Qingpeng and Qingshu, summoned days ago to return to the *Five Elements Sect*[11] for Qingyun's initiation.
Yet, they had come to North Border Mountain in secret, handling private matters without Chixiao's knowledge. Now, having traveled so far only to rush back, it feels like wasted effort.
"So, what's your take?" Qingpeng raises an eyebrow, his tone questioning but his face certain.
"Since we're here, why not take this Mountain Immortal as a gift? Returning empty-handed isn't fitting for our junior brother. A proper gift is due. If we're delayed, we'll apologize to Master later," Qingshu says, fanning himself to mask a smile.
"Agreed. Its essence is potent—perfect for our junior brother. I spent a fortune at the *Common People's Tower*[31] for this lead. Qingshu, your family's tower shows no mercy, charging me full price despite your status," Qingpeng grumbles.
"Ahem, it's under Martial Uncle and Father's control, not mine," Qingshu says awkwardly.
"Even if she's not our Martial Uncle, she's your aunt. Not a single discount—outrageous," Qingpeng mutters.
Qingshu smirks, teasing, "Tell that to Martial Uncle, Senior Brother; it's no use with me."
Suddenly, their ears twitch, and they exchange a glance.
Qingpeng grins savagely, licking his lips. "I was wondering where it went, but it's back for more."
As Qingpeng prepares to strike, Qingshu closes his fan, pressing it on his brother's robust hand. "Your methods are too loud, Senior Brother. Let me handle it."
Qingpeng's eye twitches but he relents, nodding for Qingshu to act.
Qingshu opens his fan, one hand behind his back. Sweeping it across his face, his features vanish, replaced by a smooth, porcelain-like visage. The fan-wielder is no longer Qingshu but a white porcelain automaton.
Nearby, a black figure perches on a tree, its hooded gaze maliciously fixed on the brothers.
Unseen, Qingshu, now the automaton, squats on a branch behind it, smiling.
Killing intent flashes in his eyes. Multiple fans materialize, their spinning edges gleaming, poised to shred the unaware shadow.
As the fans slice through, Qingshu feels a chill behind him. Sensing danger, he leaps from the tree.
Meanwhile, Qingpeng, feigning conversation, sees a shadow flash in the depths behind the automaton.
"Damn!" His heart sinks as he turns to the shadow's origin. There, Qingshu is choked by the shadow, struggling, reaching for help as he's dragged away.
Furious, Qingpeng roars, channeling power into his legs, and charges.
The shadow moves swiftly, eluding him. With a grunt, his muscles bulge, and he accelerates. Just as he nears, a voice breaks through.
"Senior Brother, wake up! Don't go further!" Qingshu shouts, shattering the illusion.
Qingpeng snaps awake, his back chilling. He's at a cliff's edge, one step from falling. Below, the fog-veiled abyss yawns like a beast's maw. Sweat drips down his cheek.
Footsteps approach. Still shaken, Qingpeng turns warily, relaxing only when he sees Qingshu. "Junior Brother, why did I see you captured?"
Qingshu's brow furrows gravely. "It's not just the Mountain Immortal. Another Immortal tricked you, while the one I chased was a decoy."
Qingpeng forms a seal to confirm reality. "I saw a shadow flash opposite and knew your target was an illusion. But then, I fell into another."
They look down, realizing they've strayed far from the path.
"Trouble! It's luring us off the path. A *High Immortal*[32] might be too much for us," Qingpeng says, meeting Qingshu's worried gaze.
Unnoticed, the fog thickens, obscuring their faces.
Qingshu waves his fan, but the fog remains unyielding.
They sprint back toward the path, only to circle back to the cliff.
"It's the *Immortal's Misdirection*[33]!" Qingshu exclaims.
Qingpeng nods, about to speak, when iron boots echo through the fog. At first, one pair alternates, but soon, more join—two, then four, until armored soldiers seem to close in from all sides.
"Junior Brother, back to back to avoid being split by the *Armored Immortals*[34]. Prepare to fight," Qingpeng orders urgently.
"Understood," Qingshu replies, his face grim. He stands behind Qingpeng, gripping his fan tightly, knuckles white, eyes locked on the armored shadows emerging from the fog.
As ghostly horns blare and muffled drums pound, the shadows quicken from a walk to a jog, then a sprint. Armor clangs, unsettling their resolve. Wielding shields and axes, the shadow soldiers roar, surging toward them.
"Fight!"
**Footnotes**:
[1] **Three-Eye Dynasty**: A fictional dynasty, likely named for a symbolic or legendary figure with three eyes.
[2] **Mountain Immortal**: A supernatural being tied to the mountain, possessing advanced cunning.
[11] **Five Elements Sect**: A Taoist sect mastering the five elemental forces, central to the story.
[15] **Kunwu Technique**: A cultivation method for wielding heavy weapons, introduced earlier.
[19] **Yuan**: Fundamental energy units in a cultivator's body, key to Taoist practices.
[23] **Emotional Roots**: Emotional attachments seen as obstacles to advanced cultivation.
[31] **Common People's Tower**: A hub for intelligence and sect communication, introduced in Chapter 10.
[32] **High Immortal**: A more powerful class of Immortal, posing greater threats.
[33] **Immortal's Misdirection**: A spell or phenomenon that confuses and misleads, trapping victims in loops.
[34] **Armored Immortals**: Soldier-like Immortals clad in armor, likely minions of a greater force.
原始中文文本
北疆山,位於三目王朝北方,為王朝北方邊界.其山勢綿延,一望無際,層巒疊嶂,頗為雄偉.此群山萬嶺長年籠罩在濃霧之間,如同一頭蟄伏的野獸,無從窺其全貌,也無人敢隨意步入其中,神秘而又凶險.
此時的入山小徑卻迎來兩位旅客.俊秀書生手執摺扇,踏青郊遊般地左顧右盼.站在書生身後的大漢,雙臂肌肉賁起,背後還揹著一把厚刃大刀.
兩人大搖大擺地由小徑上山,路面雜草叢生,斑駁不堪,一看便知已經許久未有人跡.
隨著他們深入山內,霧氣逐漸掩蓋了周遭環境,但兩人似乎一點都不擔心,也沒有因此而互相交談.
本來入山前的叢林小道還能聽見蟲鳴鳥叫和潺潺溪流,偶而還有松鼠會躍過林間小徑,行走其間,生機撲面而來.入山後,卻只剩涼風拂過樹葉的沙沙作響,其餘生物氣息皆無,彷彿走進了一個死寂的世界.
白茫茫的山徑上,忽然從不可視的深處傳來一陣嬰兒啼哭聲.
兩人對視一眼,從彼此眼中看見了幾分慎重.
書生唰地一聲,打開折扇.而大漢卻將手環繞胸前,銳利目光彷彿能穿透濃霧,看見霧氣深處裡那道身穿黑袍的佝僂身影,嬰兒啼哭聲,便是由其發出.
大漢朝書生微微頷首,得到示意的書生則將手中紙扇朝聲音傳來處緩慢地搧動.
濃霧隨著書生搧動摺扇而變得稀薄,當書生搧到第三下時,黑影突然停止發出嬰兒啼哭,向後退了一步,消失在霧氣中.
「追.」大漢一馬當先,留下一個字後便衝向黑影消失的方向.
書生輕笑一聲,腳上踏著奇特又規律的步伐,左搖右晃地前進,雖然姿態看上去沒有大漢那麼迅速,卻也只落後大漢數步,始終沒有跟丟.
大漢追到黑影消失處,卻見遠方樹下坐著一名紅袍女娃,垂首啜泣,似乎是遇上了什麼不公之事.
嘴角扯出一抹獰笑,大漢幾步便靠近了紅袍女娃.就在大漢來到女娃身前時,女娃抬起頭,紅袍滑落,卻是一張布滿黑色血管,凸眼裂嘴的恐怖模樣.
甫一露面,女娃的嘴就在一瞬間張到足以吞下壯漢的程度,口中的森冷利齒在薄霧間依舊閃著寒光.
眼看大漢即將命喪巨口,他突然從袖中拉出一把長柄大刀,借旋身之力斬向裂嘴女娃.斬落瞬間,女娃口中發出一聲尖嘯,身形隨風飄散,大漢手中的長柄刀也收勢不及,直接削過女娃身後的樹幹,刀刃餘勢不止地旋轉一圈,回到大漢身側.
「師兄,被祂跑了?」剛才那一幕只是電光石火的短暫時光,此時書生才在幾步間趕到.
「哼,沒想到是虛身.看來這頭仙已經快晉升了,智慧不再如同野獸,已經接近了人.」大漢怒目圓瞪,心情不悅地冷哼道.
「師兄,要繼續追嗎?就怕祂執意藏身.」書生再次詢問,也將擔憂說了出來.
「青書,收徒儀式是不是快到了?」大漢眉頭緊鎖,如果不是師父收徒,自己肯定要和這頭仙分個生死.
「是,過幾日便是收徒儀式.」青書頷首答道.
兩人便是赤霄的大徒弟青鵬與二徒弟青書,幾日前收到師父傳訊,命兩人盡速回到五行觀,參加青雲的拜師儀式.
只是,二人本來就是偷偷瞞著赤霄,來到北疆山處理私事,如今瞞著師父大老遠來到,卻又要急匆匆地趕回,實在有些白費功夫.
「那,你看?」青鵬挑了挑眉,雖然是詢問的口氣,臉上卻是肯定的表情.
「事已至此,不如就拿這山傀仙當成見面禮.空手而歸可不行,畢竟是我們的親師弟,沒有恰當的見面禮也說不過去.若是略有拖延,師父那邊也只能另行請罪了.」青書摺扇一展,遮住嘴角笑意,如是說道.
「可行.這山傀仙的精魄恰好是大補,怎麼也得取下來,送給師弟當見面禮也適合.為了買這個情報,師兄可是在蒼生樓花了不少.青書,你們家的蒼生樓真不給面子,以你的身分竟然還要收我那麼多錢.」說著,青鵬便開始抱怨蒼生樓的收費昂貴.
「咳咳,你知道那是師伯的和父王的蒼生樓,不是師弟的蒼生樓.」青書一臉尷尬地說道.
「就算她不是我們的師伯,好歹也是你的親姑姑,竟然一點折扣都不給,實在是⋯⋯」青鵬嘴上唸唸叨叨,不住地抱怨道.
青書嘴角含笑,調侃道:「師兄,這話您可得對著師伯說,和我說用處不大啊.」
突然,兩人的耳朵一動,彼此之間交換了一個眼神.
青鵬忍不住露出一抹嗜血笑容,舔了舔嘴唇說道:「還在想得去哪裡找這傢伙,沒想到竟然不服氣,又自己找上門來了.
青書看見青鵬就要出手,連忙收起摺扇,輕壓在師兄建壯的大手上,搖頭說道:「師兄,您出手的動靜太大,不如讓師弟來罷.」
聽見這番話,青鵬眼角抽了抽,卻還是無奈地停下動作,用下頷示意青書出手.
青書一手展開摺扇,另一隻手負在身後.摺扇在空中劃過,遮掩了青書臉龐.再次從他臉前移開時,他臉上的五官赫然消失不見,取而代之的是一張如同陶瓷般光滑的臉龐,而手持摺扇的人,也從青書變成了一具如同白瓷般的機關假人.
不遠處,一道黑色身影攀在樹上,兜帽下彷彿有一雙惡毒的目光,注視著不遠處的師兄弟二人.
就在祂毫無所察時,手持摺扇的青書已經笑瞇瞇地蹲在黑影身後不遠處的樹枝枝幹.
青書眼中閃過殺機,空中瞬間出現數把紙扇,它們旋轉間扇鋒閃過陣陣寒芒,絞向一無所覺的黑影,下一刻便要將祂碎屍萬段.
就在旋轉成扇花的紙扇們切過黑影身形瞬間,青書卻感覺自己身後傳來一股涼氣,他暗道一聲不好,連忙縱身一躍,從樹上跳了下來.
而此時,還在原地假裝和青書聊天的青鵬,卻看見機關假人後方密林深處,有黑影一閃而過.
「糟了!」青鵬心底一沉,連忙轉身看向原本感應到的黑影位置.卻見青書正被黑影掐住脖頸,滿臉痛苦,雙手拼命向自己掙扎求救,眼看就要被黑影拖行而去.
青鵬憤怒,爆喝一聲,力灌雙腿,沉身踏地,飛身衝向脅持著青書的黑影.
但黑影離開的速度奇快,他卻遲遲不能縮短兩者距離,怒哼一聲,他渾身肌肉暴漲,速度再次加快.就在他即將追上時,一聲呼喚卻將他拉回了現實中.
「師兄,速速醒來,莫要繼續向前!」青書大喝,將青鵬從幻象中驚醒.
青鵬頓時清醒過來,睜眼一看,頓時背脊發涼.他發現自己竟然站在懸崖邊,只差一步便會衝下懸崖.他忍不住向懸崖下方看去,那被濃霧遮蓋的深淵,如同巨獸一般,張開著血盆大口,待到他一躍而下時,便會將其一口吞沒,青鵬側臉不由得滑落一滴冷汗.
輕微腳步聲在青鵬身後響起,剛受過驚嚇的青鵬渾身一緊,轉過身警戒,卻發現來人真的是青書.他沒有立刻放鬆,而是問道:「師弟,為何師兄剛剛看見你被黑影挾持?」
青書眉間緊皺,神情凝重地說道:「師兄,看來不只山傀仙.可能還有另外一尊仙,師兄必然是被那尊仙給設計了,而師弟剛剛追的山傀仙,似乎只是吸引注意的誘餌.」
青鵬雙手掐訣,確定這次並非幻象後,他回憶道:「剛才看見黑影從對面方向一閃而過,就猜到師弟追去的那位仙肯定是虛身.卻不知為何,一轉頭便中了幻術.」
說到這裡,兩人似乎想起什麼,不約而同地低頭看向腳下,他們赫然已經遠離了山中小徑.
「糟糕!祂是想將吾等引離道途,若是上仙,僅憑你我二人,怕是不好對付.」青鵬猛地抬頭,看見青書眼裡有同樣的擔憂.
不知何時,四周霧氣如同實質,兩人開始有些看不清楚近在咫尺的對方臉孔.
青書連忙取出摺扇,但這次不管他怎麼搧動摺扇,濃霧卻沒有淡去半分.
兩人隨即向來時方向狂奔,想要趁此時回到山間小徑.然而,卻在片刻後,他們又繞回了懸崖邊.
「是『仙人指路』!」青書驚呼出聲.
青鵬點點頭正要說話,迷霧中卻突然傳來鐵靴踏地的腳步聲.初時聽聞,左右交錯,僅有一對鐵靴,但隨著時間推延,鐵靴聲卻逐漸增多,由一雙變為兩雙,兩雙變為四雙,最後,彷彿四面八方都有甲士在靠近.
「師弟,背靠背以免被兵甲仙沖散,準備迎敵.」顧不得和對方敘說破除仙人指路之法,只能匆匆交代.
「好.」青書臉色凝重地回答道.他旋即站到青鵬身後,手上捏著摺扇,指關節都用力得發白,雙眼緊盯濃霧深處逐漸清晰的帶甲黑影.
隨著濃霧中如鬼哭的號角聲吹響,以及一聲一聲沉悶的擂鼓聲,四面八方的黑影從一開始的緩步而行,逐漸加快速度變為小跑,到最後開始狂奔.步履間,甲冑鏗鏘撞擊亂人心弦.黑影甲士手上揮舞著干戚,口中發出震天喊殺聲,湧向兩人所在之處.
「戰!」