plumnovel Chapter 24 Black Wind Ravine
Chapter 24 Black Wind Ravine
Songfeng Town is small, with only one main street and a dozen or so shops;
Located at the border of Qinghai and Yunhai prefectures, the town is a popular rest stop for merchants and travelers, and the only inn in town, "Yunlai Inn," does a good job.
Holding the "Huichuntang" guest jade token, the manager immediately arranged two superior rooms for Dongfang Ling.
Su Wan helped re-dress and re-bandage Lu and Zhao, and their injuries stabilized. Chen Xuan, Zhou San, and Liu Er also settled down.
At dinner time, everyone ate in the inn's lobby. Dongfang Ling changed into a light blue dress, which made her look even more beautiful after washing away the dust of the journey.
She was elegant in demeanor and spoke eloquently. She was knowledgeable about martial arts anecdotes and local customs, and got along very well with Su Wan.
After the meal, Dongfang Ling invited Chen Xuan to talk at the stone table in the courtyard.
The moonlight, like water, spilled onto the bluestone slabs.
"Young Master Chen," Dongfang Ling said, her smile fading and her expression becoming serious.
"Thank you for saving me, young master. Tingyu Tower is ruthless, and they will not let this go easily after this failure. If you encounter anyone with silver cloud patterns on their sleeves in the future, please be extra careful."
Chen Xuan nodded: "I've noted it down. What are your plans for the future, Miss Dongfang?"
"Uncle Lu and Uncle Zhao are seriously injured and need to rest here for several days. I have already sent a message home, and someone will come to pick them up soon."
As Dongfang Ling spoke, she took out a roll of fine silk map from her sleeve and spread it out on the stone table:
"Young master, are you heading towards Black Wind Ravine?"
Chen Xuan's gaze sharpened as he looked at the map. It was an extremely detailed topographical map of the border between Qing and Yun provinces, with mountains, rivers, roads, and villages clearly marked.
The location of Black Wind Ravine was specially circled by Zhu Sha, with several lines of small annotations next to it.
"How did you know, young lady?" Chen Xuan asked calmly.
Dongfang Ling smiled slightly:
"Young master, please do not doubt me. Your journey is well-planned, and you have also purchased the 'Fragmentary Scroll of the Study of Yunzhou Customs and Scenery.' It is not difficult to guess that you are going to Black Wind Ravine, though we do not know why you are going there. The environment there is very harsh."
"My family business pays close attention to the rare medicinal herbs and minerals of Qing and Yun prefectures. Black Wind Ravine is rich in several herbs that are rare elsewhere, but it is also known for its dangers."
She pointed to the location of Black Wind Ravine on the map:
"As far as I know, Black Wind Ravine is divided into three layers. The outer layer is an ordinary mountain ravine, which is teeming with miasma and poisonous insects, but herb gatherers familiar with the path can still enter and exit."
"From the middle layer onwards, the poisonous miasma is thick, the terrain is complex, with many natural mazes, and venomous snakes and strange insects inhabit the area. As for the inner layer..."
She paused, then continued, "Very few people come out alive. There are rumors that there is an underground river at the bottom of the ravine, leading to an ancient ruin. Some also say that it is the burial place of a master of poison from a previous dynasty."
"Have you heard of the 'Seven Star Stone', young lady?" Chen Xuan asked.
"This object is mysterious, and there are very few records about it. But my elders once mentioned that this stone is yin in nature, often grows alongside extremely poisonous substances, and can also gather yin energy from the earth's veins."
"If such a thing truly exists in Black Wind Ravine, it is most likely located at the bottom of the ravine in an extremely yin and cold place, or... at the source of an underground river."
She put away the map and handed it to Chen Xuan:
"This map may be useful to you, young master. Also,"
She then took out a small jade bottle:
"These are three 'Cleansing Pills,' a family secret recipe. They can ward off common poisonous miasma and alleviate various poisons. They may be useful in case of danger."
Chen Xuan accepted the map and jade bottle, and said solemnly, "Thank you, young lady. I will remember this kindness."
Dongfang Ling smiled and said, "You're too kind, young master. If you ever come to Zhongzhou, you're welcome to visit me at Linglong Pavilion. Then, we can enjoy a drink together again."
The two exchanged a few more words and then returned to their respective rooms.
The following morning, Dongfang Ling and the others stayed at the inn to recover from their injuries. Chen Xuan, Su Wan, Liu Er, and Zhou San continued their journey.
After leaving Songfeng Town, travel west for more than twenty miles. The official road gradually narrows and eventually disappears into the mountains and forests.
According to the map, one must pass through a primeval forest called "Ghost's Sorrow" to reach the outer edge of Black Wind Ravine.
Ancient trees reach for the sky in the forest, and vines cover the ground. Sunlight is cut into scattered spots by the dense canopy and casts onto the ground covered with fallen leaves.
The air was humid and stuffy, carrying the scent of decaying leaves and earth. The chirping of birds and insects added to the profound stillness.
Liu Er led the way, wielding a machete and clearing the path through the brambles. Zhou San brought up the rear, cautiously observing the surroundings. Chen Xuan and Su Wan walked in the middle.
Su Wan walked around, stopping occasionally to examine the soil and moss, and picking a few blades of grass to put into the cloth bag she carried with her.
"Miss Su, what have you discovered?" Chen Xuan asked.
Su Wan pointed to a damp rock wall covered with a layer of dark green moss:
"This is 'Ghost Face Moss,' which only grows in places with extremely heavy yin energy and where poisonous creatures thrive. Further ahead, there will be even more poisonous insects and plants."
She picked up another half-withered leaf; the veins of the leaf were an unnatural dark purple.
"This is 'Purple-veined Grass,' which is usually non-toxic, but the one growing here has purple veins on its leaves. It has probably absorbed some kind of yin poison from underground and mutated. If burned at night, its smoke can cause hallucinations."
Chen Xuan nodded secretly. With Su Wan around, many potential dangers could be warned in advance.
As the afternoon approached, mist began to rise in the forest.
At first, it was just a thin mist, but the further you went, the thicker the mist became, and the color changed from white to gray, eventually turning into a somber leaden gray with a faint, sweet, fishy smell.
"It's miasma!" Su Wan's expression changed, and she took out a few pills from her bosom and distributed them to everyone.
"Hold it under your tongue; it will keep you warm for a while. But the miasma is too thick; you need to get through as soon as possible."
Everyone did as instructed and took the pills. The pills were pungent and spicy, but when they were in their mouths, they felt instantly refreshed.
The fog was so thick that no one could see beyond three zhang (approximately 10 meters). The forest was eerily silent; even the chirping of insects and birds had vanished, leaving only the rustling of footsteps on fallen leaves and their own heavy breathing.
On Wednesday, he suddenly hissed, "Watch your step!"
Ahead, fallen leaves swirled and dozens of brightly colored venomous snakes slithered out, heads raised and tongues flicking, blocking the road.
These snakes have triangular heads and cold eyes, clearly indicating they are highly venomous.
Liu Er and Zhou San drew their weapons, their expressions tense. Su Wan stepped forward, took a small packet of yellow powder from her medicine pouch, and gently sprinkled it on the ground in front of her.
The powder had a pungent sulfur smell, which made the venomous snakes wary, causing them to hesitate and not dare to approach.
"It's a 'red-banded snake,' highly venomous, but susceptible to sulfur and realgar," Su Wan whispered.
"Retreat slowly, don't disturb them."
Everyone held their breath and slowly retreated. The venomous snake did not pursue them, but simply remained in place, hissing.
After navigating around the snakes and walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the view ahead suddenly opened up. The mist thinned slightly, and a wide mountain stream appeared before us.
On both sides are steep cliffs, tens of meters high, with strangely shaped rocks.
The stream in the ravine was swift and the water was murky, with an eerie grayish-black hue.
Water vapor rises and mixes with the still-lingering leaden-gray mist, enveloping the entire mountain valley in dim light, like dusk.
This is Black Wind Ravine.