Mistaken Era – Chapter 15
Cui Xiaoxiao withdrew her gaze and looked down again at the stone tablet closest to her.
The characters engraved on this stone tablet were easy to recognize. After reading a few lines, Cui Xiaoxiao understood the reason for the numerous standing stone tablets in this area.
However…the story on this stone tablet was exactly the same as the legend of Mount Lao that Second Senior Sister had told her when they first arrived at Mount Lao.
In the past, the standing tablets at the Phoenix Pool at the foot of Mount Lao commemorated the great deeds of the four major sects in suppressing the Wei family, the guardians of Mount Lao.
Mount Lao was the intersection between the Yin realm and the Yang realm, which had been guarded by the demon-subduing Wei family for a long time.
Unfortunately, over two hundred years ago during the time of Wei Jinglong of that generation, he became dissatisfied with his clan being confined there due to ancestral duties. He secretly released a femme fatale to alleviate his boredom.
This femme fatale demon, originally an expert at seducing men, ended up reversing the situation and bewitching Wei Jinglong into a trance, causing him to completely forget the responsibilities of the Wei family.
In the end, he not only bore an ill-fated child with the femme fatale but also privately released the three fiends of the Yin realm to wreak havoc in the mortal world.
How could the righteous cultivators of the demon-subduing Wei Dao tolerate this? They allied together to condemn the Wei family and force them to hand over the femme fatale and the ill-fated child.
Wei Jinglong, perhaps bewitched by the femme fatale’s charms, stubbornly refused to comply. However, to avoid implicating the rest of the Wei family, he descended the mountain alone to confront the four major sects.
In the end, feeling that his fate had run its course, Wei Jinglong committed suicide out of guilt and fell into the abyss of the Yin realm.
To admonish the Wei family, the four sects that participated in the suppression campaign erected various stone tablets, both large and small, to rebuke the descendants of the Wei family while also praising their own meritorious deeds.
However, these stone tablets were later shattered by one person. From then on, an unknown person began to awe the world and gradually came into the view of the cultivation sects…
Cui Xiaoxiao already knew this past history without needing Second Senior Sister’s introduction, as her master had mentioned it in passing amidst daily mundane affairs.
The person who shattered the stone tablets at the Phoenix Pool of Mount Lao years ago was precisely the demon later known as the calamity Wei Jie, who caused a bloody storm in the mortal world.
According to legends, “Wei” is a homophone for “Wei”. Wei Jie was likely the child born to Wei Jinglong and the Yin realm femme fatale back then, which explained his actions at the time. Later, after perfecting his demonic arts, he avenged his father by carrying out a bloody purge of Lingxun Pavilion, single-handedly confronting the four major sects.
But…all of that happened over two hundred years ago!
So why did a young man now appear, imitating the actions of Wei Jie from back then, wielding a whip to smash the stone tablets? Moreover, the four major sects seemed to have an irrepressible desire for fame, erecting commemorative tablets not only on Mount Lao but also on other mountains.
No matter how much Cui Xiaoxiao pondered, she could not make sense of it.
Judging by the appearance of these stone tablets, they must have been erected not too long ago. After Wei Jie’s massacre two hundred years ago, the four major sects were almost wiped out, so she did not know which remaining disciples or descendants erected these tablets.
Before Cui Xiaoxiao could recover from her bewilderment, the man standing atop the stone tablets seemed to sense her aura. He suddenly turned his face slightly, and the long whip in his hand directly lashed out towards Cui Xiaoxiao.
Cui Xiaoxiao quickly took out a Water-Guiding Talisman, immediately forming a water shield.
However, the water shield infused with spiritual energy could not block the fierce lash of the long whip. The three steel needles at the tip of the whip pierced through the water shield, aiming straight for Cui Xiaoxiao’s face.
Cui Xiaoxiao cried out in alarm, silently cursing as she could only close her eyes and await the impending pain.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing her cry, the man flicked his wrist at the last moment to retract the whip. Then, like a black lightning bolt, he swiftly jumped in front of her.
In the brief moment of turning, a black veil already covered his face, revealing only thick, dark brows and a pair of eyes… with a faint, alluring purple glow amidst the blackness.
Cui Xiaoxiao had never seen such bewitching eyes before. Gazing into them for too long seemed to ensnare one’s soul, causing one to forget what to say…
Seeing that the person who disrupted him was a young, graceful girl, the man originally did not intend to pay her any heed. However, after a moment of silence, he unexpectedly spoke first, asking, “You seem quite skilled with talismans. Which sect’s disciple are you?”
Cui Xiaoxiao was taken aback, but hearing his calm tone and that he had stopped in time without harming her, she had no reason to remain silent. So she cupped her hands in salutation and tentatively said, “I am a disciple of the Lingshan Talisman Sect… I wonder if you have heard of it, Sir?”
The man raised his handsome, thick brows, seeming to ponder seriously for a moment before saying, “Lingshan Talisman Sect? Never heard of it… But why are you here?”
Cui Xiaoxiao felt that this man seemed rather ignorant of the world. Although the Lingshan Talisman Sect could not compare to the major sects, her master Tang Youshu was no obscure figure and had some reputation, at least.
Yet this man had never even heard of their sect?
She blinked her eyes, responding with a question instead of answering, “You’ve been the one asking questions. Now it’s my turn to ask you, why are you smashing these stone tablets?”
The man, who seemed to be a drunkard, tilted his head to unveil his face and drained the last few drops of wine from his gourd before hanging it back, unsatisfied. Pointing at one of the stone tablets, he lazily said, “These tablets are made from dragon bones, a true rarity. Dragons are divine creatures that soar through the heavens and slumber among the clouds and beneath the oceans, epitomizing unrestrained freedom. For such majestic, spiritual beings, having their bones turned into tablets after death is acceptable. But the words engraved on these stone tablets are not written in the free and unbound script of cursive calligraphy. Instead, they are imprinted in a rigid, idiotic manner, as if fearing people cannot understand them. It is like lice infesting a dragon’s body – even in death, they cannot rest in peace! Lashing them with a whip and shattering them is simply scratching an itch, letting these dragon bones experience some relief!”
Saying this, he let out another cold laugh and casually shattered two more stone tablets with his whip. Wherever the whip struck, spiritual energy flowed, indicating that this man’s cultivation was formidable.
His words were twisted logic and drunken ramblings!
Yet as Cui Xiaoxiao listened, she felt there was some reason to them and couldn’t help but nod slightly.
A fine horse deserves a fine saddle, and a fine tablet deserves fine calligraphy. How could a spiritual being like a dragon be willing to have its bones made into tablets praising the mundane achievements of mortals?
Although this drunken man was indulging in drunken antics, his words carried a carefree spirit, marking him as someone true to his nature
If he enjoyed smashing the tablets, then so be it!
She did not want to disrupt his enjoyment, so it was better to quickly leave this place and inquire about the direction to Mount Lao.
Thus, she cupped her hands again and asked, “Excuse me, sir, which way should I go to reach Mount Lao?”
The man looked Cui Xiaoxiao up and down, slowly replying, “This place…is Mount Lao.”
Cui Xiaoxiao was dumbfounded, gazing around again at the lush greenery blanketing the mountain.
She really should not have asked a drunkard! How could this verdant place possibly be the yellow sand-swept Mount Lao?
But at that moment, a boisterous crowd suddenly appeared at the foot of the mountain. They were all traveling by sword flight, their bearing indicating deep cultivation.
With her keen eyesight, Cui Xiaoxiao immediately noticed that the ones in the lead were dressed in white, ethereal robes – likely disciples of the Jiuxuan Sword Sect. As for the various others following behind, she did not know where the sword sect had gathered these helpers from.
Damn it, these lingering ghosts were actually pursuing her all the way here!
And at that moment, the man beside her suddenly drew an old sword without a hilt from his waist. He wrapped a tattered cloth around the bare tang, making it appear as if he intended to fight to the death against those coming up the mountain.
Cui Xiaoxiao felt this had nothing to do with the man, so she spoke up, “Sir, they are after me, not you. If you have no business here, you should leave.”
But this time, the man looked at her quite seriously and asked in return, “Oh? Why are they chasing you?”
Cui Xiaoxiao frowned as she gazed at the swarming crowd below, suspecting the Jiuxuan Sword Sect had practically emptied their entire sect to come after her!
Had Qin Lingxiao become so desperate for a wife that he would go to such lengths to pursue her?
Thus, she let out a cold snort and said, “Someone thinks I should marry him, so he shamelessly pursues me everywhere… You should leave quickly. If you don’t leave soon, you won’t be able to later.”
The man studied Cui Xiaoxiao for a moment, then remarked thoughtfully, “I see. With your beauty, it’s no wonder you’ve attracted scoundrels. The wine today is good, and the person I’ve encountered is also a beauty. Since that is the case, how could I abandon such a fine wine and lovely lady to face danger alone?”
Cui Xiaoxiao felt there was a hint of flirtation in his words and shot the man beside her a cold glare.
However, before she could rebuke him, she saw the man extend his arms, pointing at the swarming crowd trying to ascend the mountain, and said, “Don’t worry, my lady. I will join you in battle. Take a look and see how many you can take on alone. We can split them up!”
Although this masked man’s words lacked decorum, Cui Xiaoxiao sensed a chivalrous aura about him. Despite having no stake in this, he willingly joined the fray. She had never seen anyone so eagerly court trouble.
However, the man was clearly not just putting on an act. He flew straight up, unleashing sword energies that knocked down several people in black robes charging towards them.
Those in black did not seem intent on pursuing Cui Xiaoxiao. With furious expressions, they surrounded the young man, engaging him in fierce combat.
Cui Xiaoxiao could have taken this opportunity to turn and flee, but this man had nobly stepped in to help her despite being drunk. Abandoning him would be lacking in any chivalric spirit.
Thinking this, Cui Xiaoxiao flicked her wrist, retrieving four Water-Guiding Talismans and immediately summoning four water pythons to charge the people below. Taking advantage of them being swept away by the water, Cui Xiaoxiao quickly shouted to the man, “There are too many of them, we cannot brute force our way through! Quick, follow me!”
However, the man did not seem keen on retreating, lazily swinging his sword in a flurry as he said, “A man should face things head on. How can we flee without a fight?”
Cui Xiaoxiao disliked hearing such boastful words from men.
She went over, grabbed his sleeve, and started running, saying as they fled, “A gentleman’s revenge can wait ten years. Our forces are too meager, why waste our lives recklessly? Leave the green mountains intact, and we’ll have plenty of kindling to burn later. Good sir, if you don’t leave now, these verdant hills and ripe kindling will be lost! Be careful, or they might even smash your wine gourd!”
The young man seemed amused by Cui Xiaoxiao’s words and obediently followed her, asking as they ran, “Then…where should we hide to preserve these green hills and ripe kindling?”
Cui Xiaoxiao had already planned their escape route. Without blinking, she said, “Earlier, I climbed up from a mountain valley. That valley seems to have many caves, though I don’t know where they lead. It’s densely forested, perfect for hiding. Let’s take shelter there first. Once night falls, we can think of another plan.”
The man pondered for a moment and nodded, “Makes sense…Since I’m unfamiliar with this area, please lead the way, my lady.”
Not daring to delay, Cui Xiaoxiao headed straight back towards the direction she had climbed up from. The man followed leisurely behind her, watching this slender girl’s long braid swish side to side, like a nimble forest sprite…
Soon, she arrived at the spot she had climbed up from and pointed to the cliff, telling the man, “Good sir, you go down first!”
But the man gazed deeply into the valley below and, after a moment of silence, said, “This valley bottom…it’s better if we don’t jump down.”
Thinking he was afraid of heights, Cui Xiaoxiao didn’t press him further. She prepared to descend the same way she had climbed up, using the vines growing on the cliff face.
But who could have expected that after studying the area for a moment, the man suddenly grabbed Cui Xiaoxiao by the collar without warning and leapt off the cliff…
The cliff was very high – it had taken Cui Xiaoxiao quite some effort to climb up earlier. But jumping down only took a fleeting moment to reach the bottom.
Due to the rapid descent, even though the man used his internal energy to somewhat absorb the impact upon landing, the ground still cratered from their powerful landing, leaving a large pit amid the bed of fallen leaves.
When the two tumbled into the pit, Cui Xiaoxiao discovered a wet, viscous sensation beneath her – the pit seemed to contain several massive eggs, and they had landed directly atop a few of these huge eggs, cracking them open and causing the egg fluid to ooze out…
