The central army tent in Xinye was lit by bright candlelight. Guan Yu held the Green Dragon Crescent Blade in his hand; the blue-gold blade shimmered with a faint glow under the candlelight, drawing frequent glances from Zhang Fei and Liu Bei. Since his return from Zitong Mountain, this divine blade had become the focus of the entire city. Today, the three gathered specifically to listen to Guan Yu detail the adventure of forging the blade.
"Second Brother, hurry up and tell us! How exactly was this divine blade forged? Is that dragon horn really that magical?" Zhang Fei couldn't contain his impatience, leaning close to the blade, wanting to touch it yet daring not to. He only circled around the blade, his eyes filled with jealousy and admiration.
Guan Yu stroked the green dragon patterns on the blade, his expression solemn: "Third Brother, this Green Dragon Crescent Blade is no ordinary weapon. The day I handed the dragon horn to Master Qin Jishi, I learned that the horn belonged to an ancient divine dragon—it was transformed from the green dragon that guarded Yunmeng Marsh when Yu the Great controlled the floods, embodying the spiritual veins of heaven and earth and dragon qi." He recounted the mythical legend told by Qin Jishi in detail: from the origin of the dragon horn, to the will of Veda Bodhisattva sending help, and then to the extraordinary sight of the green dragon taking form and merging into the blade during forging. Liu Bei and Zhang Fei were stunned and tongue-tied as they listened.
"Wow! What an adventure!" Zhang Fei slammed his thigh, his eyes turning red with envy. "With this divine blade, Second Brother will surely be invincible in the future! No way, I, Zhang Fei, must also find a treasure! If there was a green dragon in Yunmeng Marsh, there must be other divine objects there. I'm going to explore Yunmeng Marsh again right now—I must find a weapon more powerful than this blade!"
Liu Bei quickly waved his hand to stop him: "Third Brother, don't be reckless! Yunmeng Marsh is extremely dangerous. Last time, if it weren't for Master Cui Zhouping's rescue, we would have already died and fed the fish. Moreover, our warships on the water route were destroyed, and all treasures were lost. Taking the water route again is unwise." He paused, a flash of determination in his eyes. "However, Mr. Kong Ming is the key to reviving the Han Dynasty. My injuries have healed, and I intend to visit Wolong Mountain again. This time, we won't take the water route; instead, we'll take the mountain road and go by horse. It's safer, and we can also avoid water monsters and Cao Jun's spies along the way."
Guan Yu nodded in agreement: "What Elder Brother said is absolutely correct. Although the mountain road is longer, it is much more stable. My Green Dragon Crescent Blade is now complete. If we encounter demons and ghosts on the way again, I can also protect Elder Brother and Third Brother."
Upon hearing this, although Zhang Fei still couldn't forget the treasures in Yunmeng Marsh, he no longer insisted when he thought about visiting Wolong Mountain again and possibly encountering other adventures: "Alright! I'll listen to Elder Brother! I'd like to see what strange things we'll encounter on the mountain road to Wolong Mountain!"
The three immediately finalized their plan, ordering their men to prepare three fine horses, dry rations, drinking water, and self-defense items, and set off early the next morning. Guan Yu rode a jujube-red warhorse, holding the Green Dragon Crescent Blade horizontally on the saddle; the blue-gold light shone brightly in the morning light. Zhang Fei rode a black steed, holding a spear, still looking unruly. Liu Bei rode a white horse, wearing a black brocade robe, his expression calm, his eyes firmly fixed on the direction of Wolong Mountain.
They galloped along the way, traveling by day and resting by night, reaching the foot of Wolong Mountain in less than five days. As soon as they stopped, Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were shocked by the momentum of the mountain in front of them. Unlike the soft and treacherous miasma-shrouded Yunmeng Marsh, the majesty of Wolong Mountain exuded an overwhelming masculinity and ferocity. The peaks clustered together; the layered mountain ranges resembled the back of an ancient behemoth, stretching across the sky. The cliffs were all as if cut by knives and axes, with sharp edges and corners. The exposed blue-black rocks glowed with a cold and hard luster under the sky, without the slightest hint of softness.
The mountain top was hidden in surging clouds and mist—not the gentle mist of Jiangnan's rainy scenery, but dark white, rolling like waves. Sometimes it swallowed the entire mountain, leaving only half of the steep cliff exposed; sometimes it was torn open by the mountain wind, revealing the even more perilous peaks deep inside, like the opening and closing fangs of a giant beast, exuding a terrifying sense of oppression. When the clouds and mist swept over the mountain, they carried a cold, damp chill that pierced to the bone, making the three unconsciously pull their robes tighter.
There was no path at all at the foot of the mountain—only an impenetrable thicket of thorns and ancient vines as thick as a bowl's mouth intertwined into a net. The thorns were as sharp as steel needles, glowing with a faint green luster, as if poisoned; a slight approach could lead to cuts. The ancient vines coiled around dead trees and rocks like giant pythons, their bark rough and cracked, covered with moss. Some hung down, blocking the way; others were deeply embedded in the cracks of the mountain wall, like the blood vessels of the mountain, exuding primitive vitality.
The ground was covered with thick decaying leaves, which felt soft and deep when stepped on, making a "squelch" sound. No one knew how many gravels and swamps were hidden underneath. Dead trees lay scattered at slants; some were already decayed and hollow, with insects crawling in the holes, emitting a stench mixed with wet soil and humus. The mountain wind passing through the forest was not a gentle breeze, but a sharp howl, making the ancient vines rustle, mixed with the shrill cries of unknown birds and beasts, adding a sense of wilderness and danger. It was as if the entire mountain was a dormant giant beast, scrutinizing the intruders with invisible eyes.
"Elder Brother, crossing Wolong Mountain will bring us to Wolonggang. If I had known the mountain road was so easy, we should have taken it instead of the Yunmeng Marsh water route last time!" Zhang Fei reined in his horse, looked around, and said carelessly. "This Wolong Mountain doesn't look scary at all—it's much safer than Yunmeng Marsh!"
But Liu Bei's expression was solemn, and he slowly shook his head: "Third Brother, don't be careless. Although Wolong Mountain seems calm, it actually hides hidden dangers. This mountain is a gathering place of spiritual veins; it nourishes both auspicious omens and evil spirits. Last time, we had Master Cui Zhouping's help on the water route. This time, the dangers on the mountain road will depend entirely on ourselves." He knew in his heart that the mountain was heavy with yin energy and must be extraordinary. The perilous mountain road was a test of their sincerity in seeking a worthy scholar.
Guan Yu also nodded in agreement: "What Elder Brother said is correct. Before I set off, I heard many legends about demons in Wolong Mountain. Some say there are giant pythons in the mountain that can devour living people; some say there are mountain spirits in the forest that can confuse people's minds; others say there are man-eating strange beasts living on the mountain top. Few ordinary woodcutters dare to go deep into the mountain." He stroked the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, his eyes sharp. "But now, with this divine blade in hand, even if there are really demons, I can slash them!"
Upon hearing this, the smile on Zhang Fei's face froze instantly. He unconsciously shuddered, gasped, and couldn't help but worry about Liu Bei's safety. But then he thought: Second Brother has such a divine weapon as the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, and Elder Brother has the two of them guarding him—what was there to be afraid of? He unconsciously gripped the spear in his hand, which reassured him a little. However, when he thought that Guan Yu's divine blade was forged from an ancient dragon horn, while his own spear was just an ordinary weapon, his heart was filled with mixed emotions—envy and unwillingness.
"Alright, there's no time to waste. Let's enter the mountain." Liu Bei tightened the reins. "After entering the mountain, we must be extremely careful and not make loud noises, so as not to alarm the evil spirits in the mountain." With that, he took the lead in urging his horse forward into the mountain. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei followed closely behind. The three fine horses stepped through the thorns and slowly entered Wolong Mountain.
After entering the mountain, the scene became even more bizarre. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sun; sunlight filtered through the gaps between the branches and leaves, casting scattered spots of light, making the light and shadow in the forest interweave, adding a sense of gloom. The air was filled with a damp smell of plants and trees, mixed with a faint stench, making people inexplicably flustered. The road was rugged and difficult to travel; the horses were often tripped by protruding rocks or tangled ancient vines, and their progress gradually slowed down.
Halfway through their journey, a shrill cry suddenly came from the forest, like ghosts wailing and wolves howling, making people's hair stand on end. Zhang Fei was so scared that he trembled all over, suddenly reining in his horse and vigilantly looking around: "What's making that noise? It's so terrifying!"
Guan Yu narrowed his phoenix eyes, held the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, and said in a deep voice: "Third Brother, don't panic. It must be strange birds or beasts in the mountain." As soon as he finished speaking, several strangely shaped birds flew up from the forest. They were completely black, with wings spanning three chi wide, sharp beaks and claws, and eyes as red as blood. The cry they made was exactly the shrill sound they had just heard.
Seeing this, Guan Yu let out a cold snort, lifted the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, and waved it gently. A faint green light instantly emanated from the blade; the blue-gold sword qi, wrapped in dragon qi, swept toward the strange birds. As if sensing the threat, the strange birds screamed in fear, turned around and fled one after another, disappearing into the dense forest in an instant.
"Ha! Second Brother's divine blade is amazing!" Zhang Fei laughed loudly when he saw this, the fear in his heart disappearing completely. "With this divine blade around, all demons and ghosts have to step aside! If I, Zhang Fei, also had such a divine artifact, I would definitely be more prestigious than Second Brother!" As he spoke, his eyes were full of longing, and his determination to find a treasure became even stronger.
The three continued forward, encountering several sturdy monsters along the way—some were wild boars with fangs, some were armoured bears, each ferocious-looking. But whenever these monsters approached, the Green Dragon Crescent Blade in Guan Yu's hand would glow with green light, and the monsters would tremble with fear, turn around and flee, not daring to offend in the slightest. Zhang Fei watched with great interest, chattering away all the way—sometimes mocking the monsters for being cowardly, sometimes complaining that he didn't get a chance to make a move.
After walking for an unknown amount of time, a cliff suddenly appeared ahead. The three reined in their horses and stopped to look. The cliff was hundreds of zhang high; the steep cliff face was as if cut by knives and axes, with no grass growing. Below the cliff was a turbulent torrent, the water rushing and roaring, rolling up huge waves that crashed against the cliff, making a deafening sound. Even more terrifying was that from the torrent, faint wails like those of countless ghosts could be heard, sad and shrill, making people's scalps tingle.
In the canyon, the River of Forgetfulness lay like a dormant nether giant python between the cliffs, exuding a suffocating sense of weirdness and gloom. The river water was not the usual clear or turbid, but a dark jet-black, like solidified ink, with a faint dark red glow, as if mixed with endless bloodstains and resentment. The current was extremely turbulent, rushing and roaring to roll up zhang-high waves. The wave crests crashed against the rocks on both banks; the splashing water droplets, when they fell on the hands, carried a biting cold, as if even the soul would be frozen.
Fine white foam floated on the river surface, mixed with bones that had been floating for who knew how many years, tattered clothes, and tangled black hair, rising and falling with the waves—sometimes sinking into the water, sometimes being rolled up to the surface, making people's scalps tingle. Vague huge whirlpools could be seen under the water; the black centers of the whirlpools seemed to be entrances to hell. Occasionally, pale arms stretched out from the whirlpools, waving futilely a few times before being dragged into the depths by the rapid current, accompanied by a faint shrill wail that dissipated in the wind.
The cliffs on both banks were even more ferocious and terrifying. The blue-black rocks had no grass growing, covered with cracks of varying depths. Faint green light spots seemed to flicker in the cracks, like the eyes of lonely ghosts, staring firmly at the three intruders. Several dead trees jutted out obliquely from the cliff face, their branches twisted like ghost claws. The bare branches were wrapped with broken chains and blackened cloth strips, making a "whimpering" sound in the wind, like the wailing of wandering souls.
A strong stench of decay mixed with cold dampness hit their faces. This smell was not the stench of soil or plants, but carried the stench of rotting corpses and an indescribable resentment. Inhaling it through the nose made people dizzy and restless. A thin layer of grayish yin mist lingered above the river surface, floating sticky above the water, blurring the distant scene—only the dilapidated suspension bridge loomed faintly in the mist.
The vines of the suspension bridge had long lost their vitality, turning black and brittle, covered with moss and unknown mucus. Some parts were already broken, leaving only a few thin vines barely connected, shaking violently under the impact of the rapid current, making a harsh "squeak—squeak—" sound, as if it would completely collapse in the next second. Most of the decayed wooden planks had fallen off, revealing ferocious gaps. Through the gaps, one could see the surging jet-black river water below, and the vague black shadows shaking in the water, like countless lonely ghosts struggling in the water, waiting for someone to step on the suspension bridge to drag them into the endless netherworld.
The cold wind passed through the canyon, carrying countless faint wails and whimpers—sometimes like the sobbing of a child, sometimes like the lament of an old woman, each cry dripping with blood, making people's hair stand on end. Even a veteran general like Guan Yu, who had experienced countless battles, couldn't help but grip the Green Dragon Crescent Blade tightly, cold sweat seeping from his palms. The entire canyon seemed to be isolated between the yin and yang worlds, with no trace of vitality—only endless resentment and gloom shrouding every inch of land.
"It seems that this is the only way forward." Liu Bei took a deep breath. "Now that we're here, we have to take the risk and try."
When they reached the center of the bridge, a sudden strong wind blew. The wind, carrying the water vapor and stench from below the cliff, howled past the cliff, making the three's robes flutter violently. Even the horses pawed the ground restlessly, letting out uneasy neighs. Liu Bei unconsciously raised his hand to block the sand and wind, barely opening his eyes to look across the suspension bridge. What he saw made his hair stand on end instantly.
In the black forest across the suspension bridge, a group of huge eyes emitting orange light suddenly lit up, like orange lanterns hanging in the darkness, flickering with ferocious light. The owners of these eyes were hidden in the dense forest; only vague huge outlines could be seen, exuding a suffocating pressure.
"Tha... that's what?" Zhang Fei's voice trembled with fear. He unconsciously gripped his spear tightly, his legs shaking slightly.
Guan Yu's expression also turned solemn. He held the Green Dragon Crescent Blade, fully on guard: "Not good! It must be a fierce beast in the mountain! It seems that we've encountered a tough opponent today!"
Liu Bei's heart sank, and he quickly said: "We shouldn't stay here long! Let's retreat to the top of the cliff first and then make plans!" With that, he was about to urge his horse to retreat. But the wind was too strong, making the suspension bridge shake violently. Even the cliff edge under their feet was unstable, and the horses were even more restless and difficult to control.
"Elder Brother, the wind is too strong! The bridge is shaking violently! We can't retreat!" Zhang Fei shouted loudly. He was already afraid of heights, and now he could barely stand. He could only use both hands to try his best to stabilize his figure and the horse.
Just as they were trapped between advancing and retreating, a deafening roar suddenly came from the black forest across the suspension bridge. Immediately after, a huge figure suddenly rushed out of the forest and jumped onto the suspension bridge. The suspension bridge, unable to bear the weight, let out a "creaking" groan, as if it would break at any moment.