Chapter 1: The Ancient Course of the Yellow River

Walking along the mountain path, the initial stretch was manageable, and Fang Nian and his companions could still spot traces of previous travelers.

However, these traces gradually faded away as they progressed deeper. Tall weeds grew thick in many places—some towering higher than a person—obscuring the path beneath their feet.

With the weather currently overcast and rainy, a single moment of carelessness could plunge someone into a mud pit or a marsh from which escape would be nearly impossible.

Observing this, Zhang Liao drew the short blade at his waist and began hacking away at the overgrown weeds. It was evident that his weapon was of exceptional quality; it sliced through the grass as effortlessly as cutting tofu, clearing a path with every sweep of his hand.

"The road ahead is still long," Zhou Cang said, stepping forward at that moment. "Brother Wenyuan, leave this kind of heavy labor to me. I'm not of much use for anything else anyway."

Zhang Liao did not decline, muttering that he too... In the end, the two of them took turns clearing the path, allowing the group to advance smoothly.

Continuing their march for three more days, Jia Xu consulted the map in his hand, then pointed toward a distant mountain range that vaguely resembled a reclining Buddha.

"That is Mount Wula," Jia Xu said. "If we pick up our pace, we should be able to arrive by tomorrow evening."

Hearing that they would reach their destination the day after tomorrow, Zhou Cang blurted out, "The day after tomorrow? That mountain looks to be only half a day's journey away from us. Does it really take that long?"

Chen Deng, standing nearby, tapped Zhou Cang on the head and chuckled, "You big oaf, have you never heard the saying that a mountain looks close enough to run to, but wears out a horse? The mountain appears near, but if you truly measure the distance, we still have at least several hundred miles to go."

"Furthermore, the further we advance, the scarcer human traces become. Places uninhabited by people are inevitably reclaimed by nature, making the path much more treacherous. Add to that the wildlife roaming this region, and our mobility won't match what it was before. Besides—"

Here, Chen Deng gestured toward Cai Wenji, who was looking somewhat fatigued in the rear. "We also have Miss Cai with us, so naturally we cannot move too swiftly."

Seeing Chen Deng bring up Cai Wenji, Zhang Liao grew somewhat displeased. In truth, he had noticed long ago that Cai Wenji was reaching her limit.

If Cai Wenji were a man, Zhang Liao would have hoisted her onto his back without hesitation. But because she was a woman, carrying her in such a manner would embarrass not only her, but him as well.

Yet now that Chen Deng was using this as a point of discussion, Zhang Liao rose, intending to retort, only to be held back by Jia Xu standing beside him.

Noticing this, Zhang Liao cast a slightly disgruntled look at Jia Xu. "Mr. Wenhe."

Jia Xu shook his head and motioned for him to look back. Zhang Liao turned just in time to see Fang Nian lifting Cai Wenji up in a bridal carry, leaving him utterly dumbfounded.

By this point, Fang Nian's internal energy cultivation had reached an extraordinarily high level. Forget carrying a petite young woman like Cai Wenji; even if he were asked to hoist Zhou Cang over his shoulder, Fang Nian could easily manage it.

A trace of envy flickered in Zhang Liao's eyes, but he suppressed it, instantly understanding Chen Deng's underlying intent.

Chen Deng had spoken up precisely to prompt Fang Nian into carrying her, having long since observed that Fang Nian's physical stamina far exceeded that of ordinary men—as evidenced by the fact that after days of relentless travel, Fang Nian's face remained unblushed and his breathing steady.

Jia Xu patted Zhang Liao on the shoulder and smiled. "My friend, don't be so blunt. Sometimes, being too straightforward is the quickest way to fail at winning a lady's heart."

Zhang Liao was a military commander; set him on the battlefield, and he could take on a hundred enemies alone. But when faced with matters of this nature, he was no match for a modern man like Fang Nian. They were simply operating on entirely different wavelengths.

As for Cai Wenji and Fang Nian, although Cai Wenji was strong-willed enough to assist her father in governing a massive city, she was ultimately a woman—and a woman of ancient times at that—meaning her nature remained naturally reserved.

When Fang Nian first swept her up, she instinctively struggled and resisted for a moment. But realizing the reality of their situation—not only did it greatly accelerate their march, but Fang Nian was remarkably gentlemanly, keeping his hands carefully positioned and holding his body as far away from hers as decency permitted—Cai Wenji finally let go of her worries and allowed herself to be carried in peace.

After two more days of travel, the group finally caught sight of the Yellow River's riverbed. However, the water flowing through this channel was not as murky and yellow as the main stream, nor was the current rapid; it bore little resemblance to the Yellow River they knew elsewhere.

Jia Xu studied the direction of the river and addressed the group. "If we follow this river eastward, we should reach Mount Wula in roughly half a day."

Hearing Jia Xu's words, Zhou Cang laughed good-naturedly. "It really is just like the scholar said: a mountain looks close enough to run to, but the path itself is endlessly long."

Just at that moment, Zhang Liao, who had been maintaining constant vigilance over their surroundings, suddenly crouched down and peered closely at the ground. He turned to Fang Nian and the others, saying, "Come and look at this. There are footprints here, and they are fresh."

Hearing this, everyone instantly grew alert and crowded around to inspect. Indeed, the riverbank bore numerous traces of human activity, and the group behind them was by no means small.

Fang Nian quickly pieced the situation together in his mind. This party must belong to Bai Zhe. The initial briefing materials had already outlined the setup: a two-player competition where one team was configured according to individual character assignments—such as his own group—while the other was assigned a military unit, relying on troop mobility to locate the ancient burial site.

Of course, whether one could assemble the required forces depended entirely on one's own capability, but judging by the current evidence, Bai Zhe clearly managed to secure his own contingent.

Jia Xu traced the footprints to determine their direction of travel. "Their destination should be the same as ours—further upstream. They are likely aware of our presence as well. Judging by the density of the footprints, this force numbers at least a hundred men, and they are equipped with heavy weaponry. We must proceed with caution and avoid a direct confrontation with them before we locate the tomb."

The others nodded in agreement, fully endorsing Jia Xu's assessment. Fang Nian gained a profound appreciation for why men like Jia Xu could serve as master strategists in ancient times, commanding armies of tens or even hundreds of thousands.

It was because they possessed the sheer capability for it. Faced with an unexpected situation, Jia Xu could steady the morale of the troops with just a few words and formulate the most prudent next steps. Such mastery was something Fang Nian truly needed to study, believing it would prove immensely beneficial to his future hunts.

Following the river channel in the wake of that military force, they marched upstream for roughly another half a day. By then, scholars like Jia Xu and Chen Deng were genuinely reaching their physical limits, prompting them to set up camp by the riverbank for the night.

Yet just as they prepared to settle, Zhang Liao, who had been scouting ahead, suddenly shouted back to Jia Xu and Fang Nian, "Come and see this! Why has the water in the river turned red?"