The next day, Tang Lici bought a wet nurse in Jiufeng Town and temporarily left Feng Feng in her care. The four of them then set off for the Wuyi Mountains.
Wuyi Mountain Range.
The endless deep mountains, though not particularly high, were densely forested, teeming with insects, snakes, mosquitoes, vines, and poisonous plants—far more treacherous than the snow-covered Cat Sprout Peak. At times, Chi Yun had to wield his blade to clear a path, hacking away for half a day without making much progress. After several days of struggling through the thick woods, they had no choice but to leap onto the treetops to continue their journey. However, running atop the trees was exhausting, and the vast sea of greenery offered no clue as to where Soul Prayer Mountain might be.
"Since there’s white peculiar soil behind Soul Prayer Mountain that makes graves hard to destroy after burial, this soil must be extremely hard," Tang Lici mused as he dashed across the treetops. "And since Xue Xianzi was willing to bury his late wife there, the mountain must be home to many rare and exotic flowers. Are there any unusual flowers that grow exclusively on hard rock?" Shen Langhun and Chi Yun frowned. When it came to martial arts, they were experts, but flowers were entirely beyond their knowledge. Zhong Chunji spoke up, "There’s a type of rock jasmine that grows on stone, but Master prefers white flowers, especially large ones like magnolias. A tiny rock jasmine wouldn’t likely be his favorite." Tang Lici glided onto a large tree. "Perhaps Soul Prayer Mountain has other rare flowers… or perhaps its unique soil and flora are the reason Dissolute Shop chose it as their stronghold… Could the ingredients for the Ape-Demon Nine Hearts Pill grow there?" Shen Langhun replied indifferently, "It’s possible." Suddenly, Tang Lici stopped, and Chi Yun nearly collided with him. "What?" Tang Lici flicked his sleeve. "Look."
Before them, amidst the rolling mountains, a sunken valley appeared. The dense trees and vines gradually thinned out, revealing numerous graves within the valley. Instead of white peculiar soil, grayish tombstones stood in their place. What was this place, and who were buried here? What lives had they led, what stories had they lived?
The four stood silently atop the treetops, surveying the many graves in the valley. Who had discovered this place first? Who had buried the first person here? After a moment, Tang Lici descended gracefully to the ground. The valley floor was covered in flowers, though none were exotic—just ordinary yellow blooms. Raising his gaze, he spotted a courtyard nestled deep within a bamboo grove among the graves. Shen Langhun’s eyes moved between the tombstones. Most of the names inscribed were unfamiliar, likely belonging to renowned martial artists from decades or even centuries ago. Some graves bore no names at all.
No matter the great deeds or sins committed in life, death comes for all. And when future generations stand before these graves, how many will remember? Those achievements—how fleeting; those mistakes—how insubstantial. Yet despite the ephemeral nature of life, people remain forever caught in their relentless pursuits, clinging to what they cannot let go. Tang Lici walked slowly among the graves, his steps unhurried, heading toward the courtyard in the bamboo grove.
It was a gray-black courtyard, its gates tightly shut. The gray plaster walls exuded a dull hue, unlike ordinary homes, and a heavy, cloying scent hung in the air. Shen Langhun, standing behind Tang Lici, remarked, "A strange smell." Tang Lici pushed open the black gates. With a creak, they revealed an empty interior—long abandoned, with no one in sight."Heh, the lair of the Dissolute Shop. This wall powder is made from the ashes of burned Dustless Flowers." Chi Yun said coldly. "This stuff is first-class knockout drug. Back in the day, I almost fell for it." Shen Langhun ran his hand along the gray wall, forcefully breaking off a piece. As the powder crumbled down, the oppressive feeling grew stronger. "This explains why all the women in the Dissolute Shop are so extreme and savage, and why they're obsessed with their so-called 'Revered Master' as if under some evil spell." Chi Yun remarked icily, "That's because they are under an evil spell."
Tang Lici stepped into the main hall. Inside the Dissolute Shop, the walls were coated with gray powder, yet the furnishings were white tables and chairs—an arrangement quite unlike ordinary homes. Silver candlesticks stood on the tables, with white candles as lights, crystal decanters, and silver cups. Some cups still held half-filled dark red wine. "Dustless Flowers... that means everyone here could be under the influence of this drug..." He picked up an exquisite silver cup left on the table, gave it a slight shake, and murmured, "These utensils... this wine... you..."
"Bizarre paintings, white-furred foxes—isn't this one just like you? Hahaha..." Chi Yun strode into the hall, where a long corridor was lined with paintings on both sides. These weren't landscapes or ink wash pieces but portraits painted with some unknown pigment. One depicted four oddly dressed youths in a strangely decorated room—two leaning against the door, two sitting on a table. Another showed a pile of bleached bones, a mountain of skulls, and a pool of blood and dismembered limbs, with a skeletal figure standing atop the bones, weeping while holding a skull. Chi Yun studied them carefully. Both paintings were strikingly lifelike, though in the first, only three of the four youths had clearly defined faces; the fourth had no features at all, just a blank face. Clearly, one of the four in the first painting was Tang Lici, while the skeletal figure in the second was likely Liu Yan himself. This master of the Dissolute Shop was quite the polymath—not only could he kill with that ghostly pipa, but his painting skills far surpassed Chi Yun's own.
Tang Lici's gaze swept over the two paintings without comment. Zhong Chunji's eyes lingered on the image of the four gathered together. "Why would Young Master Tang's likeness be in the Dissolute Shop?" Chi Yun said coolly, "Because the madman running this place is his friend. Hah, a good friend." Zhong Chunji frowned. "Good friend?" Shen Langhun suddenly interjected, equally cool, "Indeed. A lifelong friend." Zhong Chunji stared at the painting, faintly sensing something familiar about it but unable to place it. She repeated, "Good friend?" Why would Tang Lici be close friends with the master of the heinous Dissolute Shop?
"This is Fang Zhou." Tang Lici, who had already walked past, turned back when he noticed the three lingering. He pointed lightly at one figure in the painting. "Three Sounds Fang Zhou." Chi Yun examined it closely. The depicted figure had messy long hair, strikingly dark and spirited eyes, with a faintly fierce gaze. Though just a painting, it exuded an air of arrogance and aloofness. "So this is the dead man you're so determined to find?" Zhong Chunji's heart trembled slightly. So he was searching for his friend's remains. But why would he come to the Dissolute Shop for that? Could it be that his enmity with the Dissolute Shop stemmed from vengeance for his friend?"He's someone cold on the outside but warm at heart." Tang Lici's gaze finally settled on that painting. "He's three years older than me and always acted the elder brother. Though aloof and seemingly hard to approach, he's actually very considerate... He'd rather suffer in silence than show weakness to anyone." Initially, he had only glanced at the painting, but now he stared at it intently, smiling faintly. "When he wakes up, you'll see I'm not wrong."
Chi Yun coughed lightly, while Shen Langhun sighed softly. Only Zhong Chunji looked puzzled. "But hasn't he passed away?" Tang Lici had clearly stated he came searching for a corpse—how could a corpse wake up?
"He will wake up." Tang Lici walked down the corridor, and the three instinctively followed. Piaoling Mei Yuan didn't appear eerie or terrifying, yet there was something unsettling about Tang Lici. Passing through the hallway, they entered another room furnished with white tables and chairs, even more exquisitely crafted with intricate carvings. Paintings adorned the walls, depicting the yellow flowers from the valley outside. The room was spacious, with four doors leading to separate corridors—an unusual layout. Shen Langhun's pupils contracted slightly. "Stay together." Chi Yun rested his hand on his blade, highly alert to the four corridors. Even if the room seemed empty, traps could still be hidden.
"Chi Yun, you and Miss Zhong wait here." Tang Lici slowly surveyed the four entrances. "Shen Langhun and I will scout ahead." Zhong Chunji spoke up, "I think we should listen to Brother Shen—it's better if all four of us stay together." Tang Lici smiled faintly. "If a trap can hold Tang Lici and Shen Langhun, then all four of us entering wouldn't make a difference. You two stay here. If we don't return by mealtime, dismantle the house—do not enter." Chi Yun said coldly, "Go on. What trap in this world could possibly hold you, Tang Lici, the old fox? If you don't come back, I'll just leave." Tang Lici turned away. "Good enough."
Shen Langhun eyed the corridor entrance. "If you're going to dismantle the place, it's best to find some mud or water to wet the walls first." Chi Yun scoffed. "You think I'm new to this?" Shen Langhun ignored him, speaking calmly. "Which way first?" Tang Lici looked toward the eastern entrance, his smile elegant and gentle. "East, west, south, north—we'll start from the east."
Their figures vanished into the eastern entrance. Though the doorway was ornately decorated and not the least bit sinister, Zhong Chunji found it unnerving. Chi Yun leaned against the wall impatiently, arms crossed. What was that white-haired fox thinking, bringing this girl along? What good was she? Nothing but a nuisance—especially since her master was that lecherous old scoundrel, making her even more intolerable! Zhong Chunji stood dumbly in the center of the room, unsure whether Tang Lici had invited her because he sensed her dark thoughts, or because he knew she had once listened to the black-clad Liu Yan and accepted a vial of medicine from him. Or perhaps... he simply trusted her and held her in some regard?The silent room suddenly emitted a faint "click" from the wall. Chi Yun swiftly turned around, the Moon Crossing Ring already between his fingers. The painting of yellow flowers fell from the wall on its own, shattering into pieces with a "smack" as it hit the ground. Zhong Chunji's face turned pale, her right hand gripping her sword. There was no one in the room—how had the painting fallen? In broad daylight, under the clear sky, could there really be ghosts?
Shen Langhun and Tang Lici walked into the eastern corridor. The walls were lined with white paper lanterns and round light-permeable holes, so it wasn’t dark. Before long, they saw rows of doors. Shen Langhun gently pushed one open, revealing a woman's boudoir. "With so many women in the Dissolute Shop, it seems they live here. But this isn’t a good place for burial." Tang Lici lightly dragged his fingers down the wall. "Still the ashes of Dustless Flower. These women, influenced by this drug day and night, might have initially only held some affection for Liu Yan, but over time, it would turn into deep-seated longing. However... Liu Yan doesn’t know the effects of Dustless Flower. There must be another poison master in the Dissolute Shop."
The two walked side by side, opening and inspecting every door. Though their purpose was to find Fang Zhou’s corpse, they also sought to uncover the secrets of the Dissolute Shop. After checking dozens of rooms, the corridor suddenly darkened at its end, opening into a vast, dimly lit empty room. White candles were arranged on the floor in the shape of willow leaves, stretching into the distance, while at the far end stood a gilded door. The two exchanged glances. "What now?" Shen Langhun asked coolly. Tang Lici smiled faintly. "Retreat." They turned back the way they came, seeking another entrance.
Returning to the previous room, Tang Lici suddenly paused. Shen Langhun glanced around—the room was empty. The two who had been waiting here earlier had vanished without a trace!
"What happened?" Shen Langhun’s expression darkened. "How could this be?" The room looked exactly as before, except the two living people were gone. With Chi Yun’s martial skills, it was impossible for him to be captured without making a single sound! Tang Lici’s eyes flickered as his gaze swept over the walls. "Earlier, there seemed to be the sound of something falling."
"But nothing here is broken." Shen Langhun crouched to listen closely. "No footsteps, but there’s someone within ten steps." Tang Lici stared at the painting of yellow flowers. "This room is simple. If someone were here, they couldn’t just disappear. So—" Shen Langhun stood up and said calmly, "Someone must be behind the wall." Tang Lici raised his hand, and with a loud crash, the wall holding the yellow flower painting collapsed, revealing a large hole. On the other side stood people, and a series of metallic clangs rang out as a blade flashed like snow toward them! Tang Lici flicked his sleeve to deflect the blade. As the light passed, the black hair at his temples fluttered, and a silver-ringed throwing knife was caught between his fingers.
"Huh? How did you come back from the other side of the wall?" Chi Yun leaped through the hole Tang Lici had made. "Eh—" Shen Langhun interjected coolly, "How is this room identical to the one on the other side of the wall?" Zhong Chunji followed, climbing over the wall with a look of astonishment. "How is this possible?""This room is originally circular, divided into two halves with four doors on each side, identical in layout," said Tang Lici. "When someone steps inside, the uneven weight on both sides causes the room to rotate. It turns very slowly, making it hard to notice. Once rotated, the four doors no longer lead to their original passages, and those returning through the passages won't find the same room they left." He lightly tapped the wall with his knuckles. "But these walls are so thin—this mechanism isn’t particularly ingenious. Rather than a trap, it seems more like a playful device. From this, Piaoling Mei Yuan appears to be a maze filled with such mechanisms."
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