As the dazzling light shone, everyone instinctively covered their eyes with their hands.
Gradually, as they adapted to the brightness, their gazes fell upon a shocking scene.
The sight before them was not just different from what they had imagined; it was entirely unrelated.
Small hills appeared all around.
The snow on the hills had begun to melt, revealing patches of green grass.
And on the grasslands, small red flowers bloomed one after another.
The red buds appeared even more vibrant against the backdrop of the white snow.
Contrary to their expectations, there were no houses on the mountaintops.
Instead, atop the peaks, aside from the flowers, there seemed to be nothing else.
"Boss, something's not right. There should be a settlement, shouldn't there?"
Fatty's eyes widened as he asked.
Zhang Tian also found it strange.
There should have been a village.
Had he miscalculated?
"Maybe it's inside, but we have to find a sea of flowers first,"
Zhang Tian said, looking at the valley before him.
Indeed, Motuo was surrounded by mountains, which connected to form a valley.
The valley was vast, stretching beyond sight.
After speaking, Zhang Tian turned his gaze to Zhang Qilin.
Zhang Qilin was also observing the scenery.
However, he felt a sense of familiarity.
"Do you feel anything familiar?"
Zhang Tian asked.
Zhang Qilin nodded slightly.
Since regaining some of his memories in the Demon Pagoda, Zhang Tian noticed that Zhang Qilin's mind seemed to be becoming more agile.
Moreover, Zhang Qilin appeared to be developing his own emotions, which was what Zhang Tian had hoped to see.
Previously, due to amnesia and a curse, Zhang Qilin had been devoid of emotion.
Even after experiencing several major events, he remained stoic.
But now, Zhang Qilin was slowly recovering.
This was what Zhang Tian desired.
"Follow me."
Suddenly, Zhang Qilin spoke.
He walked ahead.
"What's going on? Second Brother is actually leading the way?"
"If the people of Motuo saw this, wouldn't it be a grand celebration with gongs and firecrackers?"
Fatty's face showed surprise at Zhang Qilin taking the lead.
"Brother Kaixuan, your turns of phrase are quite good. I must learn from you on this point."
Wang Banyue remarked, feeling that this fellow didn't use as many colorful expressions as Kaixuan.
Wang Kaixuan grinned proudly.
"These are Fatty's hidden treasures, how can they be learned so easily?"
Fatty said, swaggering as he followed.
Zhang Qilin quickly ascended a small hill.
He looked up towards the distance.
"It's over there."
Zhang Qilin stood on the summit and spoke.
His gaze was fixed on the far distance.
Zhang Tian took two swift steps to Zhang Qilin's side.
His gaze followed Zhang Qilin's eyes.
In the distance, a dilapidated small village appeared before them.
The village roofs and even the architectural style were very old.
Some houses were even built into caves.
From afar, not a wisp of smoke could be seen.
"No, it's strange. At this temperature, a normal village should have a heated kang. This village looks a bit off."
"When we were in the Northeast before, the villages always had kangs lit in winter."
Hu Bayi's hoarse voice was heard.
He looked into the distance, his brow furrowed.
Hu Bayi had experienced harsh climates in the Northeast, and they relied on kangs for survival.
But the temperature here was no less severe than in the Northeast, yet there were no kangs and no fires lit, which was illogical.
"This place seems uninhabited,"
Zhang Tian said.
For a moment, everyone was speechless.
"How is that possible? This is Motuo, and they said there were experts here? Why would no one be living here?"
Wu Tianzhen asked, perplexed.
"I'm not sure either, but we should find out by going to take a look."
Zhang Tian shook his head, indicating his uncertainty.
While Zhang Tian and the others were discussing, Zhang Qilin had already moved ahead.
He seemed to know the route very well, forging ahead.
Zhang Tian and the others exchanged glances and quickly followed.
"Boss, I feel like Second Brother is about to remember something."
Fatty whispered to the side.
"Yes, I have that feeling too."
Zhang Tian nodded. Zhang Qilin's demeanor was as if he were on the verge of remembering, ready to recall it at any moment.
Within ten minutes, Zhang Tian and the others had arrived at the small settlement.
They had moved swiftly along the way.
Zhang Qilin seemed almost desperate to fly.
The settlement was located in the center of the valley.
Looking outwards from the settlement, one could see a continuous expanse of mountains.
"Oh my, this place has become ruins!"
Wang Banyue exclaimed.
Zhang Tian's eyes also showed shock.
The entire settlement seemed to have suffered some disaster, with all the houses collapsed. Some were exposed to the wind, appearing even more dilapidated.
There was not a soul around, making the place look entirely desolate.
At the entrance to the settlement stood a wooden plaque, inscribed with Tibetan script.
"Motuo!"
Seeing these two words, Zhang Tian took a deep breath.
"It seems something happened here. If we're lucky, we might still find the sea of flowers."
Zhang Tian said in a grave tone.
They had originally come to find the mysterious person.
But now, it seemed, the village was gone, and so was that person.
However, what intrigued Zhang Tian was how such a large settlement could have been reduced to this state.
Judging by its scale, at least a hundred people lived here.
It was impossible for them all to have perished.
"Could it be that something terrifying happened?"
With this question in mind, Zhang Tian entered the settlement.
The houses were built haphazardly,
appearing somewhat disorganized.
Zhang Qilin stood in the center of the settlement.
They casually entered a house.
The house looked quite dilapidated, with several large holes in the roof.
A cold wind blew erratically through the roof.
The interior looked even more chaotic.
As Zhang Tian observed the scene inside, his confusion deepened.
Within the house,
furniture had been overturned by the wind.
There was even some snow inside.
"Boss, it looks like no one has lived here for a long time."
Fatty said from the side.
He looked around and walked further inside.
Zhang Tian looked up at the ceiling.
There were clear signs of repair, but it seemed to have ultimately collapsed.
"Oh my goodness! Boss, quick! There's a dead person!"
Suddenly, Fatty's cry was heard.
Zhang Tian and the others looked at each other and hurried over.
In the cluttered room, Zhang Tian casually kicked aside a few tables.
Upon seeing the person in the inner room, Zhang Tian seemed to understand something.
Inside, a thin figure, wrapped in a thick quilt, sat quietly on the bed.
Below the bed was a pile of charcoal, indicating that the firewood had burned out.
And beneath the quilt, the pale, emaciated face startled Zhang Tian.
"This fellow most likely didn't freeze to death, but starved to death!"
Zhang Tian said gravely, looking at the deceased.
"Starved? How is that possible? With so many people in this village, how could anyone starve? At the very least, they could hunt in the mountains."
Wu Tianzhen said.
"Does everyone remember what the old man said before?"
Zhang Tian suddenly asked.
In an instant, everyone seemed to recall something, and the atmosphere became somber.