Seeing the truth, I couldn't help but feel happy, but I still asked her with confusion.
“Why did you do that?”
She slowly withdrew her hand and smiled, explaining.
“I saw you two looked unfamiliar, so I wanted to tease you.
However, you are truly brave, not being scared by my actions.
If I really had something with this young master.
I would also willingly admit that I lost.”
My face gradually flushed, and listening to her words, it felt like she was talking about me, yet not quite.
I suddenly remembered I didn't know her name yet.
“What is your name?”
“My name is Juxiang, and I am the guardian of these hundred-colored chrysanthemums.”
“Juxiang, a beautiful name, but your prank was truly heart-stopping.
Fortunately, I am also someone with some experience.”
She smiled sheepishly.
“I didn’t expect this, but I can guarantee this is the last time.”
“That’s more like it.”
From her earlier actions, she seemed to have sensed something, but anyone with eyes could see it.
She suddenly asked, “You must really like this young master, don’t you?”
The blush that had just faded on my face reappeared, and I shyly looked at Ali.
Seeing my silence, Juxiang understood. She knew how it was.
Most girls were too shy to say, so she didn’t press, casually changing the subject.
“You were so handsome just now. If it were me, I don’t know if I would be so brave.
By the way, I still don’t know your names.”
“I, my name is Liu Muye.”
Ali also said, “My name is Ali.”
“Ali, Muye, you two really suit each other.”
Ali’s face was still flushed as he listened to Juxiang speak of him and Muye.
His heart also stirred unconsciously. Before, there was only himself, but now there was Muye.
Juxiang looked at us and continued.
“I’ve seen many people come and go in this sea of flowers.
But you two are the most special people I’ve ever seen.”
Ali and I exchanged smiles, and the kiss from earlier was imbued within this smile.
Juxiang suddenly raised her finger and pointed into the distance, asking us.
“Have you ever been to that place?”
Ali and I followed the direction of her finger and saw a solitary, towering mountain rising from the forest.
Clouds and mist swirled around it, and the red glow of the sunset bathed the surroundings, making it look exceptionally beautiful.
I asked doubtfully, “Where is that?”
Ali chimed in, “That is Magan Mountain.”
“Magan Mountain?”
Juxiang gazed at the distant mountain with longing in her eyes.
She unconsciously began to tell a story of her own.
“It was probably several hundred years ago when a young man traveling the land came to the foot of Mount Wanxue.
I was playful then and always wandered at the foot of the mountain, and by chance, I met him.
He told me his name was Jun Ziyi and he lived on that distant mountain.
I took him to play at the foot of the mountain for a day and a night, and then he returned.
I knew it wasn’t far from here, but I never had the chance to go down the mountain to see him.
I wonder how he is now.”
I suddenly remembered hearing that name somewhere.
“Jun Ziyi? I heard that the lord of Magan Mountain is named Jun Ziyi. It should be the one you met.”
“I heard from others a few days ago that he became the mountain lord, so it must be true.
I just don’t know if he still remembers me.”
Ali asked her doubtfully, “Have you never left this place?”
She nodded slightly, “Never.”
A pang of heartache struck me for her.
The person she wanted to see was so close, yet she lacked the courage to take that step.
If no one encouraged her, she might never know what the outside world was like.
“It’s not far from here, you can go and see him yourself.”
She shook her head helplessly.
“If I leave this field of hundred-colored chrysanthemums, they will wither rapidly and lose their former beauty.”
I didn’t expect the flowers and their guardian to be interdependent.
Ali thought for a moment and asked her.
“Besides the flowers withering, are there any other harms to your body?”
“No, there aren’t, it’s just that these hundred-colored chrysanthemums will cease to exist.”
I pointed to the mountain peak and asked her, “Do you want to go and see it?”
She nodded.
I showed a sincere smile and encouraged her.
“If you really want to go, then go. If these flowers wither, other flowers will bloom.
But some people and some things, if you don’t go and see them yourself, it might be a lifelong regret.”
She looked at me in surprise, not expecting me to be so encouraging.
Ali also encouraged her.
“We are fortunate to have witnessed such beautiful chrysanthemums, and we are already content.
So, like everyone who has seen flowers bloom, we will engrave their beauty firmly in our minds.
If you are reluctant, go and see them, and then come back to plant flowers.”
Juxiang was very surprised. A refreshing mountain breeze blew from the foot of the mountain and caressed her slightly flushed face.
She shyly lowered her head and whispered.
“I’ve never left here, and I don’t know what it will be like on the other side.”
I said, “Precisely because we don’t know and haven’t experienced it, we must go and see it.”
After thinking for a moment, I told her about my and Ali’s experiences.
“Ali and I traveled from Nanshan to Beishendu, and then from Beishendu to Dongyue Town.
Then from Dongyue Town to this Mount Wanxue, we witnessed that there are always people better than you and things beyond your imagination.
We have also tasted the delicacies of Beishendu and the fine wines of Dongyue Town.
I thought these things were impossible, but they actually happened.”
Ali explained to her with great emotion.
“People are often afraid of the unknown future.
But they don’t realize that the true fear is not taking that brave step.
So, you always have to go and see, for yourself, so to speak.”
Juxiang looked at Ali and me with envy.
She didn’t expect us to have traveled to so many places and eaten so much good food.
These were things she had never experienced.
Her eyes gradually began to sparkle, and her gaze returned to the mountain peak.
Ali persuaded her.
“If you want to go, then go. It’s good to see, maybe you’ll see different flower colors.”
Juxiang was deeply moved by us. These things had never been told to her.
She didn’t understand, only thinking about what was in front of her.
Now she understood. The original ignorant fear and the unknown psychology had deeply tormented her.
But when she looked at the mountain peak, her heart was filled with deep longing.
She truly wanted to see Jun Ziyi, even if he didn’t remember her.
Finally, she made up her mind and said, “Okay, I’ll go and see tomorrow.”
Ali and I were happy for her decision, it seemed she had also made up her mind.
Juxiang invited us, “Let me take you up to see.”
“Up there?”
It looked bare up there, as if there was nothing to see.
“Yes, come quickly.”
She walked ahead, and Ali and I followed her with curiosity.
When we reached the hillside slope, we suddenly saw lush green grass covering the dirt slope.
As the breeze blew, the wild grass swayed with the wind.
And beneath this wild grass lay the colorful hundred-colored chrysanthemums.
Juxiang stepped barefoot into the wild grass and found a comfortable spot to lie down.
She raised her hand and beckoned us.
“You two come and lie down too. I always come up here to lie down and look at the scenery when I’m happy or unhappy.”
Ali and I slowly stepped into the soft green grass.
We slowly came to her side and lay down next to her.
From here, we could see many rolling mountain peaks.
And the clouds in the distance, lined up in a straight line.
We watched the sun float in and out of the clouds, emitting a dazzling red light.
Ali exclaimed.
“It’s so beautiful, just like returning to Nanshan.”
I looked at the horizon and sighed.
“Yes, but Nanshan doesn’t seem to have such grasslands.”
“No, but it has large forests and clear lakes.”
Juxiang listened to our words and asked curiously, “Where is Nanshan?”
Ali replied, “Nanshan is on the side of Nanhai City, very far from here.
But if you have the chance, you can go and see it. The Tanuki clan lives there.”
“Tanuki? Are you a Tanuki?”
She became curious, as if she had never seen other species.
I teased, “Yes, Ali, he’s a very cute little Tanuki.”
Juxiang’s eyes were full of surprise. She had heard of the Tanuki clan but had never actually seen one.
Being able to see a live Tanuki this time was quite an eye-opener for her.
Juxiang asked again, “Why did you come to Mount Wanxue? Outsiders rarely come here.”
I replied, “We are looking for a friend.”
“Looking for a friend? Master Zhang?”
I looked at her in surprise, not expecting her to know Master Zhang.
“You know Master Zhang?”
She nodded slightly and spoke of that strange person.
“He is a strange person. I heard he comes from Beishendu and visits Mount Wanxue from time to time.
He says he’s going to meet the Wanxue Spider. Every time he comes to the village, he also comes to see these hundred-colored chrysanthemums.
Every time he comes to admire the flowers, I strike up a conversation with him.
So, I also learned a lot about Beishendu. He said that place is not as beautiful as here.”
“It’s not as beautiful as here. This place is quiet and serene, while Beishendu is too noisy.”
“Is that so? It’s a pity I haven’t seen it with my own eyes.”
“It’s okay, you can broaden your horizons when you go out this time.”
“Mm.”
The three of us lay on the wild grass, watching the clouds drift across the sky, and the sun slowly set behind the mountain.
As night fell, the crimson sunset glowed like a fierce flame, falling from the horizon onto our three faces.
Ali slightly raised his hand, looking at the sunset through his fingers.
In a daze, he remembered the kiss from earlier, smiled slightly, and covered his face with his hand.
I watched the sky gradually darken and felt it was getting late, so I said to Juxiang.
“It will be dark soon, Juxiang, we have to go back.”
Juxiang nodded reluctantly, “Okay, then you go back.”
I stood up, pulled Ali up, and said to her again, “Juxiang, we’re leaving then.”
Ali also said, “It was a pleasure meeting you. We’re leaving, see you again if fate allows.”
Juxiang stood up and watched our retreating backs, slowly saying, “See you again.”
Then, Ali and I descended the mountain together and returned to the village.
Juxiang watched us leave with a hint of regret.
She lay back on the grass, looking at the sky with anticipation, awaiting the arrival of tomorrow.
The old woman was already sitting by the door, as if she had expected us to return by now.
As she had predicted, she saw our familiar figures from afar.
Seeing us return, she asked, “How was it? Wasn’t it beautiful?”
I savored everything I had seen today and replied happily.
“It was indeed beautiful, a rare sight to behold.”
“It’s good that you found it beautiful. So, are you planning to go up the mountain tomorrow?”
Ali replied, “Yes, we’re going up the mountain tomorrow.”
“That’s good. If you go tomorrow, you might even meet Master Zhang. For now, let’s eat well and sleep well.
Come in quickly, I’ve made some dishes, I don’t know if they’ll suit your taste.”
“I’m not a picky eater.”
“I’m not a picky eater either.”
“It’s good that you’re not picky eaters. Come in and eat quickly.”
“Okay.”
Ali and I followed the old woman into the house.
In the center of the room, a table was set with several dishes and bowls of white rice.
The three of us sat around the table, picked up our bowls, and began to eat.
After we finished eating, it was completely dark. After washing our feet, we went to bed.
When dawn broke, the old woman had already prepared the necessary items.
Two fur coats, a dark flint, and two pairs of special gloves, two pairs of special fur boots.
Seeing that we hadn’t woken up yet, she calmly walked to the door and called out.
“Today is a good day to ascend Mount Wanxue, so get up quickly.”
Hearing the commotion, we slowly woke up and groggily opened the door.
The old woman patiently called us into the courtyard and pointed to the items piled on the wooden board.
“These are the cold-weather weapons I’ve prepared for you to ascend Mount Wanxue.
With these, you won’t be afraid of the cold.”
I looked at the messy pile of things and felt a bit curious.
So, I walked forward and carefully fiddled with them, asking in surprise.
“Grandma, where did you get all these things?”
The old woman smiled and replied.
“I borrowed these from the neighbors. Hurry up and try them on to see if they fit.”
So, with the old woman’s gentle persuasion, we put on this pile of things.
“I didn’t expect them to fit so well. Let’s eat breakfast before you go.”
She then called us back into the house, brought out the porridge she had cooked, and enthusiastically invited us.
I was still a bit groggy and suddenly remembered Ali’s restless leg secretly resting on me last night.
Waking up today, I felt pain all over my body, and a surge of inexplicable anger welled up in my heart.
Turning around to scold him, I suddenly saw him happily eating porridge, savoring every bite.
Not wanting to disturb him, I also started eating by myself.
The old woman suddenly remembered something and told us.
“It’s really strange. Early this morning, I heard someone say that the hundred-colored chrysanthemums by the village have withered.”
Ali and I immediately guessed that Juxiang had left, and we felt happy for her.
“Perhaps the flowers have bloomed for too long and want to rest,” I teased.
The old woman seemed to have guessed something and slowly said.
“Yes, she has bloomed for hundreds of years, so she should rest.”
As we spoke, we smiled in tacit understanding.
Before leaving, we left some gold coins for the old woman. After bidding her farewell, we set off up the mountain.
We slowly walked from the foot of the mountain to the summit. The surrounding lush green forests gradually turned into a snow-white cloak.
The cold wind howled, accompanied by gusts of wind and snow.
The biting cold wind instantly sealed the footprints in the snow below, as if no one had ever set foot there.
Fortunately, we had the cold-weather gear, which protected us from the biting wind. However, looking at the vast expanse of white snow.
Where would we go to find Master Zhang?
Suddenly, a flash of light drifted by, reflecting into Ali’s eyes.
Ali raised his hand to block it and secretly looked, discovering that the light was coming from the snow slope opposite.
“There’s a flash of light there, let’s go and see,” Ali whispered.
So, we quickly rushed over and found that it was a piece of frozen tattered cloth.
I carefully picked it up and guessed, “This should be Master Zhang’s.”
“Then he might be nearby, let’s look around.”
After exploring the surroundings, we still couldn’t find any trace of Master Zhang.
However, during our exploration, we discovered a hidden cave at the foot of a snowy mountain.
The entrance was half-covered by snow, leaving only half of it exposed.
I crawled to the ground and peeked inside, finding some ashes and animal fur.
So, I guessed that Master Zhang must have lived here before.
Looking back, I only saw the sun setting behind the western mountains, with the afterglow of the setting sun scattered on the snowy peaks.
Night was about to fall, so we had no choice but to spend the night in the cave.
At night, I was squinting, planning to get a good night’s sleep.
But suddenly, I heard a fierce wind raging outside the cave, and amidst the raging wind, I heard the roar of wild beasts.
So, I woke up with a start, pricked up my ears, and listened carefully.
The sound was like the low growl of a yak, sometimes long, sometimes short.
I looked at Ali with concern and asked, “Could it be the Wanxue Spider?”
Ali frowned and replied, “It’s possible. Judging by the sound, it’s still quite far away.”
“Could Master Zhang be in danger?”
“Probably not, he’s a pretty formidable great mage.”
Seeing that I was still worried, he gently comforted me.
“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. I brought some rations, have some.”
Saying that, he took out some roasted meat wrapped in lotus leaves from his bag.
I was a bit surprised and asked him, “When did you bring this? I didn’t see it?”
He rubbed my head and smiled, saying.
“You’re so careless, how could you remember to bring food?
I brought this secretly, so eat it quickly.”
I opened it and saw that the roasted meat had a beefy aroma.
As I chewed, it tasted even more like beef, and I couldn’t help but feel puzzled.
“Why does this roasted meat taste so much like beef jerky?”
He explained to me in detail, “This meat is called ‘Life-Saving Rations.’
In times of extreme food shortage, eating a piece of it will make you feel full and enhance your strength.
However, if you eat it when you are already full, you will burst, so don’t eat too much.”
I didn’t expect there to be so many strange things in this other world.
I only ate a small piece, and soon I felt completely full.
Ali watched me finish eating and voluntarily extended his legs, saying.
“Go to sleep quickly, we still have to keep searching tomorrow.”
I looked at him, feeling a sense of contentment. I carefully lay my head on his lap.
I fell asleep with a trace of beautiful fantasy.