The temperature in the Changbai Mountains at night was very low. Yan Shouyi's body was that of a Heavenly Fiend Corpse Puppet, so he didn't feel much. But it was different for Li Genmiao. Without a thick down jacket to protect him, he might have frozen to death in the mountains.
And under such conditions, how could there be a small child wearing a bellyband, playing in the dark mountains with bare feet and bottom?
Yan Shouyi's first instinct was that the child was a monster.
His second reaction was more accurate—a Ginseng Doll!
It was said that a thousand-year-old ginseng that cultivated into a spirit would transform into a Ginseng Doll with a peach-shaped head and a red bellyband. Ginseng Dolls were very timid, and any disturbance would scare them into burrowing underground. They couldn't be caught by hand; only by using a red string would they stop slipping away.
There was no shortage of ginseng in the Changbai Mountains. Yan Shouyi had learned before that many people living below the Changbai Mountains made a living by picking wild ginseng.
These ginseng pickers respected nature and abided by its laws. When they encountered ginseng, they would always tie a red string around its stem and leaves and return to pick it the next day.
If the ginseng was gone, it meant they were not destined to have it. If the ginseng was still there, it meant the mountain god had permitted them to pick it.
When picking, they had to ring a bell three times to thank the mountain god for the gift, then excavate it little by little, even using a small brush to gently sweep away the black soil covering the ginseng, trying their best to keep it intact.
After successfully picking it, they had to replant the ginseng seeds to allow this plant to continue propagating, so that future generations would also have ginseng to pick.
These were all digressions.
The little doll before them was clearly a thousand-year-old ginseng that had become a spirit. Yan Shouyi and the others had arrived at just the right time, catching it playing in the mountains.
It was Yan Shouyi's first time seeing a Ginseng Doll, and he was very curious. He hid behind the grass and observed it intently.
Li Genmiao, standing beside him, said softly, "Ginseng Dolls are rare to encounter. If we catch it, Han San's condition should recover quickly."
A thousand-year-old ginseng had extremely high medicinal value. If Old Jin were to handle it, its efficacy could be multiplied several times over.
Li Genmiao was right, and Yan Shouyi was also somewhat tempted.
He took out a red string from his satchel, made a loop, and compared the size. It should be just right to ensnare the Ginseng Doll.
"You want to catch it?" Li Genmiao asked.
Yan Shouyi retorted, "Didn't you say it's rare to encounter?"
Hearing this, Li Genmiao crossed his arms, looking like he was about to enjoy a good show.
Yan Shouyi ignored Li Genmiao and tiptoed out from behind the grass, carefully approaching the Ginseng Doll.
The Ginseng Doll was sitting on the ground, playing with a small insect, thoroughly engrossed. The little bun on its head swayed from side to side, completely unaware of the uninvited guest approaching from behind.
When he reached the Ginseng Doll's back and confirmed he could ensnare the little fellow, Yan Shouyi took a deep breath and slowly approached with the red string.
But at that moment, Li Genmiao suddenly shouted, "Hey!" startling Yan Shouyi.
When he regained his senses, the Ginseng Doll in front of him had vanished. Only a small pit remained on the ground.
This little fellow was surprisingly fast!
Yan Shouyi was amazed. He hadn't detected the Ginseng Doll's movement at all; it had disappeared in the blink of an eye.
He then looked at Li Genmiao with some annoyance and questioned, "Why did you shout?"
Li Genmiao chuckled, "It's good enough that I left Han San with his life. Did you really think I would help you save him?"
Yan Shouyi was speechless. After spending the day with Li Genmiao, he had almost forgotten their adversarial relationship.
This guy had sabotaged him at a crucial moment, causing Yan Shouyi to suffer a loss, which put him in a rather unhappy mood.
He put away the red string and walked forward without looking back, saying, "Let's continue up the mountain. Don't waste time."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, I just ruined one of your good deeds, and you're already getting angry," Li Genmiao sneered. "You and your dad have ruined countless good deeds of mine, have you ever heard me complain?"
In reality, Yan Shouyi wasn't particularly angry. After all, seeing a treasure like a Ginseng Doll once in a lifetime was quite good. What is meant to be will be, and what is not meant to be cannot be forced.
Moreover, such a cute Ginseng Doll, if Yan Shouyi had truly caught it, he wouldn't have known what to do with it.
After all, judging by its appearance, a Ginseng Doll was no different from a human infant. Eating it would be like eating a baby, and he couldn't get past that mental hurdle.
Seeing Yan Shouyi walking further away, Li Genmiao couldn't help but smile smugly and then followed him.
Soon, misfortune struck.
It had been a clear sky with a sky full of stars. But after the two passed the Changbai Waterfall, the weather changed drastically, and it began to snow heavily.
The wind and snow not only reduced visibility but also buried the original mountain paths. Even the compass Yan Shouyi carried had its magnetic field disturbed, making it impossible to discern north from south.
In short, they were lost.
Getting lost in such conditions was not a good thing.
Li Genmiao brushed the snow off his shoulders, tugged at his scarf, and said in a deep voice, "We can't go on. We must find a place to shelter first."
Yan Shouyi, who had just been outsmarted, teased, "If I leave you behind, won't you freeze to death in the mountains?"
"If I die, Liu Yiren won't survive either," Li Genmiao replied. "You know my abilities. After I die, you will pay a more terrible price."
Yan Shouyi fell silent. He knew very well that Li Genmiao could not die yet.
The best scenario would be for Yan Shouyi to find a way to contact Longhu Mountain after they descended the mountain, while the people from Wushen Mountain arrived and dealt with Li Genmiao and his group.
He silently took out the Golden Duck Goose San Yuan from his satchel and dispatched Zhu Shanzao, both of them going out together to find shelter.
Before long, there was a report. San Yuan discovered a small cave not far ahead, which was perfect for sheltering from the snow.
"Let's go. You won't die tonight," Yan Shouyi said with a hint of regret.
Li Genmiao, however, was sizing up San Yuan. "This little fellow... its origin is not ordinary."
"San Yuan's body is a Golden Duck Goose, from the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. You should know."
"Yes, I know. That's why I'm not referring to the Golden Duck Goose, but to what you called 'San Yuan'."
Yan Shouyi did not explain further, as if guarding against Li Genmiao.
The two braved the wind and snow, guided by San Yuan, found the cave, and gathered some dry branches along the way to start a bonfire once inside.
Li Genmiao sat by the bonfire, rubbing his hands, exhaling white mist.
Yan Shouyi stood at the cave entrance, observing the wind and snow outside. "This wind and snow came down too suddenly. Is it my mother's formation?"
"From what I see, no," Li Genmiao said with a smile.
"You're an opera singer, you know more about formations than I do?" Yan Shouyi questioned.
Li Genmiao replied, "I'm a diligent student. Isn't Li Chongxi the same?"