Super System in the Early Tang Dynasty

Chapter 197 Descending the Mountain

On this day, the sky was still dark, and the morning mist was refreshing.

The three of them left Taiqing Palace and headed down the mountain, under the complex gazes of a group of young Taoist priests filled with reluctance, hesitation, fear, and other emotions.

With Li Xingzhi's help, Zhou Rou'er's skill improved rapidly, surpassing even the Taoist priests on the mountain. She meditated by the cliff behind the mountain every day. At this moment, she was neither surprised nor afraid. Her white robes fluttered, leaving behind a string of silvery laughter. She was indescribably happy, like a bird that had been trapped in a cage for a long time spreading its wings and soaring.

A crane's cry rang out from the back cliff, followed by two clear cries in response.

Hearing the clear cry that echoed through the mountains, Li Xingzhi looked up and saw a white crane soar into the sky, circle the Taoist temple a few times, and then fly down the mountain.

He stopped, and soon after, a white crane spread its wings and landed on a giant pine tree beside it, calling out to Li Xingzhi.

The white crane is tall and graceful, with pure white feathers, a long, curved neck, and bright, spirited eyes. The reddish-black spot on its head is particularly striking, giving it a sense of aloofness and independence.

This white crane was the very one Li Xingzhi had rescued that day. Ever since Li Xingzhi saved it, it had clung to him, as if it had found a master to rely on.

Although grey cranes are rare, Li Xingzhi prefers pure white cranes. He is naturally happy to be close to the white cranes and occasionally prepares some special treats for them.

Perhaps because it had eaten too many spiritual herbs, the white crane seemed to possess a spirituality no less than that of the two thousand-year-old cranes.

Li Xingzhi was initially worried that the white crane's intelligence would increase and its wings would turn gray, but to his surprise, apart from a tuft of crimson-black hair growing on its head, there were no other changes, which made him even happier.

"You want to come with me?"

Li Xingzhi looked at the white crane that kept chirping and a look of joy appeared on his face.

He had originally intended to take the white crane with him, but after much consideration, he gave up the idea. He just didn't expect that the white crane would actually come to him on its own.

Hearing Li Xingzhi's question, the white crane tilted its head as if it were thinking. Then, its eyes showed a clear look, and it let out a joyful and high-pitched cry. At the same time, it spread its wings, kicked its slender legs lightly, and landed on Li Xingzhi's outstretched arm. Its long beak carefully pecked at Li Xingzhi's long hair that was blown by the mountain wind.

"Good crane!"

Li Xingzhi stroked the white crane's smooth, glossy feathers with his right hand, and then, as if by magic, produced several crimson ginseng fruits that had grown on the tops of century-old ginseng plants.

The two women, seeing the fruit appear out of thin air in Li Xingzhi's hand, were already used to it. Li Linzhi, usually oblivious, asked several questions, but seeing Li Xingzhi smile without answering, she lost interest, assuming it was just a magic trick. Zhou Rou'er, on the other hand, was gentle and obedient. Although she had many doubts, seeing Li Xingzhi remain silent, she didn't ask further. However, seeing his seemingly divine abilities, her eyes showed a hint of admiration.

The white crane looked at the ginseng fruit in Li Xingzhi's hand, its already clear eyes shining even brighter, like a piece of inlaid crystal. It let out a clear cry with a hint of joy and gratitude, and stretched out its long beak. Before long, it had pecked the ginseng fruit clean.

The three people and the crane traveled along the same route, enjoying the scenery and having a great time.

Shortly after the three left, another man, his robe billowing, leaped down from the summit of Crane Cry Mountain, ignoring his disheveled beard, and flew south without stopping for a moment.

Several days later, at noon, the sun was blazing.

In Sichuan, on an unnamed mountain, three strange figures arrived.

The three women moved through the treacherous mountains as if on flat ground, without the slightest sign of fatigue or sweat. Their clothes appeared simple, yet their features revealed their extraordinary qualities. They were fair-skinned with red lips and white teeth, and their fingers were smooth and calloused. Judging from their appearance, they were daughters of wealthy families.

These three people would be quite ordinary if they were walking along the Zhuque Avenue in Chang'an, but in this dangerous place in Sichuan, they look strange no matter how you look at them.

These three people were Li Xingzhi and his party who came down from Heming Mountain.

The mountains were high and the forests were dense, and the roads were complicated. Even though Li Xingzhi had a good memory, there were places he didn't notice. As a result, the three of them got lost, unsurprisingly.

The group wasn't in a hurry. There wasn't much else in the mountains, but plenty of fruits and wild animals. Plus, Li Xingzhi's cooking skills and the good stuff he occasionally pulled out from his spatial storage meant that the two women didn't lose any weight from their trek. On the contrary, they became even more radiant and didn't care where they were.

Li Xingzhi, on the other hand, felt the intense heat of the sun and was getting tired of it. He wanted to find a lively place to stay for a couple of days, to find out some news and gossip, and to prove that he was not isolated from the world.

Just as Li Xingzhi was walking casually, several wisps of smoke rose from a mountain valley in the distance.

"Look, there are people ahead!" Li Xingzhi exclaimed excitedly.

The two women beside them also noticed the wisps of smoke rising from the chimneys in the distance and exclaimed, "Brother Li, there really are people here!"

Humans are social animals after all. When they are separated from the group for a long time, they will feel happy when they occasionally meet their own kind. Even the two women who are so happy that they forget their homeland cannot help but feel joy.

Li Xingzhi laughed loudly, disregarding everything else, and directly took the two women and used the 'Bird Crossing Technique' to fly away into the distance with the help of the mountain wind!

That day, when he jumped off the cliff, he unintentionally used the technique of "riding the wind through the void." When he came to his senses, he could no longer find that feeling. However, this experience unexpectedly allowed his newly acquired "bird crossing technique" to advance to a state of perfection, which was a pleasant surprise.

As Li Linzhi felt the vastness of the sky and the biting mountain wind, and watched the earth gradually shrink, a wonderful feeling arose within her, and she exclaimed with inexplicable joy.

Zhou Rou'er leaned quietly against Li Xingzhi, hugging him tightly. Her initially pounding heart gradually calmed down; feeling the strong, steady heartbeat beside her, a few adorable blushes slowly rose on her fair face; a sense of peace and warmth gradually spread through her. She slowly opened her eyes, like Li Linzhi, feeling the vastness and immensity of the world. Gazing at Li Xingzhi, she felt a unique joy and pride welling up within her.

Suddenly, a lithe white crane appeared beside them, emitting a high-pitched cry. It circled around them excitedly, as if playing a game or protecting them.

The 'Bird Crossing Technique' was used to infinitely shorten the distance. What would normally take an ordinary person several days to cover was completed in just half an hour.

Li Xingzhi, accompanied by the two women, landed on one side of a small hill.

On the other side of the hill was a narrow path. A dozen or so people were parked by the path, along with several donkeys. They had lit a fire, and a large cauldron was already on it, steaming up.

Li Xingzhi came down from the mountain, walked to the roadside, smelled the aroma of food, and twitched his nose a few times, knowing that the food was almost ready.

----

I'm so sorry for writing this so late after reading several novels. I'm on vacation now, and I just couldn't resist.

Speaking of which, when reading novels, I think 'piracy' is a really good thing that benefits both people and others; but when I write, I feel that piracy should be 'destroyed in the name of the moon'.