Stranger Danger

Chapter 100: Mountain of Riddles

“What happened? Did the Heptachromatic Fog of Aging come back?”

Last he heard, the Heptachromatic Fog of Aging had vanished a few days ago. Otherwise, he would have abandoned the idea of entering the Redstone Forest in a heartbeat!

“No, it’s not that.” Yun Yan shook her head. “It’s a floating mountain!”

“A floating mountain? What kind of mountain is it?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

“We’re not sure yet, but our scouts reported a mountain suddenly appearing above Redstone forest this morning. Everyone who got too close to the mountain would disappear without a trace!”

“That’s… not good.” Ye Qing frowned. The morning had just begun, and things were already escalating to unpalatable levels. “Can I come with you?”

Still, he must go. His Astral Refinement stage cultivation art almost certainly had something to do with this mountain.

Yun Yan smiled. “It would be an honor!”

Suddenly, a handsome man in white clothes walked over and asked, “Care to make the introductions, Sister Yun?” He carried himself casually, but not so casual that he would inflict disgust upon others.

Yun Yan said obediently, “Of course, Lord Xiao. This is my friend, Ye Qing. Ye Qing, this is Lord Xiao Yang, a Patrolman of Luo Shui!”

“Didn’t I tell you to address me by name, Sister Yun? Lord Xiao sounds so distant!” Xiao Yang pretended to be sad for a second before breaking into a cheerful grin. “Of course, you may address me as ‘Brother Xiao’ or ‘Brother Yang’ as well if ‘Xiao Yang’ is too direct for you!”

Yun Yan smiled again but did not give him an answer.

Xiao Yang looked at Ye Qing and clasped his hands together in a respectful salute. “Hail, Brother Ye! I am Xiao Yang, and it’s nice to meet you!”

Ye Qing returned the gesture, “Well met, Brother Xiao Yang. It’s nice to meet you as well.”

Xiao Yang moved closer to Ye Qing and patted him on the shoulder happily. “Hahaha! That’s what I’m talking about! I’ve heard of your achievements, brother. Not only did you uncover a terrible conspiracy that would’ve destroyed Anyang, you’re the one who came up with the plan to rout the invading Strangers and even slayed the Nether Lord himself! I only wish that I’m half the shit-bomb you are!”

What was left unsaid was that Ye Qing was the last person he wanted to face in all of Anyang. When he saw Ye Qing last night and realized who he was, he knew that it was going to be even harder to carry out his planned assassination than expected. Who would have thought that the gang boss of the Iron Shirt Gang was also the famous savior of Anyang and a rising star in the eyes of the Pacification Bureau? Killing him was hard enough, but he also had to find the right time and place to do it unless he wanted to deal with the aftermath. Troublesome! So troublesome!

Meanwhile, Ye Qing was trying to figure out if Xiao Yang was praising or insulting him. It didn’t look like he was insulting him, but what kind of person would call someone a “shit-bomb” and mean it as a praise? Why couldn’t he use something conventional like “star” or “warrior”?

In the end, he decided to go with a humble reply, “You flatter me!” I’m just a bit better than most people! That bit being the distance in which I can throw you!

“Hahaha! You’re too humble, brother!” Xiao Yang continued to hug Ye Qing. “It is my honor to be able to make the acquaintance of a young hero like you!”

Ye Qing’s eyes twinkled. “And I you, Brother Xiao Yang! You are one of the most interesting people I’ve ever met!”

He wasn’t kidding. Very few people would treat a complete stranger in such a warm, friendly fashion on their first meeting, and such people could usually be broken down into two types. One, they possessed a heart of gold that could befriend even the surliest of people. Or two…

They were plotting something.

“I’m glad to hear that! You must let me treat you to a drink when we return from this trip, brother. When the time comes, we will not stop until we drop!” Xiao Yang guffawed. “Now, let us be on our way!”

……

“There’s the mountain!”

Some mountains in the world were special, but not because they were particularly tall or big. It was because they possessed something unique that few other mountains possessed. The group passed through the Soundless Gorge—which wasn’t silent anymore because the Soundless Bugs had been exterminated by an unknown do-gooder some days ago—and saw the mountain they were looking for immediately.

The mountain was neither tall nor big, but it floated quietly above Redstone Forest as if gravity wasn’t a thing. Shrouded in thick, white clouds, it looked just like a celestial mountain of the legends.

They were still thirty meters away from Redstone Forest when Yun Yan raised her hand and halted their march. She said with a serious expression, “We must stop here. We will vanish like all the others if we continue further!”

The group observed the mountain for a bit before Xiao Yang asked Ye Qing quietly, “Did you notice anything, brother?”

“Yeah.” Ye Qing nodded and rubbed his chin sagely. “It’s definitely a mountain alright!”

“...” Anyone who isn’t blind can see that!

Ye Qing ignored Xiao Yang and turned to Yun Yan. “Has any one of the missing people been spotted yet, Sister Yun?”

She shook her head. “No. We’ve searched every nook and cranny within ten kilometers of Redstone Forest, but nothing. We don’t even know if they’re still alive or not!”

“Say, do you think those missing people could be found on the mountain?” Xiao Yang ventured while rubbing his chin.

Ye Qing nodded in agreement. “Most likely!” If they couldn’t be found anywhere in the area, then they must be on the mountain. His Astral Refinement stage cultivation art was most likely there as well.

Suddenly, the mysterious mountain shook, and the clouds stirred. Then, what looked like an invisible shockwave erupted from the mountain and traveled straight toward them!

“Watch out! Everybody spread out!” Ye Qing yelled after realizing that they were in trouble. He immediately grabbed Yun Yan and dashed away from the shockwave. Xiao Yang also let out a yelp and dissolved into a cloud of fog. He was moving even faster than Ye Qing was.

However, the shockwave was way faster than it had any right to be. It was almost like it was crossing through space and time itself. Before they knew it, the shockwave had washed over them, and everyone abruptly vanished like they never were.

“Where am I?”

When Ye Qing came to, he realized that he was at an unfamiliar place. He looked up and saw a mountain path made of white jade and glazed tiles leading all the way up to the peak. The path was surrounded by thick, rainbow fog that looked both mysterious and dangerous. From time to time, ancient seal scripts with wings would fly out of the fog and over the mountain path. He himself was standing at the base of the mountain.

He had a strong feeling he knew where he was.

He wasn’t alone. Xiao Yang and the Sentinels were right beside him. However, Yun Yan, Kung Fu Frog and Faceless were nowhere to be seen.

“What is this place?” Xiao Yang asked.

Ye Qing replied slowly, “We’re most likely on the floating mountain above Redstone Forest.”

“What?” Everyone exchanged glances with each other. He could see a hint of panic in some of their eyes.

Suddenly, an urgent voice broke out, “Miss? Miss! Where did you go, miss?”

Ye Qing looked and saw Hu Nu walking around in the crowd and searching for Yun Yan frantically.

“Calm down, Hu Nu. Sister Yun isn’t here, and that’s probably a good thing!” Ye Qing went over to give him a comforting pat on his shoulder.

“Are you sure? Warrior Ye… The miss is going to be fine, right?” Hu Nu’s eyes were bloodshot with worry and panic.

“It will be fine!” Ye Qing comforted him a while longer before looking around. “Right now, our first priority is to get out of this place!”

“Argh!”

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream interrupted his momentum. Ye Qing turned around and saw a Sentinel clutching his arm and rolling on the ground in abject pain. Everything beneath his elbow was completely gone, but not a drop of blood could be found on the ground.

Xiao Yang immediately went over and tapped a few points on the Sentinel’s body to stop the pain. He then asked, “What happened?”

The Sentinel replied while looking as white as a sheet, “I… I was just trying to touch the fog beside the path, and then… and then my arm is just gone!”

Everyone subconsciously stepped away from the rainbow fog the second they heard this.

“You heard him, people! Do not touch the fog!” Xiao Yang ordered but realized that it was useless advice, so he added, “From now on, no one is to touch anything on this mountain without my express permission!”

“As you command!” The Sentinels responded.

It was at this moment an ancient seal script flew down from the mountain peak. Unlike the ones flying back and forth across the mountain path, this one was incredibly good-looking and agile. It also had a pair of ink-wash wings. Every time it flapped its wings, watery ripples and the scent of ink would permeate across the air.

“Watch out!” Ye Qing raised an arm and watched the unusual seal script warily. When it was about one meter away from them, it finally stopped in its tracks and said in a surprisingly childish voice, “Welcome to the Mountain of Riddles, challengers. All who enter the Mountain of Riddles must challenge the Path of Riddles, and only those who reached the top may leave this place.”

“All challengers are required to know these rules. One, you can only ever go forward once you’ve stepped on the Path of Riddles. Two, the Path of Riddles is made of a hundred steps, and you can move forward a step only if you answer a riddle correctly. You will be punished if you answer incorrectly or refuse to answer, but you may also take a step after the punishment is complete.”

“Three, the first line of a couplet will be announced once every incense stick. Everyone will have the opportunity to complete this couplet. Depending on the intent, rhyme, and structure of the complete couplet, additional steps may be awarded to the challenger.”

“Four, challengers may not assist one another, or they will be punished. Five, all challengers who successfully reached the peak may request something reasonable from the Riddler. And six, Strangers and idiots are not welcomed in the Mountain of Riddles!”

Strangers and idiots aren’t welcomed in the Mountain of Riddles?! Isn’t that kinda racist? A strange expression flitted across Ye Qing’s face when he heard this. Now I get why Faceless and Kung Fu Frog are missing!

“But wait, what about Wawa?” Ye Qing suddenly recalled the third Stranger he had brought with him on this expedition.

As if on cue, a cute, childish voice entered his ears. “I’m over here, friend. Oh wow! There’s so many flying friends in this place! They’re just like Wawa!” A small figure then crawled out of his hair and looked around curiously and happily. She was none other than Wawa, of course.

Something’s not right. Wawa’s a Stranger as well, but why isn’t she kicked out of the Mountain of Riddles? Ye Qing frowned. Could it be…?

Wawa was a Book Sprite; a Stranger that was born from a book. Her true body was a book, and the book was inside his Nature’s Shell right now. Perhaps that was why she was able to enter the Mountain of Riddles despite its rules.

This was great news because Wawa was a Book Sprite. As the essence of a land’s literary fate and the master of countless books, she was exactly who you wanted to consult with when solving riddles. In fact, it was probably an insult to use Wawa on something as childish as this, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

Now he understood why the Annon Sutra had asked him to bring Wawa with him. With a living answer sheet like her, it was practically impossible for him to fail this test!

“Mountain of Riddles? We’re in the Mountain of Riddles? No wonder!” Xiao Yang suddenly exclaimed. He looked like he could barely control his excitement.

“You’ve heard of the Mountain of Riddles, brother?” Ye Qing asked.

“Hahaha! It looks like today’s our lucky day, brother!” Xiao Yang chirped, “The Mountain of Riddles is a famous Strange Realm that is usually mentioned in the same sentence as the Sea of Poems, Bridge of Art, Plains of Chess, Tower of Music, Sea of Couplets, City of Books and so on. Since the seven Strange Realms encompass the seven fields of art and literature, they’re also unanimously known as the Seven Strange Realms of Literary Arts.”

“Generally less dangerous than most other Strange Realms, the Seven Strange Realms of Literary Arts were considered the dream destinations of every scholar in the entire world. It’s because the Strange Realms allow them to show off their skills and be rewarded for their accomplishments. It is also why they’re regarded as the sanctuaries of all scholars.”

A Strange Realm referred to any place or domain that possessed mysterious, supernatural qualities. They were similar to pocket worlds or blessed lands in that they were ripe with boons and opportunities, but also filled with untold anomalies and dangers.

“If this is a sanctuary for scholars, then why do you look so happy? Are you a scholar as well?” Ye Qing asked curiously.

Xiao Yang shook his head in disbelief. “That’s not the point! The point is that this Strange Realm is safe! Do you understand what I’m saying? It’s safe! Short of committing suicide, we’re most likely going to leave this place alive!”

He was so agitated he went so far as to define the obvious.

“Say, this is the first time you enter a Strange Realm, right? Aren’t you nervous at all?” Xiao Yang asked puzzledly after noticing that Ye Qing was completely relaxed. Most people would be shivering in fright when they entered a Strange Realm for the first time in their life, not to mention that they had been dragged into this against their will. Ye Qing, on the other hand, looked like an old hand who had been through all this.

“That’s a strange question. You’re the one who said this Strange Realm isn’t dangerous!” Ye Qing raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “I’m also a scholar, so solving riddles and completing couplets are easy peasy for me. Just watch if you don’t believe me!”

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