Master Ji's palm, still buzzing with lingering spiritual energy, remained cautious as ever. He held a piece of black silk in his hand and, with a deliberate shake, unfurled it. When the cloth spread out before him, it initially appeared blank. Yet as the fabric opened fully, something caught his eye—a drawing had been painstakingly rendered on one side.
Slowly, he laid the silk flat on the ground and fixed his gaze upon it. After a long moment of study, a wry, almost sinister smile curled his lips. "Heh, so this is why you always come back buying so many clothes," he mused aloud. "All along, you've been sneaking a drawing onto them somewhere in the city. You really do think you're clever, don't you? But how am I ever supposed to guard against you smuggling such an item in? I suppose you dared not leave this map inside your own quarters for fear I might accidentally uncover it—so you hid it among all those flowers, burying the image in an inconspicuous spot. And you spend your time here, tending the garden, even sometimes reclining right beside it, studying your handiwork. But bury it too long, and the roots of the plants will dry out, causing the markings to degrade. Were you planning to sit or lie here, day after day, poring over that image?"
As Master Ji spoke, he gingerly shook the silk once more to reveal its full contents. Now clearly visible on the cloth was a detailed map—not one of the standard commercial variety that many shops sold in the city, but rather a specially drawn chart. This map depicted the mountain ranges around the northern part of the city; it showed not only the geographical features of the nearby Da Qing Mountain and several nearby shortcut pathways but more importantly, it was annotated with markings that indicated at various distances along these mountain routes what kinds of demonic beasts might be encountered, along with their species. Its purpose, he surmised, was to warn local residents and passing merchants so they would not venture too deeply or take a wrong turn that might lead to a perilous, irreversible fate.
There are generally two sources for such maps. One type is produced by the military—published annually as they dispatch troops into the mountains both to train and to limit the numbers of even low-ranked demonic beasts (which, though not especially powerful, can be deadly for ordinary people). The other type originates from commercial guilds; over time, through their own explorations of the mountain ranges, they have pieced together charts for practical use. However, the map sprawled on this black cloth before Master Ji was clearly not an off-the-shelf product. It appeared to have been deliberately created so as to blend in easily with a body of clothing, making it nearly undetectable to prying eyes.
Master Ji cared little now about the map's origin. In a passing thought, he figured that Marshal Hong certainly would have no knowledge of this secret chart. It was merely another life-preserving measure devised by Li Yan—to conceal his true movements. What now demanded his full attention, however, was deciphering the young man's intentions from the map's markings. Flipping the piece of silk over, he studied it intently.
After a few moments of deep concentration, Master Ji allowed a dark chuckle to escape him. "Heh, I see—you think you're ingenious, but you never imagined the world had divine sense at all," he murmured with a quiet satisfaction. As he examined the map further, nothing immediately remarkable stood out—until he held it up in the sunlight. Squinting, he noticed that along one edge of the cloth there were faint marks, almost like scratches that somehow were not part of the original drawing. Deciding that ordinary vision could not clear up the ambiguity, he deployed his divine sense. Almost instantly, several lines emerged in his mental vision. Most of these marks were light and varied in thickness; however, one particular line was conspicuously thicker than the rest. According to the drawing, this bold line began not far from the North Gate and traced a small pathway heading out toward the western side of Da Qing Mountain. It ended roughly seventy to eighty li away in an area marked as having very few demonic beasts.
Master Ji surmised that these lines were not accidental at all; they were the result of someone's long-term, perhaps habitual, use of a finger or their nail along the cloth's surface. Under normal circumstances, such incidental scratches would be so feeble as to vanish into the fabric. But his divine sense had made them all too clear. He focused repeatedly on that thicker line. After a moment, a smile broke over his face as he realized its meaning. The reason it appeared so bold was clearly that this route had been run over—and re-run—time and again. In other words, the young man had traced this particular line far more frequently than any other. This was the route he most often traveled. And given that the area was marked by an absence of demonic beasts, it would indeed serve him well as a hiding spot.
With a cold, satisfied sneer, Master Ji muttered, "Hmph, I always knew you wouldn't be so foolish as to flee back home. That would be far too predictable—you'd be found in a heartbeat. So it turns out that the clothes you buy and the plants you tend all have a purpose." He tucked the black cloth close to his heart and then, as swiftly as a flash, dashed out of the valley. Outside, on the open grounds, he called out to Chen An and Li Yin. Their faces were etched with nervous apprehension as he issued a few low, precise commands before speeding down the mountain.
After receiving his orders, Chen An and Li Yin's expressions took on a thoughtful cast. They were to proceed covertly to Li Family Village at the foot of Da Qing Mountain so as to investigate the village's situation. If they discovered that Li Yan was hiding among the local residents, one was to remain to guard him while the other returned to report. Even though Master Ji felt nearly certain that Li Yan would not return to the village, he could not discount any possibility, however remote.
Master Ji then descended the mountain but did not immediately set off along the route shown on the map. Instead, he made a clandestine trip into the city. There, he quietly searched the "Natural Wine House" and the "Iron Goods Pavilion." After confirming that Li Yan was not present in either location, he allowed himself a brief moment of relief. Glancing upward, he noted that it was nearly noon. At the Natural Wine House he nibbled on a light meal before setting off once again, leaving the city.
The mountain paths he now tread were rugged and tangled with thickets. Like many trails cutting through Da Qing Mountain, they were seldom used; wild vines and undergrowth spread rapidly, soon covering those little paths that had been occasionally carved out by passersby. In early summer at midday, the mountain air grew stiflingly hot. Though an occasional breeze brought with it a hint of coolness and the faint, pleasant fragrance of wildflowers, the journey remained arduous. Clad in his black robe and with his face somber and darkened, Master Ji frequently stooped to inspect his surroundings. Sweat streamed down his features as he pressed on.
In such terrain, his divine sense proved invaluable. According to the map, the destination he sought—located off the official road—lay somewhere around seventy to eighty li away. That was not an insurmountable distance for someone of Master Ji's caliber. Still, the lower reaches were choked with razor-sharp thorns while the upper areas were dotted with towering, dense canopies. The trail often split into numerous side paths, all overrun by shrubs and brambles. One mistaken turn might send him so far off course that he'd be lost in the wilderness.
Though his spiritual power might allow him to soar across open ground effortlessly, doing so here would undoubtedly rouse the birds and woodland creatures. Li Yan might hear the disturbance from afar, rendering him cautious and our search even more difficult. Consequently, Master Ji was forced to move with painstaking caution, intent on closing in on Li Yan before the young man could alert anyone further.
As he pressed onward, Master Ji's eyes locked onto a patch of undergrowth. A knot of shrubs told him that someone had tampered with them—a subtle sign that the trail might have been manipulated. In the time it took a stick of incense to burn, he'd encountered several such signs and was forced to adjust his direction repeatedly. It was now clear to him that Li Yan had set up camouflage and even fashioned traps; physical alterations that his divine sense could not directly reveal. Divine sense, after all, only extends one's vision—it can clarify or extend one's view but cannot detect the subtle results of intentional physical interference. Even now, Master Ji could see clearly what was there—but the question of right or wrong, genuine or fabricated, still required human judgment.
Over the relatively short twenty-li journey into the mountain, he had had to change his route at least four times. On one occasion, he nearly startled the birds in the forest. Although he doubted that Li Yan was aware of his presence here, the possibility could not be dismissed. Now, having tracked Li Yan's delicate footprints, Master Ji had come to a surprising new realization: the lad was not as naive as he appeared. Despite being only fifteen or sixteen, Li Yan's cunning and reserve might rival Master Ji's own. In fact, Li Yan's actual route might not correspond precisely with the one marked on the map—he may have turned mid-route or hidden along a diversion.
Such observations only deepened Master Ji's understanding. Li Yan, having grown up in the village and following the elders to hunt in the mountains for generations, was well versed in ancient hunting techniques. Camouflage, pitfall setups, and similar stratagems were common practice in his culture. These tactics, perfected over generations to capture even the most alert of low-ranked demonic beasts, were second nature to him.
Though Master Ji's own sect—the "Xunxian Sect"—had its own methods of concealment and detection, their techniques were primarily designed to evade demonic threats rather than hone in on subtle clues left by mortals. Still, time passed slowly as the sun shifted westward, and as night deepened once again, Master Ji finally reached a ledge halfway up a mountain.
There, high on a massive tree's crown, Master Ji crouched silently. His eyes scanned the plateau ahead—a roughly seven- to eight-zhang wide flat area about one li away from him, where a few ancient pines swayed gently in the breeze, their rustling reminiscent of distant ocean waves. Beneath one such pine, seated on a huge rock, was a man eating his meal.
Concentrating deeply, Master Ji's eyes glowed as he observed the figure. The man was clad entirely in black, seated on the rugged stone with a water bag at his side; occasionally, he munched on food and glanced around warily. Behind him loomed a steep cliff. "You… so you're here?" Master Ji murmured softly. The figure was unmistakably Li Yan. "This place might be good for hiding—few demons roam here—but atop a mountainside like this, how many options do you have?" Li Yan murmured almost to himself.
Hidden within the vast crown of the tree, Master Ji did not immediately act. He weighed his options. Li Yan sat alone on the boulder under the pine, with a perilously close cliff behind him. As for the depth of the chasm, its measure was uncertain; perhaps Li Yan had been steadily climbing since he entered the mountain, though this particular slope was relatively mild.
If Master Ji's single strike failed to subdue Li Yan—and if the young man, pushed to desperation, instead fought for his life—then a mere turn of his body might send him over the edge into the void. That risk, Master Ji knew, was too great.
So he lay hidden amid the tree's leafy shadows, watching Li Yan's every movement. After eating, Li Yan retrieved a water bag from his pack, took a sip, and set it aside beside a stone slab. Suddenly, Li Yan's demeanor shifted; as if he had heard something, he abruptly crouched down, sending a chill through Master Ji's heart. He had not uttered a sound. Could it be that Li Yan had discovered Master Ji's presence? Barely a moment later, Li Yan slowly lifted his head, his eyes scanning toward Master Ji's direction. A surge of anxiety shot through Master Ji's veins. "Damn—I've been found! How did he detect me?" he thought bitterly. Since now he was detected, Master Ji would have to reveal himself to regain the upper hand. "Reveal yourself," he mused—but the distance between them, roughly one li from the lower trails upward, was too vast. There was no way Master Ji could reach Li Yan in the blink of an eye.
Just as he resolved to stand up and confront Li Yan, he suddenly sensed something further amiss. Li Yan's gaze slowly shifted away from Master Ji and toward his left side, his eyes turning extremely alert. "Could there be another person to my left?" Master Ji wondered. "No—I searched thoroughly when I arrived and found nothing there. Perhaps the kid is simply overly sensitive… maybe I'm reading too much into it." With that thought, he steadied himself and prepared for his next move.
Sure enough, after a short while, Li Yan studied his surroundings again—not only glancing to the left of Master Ji's projected position but also peering to the right. Then, as if resigning himself to fate, Li Yan slowly rose from his seat on the rock. Master Ji's irritation flared internally. "Damn it, he's clearly insecure. This kid is jumpy—every little rustle sets him off." The thought made Master Ji furious. He silently cursed; he was nearly exposed just moments ago. If he failed to capture Li Yan now, he would regret it bitterly.
At that moment, Li Yan, now on his feet, surveyed his surroundings once more. He then hesitantly slumped back onto the rock, reaching out in a flurry to pick up the water bag he had accidentally knocked over earlier. The bag's opening dripped clear water steadily—this was significant, for although the mountain had natural springs, none were nearby, meaning fetching water would be difficult. Li Yan hastily retrieved the bag, replaced its stopper, and shook his head in quiet resignation.
High above, among the sprawling branches of a giant tree, Master Ji's eyes suddenly caught sight of a startling detail. As the water from the bag spilled out, he noticed that the rock adjacent to Li