Volume Two: Amid Overlapping Mountains and Rivers, No Road Ahead Chapter One: Changshan

“Alone, I gaze at the slanting sun and mist,
The rain of flowers supports me as I wander,
Jade beads soak the fresh green,
A boat floats upon the Lotus Lake,
My brows arch as spring mountains bloom,
Autumn waters shape sorrow in my eyes,
I grieve for the fallen blossoms,
Alas, my longing cannot be stilled.”
—Lanling Poetry Collection

“Zhuo Hua, you haven’t looked at this poetry collection for ages,” Qin Ying said, seated in the corner of the carriage.

Zhuo Hua closed the book, smiled at her, and reached out to pull the quilt higher over her.

At that moment, Zhuo Yun scrambled over and leaned against Qin Ying, saying, “Our Yuan Shang truly cherishes Sister Qin above all! She’s cared for us so thoroughly along the way. I’m truly envious.”

Su Xin, sitting in the opposite corner, snorted, “Isn’t that the truth? Look at Sister Qin—her fox fur cloak is made from the rarest silver fox pelts. I’ve worn such cloaks before, and they’re incredibly warm! Even the fiercest white wind can’t chill you. And look at the brazier in the carriage, burning the silver-bone charcoal from the Xishan kilns of Xunyang—like white frost, smokeless, hard to ignite, yet slow to extinguish. Before we left, the King of Yan had the Internal Affairs Bureau send us their imperial supply—an entire cartful. This carriage feels like spring inside! But we all have true qi to protect us, so we don’t feel the cold. So who is all this precious charcoal really for? Yuan Jun?”

Zhuo Yun chimed in, “And there’s more! Not just the fox fur and charcoal. Three months ago, when we left Xunyang, we were supposed to ride flying beasts, but Yuan Shang said Sister Qin had just recovered from a serious illness and her new qi bead hadn’t fully adapted yet. He asked the king for a carriage so we could travel leisurely to Zhongshen Continent. When Tian Chong heard, he was overjoyed and promptly sent us his own imperial carriage, along with the driver and five fine horses. Ha ha ha!”

Su Xin laughed as well, “And that’s not all! Yuan Shang was worried the bumps along the way would hinder Sister Qin’s recovery, so he had their carriage dismantled and added several things called copper springs to the axles. At first, I scoffed at these brass coils, but after they were installed, the carriage crossed mountains and valleys as smoothly as walking on flat ground. Such painstaking effort—how enviable!”

The two exchanged glances and burst into laughter.

Qin Ying, watching their unruly mirth, tossed a hand warmer at them. Su Xin, still laughing, caught it and tucked it into her muff.

Qin Ying scolded, “You two little rascals are getting more and more out of hand. Didn’t you roast yourselves with the silver-bone charcoal? Haven’t you sprawled all over the carriage? Su Xin, didn’t you just have a lovely nap? Drooling and all. You haven’t worn the fox fur, but isn’t the woolen rug under your bottoms warm enough? Say another word and I’ll tear your mouths to shreds.”

Zhuo Hua glanced around. After Qin Ying’s tirade, her cheeks were slightly flushed; Su Xin turned her face to the wall to stifle another giggle; Little Fish feigned busying herself with needlework, secretly sticking out her tongue. Zhuo Hua smiled, and lifted the carriage curtain slightly—an icy, snowy wind immediately swept in. Raising her voice, she asked Yao Bo Gong, the driver, “Old Yao! Where are we now?”

Yao Bo Gong was one of the twenty-four constellations of the Cloud Sky Tablet, belonging to the fourth mansion of the Eastern Azure Dragon—Fang Ri Rabbit. According to the Chronicle of Xuanhuang Legends: “Fang comprises four stars… also called Tian Si, the celestial steed, lord of carriages… The horse is the essence of the Fang star… Tian Si Fang.” The Lanling Poetry Collection added: “This horse is no ordinary steed; Fang star is the star itself.” Old Yao was the foremost carriage master in the world. When Lin Bai returned to Cloud Peak, he immediately sent Yao to Zhuo Hua’s side, both to protect them and to drive the carriage, letting him work at ease in the Cloud Palace.

Old Yao called back, “Yuan Shang, the snow and wind are too fierce—I can’t see the road ahead. I’ll let you know when we reach a town.”

Zhuo Hua replied, “All right,” and returned inside.

As she pulled the curtain closed, Little Fish squeezed in, muttering, “Oh my, the snow is really heavy today! Just a moment and so much swept in—we must wipe it away.” She grabbed a cloth and started cleaning vigorously.

Zhuo Hua, puzzled, looked back. Qin Ying sat serenely, flashing a mysterious, triumphant smile, while Su Xin grimaced beside her. Zhuo Hua glanced at the frantic Little Fish, then at the suffering Su Xin, and understood.

She cleared her throat and said to Su Xin, “Xin’er, Yun’er, your Sister Qin has just recovered from a serious illness and lacks her powers—you must give way to her…”

Before Zhuo Hua could finish, Su Xin burst out, “She’s just recovered? Her breath is weak? The strength she used to twist us just now was anything but weak. She may lack qi now, but if she were as strong as before, with her temper, Little Fish and I would already be corpses in the street!” She rubbed her waist as she spoke.

Qin Ying was unconcerned, pretending to gently straighten her clothes, coughing once or twice for effect.

Zhuo Hua said firmly, “Enough joking. Come here, I have something important to discuss.” She gestured inward, signaling them to gather close.

The three dropped their play-acting and crowded around Zhuo Hua, eyes wide, waiting.

“We’ve been gone from Xunyang City for almost three months, spending our days sightseeing instead of tending to your lessons. Though Palace Lord Lin sent Old Yao to help, you must intensify your cultivation,” Zhuo Hua told them.

Zhuo Yun nodded, “Yuan Shang, the qi bead you gave me has finally started behaving, but I feel it doesn’t absorb and transform golden sunlight fast enough.” She spoke while rubbing her abdomen.

Qin Ying laughed, “Silly Yun’er, rubbing your belly won’t make the bead stronger! A new qi bead takes a long time to harmonize with its owner—several months, sometimes years. Some never reach their full potential. You’re already accumulating qi, but the bead I got from the king is still not very responsive.”

Zhuo Yun asked, “Sister Qin, why is that?”

Qin Ying explained, “Qi beads are crafted from a material called Moonstone, blended with hundreds of ingredients. Moonstone is peculiar—its properties are shaped by where it’s found. If unearthed in a forest, it’s wood; beside a volcano, fire; in a riverbed, water; in a desert, earth; in a metal mine, gold. The bead’s attributes match the five elements, so if it suits the user’s element, fusion is swift; otherwise, it often fails.”

Zhuo Yun puzzled, “Why not mark the attributes during mining? Give the water beads to those of water element—it would be so simple! Why are there still failures?”

Zhuo Hua replied, “That’s the theory, but reality is more complex. A Moonstone from a forest is wood, but if the underground water is abundant, it has water attributes too. And people’s bodies aren’t defined only by gold, wood, water, fire, earth—they eat grains and have mixed traits!”

Zhuo Yun pouted, “So complicated! If only there were a Moonstone with all five elements—then anyone could use it.”

Qin Ying tapped her head, laughing, “What you’re describing is a divine-grade Moonstone. Extremely rare—only when heaven and earth align can one be found. It’s a matter of fate.”

Zhuo Yun rubbed her head and muttered, “I heard Palace Lord Lin say most constellations use divine-grade beads—they can’t be so rare.”

Qin Ying made to tap her head again, so Little Fish fell into Su Xin, drawing everyone’s attention to Su Xin, who had been listening silently, an oddity for her.

Zhuo Yun was the first to ask, “Sister Su, why aren’t you speaking? What grade is your bead?”

Su Xin shifted awkwardly, twisting her silk handkerchief, “I only have a common-grade qi bead, used for thousands of years. The Fairy promised to give me an immortal-grade bead when she returned, but her departure was final.” Her expression sank, and tears fell.

Qin Ying rolled her eyes, “With the skill you used to trap us, a common-grade bead could never suffice.”

Zhuo Hua coughed to halt their banter, “Enough, enough. When I find suitable materials to craft a bead for Qin Ying, I’ll make one for Su Xin as well. The grade will depend on the materials.”

Before Zhuo Hua finished speaking, Su Xin and Qin Ying gleefully clung together, chattering about qi beads and hair ornaments. Even Little Fish abandoned the bewildered Zhuo Hua to join their lively conversation.