Afterlife Department

Huo Ling heaved a deep sigh. "Let's set this matter aside right now. We have to find Zhuo Xia first." He spoke with a heavy expression.

Yi Bing nodded in agreement. They will investigate the truth about the Zhuo family's massacre later. What is important right now is to find Zhuo Xia.

"The direct teleportation is disabled. Even the cause of death was obscured…" Huo Ling muttered and shook his head, stopping himself right then and there from complaining. Or else, Yi Bing would freeze him, literally. "So, where should we start?" he asked as he turned to Yi Bing.

"Which person do you think likely has picked him up?" Yi Bing asked back.

Huo Ling feel silent and seriously pondered over it. "We can't beat the grass and startle the snake. We also can't find a needle in a haystack." He said, referring to approaching the enemies and finding the passersby that could have helped Zhuo Xia, respectively. "Let's ask some people about the Zhuo family's friend first." He decided.

"This is reasonable." Yi Bing spoke. Then, he turned to the boatman. "Do you know some friends of the Zhuo family?" he asked.

"'Zhuo family'? Which Zhuo family'?" the boatman asked and turned.

"'that' Zhuo family." Huo Ling answered.

The boatman's eyes widened in shock and he looked around. Seeing that there was no one around who heard him for the people were busy doing their tasks, he went inside the boat and looked at both Yi Bing and Huo Ling, scrutinizing them.

Yi Bing frowned at his reaction. "Why do you act like talking about them is some sort of a taboo?" he asked.

The boatman didn't answer right away. "These… gentlemen… may I ask who you are?" he asked them.

"It doesn't matter who we are, right? As long as the money is right." Huo Ling said and tossed a money pouch to the boatman.

The boatman caught, but he didn't open it. Huo Ling's expression changed and turned awkward while Yi Bing's brows raised.

The boatman sighed. "Ai. Since you are asking about 'that' Zhuo family, then you definitely should have heard their story?" he asked and sat on the floor of the boat.

Huo Ling and Yi Bing looked at each other. They didn't answer, neither confirming nor denying what the boatman said. They will play this by ear.

"'that' Zhuo family is really filled with misfortunes." The boatman continued. "It started when…" he spoke and started to narrate the life of the Zhuo family.

…

While Yi Bing and Huo Ling are listening to the tale of the most unfortunate family, Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yi and Qi Bai have hailed a carriage to take them to the nearest town. If no one in the Cuiyi Town wanted to answer their questions, then they will go to the next town and find someone that would!

"Hey." Wu Ling called to the driver. "Do you know anything about the Snow Clouds Spring Blossoms Mountain?" he asked.

"Aiyo! That is the most famous mountain in the jianghu!" the driver answered. He looked enthusiastic.

Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yi and Qi Bai looked at each other.

"Why?" Qi Bai asked.

"Sirs, you are obviously not from jianghu since you don't know this mountain." The driver laughed.

Wu Ling looked pissed but held it in. "Then, since you are from jianghu, tell us everything that you know, then!" he said. "We will pay you handsomely!" he added.

"Ai. I am not from the jianghu. I am just an ordinary driver!" the driver denied. "But, I'll take your offer!" he grinned. "In the past, that mountain is just another of the many mountains. But, as time passed, many wild flowers and rare herbs sprouted in that mountain. The people living near the mountain said that it was blessed after many springs and winters passed." He said.

Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yi and Qi Bai remained silent.

"That mountain was then named as 'Blessed Mountain'." The driver continued. "Then, do you know the mountain was named as such?" he asked them.

"We are not from jianghu. How will we know?" Wu Ling asked back.

"Aiyo… this young sir has such a temper!" the driver just said. "The Blessed Mountain was named as it was now because every winter, the clouds are very thick. Even when the spring comes, the flowers that blossomed were still covered by the snow. Thus, the 'snow clouds spring blossoms' mountain." He explained. "And the atmosphere there is very cool despite the seasons changing." He added.

"This sounds unscientific?" Shi Yi muttered as he looked at them.

"None of us are knowledgeable about meteorology so how will we know?" Qi Bai said. "Also, this is a wuxia world, so things here would definitely be unscientific. Get used to it." He told him.

Qian San chuckled.

Wu Ling rolled his eyes at them. "We heard earlier that the Snow Clouds Spring Blossoms Mountain is currently sealed?" he said.

"Oh? Young sirs are very updated!" the driver exclaimed in surprise.

"Hmph!" Wu Ling snorted and ignored him.

"Indeed, the Snow Clouds Spring Blossoms Mountain was sealed." The driver confirmed the news.

"Do you know why?" Qian San asked.

The driver shook his head. "No one knows." He honestly answered. "Even my previous customers asked me, and I also listened to some of them gossiping about this. All of us are clueless." He told them.

They fell silent.

"But, hey. Everyone is just waiting for the martial alliance to act." The driver leaned back and told Wu Ling with a grin.

"Tch!" Wu Ling pushed the driver's head away from him.

"The martial alliance?" Qian San, Shi Yi and Qi Bai muttered.

The driver looked at them in surprise. "Young sirs. You also don't know about the martial alliance?" he asked.

Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yi and Qi Bai. "…" don't mention the martial alliance. Even just using qi, we don't know! They thought and inwardly cried but looked calm outside.

"Huh…? Young sirs, did you come here just to enjoy the scenery?" the driver looked at them suspiciously.

"So what?" Wu Ling asked as he raised his chin, looking haughty.

The driver's expression turned serious. "Young sirs, I advise you to go back to your homes now." He spoke. "Still water runs deep." He told them in a low voice.

"What do you mean?" Qi Bai curiously asked.

"Although the jianghu looked calm right now, prompting you to enjoy its sceneries, but the calmer it is, the more chaotic it definitely is underneath." The driver answered.

"You know something?" Wu Ling's brow raised as he stared at the driver's grinning face.

"Young sir, I am just a driver. How can I know many things?" the driver asked back.

Qian San, Shi Yi and Qi Bai looked at each other. Their gazes are talking. This driver seems like is a mysterious person. They thought.

Wu Ling noticed it, too, so he sneered, acting tough outside but inside he felt nervous. Damn it! Why do we have to be so unlucky?! This world is really dangerous! We thought he was just an ordinary driver, but look! We've bumped into a master! He thought as his heart cried.

"Young sir, I only told you all these because your temper is very similar to my friend when we were young…" the driver spoke when he noticed the four's silence. The corners of his lips curled up.

Qian San, Wu Ling, Shi Yi and Qi Bai obviously noticed that he driver also noticed their reactions. They coldly sweated. They admit that they have screwed up just now. They have underestimated the natives of this world! Good god, Shen Taizi! We don't want to die! They thought as they prayed to Shen Sheng.

But, they know that Shen Sheng can't come to this world since he is unable to leave the Stable World. So, they messaged Yi Bing. Just as they have pressed the 'send' button, they heard the driver spoke.

"We've arrived." The carriage stopped outside a tavern.

Qian San, Shi Yi and Qi Bai hurriedly went out, almost flying out of the carriage. They gave the money to the driver without looking in his eyes.

Just as Wu Ling was about to leave, he heard the driver spoke. "Young sir with an ill temper." He called.

A vein popped in Wu Ling's forehead and he stopped to turn to the driver who is grinning widely. "What?!" he asked. This driver gets on his nerves.

"Do you, perhaps, know someone that goes by the nickname 'Si Lang'?" the driver asked.

Wu Ling was taken aback. He thought that the driver would tease him again. "Huh? No." he answered. 'Si Lang'? Is that a code name? He thought.

The driver's smile faded a bit. "Then, if we will meet us again, I hope you will call me 'Si Lang'." he told Wu Ling. Before Wu Ling could react, the carriage already left.

"Huh…?" Wu Ling blinked and finally reacted. "… weirdo." He muttered.

As for the weirdo, he stopped the carriage after a while.

"Yu Xiu.." Two voices called, and the disciples from the Ruojian Valley appeared.