Chapter 12 Silver Vine Town

In the bitterly cold winter, the world was blanketed in snow, yet in the mountains and forests, a red glow burst forth, butterflies danced in the night sky, and large droplets of light rain fell, creating a kind of elegant and transcendent beauty. This astonishing sight left Qin Ming and Xu Yueping in awe, causing the two to stop and watch. The cold wind howled, shaking the branches in the dense forest violently, stirring up large amounts of accumulated snow, while the distant "red butterflies" danced with the strong wind. Xu Yueping fixed his gaze on the reddened night, finally determining what it was. "A mutated plant is 'in full bloom', exuding a vigorous life force, and a few nearby beasts and birds of prey are likely to mutate as well." As he spoke, the floating "butterflies" moved closer, a few blown over by the mountain wind. Upon closer inspection, they were glowing petals. Qin Ming casually scooped up a few petals, his fingers turning slightly red from their reflection. Xu Yueping went even further, stuffing two petals into his mouth and eating them directly. After the bloom of such a mutated plant, whether flowers or fruits, they all carried a rich breath of new life, beneficial to the human body. "Slightly sweet," Qin Ming also sampled a few petals, but unfortunately, there were too few that had fallen here. In the distant mountains and forests, petals were dense, resembling burning red clouds, dispelling the night. Large numbers of birds flew into the night sky, chasing after those bright red petals, while the sounds of howling monkeys and roaring tigers echoed from the forest floor, as many creatures vied for them. Qin Ming felt a surge of excitement, wanting to rush over. Xu Yueping shook his head to stop him, saying, "Forget it, by the time we get there, it will probably be bare, and we might encounter dangerous famous birds or mountain monsters." The 'blooming' of mutated plants had no seasonal pattern; it was difficult to seek them out actively, and after their brilliance, they would wither and die completely. Qin Ming sighed, "Don’t talk about the deep mountains and great marshes; even near our dwelling, there are many mysteries. I really want to pass through the thick night mist and venture into the vast depths of the world to take a look." Xu Yueping nodded, saying, "It's good to have ambitions; that way, you have the motivation to progress. If you have the chance, make sure to visit the distant Chixia City." He believed that only after arriving there could one see a true corner of the world. He added, "You could go there to take an exam." "Has Uncle Xu been there?" Qin Ming looked at him. Xu Yueping's eyes had a few wrinkles at the corners, and he said, "I've been there. It was shocking, and gradually I realized the reality and admitted my ordinariness after adjusting my mindset." His words were calm, lacking the sharpness of youth, only leaving behind the vicissitudes of middle age. "Uncle Xu has seen and experienced much," Qin Ming could only offer this consolation. Xu Yueping smiled bitterly, "Who didn’t have dreams when they were young?" He had another half-sentence, but felt it was too pessimistic and didn’t want to affect Qin Ming, so he kept it to himself. Many things would ultimately be worn down by reality. "We've walked over ten miles and haven't encountered a single prey," Xu Yueping said disgruntledly, wanting to catch something in the wild to take back to town for food and drink. "They've probably all been lured away by the mutated plants," Qin Ming said. On ordinary days, this stretch of road would require companionship for safety due to the pitch-black wilderness, where all kinds of creatures could appear. "Hey, at least we didn’t come back empty-handed," Xu Yueping said as he ventured multiple times into the dense forest, finally shooting a roe deer, weighing around forty pounds. The two moved quickly, having walked thirteen miles, and Silver Vine Town was in sight. Under the night sky, the lights ahead were dim, and the buildings appeared faintly, like a beautifully crafted painting trimmed by peaceful years. Upon reaching here, the number of pedestrians on the road noticeably increased—some were leaving town to hunt, others were entering to sell mountain goods, and there were beast carts swiftly passing by, loaded with goods. Xu Yueping was well-acquainted with Silver Vine Town and led Qin Ming straight ahead. The main street had many shops on either side, with red lanterns hanging under the eaves, bustling with people. Each shop was filled with a dazzling array of goods, including exquisite porcelain, luxurious silk, and spices unique to the mountains. Along the roadside, there were delicious snacks like pancakes and wontons, with the aromas of various foods wafting in the air, mingled with the sounds of hawking, brimming with a lively atmosphere. Compared to this place, Qin Ming felt that Shuangshu Village was simply too desolate. Xu Yueping went to inquire about grain prices and was told that they were still in a state of extremely high prices due to supply not meeting demand; the heavy snow had blocked the roads, making it difficult to transport grain from afar. The center of Silver Vine Town was bright and clear, with a hot spring located there. Although it was in a dry period, the eight-meter square pool still shimmered with rippling light, surrounded by misty clouds. A silver old vine, as thick as a water bucket, took root in the glowing hot spring, which was the origin of Silver Vine Town's name. It looked extraordinary, yet it was still an ordinary plant, with limited spiritual absorption from the hot spring. Qin Ming noticed that there were living creatures in the pool, a type of red shellfish, translucent like jade, with their shells opening and closing, causing the fire clouds to flow within. "Fire Shells, even in such a large pool, there are only a few dozen. It is said they taste incredibly delicious and contain strong active substances. I wonder where they will eventually be sent and who will eat them." Xu Yueping murmured that Fire Shells must be raised in a second-level hot spring like this town's, otherwise they wouldn't have enough spiritual energy to sustain them. The best business shops were located near the hot spring, such as a famous weapon shop, which had a lot of traffic. In the harsh wilderness survival environment, everyone wanted a good weapon in hand. Flurries of small snowflakes began to fall from the sky as Xu Yueping led Qin Ming towards a neighboring bar, the entrance adorned with many exquisitely crafted chandeliers, and inside, sunstones radiated brilliant colors. Business in bars thrived later in the day, and it was still early, so there was hardly anyone here. "We’re not the first batch of customers, are we?" Xu Yueping asked with a smile. A young boy nodded politely, still half asleep, unwillingly providing service so early in the day. Xu Yueping said, "Tell your boss we’re looking for Feng Yian." The boy, who had been smiling politely, suddenly became alert and said, "Our boss is not here, but he has instructed beforehand to help you find Mr. Feng right away." "This roe deer has tender meat; it should be enough to exchange for some good wine, right?" Xu Yueping proposed to use the deer as payment. In the past, bars would certainly refuse this, but with food being tight at this stage, the young attendant nodded and agreed immediately. "The owner here calls himself a 'West Fire Luo person.' Many years ago, his father, as a retainer, followed a master who rode a strange bird from the west," Xu Yueping said to Qin Ming. Some say that the master traveled the world, while others say he was killed by a 'Moon Worm' while exploring a deep mountain hot spring. His follower settled here and started a bar business. "Mr. Feng should appear around noon today," the boy informed after a moment and prepared to call someone to serve. Xu Yueping waved his hand, saying, "No singing or dancing; just bring food and good wine. We’re here to discuss matters today." The bar's decor was quite exquisite, with various crystal lamps hanging down, but the sunstones inside were quite small, creating a haze of light. Xu Yueping whispered, "It’s still early. Little Qin, you sit here and wait; I’ll go visit that old gentleman." Qin Ming nodded, knowing he was going to visit an old nobleman, and stopping him would be useless. The bar quieted down, and Qin Ming took a sip of the amber liquid in his glass. Though it wasn't spicy, he still couldn't get used to it. Time passed slowly as he watched the snow fall outside the window, with people coming and going, feeling the hustle and bustle rarely seen in Shuangshu Village. Xu Yueping returned, brushing off a few snowflakes from his clothes, rubbed his hands together, and downed a few glasses of wine, saying, "It’s indeed better than what I have at home." "Uncle Xu, are you alright?" Qin Ming asked. Xu Yueping replied, "What could possibly happen to me? By the way, after I went to visit, the people there were very polite and warmly received me, saying they would give you a chance at the right time." "Hmm?" Qin Ming was surprised; this was different from what he had imagined. The other party actually did not refuse. He asked a few specific questions and was left speechless. The one who warmly received Xu Yueping was the steward, and it was impossible to meet the old nobleman. The steward wore a gentle smile, more like maintaining proper etiquette. Recently, many people had come to visit, and he stated he would arrange a time for the outstanding youth to meet the old nobleman together. Qin Ming said, "They are politely declining." Xu Yueping drank another glass of wine, saying, "You can carry six hundred pounds; such a brilliant achievement, I think they will look at you differently." Qin Ming replied, "You revealed my background. Although they smile, they face you quite blandly, which should say everything. You also mentioned that they come from afar, perhaps from some splendid city; they must have seen the world." Xu Yueping recalled some rumors; it seemed that the noble lady had extremely high talent. He frowned and said, "You are also quite stunning in our area; how could they still look down on you?" Though he felt somewhat unwilling, being received politely by the steward gave him some foreboding. He just wanted to help Qin Ming seize this opportunity while also solving the problem of the patrol team pressuring them. Qin Ming's expression turned serious as he said, "Uncle Xu, don’t think too much about it. Those mysterious nobles who come from big places to small towns are not ones we should entangle with." Xu Yueping immediately became alert. Who knew whether the other party was in hiding or fleeing from trouble? He solemnly nodded, saying, "You are right." Noon was a time when the night was less dense, allowing a view of the unclear mountains outside Silver Vine Town. Feng Yian appeared, accompanied by two patrollers, bringing in a gust of cold air as they entered the bar through the snowstorm. "Brother Xu, I apologize for making you run so far and wait so long; we just returned from patrol," Feng Yian greeted warmly. Seeing his genuine demeanor, Qin Ming felt an overwhelming disgust, wanting to punch this big-bearded man. He had already learned from Xu Yueping's words that this patrol team usually didn’t take their responsibilities seriously, only appearing together in the mountains at the middle and end of the month. Although the sun had disappeared and there were no longer the bright scenes of the full moon and starry sky, people still followed the old calendar, mentioning the beginning and end of the month. Many times, some members of the patrol team would linger in the bars and restaurants of various towns, even keeping mistresses. Xu Yueping forced a smile and responded, "Brother Feng, you are being too kind. I know how hard your patrol is; we didn’t wait long either." Feng Yian then looked at Qin Ming, saying, "Young brother Qin, you are talented and full of potential. I hope you can join our patrol team in the future." He patted Qin Ming on the shoulder to show closeness, then called the attendant, requesting a private room. Feng Yian looked at the two behind him, saying, "I will chat with Brother Xu first; you two accompany Young Brother Qin to order some drinks, and take a look next door for some good dishes." He mainly wanted to remove his disguise and talk with Xu Yueping privately; indeed, once they entered the private room, his attitude changed. "Old Xu, you are not on the right path; if you are too serious in life, it will be exhausting and painful. Don’t forget, you have a wife and children; it is normal for a few fierce beasts to break into your home in the middle of the night in the mountains, right?" Feng Yian said, lightly patting Xu Yueping's face. At this point, he was no longer generous, but smiling indifferently, his gaze growing cold—a blatant threat. "I will immediately plant Black Moon after I return," Xu Yueping said. "You really made me uncomfortable this time. So you won’t bow your head until you kill some people in the mountains, right? I specially came here for you; the team leader wasn’t happy to hear about it!" Feng Yian added more force to his hand and slapped Xu Yueping's face again. A quarter of an hour later, Feng Yian was the first to walk out from the second floor's private room, wearing a smile on his face. "Let’s go," Xu Yueping said to Qin Ming. Feng Yian smiled as he spoke, "Brother Xu thinks planting Black Moon is very important and wants to go back first. If Young Brother Qin is not in a hurry to leave, he can stay and have a couple of drinks." Qin Ming shook his head in refusal, "No, I’ll still leave with Uncle Xu. The wilderness isn’t very safe recently; it’s better to have someone to look after each other on the road." Watching them disappear at the bar's entrance, one of the men beside Feng Yian said, "That boy, even if he has a golden foundation, so what? Clearly, he and Xu Yueping are of the same kind; why bother being so polite with him?" Feng Yian replied, "Indeed, it’s hard to say how high he can reach; he’s not our kind, but since he hasn’t turned hostile yet, let’s give him some face first—unless we’re sure to kill him immediately…" "Uncle Xu!" Qin Ming noticed a very faint handprint on Xu Yueping's left cheek, and he immediately understood that Xu Yueping had been humiliated in the private room. He could empathize with that kind of humiliation; a surge of anger rose in his heart. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Uncle Xu, they’ve repeated their evil deeds; I believe heaven cannot stand it either, and they will be dealt with soon!" Thanks: Life and death are both illusions, and Flying Home Zhu Bajie; thank you to the two silver alliance leaders for your support!