0053 The Enigma of Earth

Beneath the slope was a sheer cliff, and Jiang Mingzhe never expected someone to suddenly appear. Instinctively, he let out a startled cry.

The unfortunate man was clumsily climbing with all his might when he suddenly heard the shout from above. Frightened, he loosened his grip and slipped, sliding down quickly.

Jiang Mingzhe was startled again, thinking, “This is bad. If I don’t kill Boren, and Boren dies because of me—on such a steep cliff with raging currents below, if this man falls, there’s no way he’ll survive.”

He hurriedly shifted his body sideways, using his hands and feet to support himself, carefully descending the slope. He thought, “I must do all I can and leave the rest to fate. If the other person can still be saved, at least I can help him.”

He went all the way to the end of the slope and peered down, stunned.

About three meters below his feet, a protruding rock jutted out from the cliff—roughly the size of a double bed. A young man lay sprawled on it, struggling painfully, unable to rise.

The man was dressed in a sapphire-blue robe of exquisite quality, though it was dirtied and torn.

His features were quite handsome and refined. Despite his grimace from the fall, his innate delicate beauty was still evident.

Jiang Mingzhe’s heart stirred. This man looked to be around nineteen or twenty, with such appearance and attire—could he be Duan Yu?

Could it be that because of his interference, the storyline had changed, causing Duan Yu to miss his fateful encounter?

Jiang Mingzhe found it hard to judge and casually called out, “Brother, are you alright? In these wild mountains, are you training your climbing skills? You nearly scared me to death.”

The young man lay back on the rock and gave a bitter smile. “Brother, you were just startled, but I was so frightened I lost my footing and fell off the cliff. If I weren’t lucky, you’d be collecting my body by now.”

He then glanced down at the rushing river below and shook his head. “Actually, with such fierce rapids, if I fell in, brother, you wouldn’t even need to trouble yourself with retrieving my body.”

Jiang Mingzhe laughed heartily, thinking this fellow had a good temperament—despite being battered and bruised, he still had the heart to joke. Such generosity was truly remarkable.

He cupped his fists. “Brother, your magnanimity is truly admirable. I am Jiang Mingzhe. I fled here pursued by villains and frightened you. I sincerely apologize.”

The man murmured, “That’s more like it. If everyone spoke politely and reasonably, wouldn’t that be better? Is fighting and killing really that interesting?”

He shook his head, then lay back down, cupping his fists. “Ignorance is no crime. Besides, it wasn’t just you scaring me—it was mutual. I’m Duan Yu, sharing the same fate as you, chased by villains and forced off the cliff, but luckily I survived.”

It truly was Duan Yu!

Jiang Mingzhe felt a surge of joy. He had intended to seek the Langhuan Paradise, but the boundless wilderness of the Wuliang Mountains was vast and filled with perilous peaks. Where should he begin his search? Now that he had met the protagonist, he could borrow his fortune and greatly increase his chances.

His smile grew even more gentle. “Brother, surviving a fall like that surely means good fortune awaits you. Congratulations! Wait here, I’ll pull you up now.”

He shifted his footing, causing several small stones to tumble down, nearly hitting Duan Yu’s face.

Duan Yu suddenly propped himself up and quickly arranged the stones, murmuring, “Ah, this is a Zhen hexagram—initial nine: ‘Zhen comes with soft trembling,’ then laughter follows, mute and auspicious.”

He looked up and laughed. “Brother, this hexagram perfectly reflects our encounter. Do you understand the Book of Changes?”

Jiang Mingzhe shook his head. “I know of it and have heard it is profound and vast, but I am a mere mortal—how could I understand?”

Duan Yu said, “Though deep and vast, it can be understood step by step. If you study it earnestly, it’s not that difficult. For example, this hexagram says: ‘Zhen comes with soft trembling, which may bring fortune. Laughter that is mute follows, signifying good outcome.’ What does this mean? It means when facing sudden change, one should fear and be cautious; caution brings fortune. It’s like Xunzi said, ‘Respect at the beginning and caution at the end, maintaining consistency—this is the way of the noble man, the essence of propriety and righteousness.’”

He rambled on, manipulating the stones as he spoke, then suddenly exclaimed with delight, “Ah, yes! Nine four: ‘Zhen proceeds into mud,’ meaning ‘not yet clear.’ Proceeding means falling, mud means being stuck or drowning, ‘not yet clear’ signifies darkness and confusion. This suggests we fell from a height into darkness and are confused because of earth’s influence?”

Jiang Mingzhe caught a fragment of understanding and couldn’t help interrupting, “Heaven is dry and earth is receptive; dry is male, earth is female. Is this hexagram saying we brothers are trapped because of women?”

Duan Yu’s spirits lifted hearing Jiang Mingzhe discuss the Book of Changes with him. He laughed, “Brother, that’s not quite it. The confusion of earth means... huh!”

Suddenly, his expression turned strange as he stared at Jiang Mingzhe. “Brother, if I told you I had fallen in love with a jade statue, would you think I’m a monster?”

Jiang Mingzhe shuddered. Loving a jade statue—that meant this young man had already entered Langhuan Paradise?

He recalled the original story: Zhong Ling’s lightning marten bit many from the Shennong Gang, who detained her. Duan Yu was sent to Zhong Ling’s house to get the antidote, and on the back mountain, he encountered two Wuliang Sword disciples eloping and was chased off a cliff.

But now, Zhong Ling was entangled with Azi. Could she still have come to the Wuliang Sword Sect and met Duan Yu?

How did Duan Yu end up on this cliff?

Jiang Mingzhe was a little confused. In the original story, Duan Yu accidentally discovered the entrance to Langhuan Paradise at the bottom of the cliff, with the exit right at this cliff.

He had only read the original once and couldn’t remember many details.

However, since he heard the words “jade statue,” remembering details was no longer important. He followed Duan Yu’s words, “Brother, people are diverse, each with different appearances, ambitions, and loves. Some men love men, some women love women. Loving a jade statue is not strange. I imagine that statue must be lifelike, like a celestial fairy.”

Duan Yu, with his naturally infatuated nature, felt instantly understood and accepted, considering Jiang Mingzhe a kindred spirit.

Hearing Jiang Mingzhe speak so knowledgeably, he was amazed and couldn’t help but ask, “Brother, how do you know the celestial sister’s jade statue is so lifelike and fairy-like? Have you seen her yourself?”

Jiang Mingzhe laughed freely. “Brother, look at yourself. I call you graceful and magnificent—that’s no idle praise. Besides, the world is full of things that glitter outwardly but are rotten within…”

He clicked his tongue in admiration. “But you are no ordinary person. You can explain such profound classics as the Book of Changes in simple terms, showing your inner brilliance is no less than your exterior. You, you…”

With a flourish of praise, Duan Yu was elated. Jiang Mingzhe pointed at him and said, “A man of your caliber naturally has exquisite taste. The jade statue you love certainly is no ordinary figure. Though I have no chance to see it, I can imagine it must be extraordinary.”

Ah! Duan Yu cried inwardly. No wonder he had the sudden urge to come to the Wuliang Mountains—not for some dull sword fight, but because destiny had arranged it. In this mountain lay not only the celestial sister but also this big brother who understood and knew him!

Duan Yu came from a wealthy background, accustomed to the finest food and clothing, and naturally had refined tastes. He had few peers to confide in, but upon seeing Jiang Mingzhe’s handsome and imposing appearance, he already felt a spark of affection. After their deeper conversation, the affinity grew even stronger, and he immediately recognized Jiang Mingzhe as his kindred big brother.

He couldn’t help but say, “Big brother, talk of fate aside, she is the one in my heart. If you want to see her, it won’t be difficult.”

He climbed to his feet and pointed at the cliff wall. “Come down. I’ll introduce you to the celestial sister.”

Jiang Mingzhe was overjoyed, thinking, “So there really is a hidden cave on this cliff? Without befriending the protagonist, how could I have found such a secret entrance?”